Weekend trip to Portland

I took the Girls, I mean the kids, to Portland for the weekend.  We left early Friday morning and drove straight to the Portland Children's Museum.  We met Auntie Becca, Uncle Max and Charlie at the museum and spent the morning playing.

After playing for several hours we make our way back to our car ready to go to Grandma Sharolee's house.  When I got to our car and unlocked all the doors our car alarm went off.  Not GOOD.  My car alarm key was back in Tacoma and I had no way of turning off the alarm.  Someone else in the parking lot must  have the same alarm and when they set their alarm it set mine.  I called up Max and thankfully he had some experience with this issue.  I got under the hood and started pulling fusses.    It did not work.  :-(    I nice man saw me in my distress and offered to help me.  Luckily at this point Grace and Everett where asleep and Gwenevere was sitting patiently eating a little snack.  The man had some mechanical experience but no tools.  He figured I needed to detach the battery and hope that it would reset the alarm.  

Since I had no tools, I called up Max again he came over with his tools and we (mostly he) detached the battery.  At this time Everett was awake and needed some attention.  Grace woke up later and with the alarm going off said "That's loud."  I started laughing since she had been sleeping through that loud sound for a while.  Max did his magic, and found the fuss to disable the alarm.  It was under the steering wheel and was a big pain in the neck.  THANK YOU MAX!

Two hours later we where on our way to Grandma's house.  

We made homemade pizzas and watch Cinderella that night.

Saturday morning Grandma watched the kids while I went to the temple.   

Then we went to Lexi's birthday party.  Stephanie sure knows how to through a party.  We had cookies, and balloons, games and a pinata.  It was awesome.  

We made our way back to Grandma Sharolee's house for dinner, some more cousin time and a quick visit with Grandma Great or Red Grandma.  It's always wonderful to see Red Grandma.

Then we packed up and came back home to be with Papa for the rest of the Weekend.  It's always fun to play with family weather it's our extended family or just our little family.

Sunday afternoon at Dumas Bay

Last day of being 3

A few days before Everett turned three months I went to his dresser and pulled out the iron-on mile marker I needed for his three month pictures.  I soon got distracted and when I went back to get it the day Everett turned 3 I couldn't find it anywhere.  Go figured.  I looked everywhere and soon gave up.  I truly was disappointed.

but....

On Everett's last day of being 3 I found the iron on.  Yippee!  

Without delay I taped the iron-on on (yes I didn't even iron it on)  and we took some cute pictures. 

Everett has grown so much.  He loves to play and talk to his big sisters.  He has rolled over from stomach to back once so far and has army crawled three steps only once so far.  He loves his Papa and gets so excited to see him when he comes home from work.

Everett has tasted oranges, pretzels, applesauce and juice Popsicle.

A blog about all the little things

We've done so many fun little things that I wanted to document.  So here are a few one liners for posterity.

We played on the beach for Preschool last week.  An Eagle came soaring down to the water just feet above me head.  We saw lots of crab cities, sand dollars, and collected pretty rocks.  We climbed up  big rocks.  Gwenevere went ahead with her friend and then later on told her friend she needed to go back and help her little sister climb up the big rocks.  Grace enjoyed walking in the water with her rain boots.  I didn't realize until we got back to the car that her rain boots have a leak in them.

We've been working in our yard lately trying to get ready for spring.  We  hope to have a happy little garden and add a few fruit trees to our yard this summer.  Major work includes: raking out the gravel, putting a layer of fill dirt down, leveling out the slope and adding fruit trees, a beehive and berry bushes.  We added 6 more blueberry bushes to the yard and want to make a raise garden bead just for our strawberry plants.

James has also found some chunks of cement in our yard.  He's putting them to use building a stairway/retaining wall for the side of our house.  It's looking good.

We where given a swingset that James has assembled for the kids.

We hope to plant beans or peas around the the base of the fort and put flower boxes on the top part of the fort.

Grace and Everett love the swing.  Everett laughed for the first time for me while swinging (he's laughed with Papa before). Gwenevere is still waiting for the big kid swings I need to pick up.

Gwenevere started Gymnastics.  When I asked how she liked her first day of class she responded " I love it.  I love it, I love it, I love it."

Lately I've been overwhelmed and taken back by the amount of love I can feel for my family.  I'm so grateful for the blessing of being a parent and I'm grateful I have this little man in my life.

James got part of his Bee-day present early.  He still needs to order the boxes, and the bees come later this spring, but this guy is so ready for some honey.  Actually we are more excited about the pollination then the honey but honey will be a bonus if we get some this year.

Now I just need to make a little white bee suit for for the girls to share.  It's on my list of crafts.


Everett rolled over from stomach to back for the first time today.  And he's loving his tummy time.

We painted reflection paintings and made homemade pizza for preschool.  Can i just say, I love my friend.  She is an amazing teacher and mother.  When i grow up I want to be like her.  I thank my Heavenly Father for the wonderful women in my life.

Reflection painting: you paint have of the page and then stamped on the other side.  See picture below for examples.

Good news: I can cut a decent boy hair cut. Not so good news: Grace's pixie cut went sour. Still good news: She rocks her cute boy cut. And if any one wants to comment on her hair, we are calling it a fairy princess cut. what surprised me most was how dark her hair looked after i cut it.  She looks more like her big sister than ever before.

My favorite Grace quote as of lately  

Grace:  "I won't cut my fingers off."  (it's said in the same tone of voice as "you'll shoot your eye out.")

Grace is fascinated with sharp knives,  Anytime I'm cutting up vegetables she shoots her step stool over, climbs up and begs to help me cut but refuses to use a butter knife.  She has gone so far as to repeat over and over again she won't cut off her finger like Auntie Grace.  LOL  The finger snip with the scissors is one of Grace's favorite bedtime stores.   Yep we talk about battle wounds for bedtime stories 

Gwenevere's birthday

This blog post is for Gwenevere

The Pinata Story:  This year you decided you wanted a My Little Pony party.  Which included a My little pony pinata.  We started making the pinata Monday night.  You where a big help.  We let it dry overnight with a little space heater below.  The heat inflated the balloon too much.  In the morning the balloon had turn open the paper mache.  I was ready to give up.  I texted Papa asking what I should do, hoping he'd suggest just buying a pinata at the store.  Instead he sent me a detailed text on how I could fix the  pinata.  We hurried and put a second layer on the pinata before preschool.   

Thursday night I painted the pinata.  Then Friday morning Papa hot glued the pinata together and finalized the details.  It turned out great and both Papa and I where happy we didn't give up.  

The Cake:  You designed your birthday cake when i showed you it, you told me you wanted more sprinkles.

Friday Morning we went to get donuts for Breakfast, this was your idea.  We had so yummy donuts.  You ate a rainbow donut.  Grace had a pink sparkle donut, Papa had an applefritter and I ate a maple bar.

We came back home and cleaned and decorated for your party.  Papa put up streamer while I blew up balloons.

You and Grace let Everett join in on the pre-party fun

I needed to barrow and hot glue gun for our party craft so I went over to Grandma Jeanie's house and she offered some heart shape sprinkles.  It made your cake complete.

Finally at 3pm it was time for your birthday party.  Auntie Becca, Uncle Max and Charlie came.

You invited Reagan, Heather, Chloe, Rex and Aidan

We started our party with getting cutie mark tattoos.  At first you wanted your tattoo to be on your hip but then you decided your cheek would be a better place.

Then you girls decided to get glimmered with some My little Pony Rings

Once everyone was beautified and ready to party we headed out side to destroy the pinata.  We chanted each person's name while they hit the pinata.

Since we where already outside and everyone seemed to be happy we had a few Rainbow Dash rely races.

When we got back inside we played a game where we dug for Rarity diamonds and then made crowns with the diamonds we found.  We also ate snacks during this time as we took turns making our crowns.

Next you wanted to eat cake and Ice cream.  We sang Happy Birthday and you blew out your candles.

After cake we went into your bedroom and had a photo shoot with your friends.  Everyone looks amazing.

After pictures you opened presents.  Then it was time for friends to go home.  

After the party I asked you what your favorite thing was,  you replied, "Eating cake and Ice Cream"

Happy Birthday!