Trip to "Avada"

Last week my kids, my mom and I took a trip out to see my brother Nate and his family in Nevada. It's about 800 miles one way. I had planned on going by myself but my mom and dad weren't comfortable with me going alone so my mom decided to go with me. She has been out a couple of times but has always flown. I thought it would probably be cheaper to drive, and my mom said she will never drive it again. I am glad she went though, she was lots of help taking care of the kids while I drove. It would have been a lot harder on my own.

On the way to Nevada we had been driving all day and Ethan and Ally asked a million times if we were almost there. The had fallen asleep and Ethan woke up just as we were pulling into Fernley and asked again if we were almost there. I said "yep, we're here." Ethan got so excited and started yelling, "Ally, wake up, we're here, we're already at Avada." He had forgotten so quickly how long we had been in the car. I just thought it was funny that he said we were "already" there.

We had a good time visiting though. We don't get to see Nate and Adalia very often so it was fun to spend some time with them and see their new house. The kids had a great time playing with each other too. Ryan loved the house and was so good and was so independant and just crawled around and played by himself the whole time. He does not do that at our house. He was such a good boy, even for the long hours in the car.

Dale had worked a graveyard shift (she's an RN) the night we got there. We wanted to let her have an easy going day and not make her take us out somewhere so we took the kids to the park to play, which is always a hit.

Ethan, Paige, and Eden made friends with some other kids and played tag for quite awhile. Ethan gets worn out trying to keep up with the older kids and had to take a breather.


Ally and Ledger playing on the little slide.


All the kids. Ethan wasn't very happy that it was time to go. And the sun was in their eyes.


After the park we came home to rest. Ryan was pretty stoked that he found this ball of yarn, and that we let him play with it.


The kids played in the pool in the back yard.


The next day we went to Lake Tahoe. It was kind of an over cast day and the water was pretty chilly but we still had a good time. This is a picture looking out on the lake, it was really pretty.


Then I turned 180 to get a picture of the mountains, that still had snow on them. See the dark clouds.


Ally at Lake Tahoe, she wasn't up for getting in the water but had fun playing in the sand and laying under the blanket.


The kids playing in the sand, Ledger didn't want to sit down for the picture.


Ryan loved the beach. And loved eating the sand. The sand was different than I had ever seen. It was really coarse, it was nice cause it didn't stick to you, it brushed off really easy.


Ryan playing with the sand toys.


Nate taught Paige and Ethan how to bury their feet in the sand. Ethan thought that was a pretty cool trick.


Grandma and Ryan relaxing at the beach.


All of us at Lake Tahoe.


Just as we were getting ready to leave a huge flock of geese flew in, there were hundreds all along the beach. It was so cool. We started feeding them some popcorn and pretzels. The kids loved it. Then as we turned to leave there was a park ranger sitting behind us. I thought we were going to get in trouble but he didn't say anything.


Then we drove into California to Emerald Bay State Park to view a beautiful lookout of Lake Tahoe and a huge waterfall. Oh my gosh, it was so pretty.


Ethan climbing all over the rocks at Emerald Bay.


The next day we took the kids swimming at the Fernley City swimming pool. Again they made some friends to play tag and keep away with.


They had a fun kiddie pool that Ethan and Ally loved. It was only 2 feet deep so they could touch and had a blast. They were starting to get brave by the end and were going under and laying on their backs.


On our last night we went bowling, it was Cosmic Rock-A-Bowl night. The bowling alley was dark and they had a disco light going and loud music playing. Ryan was freaking out, he didn't like the flashing lights and loud music. He had a death grip on my mom and I. By the end of the night he was doing okay though.

Ethan was proud that he could bowl all by himself. Doesn't he have good form? He bowled a 72.


Ally wanted me to help her bowl. We had pretty good form too. We bowled a 63, she probably could have done better on her own.


Uncle Nate using Ally for his bowling ball.


All the kids after a cosmic bowling game.


1,866 miles
1 very close run-out-of-gas incident
lots of rain and road construction
6 kids happy to see each other
fun visit to see family
great trip

Thanks Nate and Dale for a fun visit. We had a great time. Wish we could have stayed longer. We'll just have to come again. Love ya!

"Oh, my shots!"

This morning I took Ryan and Ethan to the doctor. Ryan had a well baby check up and Ethan need to get his immunizations for kindergarten. Ethan has known he had to get them for quite awhile and has been quite distraught about it. Every time we talk about it he would tear up. Anyway, this morning he was really nervous and scared. I had to hold him on my lap and hold his arms down to get it done. He cried but did very well. When we were leaving he wanted me to carry him. I said "Sorry bud, I have to carry Ryan's car seat, but I can hold your hand." He was still pretty sad and kind of sobbing and said "Mom, I think I need a little wheelchair." He made it out to the car just fine, but for the rest of the day everything he did he would wince and say "oh, my shots". We had to run several errands after their appointment and he told several people "I had 5 kindergarten shots today." He was pretty proud, once they were over. Funny boy!

Fishin'

Last Monday for Family Home Evening we went out to the 4th reservoir to go fishing. Ethan has been begging Javan to take him for weeks now. It was pretty slow for the first half hour or so and Ethan and Ally were getting impatient. Especially since the people right next to us were reelin' 'em in right and left. But once they started hitting we could barely keep the line bated.

Ethan and Ally trying to catch a big one. Ally only lasts for a few minutes, then she's on to other things.


My cute family enjoying some fishing. Javan was looking at these picture with me and said "Why do I look so mean in the picture?" Hum, could it be that he complains every time I try and take a picture. Stinker.


Ethan reeling in a fish.


This is one of the fish Ethan caught. It swallowed the hook and died in its removal process, hence all the blood. So we got to keep that one. Ethan wanted to keep all the fish we caught and was upset with Javan when he would let them go. He kept saying "We only caught one fish." He wasn't going to count the ones we caught and released, only the ones we kept. He was a little confused.



Ally reeling in a big fish.


Ally wasn't even about to touch the fish once she reeled it in. I about had her talked into just holding the line so I could get a picture but then the fish started to move and scared her away. She put her hands behind her back just to be sure that we couldn't somehow trick her into touching it.


Since Ryan is on the move now I have to hold him all the time when we are out places so he won't get into things. He is such a wiggly little guy too. I took him for a little walk while everyone was fishing and sat him on my shoulders, he thought it was really fun to hit the top of my head and pull my hair. He's a stinker too.


Since we did keep the one fish we brought it home and cooked it for dinner. This Javan cleaning out it guts on the front lawn. Nice. Javan and Ethan are quite the little seafood lovers and quite enjoyed their grilled trout. Ally wouldn't even taste it. I already know that I don't like it.


Good times.

9 Months Old!

This is just getting crazy. I know I say it every month but I seriously can't believe another month has already gone by. Ryan is already 9 months old. He is changing so much and getting so big.

I think in the 8 month post I said that Ryan was trying hard to crawl. Well shortly after that he got it figured out. He actually learned really quickly. For the first few days he would do an army-type scooting, then he would get up on his hands and knees and lunge forward, this moved along him pretty good but would kind of take his breath away when he did it. Then he figured out the true crawling, and could even go to sitting within just a few days. I was quite impressed with how quickly he picked it up. It seems like Ethan and Ally took longer to figure it out.

This little video is a good sampling of his different types of crawling, with some help from Ethan. (Video taken on May 20, 2009)


Ryan jabbers and talks all the time. He can say "da da", and "ma ma", and "ba ba", "Ethan" and "Ally", no, just kidding. But he really says "da da" and "ma ma". He can wave bye-bye and does it all the time until I try and get him to do it when we are leaving some place.


You can't really tell in these pictures but Ryan is getting some curl in his hair. I have kept it short up until now, but if it's going to get curly I might let it grow a little more and see what happens with it. I'll have to take a picture of the back so everyone can see the curl, it's pretty cute. It's also turning really blonde, he'll be a toe head by the end of summer.


Over Memorial Day weekend my brother Dave and his family came down to spend the weekend. We went out to Spring Creek (my uncle's ranch) and had a work day, fixin' fence and other projects. It rained off and on most of the weekend and was pretty muddy and cold. But we still had a good time. This is Ryan sitting in the cattle chute.


The next day we went on a little hike to see some Indian ruins. Ethan caught this lizard. Ryan thought it looked pretty tasty. The kids thought it was hilarious that he was trying to eat it, so they kept teasing him with it.


"Say cheese!" Here's Ryan's cute little scrunched-nose smile. I love this funny smile that shows off his little teeth. He now has 4 teeth on top and 2 on bottom. He has certainly been putting them to use and has become quite the biter lately. The other night he was crawling over to get my glass of water and I put my arm out to block him, he got ticked and grabbed my arm and bit me. My word, I couldn't believe it. Since then he has bitten Ethan and Ally on the face when they were bothering him. He drew blood on Ethan's cheek. I hasn't stopped them from pestering him though. But look at the sweet little boy, it's hard to believe that he could be so mean, isn't it.


Last weekend we went out to Recapture with Mike and Shan's family to canoe and take the boat out on the water. The water was still pretty cold but Ryan didn't mind. He sat and splashed for quite awhile. He also found some rocks in the water that he quite liked to eat.


After the dam we went up to Mike and Shan cabin for dinner. Ryan had a good time crawling around and playing with this banana chair.


Ryan loves to be outside. The grass doesn't seem to bother him at all. He loves crawling around and exploring and tasting things. Now that Ryan is crawling Ethan and Ally are learning that they can't leave their toys and small objects laying around anymore. He, like any baby, is a little human vacuum. And I am learning (or remembering) that I have to clean up more now too. And for those who know me this is not something I like to do.


This little video was taken on his 9 month birthday (June 3), you'll see that his crawling has improved quite a bit. It's been fun to watch Ryan progress and grow, even though it makes me sad.

Note to viewers: Foreign object was promptly removed from Ryan's mouth upon completion of video clip.

My 3 little monsters. As much as Ethan and Ally torment Ryan he loves to play with them and gets so excited when they come around, as long as they don't get too close.

Ethan's Preschool Graduation

Ethan has finished his last year of preschool. He has really enjoyed going to preschool and has learned so much. The last month or so he has asked me several times if I had signed him up for summer school yet. I hope he keeps his enthusiasm for loving school (who am I kidding, right?) So Monday he had preschool graduation. I had planned to video all their little songs but right when I started the video the low battery light came on. I was so sad, I didn't have another set of batteries so I had to conserve what I had left, so I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked. Ethan during graduation. The boy sitting next to him wouldn't hold still and kept bumping Ethan's hat. Ethan was getting a little discouraged. He looked so cute. He did lots better this year. Receiving his diploma. My big preschool graduate. I am so proud of you bud! Ethan and his teacher Lana Lee. The sun was shining directly in their eyes. I should have taken another shot but the stinkin' battery was dying. Me and the kids. Each kid picked a song they wanted to sing for all the Mom's and Dad's. Ethan picked Peter Rabbit. Turn up your volume, it's barely audible. But at least there was sound coming out of his mouth, last year he just mouthed the words. (Sorry the video kind of gets cut short, again, the stinkin' battery)


Congratulations Ethan! On to kindergarten!

Girls Trip!

Yay! I love girls trip. It's so fun to be able to go a spend a weekend with all my girlfriends from high school. We are so lucky to still be friends and love each other enough to want to spend time together. I am so blessed that I had such wonderful friends growing up to help keep me in line. (Well they tried, sometimes I didn't listen.)

On Friday night we went to Olive Garden for dinner, Heather told them we were there to celebrate her birthday, so they came to sing for her, and wish her a happy birthday.


Our waiter Kevin was quite smitten with Nicole. We had him bringing us anything we wanted. He was trying everything to get her number.


Group shot at dinner. Lisa, Tamia, me, Cyndi (and Nataanii), Nicole, Tara, and Heather. So much fun, so much good food, so many laughs.


Back at the motel for some good old fashioned reminiscing. I'm surprised we didn't get kicked out of our motel room.


We also went to the Desert Star Theater for a play. It was so funny, and scary. Yes, we are all wearing the same shirts, this might be a new tradition.


Thanks so much girls for an awesome weekend. I love you all so much. Can't wait until next year. And thanks to the husbands for watching the kids and making this all possible.

Farm Days

Every couple of years the local farmers and ranchers put on a thing called "Farm Days" to help educate the school children on the importance of farming and help them to understand how much of what we have and eat comes from a farm. We took the kids down to see the animals and check it all out.

We went down to Farm Days with some of Javan's family. Grandma Shannie, Haven and Kellyn, Aunt Cassie, Sarah, and Haley, and all the kids.


Here Clark Grover was giving the sheep a "hair cut". He even gave Ethan some of the wool to take home to show his dad. Ethan put it in his pocket to save it. Now it is happily stored on his dresser and he will not let me throw it away. In fact he was quite upset when he excitedly showed Javan and Javan told him it was gross. (On a side note, we bought our house from Clark Grover, thanks Clark!)


Ethan and Ally by the goats. Ally wasn't very excited about getting too close to the animals.


Ryan and a huge pig. Holy cow, that was one big pig.


Ally and the little pigs. Getting braver.


Ethan loved to hold and interact with the animals. He held some bunnies, chicks and here he is showing Ally and Ryan a baby duck. All the baby chicks and ducks were in this huge tub and Ethan wasn't big enough to reach in there and catch one so he was asking me to help him catch a baby duck cause he had already held a chick. I said "How can you tell which one is a duck." They looked the same from where I was standing. Ethan thought that was a pretty dumb question, "They have longer, flatter beaks, Mom." Thanks for the lesson bud!


Enjoying a quilting demonstration and an ice cream cone. Ethan, Ryan, Ally, Ella, and Jonah.


Then we enjoyed a tractor-pulled hayride. It got really windy while we were on the ride and the kids covered their heads for most of it.


We had a really fun time though. After we left the farm we went to Grandma Shannie's for a picnic. Thanks Shannie!