Summer Fun

Our summer has been a busy one and our latest trip reassured us that the Midwest is where we should be. We drove out to Idaho for mike's grandmas funeral and enjoyed our time with his family. Maggie who loves her pa pop Shurts was very excited to go visit him and was a little taken back when it took longer than usual to get there but once she met pa pop Payne she was in love, she followed him around and loved his cabin. She was very sad when we left and has been making pictures for him everyday, they just are not always on blank paper. Maggie has also fallen in love with swimming and would swim everyday if she could. We hang out at the pool as often as we can and it helps that all her friends go there as well. Holly and Cecilia went to scout camp this summer and had fun catching frogs and learning to canoe for city girls they love the country life. We just ordered school clothes for them and started getting school things together, the summer is going fast and as much as I want them to go back to school I am not ready for summer to end.

Vaction

What a great vacation! One I hope the girls will always remember. I am going to break it down day by day to make it easier to read.

Day 1

We climbed in the car around 2:00 in the morning and we drove all day to Florida. The drive was pretty easy. In the south they have a treat called boiled peanuts, we all tried them Mike and Maggie were the only ones that actually liked them. We arrived at our hotel around 8:30 that night all we did was crash.

Day 2 We took the kids to Cocoa Beach so they can say they swam in the ocean. They had a great time collecting sea shells and getting a mouth full of salt water. Mike and I both ended up with a very bad sun burn. It doesn't matter how much sun screen we use or how often we still burn.

Day 3

Today we started our week of Disney World. Monday was Magic kingdom, Tuesday was Hollywood Studios, then Epcot and then Animal Kingdom. It was so hot on this day that the kids felt like they were melting. The lines were long but they meet Ariel and rode on alot of fun rides.

Day 4

We were able to see American Idol, little mermaid and met JoJo and Goliath , Buzz light year and Mickey Mouse. Maggie loved meeting all the characters and seeing all the shows. Mike and I rode on the Aerosmiths roller coaster. It went so fast and was great. We went to see the light show that night but instead the rain came and we were drenched. They kids were laughing about how wet they were but at least they were not hot anymore. It was good to see them laugh about it and not throw a fit.

Day5&6

We walked and walked we must of walked at least 5 miles a day and sweat about five buckets full. The kids loved it and loved seeing everything. We were able to see Epcot's light show and fireworks. It was amazing to watch the lights over the water and they displayed images on the world along with music. It was beautiful. We were able to sample food from around the world and the girls fell in love with a chocolate cake from France.

Day 7

This day was Cecilia's Birthday and we let her choose what she wanted to do. Disney World gave her a gift card since we already bought tickets and she was able to shop for whatever she wanted. That was the best gift for her, the girl loves to shop. We went back to Epcot and bought her the chocolate cake she loved and put some candles on it and sang to her. She loved it. The day was going great we met Belle, Jasmine and Snow White, we ate lunch Mexico and then Holly threw up on the bridge , the people of DW were great and sent us to first aid while they cleaned it up, Holly spent an hour cooling down while Cecilia and I went on some rides, they wouldn't let us all stay in there. We then went back to Magic Kingdom for the rest of the day. While Mike and Holly and Maggie went shopping, Cecilia and I rode on some roller coasters, while shopping Holly found 50 dollars on the ground she turned it in and the people there were so happy as they were deciding what to do Maggie peed all over the store floor, Mike and the girls quickly left. We ended the day with a great dinner and watched the light parade.They girls loved it their eyes were so big through the whole thing.

Day 8&9

We drove home, it took us two days to go home because we woke up late each day and we didn't want to push it. We also stopped and looked at things we didn't see on the way home. We went to Metropolis IL and say a very large superman and had lunch at Dip n Dots the girls love this ice cream I personally think it tasted weird. For Father's day we gave mike a can of boiled peanuts he loved it. This ends our trip to Florida, it was packed full of fun and laughs. Sorry for the long post but I did shorten it there are alot more fun stories. Until next time.

Memorial weekend

This past week end has been a busy one and this week has flown by. It all started with my parents getting ready for their mission to SLC Family History, while getting all their doctor visits done my father found out that he has prostate cancer. So instead of a farewell BBQ we changed it to hope all goes well BBQ. My father went in on Thursday to have his surgery but before surgery he came over to the house and mike gave him a blessing then it was off to the hospital. I gave Maggie her lunch and a small nap before I dropped her off at a friends and then I spent the rest of the day at the hospital to wait with my mother and brother Paul. The hospital was so over booked that dad ended up waiting for the surgery in the children's section which is not an ideal place for my father. They whisked him off and that left me and mom and Paul to wait around in the waiting room. We had a great time talking and watch the monitor for progress in dads surgery. All went well and know he is home and poor mom is taking care of a 69 year old kid. The rest of the week end was spent with family we had a 40th birthday party for Paul nothing to big until Cecilia and her cousin Haley decided to have a chocolate cake food fight. They were covered from head to toe in chocolate we told them the only way they were getting home is if they were hosed off. Aunt Chastina stepped in and literally hosed them off. Sunday came and mike and I were assigned talks in sacerment meeting we were worried since neither of us like to give talks but I thought Mike did a great job and I actually talked long enough. It was then back to the house for a BBQ and then send family members home. The rest of the week just flew by with all the kids activities, soccer, softball. piano and church. I am glad to have today to rest and clean before the weekend where Saturday is non stop games and activities.Pictrues of the chocolate fight will come as soon as I get them from my niece.

Silly moments

This last week has been one for silly little moments. Maggie started it off , on our way to a soccer game we were caring our camp chairs and Maggie kept yelling "mommy your sit down" it took us a few minutes to realize she was talking about our chairs we tried to get her to say chair but she insisted that they were our sit downs. All we can figure is that we have told her to sit down so many times that now she assiocates chair with sit down. Holly has hit the middle child syndrome already with her she says "I wish I didn't have any sisters and why does everyone pick on me" and other such lovely thoughts. We have tried to reassure her that she would miss her sisters and we are not always picking on her, that doesn't seem to be working. It is funny though that when Cecilia went to her friends house for the night all Holly did was talk about her and wanted to know what she was doing, but we do need to remember Holly doesn't want any sisters. Cecilia is getting to be old enough to take on some more responsibility and one of them is mowing the lawn. Yesterday I went out to teach Cecilia how to mow the lawn and had to bit my lip so I wouldn't laugh to hard at this little 75 pound girl trying to push the lawn mower. She was trying so hard to push that thing on our flat backyard and instead of pushing the mower you would see her kicking her legs up behind her and grunting to try and push it 10 feet . It was so cute to watch her she did do most of the yard but I think I will wait until she has a little more strength in her arms. After she was down she said that mowing is a boys job and that when she is married she will have her husband mow the lawn. I argued that it was not a boy job and that you should share all the jobs of the house she said then I will hire someone to do my lawn mowing. You just got to love the things that come out of their mouths other wise I might just go crazy.

Busy week

Last week was a busy one, Cecilia was in her first play and it was great. She was Thing 2 from Dr. Suess stories. She didn't have to talk which is why she loved her part all she had to do was dance and sing and act silly she does that on a daily bases so it was a snap for her. So we spent the first part of the week getting her ready for that then on thursday we celebrated Maggies second birthday. She spent the whole day saying " Happy to me". When she woke up I showed her her birthday cake which was probably a mistake since as soon as I was downstairs she reached up and starting eating whatever she could reach which was icing. Her cake soon had little finger marks. She loved blowing out her candles and getting presents. She has spent the weekend showing everyone her new clothes and playing with her new kitchen set. Its good to be two. Holly has been busy being draged from place to place but she gets her pay backs, she has soccer and piano which means the other two will be draged to her activites for a while. I am going to try and post video and pictures but we will see if i can do it. They video shows her coming out with cotton candy I will see if I can find a better one.

Easter

This year for Easter we traveled down to Nauvoo to spend the week end with my parents. On Friday we left the children with pop pop(which is what Maggie calls grandpa)and grandma so that mike and I could go to the temple. We choose to do sealings this time knowing that our minds would not be able to focus on an endowment session, it was a nice change and of course it helps me to remember my sealing vows to mike. Later that night we took the girls outside to run of some steam Cecilia and Holly were running all over and climbing up and down the front of moms and dads house. Maggie was running right behind them yelling me too me too. Maggie couldn't quit climb the flower beds in the front so the girls helped her up. When the older two were playing in the woods Maggie was determined to climb the flower beds by herself next thing we knew she made it to the top. The flower beds are almost as tall as she is.
Saturday the girls went to Baxter's Winery to color eggs and play games Maggie wasn't able to make it because she was running a fever the rest of the week end turns out she has strep throat again. Cecilia won first place in her age group and Holly won third place in her age for the best colored egg. They each won a bag full of goodies. Well the kids are back in school and the usual crazy night begin again.

Terrible Twos

First off Happy Birthday Chuck! 40 years old and still looking good.
Now on to the tantrums of my almost two year old. Maggie has always done things early she rolled over early started walking early, potty trained right on time but along with all her accomplishments come the early tantrums of a two year old. This whole week her friend has been on vacation which has upset Maggie to no end. Every time we went out to do anything she would be under the impression that we would go to her friends house there fore when we arrived home she would yell and kick and say No Home. Her kicking and screaming did not stop there it also applies to not being able to get what she wants. She has discovered marshmallows and wants to eat them all the time. Oh the joy of having little ones.
As far as Cecilia and Holly they have grown out the little girl tantrums and moved on to that's not fair and she started it as well of stay out of my room, do you have to look or touch me. Having girls can be such a trail, but yet fun we outnumber dad and we do love to shop.