Spring Break

While the area kids have been enjoying their week without school, I have been reveling in the fact that I'm getting my own little break from teaching Sunday school. Yeah, like the adult Gospel Doctrine class. Between a combined 5th Sunday lesson today, General Conference, and Stake Conference later in April I'm getting out of teaching quite a bit. Lucky for me and my pupils. This calling still scares me to death. Any suggestions for becoming a good Sunday school teacher?

Kid @ Grandma's House

We've been spending a few days with my parents. You know the saying "Like a kid in a candy shop." Well this picture sums up our experience at Grandma's house. Whatever you want, whenever you want. All of a sudden, I don't know anything as a mother. My suggestions go straight out the window and kids become royalty. Swedish fish for dessert after breakfast, hours and hours of Curious George viewing and the likes.

It's going to be a sad afternoon when we head home later today.

Three Cheers for Nice People!

I have been without a cell phone since our trip.

I kept thinking that I needed to get a replacement. So I approached my friend, Ebay, and found myself a cheap one.

Later that day, my husband told me how a guy had called him from my cell phone to get our address so that he could ship the phone to me. Thank goodness the guy was a brilliant detective, not a thief since he had found both my phone and husband's Home Depot card in the safe in our room on the cruise ship. He put two and two together and located the name off the card in my phone book to call. When asked if we could get him some money to cover the costs, he just said to pass it on.

It's reassuring to know that there are still a lot of good people out there.
Hip, hip, hooray!

I got a cute little package with my phone in the mail today.

As for my replacement phone, I was able to get the transaction reversed minus S&H. Moral of the story, I need to be a responsible adult. I might not get so lucky next time.

P.S. You might think it's still lost because I doubt I'll get any better about answering it.

Easter

I love the world at Easter time
Because everything is new.

There are blossoms on our fruit trees
And in our garden too.

And where the grass was dead and brown,
It’s starting to look green.
The world just seems to come alive
Whenever it is spring.

It makes me think of Jesus
And that great, first Easter Day,
Of how He came to live on earth
To teach us to obey.

He died for us upon the cross
And suffered for our sins.
Then, like the trees and flowers in spring,
He came to life again.

And now when it is springtime,
I’m filled with Jesus’ love.
I know He rose again so I
Could live with Him above.

Leslie A. Nebeker, “Easter Time,” Friend, Apr. 1996, 27

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend. We enjoyed ourselves. Between egg hunts, church worship, and a visit from a little Easter Bunny things around here were quite traditional.

Lately we've been working on finishing up a few projects on the house. I know, we've only lived here for a year now. I'm beginning to think that home ownership is like being a parent- there's no such thing as done.

Tag

Now kids are even becoming involved in this whole cyber-tag thing. Personally, I think they'd rather run around on the playground for tag. But you don't have to take my word for it. I've asked the kiddos to come up with a few things that you might not know about them.

Dalanie:

Me: What are your thoughts on the 2008 election and the choice of candidates?Me: Well put.
Me: Next question. What's your favorite way to eat diced peaches for lunch?

Me: I see, you like to balance them on your forearm before they ever touch your lips. Messy technique, but nice execution. Moving on. Once your finished with lunch, it'll be naptime. Any objections?

Sis: Actually Mom, I don't intend on being finished with lunch for awhile. I still have several peaches to balance on my arm.

Me: Thanks Sis. I'll let you get back to the peaches.

Let me introduce to you my next guest. Come here Hudson. Hudson, please get over here. right now.
Hudson: No. I've got better things to do. Like ride my horse, take a train ride, dust the handrail, or shoo! cows.
Me: There's no arguing with this boy. But maybe he'll let me snap just a quick picture.
There you have it folks. My shy 3 year old.

Green Birthday

John Deere is working double duty around our place, providing the green for St. Patty's day and theme for Hudson's birthday. I can't believe he's three. We started partying yesterday with the extended family coming over for cake and ice cream. Thanks family for all of the awesome gifts. So far we have put puzzles together, traced a self portrait on some awesome big paper, and played cowboy. You can see for yourself. And yes, those are his new John Deere boots and his new "horsey hat."

I almost did it . . .

Ever since I was little I can remember the annual "Festivals" on PBS. The time they interrupt programming and try to get you to call in and pledge money. They were filled with visits from Big Bird, balloon popping, and enthusiastic volunteers. I remember being moved by the announcers pleas for financial support and thinking that the balance of all PBS shows lie in my hands. Now as a Mom, my child was complaining about "festival" ruining his TV and asking for me to "fix it."

I heard a brief sales pitch to which I went and got my wallet and phone and decided it was my time to call in my support. Here at our house, PBS is all that our kids watch. I like that they are not bombarded by commercials and that many of the shows serve as tools to learning.

I had made my mind up. I was finally going to do it.

I picked up the phone. No dial tone. Nothing. It was dead. And our internet was down too.

Man alive! Just when I finally commit, I can't.

And by time we resolved our internet/phone issues, my husband talks me out of it. . . temporarily.

After writing this post, I went online and made my pledge!! Hooray! It's easy to do: idahoptv.org

Trip Pictures

First airplane ride.

Boys night out. The girls sat the last formal dining night out since Sis was grumpy.Playing in Acapulco with sand pail.Playing at home with same sand pail.Sissy's R&R.On the beach in Acapulco.

Maybe it's a good thing I can't access all of our trip pictures. I'd surely bore you. This is just up to the first 1/2 day at our first port. I hope I'll have more pictures to show you in a week.

Boys and Hot Dogs

Our little guy LOVES hot dogs. But besides eating two or three of them in a sitting, he refers to several things as hot dogs.

Glue sticks.
Hot glue sticks.
Tongue depressors.
Saugsage.
Orange stitching near the fly on his pants. It took me a minute to catch onto what he was really meaning. I thought he might already be a sick and perverted boy, but no. The stitching is a just a heavy dash.

Dowels and skewers are always hot dog sticks.

His hot dog induced descriptions have been going on for quite some time. And there might not be an end in sight. At Sea World the other day, a six year old boy was helping with the dolphin show. A trainer had him come and touch on of the dolphins and asked what is felt like. Of course! You guessed it- a HOT DOG! Oh boy, I just had to laugh. ;)

AWOL

At the last minute, we decided to fly by the seat of our pants and take the family on a little sojourn. Since we all had passports, we headed for the border and warmer weather. We flew to San Diego and boarded a cruise ship and set sail for Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, and Manzillo Mexico. Traveling with the kiddos was a learning experience, but very rewarding.

Currently I'm experiencing technical difficulties uploading our pictures from my memory stick. I've only been able to access 170/680 pictures, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll be able to salvage them. It would make me so sick to have lost all of those pictures. I've called in reinforcements and help will be offered next weekend. You can cross your fingers for me too.
But for now I'll offer you my advice for traveling with little ones:
-if you and your children don't have passports, get them
That way you can take advantage of last minute travel deals and not be restricted on where you can go.
-instant oatmeal a lifesaver for our early morning flights
-pack lots of treats and little surprises to reward good behavior
-take along an inflatable bathtub (a real must for a cruise as you only have showers)
People laughed when they saw us carrying it up around. I guess they figured we were going to use it as a raft and put our little ones in, but that sounds a little dangerous to me. It served as a great little playpen to keep the 7 month old off yucky floors of the ships or the sand at the beach
-bag the strollers, get a backpack
-Make t-shirts that tell your kids ages.
It was fun to have your children doted over, but it got a little old being asked how old they were.
-be prepared to make sacrifices when you're traveling with kids
You simply won't be able to do it all and see it all.
-Enjoy your time! Since the kids are there you won't miss them and spend your time worrying about them.