-ing

*Preparing for a road trip with four (divided luckily) long days of driving with four little kids.  Google Maps just told me it's 2,351 miles and should take us 41 hours.  Awesome.

Entertainment ideas accepted (no DVD or flying for us.) Road Trip Bingo source here.  I found several different ones to use different days.

*More preparing for the older girls.  Map source here.

*Deciding...tile for the bathroom.  Looks more grayish blue in real life.  This will be done while we are gone by our talented brother in law since we just have one bathroom and it's too hard to remodel a one bathroom house while there are little kids around needing to use it.

*Reading.  LOVED these books!  Exciting, edge-of-my-seat, heart pumping, thrilling, romance, adventure books.  

*Buying school supplies.
*Finishing to-dos.
*Cleaning of course.
*Watching the Olympics.
*Eating too much, but it's so good!
*Partying it up with friends for birthdays, weddings, and babies.
*Singing.  Mostly "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepson, unfortunately that's Olivia's favorite song and I cannot get it out of my head.  I think it gets stuck even more than this song that everyone hated/loved for a while.
*Planning plenty of fun with family and friends while we travel.
*Sleeping occasionally. =)
What are you up to?

Wet Hot Related

We had a good time playing with some cousins this afternoon.  One of my brothers has a great yard for the kids to run and play and even jump and swim and they invited us over.  My brothers were both working, so it was just me and my sister and our two sisters in law (who live here) with the 13 cousins.

These kids really do play hard!  They all wipe themselves out and hopefully everyone went to bed as easily as my kids did.

 Vincent found a rubber snake to play with.

I cut up a watermelon and took it over there to share.  It was devoured in mere minutes.  When we started packing up to go home and eat dinner, three of my four kids told me that they didn't eat any of it.  I don't know why they decided not to notice everyone congregating in one spot eating, but they complained.  Too bad, I say!
We came home for a quick dinner of a variety of soups we had in the cupboard and some tasty juice I bought with coupons and then Elizabeth headed to Jujitsu and the littles had bathes and nails clipped and painted (not Vincent!)
They all went right to sleep.  I love when they are all tired.  That's what summer's all about!

Green thumb/18 months

I planted these forget-me-nots with little seeds after Mother's Day.  Just look at them now!  

I'm so surprised they grew!  Normally I planted wildflowers or something in the little pots by my front door and nothing happens (other than a few tiny green stems before they die), so I was excited to have these do so well!  Forget-me-nots like shade and no sun, so they were perfect for the little corner they are in.

Abby is officially 18 months.  I can't imagine our family without her.  She's a hoot!
We went to the doctor today to get her all weighed and measured.  She's still petite and grows at her steady 15th percentile rate.  She's 30 inches tall and weighs just over 20 pounds.
She didn't like being in the doctor's office and just whined the whole time.  She didn't want to get undressed or be touched by anyone.
This girl is opinionated and persistent and independent.
All great traits for later in life and trials in toddlerhood.

Summer Fun

Tuesday we drove over to Walla Walla to see my parents (who live there) and my sister and her two boys who are here visiting from Colorado.  

We visited, played, had some yummy lunch (thanks, mom!), and then walked to a cool park.

It was warm.  My dad left before my sister and I with four of the six kids (including Abby who walked the whole half mile except across the busy roads!) Vincent had to find his shoes and use the bathroom, so he was taking too long.  My mom waited for him.

 I don't normally like black and white pictures, but this one seemed to fit.  I love my dad!

 Abby loves to swing HIGH!

At this point, my batteries died in my camera.  Janessa's grandma-in-law was on her way over and picked some up for me.  Very nice!
Compare Abby's faces in the next two pictures.

 "What'd you say???"

 My sister Janessa with her boys Jackson and Jacob.  After I took their picture I spun them until she begged me to stop (about ten seconds).

 Vincent having a shoulder ride (one of many.)

 Abby always finds her way back to the swings.  Look at those teeth!

 Who needs to ride in the stroller when you can push it instead?  She didn't ride in this at all.

 My four kids looking at the birds in the aviary.  I like that Abby's looking up at Elizabeth to figure out what she should do here.

 The whole crew (minus me and Abby) looking at the peacock with his tail feathers out.

 Beautiful colors!

 Walking back to Grandma Mary's for some Jello Jigglers.  These boys are five months apart and are in the group of grandkids where each of my siblings and I had kids within 18 months (mostly boys).

 The kids enjoyed the sprinkler my dad made.

 Well, Abby didn't really like it that much.  This is about as close as she got.  Just right where the water is barely hitting her.

We visited awhile longer and then cleaned up all the toys the kids got out before heading home.  I had to hurry and make dinner while Andy worked on his brakes in the car.
Elizabeth was invited to mutual tonight with the activity day girls.  They made water balloon flip flops.  She said it was the best activity day ever.

 They happened to need a few extra parents, so I volunteered knowing I could take plenty of pictures.  =)
I forced them to all be in a group picture at the end.  The girls loved being with the MiaMaids.

 They all liked different things.  Elizabeth's is the one with green and purple.  She got distracted blowing the balloons up and quit early...

The kids all had bathes, beds were changed, laundry was done, books were read, kids put to bed, dishwasher was cleaned (disgusting!), the new Sherlock Holmes was finished, and of course I went through my pictures and wrote a blog.

TMI Tuesday

Warning Too Much Information will follow, but it's my information.  Decide if you want to read it or not.

Short Story: 

Laparoscopic Surgery scheduled August 17th for me.

Long Story:

In April (this year) I decided to have an IUD put in (Mirena) which prevents pregnancy and normally stops or slows periods as well with time.  The IUD is supposed to last for five years or you can have it removed sooner if you are ready to get pregnant.  Since we were/are unsure whether we are done having kids or not, we decided this was a good option and cheaper and easier than taking a pill everyday.

I went in for my yearly check with my gynecologist at 11am and they couldn't find my IUD to make sure it was in the right place.  I went home for a bit (enough time to pay my babysitter, take her home, and eat a sandwich and arrange another babysitter). They sent me for an ultrasound an hour or so later and then tried to find it again.  They also discovered a 4cm cyst that explains the cramping I've been feeling on my left side when I'm walking really fast and the extra bad cramps the last few weeks.  I'm don't normally have any, so it was strange.  The doctor(s) couldn't find it still so they ordered an x-ray.  I called my mother in law to go relieve my neighbor from our kids on my way to get the x-ray downstairs.  Then I went back upstairs and waited again for a little bit.  The doctor came in and told me that the IUD is too deep and is in my left ovary and I need surgery.  I had to schedule my pre op, acual op, and post op and then finally was able to come home at 5pm.  It was a long and draining day.

Not hurting bad enough to cancel plans, but this is very inconvenient and NOT cheap (like it was supposed to be!)

Three years and three surgeries for me. Gallbladder, Baby, and now this.  My body is feeling awfully old.

Cars and Pioneers

Elizabeth had another Saturday morning of washing cars with the kids from her Jujitsu class.  There are a few more her age.  They must have been lazy or something.  Someone told us later today that she's a great car washer.  She must have worked really hard.

Andy mowed the lawn and did some other projects around the house and then picked Elizabeth up.

After she got home, we had a nice (although not quiet!) afternoon before heading to our Stake Pioneer Day celebration at a park for dinner.  

I decided I wanted a picture of my kids in their pioneer-ish outfits.

This is how most of them turned out:

 I love the pet setting on my camera that takes continuous pictures.  I just sit there and take pictures until they all look.  Almost there with this picture.  Three out of four isn't bad.

 Finally, I can see all four sets of eyes and everyone looks mostly pleasant.  It only took them three minutes to just sit still and look at me...

 Vincent in his cowboy hat and bandanna.  He liked it.  He really liked his fried chicken for dinner and cleaned the piece he had clear to the bone!

 I wore my Great Grandma Crowther's apron to show my pioneer spirit.  She's my Grandpa Gordon's mom and my aunt gave me this apron several years ago and said that she (GGCrowther) liked these half aprons best and would iron and starch them before wearing.  I guess I could have pulled out the iron...

After our early pioneer day celebration (July 24th is the real day that the first pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake valley), we stopped at home quickly before going to a wedding reception for a girl who grew up in Cottonwood Ward.  She has since graduated from college and served a mission.  It was nice.
It was time for Abby to go to bed before too long, so we came home.  Andy watched Cops and I read to the girls for a bit and then came to do this while Andy reads to them.  I like overhearing "The Hobbit" since I read it a few years ago and know what happens.  We are excited for the movie to come out this year!

Play-Dance-Play more

We dropped Olivia off at her little dance camp this morning that she's doing with some teenage girls in our ward and then headed to the park.  I stayed in the van and got my coupons and grocery list ready and Elizabeth, Vincent, and Abby played.  Elizabeth wanted the camera and took some pictures and video for me. (Turn your sound down and take a motion sickness pill if you have one.)

My favorite line is when Elizabeth tells Vincent to push Abby down the slide.
Abby yelling at Vincent on the slide.

 Cute little Abby...

 After we picked Olivia up, we went to Staples to pick up some cheap school supplies, then Payless because Elizabeth and I needed new Sunday shoes, Costco to pick up three things, and finally Walmart to finish our grocery shopping.  It was a long time, but we got it done and no one was crying (not even me!)

We pulled into our driveway just as a little thunderstorm hit.  Elizabeth hurried and helped me with groceries while Olivia kept Abby inside.
We rested for the afternoon (ie: Abby and I napped and the other three did who knows what in the family room.)

Olivia's Dance Camp had a recital Friday evening.
Here is a short clip of their dance.

She had a good time learning this and was right in the middle of the stage.  Plus it's the summer job of two of our favorite babysitters and it doesn't cost us much. =)

Abby with her little baby.  She sure wasn't being very nice to the little baby!

 Olivia in her little jazz dance outfit.

Right after the recital was a Mother-Daughter night at the other church building with our ward.  It was a pajama party with pizza and skits.  They even had a little catwalk and super cute models.
Elizabeth acted all shy to show her Mario pajamas.  She was all proud to be the only one in boy pajamas.

 Olivia and Abby walked together because they both had nightgowns.  The nightgowns came with matching doll dresses.

 Our group for the skit.  It was random and fun.

 A foam cup kept Abby pretty busy during the other skits.  She loves little dogs, so she adored her nightgown.

 I had a friend take pictures of me and my girls.

 We are yawning in this one.

Andy and Vincent had their own little father-son time and went out for pizza.
When we got home it was time for game night with two friends.  We played Probe.  I hadn't played it since I was little.  It's a great word game (and apparently worth a lot! That link says the "vintage game" is worth $46!)
What a fun day!  Tomorrow will be a lot of fun too, just wait and see!

Book Worm

I've been reading a bunch lately and enjoying a few good books.

I was excited to see that my library had "The Vow" by Kim and Krickett Carpenter which inspired the recent movie.  

I read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially their faith and determination to stand by each other. I had the movie on hold at my library (yes, I love my library!) and watched it the day after I finished the book. I was disappointed.  Although it was a cute little story and all that, they didn't do anything with the faith part, the actual keeping of the VOWS part (since they divorced in the movie which they never did in real life!)  Also, their family support was completely absent in the movie and actually changed so that her parents didn't even KNOW she was married until the accident.  In real life the parents were amazing and a fantastic support to Kim (the husband), so to see it portrayed with his "friends" as the only people he fell back on was terrible, I thought.  Also, although many people think the actor in this film is cute, I do not.  Skip the movie. READ THE BOOK! 

"These is my Words" is the diary of Sarah Agnes Prine who lived in the Arizona Territories when it was first being settled.  I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. I had just heard that many people liked it and so I wanted to read it.

I was pleasantly surprised by the way she lived, the way she learned, and the way she loved.  There are some major dramatic stories in here, so I would recommend this book to adults, but they are all tastefully written and true! What an amazing life she led! This is a MUST read.  (And boy am I glad I have so many conveniences in my life!)

Have you read anything great lately?

McClellan Reunion Day 4

Sunday was the final day of the reunion.  Some of us went to church with Grandma Ellen.  Others had other obligations to their own wards.  We did both.  Sacrament with Grandma Ellen and then our whole three hours of church.  It was great to go to church and worship with Grandma.  

Abby was out in the hall for most of our sacrament meeting, but enjoyed the nursery afterwards (one more Sunday until she's official!)  

After church, we ate a quick lunch and rested and relaxed.  At least I did.  Andy usually turns on Looney Tunes and then tries to rest while the kids are playing and interrupting his nap.  I get in my bed and shut the door and get a real nap.

The final thing planned for our reunion was a game night at our house.  We were going to do it a different night, but it was too much those nights.  We do love games over here!

We warmed up with a round of Uno when Andy's cousin Sammi arrived.  

 Andy's Uncle David and cousin-in-law Julie came with her four kids.  In this picture little Elizabeth is on Uncle David's lap and just pushed Olivia's Mastermind pattern down so she could see it.  Uncle David looked away at just the right time.

 We played some Trek to Zion.  It's getting a lot of use at our house!  While we played the kids all played and watched some Tangled.  Uncle David even purchased his own copy of Trek to Zion while we played so he can play it with his sons when he gets back home. We played Ticket to Ride right after.

 Most of the kids watching the movie.  They had some popcorn after this.  Our kids finally went to bed about 10:30 or so.

Before church we had to wake all of our kids up to get ready.  Andy had to take a picture of Abby sleeping.

So glad we were able to have a reunion.  We're excited to go to Ohio in two years for the next one!

McClellan Reunion Day 3

Saturday for the reunion we went up to George and Shirley's place at the mountain.  Because Andy and I were in charge, we assigned a day to each of Shirley's siblings for food.  Then they didn't have to worry about it any of the rest of the days.  We also decided this year that the money we make with the family auction will be used to buy the food.  That makes it much less of a burden on everyone.  

After we got back from the wading pool Friday, I thought maybe it'd be fun for Elizabeth and Olivia to go up to the mountain with George and Shirley that night since they were going up already.  We called and they came and picked them up on their way out.  The girls loved the special grandparent time and told Andy several stories on the way home that were shared with them.  They slept well too!

The girls wanted to play Risk with Andy when we got up there (and drink pop).

 Vincent's getting really good at climbing on the playground.

 Everyone had plenty of downtime to visit, which was my goal.

 Andy's Grandma Ellen was smiling the whole time.  She's just so sweet!

 George took the big kids on a four-wheeler ride through the forest.

 My pictures close up were all blurry!  Shoot!

 Abby enjoyed the brand new swing and definitely broke it in!  Everytime someone walked past her, they'd give her a little push.  She was happy there three different parts of the day for a long time.

 Mount Hood was cloudy since it rained Saturday morning.  Nothing like the Fourth of July when I got such a great shot of it.  The rain is nice to keep the dust down and the hot air away for a bit.

 Little Reagan and her mom came up for the festivities.

 Shirley's brother's birthday was Saturday and we had cupcakes and sang to him.  He didn't bother with blowing the candles out.  He just waved his arm and did it that way.  Clever.

 More four-wheeler rides were given (Abby didn't stay there.  She wanted off.)

 Grandpa Paul was so sweet with Andy's cousin's little girl.  She came over and wanted to give him kisses and he bent waaaaaay down to receive it.  She was his little buddy from then on.

 Uncle Richard was Olivia's buddy.  She was collecting trash here and marching it over to the garbage.

 She was teaching little Londyn how to throw things away too.

 The girls shot the bb guns some more.  They aimed at pop cans.  Elizabeth said at lunch that she'd already had six pops that morning so they'd have enough to shoot at.

 Shirley made some little reunion journals for the kids and they also made some cute bracelets.

 I brought up supplies to make some snack necklaces.  They are always a hit with the kids and then they could eat them when we went on a little hike.

 Vincent had some special one-on-one grandpa time on the four wheeler.

 The six big cousins who were at the mountain today.  They all played so nicely.

The plan was to come back to town in time for playing games at our house, but everyone was tired out from all the fun, so we moved that to Sunday evening instead so we have more energy and time.
We picked up a pizza on the way home, gave kids bathes, and put them to bed.  I started laundry, cleaned the bathroom, and made a flyer.  Andy vacuumed the house.  Now we're ready for Sunday and church with Grandma Ellen and then our ward right after.  
Families are so important and I love all of our family!