Camping Nightmare

Some young families in the ward invited us to go camping with them. We got rained out of our first reservation and rescheduled for the second weekend in September. I was really looking forward to it. I admit though that I wasn't on top of my game and failed in many of the preparations.

RJ's intention was to get home early but that didn't work out. We loaded up as soon as we could and stopped by Target on the way to pick up an adapter to blow up our air mattress as wells as several gallons of juice for the morning. We started driving around and realized that we didn't get directions to the camp ground. Thankfully we were within 5 miles of home so we went back to call people and look online. The kids screamed and cried every second of the way. We decided to just cook their dogs in the microwave and let them eat at the table. After numerous phone calls, we finally got an answer and headed off again. It was getting dark when we started setting up the tent and Reagan was tired and hungry. When RJ went to blow up the mattress, he came back with bad news. We didn't bring the pump! We also left the propane for the lamp at home. We got Reagan down and decided to roast marshmellows.

RJ really wanted to make it fun for the kids. He's such a good dad. That's why the kids hang on him every second that he is home.

RJ went to put McKenna down and so did all the other parents. Hunter and I played a made up game of dragon something with Pokemon cards. Around 9:30 p.m. I figured that we might as well hit the sack. McKenna wouldn't be quiet which made Hunter want to move away from her. We relocated his bed 3 feet further. Of course, McKenna then wanted to move too and went about voicing her desire by screaming and waking Reagan up. I put Reagan between me and RJ and McKenna on the other side of me. I hardly had any blankets and new it would be in the 40's during the night. Reagan was squaking and McKenna was touching my face with her frozen hands saying, "where's Reagan?" I asked myself, "why stay here, get driven crazy by McKenna, freeze, and get a horrible night's rest?" When I reached my breaking point, I said toodle-lou. I asked if anyone else wanted to come but they stuck it out like good little campers. I had an 8 a.m. volleyball game the next morning so I dropped Reagan off with RJ and picked them all up afterward. We learned a valuable lesson- say no thank you next year (that's if they invite us. We didn't even socialize because we got in late and everyone left bright and early).

Random Photo Moments

Hunter is so fit! He has a little man body. I'm really proud of him for making healthy food choices and being active.

Reagan first crawled on McKenna's birthday. I tried to get a picture but she kept dropping down into army crawl (which she currently still prefers).

Bathtime Buddies

The kids turned the radio on. McKenna was dancing and Hunter was bouncing Reagan on his lap. She was giggling so much. It was one of those times that make the rest of the time worth it.

Reagan fell asleep eating bananas and pancakes. (*side note- as soon as I took her upstairs and laid her down, she screamed bloody murder).

The day we left for Oregon, RJ and I did the unthinkable. We purchased expensive books from a door to door salesperson! In an effort to utilize these books to the fullest, I created a little school zone for the kids and hung up the posters that came with the books. There was a big 5 foot poster of the human body showing the skeleton, blood vessels and organs. RJ had to remove that one because it freaked Hunter out. Here, McKenna is working on her numbers.

The Big F-O-U-R!

RJ told McKenna as he put her to bed that when she woke up, it would be her birthday. At 6 a.m., she came down the stairs (where RJ and I were working out) and said good morning! I offered to make her chocolate chip pancakes and to my utter amazement, she passed and opted for LIFE cereal!

I rode/pulled her on my bike to the park for playgroup and we picked up some pink sugar frosted cookies on the way for her to share with her friends. She was so excited to have a whole container of beautiful pink cookies that she walked around the park with them for some time. I had to remind her several times that they were for sharing.

We always start with the swings at the park. Then I tell her that she has to go play and burn some energy.

Reagan likes the swings too (I think).

When I asked McKenna if she wanted a friend party or family party, she said "family, but with Charlotte." We invited her friend Charlotte over in the afternoon to do some crafts.

Charlotte gave her some princess squinkies (don't ask me to describe what they are or why kids love them. They are an expensive choking hazard).

We made some princess/butterfly frames and they each got to decorate a castle cake.

The frosting is always so tempting!

Wow! Great job Mic.

I dreamt about and googled the castle cake I wanted to make for McKenna for about a month. RJ and I decided to start doing P90X together on Labor Day and when he asked if I was 100% committed, I knew I couldn't make a triple layer cake for my 4 and 6 year old to eat single-handedly (or would it be double handedly?)! Instead I made a 9x13 and four cupcakes. I made a castle cake kit for the four kids (Hunter, McKenna, Barrett, and Charlotte) and no leftovers for me. I think it turned out really nice and the kids had fun. McKenna's flag says "Princess McKenna."

I made Hunter's frosting and tower blue and put his on a water background so it could be an island castle. He is always very exacting in his work.

The crazy thing is that McKenna didn't even end up eating any cake on her birthday! She was so excited to get to presents and we were in a time crunch to get Hunter to soccer.

Present Time!

The Friday before her birthday, we went to a garage sale at Jacey's. Hunter brought his pouch full of money and found a pokemon book that he spent $.75 on. He walked around and found a tea cup and saucer for $.25. He found this little "album" and told me he wanted to buy it for McKenna for her birthday. It was $1. I was touched that he picked something out for her and spent the most on her.

We got her a backpack to feel official when she goes to the little co-op preschool Jacey and I organized with two other moms.

McKenna's chore money was finding it's way all over the house so we got her a piggy bank for it to have a home.

Reagan gearing up for her big 1 year milestone.

McKenna loves babies! I wanted to get her a little front carrier for her babies but nobody sold one separately, so she got another baby to add to her little brood. We also bought her some onsies since she is always asking to borrow Reagan's clothes for her dolls. We also bought her a little shopping cart that has room for groceries and two babies. She has broken two strollers so we gave up on those but decided that she still needed something with wheels. She loves it! She was so grateful for her gifts.

McKenna loves her daddy! He thought when we got married that he only wanted boys but McKenna has carved a place in his heart that no boy could fill.

I love my "Sissy." She is so full of life.

Reality Bites

Someone told me that you can have kids OR a clean house. As you can see, I have kids.

I have to draw the line when it starts oozing into the rest of the house.

I thought that if we had a garage sale, we could get rid of a lot of stuff that clutters the ground thus taking care of our constant messy room dilemna. However, through very scientific means, I have discovered a new law I respectfully refer to as Hunter's Law. It is this: whatever can be dropped will be dropped.

First Grade!

Summer was pretty fun except for the last week. RJ was out of town and apparently all of the kids' friends were too. We all stayed in the house stepping on each others' toes and I felt like September 6th (the first day of school) could not come fast enough. Would I cry when my first born son boarded the bus? NO. We waffled between whether or not we even wanted Hunter to take the bus. We decided that since our neighbor Neeru would be on it going to and from school this year and because he really wanted to, we would let him.

He was very excited to be in Miss Swanson's class this year.

I didn't take him school clothes shopping because he didn't really need anything. I also gave up trying to tell him what to wear. Incidently, he picked the same shirt he wore the first day of school last year! I'm glad he likes it and it was money well spent.

We were surprised to see that two more girls from the neighborhood (who Hunter had played with), would also be on the bus.


There he goes!

Hunter came downstairs the other night after we "put him to bed" and had an interesting discussion with his dad about finances and education. Since then, he has worried about how he will save enough money for college and how hard it will be. Baby steps!

End of the Summer Fun

A woman in our ward is a swim coach and offered lessons for the kids for $5/30 minutes. We held the lessons at her apartment complex pool and combined with another mom in the ward and her kids. The kids really improved and it was a fun two weeks. McKenna looked so cute in her swim cap.

Hunter is practicing his streamline.

"The Brat Pack"

The kids played outside pracitcally all summer with the neighborhood kids (Neeru, Lauren, and Brynn pictured here).


Josiah's poor pool is at maximum capacity!

Lauren's tooth was loose but she was affraid to pull it out. Her parents were calling her Nanny McPhee. The kids were grossed out by her twisted, dangling tooth and she took full advantage o chasing them around smiling. Finally, wanting to surprise her parents, she asked me to pull out her tooth. I didn't think I could stomach it but I did it!

Dare To Tri

After 11 weeks of training our August date- the Dare to Tri sprint triathlon, finally arrived. We lucked out and were able to borrow two road bikes from a couple in our ward (I was ready to ride the 14 mile course with a baby seat on my mountain bike). We did 99% of our swimming at the community center with convenient black lines along the bottom of the pool and walls to hold onto every 25 yards. Running was the hardest (or least enjoyable) because of the 100+ temperatures on the heat index.

RJ decided that he would do the whole race with me even if that meant slowing down. I pushed myself hard during training to be able to keep up with his monster long stride. I felt excited the day of the race because I knew that my body was ready and that I could enjoy the race.

6:15 a.m. race day

There were between 750-1,000 athletes participating in one of three events (tri-star111, olympic triathlon, sprint triathlon). RJ is setting up at the transition station before they lock it up.

We were both in novice swim waves. I was in a wave about 6 minutes before RJ's. Beth had counseled me to stay in the back but I found that once I got in the water, I was stuck behind people slower than me (something I had not anticipated)! It took me a few minutes to beak free and I tried to get into a rhythm but found that my side stroke was faster, easier and with less variance from the path than my front stroke. It was not a pretty swim to watch, I am sure but I decided to just enjoy my swim as I looked at the clear blue sky and breathed deeply. I did rotate through strokes later and spotted the beach! Thankfully, I spotted my wardrobe malfunction first! I tucked myself back into my swimming suit before launching out of the water in a full out sprint (just to get to my bike and wait for RJ).

RJ rented a wetsuit for fear of drowning. He stopped at the first boat to catch his breath and was able to do some back floating to get himself through the rest. I began to wonder if he was struggling in the water when I saw a white tank top walking down the blacktop.

He pulled his wetsuit back up for a picture (that's how much of a hurry we were in). We decided before hand that RJ would follow me on the bike since he is a stronger/faster biker and we wanted to stay together. That lasted about 5 minutes. When he passed me, I tried to keep up but my legs were burning. Once I got over the fact that he left me in the dust, I enjoyed my ride and did my best time. RJ was waiting for me at the transition station and we ran the 3 miles together talking the whole way. We crossed the finish line holding hands. RJ contemplated carrying me across the finish line but then remembered that one of the rules states that you cannot assist another athlete or you will be disqualified. We decided to play by the rules.

Our goal was to finish in less than two hours and we did it in 1 hour and 50 minutes (.3 mile swim, 14 mile bike, 3 mile run). Hunter asked if we won! Almost. We came in 322 and 361 out of 416!

I really enjoyed this whole experience with RJ. We had so much fun, that night we signed up for a warrior run (a 5K with 17 obstacles) to take place June, 2012.