Monday, January 25, 2010
Christmas Break Synopsis/Saga PART TWO
The Good
Seeing everyone in S's family
Having a separate bedroom from the kids!
HGTV, all five seasons of Alias, Netflix and 3 different History channels. Suddenly Hulu.com doesn't seem so entertaining. We definitely got spoiled.
Another Christmas!
I think by the end of it all, N finally had the present unwrapping idea down.
My SIL and her family gave us some pretty slick aprons. N's and mine match and apparently are called "flirty"!
And another birthday... Baby N is suddenly no longer a baby. She has taken on toddler hood with full force and is determined to keep up with her older brother. What she lacks in sleeping, she makes up for in dancing, laughing, and running around wreaking havoc wherever she goes. I'm enchanted with her, unless it's past her bedtime. She's a total doll.
A delicious birthday cake that I didn't have to make! This cake was really good, thanks to Aunt Chand, and N seemed to agree.
Despite the lack of food coloring, N got pretty messy so a bath was in order when she was done. N's favorite activity is bath time. Every time she hears the water running in the bathroom, she's right there, which makes privacy when showering near impossible without doing it during nap time. Sometimes I've even found her in the tub when there's no water in it.
After bath time, we opened more presents for N's birthday. I can't decide if this is a good or bad thing. S and I got pretty burnt out on all the new presents this trip if my face doesn't already tell you that in this next picture. The kids were in heaven though.
We ate well on this trip! Despite this, I think I only made dinner twice out of two weeks- thanks to those who provided excellent food for us to eat! I came home refreshed and ready to work on my goal of having consistent meal plans.
When Chandra left, the kids turned her bed into a trampoline. It was a good way to get them to expend their energy!
Making s'mores in the wood stove. If we ever buy a house, I really hope there's a wood stove in it. So nice!
Reaping the rewards...
Other good things- Watching Avatar and Sherlock Holmes, going bowling with Grandpa, and eating yummy Mexican food.
The Bad
Driving to Idaho from Utah on your seventh anniversary. Not exactly romantic.
Spreading aforementioned flu to S's family.
Baby N's ear infections and sinus infection that made for some sleepless nights.
Having your husband spend a lot of the vacation prepping for a conference in Tampa Bay, Florida and then having him leave for 5 days while you stay in freezing Idaho with a sick baby. Thank goodness for grandparents!
The Funny
You may be surprised to hear that Burley, Idaho is not the most happening place in the world. S and I tend to appreciate this because it means we can relax, which is what a vacation is all about, right? Sometimes the kids need a little more stimulation though, and Aunt Krystal remedied this by coming up with some fun activities for the kids. First she constructed a drive-in movie theater where the kids made cars and drove them downstairs to watch #1's new favorite movie "Bolt". There was even a ticket collector and a concession stand where the kids got to spend their money on snacks. It was pretty cool and #1 was really into it.
#1 waiting for the movie to start- his vehicle was a truck.
Enjoying some licorice with his cousin Isabelle
Then they set up a tarp with shaving cream on it in the living room and let the kids slip around. Grandma and Grandpa were pretty brave to let this one take place.
Baby N LOVED Grandma's kitchen cupboards because they were not locked and full of things to chuck around. We would often hear her rummaging around and having a good time destroying the kitchen. Her favorite were the cookie cutters.
Some of us went to the Chipmunk movie... Identities have not been disclosed to maintain dignity. Prior to that event, #1 and I went to McDonalds and acquired a Happy Meal chipmunk toy that had an annoying high-pitched laugh that you could repeat over and over and over... That toy never made it to Illinois, even though baby N found it hilarious- thanks Grandpa.
When the kids found themselves without some of these fun activities, they seemed to congregate at the front door ready to escape.
We distracted them with Dora the Explorer here. I'm wondering what was happening on the screen to incite concern, humor, and boredom all in the same moment.
I wonder if I have a similar expression when I watch TV... They are totally zoned in right now.
At the bowling alley #1 grabbed Grandpa upon spying a glow-in-the-dark ball vending machine and said "Grandpa, come here! Did you bring your wallet?" He knows a sucker when he sees one.
I'm sad I never got video of Grandpa bucking #1 like a horse. It was one of my favorite moments of our trip.
Speaking of favorites, here is N's favorite toy at Grandma and Grandpa's.
She liked to play while her brother got down.
Just in case you remember S's moves from back in the day and wonder if he's kept them up...
In our last hotel visit of the trip, N found these luggage carts and fell in love. I think Grandpa took her on a trip with one at one point.
Conclusion
I'm sad I didn't get more pictures of actual family members. Just as we were about to leave, I managed to get this one picture with the kids and their grandparents. We had a wonderful time and truly appreciate all the time, effort, and money that was spent to have us visit them over the holidays. Our family is the best! Next year we will be staying home, but everyone is welcome to come see us. We love and miss all of you!
Seeing everyone in S's family
Having a separate bedroom from the kids!
HGTV, all five seasons of Alias, Netflix and 3 different History channels. Suddenly Hulu.com doesn't seem so entertaining. We definitely got spoiled.
Another Christmas!
I think by the end of it all, N finally had the present unwrapping idea down.
My SIL and her family gave us some pretty slick aprons. N's and mine match and apparently are called "flirty"!
And another birthday... Baby N is suddenly no longer a baby. She has taken on toddler hood with full force and is determined to keep up with her older brother. What she lacks in sleeping, she makes up for in dancing, laughing, and running around wreaking havoc wherever she goes. I'm enchanted with her, unless it's past her bedtime. She's a total doll.
A delicious birthday cake that I didn't have to make! This cake was really good, thanks to Aunt Chand, and N seemed to agree.
Despite the lack of food coloring, N got pretty messy so a bath was in order when she was done. N's favorite activity is bath time. Every time she hears the water running in the bathroom, she's right there, which makes privacy when showering near impossible without doing it during nap time. Sometimes I've even found her in the tub when there's no water in it.
After bath time, we opened more presents for N's birthday. I can't decide if this is a good or bad thing. S and I got pretty burnt out on all the new presents this trip if my face doesn't already tell you that in this next picture. The kids were in heaven though.
We ate well on this trip! Despite this, I think I only made dinner twice out of two weeks- thanks to those who provided excellent food for us to eat! I came home refreshed and ready to work on my goal of having consistent meal plans.
When Chandra left, the kids turned her bed into a trampoline. It was a good way to get them to expend their energy!
Making s'mores in the wood stove. If we ever buy a house, I really hope there's a wood stove in it. So nice!
Reaping the rewards...
Other good things- Watching Avatar and Sherlock Holmes, going bowling with Grandpa, and eating yummy Mexican food.
The Bad
Driving to Idaho from Utah on your seventh anniversary. Not exactly romantic.
Spreading aforementioned flu to S's family.
Baby N's ear infections and sinus infection that made for some sleepless nights.
Having your husband spend a lot of the vacation prepping for a conference in Tampa Bay, Florida and then having him leave for 5 days while you stay in freezing Idaho with a sick baby. Thank goodness for grandparents!
The Funny
You may be surprised to hear that Burley, Idaho is not the most happening place in the world. S and I tend to appreciate this because it means we can relax, which is what a vacation is all about, right? Sometimes the kids need a little more stimulation though, and Aunt Krystal remedied this by coming up with some fun activities for the kids. First she constructed a drive-in movie theater where the kids made cars and drove them downstairs to watch #1's new favorite movie "Bolt". There was even a ticket collector and a concession stand where the kids got to spend their money on snacks. It was pretty cool and #1 was really into it.
#1 waiting for the movie to start- his vehicle was a truck.
Enjoying some licorice with his cousin Isabelle
Then they set up a tarp with shaving cream on it in the living room and let the kids slip around. Grandma and Grandpa were pretty brave to let this one take place.
Baby N LOVED Grandma's kitchen cupboards because they were not locked and full of things to chuck around. We would often hear her rummaging around and having a good time destroying the kitchen. Her favorite were the cookie cutters.
Some of us went to the Chipmunk movie... Identities have not been disclosed to maintain dignity. Prior to that event, #1 and I went to McDonalds and acquired a Happy Meal chipmunk toy that had an annoying high-pitched laugh that you could repeat over and over and over... That toy never made it to Illinois, even though baby N found it hilarious- thanks Grandpa.
When the kids found themselves without some of these fun activities, they seemed to congregate at the front door ready to escape.
We distracted them with Dora the Explorer here. I'm wondering what was happening on the screen to incite concern, humor, and boredom all in the same moment.
I wonder if I have a similar expression when I watch TV... They are totally zoned in right now.
At the bowling alley #1 grabbed Grandpa upon spying a glow-in-the-dark ball vending machine and said "Grandpa, come here! Did you bring your wallet?" He knows a sucker when he sees one.
I'm sad I never got video of Grandpa bucking #1 like a horse. It was one of my favorite moments of our trip.
Speaking of favorites, here is N's favorite toy at Grandma and Grandpa's.
She liked to play while her brother got down.
Just in case you remember S's moves from back in the day and wonder if he's kept them up...
In our last hotel visit of the trip, N found these luggage carts and fell in love. I think Grandpa took her on a trip with one at one point.
Conclusion
I'm sad I didn't get more pictures of actual family members. Just as we were about to leave, I managed to get this one picture with the kids and their grandparents. We had a wonderful time and truly appreciate all the time, effort, and money that was spent to have us visit them over the holidays. Our family is the best! Next year we will be staying home, but everyone is welcome to come see us. We love and miss all of you!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Birthdays are lame.
When S asked me what I wanted for my birthday, the one thing on the top of my list was a cherry cheesecake. I am not a cake decorator, but given the right tools and an oven I know, I can make a fantastic cheesecake. #1 and I spent a good portion of the day getting everything ready- letting the ingredients warm up to room temperature, mixing, prepping, doing a bain-marie, letting the cheesecake cool for several hours before moving it to avoid cracks. It was a masterpiece. And I dropped it. On the floor. Tomorrow we'll be having volcano cheesecake, complete with cherry lava. If this is any sign as to how my 28th year, I think I'll pass.
I can't decide whether I want to laugh or cry, so I'm going to go watch Sydney Bristow blow stuff up instead.
I can't decide whether I want to laugh or cry, so I'm going to go watch Sydney Bristow blow stuff up instead.
Christmas Break Synopsis/Saga PART ONE
One three-week long vacation. Two states. Two birthdays. Christmas. 7th year anniversary. 312 pictures taken. Consider yourself forewarned.
The Good
#1's face the moment we entered our hotel room after a long day of travel. Grandma D had it fully stocked with toys, books, snacks, a little mini Christmas tree and most importantly, root beer. He had been so tired, but once he saw everything he didn't stop jumping on the bed for at least an hour. Each new discovery thrilled him.
It's amazing the things kids find to do for entertainment in a hotel room. #1 had a blast keeping a balloon afloat with the window fan and then shooting it with a dart gun. Baby N was thrilled to run down the hotel's endless hallways and took off at every opportunity.
Seeing baby Caroline and marveling at what an extremely good- and sleepy!- baby she was.
Seeing #1 play with his cousins- priceless.
Going back and forth from our hotel room to Grandma's. It was like Grandma's house was 10 feet away- something very desirable when the kids wake up at 5am and you need a babysitter so you can go back to sleep.
Just a cute moment in our hotel room. One nice thing about staying at a hotel is not having to worry too much about cleanup. Which was a very good thing due to the throwup- see below- and the havoc kids can do in a small space over 7 days.
After some trial and error, we made an excursion to a nearby children's museum. The three cousins took off in different directions- good thing there was three adults to follow them!
Payton preferred the construction area.
Viktoria got up close and personal with the water features.
Three generations. I love these two.
Grandma rocks!
We ate dinner on Christmas Eve at Golden Corral. It was a very pleasant dinner filled with a large quantity of food. We sat across from the dessert bar, which caused the kids to hold a stakeout at a nearby table.
The kids had a lot of fun at Aunt V's house. Playing computer games and playing with toys.
The Bad
We were supposed to go play with our friends the Bybees before we left, but their kids came down with strep throat. Maybe next time... although we missed out on some sledding and a huge holiday feast. Sad!
Babies who don't watch movies on a portable DVD player + long airplane trips= misery
24 hour stomach flu that we acquired on Christmas day.
We played musical beds a lot on this trip. Sick kids don't sleep well and as a result, neither do their parents.
Even Grandma wasn't immune to having visitors at obscene hours.
#1 is not a morning person and he doesn't react well to being unexpectedly overstimulated. This has created some rather unpleasant Christmas morning memories. This year was a little more tempered than last year, but still not the greatest.
At least he sucked it up in the end.
The fire alarms in the hotel went off the morning after Christmas. Apparently it wasn't enough that we had been throwing up all night- someone thought pulling the fire alarm as a prank would top off the experience for us.
Grandma bought this giggling cat for Viktoria. Unfortunately, #1 liked it and requested one of his own. Luckily, we dodged that bullet.
Cute Christmas jammies courtesy of Aunt V and Uncle R.
We went on this trip with 3 suitcases and came back with 5. The difference is largely due to toys which took some fangling when we got back to fit into our house.
The Funny
The first hotel we stayed at was more a long term stay facility where they rented out by the week. One amenity we found hilarious was the toilet paper in the vending machine. Just in case of emergency.
At the children's museum we went to with the twins, #1 had the most fun gardening. Apparently we haven't sufficiently taught our son that canned goods and chemicals are not ideal seeds to be planted. He had a blast though.
If the blog Cake Wrecks took submissions from non-professionals, I'd have a true winner. Two days before Christmas, I tried to start planning #1's birthday cake. #1's only request was to have a jet plane cake. I looked all over for a plane cake pan with no luck and my sister even continued the quest with no hits. I guess it didn't really matter since baking a cake at the hotel was out of the question because there was no oven and I really didn't want to mess up my sister's kitchen. Walmart didn't have cakes you could order with planes on them, so we decided to order one from Dairy Queen. Unfortunately they didn't have enough time to make one for us so I sent S to get a plain cake and we'd just ice on a plane- like the word play? The only one S could find was one with a Christmas tree on it. Not a big deal...just scrape off the Christmas tree and you have a blank slate...right? Wrong. Ice cream cakes are not as easy to mold as I had thought.
The first problem...
Once we got the plane on, it didn't look that bad. I think it would have taken less time just to make a cake from scratch though. The big problem came when we all got stomach flu and so the birthday celebration was postponed to the next day. By that time the food coloring had bled out causing the jet to look like it had a bad case of diarrhea instead of dropping bombs as #1 requested.
A cake decorator I am not...
To make matters worse, the candles died on the way to the table- perhaps they were ashamed that the pinnacle of their creation was to end on this disastrous cake. At least 4 held on until #1 blew them out.
It's no wonder I asked Aunt Chandra to take care of baby N's cake...
I love that kids are easily impressed. #1, you are the best- we love you!
One more state to go...
The Good
#1's face the moment we entered our hotel room after a long day of travel. Grandma D had it fully stocked with toys, books, snacks, a little mini Christmas tree and most importantly, root beer. He had been so tired, but once he saw everything he didn't stop jumping on the bed for at least an hour. Each new discovery thrilled him.
It's amazing the things kids find to do for entertainment in a hotel room. #1 had a blast keeping a balloon afloat with the window fan and then shooting it with a dart gun. Baby N was thrilled to run down the hotel's endless hallways and took off at every opportunity.
Seeing baby Caroline and marveling at what an extremely good- and sleepy!- baby she was.
Seeing #1 play with his cousins- priceless.
Going back and forth from our hotel room to Grandma's. It was like Grandma's house was 10 feet away- something very desirable when the kids wake up at 5am and you need a babysitter so you can go back to sleep.
Just a cute moment in our hotel room. One nice thing about staying at a hotel is not having to worry too much about cleanup. Which was a very good thing due to the throwup- see below- and the havoc kids can do in a small space over 7 days.
After some trial and error, we made an excursion to a nearby children's museum. The three cousins took off in different directions- good thing there was three adults to follow them!
Payton preferred the construction area.
Viktoria got up close and personal with the water features.
Three generations. I love these two.
Grandma rocks!
We ate dinner on Christmas Eve at Golden Corral. It was a very pleasant dinner filled with a large quantity of food. We sat across from the dessert bar, which caused the kids to hold a stakeout at a nearby table.
The kids had a lot of fun at Aunt V's house. Playing computer games and playing with toys.
The Bad
We were supposed to go play with our friends the Bybees before we left, but their kids came down with strep throat. Maybe next time... although we missed out on some sledding and a huge holiday feast. Sad!
Babies who don't watch movies on a portable DVD player + long airplane trips= misery
24 hour stomach flu that we acquired on Christmas day.
We played musical beds a lot on this trip. Sick kids don't sleep well and as a result, neither do their parents.
Even Grandma wasn't immune to having visitors at obscene hours.
#1 is not a morning person and he doesn't react well to being unexpectedly overstimulated. This has created some rather unpleasant Christmas morning memories. This year was a little more tempered than last year, but still not the greatest.
At least he sucked it up in the end.
The fire alarms in the hotel went off the morning after Christmas. Apparently it wasn't enough that we had been throwing up all night- someone thought pulling the fire alarm as a prank would top off the experience for us.
Grandma bought this giggling cat for Viktoria. Unfortunately, #1 liked it and requested one of his own. Luckily, we dodged that bullet.
Cute Christmas jammies courtesy of Aunt V and Uncle R.
We went on this trip with 3 suitcases and came back with 5. The difference is largely due to toys which took some fangling when we got back to fit into our house.
The Funny
The first hotel we stayed at was more a long term stay facility where they rented out by the week. One amenity we found hilarious was the toilet paper in the vending machine. Just in case of emergency.
At the children's museum we went to with the twins, #1 had the most fun gardening. Apparently we haven't sufficiently taught our son that canned goods and chemicals are not ideal seeds to be planted. He had a blast though.
If the blog Cake Wrecks took submissions from non-professionals, I'd have a true winner. Two days before Christmas, I tried to start planning #1's birthday cake. #1's only request was to have a jet plane cake. I looked all over for a plane cake pan with no luck and my sister even continued the quest with no hits. I guess it didn't really matter since baking a cake at the hotel was out of the question because there was no oven and I really didn't want to mess up my sister's kitchen. Walmart didn't have cakes you could order with planes on them, so we decided to order one from Dairy Queen. Unfortunately they didn't have enough time to make one for us so I sent S to get a plain cake and we'd just ice on a plane- like the word play? The only one S could find was one with a Christmas tree on it. Not a big deal...just scrape off the Christmas tree and you have a blank slate...right? Wrong. Ice cream cakes are not as easy to mold as I had thought.
The first problem...
Once we got the plane on, it didn't look that bad. I think it would have taken less time just to make a cake from scratch though. The big problem came when we all got stomach flu and so the birthday celebration was postponed to the next day. By that time the food coloring had bled out causing the jet to look like it had a bad case of diarrhea instead of dropping bombs as #1 requested.
A cake decorator I am not...
To make matters worse, the candles died on the way to the table- perhaps they were ashamed that the pinnacle of their creation was to end on this disastrous cake. At least 4 held on until #1 blew them out.
It's no wonder I asked Aunt Chandra to take care of baby N's cake...
I love that kids are easily impressed. #1, you are the best- we love you!
One more state to go...
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