Saturday, July 26, 2008

Outdoor Play

We have been trying to get these kids to play outside and have fun together. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Today the kids had such fun playing with these cheap little water launchers we bought at the Dollar Store. They were the best purchase I think we've made in a long time!!! The kids just filled up their buckets and soaked each other.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Why I've been blog absent :)

Has it really been this long since I've blogged? I guess my kids have been occupying the computer. I love Playhouse Disney!

Monday, July 21, 2008

Memory Game

I saw this on a friend's blog and thought it might be fun...

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.This could get interesting :)

Thursday, July 17, 2008

More Pool Time Fun

We've raised little water rats! My kids love the pool, almost to the point where it scares me. Caden has really taken off and swims all over the place, jumping off the diving board, swimming from one side to the other. I don't know when or how he picked it up, but he is doing awesome!!! Don't tell Avery, but she doesn't know how to swim yet. She thinks she can, and has no fear of the water. She usually likes to sit on the floor of the pool for as long as she can before popping back up out of the water, or she'll just step off the edge of the stair or pool knowing that before long, someone will get to her. It scares me, but I'm also glad they aren't afraid and want to be around it. It just keeps us on our toes.

Usually we swim at our neighborhood pool. It is the best pool I've ever been to. It is so kid friendly, has the zero entry (like a beach), the whole front half is deep enough for kids to walk around and the back half is about 5-6 feet deep for adults to swim. There are fountains, several water features out of the pool to play in...just so much fun!!!


Avery and her friend Maren Wycherly






We also love going to Grandma and Grandpa Yorgason's pool. This night, we went around 9pm so it was beautiful outside and the pool felt so good. Becca and Jakes's family went too, and my kids loved having races, water fights, playing colors and jumping of the diving board with them.
Not sure what the deal is with the tube, I think he thought it made him go faster in the races. You can't see the other kids lined up next to him, with my brother Matt trying not to get his hair wet. If you know Matt at all, this is not a surprise...getting in the pool trying to get as little wet as possible :)

Monday, July 14, 2008

Playing at the Park

Ryan has had a lot of softball games this summer. He played on two city league teams, and also had church softball. Some of the weeks got kind of crazy with the number of games to be played, but the kids always seemed to enjoy running around the fields with their friends.

Most of the fields have a nearby park to play on. After every game, the kiddos beg to play on them. I must admit I get a little burned out pushing the swing or watching them go down the slide again, but they love it. It's so rewarding to see your kids happy, doing what they love, and feeling good. Maybe when I'm not 7 months pregnant, I'll enjoy it a little more too :)







Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Sick Avery


Our poor little Avery got so sick after the McCall trip. The day after we got back, she was running a fever all day between 103 and 104. She was absolutely miserable. I went out and ran errands, and she just laid her head on the handle of the cart, moaning, not really even crying, just an "I'm miserable and please help me" kind of moan. (BTW, it was after I got home from errands I realized her fever was so high...I'm not that mean.) The day after, she woke up throwing up and did so about every 20-30 minutes for a good 5 hours. I felt so sad for her. We changed so many clothes and did so much laundry! She was so upset every time because it got her jammies dirty. She didn't really have much on her tummy because the day before she felt so yucky that she didn't eat anything. But she was so thirsty, she kept begging for a drink. The logical side of me said no because it hadn't been long enough time since the last throw up. The sensitive side gave in and let her drink whatever she wanted. I knew it was going to come right up, but the poor thing was so tired and thirsty she just didn't understand how to wait. It was a long couple of days, but once she decided to rebound, our spunky little Avery was back!

Monday, July 7, 2008

4th of July

We had such a fun time for the 4th of July this year up in McCall. We went to McCall again with my family, and the weather was perfect!!! Most of our time was spent outside, the kids got along great, and Grandma and Grandpa Yorgason were generous as always to everyone and made us feel so welcome. We also got to know Annette a little better. She is marrying my brother Chris next month, and it was fun to see them, get to know her more, and even take a few engagement pictures (almost 700 to be exact)! The fireworks on the 4th were good as always. Up there, you can sit out on your beach or drive your boat out on the lake to watch the fireworks. We usually build a fire, set up chairs, roast marshmallows, do a few fireworks of our own while we wait, and then enjoy the show over the lake. They are always so fun to watch every year and listen to them echo off of the mountains. WARNING: There are lots of pics, some with more explanation than others. Enjoy.

Avery playing out at the beach. Most of our time was spent here with the kids.

Avery modeling her new swimsuit...I just love it!!!

Ryan took Avery out on the boat. They both look a little tired here, and as soon as her life jacket went on she screamed her little heart out. However, 10 seconds out of the dock she was out cold and slept the entire time. All she needed was the mimi in her mouth and blanket in her arms. By the way, she never sleeps anywhere, never has, so this was amazing!

Ryan getting ready to take both kids out on the boat.


Caden and Gabe on the beach before the firework show started. Ryan and my brother Dave brought fireworks up that we watched while we waited for the big show over the lake. Notice their life jackets...they wore those day and night, in and out of the house. They said it made them superheroes.

Sure, Avery's happy here with her sparkler. Fast forward 10 seconds to when it goes out and she sticks it in her mouth - OUCH!!! It had a toasty little end on it that singed her tongue. The cousins ran fast to get her ice and she was over it before too long.

We brought up cheap glow sticks for the kids. They were a hit, even after some of the little ones bit through them and their mouths were glowing in the dark. A few got lost after being buried in the sand, but everyone was happy for the cheap thrill.

Chris feeding Avery Smores. She may look a little skeptical, but she loved them. We roasted marshmallows at the fire while watching the fireworks, then put them between chewy Chips Ahoy...yummy!!!!

Avery loved eating lunch outside. A little baggie of grapes and a princess cup...who wouldn't be happy with that?

The little superheroes strapped themselves together. I'm not sure what kind of power they said this gave them, but it worked. These two got along the whole trip!

What's a trip to McCall without a little project to work on. There was so much snow this winter, that it damaged the fence around the deck. Ryan here hard at work trying to repair it.

Ryan and Avery out on the jet ski.


The kids had several fun water fights. We found these great water blasters at the dollar store and loaded up.

One of the funniest things from the vacation was going to church in a barn on Sunday. I'm waiting for a picture, so I'll post it soon of it, but the church up there is under construction so they were meeting at the bishop's barn. We had to drive about 25 minutes to get there, drive down an old dirt path up towards the mountains, and there it was in the middle of nowhere. It was kind of fun. They had it organized so well, chairs set up, people directing the parking, water coolers outside, outhouses...it really made me appreciate the pioneers. This was so much nicer than what they ever met in, but walking in the dust in our church clothes, sitting in dirt with kids, not wanting them to get dirty, trying to hold everything on our laps so it wouldn't fall to the ground, not wanting the kids to get down because it was such a mess...we have it really good today.