City of Rocks--part 1

City of Rocks--Part 2

We are so happy that the Gunn family came with us to City of Rocks. Especially since Danika was really pregnant and the trip had a rocky start. (That pun was not intended. The start was actually very dusty for them.)

We all slept in the tent-trailer.

The kids spent all day in the dirt.

Chloe was very patient.

City of Rocks--Part 3

It is hard to get a good picture of three kids.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Ok. Final post on this subject. There are way too many pictures, but I love this place.

After the Gunns left, we went for a hike.

Say "no" to crack.

It was fun.

The end.

8

Here we are on the Grand Teton eight and a half years ago. Footloose and fancy free. Young, tan, skinny, smiley, sick of the altitude (Dan) and later lost and shivering. Today is our 8th anniversary. I love getting gifts and look forward to any gift-giving occasion. I think it is because I hesitate to buy myself things. I usually drop hints and reminders leading up to the day and then get frustrated when Dan scrambles to get me something last minute. But this year we don't have anything planned and I was fine with not receiving anything. But Dan totally surprised me with:

Isn't it awesome?! He must REALLY love me. I had mentioned that I would like a cruiser to ride around the neighborhood: to school with Chloe, the park, etc. I have a road bike and a really nice mountain bike but I don't like taking the bike trailer on and off and thought it would be nice to have a bike that can always be hooked up to the trailer. (We all must pass through difficult trials in this life.) I think he over-did it a bit. I was thinking of a used one from craigslist but, man, this is a sweet, smooth ride. I love it.

It also benefits Chloe. She always complains about riding to school alone. Now I will have to go with her because this bike calls for my attention. And Fred & Stella love going for rides too. It is a gift for us all.

Thanks Dan!

Flashback Friday—Sleeping Stella

These are all from April & May of last year.

Asleep in her pasta.  Right after taking a bath. Good thing I put that bib on her.  (btw, granite is over-rated.  I miss that white formica.)

I was taking pictures of Stella and when I lowered the camera I realized that Fred had been posing. So I zoomed out and took this picture. 

 
Asleep by Chloe who is fiddling with her bellybutton.* 
And she probably fell asleep on my lap while waiting for me to stop organizing photos and start giving her attention. 

*Chloe is sitting here as I write this and is very concerned about what people will think of her for playing with her bellybutton.  (In a really whiney voice) “"But people will think I’m weird!”  She wants to make sure I make it known that she no longer does this.  I never noticed when she stopped. 

Flashback Friday—A Terrible Loss

One year ago today.  Here are some never-before-seen (some graphic) photos.

Before & AfterThen & Now

A couple of weeks later.  The white on top is not teeth, of course, it is just his gums healing.

…And today.  I asked him to show me his teeth.  He heard ‘cheeks’.

Some Injuries

Fred was sitting on the second stair trying to lift something when he lost his balance and fell flat on his face on the hardwood floor.  He got a bloody nose and a fat lip.  He had been eating string cheese and I kept finding left-overs that looked like chips of teeth.  But I did a thorough check of his 3 front teeth and they all felt sturdy.  I think there is an unseen and unconquerable force that causes kids to hurt their faces when photo sessions have been planned.  He kept touching and licking his fat lip. 

I’m not exactly sure how this happened but it involved closing her eyes, leaning back in her swing and colliding with Fred’s swing.  With the bridge of her nose.  She looks like a Neanderthal.  Both of her eyes turned black.

Today

When I hear Fred singing, “nee nah, nee nah”  (“clean up, clean up”), I can expect to find something like this:

  Panda Puffs and mangos.  (I put the cereal that was spilled on the counter back in the box because it is organic and expensive and tasty.)

Finally, it is warm.  I had to pick up all the hats and boots and coats and gloves that were scattered around the yard before I turned on the water. 

Stella, Annie, Chloe, Fred, Kate.

Fred helps himself to anything on the counter.  This happens so much you think I would learn my lesson. 

Licking the ice cream lid. 

Eating ice cream with his hands.  “Where’s your nose?”  “Where’s your belly?”  “Say cheese!”

Flashback Friday—City of Rocks

I love City of Rocks, ID.  It is a great place to camp with kids—plenty of rocks for them to scramble around and on.  (I’m just realizing this year might be difficult with Fred.)

 

And lots of good climbing.  Easy, hard, trad, sport, right-off-the-road, or hike-in-approaches. 

Last time we went we had a babysitter come along but this year the Gunns are coming so Danika can tend the kids.  JUST KIDDING, DANIKA!!  We will never leave you alone with the kids.  I might try to get a babysitter again. 

Anyway, we are going again May 8th & 9th.  We would love to have more people come along.  So, will you come? 

Easter

I’ve been a bad blogger. I’m going to do a little catching up on this family record of ours. Prepare yourselves.

We started coloring eggs after putting Fred down for a nap & waking Stella up from hers (she was sick). Fred didn’t stay asleep.

I gave him a sucker to keep him busy. It didn’t work.

Trying to get an acceptable picture of Stella. Failed.

The egg hunt. As soon as Fred discovered the candy inside he changed his focus from hunting to consuming.

Chloe had a soccer game right after the hunt so she was wearing her cleats. Very effective. Hand-me-down slip-on Vans—not so effective.

Afterwards, we went to the Reichner’s for some more egg coloring, egg hunting and scavenger hunt.

Hidden Talent

Stella is really good at throwing up. She never cries. It doesn’t bother her at all. It never has. She’ll just come down to our room in the middle of the night and say, “Mom, I threw up.” She doesn’t even need a drink afterwards. She’d make a great bulimic. You know, if it wasn’t a deadly disease. She threw up five times yesterday: bed, bowl, toilet, carpet, carseat.
Chloe had to take a snack to school and our cupboards were bare. So I HAD to go to the grocery store. When we pulled into the parking lot Stella told me she thought she might throw up in the store. I had no choice. We risked it and I considered it a success that we made it out without an accident. It wasn't long before I realized that throwing up in the store would have been a good thing. I could have left it up to them to take care of the mess.

She’s only frowning because I’m taking her picture. She sat like that for ten minutes on the way home. I guess she doesn’t chew her noodles. Those little suckers slithered their way into the depths of the carseat. I had to take it apart to clean it.

Want to hear more about throw up? Ok. This is what Fred slept in:

I heard him crying last night at 12:30. I let him cry for a few minutes to see if he would go back to sleep. Then I got up and got some milk but then he was quiet so I put the milk back in the fridge and went to bed. The worst part is that he had eaten a chili cheese dog for dinner. Dan bought these sausages that are chili-cheese flavored. We were out of groceries so I fed one to Fred. I don’t know how he was able to sleep with that stench.

They are fine. They haven’t acted sick at all. I, on the other hand, am very sick of cleaning up throw up.

First Haircut

I finally cut Fred’s hair.  The back was getting too long.  I liked to think of it as the euro mullet since that seems to be hipper than the rat tail.  In my defense, his hair curled and didn’t look so long.  I actually liked it long and would not have cut so much off but I wanted to keep a ponytail’s worth for… a keepsake?  I guess.  Chloe was fully against me cutting it and was certain it would look dumb short.  I don’t trust myself so I just snipped the ponytail and then let my mom finish the rest.  

He’s my big boy now.

Piano Festival

Over a month ago Chloe had her first piano festival.  I didn’t post about it because I didn’t have any pictures or video and nothing clever to say.  But I filmed her today!  So now it doesn’t matter what I write.  But I guess I should explain.  A festival is where you perform in front of judges.  In a room.  By yourself (that is the reason for no pictures).  They judge you, write down some comments and send them to your piano teacher.  Chloe practiced really hard and received a ‘superior’ rating (that’s the highest).  I’m very proud of her. 

Here she is playing ‘Cookies’ and ‘Alpine Melody’.  She’s a bit rusty since it was a long time ago.

And here is a song she is composing.  It doesn’t have a name but it has some lyrics.  “I love you.  I love two.  I love three.”