One Day...

..we rode our bikes to Chloe's school. And stopped to touch the leaves.
We admired Chloe's project.

We stayed until Fred peed his pants.

On the way home, I convinced Fred to ride his bike down a hill.

He crashed and got a mouthful of grass.

We lost the garage opener and had to climb through a window to get in the house.

The End.


Have I mentioned that I love this neighborhood? The school is new and only two blocks away. There are walking paths and parks and swimming pools.

Suburbia at it's finest.

p.s. I think it looks like Stella is levitating in the fist picture. Can you see it or do I just have a good imagination? Maybe if you squint your eyes.

Five

Stella turned five. She has grown up a lot in the past year. She is a good girl. We love her.

Biggest Celebration of the Year

I guess the huge party we threw her in Santa Clara wasn't sufficient. We thought we should recognize her on her actual birthday. We also wanted to celebrate with her cousins (and best friends) here in Idaho.

In the morning she got to open her presents from her family.

Chloe made this for her Littlest Pet Shops.
We had cupcakes at preschool.

Then we went to Wahooz and she got more presents.

We ate pizza (and pickles).

Drove the bumper boats. This was a little nerve racking because spectators/parents couldn't be inside the gates. There was only one close call when Fred decided he wanted to switch boats. The kids loved it.

Stella's Party

Stella chose a soccer theme for her fifth birthday party. Since we were going to be in Santa Clara the week before her birthday, I planned this party with all her cousins. It turned out to be a really long party, and my whole family (minus Zach) was there, so really it was more like a family reunion.

The activities included:

Dribbling relays

Shooting a goal with your eyes closed. Pizza and sports drinks. Decorating inflatable soccer balls.

Soccer bowling. Swimming.Kicking a pinata.A soccer tournament. Lauren had a broken leg so she was the referee.Cake & presents. Hooray for Stella, birthdays, cousins and soccer!

Easter

I did this egg hunt every year when I was a kid. Now the next generation does it.

Fred got a prize egg but was more excited about the candy.

Stella was mad because she only got two prize eggs. See how many kids there are? And there were only about ten prize eggs. And she got two! (Which is against the rules.) And that was not good enough for her.
Chloe was crying because she didn't get a prize egg. I was not proud of my girls at this moment (except for Stella's ability to get two prize eggs--that was awesome).
Is anyone else ever ashamed of their kids? I'm ruining them.

Stella gave one of her prize eggs to Chloe. We were all satisfied at this point.

Other traditions:

Dying eggs.

Hiding and hunting for the dyed eggs.

A scavenger hunt to find Easter baskets.

Stella's loot.

Fred, Halle & Chloe

We also watched Ashton and Ethan do a triathlon. My kids wanted to do it but I missed the registration deadline.

And we went to the narrows on the Red Hill. Rachel's brace broke and her shoe fell off--that was epic. And Dan was very determined to get his barrel chest through after a chubby, busty lady made it ahead of him. When there's a will there's a way.

Spring Soccer

Stella really wanted to play soccer this year so we gave her another chance. She started out the season aggressively but kind of faded toward the end.

Chloe had another great season. She is on a team full of friends and has a great coach.

City of Rocks

The weekend after we returned from Florida we went camping at City of Rocks with Dan's parents, his brother Ben and his sister Valerie and her husband Stu.

It was windy and kind of cold but still beautiful.

Dan bought some dutch ovens and his mom made some really good meals. Including her birthday cake. The kids love their Pepe.

Kids get wimpy as they get older. Fred climbed all the way up to the tree multiple times. Stella climbed to the line where Fred is in the below picture and Chloe only climbed half-way to the line.

Florida

Dan had to go to Florida for work. I got to go with him.

His mom and dad came to our house to watch the kids.

I read on the beach while he worked. It was nice.

We went on a river trip. It was beautiful and the weather was perfect.

At first, it was a bit creepy because we were told that there were lots of alligators but we weren't seeing any.

Here we have Dan screaming like a little girl:

Disciplinary Action

These two play pretty well together. Mostly because Fred isn't too bossy (yet) and Stella is good at giving in. Recently, they've started fighting more. Yesterday I enacted a new law: If you hurt someone you are punished with hot sauce on your tongue. I realize that this stings which means I am trying to teach my kids to not hurt by hurting them. I'm not sure how well it will work. They'll probably just acquire a taste for spicy foods.

I had to pin Stella down after her first offense. After her second, she was willing to take it.

Fred: (crying)

Me: Stella, did you hurt Fred?

She: (standing defiantly) Yes.

Me: Stick out your tongue.
She stuck out her tongue and took her punishment. And even smiled.

I really like this about Stella even though it is slightly maddening. If she doesn't want to eat her veggies then she (usually) is fine without getting her dessert. She is not a conformist. Which makes it really hard to discipline (control/manipulate) her. Plus, she is so forgiving that I have a hard time following through with a punishment because I know that she quickly forgives me when I make her feel bad.

Like the time I popped her balloon. I had taken all three kids to a restaurant where Chloe's school was doing a fundraiser. When we got home it was bedtime. Bedtime is always hectic and I was already frazzled from dealing with the kids in a restaurant. I was trying to get them to focus on getting ready for bed but they were focused on the balloons they had brought home. Stella let hers go and couldn't reach it. She kept asking me to get it and I told her I didn't want her to play with it when she should be getting her jammies on so I would get it after she had changed. She kept asking and asking and I finally said, "If you don't stop I'm going to pop your balloon." She didn't stop. (She doesn't usually respond to threats.) So I stormed in her room, grabbed a balloon and stomped on it. Fred started crying. Stella stopped crying and stared at me wide-eyed. Then I realized that Stella wasn't upset--she was confused. I had popped Fred's balloon. So I gave Stella's balloon to Fred and then she started crying. And Fred continued to cry because he wanted his balloon. About five minutes later, as I was getting Fred settled in bed, Stella came in and gave me a hug and cuddled up to me. She gave me a hug. Because she is loving and affectionate and forgiving. So I promised her another balloon.

I want to be more like Stella.

Spring Skiing

Spring skiing would be a lot easier if I had skis.

I set the timer for a family photo then a kind person offered to take it for us. My shot is the middle picture. I win.

A Sister's Influence

Fred LOVES to dance. He turns on the music, grabs his sister's hands and says, "Let's dance."
Here is a video of Chloe giving him a dance lesson. The dress was his own doing.

(Try to ignore Stella's fit. As we were.)

He does sing other songs but I am always entertained when he starts singing this song out of the blue. (You have to admit it's a catchy tune.)

Valentine's Day

The kids had a good V. day. I left them each a little gift in their Valentine boxes and bought Krispie Kreme donuts for breakfast. Dan gave them each a box of chocolates and boquets for the girls.

Valentine Box & Cards

I loved making Valentine boxes when I was a kid and this was my first chance to do it--I mean, help do it-- as a parent. I spent a lot of time searching the internet looking for good ideas but found nothing. I finally came up with a heart-robot-guy-thing and after I explained to Chloe how the arms would be crazy straws and the cards would go through his mouth and feathers and foam and tp rolls, etc., she said, "I was thinking a school bus. Ya know, cuz its school."

Oh.

I could have saved myself a lot of time if I would have just asked her if she had any ideas. I didn't have a problem letting go of my robot idea. I liked the school bus idea (not so much the logic behind it--kinda like how she thinks "cutey" and "fluffy" are perfect pet names).

Dan constructed the bus out of a Capri Sun box. I wrapped it. Dan drew the lines. I made the 'Love' sign, Chloe added stickers and jewels and glitter glue and gold marker.

The back doors opened for emergency exit of the cards.

I made a card out of a photo taken of Chloe last month. We taped them to Capri Suns.

p.s. I hate that she has to be Chloe L. but I can't convince her to change her name.

A Good Day:

-Skiing-

Dan and I took Stella & Fred skiing. 

(Chloe had a soccer game so Dan took her skiing the night before

and we left her with a teammate/friend while we took S & F.) 

This was Fred's first time.  He's a pro. 

-Thai food-

Pretty Boy

Fred, don't feel bad that you get into your mom's makeup and your sisters never did. I didn't have makeup when they were your age.