Funny Kids

Sometimes motherhood can be so challenging and seem like just an incredibly long to do list full of impossible tasks but most of the time it is so much fun. No one can make me laugh as much as my kids. They are the best!

The end result of an epic nerf gun battle

Wait! They're alive!

HALLOWEEN and Other Things...

Halloween was a lots of fun this year but as usual I win the worst mom award for not taking pictures. I snapped 1 at the ward trunk or treat party of Molly and Lee. We were all ready for Lee to go as Captain America this year. He was down right ecstatic about his costume and not 5 minutes before we walked out the door he had an accident all over it. Poor boy couldn't get it off fast enough. I can't remember the last time he wet his pants. It was so sad. I was holding down my frustration but good ol' Daddy was perfectly calm. He walked Lee to his room and after just a minute they came out and said that Lee was going to be a zombie soccer player. We put Molly's soccer uniform on him, gave him some face paint and we were good to go. he couldn't have been happier once it was all said and done.

Lee was able to be Captain America on Halloween. Molly's best friend Phoebe lives in the harbor and they invited us over for dinner and trick or treating. The harbor is definitely the place to trick or treat around here. People give out giant candy bars and toys and the houses are really decked out.

Molly Had her costume picked out months ago. We went form princess and fairies in past years to a zombie this year. I'm not sure where she got the idea but she had everything planned from the colors right down to the fluffiness of her skirt. We ripped it all up and painted her face. Ging was a cute little lady bug. No pictures of her. It's impossible to get her to sit still but she was adorable.

Other things that have been going on around here are.....

Ginger turned 18 months. I LOVE nursery! It is truly one of the greatest things. I also love that my babies have all loved going to nursery. Ginger can't quite make it through sacrament meeting but she knows right where nursery is and runs to the door ready to go without so much as a look back at me.

About a month ago we noticed that one of Ginger's eyes would wander off to the side when she was concentrating on something (watching TV). So I video taped it and took her to the Pediatrition. She didn't take me seriously until I showed her the video but after that she literally said "OOHH yes lets get you a referral to a Pediatric Optomologist." She has exotropia. She will wear a patch on her good eye for 1 1/2 hours a day for the next three months and maybe glasses after that. last resort is surgery. Ginger was absolutley crazy in the Optomologist's office. She didn't want him to touch her or look at her. Three of us had to restrain her as he put drops in her eyes. He basically told me good luck getting her to wear the patch and there is no way we will get a baby like her to wear glasses. (he was kind of a jerk) but I am happy to say that she hasn't once tried to take it off. She sits perfectly still when I put it on. The only thing she doesn't like is when we take it off.

Preschools out here are outragious so instead Lee is in a Joyschool with some other friends in our stake. He loves it! It has turned out really nice. He also qualified for speech theropy through the school district. He goes twice a week for just 1/2 hour. They play games the whole time and make it fun for him. They told me we should see a 75% improvement by this time next

year. We will have to wait and see.

New callings... ahhhh...Mark was called to be the 2nd councilor in the bishopric a couple of weeks ago. When the Stake President asked us if he would except the calling I said "what?" and Mark said "are you aloud to joke in here?" Seriously my first thought was but who is going to help me with the kids during sacrament meeting. If you think our row is crazy now just wait until I have to do it alone. Everyone at church said to me "say goodbye to your husband." I felt like saying "I did that a year ago when he started residency". All joking aside, while he is super nervous and feels completely out of place I know he will do a great job and our family will be just fine. Is it bad to plan on receiving a ton of blessing? I don't know how we will make it through this and residency at the same time without them.

I'm back in primary. So that's exciting. I have missed it. Mark promises to never ask me to speak and always keep me in easy callings.

Molly started first grade last week. So far she thinks it is AWESOME! She loves school and I am so glad that she does.

Mark continued the tradition. He walked Molly on her first day of school. I waved goodbye from the door. It's so bitter sweet to see your babies grow up.

Molly also started soccer. Her first game was last Saturday. She is so aggressive and does so well.

Molly's best friend Phoebe is on her soccer team. She was so happy to find out that Phoebe is also in her school class again. They have so much fun together. Our family just loves Phoebe. She is a crack up.

Before school started Molly lost her first tooth but our camera broke (so sad) just a few days before BUT she lost her second one last week. Daddy pulled both of them out for her once they were ready. She is so brave and said that it didn't really hurt. Last week was a big week for Molls.

Goodbye Disneyland......Hello Beach Days!

One of our favorite things about living in Southern California is our many, many, many Disneyland days. We love Disneyland. We love going for just a few hours, riding a couple of rides, watching a show or two or maybe if we are feeling extra crazy getting a couple of churros to share.

You haven't experienced Disneyland until you have an annual pass and go once a week (well almost once a week). We know the ins and outs of Disneyland/California Adventures. We can tell you which is the best bathroom to use in Disneyland (shortest lines), the best place for your 2 year old boy to pee in California Adventures when you just can't quite make it to the bathroom. We can tell you not to skip the tortilla factory tour in CA Adventures because you don't think it's worth your time. Let me tell you, it it is worth every bit of the 2 minutes the tour takes to get a yummy, warm, fresh and FREE tortilla to snack on. We can also tell you that the scariest ride at CA ADventures is not the humungous roller coaster, California Screaming or even the Tower of Terror but Mickey's Ferris Wheel. That ride is FREAKY. Every time I ride it I swear up and down to NEVER do it again. We can for sure tell you the best months out of the year and that Disneyland during the Halloween season is so dang fun.

Mark and I have been waiting for our kids to get use to Disneyland or for the day they aren't absolutely excited to go but it hasn't come yet. Lee just barely reached the height to ride the big rides. He LOVES roller coaster. He loves to hold his hands up up and wave his arms in the air screaming. Space Mountain is his favorite. Molly tries to be brave and can't wait until she is tall enough for CA Screaming. I am afraid she won't like it. She has issues with the rides that drop and give her that funny feeling in her tummy but she keeps riding them anyway.

The difference between Molly and Lee is so funny. Lee is usually our scardy cat who always has nightmares about everything and swears there are ghosts outside his window but he loves roller coaster and going really fast and high. Then there's Molly who loves scary movies and never has nightmares about anything but she has a really hard time on the fast rides and she never looks down on the high rides.

Ginger has always been a perfect angel on or Disneyland trips. She is not always, let me tell you. She is just like her older sibling and full of way too much energy but at disneyland she is content to sit on our laps on all the rides kicking her little feet.

Its hard to believe that when we first started going last year Ging was this small.

If you can't already tell by the look on his face, Lee kind of has a thing for Ariel.

Even though it is a little sad that we will not be visiting Disneyland again until September we are excited that it is now the season for beach days. The beach is another one of the best things about living in Southern California. I love summer time here. I love that we have a drawer full of half empty bottles of sun screen and that our house smells like sunscreen. I love having tiny swim suits hanging up in the bathroom all summer long and sand on the bathroom floors constantly (not that so much). I Love watching Molly get just a little bit more comfortable with the water. Every time we go to the beach she goes a little further out.

Lee is kind of terrified of the ocean. He says its because of the waves and sharks but when daddy's there he might put his feet in. He is content to play in the sand with his toys and his big tonka truck. It's actually kind of nice because I don't have to worry about him so much. Ging is another story. That little girl loves to get wet. The water is so cold I can barely stand it on my feet but she goes all the way with a big grin on her face. I'm chasing her most of the time.

We've made some great friends to spend our beach days with. We have wednesdays as our designated beach day. It makes it so much more fun to go with friends. Then of course we have to go again on saturdays when Daddy is home.

Our fist day back at the beach.

Molly's awesome sandcastle

A typical Ginger smile.

This is a perfect shot of Ginger's new hair cut from her big brother Lee. A big chunk out of the front. THANK YOU LEE!

April Birthdays

The Ging

Our little Ginger Girl turned 1 on April 4th. I can't believe what a big girl she is becoming. She is just a doll...so full of energy and personality. We love her so so so much. Molly and Lee just can't get enough of her and it is so much fun to see her play with them and follow along with their little games. I can't believe how much she understands these days and how much faster she has picked thing up than Molly and Lee. She has learned to hit when she is mad and it is so hard not to laugh because she is such a tiny little thing. Oh the things they learn from big brother and sister. Since she started walking at 9 months she is now running every where she goes. It is not unusual to find Ging on top of the couch, the kids bed and even the kitchen table. She climbs on EVERYTHING. Her favorite thing to do these days is stand on top of things that aren't suppose to be stood on and clap for herself. She walks around waving and saying "HI, HI, HI," so everyone we pass in the cutest little voice. Hi and Daddy are really the only things she says these days. Other words she sometimes says are thank you, and Momma when REALLY persuaded. She is a pretty easy little girl just very active and stubborn except when Daddy is home then she wants 100% of his attention. She still goes to bed all by herself and has even started waving goodbye when I lay her down for bedtime or nap time. She is just a bundle of joy....a perfect addition to our family.

Happy Birthday Mark

Mark also had a birthday in April. As of April 10th he is 31 years old. What a geezer, right? Since Mark doesn't really take serious pictures this is what he gets.

Mark you are are the greatest hubby and dad in the whole world. We love you so so so so so so much!!! Thanks for all you do and sacrifice for our little family. You are the BEST!! We are so lucky to have you!

Happy 6th Birthday!!!!!

I can't believe my baby girl is 6 years old. Molly had a birthday party at Bounce U this year. She had been begging us to let year have her party there for months. It was lots of fun. The best part is all we had to do was show up with cupcakes.

Right after the party I took Molly to Disneyland for a few hours. Molly is finally tall enough to ride Indiana Jones. Now she can ride every ride at Disneyland. We rode Indiana Jones (Molly's first time), The Matterhorn, Thunder Mountain Railroad, The Haunted House, and Indiana Jones again. It was so fun to ride all the big rides we can't with Lee and Ginger. We love Disneyland!!! I love when Molly and I are able to spend time just the two of us. She is getting to be such a big girl. I can't believe how quickly she is growing up.

Molly invited her friend London's little brother Ben to play with Lee and the boy on the right is her other friend Jennifer's big brother.

Silly Faces

The girl on the right is Molly best friend Phoebe. Molly and Phoebe are in the same kindergarten class. She is such a funny little girl. Her face in every picture is hilarious.

These slides were so high and the kids flew down them. Mark and I even had fun on them.

9 Months Old

At 9 months old Ginger can.....

• POINT
• WAVE
• SAY BYE BYE
• DANCE to music
• CLAP when you say "yeah Ginger"
• WALK

Ginger turned 9 months old on January 4th and is my fastest walker yet. She beat Molly by a couple of weeks and even took her first steps before she hit nine months. I don't know what the deal is with our kids but for some reason they are all determined to grow up fast. The baby stage never seems to last very long with them. She is such a little bundle of joy. She is always smiling and making her big brother and sister laugh with her funny faces. She is constantly following them around wherever they go. She loves to play in their room with them. Lately she is IN LOVE with her daddy and wants him to hold her whenever he is home. She cries when he leaves and gets her little self to the door as fast as she can when he gets home. She is our only baby that goes right to sleep at night when we lay her down. I never have to rock her or nurse her to sleep, thank heavens. It is the greatest thing, especially when I have 2 others I need to get to bed. She is a great baby and just so much fun!