Mason's Moving Away Party at Super Jump

When Rhett started preschool this year, he made quick friends with a boy named Mason or "Bubba." All the teachers would ask me if they knew each other previously because of how much they enjoyed each other. They have had play dates at the park, Super Bounce, and each others houses. Mason's family is similar to ours having an older sister and younger 2 1/2 year old sibling. They are also active Christians. Sadly, they moved to Texas at the end of April.

 

Our family went to Mason's going away party at Super Bounce. The kids had a great time running around. Caramel and Myles loved the big slide. So funny when Myles would speed down and be forced from sitting to laying, looking like a starfish. Rhett and Mason loved the obstacle course.

After pizza and cake, it was time to go. Myles wasn't ready and ran quick into the bouncy area. I had Caramel go get him, but she lost sight of him. It took a bit to find him, I even had to describe him to the workers. He had to be in there though because there is only one exit, I was standing by. He was in the obstacle course having a blast.

Trike-a-thon at Cross and Crown

Rhett had full Saturday morning with a Trike-a-thon at his preschool and soccer. I took the boys to the Trike-a-thon first. Rhett wanted to know if it was a race and if he won, I told him it was just for fun, exercise, and practice. Rhett choose to take his small bike

for better control and quick moves.

Myles was all geared up with helmet and sunglasses. He enjoyed the "race" a lot. When passing the parking lot now, he will ask where all the bike are. On this perfectly sunny morning, the boys did lots of laps around the course then it was off to soccer.

Caramel's B-day

Caramel's is 8! She picked out cupcakes, chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet, for school.

Caramel had the choose to have a big party at home or small party going swimming. She chose to have the smaller party. Her 3 friends, Riley, Ashlyn, and Mindy, first made Caramel's ice cream Oreo fudge cake then had pizza and cake and opened presents. Anthony had a blast driving the girls to the swimming pool, music loud!  

I drove the boys to the pool. Camellia stayed home with Grandma Brenda. Rhett enjoyed floating around in a lifejacket with Anthony. Rhett was lucky to see his friend Tyler there. Myles loved the water and was kicking the whole time with excitement. Swimming turned out perfect with 2 girls that were swimmers and 2 girls that enjoyed the shallow end. At the end I drove the girls home as they tried to convince me to make it a sleepover party.

 

Caramel received some make-up from Grandma Brenda (Caramel loves the bright pink lipstick), jewelry maker from Aunt Charity, Claire's gift card from Aunt Andrea, skates, fashion glasses, skirts, and shirts from mom and dad, crafts from Grandpa Neil.

 

 

Caramel loved the glasses. On the way home the girls took turns wearing them. Totally entertained themselves acting out little skits where a boy and girl meet.

 

Caramel and I shopped at the mall for a girls' night out to spend her money birthday money. She purchased some necklaces and of course ice cream at the food court (cookies and cream and chocolate therapy).

Oregon Coast Weekend Away

Anthony and I had are first weekend away from all four kids. Camellia's first weekend away from mom. The girls stayed home with Grandma Brenda and the boys went to Grandpa Dan's. It was hard to decide where to go and stay. We ended up at the Oregon coast, so we could visit the Goonies house in Astoria and walk the beach. It was fun to locate the house from the movie.

Beautiful bridge the connects Washington and Oregon.

Being outside we heard the sea lions and went to visit them next. Crazy, funny animals, they are so loud and always amusing to watch as one jumps out of the water to join the others in the sun and squishes the others until the perfect spot is decided. Some of them had their head up high, stretching their neck or something.

We explored Cannon beach. Fun little shops and beach houses. The haystack rock and lighthouse were beautiful to look at with the surrounding water.

There were sticky blue and clear ocean life on the sandy beach. We didn't know what they were, later we found out they were called velella velella.

Before heading home, we found a close waterfall to look at. Signs told about Louis and Clark exploring the area. Cool looking roots from the trees.

It was great to get away, enjoy nature, do a little shopping, eat and sleep whenever. And of course have alone time together.

Push Toy Traffic

When we first moved into our new house, the boys loved pushing bigger toys cars or trucks around the hard floor. Some cars were given to the Goodwill because of the tires being insanely loud, seriously driving me insane. As furniture was placed the car traffic decreased. Now there is push toy races, traffic jams, and accidents (mainly with the wall). Rhett and Myles will race frequently and it gets loud quickly with the big room and high ceiling in the back of the house.

Caramel is a great helper for Camellia, so Cami can fly around in her Minnie Mouse plane.

Camellia is great at walking with the plane, but still needs length and strength to sit and ride solo. She loves being part of the action and is so sad when she is left out.

It can get really crazy when Rhett is on the Ladybug and Myles is on his Spiderman push toy with Caramel giving him an extra boost. All accidents happen when it is the older three.

Easter Hunts

Every year we love to visit Great Grandma Wanda for an Easter egg hunt. Sadly, this year it was scheduled at the same time as Rhett's first soccer game, so only Caramel and Myles got to go. Myles did a great job being patient and waiting to gather eggs. He wasn't too scared of the Easter bunny his year. No crying, but no sitting on his lap. Caramel found a prize egg and was so happy to pick out a toy golf set just like Grandpa Neil. Lots of toys and candy!

We had an Easter egg hunt with Fairwood ward church members at our house. Rhett enjoyed filling the eggs with candy and spreading them out in the back yard. Only 1/3 of the eggs had candy in them. Most kids got 20 or more eggs. When I looked at Rhett's basket, there was 9 eggs. I asked him why he was so slow and he didn't know. It was because he only picked up eggs that had candy in them. After the egg hunt the kids made Resurrection Rolls with a story and scriptures about the resurrection of Christ.

The local community egg hunt we went to this year was at friends neighborhood in Carriage Wood. Lots of Fairwood ward church members attended. Anthony went go-carting with this friends. So I took Caramel, Rhett, and Myles. Camellia stayed home with Grandma Brenda. Caramel and Rhett hunted on there only in their age group. Myles and I had fun collecting eggs.

Myles didn't want to leave the fun neighborhood park with playground and trails through the trees. He was carried to the car. Here is a picture of Camellia in a new outfit from Auntie Charity.

 

EGGS!

This year we didn't dye eggs. We painted them. Painting them was much more enjoyable. Caramel did try to claim all the eggs. Caramel, Rhett and Myles painted 3 eggs each. Caramel was also the saddest when it came time to eat the eggs. Packing an egg for daddy's lunch was easier than letting a brother eat one.

One of my favorite words Myles says is "eggs." He says eggs like a questions, higher pitch at the end.

Camellia didn't get to paint eggs this year, next year!