Catching Up

We have literally been sick for the past month.  We had one cold, minor, but it hit everyone (but Daddy)!  This cold gave everyone intermittent low grade fevers.  You know, the kind that make you cranky and miserable, but not miserable enough to just lay down, so you play, and every little conk turns into a major ordeal!  Followed by another, with stronger fevers and coughs and nose snufflies!  But, despite our bouts of not feeling good-ness, we've played a bit too (un-crankily).  We spent several soccer practices in the dirt (by "we", I mean the triplets).

Smaug just pushed around his stroller :)

This laundry basket is on wheels, it's like Smaug's own personal tea cup ride, and he LOVES it :)

I finally pulled the little cello out of the box in the girls' closet... and couldn't get the end pin out.  So, J and I dismantled it, and he shaved down the end pin holder thingy, now it slides in and out quite easily (yeah Daddy)!!!

Just a cute picture of Smaug in the clean clothes basket!

I mentioned we've been sick, right.  We ended up taking Smaug to the ER to get albuterol because there were no doctors appointments available and no one would return my call to get more medicine and he was sounding rougher and rougher.  When I called to make the follow up appointment, wouldn't you know it, they had two openings the next day.  So, I took my (by now, 4) hacking kids, and one much better sounding toddler to the doctors office!  Smaug is now on maintenance breathing treatments (following nicely in the footsteps of his siblings)!

I have this long story about this spider, but I myself am not feeling the greatest, so I'll just sum it up this way:  

"Mama, Spider!" 

"How big is it?"  

"It's bigger and bigger." 

"Let Daddy get it."  

"I'll get that spider!  EEEEK!  Let me get a baggy"  

"Just kill it"  

"It's big"  

"Don't show me.  Oh, you're showing me.  Holy Buckets!  That's huge"  

"Yeah".

 P.S.  That's a quarter :)

I didn't take this picture, but it looks like Smaug got into the candle box...

The boys got buzzed!

In Other News:  Grammy... we are (hopefully) heading to Pensacola area next Tuesday-Thursday... are you guys free for lunch at Gators on Thursday?  If not, we'll probably try to head to your house for Thanksgiving :)

Enjoy the video (if it works for you)!!!

Day 3 and Beyond

Before heading home on Day 3 of our Adventure, we headed to a different pool!  

It was nice and relaxing... but I was ready to head home ;)

Sunday morning, literally as we were walking out the door, TW found this in our kitchen... the floor is still orange :)

Monday, J had to go to work early (i.e. Daddy was not home).  I was getting breakfast and had instructed Pretty Girl and Berry to get dressed "your clothes are on the floor".  Pretty Girl came and asked if she could get a different shirt... sure, I said.  A few moments later I heard a crash and crying.  Instead of using a stool, she used the drawers as a ladder, "Mama, I fall down"...

I made these cute little pot pie pocket things (they hated them, too dry)... this is what everyone did to their pie... I'm not sure who did it first, but before long, we had 4 porcupines on our table!

TW had is first (and second) soccer practice... one practice got rained out and we were gone for the second... he loves it... so do the triplets ;)

On Friday, three of the kids had doctors appointments and then everyone but Daddy got a flu shot :(  Afterwards we drove up the Naval base (the ocean one) and saw some big ships.  I took a picture of the Coast Guard cutter because it reminded me of home.

Saturday morning I found this on the counter, my long decapitated child was finally getting his head back!  Unfortunately he now has a ginormous glue tumor on his neck... he is awaiting surgery.

TW's first soccer game of the season!  I'm not sure why they used a pink and white ball, but they did.  They lost 2 to 0, TW said "that's okay".

I found this furry creature atop a crumbled down "wall"...

Dinner after our small group meeting Sunday... these kids were LOUD!!!

In Other News:  My camera was officially empty... and then I took a new picture... oi!

Adventure Day 2

I meant to post this the same day as I did Day 1... and then I meant to post this the next day... and then the next day... and here we are!  Day 2!  TW knew we were headed somewhere, but not exactly where.  We took our time getting up, eating, packing snacks for the day, leaving, stopping at a gas station for waters, etc.  Once we were on the road, he started the guessing game.  

"Are we going to Disneyland?"

  "No."

"Oh.  I just wondered because I saw the signs.  That's okay... Are we going to Tampa?"

"Wha..."

"Well, I was reading that Legoland thingy (brochure) and it said Legoland was near Tampa".

"TW, where is Tampa?  Get the map and find Tampa for me.  Then find Orlando and tell me if they're close."  

5 Minutes Later:  "Here they are.  They're not close."

"Are we going to Tampa?"

"I don't know.  Where are we going... hey, that sign (little tiny, itsy bitsy sign, I might add) says Legoland"

"YES, YES TW, we are going to LEGOLAND, I am so excited, I can't contain myself, we wanted to surprise you, are you SURPRISED???"

Not long after this, we got our first glimpse, both girls shouted "castle, look, look, castle"!

It was downhill from there!

Fortunately for us, it was overcast most of the day, so we were only slightly sweltering, instead of plain melting!  

First stop... carousel!

J took this picture, he said the triplets were a little afraid of Darth Vadar :)

Daddy in Grannies Jalopy :)

J told the kids to hold up the gate!

I took Mr. E and Pretty Girl on this little "roller coaster".  Then J took Berry.  And then... J took TW on his very first real roller coaster, the Dragon!  He loved it, by the way.   It was not super crowded at the park, so TW took me on the roller coaster with him... he did great!

While we waited on the big boys, we walked through a gift shop and took some pictures!

Grammy, this one is for you ;)

We took a sit down and water break (okay, I did)... the kids played (J too)!

Daddy took everyone on this bouncy machine... Mr. E did not like it.  He looks cool, calm, and collected now!  I do have a shot of him crying, but it's kind of pathetic, so I'd like to remember everyone smiling and waving.

What's that?

They had a driving course for the small guys (they didn't do so hot)...

... and the big guys... TW actually did really well, except for running into the parked cars (he didn't realize there was no one sitting in them and that he'd have to go around)!

This was the Flying School roller coaster... I always stick my legs straight out for these ones... J says I look like a dork... whatever!

Mr. E really wanted to go in the boat... it was the first thing he asked to go on, and was the only ride that had a longer than 5 minute wait.

By the time we got through the boats (because after I took the boys, Daddy had to take the girls) it was 2 or 3 and this one had not slept a wink and was Cranky!  So, he went from this one minute...

... to this the next :)

Our last major area was Miniland... there were so many things to see and so many pictures on my camera, but I chose one of the (moving!) pirate ships to share, 'cause it was just "awesome" (in little boy voice, of course).

Right before purchasing our souvenirs, we took a ride on the Island in the Sky... a big donut that takes you way up and twirls slowly... there was a nice breeze up there!

After we got "home"  I had everyone strip to their birthday suit and bathe... then I washed every article of clothing we had because we STANK (did I mention the hotel had a free washer and dryer, and they provided laundry soap)... but it was worth it!

Adventure Day 1, Sort of

So, we got off to an early start (9ish) on our newest adventure.  Everyone was so excited (for what, they didn't know) that they talked non-stop forever.  Finally, during the last hour of our drive, I pulled out the lap, battery toys, and besides the noise of those machines, it was finally silent :)

Our first stop was our hotel room.  We ate lunch, changed clothes and then went to play in the "pool"!   There was really much more than just pool, but that's the best overall term for the place.

Before, I forget, I have to mention that our hotel room had both a dishwasher and a garbage disposal... I didn't have either of those things when we lived in Ames... WOW!

The kids thought that a pull out couch was super fun!

The next morning we packed for the second part of our adventure.  J is so great.  He understands that I have this compulsion to leave a neat area when I'm going to be gone all day (well, as much as I can).  He took all the bigger kids to the van (or something, I can't remember now), just so I could finish tidying before we left for the day.  It also gave me a couple minutes of peace :)

And then, we packed the van for day 2 of fun!!!