Spring Break in Utah!

We always look forward to our annual ski trips to Utah in Feb. and April but this year we came close to missing out on both. Since we did the cruise in February, it only left the April break and with Utah having low snow totals for the year I worried it would be a bust. After reminding myself that I would then be responsible for entertaining the kids during their break here in WA with most likely yucky, rainy weather, I decided I'd be better off gambling on Utah's weather than ours. As things turned out, we timed the vacation perfectly because during the 10 days we were out in UT the mountains received over 80" of fresh powder. Fortunately Jack was able to join us for a week of the time which was great. The boys bailed on ski school this year but proved themselves very quickly. It became very evident that perhaps next year when Sage attempts ski school for the first time that I should consider doing the same. No longer can I keep up with our speed demons...

One of Ty's favorite things to do is ski amongst the trees. I get a bit nervous at times because I can't see him much of the time and worry that if he tumbles in the deep powder or gets stuck, we may not realize he needs help but most every time he'd still beat us down. He's also constantly on the hunt for any bumps or jumps to catch some air on. Connor loves to head straight down the mountain at record speeds with his hands up above his head. Surprisingly, he has complete control and can stop on a dime. A special highlight for me this year was enjoying a date with just Ty on the slopes. Jack had flown back and another batch of fresh snow had arrived that I couldn't refuse to miss. I had hoped to take both boys up but Connor said he wanted to sit this day out and just hang out with Grandma and Sage. Ty, on the other hand was just as eager as me so we headed out. I think I may need to do more of these one on one ski dates with the boys. It was a totally different experience that I'd love to have more frequently.





Of course spending time with my family is a huge reason for these trips. With the exception of Steve who lives in San Jose and couldn't make it out and our nephews Teagen and Chaz (or Chase as we call him ...wink, wink) who were with their mom, we got to see everyone else. It was great that it coincided with Easter/Conference weekend. Poor Paul had to have his gall bladder removed while we were out so he was unable to hit the slopes with us but after some hardcore arm twisting we got Uncle Sean to spend an all expenses paid day away from his office with us. Gary, Kelly and the kids are temporarily staying at my parents house so it was great to have them around the whole time. The cousins all loved waking up and greeting one another. I was so proud of Connor and Tyler for being such good entertainers to Boston and Preston. Ty loved making fun balloon animals and swords for all the kids with his twisty balloon kit that he got for Easter. We were so impressed how he figured it out all on his own. I think he has a career in this... Also the boys were excited to get the other half of their birthday presents from Grandma and Grandpa, these fancy remote control cars. Of course it was up to me to figure out how to get them home safely in my suitcase...






We love Sundance. This year we returned to our favorite sledding spot here. It's not as easy as the place in Midway that tows you up a hill and you glide down at crazy speeds (but they close earlier in the season anyways) but it's far more beautiful and peaceful. You can see that on one of the days, the weather was so beautiful that Ty felt the need to go shirtless. We also brought Grandma along on this day and Ty tried to talk her into sledding. Grandma felt more comfortable taking the 5 foot walking path as her hill... some things never change...






Thanks again mom and dad for being such wonderful hosts! We love you and we'll see you soon!

Oh the drama...from fish to pinewood!

So the other night Jack stands up to go put his dinner plate in the sink when there is suddenly a loud crash. Somehow his plate had slipped out of his hands and nailed the side of Connor's fish bowl which was sitting in the center of our kitchen table. Surprisingly the plate didn't break but within a a couple seconds I notice all the water is out of the fish bowl, pebbles are flying everywhere, and we have a missing fish on our hands. At about this same time, Connor is screaming "my fish, my fish". At first, I was completely confused because from the angle I was staring at the bowl, it appeared to be completely in tact until I noticed the perfect hole on the side. Because Connor's fish is blue and our kitchen table is black, it was hard to find him but luckily he ended up right next to my plate...limp. I quickly grabbed him and tossed him into a cup of water that Jack was preparing. I have to say I'm completely amazed he is still alive considering the shock of both the actual incident and the shock of being placed in a cup of warm water. Still not sure who had the near death experience...the fish, or our sweet Connor. I can say that the amount of water on the table, chairs, and floor seemed far more than what appeared to be in the bowl. Here is Luther in his new home. We decided on smaller quarters this round in the case of another flying plate...



This past Friday marked the boys' first Pinewood Derby. Scouting is something new to us since the boys just barely turned eight but boy were they looking forward to this. Surprisingly, the one person in our house who is not a fan of scouting (I won't mention Jack's name) seemed just as excited as the two 8 year olds. You always hear that Pinewood Derby's are more about the dad's than the kids so we tried not to have that be the case. The boys took their chunks of wood and drew across the side of them what they wanted the profile of their cars to look like and Jack did the cutting. They completely painted them all on their own and Jack did the weights and wheels. Since this was our first year we figured we'd let them design them whatever way they wanted even if they risked picking a design that wasn't considered aerodynamic. Overall, it was a great evening. Ty placed 3rd and Connor came in 4th. There were only 6 boys competing since about half couldn't make it but we were happy with the results. This was definitely not like the days in California where you'd have 40 kids competing in a big stake race (or should I say 40 dads...)! I guess some parents had voiced concern over the stake race because the same "dads" seemed to win each year and it was taking the fun out of it. In the end, we were just happy that our cars made it past the finish line with their wheels still attached. Our Scoutmaster was great and had made separate awards for each of the kids that didn't place in the top 3. Connor ended up getting "sportiest design" which he was thrilled with. Thankfully Connor is a really good sport and wasn't upset that Ty barely beat him out for third. You'll also notice a third, pink car. Jack decided to make one for Sage. I picked the design and with the exception of the racing stripe down the center, Sage painted hers and applied all the stickers. At the end, they let hers race. Let's just say it would have placed higher than the boys'.

Basketball, Bachelor, and Birthdays...

So it's been a busy first few months of the year. The boys just finished up their second season of basketball. Phew! Here's the rundown. The good: It's an indoor sport! In Seattle, that's always a good thing. We were also happy to see some big improvements over last year's at times painful year of triple dribbling or running to the wrong basket. This year the boys were the older of the bunch since they combine 1st and 2nd graders and it was nice to see them feeling confident and acting more aggressive. The not so good: Nothing screams "bad mom" louder than when your kids make a basket, look to make sure you're watching and then approach you and ask if talking with friends is more important than watching them make baskets. And finally, the ugly: Jack giving the boys advice that included "elbow back since they're not calling foul on him" and "cover that one guy that no one seems to cover". Connor was not happy with dad after getting a foul called on him for guarding the wrong player and elbowing back. Perhaps Dad needs to brush up on kids basketball rules as he's learning they aren't quite the same as the NBA. :)



Bachelor season has ended! I'll miss my Monday nights with the girls at least until May or June or whenever the next season begins. I won't miss waking up Tuesday morning with a sick stomach from all the junk food we down. I'm also promising myself that I will never ever read realitysteve.com again. Sadly I knew who the final four were going to be right as the season began and knowing Vienna would be 'the one' weeks before it was televised was awful. Still trying to figure out that one.

Finally, the most important news: On Feb. 27th the boys turned 8! This is an exciting birthday for a couple reasons. The first and most important being they are now old enough to be baptized. We have yet to determine when or where this will happen because there is an ongoing debate in the household about this. Jack and I thought it would be such a neat thing to do it in the ocean in Hawaii since we have many great family memories in Hawaii. Ty thinks this idea is "awesome" but Connor told us "the ocean is not a house of the Lord so I'm not doing it!" Next we thought about going to Utah since we have a lot of family out there and it would make it convenient for most everyone to get there. This seemed to be a good option until they realized that their friends here wouldn't be able to attend. In the end, it comes down to what the boys want and depending on the day, what they want changes. So this story will be continued in the next few months.

The second reason this is an exciting birthday is because Jack and I feel this is also a time of cleansing for us. As parents we find ourselves reflecting on all those poor parenting moments. You know, those times when you angered quickly and reacted perhaps in not the most impressive way. Like the time I went ballistic when I found a couple four year olds playing in a puddle of food coloring that they had found and emptied out onto my cream colored family room carpet (right in the center of the room). Let me remind you that when you mix all the colors of food coloring, it forms BLACK. Not only was there a puddle the size of a basketball but there were footprints coming out from the puddle in every direction. The moment is actually a blur to me but I'm certain it involved almost ripping arms out of sockets as I dragged them up to their bedrooms, a horse voice from all the screaming I did, not to mention a couple pink bottoms. Well, when Jack and I started to think back on our earliest childhood memories, there are very few, if any that either of us have that took place before the age of 8. So we're thinking that around this time the boys memories of their busy, busy, childhood should be starting to fade and in the meantime we're hoping that from here on out we will never raise our voice, swat a bum, threaten soap in the mouth, forbid a treat permanently, or bribe our kids again! I'm at least hopeful that the carpet coloring incident will be a blur in their mind... while at the same time I'm hopeful that all the wonderful family memories we have created here in the home or on vacations will be imprinted in their memory forever!!!

Being that they are now eight I thought this would be a good time to post eight things about each of them that immediately come to mind when I think of them. Here is what I have to say about our sweet Ty:

1. I love that Ty always comes to find me in the morning to give me my morning hug.
2. I love the way he naturally takes it upon himself to look after, take care of and play with his sister.
3. He is a problem solver. If there is something that needs fixed or done and the conventional way of doing it isn't possible, he will figure out another solution.
4. He's an amazing builder with a ton of creativity. The things he builds whether by following directions or making up as he goes along absolutely amaze us.
5. He is very well liked and people just seem to gravitate towards his contagious personality.
6. He is the protector of the family. He feels others pain and takes it upon himself to fix any pain others are feeling.
7. I love that when Jack is having a heart to heart with him whether it be directions or discipline or just conversation, Ty will look straight in his eyes and not look away until the conversation is over.
8. He is indeed our daredevil, whether it be on his bike, skateboard, skis or scooter. He is always working on new moves and tricks, challenging and testing himself.
Bonus one that I had to include: He loves to share his testimony at church, usually focusing on events and stories from his life while ending with how much he loves his family.

Here are a few things we love about Connor:

1. Choosing the right is a priority in his life. He is always encouraging everyone around him to do the same.
2. He loves to read and is very good at it. I love popping into the boys room at night and seeing them cuddled up next to each other on their bed with Connor reading to Ty.
3. His vocabulary is huge. We are impressed with some of the words that come out of his mouth. It's like talking to a grown up.
4. He's always thinking of others feelings.
5. He loves to compliment me whether it be the way I look or the food I've prepared. He knows just what to say.
6. He is a natural master of video games. That's his thing and he's proud of it!
7. He has an amazing memory. He can watch a video or hear a story and there is no part that he can't remember. (Hoping this is just selective memory and those not so good moments we talked about above will become a blur for him...)
8. He's an observer. Connor is completely content not being the center of attention and just being an onlooker taking it all in.

No doubt they can both challenge our patience but they continue to love us unconditionally even if we do not live up to being the parents we dream of being 24/7. What I find the most fulfilling are the wonderful compliments we receive from others about the boys. Whether it be a teacher, parent, friend or neighbor, for some reason they both always have and continue to leave positive impressions on those they interact with. At times I wish those same "Tys and Connors" would always exist in our home but I'm happy to hear that outside of the home, all the things we teach them seem to be paying off. I don't know what we did to earn the right to be their parents but boy do we feel blessed. We love you Connor and Tyler.

The Birthday week, as we like to call it since birthdays never seem to be just one day long included a class party, family birthday celebration, and the birthday party with friends. Here's how the week unfolded:

Ty's class party! Sage and I surprised Ty with cupcakes for him and his classmates. The kids LOVED these and although baking is not my thing, I'm taking a liking to making cupcakes. Sage wanted to sing a birthday solo so you'll see I included a photo of her singing her one hit wonder to the whole class. Like Ty, Sage doesn't seem to have a shy bone in her...



All week all Connor could talk about was how excited he was for his class celebration that was to take place the Friday before his birthday. Unlike Ty's class, Connor's class doesn't allow food. Instead, each child either chooses to have an extra recess, a special art project or a parent come in to read. They let the class know what they have selected on their designated "birthday" day. They have a special poster that is signed by the family and all the kids in the class and is then laminated and given out on this day. Connor was devastated when his birthday wasn't celebrated on the day it was originally planned. When he came home that day he was in tears. Ty was at a play date but the moment he walked in the door and Connor told him what happened, Ty was in action, planning his own mini celebration. I could hear him busy in the kitchen and when I came downstairs to see what was going on I came upon a yogurt "cupcake" with blueberries and candle, and a "trail mix" of Connor's favorite cereals. Then he quickly made a sign. Less than five minutes after arriving home, this is what Ty had put together for Connor... Nothing makes me more happy than to see my boys feel each others pain and celebrate each others happiness. Thankfully his birthday was celebrated the Monday following his birthday and he has selected me to come read to his class even though he realized his class will be "upset that he didn't pick the extra recess". I love that he finds pleasure in having me come to his class. I know these days are numbered.



This year when we asked the boys what they wanted for their birthday they stated "fish". I have never lived down the last fish we had which apparently I'm to blame for it's death from "not cleaning the bowl frequently enough". The boys have really wanted dogs but since we like to travel, it has become a debate on whether they want to continue going on fun vacations or get a dog. We will get a dog at some point but I'm hoping to buy a couple more years of freedom so thankfully out of the blue they started mentioning how much they wanted fish. Fish it was. No complaining on our end. After a sweet $15 spent at Pet Smart, their birthday was complete... Jack was mortified that this was all we were doing but if something isn't broken, why fix it? The kids had nothing else they wanted plus when you add the gifts from grandparents and friends, it ended up being a very satisfying birthday. We topped it off with our once every four years surprise trip to Chuck E Cheese and Krispy Kreme for donuts since we were cupcaked out...

Finally, the boys celebrated with a party with their friends. This year they wanted a movie night. I was bummed that the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid wasn't coming out in theaters until a month after their birthday so we decided instead to do a pizza/movie night here at the house. There ended up being nine boys and Kiara (a sweet girl that's been in the same class as Ty since Kindergarten). They all had a blast. They had pizza, watched G Force and we did an intermission with glow sticks and popcorn and then it was cupcakes and ice cream and present time. As they walked out we handed them their popcorn container full of sweet treats and popcorn packets for them to unleash at home. I wasn't daring enough to get then all hyped up on that amount of sugar in our home. So we bailed on our concession stand idea that we originally planned. Always glad to have this annual event done with!



Leave it to Ty to get his gifts all displayed neatly!

The suite life of Jack and Laurie

I'm thinking two cross country trips in three months is enough to last a long time. Thankfully we made it without any lost luggage or children. The only thing I have yet to find is my waistline. So if you happen to be cruising Disney anytime soon, find our wonderful servers Jozsef and Tana and ask them as I'm sure they are to blame...

A little over a year ago we took our first cruise ever. We chose Disney, made certain we got a balcony since we didn't know how Jack would do with sea sickness and tested out the 4 night one to the Bahamas. It was such a hit with the kids (and Jack ended up being fine) that we decided on board that we had to book another one. We chose the western Caribbean itinerary this time because it was making stops in two of our favorite places, Cozumel and Grand Cayman. The ship also stopped in Key West which was nice to see and of course it made a stop at Castaway Cay, Disney's private island. Little did we know that this trip would make history since our ship got stuck in a storm causing us to have to dock at Castaway Cay overnight turning our 7 night cruise into an 8 night cruise. We didn't end up leaving Castaway Cay until the same time the next day. Trust me, there are worse places to be stranded. It was a logistical nightmare for Disney as many travelers missed flights that needed to be re booked. In addition you had 3,000 passengers waiting in Port Canaveral to board the next cruise that had to be dealt with. Our concierge happily took care of adjusting our rental car arrangement and we were happy to get another day on the ship. It also helped that we were upgraded to a suite for this cruise. Thank you very much Disney as you've now ruined us and now we'll never be able to cruise in any other room!

Key West highlights: So what do you do in a place that's not known for it's snorkeling or beaches? You rent an electric car. The kids loved it and it was a great way to get a taste of Key West without the complaining of sore feet.

Out our balcony we had a view of this small island off of Key West where we were told many celebrities keep second homes.



Connor and Jack with a little spare time on their hands...



From swimming and sliding to tea parties, pirate parties, and birthday parties to movies and magic shows to super sized Superbowl...



Oh boy do we miss our servers. These kind, patient young men took such awesome care of us during our cruise. They knew what drinks we liked, where the kids like to sit (Sage always has to sit next to me) and the types of food we'd probably like. They'd cut up the kids food and perform magic tricks for them. Dinners just aren't the same here at home. We LOVE and MISS Jozsef and Tana!!!



Cozumel: I was looking to try something we hadn't done in Cozumel before so we booked a Passion Island jeep excursion. We had a wonderful tour guide named Alex who guided us through the "jungles" of Cozumel (if you can call some private property alongside the ocean that) and then he put us on a small boat that took us out to this private island where you eat, play, and relax. On the way back we did see wild raccoons and a crocodile. Jack and I still laugh about that trip.



Jack guarding his favorite Mexican donuts!



We LOVE Grand Cayman. It has been close to ten years since Jack and I had been there. We were really excited to take the kids on the Stingray City excursion. This includes stopping at Coral Gardens to snorkel and then going to Stingray City to swim with the rays. Stingray City is actually a large sandbar out in the middle of the ocean where stingrays have been conditioned to come for food. (Thankfully we were not their food.) We had forgotten how beautiful the snorkeling is in Cayman. Not only are the fish amazing but the colorful coral sets Cayman apart from most places we've been to. I was so proud of Sage for wanting to come out in the deep ocean in her life preserver and floatie so I could snorkel. I was also very proud of Connor for getting out of the boat at Stingray City. He was very nervous yet still managed to get in the water. They told us if we kissed a stingray we'd have seven years of good luck. Connor alerted us he should be in good shape for the next 21 years!




Castaway Cay is Disney's private island. The water was a bit chillier than our last visit but the kids still had a blast. Ty was dying to go for a bike ride so we rented some cruisers and had a great time. Note to self: A long skirt is probably not the best bike riding attire. After rolling it up into a micro mini I can say 'muffin top' took on new meaning... It's also sad when your seven year old says "mom, I didn't even know you knew how to ride a bike". We'll blame that on Seattle weather for now but we now know what I'll be asking Santa for for Christmas this year.



Little did we know when we arrived in Castaway Cay this morning to such a beautiful day that a storm would be on it's way and we'd be stuck on the island! It was a rocky night at sea with the captain doing his best to prevent us from bumping into the pier on one side or the rock ledge on the other side of the ship. In the meantime two tie downs had bust in the middle of the night but luckily the ship was ok. Here are a couple photos from the evening we were supossed to leave and the next day while we sat stuck on Castaway Cay.



On one of the nights there was a comedian that did the show. He needed a volunteer to help with his act and asked if anyone was interested. Leave it to Ty to be the one selected out of hundreds of kids jumping up and down in the main theater trying to get the comedien's attention. (I'm telling you it's the hair.) He was quite the hit.



I must admit I have over 300 photos from this trip so picking the ones that best tell the story is a bit difficult but I couldn't close without including some of the photos of the kids and the characters. This would definitely be the highlight to Sage's vacation. Next time though we'll be certain to buy the autograph books on the first day rather than the third. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing when the gift shop workers and the photographers know you by name AND room number...



Countdown to the Disney Dream in May 2011!