Spartan Sprint Race

A while ago Joey texted me and told me he was doing a Spartan Sprint race here in Colorado Springs. He casually hinted that Mike or I or both should do it with him. Later in the month of April he sent me his flight information and a text telling me that I should do it with him. The 4-mile run wasn't the part that I was worried about. The obstacles were what I was worried about because I looked at their website and saw how crazy they looked and that they were Military type obstacles. Anyway, I finally gave in and did it because I wanted to spend some time with Joe. We ended up roping Felicia into doing it with us, which was totally fun. We crawled through more slippery, slimy mud than I can say. Over some pretty high off the ground nets and ladders that up until now I had no clue I was that afraid of heights. We climbed over countless walls and jumped over fire. My body is so sore and tired, but well worth the experience. I LOVED every minute of it and would do it again.

Spring Soccer

We signed the kids up for Spring Soccer. Their games are every Saturday until May 4th.  Emily is supposed to have practices on Monday nights, but has only had one and a half practices because it always seems to rain, snow or be too windy and cold. Mordecai's team has practice before their games. The first game was March 16th. Emily's games are at 10:30 and they play 3 vs. 3. Mordecai's games are at 1:00 and they also play 3 vs. 3. Emily's seems to be the only one on her team (Falcons)  that hasn't played before. Mordecai's team (Cheetahs) is the opposite, I think only the coach's kid has played before...so its amusing watching his team, and his poor coach.

*Some funny things during Mordecai's first game.*
- When Mordecai subbed out for water he came walking across the field, mid game, and says, "Mom, I'm just taking a break."

- There was a kid on our team getting ready to kick off, just before he did he stops and says while pointing, "Look! An airplane."

- After our coach directed the kids on where to kick the ball another little boy pointed out how cool the clouds looked.

- Mordecai upon getting ready to start the game directed a kid from the other team where to stand. That's funny because we are always trying to get the kid to stand where he's supposed to.

I think we will be signing Emily up for Fall soccer, but probably not Mordecai. He doesn't seem to love it like Emily does.

"Speed Demons"

Bike Rider

Emily learned to ride her bike without training wheels today.  She had about a 15 minute lesson/practice last Wednesday, and then another 15 minutes of practice today when she just figured it out.  The first day I would let go and just let her think I was holding on, but today I just told her I was going to stand and watch.  She is amazing to me.  I am sad she is growing so quickly.

Fire House

Yesterday in Emily's Friday folder from school she had a flyer about a Firehouse Open House.  Mike and I first glanced at it and thought that we weren't going to go.  Then this morning as I was cleaning up the table I saw the flyer again, and said we should go.  Often times we don't take the kids to things because 'we' don't want to go even if the kids would enjoy it.  Anyway, there was free hot dogs, chips and candy for lunch, a ride on the first fire engine the city of Westminster owned, an obstacle course where the kids sprayed a fire house, and tours of the fire engine and ambulance.  The kids really enjoyed it, but more importantly so did we.  We will defiantly do more things like this to give them the experience and memories.

1st Annual Camping Trip- Day 2

Last night was so HORRIBLE!!!  There was a group across the lake from us that was partying until 2:00a.m.  I dozed off once during that time but woke up to Mike putting Mordecai back on the air mattress.  From then on I went to the bathroom like 3 times.  Around 3:00 a.m. I heard a noise that sounded like an animal getting into a bag of fruit and nuts.  Immediately the thought came to my mind that it was the deer we saw earlier.  I then kept looking to see if I could see his shadow on the tent walls, but nothing.  I laid there for a while hoping it didn't get spooked and try running through our tent and trampling us.  Around 3:30 a.m. I heard Marci talking and then come back from the bathroom.  It was then that I decided I need to go to the bathroom again, but was going to try to just sleep.  At 4:00 a.m I finally hauled myself to the bathroom because I knew I wouldn't get any sleep with that nagging feeling.  When I left the tent I smelled a skunk and was so worried that it was around, but I couldn't see anything.  I finally fell asleep at 4:30 a.m and was up at 6:30 a.m to make breakfast.

When I got up Marci was trekking back from the bathroom and she said they had had a terrible night too.  She said she got up around 3:00 a.m. and heard something outside of her tent so she un-zipped and saw something sitting outside their kids tent.  She yelled "Hey" at it because she thought it was Max sitting outside the tent but when she didn't get a reply she zipped back up and got Corey to give her her glasses.  After she zipped open again they realized it was a skunk eating the peanuts that Corey left out that night.  So much for my deer I thought I heard, it was a skunk.  It also explains the smell I smelled that one time I was headed off to the bathroom.

For breakfast we did the whole gamut. Pancakes, eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, orange juice and milk.  After we cleaned up Marci and I headed to King Soopers to buy a fly trap, we had flies like crazy, caffeine for Marci and more ice.  The kids played well with Dad's and when we got back we had some PB&J's for lunch.

After lunch it was back to the swim beach where the kids had a better time.  While Marci and I were shopping we bought some big floatie things for them to play with.  We also built sand castles and moats and the like, but have no pictures because it was wet and sandy.

Dinner was nice and quick.  We had Hawaiian Haystacks.  I did the prep work on Tuesday so all we had to do was add soup and cook rice.  We had some dutch oven peach cobbler for dessert and then the kids were in bed.  The adults enjoyed some chat time, well I know Mike and I did.  It was one of those nights of laughing and learning about the other couple...you know those conversations where when you are laying in bed with your spouse and reminisce about the evening and you still laugh and talk about how much you enjoyed it?  It was one of those.

Tomorrow is check out, and so it is going to be a quick and easy cereal morning.  We enjoyed this camping trip so much that we plan on doing one every year.

1st Annual Camping Trip

The morning started early.  I had to go to Wal-Mart before we left because as we were packing the car last night Mike dropped and broke the globe on the lantern, and we needed one of those.  Of course while I was there I scored with buying a canopy on the off chance that we needed it. 

We got to Fort Collins around 11:20 a.m., but couldn't check into our campsite until noon so we decided to stop at McDonald's for lunch.  While I was there I got a phone call from Marci saying they were on the way, but stopping for lunch as well, and to see the future site of the Fort Collins Temple.

 

We got to our campsite and set up.  Boy, is camping with little ones hard.  They wanted to help set up everything which translates into looking for parts and pieces that they hauled off somewhere.  We were almost set up when the Grip's pulled in.  After they got set up we hit the lake and the so-called swim beach.  I say 'so-called' because it was very rocky and not a whole lot of sand or beach to play on, and the water that was cleared of rocks to play in was not very big.  You could swim out of the sectioned off area but you risked the whole kicking a  major rock issue.

Around 5:00 p.m. we headed back to camp for some tin foil dinners and s'more action.  It was a very late night and the kids didn't make it to bed until 9:00 p.m.  Marci, Corey, Mike and I stayed up a bit for adult time, but Ruby has gotten up multiple times so I am nursing her and then headed to bed.

I pulled a "Mom"

We didn't do a whole lot today.  This morning we headed to Wal-Mart to refill Ruby's medicine and pick up some miscellaneous stuff.  From there we hit the pool because Emily had her last swim lesson of the season today. They moved it to 11:30 a.m. because her teacher, Miss Julia, is also in charge of the swim team and they were having a party that lasted until 11:00 a.m.  After swim we headed home to hurry and have lunch and clean the kitchen a bit in prep for a Stella and Dot party I was having from 1:00-3:00 p.m.  Unfortunately only Marci showed up but it was some fun time visiting with Rachel and her.

This evening Cherstin and I spent out in the back with the kids blowing bubbles.  While we were at the store this morning I bought a bubble blower and some bubbles and the kids enjoyed chasing them.  We had these Crayola color bubbles that I decided to try and the kids liked them, except when the bubbles popped on them the kids looked like they had measles or were in a war because of all the red dye all over them.  Hopefully Cherstin got some pictures because I didn't.  I think I need to be better about taking pictures if I am going to try and be better about blogging more regularly.

This evening after the kids had baths we were gathering together for scriptures and family prayer when this conversation started

 Emily- "Why do we always have to read the scriptures?  I just want to read my Magic Tree House book tonight instead."
Me- "We read the scriptures because it is a law or a commandment.  Remember the other day how I told you that if you weren't in your car seat and if I got pulled over by a police officer that I would have to go to jail...?  Well, if we don't read the scriptures like the Lord has commanded us to we will go to jail in heaven (Mike pipes in "called spirit prison")."
Mordecai- (Getting teary eyes and trying not to cry) "Then we wont get to be with you anymore because Jesus will take you away for forever."

I just love how tender he is, and how he gets it and understands what we are trying to teach.  Also, I totally pulled a Mom and likened an everyday experience to a religious aspect...never thought that would happen.

Swim Dayz

This morning was a rough start. The kids were driving me crazy with all their whining and complaining. It was a good thing that Emily had swim lessons and that Marci and her kids were going to meet us there.


Emily is getting pretty good at swimming, and for the most part I would say she knows how to swim. It is pretty nerve racking to me to see her just jump in the deep end and swim back to the wall. I have yet to let her jump off the diving board by herself, just because I am more paranoid. I think it is hard for me because it has happened so quickly, like in 6 weeks, and I am not so sure that if something happened in a panic mode she would know exactly what to do or panic herself and forget everything she has learned.

Mordecai has also surprised us this past month too. He has been waking up dry for the last month, and at the pool he has been telling me when he needs to go potty. Well the other day he just came up to the basement and went #2 in the potty all on his own which is amazing considering all the constipation issues we have had with him. He has also been wearing underwear to bed and waking up dry, which is something Emily still has issues with about 20% of the time. Also today at the pool he got in the water and put his face in and blew bubbles, which the past month since the pool has opened and when we have been there he says, "I hate this place, can we go home?"

Cherstin and her family joined us after lunch and we didn't leave to come home until 4:00 pm which seems to be the trend at least once a week. After there we hit Costco so we could pick up some necessities and I found some salt water taffy that for some reasons remind me of camping, which is perfect for our camping trip with the Grip's in about 2 weeks.

Now a funny story that I need to write about Mordecai. Today when Marci got to the pool she was talking to me while she lotioned up her kids. All of a sudden Mordecai pipes up and says, "Hey Marci! Guess what? My mom has green underwear with blue polk-a-dots." Just so you know, they are for my running.

And a scary story about Emily. Today while Emily and Abby were jumping into the deep end and Abby did a flip into the water. I think Emily was thinking she was going to try it or do something as equally cool so she did this jump spin into the water and almost smacked her chin on the side of the pool as she went in. It about scared me half to death. Crazy kiddos!

Elitch Gardens with Hamblin's

We hit Elitch Gardens today.  Boy was it HOT!  We got there at 10:00 a.m. and did the carousel while we waited for Cherstin and Dan and their crew to get through the security line.  From the carousel we did the Ferris Wheel.  Emily and Mordecai have wanted to do that since the carnival we saw with Keith and Kim, but Emily was only the brave one.  Mike and Dan took Emily, Abby & Ellie while Cherstin and I sat with the babies, Mordecai, and Emmett.  While Cherstin and I were waiting we decided that we were going to hit the water area next since it was so HOT!

The water area was crowded and the water was cold.  Since all the chairs were taken Dan and I parked it under the lifeguard's umbrella since we had  the little ones.  Luckily an old lady saw us on the floor and asked if we wanted their 4 chairs since she was leaving.  We hopped on that and had a nice shady prime spot. 

After a while we decided it was time for lunch, and dropped a small fortune on food at the food court.  Can you believe that you can't take in any food or drink except water?!?!  What a rip off.

After lunch we hit the kiddie area so that Mike and Dan could hit some adult rides while Cherstin and I had the kiddos.  Mordecai found this train ride and literally rode on it over 12 times in a row with the goofy grin on his face.  At times he was the only one on it.  He would come off and ask in excitement, "Can I ride it again?"  While he rode the train multiple times Cherstin took Abby, Emily & Emmett to ride the roller coaster.  I didn't think Emily would go through with it, but she did...and in the front row the first time.  She looked a little nervous from where I was sitting, but opted to ride it again except this time in the back.  I think she did it because Abby loved it.

Next was this indoor ball area, and after that another ride that was a bunch of 'Big Rigs' going around in a circle.  Mordecai loved that of course because it was like the train ride.  While Mordecai did the 'Big Rig' ride Emily and Abby headed over to do the bumper cars which Emily absolutely loved, and was pretty good at.  We finally coaxed Mordecai over to the airplane ride and then the water boats.  All in all I think the kids enjoyed it.  It is days like this that helps me understand why Daddy always went overboard on us...it is totally rewarding to watch your kids and enjoy every minute of it with them.

We did McDonald's for dinner and then went home about 8:30 pm.

Dog Days of Summer

Since Ruby has been born I have been more of a "homebody".  Don't know why, but staying with just my little family has been more enticing than hanging out with friends.  Anyway, my friend Marci from the ward has been trying to pull me out of my shell and we have been doing that by going to the pool about once a week.  The days we do go we are usually there from about 10:30am-4:00pm.  We pack a lunch have naps there and go back and forth between baby pool, big pool, and shade.  The days at the pool have helped Mordecai have a little more of a desire to potty train which is nice and the kids get some energy out.