Breaker Breaker

We had our first break.

So sad.

Here's a picture of Max's humerus. He fell off his bike last night and was a really good sport. Of course, I thought he'd get over it when I threatened that I'd take him to the hospital.

(He's deathly afraid of Dr's because of a trip to the ER moons ago).

BUT, even with the threats, he kept telling me it hurt. When he tried to straighten out his arm, and couldn't we went to Jeff's brother's Urgent Care (awesome Pediatric Urgent care on Stapley & Baseline, by the way, for anyone that lives in the PHX area). Uncle Steve couldn't make it to the Urgent Care when we needed to be there, but he came over to look at it this morning, and for sure told us that it was broken and brought us our xray pictures. So, off we go to get an awesome cast tomorrow morning. Max gets to pick his color! This is a whole new parenting experience for me!

Here's our sweet little boy right after we came home from the urgent care. He has been such a good sport. We'll post pics of his new cast when we get it!

We are so grateful that it happened here, close to Uncle Steve...!

Added non-bonus...daddy's in Canada and couldn't call to tell him AND shortly after we got home, the haboob took the electricity go out for a couple of hours...might I remind you, because I needed reminding, that it's one-oh-something outside, and Air Conditioning uses electricity to work!

Elephants on Parade!

My friend's sister has an awesome blog that has fun ideas for families to do in Orange County that is easy on the wallet. Well, last night, she posted about this. I about jumped out of my chair, I was so excited to go, I called a couple of friends to see if they wanted to go, and we were in business!

So, the Circus came to town today, and it starts up on Wednesday. The train stops and somehow the elephants have to get from the train drop-off to the Honda Center...a few blocks or maybe a mile...So, they walk them in a line. It gives them some exercise, and lets us have a peek!

It was very hush-hush...it was hard to get anyone to give us any information, but we waited. We had the AWESOMEST kids ever, they were so patient and such good sports about waiting so long! (we originally thought it was happening at 12:30...but then they changed it to 2:30...and then changed it to 4...and of course I was early.) Anyway, it was a great day, and despite the long wait, we had sooo much fun hanging with the Waldrons and the Moffetts!

Natalie bought the boys all circus animal crackers...how cute is she?! and I brought a bag of peanuts. We had a pachyderm picnic while waiting for the elephants...

They boys played hard. We did so many games, and random things trying to keep them entertained...it worked!

One of the girls sitting next to us ran to McDonalds and brought us back ice waters...wooooohoo!

This is the boys making their elephant noises...

When the train arrived, we got to watch them unhook some cars, back up, unload the elephants

and watch them start their trek to the big top!

This was my favorite: their chain...yep, they really do it!

and of course, I like bum shots.

Such a fun day; totally worth the wait!!!

our pioneer day

I have never celebrated Pioneer Day.

I think it's a Utah thing...and I'm not a Utah girl. But what a fun holiday!! So, I was sooo grateful that I remembered to celebrate it this year! We had a really fun day. Here's our day in pics:

We started off with the scavenger hunt that I posted yesterday. Umm, Max could hardly contain his excitement. He was literally bouncing off the walls as he shot to each new clue.

Ivy liked the first clue she got...and went right to the toy shelf...but then lost interest and just follower Maxer around.

and I re-gifted them their 'treasure' that we never opened...I think my mom gave them these a while ago, but we never ate them. thanks for the pioneer treasure, mom!

After the hunt, we put Ives down to take her nap so we could do some serious pioneering. Max and I finished reading our pioneer book that I mentioned here. Then we went out to the backyard to practice our log cabin building skills.

he loved it...He especially loved pulling the nails out with the back of the hammer.

Next, we practiced our mending skills: Max threaded his own needle, and aside from the very first stitch to sort of keep the button in place, completely sewed a button to this piece of felt by himself. I did not help him...it was awesome!

Maxer-boy, you can sew a button on my busted britches any day! Good Job!

When Ivy woke up from her nap, we headed to the Pioneer Park in Tustin, (thanks Kristy for reminding me that it was there!) with our friends Laura and Brynlee.

We had a picnic in a covered wagon...and my kids actually sat and ate...Max never sits and eats at a picnic!

and because it's a few steps closer inland than we live, we had to cool off in the water part of the park-- it was toasty by the wagons! Ivy came out without being wet...she just watched. Bryn and Max LOVED it, though!

When we got home, Ives had her other nap, Max had quiet time and then we had Laura and Brynlee over for dinner for Chicken Pot Pie and yu-mmy cornbread. (That's a pioneer-ish meal, right?) AND we ate it in the log cabin! woo hoo! Again, my kids sat and ate. Shocker! PS, Ivy is wearing an apron because it's the only semi-pioneer girl thing that I own, and Davy Crocket is close enough to being a pioneer, right?

Then we made my mom's fun homemade ice cream in a bag...

And Played until 30 minutes before bed time! FUN DAY!

Happy Pioneer Day!

Pioneer Day Treasure Hunt

Tomorrow is Pioneer Day, and I have a slough of fun activities up my sleeve for my kids.

(They have no idea what a pioneer even is, so I think it'll be a fun way to teach them about their heritage).

Anyways, just a heads up, if you want to do this, too, I found this little scavenger hunt online and thought I'd share. (it's effortless, and something you can whip out in 2 seconds.) I added some pictures so Ivy would have clues to find as well, but you can make your own of those if you're interested! Have fun!

Pioneer Treasure Hunt

By Jennifer Cloward, friend, July 1994, pg 46

Instructions:

Cut out or copy all the pioneer fact cards. Hide #2 by the kitchen sink, #3 in a toy box or closet; #4 on the stairs or front strips, #5 in the oven, #6 in the freezer, #7 on the kitchen or dining-room table; #8 in the bathtub or shower stall; #9 by the piano, record player or radio; and the treasure itself in a pantry or cupboard. If a clue doesn’t fit your home, change it or leave it out. Give fact card #1 to treasure hunters to begin search.

Pioneer fact #1

Pioneers used to drink from streams. They didn’t have running water like we do. Where do we get our drinks?

Pioneer fact #2

Pioneers made up games to play as they traveled. Because they left most of their toys behind, they had to make their own toys from things that they found. Where do we keep our toys?

Pioneer fact #3

As the pioneers traveled, they came to many mountains and hills. Climbing them was hard work! What do we have to climb every day?

Pioneer fact #4

The pioneers traveled in all kinds of weather. Sometimes it was very hot! Where in our house can we turn on something to make it very, very hot?

Pioneer fact #5

Pioneers also encountered cold so bitter that it cost many of them their lives. Where is it freezing cold in our house?

Pioneer fact #6

Pioneers didn’t have homes to eat in. They cooked over open fires and ate their meals outside. Where do we eat our meals

Pioneer fact #7

Pioneers didn’t have bathtubs. They took their baths in rivers and streams. Where do we take baths?

Pioneer fact #8

After a long day’s travel, the pioneers pulled their wagons into a circle and then built campfires. Often they sang and danced around these fires. Where do we have dance parties?

Pioneer fact #9

The pioneers seldom had enough to eat they were often hungry and had to ration food. We are lucky to have so much to eat. The treasure will be found where our food is stored.

We also got this really fun and educational book to supplement my blonde brain! We started reading it today, and Max totally digs it! (Not an Ivy kind of book, by the way) It just talks a bout the obstacles you'd come across if you were a pioneer...and has fun pictures.

I'll post pictures of our pioneer adventures tomorrow!

Happy Pioneer Day!

Goat Hill Jct.

Last Saturday, Grandma came into town for just a few days before Jeff and she whisked away to Ohio. Lucky us, Goat Hill Jct. was free, so we went from the airport to the train to catch a ride.

this was Ivy's first ride because you have to be able to walk to ride. We love free, and we love trains!

for records sake...

...ivy pooped on the potty last night. She thought it was hilarious...and so did Max.

Good job, Ives, right in the pot!

ps, I wish our rental toilet looked like this.

lizard, man

About 2 weeks ago, Jeff and me and the kids went to Stater Brother's really quick to grab some grub. Max's booster seat was on the front porch from going to the museum earlier in the day with our friends, so we grabbed it, put it in the car and were off. We got to Stater Brothers like 5 minutes later and as Jeff opened the door to let Max out, he jumped back and exclaimed: "What the...?" I was curious as to what would make HIM say that...and here it is!

the only thing I can think is that he was hiding in Max's booster, and hitched a ride on accident. But WHY did Max not notice that he head a friend on his armrest...inches from his arm? funny!

the Mustache Bash

I've been dying to get my hands on these pictures and post about this baby shower that my friend Jen and I have been planning for months! So, 3 of our friends that live in the same apartment complex that I used to live in are all pregnant with baby number 2 and they are all having boys. So, it was Jen's genius idea to do a mustache shower for the three of them, and this is what we came up with. Thanks so much to Michelle for taking the pics for us!

Here are the girlies: Melody, Kristy and Megan

My MIL has a T-shirt screening business, so we had these shirts made for them...aren't they rad?!?

We did a milk and cookie shower, which has been all the rage in the blog-o-sphere, lately, so to incorporate the mustache theme into the milk and cookie theme, I made mustache sugar cookies...which look like a 2-year old did them, but I'm not ashamed to admit that cookie decorating is not a talent that I have. And of course you get the milk mustache part of the milk and cookie shower! We had lots of different kinds of milk.

Here's Melody and Jen, my partner in crime for this awesome event!

Nobody was allowed into my backyard without a mustache! Laura and Helen...

me...sick!

Mel, Jen and Becky

We had cute little sayings framed everywhere like: Keep Calm and grow a mustache, and Your Head exists only as a place to hang your mustache...

Brooke, Stephanie and Amber

Kristy's HILARIOUS mustache

Here's the group shot with our wacky mustaches on...so fun!

and the three ladies opening their gifts. (we sewed these receiving blankets for them, as well and had them screened with their shirts, and onesies for each of their little men.

oh, and here's the entry way to the backyard...where they got to pick their 'stache and put it on.

Jen and I had such a fun time thinking of ideas and putting it together...we think it turned out so fun!

The Coles!

We were soo lucky to have our amazing friends come to visit for a couple of days while Jeff's been out of town. We stuffed 5 kids and 2 adults in our little dinky house for a few days, and I LOVED it! 3 kids in one room, 2 in the other, and the moms slept on the couch. We did nothing but free stuff, and while we were at it made Lisa a "Twi-hard" as her husband Scott called it. LOVE IT! Here are some of my favorite pictures from when they were here:

Ivy LOVES baby Kate; loves her so much she wanted to eat her, literally. dang!

Ivy found and tried to eat a bug at Mother's Beach, but Max came to the rescue and thoroughly made it's life miserable.

We played at the Children't Museum

We got to hold a Gopher Snake

And a walking stick named Cosmo.

We attempted the tide pools, but the tide was too high, so we just played in the crazy waves, and one of us fell in. oops!

Life couldn't be better that with a vanilla shake...holy she was sooo happy!

went to Centennial farms, which is so stinkin cute!

danced to sleeping beauty music

went to Donuts and Derelicts...to my delight and dismay, this is our favorite thing to do as a fam, and our favorite thing to share when people come to visit.

and PLAYED all day.

We are so sad that our friends are moving out of AZ so we won't get to see them as much! We are so grateful that you came to play with US before you left. We LOVED having you here! Love you guys!