Quick little trip

Even though it seemed a bit silly to drive twelve hours each way to spend two full days in Arizona I'm so glad we did! Cory had an old coworker get married Friday so it was the perfect excuse. We loved swimming in grandma and grandpas pool, seeing friends, visiting the children's museum, eating amazing tacos, and visiting grandpa at the aircraft museum where he volunteers. The weather was also absolutely amazing. The fancy pants wedding and night away from the kids wasn't bad either. 

Helping me pack the day before we left . 

Phew. I was worried the kids wouldn't fit In my suitcase. 

Swinging brothers. 

This kid loves the swings!!! 

The awesome climbing structure at the children's museum. Thank you, designers, for making it mostly parent accessible. 

Who's that baby??! 

My little carter. The 'market' was overrun and crazy full of first graders on a field trip.. She found herself a quiet corner to organize canned food. 

They had this awesome castle the kids could help paint. Such a fun idea! 

Wedding selfie. Cory and I has a bit of a disagreement about his outfit .. Purple shirt, blue vest, blue tie, and these orange pants.. Yes ORANGE... We almost bought him some new gray pants but at the end of the day it totally worked and a well dressed Australian even complemented him. Rust is the new neutral apparently :) 

Airplane museum. The best part for the kids was fighting over this pedal car.. Carter informed me she doesn't like these kinds of 'musemans' (you know... Ones that offer more education and less toys). I'll be buying a pass to the Leonardo when we get home... 

This plane flew 16 missions in WWII. And now people can pay to take a ride. We got to watch it take off and land. Super cool. 

Hot air balloons on the way out of town. Nice surprise!! 

Incrementalism

This is a lesson I need to learn often. Over and over again.

Here are my kids, playing nicely together. Doing legos. On their own. Harrison recently completed several sets geared for around his age group and up (that he got for his birthday). Without needing ANY help.

It was amazing. They are getting older. We can go places and they play on their own. Sometimes at home they play on their own and the baby is good and I can actually get things done. I forget when I'm in the thick of poopy diapers and spitup and whining and fighting (and a needy princess who literally asks me to get her a sippy cup of warmed milk every thirteen seconds all day long...) that little by little time is going by and they are going to grow up and become more independent. I thought that Harrison would never be potty trained, would never give up his pacifier, and would never be able to get in and out of his own carseat. But he can do all of those things.  He can read Dr. Seus and Bernstein Bear books mostly on his own. He can  get milk and make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Sometimes I even let him go to the bathroom at target while I'm in the checkout line.  This seems like a little thing but it is BIG in mom world.  He is SIX.

Every Tuesday and Thursday I take Carter to preschool and she whines about not wanting to go. Every Sunday when it's time for sunbeams (and in many conversations during the week) she complains that she doesn't want to go and that she is scared to be without me. She is my clingy child.  But, she will get better at it. She will run off to school and learn and grow and have fun.  Crazy how much I don't see it while it's happening, but it's happening. And someday I'll probably even be like those annoying old folks that tell young stressed out moms to "treasure every moment" because it goes by too fast.  This experience of parenthood is really really hard for me, but that doesn't mean that I don't love it and appreciate just how special it is to be so needed by these little people SO MUCH.  To be so instrumental in shaping them and influencing their lives.   This is a lucky and wonderful busy time.

Winter and year round school

Harrison has been out of school since the 22nd of December. I think this is the longest break we will have all year and I have felt it . I was reserving judgment about year round school but am definitely leaning towards a negative view. Why avoid a long break in the summer just to have a long break when you can't do anything outside? Although we had Christmas and Arizona and planning his birthday party to keep us busy, the last couple of weeks with cold weather and no regular routine has been rough ( on me, mostly). Actually mostly just last week as the prior two I sent Harrison to a sport camp at the local rec center to swim and have fun with a friend who is in the afternoon version of his kindergarten class. But last week Harrison got hit with a stomach bug and a few of us started to get colds and super sport was not happening. I get high hopes of going fun places but it suddenly feels too cold and too hard. The kids get whiny and fight and I lose my temper far too easily. Carter had two days of preschool which was helpful to force us out of the house ( by noon, no less) but still I had far too many annoyed moments. 

Monday we did get out to the museum of natural curiosity to face massive holiday crowds. The climbing structure is so fun there but honestly when it's crowded I feel like I'm sending my kids into an abyss from which they may or may not return.  Friday I was going crazy and started searching 'things to do in winter in Utah' on the internet... I came up with the idea of going to the downtown children's museum. We went, I got a great deal on a year pass, and the kids has a great time. The weekend after that was pretty fun too . And school is back in tomorrow. Thank goodness for small miracles!! 

Carter in the water area at natural curiosity. That girl loves playing with water. Give her a sink and cups and she's a happy camper! 

At discovery gateway. Jefferson was pretty much about to fall off here . Sacrifice for a good shot??  

That is one cute baby in a turtle costume!

Random shot. It's nice to be reminded that they love each other. Or that they love Jefferson enough to pose together, anyway :)