Leprechaun Treasure Hunt and Farewell to Meadow

So I seriously wasn't going to blog tonight--it has been a nasty day at work and I am ready to crash (i.e. eat chocolate peanut butter cookies while reading or watching or reading [I can't decide!] Twilight [I guess even nasty days at my job aren't all bad]) but I was so enjoying reading other blogs that I can't help myself. I mean when blogger says I am using 10% of my photo storage, isn't that just a temptation--there's 90% still to fill!

So after another particularly nasty night at work (silly moms trying to bleed to death at 2 am and even sillier mid-wifes getting emergency release blood--what a crazy night) I got home and set out the leprechaun foot prints. In retrospect they certainly aren't realistic, like a leprechaun would step on a piece of paper for each step and then only use his right foot? But you better believe 3 year olds ate it up anyway.

Here's a section of the path, it wound from the living room, through the kitchen, down the stairs, and into the guest bedroom where the leprechaun hid the "treasure" under the bed. Lowell had to remind me that they are sneaky so it had to be hidden.

Treasure=whatever we found at the party store while I convinced myself I didn't need the Edward cardboard cut out (really I don't--I like the vision I have of him in my head while I read better than the movie version.) It ended up having nothing to do with St. Patrick's day, the closest thing being the gold gum coins, that were stamped "Congrats Grad".

So when the munchkins got up the hunt was on and they were thrilled--here's Davis trying to decide where he went next, maybe up the window--nope he was naughty and walked across the table.

Success! We found it!

Yeah, candy for breakfast!

Carter is a bit obsessed with his balloon boat--I got sick of blowing it up so he worked on it all day and can blow it up pretty big on his own now. Not bad for boys with under-developed lungs.

The toys actually kept them busy for almost that whole day. We enjoyed the sunshine sitting outside blowing bubbles and playing boats in their water table. Tuesday night we went to the Dino museum, I know you're all surprised, and had a junk food dinner :). Weds was grovery shopping day-ugh! There just isn't enough room in the cart for 2 3 year olds and a week's worth of groceries. Everything comes home smashed and of course we return with an abundance of treats we don't need but that kept my sanity as we shopped. Oh well, 1 more week down. Albertson's had frosted mini-wheats and Cheez-Its on sale. Oh another random sale--for the trip we splurged and got the kiddos little video mp3 players for pretty cheap. I have found them even cheaper now if anyone is interested, $25 with free shipping. They'll hold a bunch of music and a few movies perfect for said shopping trips (no they don't actually work that long for my kids, but you know, children with a normal attention span). Here's the link: http://www.buy.com/prod/sandisk-sansa-e250-2gb-mp3-player-fm-tuner-fm-on-the-fly-recording/q/loc/111/205562657.html?adid=17654&dcaid=17654 .

Wednesday also marked a sad day in the Penrod house hold, Lowell's last day at Meadow Elementary school. It's a good thing, he's moving on to the better paying, more prestigious, many many more toys, actual office position at Willow Creek Jr. High but he will so miss the folks at Meadow. Seriously, what an awesome staff, lots of good people. The lunch ladies have fed him so well the past 2 years. Whenever he'd be out pushing snow he'd come in to a hot cocoa and a freshly made cinnamon roll. Though he had finished what he had to do there, it was still so sad to leave such good people. Here's the card the lunch ladies made for him:

He also scored a number of gift cards--we have eaten out on the generosity of the school since Christmas and now we have more. I don't think anyone at the school reads my blog, but just in case, thanks for taking such good care of my hubby. And thanks for telling the new lunch ladies about him, he is already eating good at his new home.

I just spoke to our mortgage guy and I am excited that rates are dropping below 5 again. We are going to be able to say $150/month with our new rate, hooray! Oh and if anyone is considering new construction is Utah--now is a great time. Utah is giving a bonus of $6000 cash at closing for new construction on top of the $8000 tax credit the government is giving. And FHA loans are at 4.75%. Great deal for first time home buyers.

Enough informercials from me. Tomorrow is UVMOM play group, hooray--so I better get some rest. Loves!

Irish for a day

Lowell's family is Irish somewhere back in their genealogy (gee I wonder where my kids got their stubborness? They are Dutch Irish!) and they always have fun with St. Patrick's Day. Lowell pointed out that we celebrate my Dutch heritage with Dutch Christmas so we should make a bigger deal out of the Irish holiday. So we did. Sunday we had a big Irish family dinner care of Melinda. Potato Leek soup, a pork chop with sweet potatoes, apples, and onions all cooked in beer dish (I'm sure there's a better name, but I don't know it), soda bread, and whiskey cake with toffee sauce. You better believe it was SO yummy and I was SO full. It was also delightful to sit and visit as the boys rampaged Mike and Sina's house playing with their cousin Hannah. Such a lovely evening. We decked ourselves out with tattoos for the occasion:

Me, the honorary Irish member. The bracelet is actually quite pretty to me, almost tempted to get a real tattoo (almost).

Lowell--everyone at work thought the flag one was real.

Davis, he was so excited about his rainbow, he tells everyone we see about it.

And Carter

Tonight the leprechaun is going to be leaving foot print clues all over the house leading to a treasure, hooray! That is if this leprechaun gets her act together and the paint out. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Catching up

It seems like I am constantly blogging, is it really possible I need to catch up? I checked my camera to start uploading and was surprised how much was there, so yep here comes a photo catch up. First though, thanks for all the great comments on my Memory Lane post. I feel so loved! Seriously. It's been a decent week, trying to keep busy. Wednesday I must have been in a really good mood (or really wanted to get some small clothes packed away to make room for the spring stuff, you pick) because I let the kids play with both Play Doh and finger paint. Yeah, great mommy huh? :) Actually nothing was permanently damaged and I did get 3 boxes put up (12-18 month dress shirts, 18 month pants, and 18 month winter and summer PJs). Here's my favorite "masterpiece": Davis figured out he could put his whole hand in the plate of paint and then place it over and over. Kind of a cool effect really. I don't think it will be dry for another 2 weeks. The other night Lowell let the boys watch Nacho Libre with him briefly and they came away wrestling all over the place. Here they are in action, I just told them to say "Hi-ya!"

And this one of Davey just cracks me up. Isn't he menacing?

Tuesday night (this post is obviously in no particular order!) I had the chance to go to the twin club Mom's Night Out and as always had a great time. We exchanged dinners (I made 12 stuffed french breads and came home with 11 other dinners) and now my freezer is full of ready to bake meals. Such a luxury, I love the idea of popping one in and knowing dinner is done. Yeah--thanks everyone for your hard work. I can't wait to taste it. :) Then we stayed up late (as always, actually I left by 10 that has to be a record) playing Dance Dance Revolution and Rock Band. It is so fun and funny--I think we are hillarious. Good to smile and compare whose kid did the most outrageous thing stories. Carter being able to shimmy out of his pants to get out of his carseat while the car is in motion scored pretty high. Crazy kid. He's been my love bug and helper the last couple of days--love him!

By Wednesday this week it had become apparent that the kids were getting more and more off schedule rather than the reverse since the time change. We took drastic steps and skipped nap to get them to bed earlier (Tuesday they were up til midnight and then slept til 10 am). To get them to stay awake during nap you have to keep them very active so we were very excited when my sis Hillary told us she could get us into the gardens. The gardens don't open for another 3 weeks so it was a double bonus, I got to go to one of my fav places on earth early, and we were the only ones there. Of course it paled in comparison to its full bloom glory but the kids still loved some free space to run and play hide and seek. Lowell and I savored the quiet being able to hold a full conversation and of course, I had the camera at the ready. That reminds me to mourn the official ending of Nikon. Samsung has finally returned from service and taken its place. Goodbye Nikon, thanks for the year of great service and saving the Disney trip by living through a bath. Anywho . . .

Carter in a flower pot--they pretended to take a bath in them.
I love this shot and 10MP, it's so clear. :) This is at the fish pond trying to lure a few of them to the surface (they're hiding in the warmer waters at the bottom).

Davis. He managed to cause our one real problem in nearly 2 hours there. With no one else there we let them run pretty free and just kept walking to lure them to the next location. Davis didn't follow for a few minutes so we doubled back to see what he was up to (you better guess it was no good). He found this turnstyle that connected to the golf course but that was chained and locked since the gardens are closed. That didn't stop him, he climbed up and back down the dividers and was sitting on the golf course taunting us since there was no way we were going to fit. The heavens were smiling this day because with very little prompting he climbed back to us. Whew! Of course in the tussle to get him to come back Carter threw a fit (he wanted to climb too) and cracked his head a good one. My poor abused brain-damaged children. Lucky our pediatrician understands and hasn't reported us (yet!).


Every year I get shots of each of the kids and the 2 together at the gardens which we have hanging in our room. It's quite early and the background isn't great yet, but these may qualify to be those shots for this year. I could kiss those silly boys for smiling for me!




I know, I am so spoiled right?

We found a lonely tiny bug on the way out and the kids were SO enthralled, it took 20 more minutes to get them to leave. Such stereotypical boys. Could they laugh any more at bodily functions, I doubt it. Butts are so hillarious at my house. Here's a good one for you. Davis told Lowell he needed to go potty so he went to get his little toilet. By the time he got back Davis was outside, pants pulled down, peeing on the lawn. He came in like it was nothing and told Lowell, "I pee like the doggies". Oh my, if he starts lifting his leg . . .I don't want to think about it.

The gardens trip worked, the boys were out by 9:30--an unbelievable feat! Of course Davis woke up an hour later from a nightmare (something about a big car and Carter and blood, poor kid was so scared). And I stayed up until midnight reading New Moon. Yes this is pathetic on so many levels, I could have taken the chance to just once get to sleep early but no I stayed up reading a book, I have already read, and just a couple of weeks ago. Sure I knew what was going to happen, but I couldn't put it down. Oh well. That's nothing compared to the anguish I felt when I realized the movie did not come out on the 10th as I read somewhere, but actually on the 21st, still more than a week away. Sigh.

Here's something to cheer me up though, a few glimpses of spring:

A crocus (I think) on the way to the waterfalls (turned off by the way)

More crocuses in the daffodil garden (they'll be up soon!)

The first tiny little sprout on the seeds we planted. It happened pretty quick, less than a week--the boys were SO excited.

Okay, pics updated! I guess that wasn't very far to catch up, I've just taken that many pics. One other piece of fun news, I am going to be an aunt again in September. My baby brother (yes he seems very young to be a daddy to me) and his wife are expecting, this will be the only other grandchild on my side. They are also in the process of buying a condo so fun stuff for them. Okay, that's all--I love you bye bye!

Memory Lane

Eight years ago tomorrow was a very special day in my life. It was the day I met Lowell. I'm going to record my memories from those days here for preservation sake and because loving their Daddy is an important part of my children's lives.

So, March 10, 2001 was a Saturday. The night before I had gone out with a guy named Jon from my ward that I had finally gotten the guts up to ask out. Saturday I spent the whole day cleaning apartments at my cousin's apartment complex. I was grimy and smelled like cleaning supplies. Out of the blue the same cousin called me (Whitney) and asked if I would go out with a friend of hers. She wanted to have someone double with her and her hubby and had tracked down Lowell (a friend from Jr. High) to go with me. It's funny how that worked out, Whitney hadn't talked to Lowell in a year but he was free so he decided to go. Whit didn't even give me time to shower but I hurried and changed my clothes and ran out to meet them. We went to a little mexican restaurant close to my apartment in Provo and then got movie tickets for "Meet the Parents". Whit and Josh had other plans for that late so Lowell came back to my place to hang out until the movie would start. We played Risk and he "won", but only because he took way more guys than I did and I was too chicken to say anything about it. A debate over that fact continues to this day, I am certain he would give you a different scenario. We went to the movie, which was funny, and he took me home. I gave him a hug and he gave me his phone number on a card for a free bowling game. He said that way if I didn't want to call him, I could still go bowling. Then he left. Pretty much a typical first date. It's so crazy but there wasn't anything spectacular about that date at all. I was excited to meet Lowell, I thought he was handsome and nice. I hoped we'd do it again but I had no idea at all where that night would lead me. He is handsome, don't you think? That's when things went different than I would have expected. Though the date was nothing out of the ordinary, I could not get Lowell off my mind. Even though I met up with Jon the next day, Lowell is all I could think about. I replayed every moment of that date over and over in my head. It was driving me crazy! Later my cousin called to tell me Lowell had a good time and I told her I did as well. She told me he was going to call and after my obsessed weekend thinking of him I was very anxious to hear from him again. He did call and I talked him into coming to see my lab (I was in the middle of my clinical lab science program at BYU and spent A LOT of time in my lab there). He said he wanted to see Leukemia under the microscope. The next day I told my lab friends that he wanted to come up and joked that I was going to marry that guy (for being interested in my lab stuff). He came over and brought Moose, his sister's pomeranian puppy who was insanely cute. Talk about a way to win a girl over! Then we went to my lab and I thought I was being incredibly funny by showing him sperm under the microscope--I was (am) such a nerd! I was getting more and more interested in this boy who did not stand out that first night, but I was still seeing Jon off and on in between. The next Saturday changed that--Lowell invited me to go see The Testaments at Temple Square but I was watching my little sisters that weekend while my parents were out of town so I invited him to come to my parents' house. He spent the day with us and that is when I definitely fell for him. I felt so drawn to him, it was irresistable. That night we watched "Undercover Blues" and he finally got my hints and held my hand. When he left, he kissed me (swoon!). I have been with him pretty much every day from then until now. He went to Oregon for a couple days and I had a work trip to Texas, but most every other day.

I did have a pretty big dilemma at this point--I had a missionary out that I was pretty in love with too. I even had the "wailing wall" up on my wall in my apartment--a missionary count down chart with stickers for every day he was gone and pics of him in all the different cities he'd served in. I finally told Lowell about him and he said he would not come between us, this was something I would have to decide on my own. He also wasn't just going to keep dating me until he came home, I needed to make a decision before then. So I was torn, I dated Mark (missionary) for a year before his mission and was pretty committed to our plans for after the miss. But here was Lowell and I couldn't deny what my heart was telling me. Luckily I knew who had the answer to my question. I took it to the Lord. I used to spend a fair amount of time studying in the LRC (Learning Resource Center) in the library--it had music you could listen to and nice little cubbies. I clearly remember that night, trying to study but being so torn and just pouring my heart out to the Lord. The answer was clear and unmistakable--I should continue dating Lowell. As I fought against it the answer kept coming again and again. It was the oddest most forceful spiritual experience I have had. Of course I followed the prompting.

We spent a lot of time together, like I said every day. We'd stay up very late just talking (okay kissing too). We climbed Timp (above) and the Y (below). I met his family and he met mine. Unfortunately my parents weren't fond of Lowell. They were crazy! My dad is just over-protective and thought I could do better, and my mom liked Mark the missionary. It didn't matter to me what they thought I knew my directive from the Lord so I continued to pursue the relationship. Less than 2 months later we started talking about marriage. It freaked us both out. Just because it was so fast and crazy to imagine, not because it felt wrong. Maybe because it felt so right.

The night this pic was taken on the way back down the mountain I had a very distinct impression that I was to marry Lowell. That he would be the man that I would spend forever with. He was the one the Lord had directed me to find and paved the way that we could be together. I was nervous, but also ecstatic. I mean, he was hot! and crazy about me too. What luck. Of course we still had to fight with my parents but I think I was given so many signs to give me the strength to do what was right. We "secretly" got engaged on June 21 right after I met his older sister. We were just sitting in my apartment talking and he said, "Let's do it. Let's get married." I said, "Are you kidding?". Yeah, that deflated his sails a little, and I had to clarify that I just wanted to be sure he was serious. Of course I said yes though we didn't tell anyone yet.

The official engagement occured shortly before Mark came home from his mission, something about having a ring on my finger :). I felt bad but we had agreed to follow the spirit and that was certainly what I was doing. For those concerned, Mark met his wife shortly after coming home and they were married before we were. They have 3 kids now. We still didn't tell my parents for a couple of months and when we did, they weren't supportive. Specifically Lowell asked for my Dad's blessing and he told him no. He told me we'd be divorced within the first year. They asked us to wait a full year before getting married. I can assure you this was not what I wanted to do, but we obliged. Partially to keep the peace but even more so because there was a lot going on. I was starting my internship and was not allowed more than one day off for 6 months. A one day honeymoon didn't sound like much fun. I also volunteered for the olympics in the middle there which was busy too. We kept planning anyway and spending every moment we could together though we were both working and going to school. Over the course of that year we got to know each other very well. Almost like we could skip all the awkwardness of the first year of marriage because we'd already been there. Plus it helped that we were so compatible, best friends from the start. Staying worthy to go to the temple wasn't as easy, but we did it.

I graduated and accepted a job at Orem Community (where I still work!). With my mom the realtor's help we were able to build a house all while we were engaged. I didn't even know you could qualify for a loan under those circumstances but we were excited. Finally on August 15, 2002 we were married. I can't find the pic I want to put of that (argh!). I'll put it on eventually. It was a beautiful amazing day. We had a lot of family come but most importantly we were together forever, starting our life the right way. We left the next day for DisneyLand on our honeymoon and have been in wedded bliss every since. Well, probably not every second but you know what I mean.

8 years later as amazing as it would seem to me back then, I love Lowell even more now. He never ceases to amaze me. He just gets better and better with time. A whole new dimension came out when I was pregnant. The already amazing hubby went to a whole new level and even more so when the kids arrived. I know I brag about him all the time, but what can I say--I'm still crazy about him. I can hardly believe the Lord could have prepared someone so perfect for me and led me to him. I certainly don't deserve him but I am grateful for him every day. Love you honey!

P.S. I challenge you my sweetheart to write your version of that first date on your blog (http://spazmatic-lowell.blogspot.com/). Now everyone will check to see if you did :p.

TarterDadis update

Now that the trip is thoroughly chronicled I can get back to blogging about . . .well, nothing really. We've just been doing the same stuff lately. We are anxiously awaiting spring. The weather has been brutally cruel here, one day the sun will be shining, the bulbs are poking up, we spend the whole day outside and then next it will be freezing and dumping snow. It is not unexpected but it is so mean to wave the wonder of Spring before me and then quickly take it away. This winter has been much more manageable than the past 2, the boys are really getting better at playing inside and having enough to keep them busy. But my house would sure appreciate if they could start playing outside again.

So let me update you on the munchkins for a bit. They are firmly 37 inches, no matter what I tried to get them taller for the trip and around 30 lbs. They are, as they always have been, within ounces of each other and within 1/2 inch. Since we get this question a lot (A LOT) I'll mention that we don't know if they are identical. Lowell and I have always felt they are fraternal but there is some debate. The closeness in height and weight and similarities in eye and hair color sway us toward identical at times but who knows? There were 2 sacs and 2 placentas (saw them early so I am sure) but 25% of identicals are that way, it has to do with how early the egg splits. We could have genetic testing done, but it just doesn't matter enough to us yet to do so. Their favorite thing continues to be each other. They have so many jokes that I just don't get but I love it, they are so funny. They will just laugh for hours. They also torment each other incessantly, best friends and worst enemies all in one. I think this is the part most people who think twins would be so fun don't take into account. You think of kids with their best friend and how riled up they get, with twins you never get to send the best friend home. It is awesome to always have a play mare, but it is hard to always be so hyped up. They also love their doggies and are just barely getting to be really gentle with them. They love their daddy so much and have so much fun playing with him. They love to snuggle with me too and we have lots of good "chats". Lately Carter epecially has been telling me that I am "pretty" and a "princess". Chances are he's just buttering me up for something but I still love it. Lowell has always been able to get his way with me by flashing me a certain smile and he's passed it on to the boys. I am such a sucker. Davis talks a bit more than Carter and also a little more fluently. Their language has really taken off in the last few months making conversing with them much more interesting. Carter will chat with you too just not for as long as Davis. They still refer to each other and themselves as "Tarter and Dadis" or "TarterDadis". They call them CarterDavis at the gym since they have trouble telling them apart and it has stuck for them.

(Note the candy I bribed them with to smile in Carter's hand :)--hey, it works!). They still adore doing puzzles and will spend quite some time working on them. They can do each puzzle quickly but will do them over and over. Davis has gotten more into coloring lately and actually coloring what is on the page and not just scribbling everywhere. They both like to paint whenever I let them, the mess is not always enticing. They enjoy lots of TV shows and movies, Tom and Jerry, Shaun the Sheep, and Olivia being favorites. They like to watch the "TarterDadis show" as well, the DVD I made of their photos from last year. Even I am sick of watching it now! They are getting to be quite good on the Wii fit, with my help they have both reached champion level on the advanced setting for the balls on a plate game. Being light has its benefits, they are the top scorers on lots of the games. Davis even likes to do the yoga. They would play Mouse Trap every day if I'd ever get it down for them (drives me nuts) and are still loving the Tomy train set they got for Christmas. They love to read, many mornings I will think Carter is still sleeping because he is so quiet but I will find him sitting on his bed reading. Such a darling boy to let his mama sleep (love him!). They love everything Dr. Seuss and Disney which adds up to quite a lot. And of course every book that also has a ride at Disney is high on their list right now.

Here's Davis giving Daddy a physical.

They are crazy about their family, they just adore all their aunts, uncles, and cousins. They'll ask me several times a day to call Uncle Robbie or if they can go to Aunt Hillary/Cyndel's house. They are STILL potty training but I've given up on stressing about it. When we get closer to school in the fall I may have to push the issue but for now we cheer all their successes but try not to get too discouraged by accidents. This week they've decided they no longer like going to the store with me no matter the incentive so I am switching to 4 am stops at WalMart again. Davis is already getting excited for Easter, he asks about eggs all the time. Foolish me always thinks that's what he wants for breakfast before he explains they have to have candy inside. And a chocolate bunny.

Carter checking Daddy over

They still love all things pasta and chicken nuggets. Very carb-y kids, always have been. They also love apples and bananas and all things cheese. They want fruit snacks and candy every moment of the day, which of course they don't always get but there is no doubt they inherited my sweet tooth. They also love dirt and bugs and more dirt. Boys through and through (bodily functions are hillarious!). They are getting better at cleaning up after themselves but of course not perfect. They are silly and fun and naughty and the light of my life! They'll be 3.5 in a month.

There you go, a thorough update on the kiddos, see even with nothing to blog about I come up with something! Hillary is off from school next week so we will likely be off adventuring a bit with her. She is such a doll, she watched the kiddos last night so Lowell and I could have a late night date, such a pleasant evening visiting. Thanks Hill, we love you!

Trip Day 7: Disney Day 3

Well my faithful readers, you have made it to the end of the trip. Hooray! Saturday was busy at Disney as was to be expected. Not only was it a Saturday but also Valentine's Day and part of a 3 day weekend. We only planned to come on Saturday at all because it was the only day The Haunted Mansion would be open and it is one of Lowell's favorites. We got to the park early and caught several good rides before it got busy. The boys were in a good mood to be back at Disney, it is safe to say that was their favorite park of all the places we went. We took advantage of Fast Passes and I finally got to ride Autopia, something I haven't done since I was a kid. Not that great really, not worth the wait. I got my last ride on Space Mountain as well, can't get enough of that ride! After nap we rounded out whatever else we wanted to do, I never did get to It's a Small World or Toon Town but I did get one more round on Soaring over California, my fav ride at California Adventure. Here's Carter and Lowell on the Zephyr, sticking their tongues out at me.
And my fav shot of Davis from this trip, sums it up pretty well.
Big smile and 2 thumbs up! I didn't tell him to do that either, it was all him. We stayed to watch the fireworks which were awesome of course, better than I remember from our honeymoon (though then we had the added bonus of watching it from our hotel window). We got the bubs giant suckers as big as their heads and mama was weak and picked up another toy, a light up Buzz Lightyear they had been eyeing all week. We got some candy (Disney has the best candy!) for us and to share and we headed out.

Goodbye to Disney's California Adventure

Goodbye DisneyLand! We had fun, but I don't know that we'll be back next year. Seems like a good time to skip a year. All in all it was of course a fantastic amazing time. We saw and did so much, it was just awesome! The fact that we did the whole week for the whole fam for $1000 was pretty impressive as well. Any time the boys see one of the characters we saw or read a book about one of the rides they will rattle on and on about that ride. "Monster's Inc ride, Tigger Pooh ride, big scary mountain" (Matterhorn), etc. Here's a clip I almost forgot, it's the boys dancing in line waiting for the Monster's Inc. ride and also at the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show (they LOVED it!).

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

As much fun as all that was it was a strain to spend so much time in close quarters with little sleep with my whole family. We love them to pieces and wouldn't have done it without their help but it was still stressful for everyone. Hence wanting to take a year off before going again. I'm not opposed to a quick trip to Europe next year however, budget and no baby permitting. We loaded up the car and left Anaheim around midnight and drove all night. Lowell drove to right around Nevada's border before he was bushed and then I drove to Nephi. I was listening quite intently to Twilight making the trip even pleasant for me. What an obsession that fueled! Still working on Midnight Sun (I can only read it at work--being online) and rereading Twilight now. I LOVE Midnight Sun (it's Edward's version of Twilight) but I love Edward so it makes sense.

Yesterday I enjoyed my day off by taking the kiddos shopping (bad idea) and to the park (good idea) and then to the dino museum after nap. Yes it sounds redundant, this time we had planned to go to Farm Country but did not make it in time. No matter, the kids love the museum so we can go every week without upsetting them a bit. Less than one month until my beloved Gardens open again, I can hardly believe it. I can't wait! We enjoyed a bit of a blustery nearly spring morning today by staying home. Gasp, I know I hardly do that but we needed a potty training day and I was rewarded in that--no accidents. We jumped, flew a kite, planted the beginnings of our garden (seed cups), and then did puzzles. It was a good morning, one of those days where I feel like a good and successful wife and mother. Got dinner made, kids in bed, dishes loaded, showered and off to work 14 hours almost on time. Lowell would say I am a good wife and mother every day but I can assure you I do not meet all those goals every day. Anywho--back to the grind (LOL, yeah right like I am really working) hope you all have a great day!

Trip Day 6: San Diego Zoo

I am definitely starting to lose track of days here, that might be a good hint that I am blogging too much about this trip! Oh well, only one more day beyond this to go. There's just too many great pics and fun things still to share! First off thanks to everyone for the well wishes and good thoughts, they have helped. The "off-ness" I have been feeling is fading and becoming much more manageable. I hope to be myself very soon. I was especially surprised to have a comment from an old very dear friend who I haven't been in contact with for years, my high school boyfriend. Oh course he left a comment and no way to contact him so I am calling you out--if you read this, email me so I can catch up with you! (dodiemt@hotmail.com). It's funny he just wrote, I was thinking of him the other day with all the anxious feelings I have been having it reminded me of when I have a real nervous break down my freshman year of college. It was mostly because I had just broken up with this boy and yet he was the only one awake to save me in my panic attack--he was kind enough to talk me through it all night long. Another funny thing--he looks quite a bit like Lowell, they were born on the same day, and both their moms are nurses. Weird right? I guess I am weird for always trying to keep in touch with old friends, I don't know why it is okay to do so with girlfriends and not boyfriends. Anywho . . .me rambling.

We had a good weekend, the weather was nice enough to go play at the Discovery Park in Pleasant Grove (I think, I am lousy at the city boundaries over there). I then caught Twilight again with my parents while my boys slept and then we went up to the Children's Museum. Who can get enough of that real helicopter? My kids certainly can't! Sunday was mellow, I finished Breaking Dawn thus completing all the books in less than 3 weeks. That's only over 2000 pages, no biggie! :) I actually can be an avid reader with the right material, my job provides the free time and I one to become immersed in a character hence my draw to Bella and Edward. I read 22 books in the first months after I started my job and before I got a DVD player :). All the good movies lately have been based on books, all of which I have read. New Moon comes out in November and Twilight will be in stores next week! :) I have to say I am content with the conclusion and still debating which book I like best--I liked each in different ways and for different reasons. I will be rereading them starting today after I finish Midnight Sun and maybe I'll decide after that.

On to real life! So after our little retreat in La Jolla, we met back up with my fam and were pleased to find everyone still alive. We headed over to the zoo and my oh my that place is huge! We started with the bus tour to get an overview--here we are: The boys were not the most pleasant that day but not terrible either. Here they are shouting no in a loud chorus that got a few stares.

I think after all the amazing things we had already seen this week, live animals wasn't near the draw it would have been at other times. I still enjoyed it though--they have every animal imaginable there. I just have to laugh that when I ask the boys now about animals we saw, they always come up with the ones from the jungle cruise. After the bus tour my parents and sibs minus lovely Hillary decided that was all they wanted to see and were going to head back to Anaheim to have a restful evening. We stayed and had a good time seeing some amazing animals.

I think Lowell was a little less than thrilled to stay! This picture so makes me laugh, please Heidi, please stop with the pics. The pandas were ever so fun to watch.


The glare messes this up a bit but this is a young tiger eyeing down my children as a lovely snack. I also enjoyed the aviaries, the hippos, and the gorillas--our zoo only has 2 gorillas, the San Diego zoo had a whole herd to watch move together. We were all pretty exhausted so we didn't stay until it closed either, but several hours longer than the rest of my family. We then drove down South of San Diego to visit a good friend of mine. Dawn and I met in a BabyCenter online pregnancy group. The whole group met 2 summers ago in Tahoe and I have met up with 2 of the gals since then now. It is unique to know someone so well but not spend a lot of time with them in person. And of course since we were in a pregnancy group together, she also has a little boy very close in age to my monkeys. We didn't get to visit very long, but the kiddos sure enjoyed playing with Aaron and his toys and I love loved getting to see him again. What a cutie! Dawn has an older daughter and a younger daughter as well and her whole family is just so beautiful. What a great chance to visit!

Next we made the drive back to Anaheim pretty well completely trashed. What is it about vacations that wears you out so bad! Here's the kiddos (and Hillary) sleeping in the van. And they went right to bed when we got back top. Okay, stay tuned for the final day of the trip coming up next! Loves!