Camping 2014

We were able to go camping for 3 days/2 nights this weekend-super fun, lots of good memories, and just an excellent time as a family.  We were lucky to have Stephen along for the ride-the kids loved having him around and hopefully he enjoyed us a little bit too! The idea of typing out all the details makes me utterly exhausted, so I'll just post a huge picture reel and annotate it with a few comments of what we did.  Hold on to your horses-picture overload coming.

• We camped right outside the Canyon Creek Campgrounds near Heber, AZ.  We tried out the actual campgrounds, but they were full-so we headed to the other side of the canyon and found a fantastic spot that ended up being one of the best we've ever found in the middle of nowhere. A few other groups were in the area, but not close enough for us to see from our campsite.  I hated going up and down the dirt roads climbing in and out of the canyon--I seriously thought I was going to have a panic attack.

•  This was Jack's first camping trip and he did great-slept AMAZINGLY in his carseat, and the first time I did not take a pack and play.  It was also the first time we had two tents up:  Karianna and JD slept in their own 4 man tent.  They did great the first night.  The second night, there were a few bugs in the tent, that I just brushed away as being no big deal.  But then the kids found "ninja mosquito", which was actually just a large flying bug.  While Jared killed it and a few other bugs that were stalking the tent, JD was scared enough to transfer to our tent when we went to bed around midnight.  Karianna was completely out of it, and never woke up, so she slept in her own tent alone, only to find JD had left the next morning.  We also had a canopy set up that we borrowed from Jared's family, and it was an awesome addition to the campsite-we will invest in one as our camping addition next year.

 The two tent set up; the potty tent was several yards behind our set up, and worked perfectly .

•  Here's the canyon drop off-the other side is where we originally wanted to camp.  Sara was very scared of rolling all the way down the hill and only stood there for a few moments before hurriedly backing away from the gentle slope.

•  Of course, we did lots of hiking and exploring around our camping area.  This was a great climbing tree, and the shot below looks like a boat that everyone boarded!

 Two trees that fell with the roots still attached!

•  Fire restrictions were lifted, so we actually got to do a great fire using the pit that Stephen expertly made.  We had tons of firewood around to make stoking the fire easier.  The kids did so well around the fire-I was impressed.  Jared and Stephen taught the kids how to make various types of fires, and Karianna was especially adept at putting in logs in key positions to help the fire grow-she didn't seem nervous at all about handling the fire.

•  We found a frog, a horny toad, squirrels, a rabbit, and several cool (read: gross) bugs around the campsite--the favorite was a huge beetle with green and yellowish stripes, who also sported two furry antlers.  The least favorite was the stink bugs (actually, several of them) that were wandering in and out of our tent while we were taking it gown-not an issue while we were in it, but certainly while we were taking it down.  We also killed a crazy looking scorpion/spider thingie.   This is the horny toad, and somwhere in this reel is the rabbit.  We also passe an elk on the road-he was dead unfortunately, and I'm even sadder to say it was just his body there-no head.  Ew.

•  We got up to the site on Friday around 5:30.  We quickly got the tents up, the fire started, gear arranged, and made steak and hot dogs for dinner.  The steaks were cooked over the fire and we made mashed potatoes in the dutch oven while roasting peppers and onions kabob-style; yum!  We made smores with the kids and told stories/played the question game until midnight.  JD and Karianna stayed up the whole time, though the little kids went straight to bed around 10.  James was a little sad, but fell asleep in the stroller within a few minutes by the campfire-didn't even wake up when I laid him in his bed.  

 The kids stole my camera at some point-this was actually a fairly cool picture JD took.

•  Saturday we had cereal, eggs, hashbrowns, and bacon for breakfast, and it was awesome!  We spent some time around the campsite, but then drove into Heber for ice cream.  Afterwards, we headed to Willow Springs Lake, which is beautiful and super close to our campsite!  The kids enjoyed dipping their toes in, and of course, JD ended up in the water with Jordan following shortly thereafter.  I wish I had James' puddle jumper so I could just let him wade without worrying about him.  We would have stayed here much longer if a nearby fisherman wasn't getting annoyed at us-I would have been fine with the kids swimming for a while!  

 Jumping from rock to rock...

 ...lift off!

 Jacks did great in the carrier, which I thankfully repositioned so it was comfortable!

•  We came home (ha ha, our tent home, that is) to get a quick lunch and rest for a bit.  We then got ready to go to Canyon Creek. The kids all got in their swimsuits and water shoes, and we traversed the ridiculously scary road back down to the creek.  Our landing spot was the one-lane bridge, though we found a small path just beyond it to hike down. 

 The starting point!

 The water was seriously cold-cold enough to feel like your feet are going into shock.  We got used to it to some degree, though the little kids had a hard time being in it for long.

 The foliage was gorgeous!  Lots of growth in the stream itself.

 We found some crawdads, and of course fun water spiders.

 Yes, he's barefoot, silly boy!

 Starting the hike down the creek--of course, the boys took off ahead of us with Stephen, Karianna following closely thereafter.

 Jackson never got wet.  ;)

 At this point, Jared and I were back on the path with the little kids, following the stream that way while the older folks hiked all the way up it.

 Ooh, ooh, a rabbit!

 Sara is sad because she was tired and wanted to go back to the tent.

 My favorite shot!  JD and Jordan are just hitting the end of this loooooooooong tree that had fallen in the middle of the stream-Stephen is just behind them, barefoot no less!  The beauty of this shot, and the whole area is amazing.

 Scenic shot-can you see the boys at the very end of it?

 Happy boy waiting for everyone to catch up to us--the camera went off on accident, and I love what it captured!

 The victory shot!!!!!!  They made it back in one piece, and survived with only a few scrapes and bumps!  I can't believe Stephen did this with no shoes!

•  When we got back to camp, we made chicken quesadillas/fajitas with peppers, onions, and cheese (of course) all rolled up in crispy tortillas.  It was the best meal by far, and that's saying something!  We stayed up for a while telling stories, but sent the kids to bed a little earlier around 9.  Jordan fell asleep within 2 minutes, and we sparred a bit with the bugs around the 2nd tent before settling around the campfire.  We played some exciting rounds of Scattergories with Stephen while keeping the fire going.  This whole time, it was never cold enough for more than a light jacket-that's the way to camp!
• Sunday morning was awesome:  we all slept until 9!!!!!  WEll, the kids were awake a bit before that, but me and Jared didn't wake up until then, and it was blissful, if a bit hot already.  Jared made eggs, hashbrowns, and bacon for everyone while I started packing up the tent.  We broke down camp while Stephen took some of the kids on a Hunger Games-type hike, and by noon we were just about ready to head out.  At that point, Jordan looked like this:

He clearly wanted to go home.  ;)

We had planned to go to the fish hatchery on the way home, but we were so wiped out, we just headed home.  We dumped trash in Payson, hit a bit of traffic, and made it home by 3.  Overall, it was a great vacation, our most successful yet in many ways.  The kids did great, and I love these good memories that get established outside of our home!

Randomness

It's been a while since I've done a random picture post, so here we go:

Love Karianna's faces, especially when playing with the baby!

 Oh, this little boy's hair!  Looks like a halo!

 James loves playing with legos right now-big and small.

 Happy baby watching Karianna's final dive meet!

 Karianna's final dive meet-this is her at the top of the 3 meter, doing a back tuck jump....

 ...and this is her WAY up in the air just about in a full tuck!

 James loves playing the piano.  He is very careful plunking out one key at a time, and he always sets up my music notebook as if he is really playing.

 LOL--love this one!  JD's original idea!

 Okay, I realize there is a weird splotch on this picture, but I had to put it because I look like an alien...

 And this is James trying to copy me!  LOL!

Jackson: 8 months

 I missed Jackson's 7 month update, so this will just make it seem like he is all the more developed than normal!  Jackson is 8 months old today and cute as ever!  Here's what he's been up to:

• Jacks is becoming more mobile, which is a scary endeavor!  He can scoot/roll around fairly well and definitely goes out of his way to try to get to things. He will often be sitting playing with a toy and next time I will check on him, he has rotated himself the opposite direction, while still sitting.  He can get his knees up under him while on his belly and rocks all the time; he also likes to do push ups.  He is not far from crawling!  

•  Sitting is of course in the books, he is very sturdy sitting now and loves to be placed in front of a big bucket of toys that he can methodically pull out and chew. He sits in the bath on his own now too without his baby seat.  He has really come around in regards to enjoying baths-he splashes like crazy!  No teeth yet for this kiddo!  Yea for me!  He certainly has been teething for a while, but nothing has sprouted.  We'll see if next month's update sports teeth.

•  This month brought a lot of firsts:  first fireworks, first camping trip, first swim, and first time at an overly crowded public pool (several times for this one actually).  Jacks did a great job camping, took his normal naps, slept wonderfully, overall awesomeness!  

•  Jacks has all the traditional non-toy toys.  He loves playing with crinkly wrappers, packaging, and bags. He likes phones and his favorite actual toy is a turtle that has lots of buttons and music galore.  He likes ripping magazines or newspapers, or banging spoons on the table.

•  This kiddo is so happy!  The only time he is not is if he sees me in the room but isn't in my arms.  He is definitely a momma's boy, but is overly happy.  He learned how to clap this month and will clap anytime you say, "Clap!  Clap!"  He still nurses every three hours during the day and will dive bomb me when he is hungry.  Subtle Jacks!  He eats baby food twice a day now, a full jar at each sitting.  He also likes cheerios, kix, and biter biscuits, though I hate those things for the mess they induce.  He is able to pinch up little things with his thumb and pointer finger, which is scary because the other day he put a rubber band (rainbow loom) into his mouth and started choking.  High time to start sweeping more and more!  He has a sippy he likes, but he doesn't really care for water or even juice mixed with water. Formula is a thing of the past, which I am sad about--I liked being able to supplement if I felt he needed it, but he just won't take it anymore at all.

 See the biter biscuit goo???

•  Jacks had his first real swim on 4th of July-doesn't look too excited, does he?  He actually really enjoyed it, probably because the warmer water made it more manageable.  He enjoys splashing and watching all the kids do their crazy jumps into the water.  Going to the bigger pools is a little harder in terms of keeping he other kids occupied, but he does well being splashed and dipped into the water occasionally.

 First fireworks-mesmerized!

•  Jacks has finally turned the corner in terms of sleeping!  After James had his surgery, he fell into a bad habit of waking around 2/3 in the morning wanting to eat.  Most nights I would just top him off real quick and he would go right back to bed.  It was okay, but I really started missing having solid sleep.  So, we moved James in with Sara, and Jackson in with Karianna.  He now goes to bed around 8:30 in his swing, I feed him for the final time at 10:30ish, and then he goes to bed in Karianna's room in the pack and play.  It has helped him to have a completely dark room, and to have no idea where I am.  That sounds bad, but in my room, he knew EXACTLY where I was, and when he would wake up, he would find my sleeping form an whine until I came to get him.  If he starts fussing, I will go in and give him his binky, and he will go back to sleep.  The last few nights he has not even needed that, which has been so nice!  Jacks' daytime schedule is fairly consistent, waking around 7:30, then going down for a morning nap around 9:30, and an afternoon nap around 1.  He generally takes a short catnap around 5:00ish, then down for bed at 8:30ish.  

 I thought Jacks looked so American in this outfit, I handed him a flag and proceeded to take a 4th of July picture.  It took longer than I wanted, and Jacks obviously needs lessons on flap etiquette!

 That was my best result-holding the flag over his head, out of his eyesight!

•  While Jacks still occasionally sits in his bumbo and duckie bouncer, he needs cushioning because he is well aware of how to wiggle out of them.  Hence the pillow border in this seat (and yes, he is playing with ads).  I think the time may have come to pack some of these things away for the last time.

And with that, the 8 month update is ended!  He's growing so quickly, and we are so happy to have Jacks in our family!

PIANO!!!!!

If you know me well, you know I have been waiting to have a piano in my house again for over 12 years.  You know I have told my mother time and time again that I have dibs on her piano, whenever she ends up replacing it.  You know if I won a billion dollar, the first thing I would buy is a piano.

Hence why I am so very happy to say the day has finally come!  We have a piano!

 And I love that picture, it is part of the reason I have wanted a piano so badly-I love the idea of my kids playing the piano, gathering around the piano and singing as a family, and just enjoying music even more than we already do.  Plus, playing the piano is my ultimate stress reliever.  I might not be the best pianist but there is so much to be said for drowning yourself in music to make the world go away in a few fleeting moments.

Some good friends of ours just moved cross-country and realized they did not have the means to take their piano.  We have know about this for a few weeks, but didn't want to bank on it.  I know if it were me, I'd self of a ton of other stuff before parting with my piano.  Moving day came though, and they just could not find the room.  So they offered it to us for a few hundred dollars and we jumped at it!  The boys moved it into our toy room after Jared rearranged all the furniture, and it didn't even need to be tuned after the move-there are a few twangy notes, and one key that feels a little lose; otherwise, it is in great shape and such a perfect addition to our home.

The kids love having piano time everyday.  It is sweet to listen to Sara and James plunk out keys, singing along at the same time. Jordan is the most consistent asking for time; JD is the least, but when he does, he usually sits with Jackson and lets him play. Karianna is going to fly through piano lessons.  She has such a good ear for music, and she has a good foundation of theory from doing violin lessons this year.  I just need to order her a theory book, borrow my mom's leveled books, and start her lessons.  So excited!

I personally play every single day, multiple times a day.  I am loving having this instrument in our house, I can't even express how grateful I am for it!