DISNEYLAND

We went to Disneyland this month for the first time! It was a spur of the moment decision, and we're so glad we did it. We went on a Wednesday, in hopes that the crowds wouldn't be too bad. The kids did great.

Dizzy teacups

Bumper cars at the Bug's Life area

Yay Alex! Riding the carousel!!

I love how Avery and I look exactly the same in this picture. It was the end of a very long, but very fun day.

Bed Bugs Bite

My poor darling baby girl woke up a few weeks ago with bites on her neck and shoulders. Then the next day there were more on her back and hips. At first it looked like a rash or maybe spider bites, but then we came to the realization that they were bedbugs!!! Oh my grossness.

We figured they came from her bed, (duh) which is especially probable given the fact that we bought it off craigslist. It's a pine captain bed, with five drawers in it, so there were plenty of places for the little rascals to hide. We tossed out the mattress and pillow, then took the frame outside. PJ inspected it with a flashlight and found the telltale signs of shed bug skins. Ewwwww. We researched some internet sites to figure out how to get rid of them, as we've heard it's tough to do.

The entire weekend was spent scrubbing down the frame with rubbing alcohol, leaving it in the sun to bake all day, washing ALL of our bedding and clothing in hot water and drying them all on high (why did this happen AFTER we moved from the apartment with the washer/dryer in our unit?!?!), calling an exterminator who went to TOWN spraying down the frame and the rest of the apartment, keeping the kids entertained outside for five hours while the house aired out, shopping for and buying a new mattress, and then putting down sheets and blankets on the carpet so Alex wouldn't get poison on his toys and put them in his mouth. Such a NOT fun experience, I assure you. But so far so good. I'm knocking on wood that there has been no further sign of them. I get the heebiegeebies every time I think about them. YUCK.

Mother's Day Fun

I'm way behind, but I thought I should probably post this before Father's Day... :-)

This Mother's Day was fantastic. PJ started the day off superbly by making me breakfast in bed: delicious baked oatmeal (a recipe from my new sister-in-law) and an AMAZING omelette with red onions, tomatoes, avocados, mushrooms, and black olives. Delicious. Avery loved helping in the kitchen. Look how colorful!!

Then they gave me my "present" which was a fun Dollar Store gift of little sponges in the shapes of bugs that are in capsules---you submerse them in warm water and they "grow" before your eyes. Avery chose it, can you tell? My real present came later that night: a rice cooker/veggie steamer. We've been using it to make my friend Migi's famous rice---yum yum!

Later at church, all the women were given potted flowers for Mother's Day. Let me just say that I am not a fan of the potted plant as a gift in church. I appreciate the gesture, and find it very sweet. However, I cannot keep plants alive for the life of me!

Here's a classic example: first is the plant I was given on Mother's Day. So far, so good.
Next is a plant that I've had for about 2 months.... I've been watering it and giving it sun and everything, but it's clearly very dead.

I used to worry before I had kids that my lack of ability to keep a plant alive would translate into being a horrible mother too. But my mom reassured me that children cry when they're hungry. Thanks, mom. I appreciate the vote of confidence.

There was a wonderful lady in my home ward growing up in Texas who once talked with the bishopbric and told them that no mother wants another thing to take care of on Mother's Day, what they really want is chocolate. So they stopped giving out flowers and changed to TRUFFLES. Why oh why do I not live in Houston?!?

Photos of life at home

Here are some of the random things we've been up to lately...

"dressing" Love-a-lot bear with hairbands

Playing Purble Place and Starfall on the computer

Sticker mania

Riding the shark around the yard

Daddy daughter "nap" on the couch

Feeding Love-a-lot bear

New bathtime hairdo

Sweet siblings just chillaxin'

Have You Ever?

I stole this from my friend Carolyn's blog. It's a fun little survey. Feel free to complete and compare.

So far the starred items is where my life has taken me…what about you?

1. Started your own blog *
2. Slept under the stars *
3. Played in a band * (I'm counting that I sang backup vocals in Neil Diamond tribute band)
4. Visited Hawaii *
5. Watched a meteor shower *
6. Given more than you can afford to charity * (hard to say what "more than I can afford" is)
7. Been to Disneyland * (YES! the post detailing our adventure is coming...)
8. Climbed a mountain *
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sung a solo *
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris *
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea * (not at sea, but in Nauvoo on the banks of the river)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning * (I'll never eat Chipotle again...)
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty *
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (nope, been to the Louvre twice--closed both times) 20. Slept on a train *
21. Had a pillow fight *
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (I WISH!)
24. Built a snow fort *
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping * (no details)
27. Run a Marathon * (does my sprint triathlon count?)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (Unfortunately no---too expensive)
29. Seen a total eclipse *
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset *
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (I'm hoping someday...)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person *
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors *
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language *
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied * (sure, I'm satisfied pretty easily)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person *
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David *
41. Sung karaoke *
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt *
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa *
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight *
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted *
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person *
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris *
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling *
52. Kissed in the rain *
53. Played in the mud *
54. Gone to a drive-in theater *
55. Been in a movie * (If you count the promotional movie for BYU's Lighting the Way fundraising campaign)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business * (does teaching voice count?)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies *
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason *
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma *
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp * (incredible experience
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy * (It's at my parents'...)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial *
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Tied a quilt *
73. Stood in Times Square *
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London *
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle * (not really speeding, but highway speed)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person *
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican *
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper * (local stuff, nothing big)
85. Read the entire Bible *
86. Visited the White House * (just the outside, not inside)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox *
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous * (Marie Osmond, Brian Boitano)
92. Joined a book club *
93. Lost a loved one *
94. Had a baby * (two!)
95. Seen the Alamo in person * (many, many times)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (ick! can you really swim there?)
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone *
99. Been stung by a bee *
100. Visited Italy *

The person who came up with this list must have been obsessed with Italy, because six of them involved doing things there! Thank goodness for that trip a few years back. I also agree with Carolyn's sentiment that traveling doesn't mean you've had life experiences. There are plenty of them here at home.

Erik's Wedding Photos!!!---3rd post of the day

Last weekend I went to Texas ALL BY MYSELF for my brother Erik's wedding. PJ stayed home to be Mr. Mom to both kiddos. Let me tell you, he does a FANTASTIC job. I came home to a sparkling clean car and house and bathed and sleeping children. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Here is my parents and my siblings who could come to Dallas eating at Denny's before going to the temple for the wedding. I loved this experience because I KNEW I was back in Texas when one of us stood up to take a photo of our table, and an older lady came up to us and asked if she could take our picture for us. She had the greatest accent and was the epitome of Texas hospitality.

My parents, then the siblings and some friends in front of the Dallas temple right before the wedding.

The happy newly married couple coming out of the temple to a paparazzi of cameras waiting for them.
KISSY FACE!

Walking to the secondary photo location. See the sprinklers in the background? Remind anyone of Cristina's wedding?? (not that I was there, mind you---silly mission!)
Beautiful details on Jessi's wedding dress. The wind was wild and crazy, which helped get the veil out of the way.
I have a photo like this of PJ holding my bouquet. So cute.
Now for the silly faces...

All of Jessi's bridesmaids
I'm so happy for Erik and Jessi. They make the cutest couple!!!My brothers and sister and I at the end of the reception...exhausted.

The next morning we all drove to Houston and had an open house at my parents' that night. I didn't take any pictures because I was busy yakkin' with the guests. It was a great reception with a Texas theme: cowboy boots, bluebonnets, Texas flags, lots of delicious briscuit and other amazing food!! If any family members want to send me photos, I'll post them here for you!

Cute kid photos--2nd post of the day

I am trying to catch up the month of April without making one huge long post, so I'm trying out multiple short posts. That means you might have to scroll down to catch all the latest info. But you are all smart people, so I'm not too worried.

This is Avy on her NEW Big girl Bed. It's not such a great photo of the bed, though you can kind of make out the headboard. But it's a cute picture of her sleeping with her various assortment of blankets and her PRECIOUS Love-a-lot Bear. Thanks Auntie Trishelle!!

Family in hats, preparing for the "Healthy Kids Day" at the YMCA. We live 2 1/2 blocks from the Y, so we walked there and back. The event was outdoors, so we were glad we had hats! I love the Homer poster in the background. PJ insists the kids call him "Uncle Homer." Whatever. Oh yeah, and I guess Avery can only have closed eyes in this post.

Alex LOVES sucking on blankets, socks, shirts, and towels---anything cloth. Cute after-bath photo.