California Trip ~ Take 1

We decided to try 6 Flags Magic Mountain this year since we had 3 kids who are tall enough to ride the rides there... it was fine, but I think we will wait till every one can ride the rides before we go back. It isn't as "family" friendly as Disney is. You were either in "big kid" rides or you had to walk clear across the park to "kid rides". Disney has rides all mixed in every where that all ages can ride so it works SO much better! But we LOVE the big thrill rides!!!

Grandma and Rylan chillin on the bench .... Thanks Grandma!

Getting sleepy!....

... so sleepy....

... and he's out for the count!

On Sunday, we got to go tour where I lived while I was in Jr High and High School... CAMARILLO!!!

Love and miss my Camarillo!

I haven't been back to visit since about 1995! It has been so long! A couple friends who still live in the area came to visit me at the park that is next door to one of my homes. It was SOO great to see them and meet their kids and families! It felt just like old times... (with a few extra kids around)... :D

Liz, Me, & Kelly

Miss you guys!!! Next time we'll have to plan more time!

Then we drove the 20 minute drive to the coast and went to the beaches I went to all the time. This one is so quiet,secluded, and clean. The kids loved playing in the sand. We convinced Rich that there really are beautiful beaches in California and he promised that the next trip we can actually take swim suits and play for a long time!

Macie has an "issue" with sand and being "dirty" :o)

heehee! Caught by surprise! :o) What a funny kid!

a little wet :P

She loves to do this, with every wave she sinks further!

Grandma and Macie enjoying the water from a far

Beach Feet!

Love the view with the rocks!

This is just one portion, The waves crash on the rocks and it looks so beautiful!

Talked Rich into waking up Rylan and Cohen and coming down for some fun family time

Grandpa and a groggy Cohen

Had to capture Rylan on his 1st trip to the beach!

I don't know why it won't let me move this picture up to where it belongs, but it apparently likes this spot and won't budge... this is at 6 Flags. Grandma knows her son's love of thrill rides and was so nice to offer to watch all of the "little" kids while Rich, Me, Cailey, & Kenzie ran to ride X2 and Tatsu. Last time we were there Rich had to leave with out riding Tatsu, so it was fun to finally ride it! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for being SOO great!

We're only on day 2 of our 10 day trip :D ... lot's more to come!

Some cute "catch up" pic's of Rylan

End of January

Still trying to play with & learn Photo Shop and my camera better

Ry got a new seat :o)

He can't move his legs ~ but he likes his new seat!

LOVE this little pic!

My little frog prince ;o)

4 months old! He's such a big boy!

One of his cute smiles :D

Love my little Ry!

The Strep of 2011 :o)

This is all late news thanks to facebook, but just to document it on the blog too, I'm posting about our fun times in the month of January. The beginning of the month was fun and busy with New Years celebrations and birthday celebrations for Cohen and Micailey. Luckily for Micailey, we thought we were going to be in Idaho on her birthday at my nieces wedding and celebrated her birthday the week before (other wise she would have been really disappointed!). We went ice skating on Saturday, and Sunday started almost 3 weeks of sickness! Macie started it with an on and off fever and by Thursday we decided to take her to the doctor. Mackenzie and Jordan both stayed home sick that day too, but were just new to the sickness. Macie tested positive for Strep so they sent me home with 4 prescriptions- Macie, Mackenzie, Jordan, & Rylan (just in case). Jordan started fevering by the time we got home from the doctor, Brinley started fevering in the night, Mackenzie by Friday afternoon, Me Saturday morning, Dallas and Micailey on Sunday morning, Cohen Sunday afternoon, and Rylan waited till Tuesday or so before he fevered. :o) We were having fun! Along with the fevers were sore throats, head aches, slight cold symptoms, and soon to be coughs. It knocked us all out for a few days (each on different days). Some of the kids seemed to have one thing and then act like they were getting better and then got knocked down again with something else too. I think it may have been the flu, what ever it was - I'm glad it's gone!

The "Crew"

We were supposed to be leaving for a 10 day trip to California so I first of all, didn't want Strep to linger and affect everyone slowly and have kids sick for the trip, so I was pretty insistent that the doctor give us all a prescription... that was like pulling teeth! He handed them out like candy the day of the visit, yet after trying all weekend to even get a hold of the guy, Monday, they were pretty insistent that I bring them all in again to have someone tested again before he would prescribe any more antibiotics. Let me remind you, I have 8 kids, 7 of which were home sick that day, it's a 25 minute drive in, the day of Macie's appt. I was in the office for almost and hour and a half, then another 25 minute drive home! No thanks! Long story short- It got pretty hairy and rude over the phone with the nurses till they finally prescribed the rest of the kids one. Still debating whether I'm going to change doctors- it was that bad! I understand if I was asking for anything stronger than an antibiotic, but really! We are on them maybe once a year if that... I don't think we will become immune to them!




Anyway, Rylan was the last one with a few symptoms lingering but not bad. Everyone was better with 2 days to spare before we left for California :o) That will be the next post :o) ps.. we missed my nieces wedding! I still feel bad but it was a good decision, that was the day I was in bed all day fevering and the kids that I would have taken got sick the next day. So I'm sure everyone there was thankful we didn't come too :o)

Birthday's, Birthday's, and MORE Birthday's!!!

This year Cohen has figured out what birthday's are... ever since Macie's in September, we have heard the birthday song 24/7 for everyone's birthday and have been asked when his birthday was daily! He knew that his was after Brinley's and invited everyone he came in contact with to his "big chruck birday party". And everyday he asked when his "birday party" was and soon learned to say... "not my birday huh mom! it'scoming huh?" This year, we were supposed to go to Idaho for my niece's wedding on Micailey's birthday, so we had to celebrate her birthday the week before... that kind of confused him :o) but he DID finally get his birthday!

But first... for Micailey's party she chose to take a few friends ice skating at the Peaks Arena. We decided since it was a cold party, we would have donuts and hot chocolate instead of cake and ice cream. So here is her "birthday cake" from her friend party :o)

The BIG 10!!!

Double digits!!!

This pic is a little deceiving in that... both him and Brinley couldn't even stand on their skates on the ice and I wasn't much better. Every time their foot would even shift a tiny bit, they would scream and grab hold of my legs and about take my feet out from under me! We finally got some little walkers (LIFE SAVER!!!) and then the evening turned fun!

Mackenzie had never been that I know of, yet she was out skating like a pro

and didn't have to hold on to the wall.

Micailey is a "pro" at everything that has to do with the word "sport"!

Micailey, her friend, and Dallas

This is a better pic to describe the initial introduction to the ice!!!

Micailey, her friends, and Mackenzie after ice skating.

They had tons of fun!!!

We woke up Sunday morning, the day of our supposed birthday celebration for Cohen and Micailey. Made cakes for each of them, big kids went to church with dad, and I stayed home with little kids. That afternoon started a 3 week sick spell at our house!

I let Micailey decorate her own cake.

She chose an ice skating cake and it turned out cute!

Tadah!

And here is Cohen's LONG AWAITED "Chruck cake"

For family night Monday, we let them pick where they wanted to go and Micailey loves the Pesto Sauce at Pizza Factory so we went there. This is their complimentary birthday treat which was similar to a cinnamon roll to dip in frosting, YUM! :o)

Cohen's was a 3 and Micailey's is a 10...

Maybe I'll pick to go their for my birthday :o)

Opening gifts after.

Happy Birthday Cohen and Micailey!!! I hope you enjoyed your birthday's this year!!!

We love you and hope you have a great year!!!