Cabin Update

Well it has been a long time since I blogged about the cabin and we have been hard at work whenever we have a moment. It is slowly coming together and we got the bamboo floors in and tiled the kitchen and the bathroom floors just before Christmas. The walls are all primed and ready for paint. The floors in the kitchen and bathroom took a little extra time with the heating system we put in, but I think they look great. Phil has tomorrow off and we will spend this weekend working and getting the shower tiled, trim around the floor and more painting done.

Christmas 2010

We had a fantastic Christmas this year and after opening and enjoying all of our wonderful gifts we headed to Bellevue to Ashlee's for dinner. We spent Christmas Eve with The Phillips Family and for two days over ate as much as possible so that when the New Year comes around I will be happy for all those resolutions. Lyla got a scooter that the kids have already put a million miles on inside the house.

Cannon got a DS (which is pink because it was a hand-me-down from a friend with a little girl). He said he didn't mind because it plays all the same games. He is a pretty good sport about things most of the time.

We loaded the kids up with games to get us through the winter months in our house.

Cannon is the current champion at Bop-It, but I have been spending a ton of time trying to beat his score.

Mostly the day was just great spending time together and enjoying family.

Beach

Cannon looking so happy. He loved the beach and running from the waves.

Until one of the waves took him by surprise and knocked him over and smashed him into the sand. That was the point he wanted to leave. Of course we were only stopping by the beach for a few minutes that day because we had the whole day on Saturday to play at the beach when it was going to be super sunny. I had nothing for him to change into, didn't have a towel, there was no place to rinse him off and the sand hurt to wipe off his face. Good thing Saturday was such a great day and he loved playing in the water that day. I didn't bring my suit to the beach, but everyone else got in the water to play. I should mention that the same wave that brought Cannon down also got Lyla. She cried too.

It really was a fantastic trip and the kids almost couldn't get out of bed this morning for school. It is always great to get away and spend time with just family.

Disneyland

Everyone we ran into the first few days we were in California kept asking the kids if they had been to Disneyland so when Friday finally rolled around and Phil didn't have to work I was surprised that the kids didn't even ask if we could go to Disneyland. Miya kept asking if we were going back to the beach and Cannon asked if we could swim again. Then the closer we got the more signs said Disneyland and then they finally caught on.

Everyone kept telling us that our kids are the perfect age for taking them, but they must not know my kids very well. Cannon and Miya were both totally freaked out on the first few rides...not because they went fast or they were crazy; they didn't like Matterhorn because the snow monster had red eyes. They didn't like Thunder Mountain because those animals had red eyes too. So then when we were standing in line for Splash Mountain Cannon informing me that he couldn't trust me because I kept saying things weren't scary and then they would be. I guess I just couldn't remember all the rides that might have an animal with red eyes. So we got out of line and went on the Pooh ride just to do something different. We asked all the employees we could find if Splash Mountain had ANYTHING scary...like animals with red eyes. They all assured us that it didn't (Cannon wasn't trusting anyone at this point), but we talked him into it. HE LOVED IT! After that he was pretty happy with all the other rides. Miya and Lyla loved It's a Small World and wanted to go again and again, but dad put a stop to that thought quickly. Lyla loved meeting the princesses, but kept asking them where Cinderella was and informing them that she was the only princess she really wanted to meet. Thankfully we were able to track her down.Ariel could you please tell me where I can find Cinderella?Cannon hiding from the animals with red eyes.Lyla has never been more patient than she was waiting in the line to meet Cinderella.Belle I think you should wear a more modest dress like Cinderella's.

I thought you would be Cinderella.

California Trip Hotel

Phil and I usually go down to California this time of year for his company Christmas party. Ashlee has been down in LA for the past few years so I would get to see her while Phil worked for a few days. She is now up in Seattle with me and this year Phil's boss told us to bring the kids along so we surprised the kids with the trip. Yes, I lied to them a lot the week before we left about what the plans would be while daddy and I were gone. I think Miya might have suspected something because she started asking a million questions, "who is going to babysit us while you are gone?" "why do I have to get all my homework done before you guys go?" "why am I missing piano?" "why can't Aunt Ashlee watch us again" I responded with lies such as, "well I couldn't find a babysitter that could take you to school or piano" "I already owe Aunt Ashlee babysitting time from the last trip".

Then on Tuesday when I told them I would have to pick them up early from school to take dad to the airport I had their bags all packed and once we got to the airport we told them they could come along as well. I thought they would be more excited, but I think they weren't sure if we were teasing about taking them with us. It makes you think you must be really cruel parents if your kids think you are teasing about bringing them along. Cannon was worried about missing school because he was super proud of his perfect attendance, but by Thursday morning he just kept talking about how all the other kids were at school and we were swimming. Lyla learned to swim by herself and could make it about half the length of the pool before she started sinking and I had to grab her.The kids in the atrium watching and counting the fish and turtles.We had the pool to ourselves the entire trip.

The kids loved the hotel. The elevator was even exciting.

8 is Great!

Miya, you turned 8 years old yesterday and my heart is so full of love and appreciation for you. You are an incredible girl and today at your baptism I thought about all the wonderful memories I have of you and couldn't help but get excited for all the future holds for you. You are a kind, sweet, tender, smart, quite, loving and beautiful girl. Your teachers at school love you. Your reading teacher, Ms. Grant grabbed daddy and me in the hall at parent/teacher conference just to rave about both your reading skills and your personality. It makes me so proud to hear of all your accomplishments, but it also always makes me happy when I see other little kids at school light up when they pass you in the hall and say good-bye for the day.

Today at your baptism you invited some of your favorite friends from since you were a baby. Cora and Sundi came and both brought you special presents. I love the way you all light up when you are together even when it is months between visits. You had lots of family there to celebrate and I loved that Aunt Ashlee and Uncle Michael were here for you from my side of the family, because we now have them living close enough to come. Titus sang because you asked him and he is a great cousin. The font lost the plug when daddy tried to fill it up so when we got to the church 20 minutes before the baptism was scheduled to start there was about 8 inches in the bottom of the font. We lost all the hot water down the drain and your water, once we were able to get it partially filled was super cold. You had to do it twice because your hair came up out of the water...which was only about 16 inches deep. I asked up how you felt today and you said "cold". When we were planning the program for the baptism I tried to think of anyone else I could get to give the talk because I knew I would cry, and yes I did do that. I am so glad you get to have the gift of the Holy Ghost to help you in this life. It is such an amazing gift and it makes me happy to know that you can always have that guidance, direction, peace and comfort in your life.

You are a fantastic daughter and daddy and I are so very proud of you. You are a great big sister for Cannon and Lyla. They love you and I am glad they will have such a great example to follow.