Guys, having a family means some good times and some bad times. And we had plenty of both the last two weeks. But I am here to focus on the GOOD TIMES! Yaya
For Memorial Weekend our good friends the Woodhouses invited us to join them in Lincoln City, OR at their family's lake house.
Since we have plenty of trips in store for this summer I bought those cool car seat desks you may have seen around. They were pretty awesome, although they didn't fit very snugly on our Nexfit car seats. It was awesome for Elsy but Tommy soon got fed up with it.
The lake house was AMAZING! This is the only photo I have of the outside, and this was the back. We were right on Devil's Lake. And in the background you cans see a bridge and on the other side of the bridge was the ocean. It was SO much fun to be on a freshwater lake and get to do all the stuff associated with lake vacations and then be in walking distance (like a 5 min walk) to the beach! Double vacation, yeah?
The cabin had everything we needed for a good time including a paddle boat!
Elsy sat in the back and then I just held onto the handle on the back of Tommy's life jacket and let him climb all around. It kinda made my arm sore but it was so much fun.
They were sort trips on the lake because Tommy really didn't last very long. He has been getting his molars in and thus was the biggest crankster gangster for the weekend. And then the two days after we got back her cried like, all day long. But the last two days have been a dream because the molar he was working on finally popped through. He has been so chipper and happy and I have missed him so much. I was super bummed to feel his final molar this morning is about to start cutting. Right before our next long trip to Utah. Ugh.
The weather was cold the first two days we were there but then the next three were amazing. I have been going to the Oregon Coast for every summer my entire life (I have only missed one year since I was born!) and the weather was as good as it gets there. So much fun letting the kids get all sandy.
Logan dug a hole and put his legs in with Tommy. Tommy is standing up here.
The kids got to go jet skiing for the first time! Elsy loved it, except she didn't like to go fast.
I loved seeing her little eyes peep up over the side.
Tommy was so jealous that we just had to let him have a turn. That boy is so into cars and all things fast.
Logan and I also got to go out together while the kids napped and some of our friends watched them. That jet ski was the fastest jet ski I have ever been on. It was so fun to ride!
We only went to the beach twice but the kids just loved it. Tommy found a rock that he grew quite attached to.
Elsy stole my sun hat and has been keeping it in her dress up box. I brought it for her to use since I don't have a hat for her right now. I just loved how it covered her all up.
Logan likes to dig holes. He dug all the way down to the damp sand.
The fun thing about this beach was that the lake drained into the ocean. So there was this little freshwater river that cut through the sand. That was fun because it wasn't sticky like the salt water of the ocean and it was shallow for the kids to play in. Sadly the clouds and wind came in right before the kids went in. Poor Tommy just shook and shook but bawled his eyes out when we finally got him out.
The cabin also had some paddle boards and kayaks, too. I went paddle boarding for the first time and absolutely loved it. On Sunday I took a nap with the kids while Logan went out on the paddle boat. He said it perfect when he said it feels just like you are taking a walk on the water. I woke up to a bouquet of water lilies and wild roses. He even braided some reeds together at the base to make a hand hold. :)
We also enjoyed going shopping at the outlet mall and eating at J's Fish 'n Chips - the BEST fish 'n chips you will ever have. We also went out to Moe's Famous Clam Chowder House. We had so much fun with our friends!
On the trip home we decided to drive up to the Tillamook Cheese Factory for some good ole cheese and ice cream.
Elsy loved it there, but Tommy hated staying cooped up in the stroller. There were soooooo many people there.
Mmm, never buy anything but Tillamook for cheese and ice cream when we go to the store. It is our one brand we are super loyal to. ;)
The sign said don't climb the cow... :P
Sadly there was terrible traffic. We left the cabin at 11am and didn't get home until after 9pm. Gross. We did stop for dinner and the cheese factory... but seriously! I hate traffic. There were so many accidents. I always have to remind myself that traffic means something really sad for the families that were involved with an accident and that I need to be grateful, not impatient.
Luckily the kids slept awesome when we got home. In fact, Elsy has stayed in her room at night all week long! It is the greatest miracle of all time! But Tommy has been sleeping in our closet. I am going to switch him back tomorrow night I think? I am just a little worried because since he has moved to our room he has been waking up once a night and wants me to give him a drink and then pat his back until he falls asleep.... which when I put him back in Elsy's room that will wake her up and we might start the zombie cycle again. We shall see.... praying for this sleep trial to be almost over!!
My children have discovered the magical world of dress ups. One of the ladies I visit teach, Melissa, gave us a bunch of old dress ups that my kids have totally died over.
Elsy is constantly switching from being a princess to a super hero to a fairy with wings. Most of today she has been a dolphin.
I love her super hero/princess/mommy combo.
Elsy says the cutest things these days. She just loves to chat. The other day she was holding her stuffed animal and examining it and announced, "Feet live out of our bum bum." Her bear didn't really have legs and I couldn't help but laugh.
Both of my kiddos have a terrible time at mealtime eating their food, even if they like it! Elsy just never wants to eat at the table. Logan came up with an ingenious way to get her to eat that has kept her fed for the last few months. If she isn't eating he will tell her a made up story. The key is to keep plenty of suspense, and at a super suspenseful part he will open his mouth and say "Ah!" and she will have to eat a bite really quick to hear what comes next. She gets so excited about it and the stories Logan comes up with are quite interesting to say the least.
On Friday we went to an amazing park in Renton with my aunt Kaylene and her two boys and my Grandma Merkley, who was in town.
It has been so hot this week! And there was no shade at this park. But the kids had a blast nonetheless.
Tommy was so cute with my grandma. He would run up to her and give her hugs! He doesn't do that for anyone! I loved it and I hope she did too. :)
The pool at our complex opened and we have been to swim twice this week. I love it because it has a gargantuan kiddie pool! It is perfect for the kids to get antiquated with the water. I have to keep reminding myself not to force Elsy to get her face wet. She is still trying to feel her way around the pool and is slowly gaining confidence. Tommy, on the other hand, would be dead by now if I hadn't been around to snag him every time he gets to excited.
This morning we made frozen yogurt covered raspberries and blueberries. It was a very hard activity to do while fasting, I will tell you. I worked so hard for this picture to have them both look. Ugh, Elsy and Tommy do not cooperate when it comes to taking pictures.
Sadly all of us only had one or two after they were frozen before we decided they were just to cold to bite into. Ah well, it was a fun try. I am after new ideas for healthy kid snacks... or adult too!
And I had to include this picture because of Elsy's hilarious bunny teeth smile.
As always, I am trying to slow down. I have been reminding myself that my kids are only kids once. I recently read a quote attributed to Marjory Hinkley that says something along the lines of, "Sat yes as often as possible to your kids because they are only kids once." I realized I say no so often and so quickly when they ask for things and I have been realizing my "no' really has no base except that maybe I don't feel like doing it. I have been trying hard to remember this each day as I parent. And also am trying to slow down and find joy in the little things, like when I rock my kids before bed time or when they run and sit on my lap to read a book. I have been learning to take a deep breath and cherish those little moments and remember that they are just little people who want to be loved and understood just as much as I do... they just do it in a different way. It breaks my heart when I realize Elsy is telling me a story about something that happened to her and she is half way through and I haven't even been listening because I was doing the dishes or something else. I really want to try harder to pay more attention to the kid's needs.
One of the other things I have been working on is staying busy. My friend Camille told me once that our bodies can physically do more than your brain thinks it can. We were talking about lifting weights and working out but I started realizing how this is true in life in general. My body often proves my brain wrong when it thinks I need more sleep but I am able to still get through a day with little sleep. Or when I am running and I force myself to keep going to that milestone up ahead even when my brain is screaming it can't be done. I have also noticed this to be true with other things like spiritual trials. Even when my brain doesn't think I can't keep going through what I am going through, my body and spirit continue to surprise me. Logan and I are working on pushing ourselves to get more done each day. There are so many times that I put the kids to bed and think, "Finally! Now I can just rest for the evening." But as I have been reading the family book my Grandma Volmer gave me I have been amazed over and over at what my ancestors were required to do in a day, and were therefore capable of doing in a day. It has inspired me to make better use of my day, even after the kids are in bed for nap time or in bed for the evening. My goal is to just make better use of my time. Today Logan and I deleted all social media off of our phones so we don't have that option at our fingertips constantly. Logan has been reading his scriptures more and I have been writing in my journal. Logan has been around to help put the kids to bed and we have spent more time as a family going out. I am also trying to read more books instead of pointless blogs or peoples obnoxious opinions. Haha. I am excited for us as we start this new goal to be more productive with our time, even when we think we can't. Wish us luck!
