Happenings while not blogging

In the last month(s) we have been super busy. The Vintage photos could have easily taken up a whole week when put together.  Here's what we have been up to in no particular order....

Alohi loves crafts and she made this necklace with her daddy. Thanks to Christi Hays for providing the craft that she took from MOPS vintage photo daycare time.

Being silly and posing for a picture just because... I think they were in red because we were headed to a park play date and I wanted to be able to find them easily.

Park play dates with MOPS friends. That's Emily in the middle pushing Po'okela and Mattie (the first little girl he's held hands with... and when they see each other they always manage to gravitate together).

The library has had summer activities, along with a ton of summer prizes and free things.  Plus, it is always fun to play with friends there too! 

The story behind this picture is... I was making a corn and black bean dip for a baby shower.  We had gone out earlier that day to get donuts for breakfast and then walk down town and then head to the library.  Little did I forget that the library had a program going on so we stayed, then headed home for lunch and during naps I would get things done around the house. Cleaning, making dip and laundry.  Well before I put the kids down for naps I pulled everything I needed to make the dip out on the the counter.  My mom had called just as I was laying them down and started working on the dip.  We talked and had a great time, until I needed to the lime juice.  Looking everywhere... Fridge, counter tops, the bathroom (I did walk in there so I checked) and even dug through the trash can because I had clean out the fridge... I couldn't find it and my mom convinced me that it wasn't that important for the recipe.  Fast forward 2 hours later, I go in to get Po'okela up.... Well I found the lime juice.... I guess he felt the need to take a nap with it and he probably thought it was a ball.

A plumber came to take care of the kitchen sink, tubs and any other drain we have in the house.  My sink has been backing up a ton and driving me nuts.. Along with taking showers, and getting a small bath at the same time.  So one morning we waited at home for plumber to do his thing.  An hour to hour and half later sinks are better, but the house smells like sulfur and nasty sink/drain junk.  So we decided to head to the kid friendly coffee shop for breakfast.  Yogurt is the kids favorite... and we had the place to ourselves for a good 45 min since there is construction happening down town.  

AYSO soccer sign up and new exercise clothing for Alohi (bottoms 3t and tops 4/5 x-small girls). I am super excited that she wants to play soccer and I am nervous about volunteering to be coach. The main thing is she is going to get to try something completely new and something I loved as a kid.

Accidents always happen when you are having fun.  At a fun family get together, Po'okela decided it would be fun to take on the corner of a recliner (the wooden part). He has become very familiar with bonks and wants to have a kiss each time it happens.

Youth group garage sale help... Rylan helps/sponsors the Jr. High class, so we spent the day at the church helping (mainly hanging out) at the garage sale.  The kids always have fun because the Gwynn's kids are always there (Alohi calls the girls her sisters, Alohi and Brody have had pretend weddings at church, and Po'o & Brady have a normal 2 year old friendship.  

This week we are currently having fun at VBS... This is just a tease...

Vintage Unlimited (antique photos)

My Mops group was having a fundraiser of antique photos. I was able to combine my sells along with some other moms that helped me to get a free package of pictures.  Here are my favorites from the shoot. Thankfully all I had to do was bring the kids and they provided the clothing.

Alohi was not photo shy at all! She loved every bit of it!!

Together they took great pictures!!

Sorry I don't know how to rotate this... put it is a cute one of the kids!

Now Po'okela was not happy about getting his picture taken. He wanted only to play with his trucks and not sit on the couch or wear a hat! Hints the look on his face...

Moving off the couch and getting a second truck helped a little.

Now happily pushing trucks around, with an occasional dirty look to the photographer. 

(wish he hadn't fuzzed this one up because it is my favorite!)

The fundraiser was a success... the pictures turned out great and I am happy with a different type of style of picture that I wouldn't have ever done, had it not been for the MOPS fundraiser.  Now off the sell more Krispy Kremes before tomorrows deadline!

Clay's Visit

 

We were so bless to have the Clay's come visit us over the Memorial weekend.  This are our first visitors other than our parents to come.  We took them to Scottsbluff Monument (pictured on top), Chimney Rock, and had a great time just hanging out.  Here are a few pictures from their visit.

Po'okela was always wondering where everyone went... and the view behind him is of Chimney Rock.

 Snuggle time with Gina, while Landon and Alohi loaded up the wagons with "supplies" for their travels to the west.  It was nice to go to a museum that had/has interactive activities for the kids.

Fun walking Scottsbluff monument and museum.

A few of us went back to the house to relax and get out of the heat... while others went to walk the path of the original trail that was used by wagons heading west to Oregon.  Obviously the trail is not longer the size it needs to be for a wagon because people only walk it now and for most travelers they go by car or plane.  

Later that evening we had fun just hanging out. Alohi played and watched movies with Landon, while Po'okela took full advantage of bigger boys to play with, climb on and snuggle with!

Saturday night, we had sushi, korean and mochiko chicken. Collin had been asking me to have a sushi night for years now and it only took him coming to Scottsbluff for it to finally happen!

Thank you so much Clay family for coming out to visit us.  We miss you and all our other OKC family so very much!!

Mother's Day Fun

This was my first mother's day away from our adopted family in OKC. We normally have cookout with the Barnes and whoever else comes over.  B and Rylan cook and us ladies stay in getting everything else ready. Actually, the more I think about it... Last year the guys took us to Mimi's Cafe for lunch. They made reservations and everything. That was nice... no cooking or cleaning needed.  This year was a little differ.  We went out the night before for some ice cream at the local creamery (they have been here forever). There was a little old man running the place, they took only cash, he had an old cash register from back, back, back in the day and it was fun.  See the happy Faces!! I plan to go back just for the their strawberry sundae. AMAZING!! (but it can't compare to braums... I don't think anything will truly compare to braums).

After church and kids naps. Dad set the kids to do some pampering... I got my own personal pedicure at home... Everyone took turns painting my toes.

Alohi was so proud of herself because she did this foot all by herself.

So blessed!!

The Incredibles

We were apart of a youth weekend that was a superhero theme! We dressed up for the evening!

So much fun!

Summit to Summit

A few weekends ago, we as a family decided to help support a local Christian College called Summit Cristian College with a walk/run called Summit to Summit. It was about just over 7 miles from the "Summit" (the school) all the way to the top of the summit of Scottsbluff Monument. Rylan and I had talked about trading off running and walking with the kids, but in the end we decided that we would just walk it as a family. I am glad we walked together because there is no way I would have gone the whole way by myself, let alone with the kids.  Here are a few pictures we took during the day.

 I held onto the stroller on the way down (and this picture does this NO justice of how steep in places it was or narrow).  Alohi was such a trooper and walked up and down by herself.  We really needed her to walk because it was easier with the stroller.

 Rylan was a monster! Well not really a monster, but he pushed Po'o up along with whatever was packed into the sit and stand stroller all the way up! I did take a few switch backs, but I did nothing compared to what he did!!

When we got to the top, it was such a great feeling and accomplishment!! Also, the views were breath taking and we got to high five all the runners that went by (many people ran it... CRAZY people). The man that won the race was a teacher from the college and finished the race in under 48 min.  I believe he passed us before we even made it a quarter of the way (yes... I know that is really bad on our part, but hey we had the "semi" or what people called our stroller and kids going up that were set up at different spots to encourage us).

This is the view from the top... yes those are cars you see because you can drive up the bluff.  There was a shuttle being run at different points of the run for those walking that only wanted to do a section of the full 7 miles.  Of course, we did the whole thing!

See, I have proof!! Thanks to my run keeper for the letting me keep track of things. We did start this into our walk, but i think you get the idea of how good we did as a family.  I did get to run a little on the back end of the walk which felt really good.

When we finished our walk, there really weren't any people waiting for us at the end. However, we did feel accomplished and I do think that our children were the only ones that completed the whole thing. I doesn't matter that Po'o got pushed the whole way or that Alohi only walked part of it (which to me going up and down was the hardest parts), but I am super proud of the kids.  They were looking forward to the bounce houses, fire trucks, medical helicopters and hamburgers/hot dogs for lunch!

 This fire truck means a lot to me since, my dad worked for the airport fire department... their trucks aren't your normal red.  They are usually yellow or neon green because they carry water, they carry something else that fights whatever fuel they use in airplanes.  Don't ask me the details of all this chemical stuff... at least I know that they don't use water because it wouldn't help them fight an airplane crash/fire.

 Po'okela is into trucks, helicopters, trains and anything that is big and moves.  When the Regional West Medical Helicopter touched down, he was so excited... even more excited that climbing on the fire truck.  Alohi got to sit in the pilots seat and then we sat in the back. I hope and pray this will be the only need for us to ever get this close or be inside of one of these special helicopters. I am sure you are wondering where does the patient go... don't worry I was wondering the same thing.  Their feet are slid next to the pilot and their head goes right where Po'o's feet are.  They fit 3 guys and a patient in there.  CRAZY! Oh and you can buy insurance just in case you might need to ride in one of these (which during the week I would say I hear this helicopter (we live in between the airport and the hospital... remember people small town) 3-5 times a week.  The guy selling or suggesting I buy it said it would make a great birthday present for a family member (elderly or with possible heart conditions).  Oh the sale pitches they try to make.

After our helicopter visit and not buying medical helicopter insurance, kids went back to bouncing and we got lunch. I think that day I ate a hamburger, hotdog, some chips and drank a ton of water. I was famished after that walk.  We left shortly after because Alohi and I had a tea birthday party to get to and we all needed a nap/shower after our walk....

Little did we know that there was a prize for all registered walkers/runners.... Alohi got the grand prize.... A weed eater!!!! I got a call Monday letting me know Alohi had won and to stop by the school to get our prize.  Alohi now wants to help her dad with the lawn... however I am sure it weighs about 2 times she does.  Oh well... she won and that is all that matters!! Overall I think it was a fun family day!!

Out with the Old and In with the New

Last month I won a table at our MOPS Market fundraiser. I could sell crafty stuff or make it a garage sale. I am crafty, but no way near crafty enough to fill a table to make some money. So I had a garage sale table. I knew I had some things that I wanted to sell, but it was a matter of going through things to sell.  I had given away a bunch of stuff that I could have easily sold, but I know they blessed the people and that is what really matters.  So after about 3 nights and during a couple of days of nap time I was able to get a huge amount of stuff to sell.  Most of it was kid friendly since it was for MOPS.

 Above: The table along with some extra stuff that extended my space. 

Below: The things I brought home.

I think I did pretty good for a last minute garage sale table! Also, had a friend add some clothing things to sell and I think between the two of us we easily made $300+.

Now before the garage sale, I was on the look out for some outdoor toys for the kids. However, I wasn't sure how I was going to get this with our budget. But thanks for the garage sale I was able to but these wonderful new (to the kids, but used) outdoor toys for the summer!!

I think he's happy!!

Now this summer I can still get house work done, but let the kids play outside and burn some energy. Along with a water/sand table that they play with like crazy and I haven't added the sand part yet.  Of course we have trikes and bikes that we pull out too, but they are so happy with these toys! I am super happy that I can sit outside with them and read while they play!!