Summer Vacation 2012 Part I

Taking 2 toddlers in a car for over 2000 miles in the dead heat of summer who were sleep deprived does not sound like much of a dream vacation, but is was. 
It started out Friday, June 29 right when Robert got off of work we headed to Caldwell (4 hours) to visit my sister and her family, the Hammonds.  We got there late at night and Kenya was so excited that she did not even sleep on the way over.  Of course we let her stay up a while and play with her cousins because we were after all, on vacation.   Night 1 and she already lost 3+ hours of sleep. 
The next day we hung around their house and then in the evening went swimming with them.  It was so hot there!  YUCK!

Jasmin wanted to go down the slide and Daddy's wasn't fast enough at putting her at the top.  She began to climb up the bottom just a little ways and the turn around and slide on her bum while say, "Weee."  Too cute! 

Jasmin ready to go swimming.

Here is a picture of the slide Kenya went down quite a few times.  3 times by herself.  She got a little scared because as she went down by herself she was turning around and at some points ended up sideways for even head first. 

Look at them!  So cute! 

Going to bed at least 1+ hours late Saturday night.  
Late that night Cheri and I got crafty and made some bows for our girls.  After all they needed ones to wear on the 4th of July.

Sunday we headed to Portland (6 hours) to check out Robert's sister Christine's new house she bought.  On the way there we had to stop for a few minutes at Multnomah Falls.  It is just too beautiful to pass and not stop.

So this picture is great.  I was just holding the camera down to try and get a picture of Jasmin at her level and when I pulled the camera up this is the picture I got.  Stair stepped in the background is Kenya and Robert.  Even funnier is the faces they are making.  This one is worth clicking on to blow up and see the details. 

It was awesome and great to see her decorate and enjoy her very own place!  We had an amazing dinner Christine made and enjoyed being her hospitality and company that evening.  Kenya stayed up late playing with Aunt Christine.  2+ hours of sleep lost again, however she did take 2 naps in the car that day.  The next day we picked up my mom, Granny, from the Portland airport and she stayed with us until our drive home.  It was nice to have an extra set of hands to distract and play with the kids.  After we picked her up we went to Newport where we were staying on the Oregon Coast (3 hours).  
These first few pictures are of the view from our balcony at the hotel.  We loved our hotel!  Every night we were there we slept with the door open and listened to the ocean all night long.  

What was the first thing we did when we got there after unpacking?  Yep, to the beach!

Kenya and Granny were picking up sand and throwing it into the waves. Kenya's first tine on the beach!

Jasmin's first time on the beach. 

Granny and the girls having a blast!

Robert went exploring, of course! 

Granny running from the waves. 

Playing with Daddy on the beach.

Kenya holding her first of several hermit crabs.  She had to hold it on the sand first and then after this first time there was not going back or stopping her from hold crabs on the beach.

Our only family photo on the beach.  Nice, right?  haha

Jasmin holding a hermit crab.  She tried to eat it and the after telling her "no" I thought she was going to crush it because she was holing it so tight!

Kenya fell while playing chase with the waves and got soaked.  After the beach we got back to our room and ate dinner and of course swimming in the pool.  Girls 2+ hours past bedtime.  Robert and I slipped, way while Granny stayed with the girls, for a quite date driving around Newport.  
First thing after breakfast Tuesday morning.... beach!

Kenya and me looking for ocean life and exploring. 

Starfish we saw on Tuesday morning in the tide pools. 

I learned that my favorite part of the beach is looking for ocean life.  I could be there all day observing and searching for them.

We found a ton of hermit crabs with brownish shells and most of them looked a lot alike.  Robert found this striped one that was beautiful. 

This was the littlest crab I had ever seen.  Kenya carried it around for at least 20 minutes.  She kept telling me she was going to take it home and that it was her new friend.  It was adorable to watch her talk to it like it was her own baby.  She was reassuring it and telling it everything was going to be okay.  Just the cutest little thing ever!  She continued to so this will a lot of the crabs over the next several days. 

A starfish Robert found in the middle of the tide pools. 

Kenya loved playing in the sand with her bucket.  

Kenya developed a love her the ocean and the beach just like her Daddy!  Every second we has she wanted to be at the beach in the sand playing.  It would not be right to not mention the main attraction our girls love the most where ever we go.  The dogs.  Both girls were in heaven to talk to dog owner and ask to pet the dogs. 
Tuesday afternoon we went whale watching in Depoe Bay, right after an all you can eat buffet.  We all took a Dramamine just to be safe.   We left our camera at the hotel on accident, so no pictures, bummer!  We had a great time and Robert, Granny and I all saw at least 2 whales.  By that I mean we saw the water spray from their spouts and possibly saw the back of one of the whales.  Kenya says that she saw one too.  Jasmin I think got a little sea sick.  She fell asleep for about half of it.  Poor little girl.  The medicine must have gotten to Robert too because he was pretty hard to even wake on the way back to the harbor.  Kenya was a little timid on the boat at first, but warmed up to it and we all really enjoyed being in the open sea and having fun. 
Later Tuesday evening Robert's siblings were able to join us.  We had a fun time that evening with them. 

Kenya's swim lessons.

For the last 2 weeks Kenya was doing swim lessons.  It was a great experience.  She got to for 9 days and her good friend Hannah was able to join her class.  Kenya had a blast.  It was something that she got to do all by herself.  Mommy and Jasmin just sat on the side of the pool and watched.
From the very first day she did great!  She liked the water but would sometime get a little nervous.  The girls who were her teacher did an awesome job at warming the kids up to the water and they stated in teaching on the first day.

Kenya on her first day of swim lessons. 

Blowing bubbles with her class.  The first day.

This was right after her first lesson.  Look how happy and proud she was!

Kenya and Hannah after class.  The water was so warm that they were often cold when they got out and huddled in towels.

Kaylee and Jasmin playing while their sisters swam.

So cute!  She is growing up so fast!

 

In this video her class went out for a ride as a train. Yes at the very end that is her yelling " Chugga chugga choo choo!"

This is the last day of class and the girls were getting ready to go down the slide.

Kenya hanging on the side of the pool by herself.

Swimming by herself on the last day of class.  Of course with her life jacket on.

SISTERS!!  Love it!  Kenya and Jasmin walking to the car on the last day of swim lessons. 

 Kenya went of the diving board 2 times on the last day of class.  The second time she did it all by herself.  Way to go Kenya!

By the end of the lessons Kenya could hold her breath under water for 7 seconds (that is what they counted I think she could do more if she tried) and was floating by herself on her back and stomach for a short time.  Really all by herself with no floatation devices.  No actually swimming yet, but she is well on her way.  I signed her up for lessons again at the end of July for level 2. 
I am so proud of Kenya and the way she behaved in class!  She did a great job listening and get along with others!!

Worse than actually given birth to my girls!

This past weekend I joined a club that I hoped I never would have to and I did not join it by choice.  On Thursday night I stated having a miscarriage.  I always wondered if this day would come because of the high % of pregnancies that result in miscarriage.  This is something I wish to never do again and I feel sorrow for women who has to go though a miscarriage.  It just is not fun!
No, I did not know I was pregnant and so it was all very surprising. 
No, we were not preventing from having another baby at the time.
I do not know how far along I was and really don't have a good guess.  By talking to other people and reading a lot about it on the internet I was probably somewhere between 7-12 weeks along.  And I am leaning a lot closer to being 12 weeks along.
I wrote out all the details in gore and all if you want to read it feel free, it is just on a different blog that is not our main stream family blog.  It is very personal and not for a weak stomach.  See it here.
This was physically way more than I ever expected!  Honestly it was worse than I ever felt with either of my girls and now I have no baby to show for it either.  Really it was sheer inconvenience.   I had so many things to get ready and do and we had plans for this weekend as a family.  It really slowed my life down as I had to stay home and couldn't/shouldn't really go out.  My body needs rest which is really hard for me to do. 
Emotionally I have been doing just fine.  I know it was a blessing that I did not know about that baby because I am sure that everyone in our family would have been excited about it.  Kenya has been talking about her bother for a few months now.  We are all doing well and we didn't really explain any of it to Kenya.  I guess I just didn't know how. 
I guess it has kind of got me excited about having another baby someday though. 

Help make a miracle!

Pass it along to everyone you know.  We have some great friends who are trying to obtain what most of us don't think much about.   These two wonderful people are trying to start their family, but they need the people of other selfless people.  Megan and Brandon Hebdon are looking for a chance to adopt.  Please keep them in your prayers and then keep your eyes and ears open to be part of this miracle.
https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/26076907/ourMessage.jsf
Really, what an amazing couple!

And please repost this link if you can!  

Baby Communication

Jasmin is starting to learn new words everyday.  Her two new words today were bubbles and down. 
Here is a list of the word Jasmin uses and some of them she even puts together.
Hi                                    more
Kitty                                animal sounds: neigh, baa, moo. meow, woof
Kenya                             banana
Dada                               bird
Momma                          bubbles
Bear (she said for the first time yesterday)
This (our cats name)      dog
uh-oh                              down
cheese (when taking pictures)
down                            night night
numnum (wanting to nurse)

Her signing is coming along as well these are signs she uses
more
eat
drink
all done
thank you
up
please

She is also to the point where she will shake her head "no" if we guess the wrong thing.  It is nice to finally get her to respond to what we are asking her.
Just the other day she came up to me and signed "please".  I then asked her "Please what?"  and she began to dance around.  I took that as she was wanting me to turn music on to dance.  I did and she danced and danced and giggled and giggled.  That same day she brought me her cup and handed it to me and signed please.    You got it I went and got her a drink and she was thrilled.  It appears she has discovered how nice it is to communicate and get her point a crossed.  I am loving it too!  It is bitter sweet though because I now have to admit that before she is 11 months old she is no longer a baby.

Just Lois

So, I guess I have a theme for the month of May and now it is my turn.  I have been up to the having a blast with my girls and husband.  It has been crazy watching them all grow.  Once Jasmin stated walking it made it seem like I don't have a baby anymore.  Kenya just amazes me everyday with what she learns! Robert is an amazing father and loves to play with all of us just as much as we love to play with him! 
I love my life! Really, I do!  I get a full nights sleep (most nights) and have for months now, which is a lot to say for having to kids and one of them under one.  I get to play and have fun with my friends.  I get to watch every event in my children's lives.  I get to be a mom and a wife!
 Really, I have been watching my starter plants grow and actually did a little sewing.  I made skirts for the girls for Memorial Day and the 4th of July and a matching headband for me.  I also got crafty with making new hair bows.  That is me. 

One for me.

And one for a friend.

These were for a friend's baby shower and now that I think about it, that baby girl is being born sometime in the next few hours.  

What can I say about these two?  CUTE!

Well, you cannot see the headband I am wearing, but it matches.  I am kind of dorky like that. 

Just Kenya

Kenya LOVES her sister.  That is what occupies most of her time right now.  I don't think she can go more than 10 seconds without the urge to touch Jasmin.  The most common thing heard in this house for at least the last 6 months is...
"Leave her alone."  or "If you touch your sister again you are going to your room." (often followed by Kenya going to her room because she just could not resist!) or "You know you are not allowed to pick your sister up, so why did you."  and MANY similar sounding phrases!
My goodness Kenya loves her sister!  It never helps with Jasmin is laughing or smiling and Kenya always follows up with, "But she likes it," or "But it makes her laugh, I just want to make her laugh."
Well with that all said, I will tell you about what she does while Jasmin is sleeping or the other 2% of her time when she is not bothering playing with her sister.  Kenya love playing outside.  Since the weather has been so much nicer we are outside at least a few hours a day.  She rides her bike, plays with neighborhood kids and plays chase.  She is super into pretend play.  Her favorites are, playing baby, anything type of animal that is a pet on a leash, playing making friends (she pretends we have never met and then we pretend that we are becoming new friends), and whatever else in her amazing imagination that day.  Outside she loves to play in water, play with bubbles and write/draw with sidewalk chalk and play at the park.  She like to go to story time at the library too.
When we are not outside some of the things she does are: play dress up, help clean, play with play dough, write/draw, cooking, dancing, reading books, and really anything else she see other people do. Her imagination had really taken off in this last year and it is fun to see what she thinks about what she decides to play.  She has begun to play card and board games too!

Dress up and dancing with Mommy!  This is super common in our house. 

This next picture is too funny.  I mentioned that she enjoys cleaning and mopping is one of her favorite.  One day she was playing dress up and I needed to mop.  So she came out of her room and asked to help.  Of course I let her.  Then as I sat back and watched her I notice what she was dressed up in.  Yep, that is it, Cinderella.  She was dressed up as Cinderella and mopping my floors.  Oh, the hard life she has.  Too ironic!

She got to "meet" Dora and Diego. Seriously it was less than 5 seconds that she was near them and they did not even say a word to her.  We were all disappointed to say the least!

Doing what she does best.  Sharing and being with her sister! @ Yellowstone Bear World.

She got to ride in the front of the car without any seat belt or anything as we went through Bear World.  She was so ECSTATIC!  Just like a big person!

Again with her favorite person in the world!  @ the kite festival.

Kenya loves learning new things.  We grew some pinto bean plant a couple of months ago and she loved watching them grow.  So we were both super excited about planting our starters for our garden.  So here we are below planting seeds.  She still love to water the plants and see the progress of our garden.  (Almost all of our seeds are planted and are ready to transplant into the ground. Now we just need to find some land for them.)

This was actually cooking with Daddy.  They made me these yummy cupcakes for Mother's Day.  It is an orange cupcake inside the peel of an orange.

These are pictures that Kenya took one day.  I came out from putting Jasmin down for a nap and she was quietly playing with the camera taking pictures.

Playing around with Daddy!

This was just on Memorial Day.  Outside playing frisbee at a friends BBQ.

And this was yesterday.  She just asked me to take a picture of her and so I did.  She was saying "cheese' while grating cheese for dinner.  How cheesy!!!

There are so many wonderful things to write about Kenya and so many amazing things she says and done.  But this has gone on long enough.  There is just one last story that I have to share that melted my heart today.
She got in trouble at the store for doing something she knows she is not suppose to do.  So, we just left the store and I was trying to show her I was pretty disappointed in her for what she had done.  So, I told her we were leaving and explained to her that she got certain things taken away for the rest of the day because of her behavior.  She could tell the my mood had changed and asked me if I was happy.  I told her no I wasn't because she had chose to do something bad.  So after we got in the car and we were on our car ride home she pointed out to me that I was "happy with Jasmin, but not happy with her."  Yep, that was right!  Then she began to tell me things like this-"Mom, I like it when you are happy with me and we play together.  I love it when you are happy and we cuddle and you read me books.  I like it when you are happy with me."  I told her that I like it too.  Then she asked me to look at her.  (I hadn't really been looking at her because I was driving, but also because I was trying to show her that I was upset.)  I asked her why after she persisted to ask.   She then said, "Look at me because I want to smile at you."  (My heart was already melting, but I asked why she wanted to smile at me.)  "It makes you happy when I smile at you!"  Yes Kenya, it does make me happy!  I turned and looked at her and she smiled a sweet half grin.  I am sure she saw my face light up.  This is by far one of my proudest parenting moments yet!  Then there were some other sweet words exchanged.  I just hoped that was a lesson learned and memory we will both never forget. 

Just Robert aka BEST husband EVER!

Yeah, I  have the best husband ever!  It is something that I should brag about more often!  What does a man need to be to be the perfect husband.  I will tell you!
You may think that it is bring home gifts and flowers unexpected and often.  You may think it is sweeping you off of your feet every day and every moment of your life.  You may think it is doing everything right.  You may think it is being romantic.  You may think it is giving you everything you have ever asked for or wanted.  You may think it is making you laugh.  You may think it is taking you out on dates to the nice restaurants and spoiling you on special occasions or not so special occasions.  You may think it is not saying anything as you spend endless hours on Pinterest and make him look at everything you are going to make "someday".  You may think it is making you feel and telling you, you are beautiful no matter if you have gained weight or are not showered and still in your PJ when he gets home from work.  You make think it is playing with the kids after dinner and all evening long so you get a break even though he worked all day.  You may even think it is that he does not ask "What did you do all day?" when he gets home and the house is mess and the kids are whinny.   Really you may think that the best husband ever is all of these combined!
Robert is better at some of these than others.  He is really amazing at the latter half of these statements.  But what makes him the BEST husband EVER is that he supports me in every way and shares the same goals and visions for our family!  He goes to works to support me financially so that I can stay at home with our children, which is what we both want!  It does not matter what the job is he is will to do it and do his best at it.  I get to go and play all day with these girls and have so much fun!  He comes home from work and we tell him all about our day.  He smiles and tells us he is happy we had fun. A MAZ ING!  He supports me emotionally and spiritually as well, by doing some of the things listed above.  He has a strong relationship with our Father in Heaven and with Jesus Christ which enables him to lead our family in righteousness.  He listens to me and we make decisions together, but he also trusts me to make decisions on my own.  I feel his complete trust on love everyday! 
Not many women are as blessed as I am to have this amazing life!
Do we fight, NO!  Do we disagree and sometimes argue, YES.  Are there days when I don't feel as blessed as I am, yes I am ashamed to admit.  Do we get to have everything we want for our children and ourselves, NO.  Do we have everything we need to be healthy, strong and feel safe, YES!!  Are there times I feel overwhelmed staying at home and frustrated with my children, yes.
I have so much more to say, but it is too long already.
Robert, I love you for everything you are!