Girls Weekend Getaway

Last weekend Kendall and I flew to my parents house for the weekend. I was in desperate need for a break from my kids (well, two of them at least.) Becky and Laura are both living there and it was fun to spend time with a few of my sisters. Mom got us tickets for Time Out for Women in Long Beach. Time Out for Women is a inspirational Friday night-Saturday day event with inspirational/motivational speakers and music. It was nice to re-charge. All things considered Kendall was a good girl. It was a nice break from the chaos my life has become. I wish it was longer, but I am needed at home. =) A big thank you to Steve for playing Mommy and Daddy to the boys and my friend Sandra for watching them while he was at work. I don't know if the boys were more excited to see me or Kendall when we got back Sunday. I do have to say Luke was very darling and couldn't stop hugging and kissing me. He can be such a lover when he wants to be.

Kendall on the flight

Laura sassy face Kelley

Grandma and Kendall at dinner

I love my family and wished we lived closer, but luckily we're able to visit often!

Mid-Year-School-Picture

How I love this boy!

The necessity of a mid-year-school-picture is questionable though. Fundraiser apparently.

Little-Lover-Girl

Bus Days Again!

Luke qualified for speech services through the district, hurray! He didn't qualify for Carson's old preschool program (tear), I loved that class and those teachers. He is in a 2 day a week phonological program instead. So far he LOVES taking the bus like his big brother used to. What a big boy!

Having Luke gone 2 days a week is a large part of my current sanity. I dread June...

Training Wheels Off!

We were getting ready for a bike ride and Carson asked to get his training wheels off. I told him how it can be tricky and it takes a lot of practice, etc. So we walked over to the court and I ran along side of him for a few seconds and off he went! He's a natural. After a few tries he could start on his own too. You've never met a prouder boy. 

Miscellaneous February

At the theater after seeing The Lego Movie

 Body tracing with butcher paper

  Hat day at school

Carson's attempt at photographing me and Luke

Pretty Little Lady after Church

Carson is the king of Kendall photo bombs. Anytime I get my camera out to take pictures of her he has to jump in.

Rainy Day Fun

Our first real rain of the season (that's tight, in February). California is in trouble.

Disney World (a month late...)

 Instead of getting together for Christmas this year my parents decided to plan a trip to Disney World. Two of my siblings live in Orlando, so we all flew out to join them. We stayed at a timeshare a few miles from the park and had a blast together. The weather wasn't great. We had two days of sun and the rest were rainy. The plus to rain is short lines though.  We all got 4-day passes to see all the parks. The teenagers (as I still call the siblings without kids) went to Islands of Adventure one of the days to see the new Harry Potter World. They said it was amazing. I would have loved to see it. Next time.

Our kids did really well on the flight. They are good little travelers. We shared a two-bedroom condo with my parents and we had two more condos next door for the other out of town families. There was an amazing pool and hot tub close and we spent a lot of time swimming. It is so nice to relax in a hot tub after a long day at the parks.

The flight. Thank heavens for tablets. 

We were VERY NERVOUS about the kids sleeping, especially with all the Luke sleep issues lately, but for the most part they did really well. Luke did better there then he was doing at home, go figure. We had Luke in a crib in the living room and he loved it. We ended up buying a crib on craigslist on our way home from the airport because he did so well in it. (He's been okay in the crib since we've been home. It's maybe helped a little.) Carson slept on our floor and Kendall slept in the closet. I was dreading this part of the trip and was so relieved that we all got decent nighttime sleep. We tried to keep the kids on California time, so we had them up until 10 every night and that worked out.

This is how they ended up by the end of the night most nights. I love how they snuggle together both trying to watch something on my phone.

Jetted tubs are the BEST for bubbles!

Luke and Carson with Katherine and Adam

Monday, Day One: (the nicest day of the week) we went to Epcot. I love Epcot. There is so much to see. I thought it might have been a little boring for the kids, but they all seemed to really enjoy it. The had a Perry the Platypus secret mission activity at each country and Carson had a lot of fun with that. We didn't stay too late at any of the parks. Usually until 5:00 or so. The kids were done by that time.

Waiting to get into the park

Carson saved all his month for the last few months for a Mickey Sorcerer Hat

Luke and I on Space Ship Earth. Luke picked Portuguese for the language, so I was lost the whole ride

Soda flavors from around the world. Steve was thrilled there was Guarana

Luke and Gma in Mexico

Laura, Kendall and I in Marraco

Carson and Gage in France

Carson and I eating the most delicious chocolate ice cream in France

Luke after eating his

Gpa and Carson exiting Test Track. Very cool ride!

Finding Nemo

  
Tuesday, Day Two: Animal Kingdom. I ended up staying home with Kendall on this day. She needed a few solid naps after Epcot the day before. Those without kids felt sorry for me that I stayed behind. Those with kids were jealous of my naps and pool time all (almost) by myself. Steve said the kids had a lot of fun. They loved seeing the animals, especially on the safari.They also loved the water ride.

Carson and Ollie

Pete and Noelle

The whole group

On safari

Laura with the boys

Wednesday, Day Three: The weather was so rainy that we decided to make this our day off. No one seemed to mind though. Everyone was ready for a lazy day. The pool was nice and warm so there was still plenty of swimming. We got babysitters from Amanda and Brian's ward that night so the adults could go to the Orlando Temple and do sealings. It was very special to be there with my family. We had three nursing babies so Becky, Amanda and I took turns with them in the waiting room. We had a yummy dinner that night at Carrabbas. I love adult time!

 

Babies by the pool. Kendall and Garrett (2 months apart)

  Thursday, Day Four: The day we went to Magic Kingdom it was pouring, 40 degrees and windy. None of us lasted long. It was just too cold, especially for the little kids and babies. Carson did do some pretty cool big kid rides (Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain.) We tried to do as much indoor stuff as we could and we hated leaving in the early afternoon because the park was a ghost town, but I seriously thought my nose was going to fall off! I love comparing the differences of Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. There's nothing as magical as Magic Kingdom to me.

Main Street USA has got to be my favorite place in the park esthetically speaking

Luke was so cold he was curled into a little ball most of the day

Carson's "this is ridiculously cold" face

Nice warm Small World with Ollie, Ryan and Gpa

Escaping the cold in a restaurant

 Waiting outside of Carousel of Progress out of the rain waiting for the rest of the party so we can leave. Carson and Luke keeping warm by dancing.

Annie and Asher once we gave up. Riding the train back to the front of the park.

Friday, Day Five: Hollywood Studios. I love Hollywood Studios. I love the old Hollywood look of everything. We took Carson on Tower of Terror. I don't know what we were thinking. That is a intense ride! Poor guy! Luke was a trooper the whole week. When he got tired he just crawled into the bottom seat of the stroller and curled up in a ball and fell a sleep. He never minded waiting when he wasn't big enough for a ride. Such a good boy.

The boys ready to load up in the cars for another fun day

Browers and Bonners at the Disney Junior show. Luke had died and gone to Heaven. He is a Huge Mickey Mouse Clubhouse fan and the show didn't disappoint. I wish we weren't front row though. It made it hard to see.

 Luke just giggled through the whole thing

See Kendall-girl's head? She was the warmest and driest of all!

Carson and Gage doing their scary faces while waiting for Tower of Terror

Escaping the rain at a cute little 50's themed diner

Love this face!

Grauman's Chinese Theater

 Wizard of Oz part of the Great Movie Ride

The fam minus Becky, Mom and Becky's two girls. They were at urgent care getting antibiotics for the sickies. =(

Regan, Laura and I

A homage to home

Luke on a giant ant in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play ground. I favorite for those 3 and under

Pete, Laura, Steve, Kendall and Regan

Gpa got all the kids matching shirts. I'm sad we never got a picture of all of them.

The hard thing about such a huge group is that to get anything done or go anywhere you have to split-up. We weren't able to spend as much time as we wanted with everyone. The Facers were sick most of the week, so I have hardly any pictures of them. The Kelley's usually met up with us later in the day because they live there and had school etc. The non-kid siblings dropped in periodically. We were able to explore the park with the Browers the most. My Mom and Dad joined when they could too. 

All 2013 babies. Kendall, Garrett and Nora

I love being with my whole family. It is getting harder and harder to do. There are seven of us kids, six spouses and 13 kiddos and we are all over the country. It really is a treat and blessing when we can all be together. Despite the weather, sickness, new baby and sleep issues it was a fantastic trip! I can't wait to be with everybody again.