Wicked Wolf

All we've been hearing at our house for the last two weeks have been songs from the Wicked soundtrack. Last night I took a chance on securing two more tickets to go along with the two season tickets I already had. I was able to purchase tickets for Griffin and Camdyn 1/2 price for 2nd row center and 3rd row center (the reason is because they were single seats). What lucky kids. The seats were awesome, even though they were a row away from eachother.......No worries....they were captive the ENTIRE time. Kennedy and I sat back a ways with our friends the Moses' and I enjoyed seeing her reaction to the songs she'd memorized. She really wanted to sing along and was having a hard time containing her little self.

They were all a buzz afterwards and the next day saying lines and playing the music round the clock. Kennedy said in a teary voice that she "shouldn't go to school because she can't get Wicked out of her mind....the sadness of it all." It was pretty funny.

Last week we took the kids back to Great Wolf Lodge. I asked Todd to request an upgraded room.....never hurts to ask because they granted our wish and gave us our 5th family member swim pass free! My family knows I like to seek out any deal that is there to be had, and like I said, it never hurts to ask.

It was so sad to see Brody taking it all in. He was very reserved and quite somber for about the first hour or two. There are some big splashes that go on in there. This HUGE bucket off water pours out about every 2 minutes and he'd just sit and watch for it.

He did like the wave pool. They had some waves that were SO big and I happened to get right on top of the peak of it and it would drop Brody and I down each time, I had more fun on that than he did! The kids get so excited for these little family outings and count down the days till we go. I remember my parents always taking us kids on overnight adventures, or even day trips in whichever city we were living in. I want my kids to have those same memories.

Dinner Theatre

Last week Griffin played his first game with the Timbers up in Snohomish, and one minute in got an elbow in the lip! Todd had to drive the 3 1/2 hours back to urgent care for 5 stiches!

He had a lopsided smile for several days.

This is Brody's new pasttime. Climbing like a monkey boy in the pantry for various snacks. He'll then get a bowl and pour an entire box of crackers into it for a mid day treat. Yesterday, while trying to procure a hidden treat of the girls, he pulled the playroom hutch right on top of his squaty little body. Poor kid, all he wants is a scooby snack.

Last night Todd and I took a gamble on winning the Wicked Lottery for two seats. We have tickets for another night but Todd has to work, so I'll go that night with the kids. There was a large group of people who put their name in a cauldren and waited 20 minutes for the drawing. Todd's name was the 2nd one pulled and we got 3rd row seats! Sweet! Since we had 2 hours until the performance we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Stanford's where Todd took me on our first date. We were commenting on the differences between that "date" and this date. Boy 15 years does bring out different demensions to a relationship! The show was so good I wanted to cry!

During the intermission a beautiful young lady came and sat by me. Miss Julie Bundy! Lindsey's sister in law and the whole Bundy clan was there one section over from us. The little neices of Lindsey's came over and commented on how much Linny and I look and sound alike. Thanks to TJ for fixing my camera so we could take a decent picture inside the dark auditorium.

Brody loves bananas....and cake

Brody boy turned 2 on March 4th. He entertains us with his non verbal communication.

This is banana......

He's signing Juice.

Cracker......
Eating two bowls of swedish meatballs at IKEA......This is done by pointing at the meatballs and grunting while awaiting them to be in his mouth.

getting a train set from Annie and Papa.........

And falling asleep while picking his nose on the way home. A good way to spend a birthday!

Bonjour

Kennedy had been looking forward to Valentine's Day for a really long time. They get so excited about the small traditions we do. I sprinkled HEARTS up the stairs with candy all over the floor. They each had to find their bag which was hidden away throughout the house and filled with a book, i-tunes gift card, Gatorade and candy.I told Linny I'd show this setting as an idea for a Birthday centerpiece or for a tea party. It matches my banner perfect....minus those darling plates I am bound to find!

For Twin Day at school I found this shirt and Amy found the pants and made matching bows for Camdyn and Cambree, 3rd grade twins.

Kennedy and Brinley were sporting the same shirts and knotted head band hair-do for Kindy Twins

Voo Doo Doo Doo

When Annie comes to visit.....there is always a fun surprise in store. The first surprise would be the "mouse" in the girls room. I had picked up my mom from the airport at 10 p.m. and didn't tell anyone she was coming. Mother's get tired of "when is she coming?" and "how many more days", stuff like that. So the next morning, so as not to wake her at the crack of dawn with the kids....I told them there was a mouse in that room and that is why I had to keep the door closed. They believed me the trusting kids that they are.

This game is sort of like trick or treat. Each door that had an Elmo face on it boast a prize on the other side. Oh boy was Brody in hog heaven running around and loading up his bag!

Our favorite activity is staying the night downtown in a fancy hotel. Papa Trace started this tradition when he used to come into town on business with AMR. We stayed at our favorite Multnomah Hotel on 4th and Pine and left Brody home with Todd. YES! So much more freedom to roam.

Mom and I got the kids settled and went walking all around the Pearl and through downtown. We dined at a couple different spots, spliting Portland favorites of mom's, ending up at Powells books. While we were away the kids made it down to the Managers Reception for Nachos and Shirley Temples and we met them there before going to Pioneer Place for new church pants for Griff.

Having been loyal Amazing Race viewers I rememberd last season ending in Portland and VooDoo donuts being along the route. It happened to be kitty korner from our hotel. All these times we've stayed there and I never knew it....sort of a hole in the wall. Interesting menu. Open till 3 a.m. and it was hopping all night and the next morning a line around the corner!

I made these cotton candy cones as a treat while the girls watched Titanic up in the room after we swam.

I took Griffin on my favorite downtown run early the next morning. He is such a little runner and did fabulous! I love that run and was able to show him all the various districts and sights Portland has to offer.

We made it back in time for a hearty complimentary breakfast. My favorite is the omlet lady. She even rememberd me from the last time we stayed there. Egg whites with all the veggies she can fit, well done.

Kids sure love breakfasts. At least ours do. It's the highlight of the day for them. They swam after breakfast.

While they swam mom and I went for another walk along with water, up the stairs to the Broadway Bridge and to the Pearl district.

View from the Bridge with Amtrak Union Station in the back.

I joined the kids for a hot tub while the swam and then it was back home to soccer games and taking Annie to the airport. We had such a fun visit!

Overboard

February is now nearly gone.....Hopefully Spring is just around the corner!
Here are some of the activites that kept us busy.

The ice rink was reserved for just our ward. The kids have so much fun. Especially when the disco light comes on.

Camdyn took gymnastic lessons again for one of her Birthday presents.

Todd went to Utah for his Grandmother's funeral and was gone for a week. Here are a few of the things that kept us busy.....

..........Mostly I was cleaning up load after load of THROW UP. yuck! Brody was sick off and on for a whole week. Kennedy got it too. I got pretty efficient at stripping down bedding and getting him in the tub.

After 7 days of this, coupled with the incessant whining only 2 year olds are good at....I sat in his rocking chair too tired to move and felt like Goldie Hawn in the movie OVERBOARD where she can only utter "Buh, buh, buh, buh" while the kids throw grapes at her face.

Kennedy loves to put her knowledge to the test. She memorized these 45 animal cards and can say all of them in 58 seconds. I timed her. Caribou and Artic Puffin are some of her favorite. It's just Rhinocerous that gets her tongue tied! Now she's moved on to LANDMARK flashcards like the Taj Mahal, St. Basils Cathedral and Kuwait City Towers. It's so fun to see her WANT to learn!

Griffin recieved another award from one of his teachers at school honoring kids for their overall work ethic and behavior in class. "Breakfast of the Champions" includes donuts....which Kennedy and Brody love to partake in.

Kennedy started gynastics with her friend Brinley. To say they love it would be an understatement!!!

Kennedy enjoys P.M. Kindergarten once I'm able to pry her off of my legs each and every day that I have to walk her to the door, kiss her and tell any substitute that might be there of her "crying problems" from missing her mother while she's at school. Luckily her friends Brinley and Rachel are there to help with that.

For Activity days the girls learned a dance. Cammy loved it! She wanted to show her moves off to us several days following and wants to be on dance team when she grows up.

Both of Camdyn's teachers have offered a few of the students extra help before school 4 days a week for MATH and LITERACY STUDY CLUB. I am soooo grateful for school teachers and they work they put forth for my kids.

Shhh...don't say popcicle!

Kennedy has been wanting to get her haircut, so when my friend Amy said to come over today, Kennedy was very excited. I can't look while Amy snip, snips....I like to see the finished product. Kennedy loves it and looks so grown up! The Happy Birthday Banner I started while in Arizona is finally done. I hung it up to tie off all the ribbons. It matches perfect with our Happy Birthday Plates. Mom started this tradition when I was a little girl and my kids look forward to seeing it hung when they wake up on their Birthdays.

Todds truck without snow covering it.

There's a story to this.....in our house the words popcicle and bath go hand in hand......if Brody hears the words popcicle or bath this is the reaction we see. He pulls his shirt up and heads to the freezer to await a popcicle. He'll hold his shirt up like this until we make it up to the bathtub and start to get him in. For a little boy who says about 3 words, no, yes and mama....he is quite capable of understanding everything we're talking about. Today we saw some huge fish at the Heathman Lodge and later when I was talking about fish, he went into the pantry and brought out the bowl of goldfish crackers :>