This weekend was super fun/tiring/crazy. We headed up to Camp Stimson for some ward camp out bonding time. Super yummy food and great company. Only problem is I am pretty sure our ward has been cursed with some kind of evil wind curse. Because every year on our Ward Camp Out as soon as everyone gets into the tents and starts to fall asleep for the night it like a stinkin' tornado plants itself down on top of the camp site and attacks the entire night. It literally sounds like a train is coming down the canyon and is going to smash you to bits....over and over. All. Night. Long. The kids slept like rocks. But no body else got any sleep. So other than the night time the camp out was a huge success! Thanks to Melissa & Patrick who didn't get relax at all while they planned, served, and made everyone else happy! You guys were awesome! Easton and Ty had a blast playing with all the kids, and successfully managed to cover every nook and cranny of themselves in filth (I would expect nothing less).
Ty loved this little bridge. He would walk across, look at the stream, and walk to the other side over and over again.
Finding some ladybugs...
Sister Smith was the genius who brought glow sticks for all the kidlets. We could watch them glowing off in the distance...
Easton's favorite part was playing in the stream until he was so wet and cold he couldn't take it anymore.
Ty's favorite part had to be this stump. As we were cleaning up getting ready to leave he just sat on the stump, kicking his feet, watching us the whole time.
About 5.2 seconds after getting into the car and heading home, the boys were out. So tired.
Right as we got home, Uncle Ryan, Aunt Rebecca, and little Carson showed up. They had been in St.George for the weekend and came down to spend the day with us. We let the kids play, went to dinner, put the kids to bed, and then played a little Super Mario Bro Wii. I have to say, I have never seen a more spectacular Mario Bro player than Ryan...I mean, truly a sight to see. :)
I must have been completely delusional and sleep deprived from the night before and the "Wind Curse" previously mentioned, because I did not take a single picture while Ryan & Rebecca were here...lame. But they did come and we had a real great time.
So a fun weekend. The best part might have been going to bed in my own bed Saturday night (with no wind)...I am pretty sure I haven't slept that good since sleeping with the pain medication they gave after giving birth.
Today is Ace's 30th birthday! {Woot. Woot.} Ace is on a crazy job right now and has been working really long hours. I had been wanting to do something really great for the big 3-0, but I realized very quickly once he started this job that the last thing Ace would want on his b-day is a big birthday bash, because he was coming home from work so exhausted. And since he has been working a lot I knew he would want to spend time with the kiddlets and not have them at a babysitter....So for the last, forever, I have been trying to think of something that would be a fun kids/family thing AND calming and relaxing and stress free for Ace. (Can those two things even go into the same sentence?) Then, I came up with a plan that I thought could work. I thought it would be fun to go down to the Strip as a family, stay in a nice hotel, swim, relax and have none of the house/work worries...
We got to the hotel around noon on Saturday. Things started off smoothly enough.
This was the view from our room...
So obviously, we headed straight to the pool.
We were having such a great time we didn't even notice our very wrinkly feet...
After swimming, we hung out in our room, watched TV, had some bagels. Then we decided it would be fun to go bowling. This is where things started to take a downward spin...I realized after swimming that in my rush to pack my family's clothing and supplies I completely forgot to pack myself any pants. Yep. I wore a knee-high dress to the hotel and didn't really think it would be appropriate to go bowling in. But I wasn't going to let this little set back ruin our weekend of fun...so I grabbed a pair of Ace's basketball shorts, sinched them up nice and tight, rolled them up a few times and called it good (I am not making this up, people). When I walked out of the bathroom to ask the fam "how do I look?" Easton saw me and let out a bellowing laugh and said, "You look so funny, Mommy!" Nice. I also realized I brought zero pairs of socks to wear inside of those nasty, sweaty bowling shoes. Perfect. But never fear, the bowling alley had a vending machine filled with socks... $4.00 later I had my ONE pair of socks. Awesome.
But bowling was super fun...
The birthday boy showing off his professional bowling skills.
Easton, checking to see if there is any possibility cracking the floor in half.
Ty, showing us what he can do...
{Not the best picture but, see that manly looking creeper hunched over Ty, that would be me in my awesome, perfectly matching I might add, outfit}
Easton after getting his first strike.
First round scores...
Second Round Scores...
Okay, first I have a theory about any sport/game that I have ever played I start off at my best and gradually get worse and worse as we continue to play. None of this practice makes perfect junk. Second, Easton had bumpers and I did not. Third, it's Ace's birthday so of course I am going to let him win. :)
While we were bowling I caught a glimpse of what was to come. I noticed Easton's eye was reddish. I didn't think much of it because we had been swimming...
After bowling, we went to eat at the Cafe
Then back off to the room for a movie and sleep time.
Easton was real excited about sleeping on his very own couch.
So, we all went to bed thinking it was going to be a very peaceful night. But, about 2:30 am I woke up to Easton wheezing and coughing (like the deep croup sounding cough) he could barely breathe. Ace gave him a blessing, which made things so much better. Then I sat with him in the bathroom, with the hot shower running to help him breathe better. Then, I noticed his eye. Goopy, red, grossness...pink eye. Fabulous. At this point, Ty is awake, happy, and ready to play, and Ace says we should just leave and take Easton to a Quick Care. He went down stairs to check out and I start packing up.
Ty literally was as happy as ever.
Poor Easton, on the other hand, was not.
So at 4:00 am we left the comfort of the hotel, and off to spend the rest of the night in a quick care. Until suddenly, as I am carrying Easton to the car he sits up and smiles at me and says, "Mommy, I'm not sick anymore! I am all better!" I looked at him. His eye was totally cleared up. His voice was a little raspy, but he was breathing fine and there was no cough. What? Did we just dream this up? Ace and I just thought we were completely delusional. (This just sounds even crazier as I am writing it, by the way.)
So, we drove home. Listening to Easton chat about bad guys and batman the whole way.
Just feeling grateful. Grateful that he was okay. Grateful for a Priesthood Holder Hubby. Grateful for the fun that we did have together. And Grateful that at 5:00 in the morning we can all be happy and laugh about how weird/baffling/such a blessing the situation is.
So Happy Birthday Ace! Even though our weekend didn't go just as planned, we hope you enjoyed it a little!! :) Maybe we will try again next year... ha.
And here are the boys wishing you a happy happy birthday! Nose picking and all!
This past week has been a lame attempt in getting back into a routine. My excuse, it's too hot to do anything, but sit and play with the kids... so that's really all we did. Except I did venture out (in the middle of the stinkin' day, even) and went grocery shopping so that we didn't starve to death (in my opinion, there is nothing more horrible than grocery shopping in the Vegas Summertime. Bleh.). I consider that very productive.
So, nothing real great happened, but my kids were cute all week long...
Easton & Ty have decided that the closet is a real great place to play... They pick a toy, climb up on the totes, close the doors and have the time of their lives. I walked into the playroom, and just listened to their cute little conversation outside of the closet doors forever before I opened the doors and "caught" them.
This is my ring made out of a pipe cleaner. Easton had been playing with some pipe cleaners by himself for a little bit when he came up to me and said, "Mommy, I made this ring for you, because I love you so much. Will you wear it forever?"
It just happens to be my new favorite ring...
The boys {sometimes} play so nicely together.
Cute Ty
We went to Chili's and they had one of those balloon ladies there... Ty got some kind of tiger hat, and Easton specifically said he needed a sword and a helmet. Ha. That picture pretty much describes entirely what Easton is into right now...
Bad Guys, Weapons, Helmet Safety, Dragons, etc...
Speaking of Dragons, for the past 2 months or so he has been introducing himself as Easton Dragon Casper or Easton Dragon for short. If you ask him his name the conversation would go something like this:
"Hello. My name is Easton Dragon Casper. Easton Dragon. And my new house has stairs. Does your house have stairs?"
Even when I am talking about him on the phone to someone he gets mad at me until I correct myself and say, "Easton Dragon".
And lastly, a little video...
Easton is very picky about when and where he wants to sing. He loves to sing, but gets shy about singing in front of people... But for some reason Easton has found that he enjoys to sing while he is **ahem** using 'The Loo'...(The video isn't the best quality because I had to be a bit sneaky)
