Beth

I was in charge of getting Beth ready and to the bus stop this morning.  That is usually Kevin's job.  He has much more will power when it comes to getting out of bed and let's face it I haven't had a normal amount of energy since '99.  I made her cinnamon toast and she realized that if she bit into it she'd ruin the chocolate lip gloss on her lips so I ran up to get the tube to refresh her lip gloss and told her and Andrew to start walking out to the bus.  As soon as I got downstairs I saw the bus coming ran to the door, saw her running to the bus and saw her plate of toast with two tiny bites taken out of it on the porch.  She was on the bus before I could get her toast to her.  I didn't want her to start the day without breakfast she leaves at 8:40 a.m.  and doesn't eat lunch until 12:40 p.m.  I got in the car with her toast, two packs of fruit snacks, and a glass of water (half of which spilled on my pants on the way there) and quickly made my way to the school so she could eat before going in to class.  I parked, saw her in line and made my way toward her, the kids know me so I heard someone say, "Beth forgot breakfast".  When I got right up to her I could tell that her eyelashes were wet.  Even closer I could tell there was a gentle sob.  I thought this was because she was going to have to start the day without sustenance.  But she pulled me close and whispered in a barely audible voice, "I didn't get hugs and kisses".  Words can't describe what this did to my heart and soul.  All I know is she is teaching me what really matters.  She let me hold her tight and kiss her cheeks and forehead.  Oh how I love this precious girl that Heavenly Father has sent to me.  I feel so inadequate to raise her and prepare her for the world ahead but for today, I can give her hugs and kisses.

Raspberries

Grandma and Grandpa Newman are known as the Grandma and Grandpa with the raspberries.  The season is nearly over but Grandpa and Andrew were able to find a few.  My kids love raspberries.   I wish I dared to grow some of my own.

Parachute and Bubbles

We went to a fairy tale activity at the library.  A storyteller told the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk then let the kids play with the parachute and create bubbles.  Looks like my kids share my love of the parachute activity.  I thought this was the greatest thing when I was little.  I'd purchase one but you need about ten kids to really make it work so I guess I'll hold off.

Giant bubbles.

Fairy bubbles.
Tons of fun!

PORTLAND

I am overwhelmed at the prospect at writing about our nine day packed with activity trip to Portland especially because I am not skilled at placing photos and text on my blog.  But, I know that I will forget what I don't record so I will attempt to do our trip justice.

Friday, April 19, 2013  Beth, who has been counting down the days until we get to go to see Aunt Eli and Portland, awoke with a sore throat.  This girl rarely gets sick so I thought it might be a short lived thing and that it wouldn't affect our trip.  We finished packing up and Riva picked us up to go to the airport.  Our flight was delayed by thirty minutes which turned out to be a lucky thing because while waiting Kev's long time friend, Dave Pickett, called him to say that he had been in Salt Lake and felt he would be a bad friend if he didn't at least call him to let him know he had been here.  Well, it turned out that he was also at the airport and was able to run from his concourse to ours and talk with Kev for a few minutes before we took off.

 Enjoying some sweet soft pretzels before the flight.

I think Kev was on a business call in this photo and thus the look of concern vs. the look of joy he had when Pickett called him a few minutes later.


The flight was not full which is so nice.  Kev sat across the aisle from me, Beth, and Andrew.  Both the kids did very well on this flight and our recent flights to Mexico and back.  Andrew loves to look out the window and do the countdown before we blast off.

Sipping on Sprite, his current favorite beverage.

Beth slept for most of the flight, which should have been my first clue that this was not going to be a quick illness for her.

After renting our stylish minivan from Alamo, we headed to meet Aunt Eli and Jeffery at their home.  (We didn't even go in their house because of the time it can take to unload and reload the car.)   We added their gear to the van and took off for the coast.  Aunt Eli packed some darling snack gift bags for the kids with PB&J sandwiches, Goldfish crackers, and fruit snacks (three of the food groups of childhood) and some cute notes that said Dear Beth/Andrew, Welcome to Portland!  I love you! Love, Aunt Eli  (I wish I would have taken pictures of them.)   Thank you Aunt Eli.  Aunt Eli also started our culinary tour of Oregon with some delicious sandwiches from Grand Central Bakery.

Out of the blue the week before our trip, Andrew asked what the biggest airplane in the world was. Kev told him about the Spruce Goose. On our way to the coast we noticed signs for the museum that housed the Spruce Goose, what a coincidence!  Elise and Jeffery were kind enough to indulge the detour.  Two huge, beautiful glass walled buildings houses the Spruce Goose and other flying wonders.  The $25.00 per person ticket price meant that we enjoyed the view from outside the museum but even that was impressive!  And, the kids were able to play on one of the coolest playgrounds we've ever been to.  

 Beth up the rocket ship tower.

 Pure joy!

 A very tall rocket ship tower.

 The tube slide off the tower.

 Elise is sure these are constructed to ensure several injures per yer.

 Beth at the top of the rocket tower.

Piloting the helicopter.

It also had swings, more slides, a pretend airplane with rows of seats and a couple of see through tunnels.

That evening, we arrived at the beach house that Elise had rented for us in Lincoln City.  I am kicking myself because I knew I would forget to take photos of it and it was beautiful.  Here is a view from the upstairs window looking out at the ocean, deck, and hot tub.  I could live here.  It had three bedrooms and lots of other space for us to spread out.  We all enjoyed the hot tub and seagulls came to the deck to be fed in fact I think that is what the white speck on the railing is.  

We went to a Moe's restaurant to enjoy some great seafood for dinner.  Beth almost fell asleep before her shrimp arrived and Andrew ate a hot dog---his tastes aren't very refined yet.

Saturday, April 20, 2013: Beth awoke with bright red swollen cheeks.  The poor girl was growing sicker.  Dr. Newman determined it was Fifth Disease.  (Later in the day we discovered the rash all over her body, she still had a bad fever and her ear started to hurt.)  We decided to still head out to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport about 20 minutes from Lincoln City. 

 Watching aquarium workers feed the otters.  They threw them large clams that the otters cracked open to get the meat.  It was fantastic to watch.

Andrew

Andrew isn't fully sleeping through the night.  Twice in the past week he has snuck undetected in to bed with me and Kevin.  Last night he even brought his little stuffed Mickey Mouse with him.  Three nights ago when he woke up crying at 6:30 a.m. I almost immediately went to comfort him which is against the rules of the sleep training we have been doing with both of the kids.  I crawled into bed with him and the first thing he says is "Mom, I was so worried about you." Then in his half asleep language he explained that he was calling for me and I wasn't coming.  I had never heard him used the word worried before.  He obviously knows how to pull on my heart strings.  I'm hoping that quite soon they will both be successfully sleeping through the night every night.

Gilligan's Island

So, while cleaning Andrew's room a couple weeks ago I was singing the theme song to "Gilligan's Island"  I got the part where it pauses after  "...the professor, and Mary Ann...." (and Beth pipes in from her room "Jesus").

Beth's 100th Day of Kindergarten

 To celebrate 100 days of kindergarten, the students in Beth's class dressed up as if they were 100 years old.

 LeAnne Cardwell, a hairdresser, and our kind neighbor showed me how to put Beth's hair in a bun and let us borrow the curlers to make her ringlets.  We wanted to keep the curlers in, but they got in the way of her glasses.  The shawl was a blanket someone crocheted for Beth when she was a baby.  Grandma Taylor let Beth borrow a hand painted brooch to hold her shawl together. 

 We bought her reading glasses at the dollar store and made a "chain" to hang them around her neck.  She also wore white knee highs under her night gown that were rolled half way down her calf.  She was absolutely adorable!  Wish I knew how to make the video work.

Prayer

On Monday, February 4, 2013, Andrew said the blessing on lunch all by himself.  It was his first independent prayer.  Also this month I walked in on Beth saying her night time prayers without being reminded to.  I couldn't be happier that my children are recognizing the importance of communicating with their Heavenly Father.