City Musuem

We've been wanting to go to the City Musuem for awhile. Um, let me rephrase that. I've been wanting to take the family to the City Musuem for awhile. I'd heard lots of fun things about it, but Jared wasn't so sure. When we found out Laura and Connel would be moving in a few weeks we wanted to get together one last time. We decided to meet in St. Louis at the City Museum. It was a lot of fun. I don't even know how to describe it. I've never been to anything like it before. It was a little hard with Jacob. He wanted to do more than he was physically capable of doing, add that to the fact it was nap time. But, overall he did really well and we all had a lot of fun. We all left exhausted, and the adults all left with aches and bruises from crawling and squeezing through tunnels and chutes too small for us. When we were getting to tired to continue, we left and headed to CiCi's for good food.

The suspended tunnels that you crawl through

Katy and Connel
Laura, Bella, and Jacob in the suspended plane

Xandy sliding in the skateless skate park

Katy and Jacob on the train

Bella and Xandy waiting for the train to stop

The girls in the ball pit

"Catch"

We'll miss you guys!!! Good luck with the move!

Tornado scare

Friday, Jared and I went to the movies. We do not usually go to the movies. I have a hard time paying $20 to see a movie once when I could wait and buy it for that price. I have to really be impatient to see it or it has to be "Theater worthy" meaning it has to be seen on the big screen to get the full effect. I think the last movie we saw together was DaVinci Code (although I've seen some without him). Jared really wanted to see Angels and Demons, so he called and got a babysitter lined up and off we went. We were about 10 minutes into the movie when it suddenly turned off. As we all sat there confused, an employee ran in and told us we needed to move to the halls and bathrooms, there was a tornado warning. (One employee actually told us there had been one spotted and headed our way- not sure whether this was actually true). Since we live close to the theater I decided it would be wise to make sure the babysitter and kids were in the basement. When I went to call, there was no service. Jared jokingly said "maybe it already took out the cell tower". Not funny to a mom who is not sure what exactly is happening but was told her children might be in the path of a tornado without her there to help and comfort them. I moved to the front lobby and was finally able to place the call. Sarah was on top of things and had already moved the the basement after looking outside. The sky was pretty eery looking, and though I was tempted to make a run for the car to get home to my babies, common sense won out and I decided to stay inside. Eventually the tornado warning expired and we were allowed back into finish the movie. Meanwhile, the lightning storm was continuing. Sarah though it struck somewhere in our back yard several times. The next day several neighbors told me they thought it struck the house behind us. One person claimed to have seen it strike that house. Our next door neighbor said her house shook like an earthquake after the strike. So, Sarah, you are probably right! One week-ends we let the girls all sleep in the same bed. Usually the pick the top bunk and spread out all over the bed. When we came home, I found them all huddled together on the bottom bunk. The next morning I discovered that over $20 worth of new books I had asked them not to take outside were left out during the storm and ruined. I was so mad I had to go running to keep from strangling them (I ended up running 8 1/2 miles- its amazing what anger can do for you). I keep trying to keep it all in perspective. At least the tornado never touched down (if there ever was one). We could have had a lot more damage or people may have been injured. But, its a work in progres, when I remember that we hadn't even had those books for 24 hours, my blood starts to boil again. Anyway, it was an eventful night at the movies!

So you think you can dance...

Benjamin Davis House

Last week I went on a field trip with Katy's class. There is a 18th century home in our town that was restored and turned into a museum. The guides dress in clothes from that century and talk to the kids about life during that time. The parents came away from the excursion with the realization that our kids should do more work. They get off way easy compared to children back then. The kids had fun playing with games and toys from that era, trying on clothes, smelling different herbs, etc. I was a bit disgusted that the babies took a bath last---in the dirty water used by everyone else. I think the babies should have gotten to go first, but anyway. When they go back next year, they get to wash clothes by hands. I'll know who to enlist the next time my washer breaks.

Attack of the Flarp!

Katy attended a sleep-over and came home with a baggie of treats including bubblegum and a container of Flarp. The next day I got sick and spent the better part of the week in bed. Wednesday evening a friend picked Katy up and took her to activity days. I sent the other kids off to play and settled on the couch for a little nap. Xandy came and asked if she could have some gum from Katy's party bag. After explaining that she could not have her sister's gum without asking first and that Katy would be home in an hour, I sent her on her way to play again. As I closed my eyes and drifted closer to the sleep my body craved, I was awoken by Bella. She was rambling about Xandy having green stuff in her hair. The girls have green hair glitter and though I don't usually like them to play in it I was too sick to care. I figured, hey, if that will keep them busy until Jared gets home more power to them. I laid back down and drifted to sleep. Soon, I was awoken to the sound of Jared coming in. He sat and talked to me before heading back out the door to pick Katy and her friend up from Activity day. About this time I realized the girls had been to quiet upstairs so before Jared left, he went up to check on them. This is what he found..........


Apparently, Xandy decided to sneak some of Katy's gum (she was chewing gum when he found her). While in the treat bag she came across the container of Flarp. Curious, she opened the jar. We're still not sure what happened after that, but it ended up all through her hair. After an hour of an angry sick mom trying to comb it our of her hair, without trying to be gentle I might add,we were no closer to having it out than when I had started. Her dad took over, and tried the idea he had suggested at the beginning, that I had ignored. Evidently, it rinses right out with water. So if you ever find a container of Flarp in your child's hair just stick them in the shower and it will rinse right away. Unless, you want to teach them a lesson they won't soon forget. After mom tugging a comb through her hair for over an hour, Xandy will think twice about opening a container of Flarp again!

Happy B-day!

Alexandra turned 6 the last day of April. She was lucky and got to celebrate 2x this year. When PopPop and Martin were here the Sunday before her B-day we had a few presents and a cake. We figured it would be more fun with family. Then the Rays ended up coming for her actual B-day so we had a party again. Xandy was really grown up this last year. She is very opinionated and very artistic. She must get that very Jared since my stick people leave a lot to be desired. She is constantly making crafts. One of my favorite is the HSM paper dolls she made a put in her scriptures. I looked over during Sacrament one Sunday and they all are playing with paper cut-outs. She LOVES strawberries. That is a strawberry cake layered with sliced strawberries, topped with coolwhip and served with homeade strawberry icecream. (Her request) I love you sweetie!

Visit from the Rays

Tonya and her family came to visit for an extended week-end. Thursday while the kids were in school and Jared was working, Tonya and Dustin went to the temple. I took the 4 little kids for a bike ride to Culvers. It started to rain while we were there and the kids were not sure about riding back in the rain with their slushes. It was an interesting adventure. Friday, Dustin, Tonya, and I took the little kids to the zoo. I'm not sure why I don't have any pictures of that. I love the St. Louis zoo and always enjoy going. Saturday Jared, Dustin, Xandy, and Austin went to Katy's soccer game while Tonya and I tried a new fitness class at the YMCA with the other 3 in child care. After we met up again we went for icecream at Bobby's and to Miners Park or "the train park" . In the evening we sang a lot of Karoake. It was a fun week-end and we enjoyed their visit.

Crazy times

We've have had a crazy past months. After two weeks of visit from Martin and Pop-Pop we had a fun last minute visit from Tonya and her family. I was sick most of the next week and last week was a blur of activity. I am way behind on blogging but hope to catch up in the next few days before our next round of fun. We'll start with some random pictures

We've been so busy having fun, we fall asleep while eating!

A little HSM Karoake on the side

DDR with Uncle Martin