Colorado!

With tickets $56 ROUND TRIP I made a reason to go to Colorado. My Aunt B is one of those people that is always delighted to see and talk to you. I'm pretty sure she makes everyone feel that way, but when she offers an open invitation to visit her any time, I have no problem taking her up on it. She was my pen pal when I was a silly 8,9, and 10 year old and would often send stickers to me inside the envelopes. It pretty much eternally cemented my love for her. 

After I booked the trip and was figuring out some logistics with Aunt B, she asked why my mom wasn't coming too and the thought didn't even cross my mind to invite her! We fixed that quickly and sadly, Mum couldn't get on the same flight, but still got the same deal for a 9:30pm flight instead of the 7:30pm one we were on. But the joke was on me because my flight was 3 hours delayed (Bless you google for mining my data and giving me a heads up because Frontier left me completely in the dark). Mum ended up leaving before we did! It all worked out though and my kiddos did great on the quick flight despite being waaaaay too tried.

Technology is my friend. J was a hoot and loved looking out the window. She saw the city lights and said, "Fascinating. Fascinating, fascinating!" and delighted a lady sitting in front of us. M loved riding on a plane and thought take off was particularly exciting. He was even telling me about it yesterday, a month later.

 We came on the perfect day and had fresh snow falling on us the next two days. My kids had a blast.

On day two we made snow cream. I was so surprised that my mum and the others had never experienced one of my favorite college discoveries. This much fresh snow+ 2cups milk+ 1tsp vanilla+ 1/2ish cup of sugar = homemade ice cream the slushy consistency of homemade ice cream on the 4th of July in Phoenix.

The next day we went down to Colorado Springs for my cousin Lianna's baby shower and went sledding. My mum has amazing pictures that she shared with me on a flash drive. A drive I blame M for losing. I like how I can blame all missing things on him. We had so much fun sledding and M was so adorable, I was able to forgive him for the 3 hour process each night of trying to get him to go to sleep. Pictures to come when I finally get them.

The sledding combined with the hip adjustment I gave her the day before put Lianna into labor. Well who knows what did it, but I take credit :) We helped out with watching Korrali (and took zero pictures) and then the last day I took my kiddos to Denver's Museum of Science and Natural History.  That groupon for the AZ science center membership has really been worth it because we got in free in Seattle and here. Denver's beats out AZ for sure. They had a great balance of exhibits to space ratio and many exhibits you don't need to be able to read to enjoy. They had more things for the younger crowd and this little astronaut loved the dress ups.

The natural history part was excellent and reminded me so much of DC

Look, Big Sis! Bison (I had a bison shirt as a kid she loved to mock me for)

 The dinosaur at the entrance was pretty impressive. Note M's expression.

They had a live demonstration of a heart and lung dissection. My kids were riveted.

It was one of those rare museum excursions that worked out perfectly. All fun, very little stress. The whole trip was a bunch of fun and we loved having a chance to spend time with the wonderful Quillens! Thanks for having us!

Gender reveal

Gender reveal parties have sort of become a thing in the last couple years and I loe a good reason to have a party. When I was scheduling my ultrasound the secretary at my OB asked if I was going to find out the gender. I told her yes and that a gender reveal sounded fun but it also sounded like work and I have no energy for work. Then she told me the magic, that I didn't have to do anything but show up, a friend or family member does all the work FOR you. My eyes brightened and I realized if we did it this way then my hubby didn't have to take a day off work to come to the ultrasound and we could give this 3rd baby something a little special and different. 

So I asked Big Sis if she wanted to throw the party and she emphatically said, "YES!" We almost didn't make it to our own party because 2016 dislikes me as much as Dec 2015, but thankfully we were able to coast in just in time.

She decorated cute little water bottles and everyone chose one to vote. 

 Then we opened up a box of balloons and were doused with silly string

There were also delicious cupcakes from Aunt Chris. Jace was disappointed by the news.

One the way home Husband and I had this conversation

Me: So what boys' names do like?
John: I don't know. Kilometer? We could have a theme.
Me: What?
John: Miles...
Me: Oh! Bwhaha
John: what's the next statute greater than a mile?
Me: Umm a hectare? No, that's a unit of area. But we could name him Hector#nerdlove

I posted it on facebook with the picture and it sort of exploded with a million likes and comments so baby brother's official nickname is now Kilo.

Merry Christmas!

These kiddos moved too fast to get awesome pictures.

"Mickee Mowsh!"

A big girl bed!

Paw Patrol and Shopkins water bottles

Band-aids! Because the FSA money hadn't been spent yet...

Paw Patrol cars!

My Little Ponies Twilight Sparkle Friendship Rainbow Kingdom Playset (The name made me laugh)

You can't even tell how sick and miserable Husband and I felt! I should have also snapped a picture of my fancy new trash can and the new Mindy Kahling book Husband surprised me with. I gave husband a quad copter that didn't actually arrive despite me ordering it mid November. It wasn't even stolen off my doorstep like my sister's gift and my much needed continuing education book. You know, because Dec 2015 hates me. But the kids had a great Christmas and that's what matters.

That time we did a Christmasy thing that I forgot about

My friend Rachel was singing at a nativity display. Our friend Diane isn't Mormon but was also going so we went. Diane and I both thought it was an outdoor living nativity thing but it ended up being a elaborately decorated church displaying hundreds of nativity scenes with a very formal concert happening in the chapel. Not something I would bring my active children to because it almost gave me a nervous breakdown trying to keep them from touching and destroying things. And the futile attempt to keep them quiet during the concert. It was stunning though and the music I could hear from the foyer was top notch. 

I almost typed that I was glad we went, but that is probably a lie. I just asked J is she remembered this and showed her the pictures. She just went "uhhhhhhhhhm."  Oh Dec 2015, may we forget you as easily as J has.

Ballet Recital

Mele kalikimaka was wonderful and she was so excited for "stage day!"

If you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, she will consistently say ballet teacher.

J's Lego Unicorn Party

Before Christmas, we had a birthday party. I felt a little bad because J had been cruising pinterest since November dreaming about what kind of party she wanted. She changed her mind several times but committed to a lego unicorn party. I figured, why not? Then the evils of December happened. I only got about 6 of the super cute invitations made (no pictures) and ended up just text messaging invites to the rest of her friends. Then I find out that the cute invites that were finished five minutes before picking J up from preschool didn't have the last digit of my number on them. Oops. Probably why only one preschool friend ended up coming :)

It still turned out pretty cute even though I'm fairly certain I threw up a couple times that morning. Not my best work, but who the heck cares! We had marshmallow lego heads, lego brick juice boxes, and lego candies in bags fastened by lego barrettes (those were made before December happened).



 I don't know how it happens but her parties are always really mellow despite 15 or so kids. They colored lego guys as everyone started arriving.

We had a pinata and I'm still on a four year streak of no one crying or getting hit with the bat.

We frosted sugar cone unicorn horns and they were a hit.

Cousin Lyla

Brinley G, Lyla P

Adia 

Aiyanna M  and Selene P

Penny B and Riley Z

BFF cousin Ellie

Cousin Kenzie

Miles and Kaleb

Pin the tail in some variation is always a hit. Always. Especially when you can steal back drops from other people's parties and not have to spend a dime on it.

A little curling ribbon was perfect.

We made ice cream cinder cake with some oreos on the top for the legos.

It's important to me that December birthdays get all the fuss they would in a different month. Pair that with my inability to leave anyone out of invitations and this girl makes out like a bandit between her birthday and Christmas.

Happy birthday to the best little girl! 5 has been your best year so far.