Mackenzie Learns to Ride a Bike

Aiden taught Mackenzie how to ride a bike today.  It took her about 5 minutes to pick it up.  That's my girl!  Here's a video of her riding.

Chucks!

You know those blue pads you get at the hospital that catch fluids?  They're called chucks, and Rich was able to come by a case of them a few years ago.  They have come in very handy this week as puke catchers.  It's never a good sign when you have done an entire load of laundry in the middle of the night, which is what happened last night. 

Last Wednesday, Connor came down with a GI infection.  At times, he was puking faster than I could clean it up, and sleep has been something I haven't been getting much of.  Yesterday, things were looking up and he turned the corner by bedtime.

However, Mackenzie woke up in the the middle of the night bawling.  She had puked all over her bed,  which is something she repeated several times.  She was asleep on the floor this morning and her bed once again had vomit on it.  Then Aiden started puking this morning.  I fear we have some very long days ahead.

Easter Sunday

Sunday was Easter, and the Easter Bunny paid a visit to our house.  The older kids got a lamb pillow pet and blanket and Connor got Nanny McPhie.  We ate ham and asperagus quiche for breakfast, an Easter tradition, and then the Baker clan came over for a delicious Easter dinner with ham, homemade mac’n’cheese, broccoli, and Magelby's style rolls.  It was fun to have an excuse to pull out the china, crystal, and table cloth we got for our wedding.  I wish I had taken a picture.  I forget how pretty those dishes are.  Makes me want to use them more often.

Easter Egg Hunt

On Saturday, April 23, we went to our neighborhood Easter egg hunt.  We had so much fun!  There were potato sack races, egg spoon races, parachute games, and of course, the Easter egg hunt.  Everyone brought a treat to share, and the kids came home loaded with goodies.

Birthday Girl

Mackenzie is four.  I can hardly believe it.  She was lucky enough to have two birthday celebrations, one in Idaho, along with Aunt Janae for her birthday, with the Hymas clan, and one at home with the Baker clan.  Here are some pics of the celebrations.  Could she be any cuter?

Family Resemblance

At Connor's 1 yr birthday party (post coming soon), we started looking at some old photo albums.  Here are some pictures of the kids when they were one.  I think you'll see a slight resemblance. :)

Daddy Daughter Date

Rich took Mackenzie out for a Daddy Daughter Date. Ya, he's a good dad.  She was so excited. She got all dressed up in her princess dress up and shoes from Aunt Kel, and off they went to the Corner Bakery for dinner.  The Corner Bakery is always the place the Mackenzie picks when she gets her own special one on  one time.  I think she likes the name.

Word of the Day

While driving in the car today, Mackenzie told me something very interesting.  "Mom, I have a hypothesis.  When water is black, it's dirty.  When water is white, it's clean." 

Santa

The other day, I stopped at the mall while we were out and about for some sorely needed stuff.  It was suppose to be a quick in and out stop.  However, Santa was right next to the store we went to, AND there was no line, AND we had missed all of our opportunities to see the man himself.

Sadly, however, I did NOT have my camera with me.  But, I'm so glad we stopped.

In years past, Mackenzie has usually burst into tears when she sat on Santa's lap.  Not this year.  It was so fun to see her light up with the magic of Christmas.  I wish I had my video camera with me so you all could see.  Aiden was unusually shy and apprehensive about seeing the big man himself.  I think he was now a little intimidated and nervous about meeting him.   Good times!

Halloween

Despite having 5 sick little Hymases, we had a nice Halloween.  Friday, we went to our ward's Trunk or Treat activity.  It was a lot of fun.  There were lots of costumes, food, and candy.  The kids went as a soldier, princess, and pea in the pod.  Sadly, I did not take any pictures.  They got gobs of candy at the trunk or treat part of the activity.

Saturday, Aiden, Mackenzie, and I went to Grandma and Grandpa Baker's house to go trick or treating.  Aiden was a cowboy and Mackenzie was a ladybug (we have too many costumes for the kids to choose from).  We only got to go to about 3 of our neighbors houses before we got rained out.  But they still managed to have pretty full buckets because Grandma and Grandpa's neighbors made up some special sacks just for our kids.  They are spoiled, I know.


All in all, it was a really fun month full of Halloween activities here on campus.  Good times!

This is the Place...

Aiden was off from school Thursday and Friday for UEA, and we took advantage of his time off and went to a fun Halloween activity at This is the Place Heritage Park.  Our neighbors got us two free passes, so I only had to buy mine.  It was a beautiful, warm autumn day.

The kids dressed up in their Halloween costumes.  Aiden was a cowboy, Mackenzie was a ladybug, and Connor was a pea in the pod.  The activities at the park included a trick-or-treat neighborhood, a story telling witch, kid friendly crafts, train rides, tractor pulls, pony rides, and panning for gold.  There was plenty of fun for everyone.  The kids had a GREAT time!

Our neighbors Andrew and Josh

Ride Em, Cowboy!

Future rodeo star

There's gold in them thar hills

Wagons, Ho!

Outlaw

Happy Halloween!

Luv Sac and Prince Caspian

I have been trying to interest my kids in letting me read chapter books to them for years.  I've tried everything from Harry Potter to the Mouse and the Motorcycle with no success.  This fall something has changed.  We started reading Prince Caspian from the Chronicles of Narnia, and they can't get enough.  Every night, they like to cuddle up under a blanket on the Luv Sac downstairs and have me or Dad read to them.

Who wouldn't LOVE those little smiles?

Hair Cuts!

Cutting their own hair seems to be something that every child does.  Unfortunately, the bug bit at my house, again.  The other day while I was making dinner, Aiden got the scissors out and clipped his and Mackenzie's hair and then Mackenzie finished the job.  Sadly they both have been grounded for the last 3 days.

Mackenzie LOVES to go to Cookie Cutters to get her hair cut.  So, I felt in a pickle because I know they are affordable, do a great job because they see it all the time, and they are convenient.  But we don't want to reward bad behavior.  In the end, I buzzed Aiden, and took Mackenzie to Cookie Cutters.  However, I didn't let her watch a movie (standard when they get a hair cut there), I didn't let her have a balloon, and I didn't take any pictures while we were there.  The worst thing about it is that she looks so stinking cute with her new little bob, but I can't tell her that.  I'm terribly afraid that the kids are going to do it again.

Before

Aiden After

Mackenzie After

Bees Baseball

Mackenzie has been asking all summer to go to a Bees game.  Rich actually got the whole weekend off, so we took advantage of it and went.  We always like to watch the games, and this was no exception, but I must say it was LONG!  At 10pm, we were only at the bottom of the sixth, and Connor and Mackenzie were done.  Every time we plan what we think will be a nice family outing, I forget to factor in the baby.  Rich and Aiden thought about staying and riding the train home, but in the end, we all came home together. Sadly, that also meant that we missed the fireworks.  Aiden ended up getting a foul ball on the way out of the stadium though.  It just plopped right over the stadium wall, and Aiden and Rich chased it down.