Important Things!

I am back in school. I always have so many emotions when I start back in: happiness, sadness, guilt, ambition, gratitude, humility, exhaustion, excitement and strength beyond my own. One of our projects is to create a ME portfolio. We had to create a collage of important things in our lives. I le The essentials: family, books, motherhood, chocolate, Christ and my religion, humanities, and npr.

Happy Anniversary!

Just Hanging Out

If any of you know me, just hanging out at home is not my forte. I am usually on the go--whether it's work, school, or taking the kids places--I don't stick around the house. I've been going through stuff, trying to get rid of stuff, and realizing I have too much stuff. While I clean, I've been listening to Henry B. Eyring's talks. That part has been an amazing spiritual uplift.

The kids have been left to their own devices: which at this time mean more spy games.

We dressed up in disguises, practiced our bad guy laughs, took some spy footage of Gypsy Girl, and wrote three spy books. Luke wrote two non-fiction books with different chapters, and Anakin wrote a short story. They have been having a lot of fun with just lots of free time to play. We will be on the go soon enough with my school starting on Wednesday. So even though I am some what bored and a little stir crazy--it's a sacrifice I am willing to take for my kids.

Gypsy Girl, on the other hand, has been getting into messes. Yikes! This week she single-handedly flooded the bathroom while I was talking to my mom on the phone.


Here is the footage the boys took of her. It was after she flooded the bathroom, so I stuck her in her crib for "safe keeping". This is what she does every night before she goes to sleep, and every morning after she wakes up. She has been getting her two year molars, so sometimes she even does it when she wakes up in the middle of the night. I'm not sure what to think.

Wordless Wednesday

Which would you rather have?

Chicago Day Trip

Monday, we were supposed to go to "the pond", but it was closed--a very disappointing day. So I was feeling a little "blue" and decided we needed to try and have some fun! I did not want to drive into Chicago, so I figured out how we could take the train and then the bus for our adventure day.

Luke and Anakin waiting for the train!

Both the boys were so excited to take the train. Anakin called it the American train (he is so patriotic!)

Everyone loved the train! We ate our lunch, played games, and Gypsy Girl would hold onto the back of the seats and jump up and down. I did get her settled down, a bit, and we enjoyed being able to look out the window and talk. So much more relaxing than fighting traffic! I actually got to play with my kids, instead of try not to get hit by a car. The best game we played: everything around us moves so it looks like we are moving.

Traveling to Chicago this way takes a bit longer, but then again riding a train for a 6, 4, and 2 year old is so much more fun than being strapped into car seats!

Did I mention that our Van was in the shop getting its brakes fixed, so we were in my husband Saturn with no A/C. Not really a fun way to travel to Chicago. The train was a much better choice!

Kids under 11 ride free on the trains! I just paid for my ticket and parking--the entire experience was cheaper than parking at Soldier Field would have been.

We caught Bus 130 which goes from the station to the Museum Park: Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and the Planitarium. On the way to the aquarium, we passed the Sears Tower. Well it's not the Sears Tower any more because they changed the name, but who can remember the new name? I was too busy making sure that Gypsy Girl was actually sitting to take any pictures, but we had fun!

We arrived at our destination. The Shedd is built right on the lake. It's cool to watch the dolphin shows because the amphitheater looks right out onto Lake Michigan. No dolphin shows this time--Gypsy Girl rather climb up and down steps than watch a show.

Gypsy Girl climbing the rocks.

This is the entire reason the boys wanted to go Chicago. They love playing with the sub!
I can't say that I blame them--it looks like a wonderful play place.

Luke looking in the periscope.

They also have a great play place across from the penguins. We actually got to see the penguins in the water swimming!
Gypsy Girl got pretty tired of the penguins, and soon went to play!

We also got to see sharks in the Wild Reef. Luke loved seeing all the sharks where as Anakin got a little scared.

Then it was on to the play ground next to Soldier Field. Anakin climbed while Luke and I ran races.

We caught the bus, the train, and then drove home in the car. Finding the car was a bit confusing because the numbering system of the parking spots did not make sense. Luke on the other hand knew we were going the right way.
He told me,
"Do you know how I know, by the Holy Ghost."
I replied, "I think you will really like having The Gift of the Holy Ghost when you turn eight."
Anakin piped in, "Then Luke will be accountable."
"Anakin do you know what accountable means?"
Then Luke rejoining the coversation, "I know what catapolt means."

On another note, someone laughed at me. As I was trying to get off the train. Imagine narrow steep steps with a backpack, stroller, and three kids in tow. So I got off the train first, then grab Gypsy Girl's one arm with one hand to kind of help her jump off the train. A commuter is strolling by and sees this entire scenes and laughs. Well, it probably was kind of funny.

We had McDonald's for the drive home. It was a much better way of spending the day than laundry and house cleaning. Although today needs to be a work day!

Anakin sometimes moved a little slow, but for the most part the kids stayed with me the entire time, listened really well.

Water Fight

Yesterday, I had the boys helped me clean the house. We cleaned the bedrooms and picked up our living room. After we cleaned the boys room, Luke wanted to have a water fight. He found a medicine dropper, filled it up with water, and squirted it at me. He is becoming quite the little prankster. I told him after we finished our work we could go outside and have a water fight. Thankfully, I kept my word. I sometimes get a little obsessed when I start clening. We had a great time. Luke got really good at squirting water from the Dasani water bottle. Anakin started to fill up a bucket to throw at me. Somehow he got more wet than I did. Our little girl, just played with the hose and the water. We had a great time after cleaning the entire day.

Lego Mania