Where in the world....

 I guess it has been a while (5 months) Since I updated the blog... Who's really counting though?!

We have been in Idaho since July 2nd and LOVING every minute!! 

(Although we do miss Daddy very much!)

I may have shattered my phone again... and lost the ability to download all the pictures... again...(it happened a year and a half ago) 

Here is what I do have, 

Porter is starting to walk A LOT! Still unsteady but really tries.  He followed me all morning as I vacuumed.

Lydia is getting so big!  And so sassy!!

  

 There is construction between McCammon and Grace, so on our way to Pocatello, (equivalent to an Anchorage trip) we end up waiting in long lines.  But this is our scenery.  It's beautiful. A different kind of beautiful than Alaska, but still beautiful.  

 Crazy girls waiting for the construction

We went to Pocatello with Uncle Eric and Aunt Michelle and the cousins, Ethan and Lauren to watch Despicable Me 2.  It was really fun, and lunch at Cafe Rio.  Delicious!

 Our first purchase here was a kiddie Pool!  SO HOT and WONDERFUL!

The kids were in it every day the first week we were here.  It's tapered a little but not much. Such a relief...as you can see even Mommy has been enjoying it's cool relief. 

 And there has been lots of cousin time.  We are trying to redo Mom's downstairs bathroom and oh man is it a mess doing remodels.  Don't think that's something I will every enjoy.. haha But we are doing it together and that's really fun.

 And we were finally able to make a trip to see Grandpa and Grandma Parkinson! 

We will be back soon hopefully!

The kids were really excited and it was a wonderful visit!!

Love you two so much!!

 There are two parks in Grace, well a park and the school play ground.  We have been to both a few times, so today we went with Annie to Soda Springs to play at their park. Lots of fun new things! Best Rocking toys ever!

 Lydia is turning into quite the climber!

 And so is this little guy!!!!

Of course with all the new play ground equipment E was mostly interested in the trees to climb. :)

Henry made it below 1000 on his iron counts, to 800 actually!!! YEAH!!

So this whole trip he gets to take a break, no pokes for a while month and a half.  Hopefully it stays down so we don't have to worry about weekly appointments while he's doing school too.

The kids are starting at a new school this year, we get home the day before school starts, good one Mommy. 

It will be so weird having two kids in school all day! And I won't be driving them every day... we're trying the bus out. A bit scary for this Momma Bear.  But then I imagine all the things I will be able to do during the day.  WOW! Time to spend with my babies. Weird! ahhahah

Life is passing so quickly, but we are soooo abundantly blessed.

We are so grateful to be in Idaho with Annie and Grandpa, and soooo excited for the upcoming family reunion. I haven't seen all the brothers and sister in forever!! What a great time it will be. 

Love to all our family and friends

Can't argue with That

J tried to explain to the children the cost of milk (after yet another cup of milk spilled... not the cheap stuff either, H's $3.75 Lactose Free milk), in a manner that they might comprehend. It went something like this:

J: "Milk is really expensive, it's about half of your allowance. (H has acquired a large sum of allowance in recent days...) Would you like to buy the milk with your money H?"

H: "Yes."

J: "Well, how about this, would it be better to have milk or money?"

E: "Well, isn't it the same thing?"

 

We are still learning the skill of reasoning with children... it's a bit tricky. 

 



Oh Alaska

We enjoyed a week of warm 40 degree weather this past week. 

Spring was in the air, Henry and I ran and rode bikes twice and even went to the park after school

And then Saturday came... Which was an awesome day (General Conference!!)... minus the 11 inches of snow.

Our coming week calls for days of more snow.  The ground was almost clear...

Every year we have a snow storm in April, and yet every year I find myself nearly distraught when it happens.  The promise of spring is in the air and I think, maybe this year we won't get snow in April.. hahaha April laughs in our face every year!  Oh April I am beginning to dislike you!

 

However in the month of April we get to celebrate this little ladies birthday.

I felt truly Alaskan playing at the playground Saturday amid snow flurries and very cold temperatures.  But we met up with Henry's school friend and had a great time.

 

These three played last week during the "sping" weather, Porter napped in the sun and even got a sun tan...my truck heater has been on cold because I have been too warm...we are so Alaskan haha A/C in 40 degree weather.



 Lydia is having so much fun with her older syblings! Trying to be the baby but also grown up...it's difficult but somehow she pulls it off.

 Grandma created another amazing cape for "Princess Lydia"

She was so excited for her Birthday, every time I asked her she would yell "YEAH!"

Couldn't get another shot of her...she wiggled too much.. due to her diet that day. (SUGAR)

 

This little fella is learning to crawl, well inchworm his way around the floor, eating everything in his path, sisters books are being slowly slobbered into a fibrous diet for P.

 

Most of our outing exclude dear E because she is always in school.. but she's growing so fast!

She loves to help with Porter, being a little Mommy is her favorite past time.

She is reading like a champ, and we are discovering the world of "Judy Moody" and "Junie B. Jones" and she is really into mystery books, thanks to a little boy at school.

And we discovered that cousin Ethan is reading them too.. the mysteries.. so we are working on reading some more.

Such a wonderful girl! Growing tooo quickly

 

Mommy does this mostly...well ok to be honest the laundry sits on the couch for days and when we finally have some one coming over, then it's put away. It's hard putting things away when you have no where but boxes to put them in.

Also, Mommy has started Coaching church Volleyball... just being on the court again... playing makes me smile all day long!!! Oh I have missed it, I really do love the game. 

 

Friday fun days!

Every Friday we eat pizza and watch a movie or play games, last Friday my kids watched the old version of "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"  So much fun.

And here's a glimpse of our newly carpeted upstairs :) 

We have so much space and nothing to fill it with, allows for lots of running around room. 

We are thoroughly enjoying this beautiful house. 

 

Porter Man!

He laughs and smiles and you can't help but smile too!

He is such a joy!

Daddy has been busy, busy working.  After adding up last years hours he discovered that he worked an extra six months in a 12 month period.  Figure that one out.  He worked so much over time last year that he started lapping himself.  This years goal is to take over time as comp time and then USE the comp time to spend time with his family. (Or Sailing with friends.. whichever comes first.. hahaha)  We so love him for all he does!

Henry's 5!!

 Henry has been a super hero fanatic for quite some time

He even wears his costumes to school

When I asked why he wanted to wear Captain America to school he said,

because I want everyone to say "Hey Captain America, whats up?!"

Thus his birthday cake this year was Captain America's shield (Its a good thing he's so young he can't tell how aweful it is!)

 My favorite part of the birthday..

A Super Henry Cape and matching shirt!

So he can be Super Henry instead of Captain America

Since we all think he really is a super hero!

 Mommy should really invest in a "Cake Decorating Class.."  Why didn't I inherit that ability from my mom?

This is pre hair cute Henry.... we kept putting it off

Until his teacher threatened to take him home and cut it herself

Daddy asked every day, "Want me to cut your hair today or tomorrow?"

He chose the later.

For at least two weeks...

Mom got fed up with it and did it anyway, to much protest

 

 

So he made it to 5! 

And his counts are at 1000 (iron levels)  Seattle says he needs to maintain a below 1000 level consistantly and we can be done with weekly blood draws. 

He's such a champ, doesn't even make a peep when they poke him, infact he enjoys the days he has to get three pokes or more because that means more stickers or toys. Such a silly, wonderful, sweet kid!

 

By the way, I do have other children... you may not have realized that.. I feel like all I do is post about Henry.  While he is a vital part of our family, there are others... and since it's past 11pm I will update tomorrow on the remainder of our family.. because they are growing sooooo fast!!

Valentines Day

Happy Belated Valentines Day!

I had grand plans to celebrate all the days leading up to Valentines, but my ambition were thwarted by forgetfulness and laziness.  And so this disorganized mother will have to try again next year.

H and E had parties in their classrooms to celebrate

E found a balloon on her desk from H after gym class and was so excited.

H also found one of those huge Hershey kisses for Daddy.

It was a fun day!

Mommy and Daddy aren't so good at presents for each other... so my valentine came in the form of a dry truck in the garage. It snowed all night on Valentines, and since J works nights he pulled it inside so it would be clean and warm for us in the morning.  Best present ever!! 

And then Mommy took all the kids, by herself, to the high school basketball games. It was really fun!  Well crazy, hectic, drag L around by her overalls kind of fun... and the bits of game I caught were great.  (L can climb those bars faster than mommy can turn her head! That's her blur in the front of the picture.)

Made me miss playing.

E enjoyed the cheerleaders more than the basketball... I quickly informed her she wouldn't be able to do that.  I am sure because I told her that she will do it anyway. 

We are still holding out for Volleyball.

 

Another dumping of snow and blue skies meant another trip to Hatchers pass!

Oh I LOVE this area!

This was taken from the top of 16 miler

J had to get his extreme sledding fix... sledding on the hills with kids wasn't extreme enough

 

 

And post sledding we went for some ice cream...

Red headed child stole the ice cream while sleeping child slept

and devoured it!

 

 

 She's getting tooo big!

They love having play days with Daddy.. it means ice cream haha

 

Looking forward to spring, but trying to enjoy all the snow until it arrives.