Piano Players

Easter 2015-Part One

This Easter we stayed home instead of going to Utah. Since we were in Portland the weekend before, we thought we should just be at home. 

On Friday the kids decorated their baskets with ribbon they had picked out. I need to remember that the best gifts are ones that we can do something with them instead of just something they can do by themselves. They loved decorating. Next year I need to get some spring decorations. 

On Saturday we woke up and Eloise and I ran out for bagels. We watched the Saturday morning session of conference and it went okay. I'm sure as they get older (at least I'm told) conference gets better and better for the kids. We realize that at 4, 3, and 1 we can't expect them to sit the whole time, or understand everything that's being said. I planned one activity-I found ovals with pictures in them. I showed them all the pictures before the session started. Then, when they heard the words during conference, they had to find the picture and color it and they could eat a snack at the table. They loved it. We didn't get through all of them on Saturday morning, but finished Sunday morning. 

Shannon, Jared and Lucas came over, along with Dad, Donna and Shannon's mom and aunt for the egg hunt. Jordan carried on the golden egg tradition and Freddie found the egg. 

We ate lunch with Dad and Donna and Jordan and I watched the afternoon session while the kids took really long naps (chocolate crash). 

Jordan went to priesthood session that night and I found time to vacuum, mop, and talk to Adrienne about conference. It was a good day. 

Cedrik Said Something Funny

The other day Eloise pooped in her underwear. I tried to slide it off slowly and get it over the toilet without it falling out. It didn't work. It fell on the ground in the bathroom. Cedrik was standing there and Freddie walked up. Then Cedrik said:

"Freddie! Eloise pooped and it fell on the floor. That means you need to step on it!"

Days Like Today

I woke up this morning in a good mood. It felt like it was going to be a great day. We even made muffins together this morning. Usually when they help make breakfast, days are good.

While we were waiting for our muffins, we answered the question of the day in preparation for Easter. (Their primary sent home a little sheet that asks one question per day to help prepare the kids for Easter and to think more about Christ.) Today's question was "what is one way you can be more obedient at home?" Both of the boys answered and we agreed we'd work on no begging and no arguing today so they could try to be more like Jesus.

Then Freddie broke a dresser drawer. Then they played in the sprinkler when it was 40° outside.
Then they broke Eloise's ceramic pig that was mine as a little girl.

They argued and begged all day. 

There were some good moments:

Eloise peed three times on the toilet. They all ended up napping (even if it was really late). We enjoyed muffins all day. They went to bed early (which gave me more time to prep for the person I had coming over for a session-a session which went really well). Cedrik prayed on his own to ask Heavenly Father to help him. 

I was the one who learned the lesson today and although my lesson wasn't obedience, it was that I need to be more in-tune to know how to help them. How do I help them become more Christ-like. Obviously, my example needs to be my first thought. And hopefully conference this weekend gives me some other specific things we can do to help make our home more peaceful (our goal by the end of the year). 

"Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father"

Porters in Portland

Portland. It was fast, fun, exhausting. 

On Thursday we drove....all day. The kids were so excited to be out of the car, starting about an hour into the trip. Jordan and I agreed that there is some natural part of children that presses them to ask when we're going to be there-it is built in them. Eloise was great for about 5 hours, then she was done and let us know the rest of the time. 

Dinner the first night was fantastic. Lebanese food from Nicolas. We swam and then went to bed. 

Friday we woke up and thankfully the kids slept in until 8 our time-so nice. We had breakfast at the hotel and then headed to Portland State to see Brian. The boys LOVED him. They played with his drills and flashlights and he let us take two hours of his morning. We ate pizza for lunch and I got to see another friend, Monica. 

Then we went to OMSI.  We spent a long time in one room that was probably the least "young kid" room of the whole museum. Then we found fossils, a sorting game (garbage, compost, recycling, etc) and animals-including stick bugs and frogs. Freddie had asked if we were going to see fish and frogs. I, wrongly, told him no because I didn't how they'd be there. He was glad. The stick bugs were enormous. When they moved their tails, I really thought it was a scorpion. 

We finally discovered the "toddler" room. Smeg, and fun. Water tables, air tubes that shot plastic balls around. It was fun. It was finally time to see the submarine. Jordan took the boys (Eloise wasn't allowed in). I thought it was a 20 min tour-having not seen/heard anything about the time length. It lasted 40+ minutes-I kept singing "3 hour tour" in my head. Eloise and I were done with the day. Jordan said Cedrik loved the whole tour.  About 10 minutes into it, Jordan said he looked at Freddie and Freddie asked what time it was. Jordan said he looked a little worried. He told him he didn't know. Then he looked back down and Freddie's mouth was quivering. He wanted to know when he could see me again. Oh my Fred Head.

When they got to the car, Jordan asked them if they liked it-Freddie said no because he "didn't like the dumb people." While we waited outside for the tour to start, Cedrik stated, "I'm so wound up." OMSI was so stimulating for him but I'm glad he recognized it. Next step, learning what to do when he is "wound up." Dinner was Italian at Pastini-my grilled garlic bread was the biggest hit. 

On Saturday the kids slept in again and we went swimming first thing. We skipped it the night before because Jordan and I were so tired-and so were the kids, especially because they missed their naps. After breakfast we headed into town and rode the Max to Saturday market. We found one kid booth and the boys bought wooden cars (Freddie found a van actually) and they spent their money on that and caramels. 

We made it to the mall downtown, used the bathroom and headed to northwest 23rd. The streetcar was the most fun according to the boys because it went so fast. We found lunch, thanks to Cedrik mainly, at a little Mexican restaurant. There happened to be ants crawling on the wall-kind of gross, but maybe it made it more authentic? It was the best cheapest Mexican food ever. Then it was ice cream at Salt and Straw. So amazing. We were all in love with it. Vanilla, chocolate gooey brownie, coconut with salted caramel bars, salted caramel cupcake. Yum. 

We went back to the hotel so Eloise could nap and that was a great idea. We found a park close to the hotel and had fun there too. On the spinning circle thing, Freddie decided not to listen to everyone's directions and stand inside the bar that helps keep them from falling off. He held onto the bar with his legs facing the edge and as it got going faster and faster he couldn't hold on. He flew off and although he was shaken up, he wasn't hurt-thankfully. 

After the park, it was dinner time. The kids weren't very hungry and Jordan and I ate a ton. Garden burgers, salad and fries. The boys had Roy Rogers for the first time-they were a hit. 

Back to the hotel for pajamas and bed time. Cedrik found the Lego movie on TV and they watched that for a few minutes before bed. 

We woke up at our usual time today (Boise time). That meant we missed the hotel breakfast (devastating for Cedrik, probably because he wanted bacon). It did mean we were able to slip out of town quickly and we made it home fairly fast. Eloise reversed herself on the drive home, crying/whining for 5 hours-the other two were basically during her nap. *sigh*

When we got home they were out back playing in a box for a couple of hours while we unloaded and I made pancakes for dinner. 

Cedrik did tell me that he prefers my dinners over "eating out every single meal. " I am appreciated. And so is Jordan. He held Eloise the whole trip and although he told her he'd had enough of her, all she had to do was smile and give him a kiss and she was back to being his favorite. 

The start. 

Finally reaching Portland. 

Dinner, night 1

Playing at PSU

Their new best friend- Brian

OMSI