Hawaii Vacation Part 6

Welcome to Waikiki Beach! Friday, April 27th!

We went here to watch the fireworks, and after hours and hours of playing, and waiting and EXTRA hour for them to start, my kids and Jacob were in the BaThRoOm and missed the whole thing. Evan and I watched and it was fun, except he kept crying. The kids swam, played in the sand, "surfed the waves" as Kelton would say, and it was a calm night of Subway and waves.

Hawaii Vaction Part 5

Aww...the dreaded curse we have that we always get hurt on vacation. Chase landed wrong and crunched on his shoulder from an attempt at a smooth landing off the trampolien. I knew it was wrong when he landed badly and didn't stop crying. He's a tough cookie, unless he's hungry, but he was good and belly full...so I was worried. I could see the bone about one inch long missin from the "collar bone" stretch of bone. Its easy to see on him too...he's a little boney. Anyways, the ER dr said, "nope. not broken ", and something about moving and swollen cartlidge...then showed us xrays. they gave him a sling and sent us home to "come back in 5 days if he's not better." He struggled for about those 5, but we weren't sure what else they could do, and he wasn't crying at night anymore...just stiff. We let him tell us, and he said he wanted the sling off...so we took it off. We just had to be very careful not to bump or touch him. We came home to Idaho and had him xrayed again by our orthopedic surgeon, and yep- it was broken. He had an entrance and exit brake. He was very zoomed in though...and was healing great. He was so glad to get both mommy and daddy at the hospital. Usually its just me. Daddy is aparently very cool to have there too! :)

Hawaii Vacation Part 4

It was fun to see Kelton and Dakota rekindle their friendship from when they were babies. They were buddies. It was so fun to see them be great friends.

SWAP MEET @ the Stadium:

We got a musical wooden frog that you strum from the back to the front (over his humps) and it sounds like a croaking frog! Chase got a snazzy snap watch, angry birds and Taelin got a hello kitty. Kelton didn't want it, but he got a painted coconut (in the husk), a ukelele (for "all the kids") and an angry bird wallet. The sno cones were yummy, but the blue vanilla flavor was AMAZING, Evan just squaked the whole time trying to get more bites. We took an easy morning of walking, but by the time the kids were "done" we were half way through, so Daddy and Mommy went back the next week to check out other things we'd missed. :)

Hawaii Vacation- Part 3

USS ARIZONA: Went headed out just 5 minutes away from the Allred's house down to the USS Arizona's Memorial. The kids were given booklets and answered questinos about the monument and Pearl Harbor. We watched a video giving a detailed account of Dec 7, 1941. We took a small ferry ride over to the memorial that stood just off the shores of Ford Island, the previous Air Force and Navy base called Pearl Harbor. Kelton and Taelin are on the Arizona Monument looking into the smoke stack. We say the memorial (chase and evan) were 1,170 people lost their lives on one boat. When the Japanese attacked, it hit the Arizona's fuel tank and exploded the ship in a massive boom. The kids were well behaved and we got a few fun pictures of people smiling in our back ground :) Their last names were Jansen too. My kids were a little shy when an Asian woman asked to take pictures with our family, "I like you." she said. Many Asians would stare at Taelins hair color...and freckles. She was shy in the beginning but a few days into it, she would smile, way and giggle. Daddy and Kelton put a lot of time into his booklet, and he was so happy to share what he learned later with his class. It was nice and warm outside, not too hot at all.

Hawaii Vacation Part 2

Flying on a plane with 4 kids, ages 8 and under is tricky. You get A LOT of looks like "please don't sit here!" or comments like "well, dont you have your hands full!" Seriously, the last comment we have gotten at LEAST 20+ times! :) Its just a nice way of saying it though, so we don't mind. The funniest comment I think we've gotten to date was on the way to the airport with our TONS of baggae, carseats, carry-on bags, children, strollers, and medical bag, that a girl  in her 20's (who was on the hotel shuttle with us) said, "I will NEVER complain about traveling again." We laughed, cause honestly, its a juggling act full of loaded arms, fingers white with tension for the bags they are carrying, and lots and lots of patience.

 I'd like to consider my kids seasoned travelers. They know the drill, they remember the funny lady on the instructional video, they know when to board and when the put their tray tables up and in the right position. They know they get gum, and no matter what I always pack too few diapers. Seriously one time I took 12!

They did great, Evan was a little monster, but hey, he's 19 months. My boys turn into monsters at that age and soon reappear as sweet little boys again around 2.

The first few days we just hung out with the Allred's! It was so fun to let the kids adjust their time schedules and enjoy our great friends! We each have kids the same ages, but opposite sexes: Dakota and Kelton are (8), Sailor and Chase are soon to be (6) - these two sets, the boys are just 2 months older than the girls almost exactly! Taelin (4), Tagert (3 1/2) just 6 months apart and then Evan (20 months) and Pepper (9 months)

Hawaii Vacation: Part 1

We flew out of Salt Lake City, so we took off a few days early and decided to check out the new Church History Museum and let the kids see the new exhibit on the Book of Mormon. Kelton's and Evan's favorite part was the chickens that clucked when you took the eggs out. It was so fun to see our friends the Lundgren's, they're kids are so darn cute and getting so big! It was a nice way to start the vacation. the kids went into the spash park at the gateway mall and we met for lunch and then a park later. Altho the kids didn't sleep well in the hotel, it was still nice to get a extra day in of adventures...and mommy got a nap :)

You Gotta Move it Move it, April 21, 2012

When I held a baby girl in my arms, I guess I knew this day would come. A day of glitter and hairspray, of tights and ruffled tutus. So, on April 20th we had her first dress rehersal and I got to see all the excitment that comes when little girls get to become little glitter queens.

With just the right amount of glitter, makeup and curls, we entered the world of dance. She loved that night, and it was fun to see her work all year and perform in front of a huge crowd. She did great (thank goodness for those blinding lights)! Great Job Taelin!

ballet: dolly dance with me

Tap: You gotta move it move it

 Taelin watching the performance and loving every minute of this glittery night

 She did so well for her first recital ever! I loved how she watched for Ms Jill to give her directions and almost had it memorized. She was so happy!

Oma, Opa and Corey came to watch her the night of the performance. She was so happy to have guests come and watch her, she looked for Daddy and waved during the finale. :)