Quick trip to Oregon

We weren't sure that taking a vacation of any sort would pan out this year because work has been nonstop for Jon for months and taking time off would be difficult at best, but Lydia can be very persuasive. Jon said he wasn't sure that his boss would allow him to take a vacation. He asked the girls what was more important to them: for Dad to be home with them at night or to go on a family trip, because maybe his boss would let him go if he worked all night at the office. Never mind their responses. Lydia and Sophie actually went to JUB and talked to Jon's boss, Brian, to ask permission for their dad to miss a few days of work so that they could go to the Oregon Coast. They were much more gutsy in practice, but after hearing their argument (and helping them through it) he told us to have a great time! So with that obstacle out of the way and with Lydia's reminder that she would be off track for three weeks (having gone for not quite three weeks to this point) we just had to take advantage of the opportunity; so we did! Knowing that Sophie wouldn't be missing preschool if we went now sort of sealed the deal and made it absolutely the ideal time to make our beloved trek out west to see Aunt Jess and Uncle Derek and spend as much time as possible at the beach. So on August 24th that is what we did.

 

 

We got Lydia to her ballet class that Wednesday (after spending the previous night packing like mad) at 10:45 and left for the coast soon after picking her up. We weren't all that far into our travels when Lyds started complaining that her throat hurt. We tried getting her to drink water. We offered her fruit snacks, which she rejected, but the salty Frito's sounded good to her so she munched on those and garden tomatoes as we cruised on our way. We needed to make a quick stop at the JUB office in Twin Falls, Idaho so that Jon could pick up some meters for some jobs. Quick my eye. Just before Jon got out of the car Lydia was telling us about her sore throat. Jon told her he was sorry and that she was just going to have to be tough. And then he left and I turned around to talk to her just in time to see her vomit violently all over her blanket, her backpack and the floor of the car. And so I sucked in my breath, realized that that's what she'd meant by her throat hurting and made a hasty exit to find some cleaning supplies. It was then that I started wondering if just turning around and heading home wasn't the thing to do. We were only three hours in. What if Lydia was really sick? Fortunately Jon had a much better attitude when he discovered what had happened and while I cleaned out the car and got Lydia washed and feeling better, he rinsed out her blanket and backpack. Lydia was feeling better now and this little delay didn't set us back by much when all was said and done.  We did have to make a potty stop on the side of the road at one point and several other unscheduled potty stops, but that's to be expected with the little ones.

 

We rolled into our hotel around 1:00 am and left early the next morning. I'm glad we weren't staying there for the duration of our trip. Though it was definitely nice to have a bed to sleep in.

 

And then the fun really began! We were off to pick up Aunt Jess and get this party started!! We stopped at Mom and Dad Stott's and the girls got to watch Frozen while we washed Lydia's blanket. Derek's mom was so nice to lend us some blankets as fill ins while we washed Sophie's and Mia's too, and it was fun catching up with her before heading to the beach.

We stopped at Jimmy John's, had a picnic at a nearby park and I love that, for the most part, these girls are happy wherever they are. They would have been content to play at the park had we decided to stay there, but since that wasn't the plan we piled in the van and the girls got to watch a movie on the way to the water and we got to talk to Jess. A win for all of us. It was so warm when we got to the beach! We were overdressed for sure. Apparently this part of the world was experiencing a heat wave like we've never seen before, and so instead of gray skies and hoodies we were loving the sun and witnessing plenty of sunbathers. The water was icy cold though. With the sun shining like it was, it was deceptively cold. My feet actually hurt when I ran in the waves with the girls. I'll never understand where their endurance came from. They were in the water for much longer periods of time than I was. The sand was so hot in some places that I felt like my feet were going to catch on fire and in contrast the icy water was painfully numbing so much so that it took extremely long to warm up afterward. Wet sand seemed like the best option if I wasn't chilling with Jess and Mia on a blanket.

 

 

And Friday was just as bright and beautiful as Thursday was. Warm, clear skies. We dined at Tom's on fish and chips. The adults did, anyway. The girls split a cheeseburger, and although I feel like they missed out on a tasty meal, I think everyone was happy with their choices. Jess took some fabulous pictures throughout the trip and I loved talking to her while Jon and Lydia and Sophie ran from the waves and dug in the sand. Sophie liked getting buried and making a cake of sand. She loved going into "the water waves with Aunt Jess." And both Lydia and Sophie were determined to create fantastic sand sculptures like their dad. Mia pointed at the water, but preferred not to touch it.
Can't say that I blame her.

 

 

And on our way back to our car we stopped to get ice cream. Have I mentioned how entertaining it is to watch these ladies eat ice cream? It's the best! And such a tasty tradition.

 

Jess texted Derek on our drive back and he met us at the hotel with Papa John's. I'm so glad the Stott's like pizza as much as we do! And it was really nice of Derek to join us whenever possible. The girls just love Jess and Derek. He introduced Lydia and Sophie to rock, paper, scissors after dinner. The girls loved it! They played several rounds trading off with each other (whoever wasn't trying to beat Uncle Derek was drawing pictures for Jess and Derek while she waited for her next turn) until it was bath time. Jess and Derek were meeting with a member of their Bishopric for a calling and so we said goodnight to them earlier than we'd have liked. It's always earlier than we'd like. We later found out that Jess and I had the same calling! Beehive advisors. So fun to be serving in the same calling. It was only to be for a week because on our drive home I found out that I was being released from YW. I later found out that I'd be serving as Senior Primary Chorister. A terrifying calling, but exciting to be in Primary for the first time in my life. But back to our trip... 

I forgot to mention that we stayed at a much nicer hotel Thursday and Friday nights. We were on the 9th floor of this fancy shmancy place and it was packed.  We didn't get a chance to check out their pool, though I imagine it was pretty awesome and probably rather busy, but we did enjoy the breakfast they provided. The girls ate everything and nothing at the same time. How, you might ask? They were very good at at least wanting to try everything. But when it came down to actually eating everything, they discovered that some things looked better than they tasted. The omelets though. Mmmmmm. It's probably best that we were staying somewhere else for our final night. Yup, three different hotels in four nights. Not ideal, but all part of the adventure. The girls woke up earlier than I did with Jon and said that watching Charlie Brown was one of their many favorites of the trip. And when we were packing up to leave the hotel Saturday morning Mia was having the time of her life climbing up on the luggage trolley. She got such a kick out of standing up on it and moving it around by herself and she discovered that being pushed around on it was the very best option. She even pushed her sisters around. Everything about that contraption was super cool.

 Well, once we were loaded in our car we picked up Jess and Derek and looked forward to another warm and wonderful day at the beach. Unfortunately it was not to be. We tease Derek that being a native he brought the true Oregon weather when he joined us that last day. It was super overcast and downright chilly. The wind was blowing and we were not prepared for the drop in temperature. Jess took some pictures of Derek near other people's dogs and the girls loved watching dogs. There were plenty to be seen. The girls still got in the water, but none of us lasted as long as we had previously. We determined that it was time to get some crepes (a must if you're ever at Cannon Beach) and so we sat and enjoyed our strawberry, banana, nutella and cream filled crepes. Which Mia couldn't get enough of. Let's be honest. None of us could get enough of that tasty goodness. And then we headed to our final hotel where the girls could swim in the pool for the first time this trip.

 

 

We checked in and met up with Jess and Derek for dinner. Those two! So generous! They treated us to this amazing dinner. The sweet potato fries were delish. Even the girls would say so. And the burgers and salad were unbelievable. I know I rave about food a lot on here, but it's nice to take a break from cooking and enjoy something different. Two thumbs up for Mr. Bento's Burgers. I'd recommend it to anyone and dine there again for sure in the future. We returned to the hotel, suited up and spent some time in the water. The girls really enjoyed themselves. Again, let's be honest. Jon did too.

And when Jess and Derek met up with us they brought these amazing shakes (from Burgerville) with them that were the perfect ending treat to a fabulous vacation. As if dinner weren't enough! All three girls were running from me to Jon and back again so they could sample some of that tasty goodness. Mint Oreo for me and strawberry for Jon. I was happy to share with the little ones, but I'll admit that I probably ate mine a little faster than I would have had I known I'd be enjoying it alone. Sometime while we were sharing our shakes, and while Jon was holding Mia (before I'd changed her out of her swim diaper) she took care of business and left a rather large mark (or two) on Jon's shirt. He said, turning to the girls, "I'm wearing a pee shirt!" And then the laughter began. Lydia had never heard anything so hilarious in her life. She and Sophie giggled for a good five minutes and then for the rest of the evening the silence would be broken by a fit of laughter. Oh Mia, one day you'll get to relive this memory you inspired. Hopefully it'll be as fun for you then as it is for your sisters now.

 And that's that. We said goodbye to Jess and Derek, got the girls to bed and packed up. We'd originally wanted to go to church with Jess and Derek and head home afterward, but Jon was traveling for work on Monday and we knew that getting an early start would be best thing for all of us. So after a good night's sleep (with these girls tossing and turning in every possible direction) we headed back to Layton. No throw up on the return trip. Just plenty of potty stops.

Clearly we packed a lot into those five days (three really, when we subtract the driving time) and I'm so grateful for the memories. Jon's amazing. All that driving! Not just to and from Oregon, but from our hotel to the Stott's and then to Cannon beach was A TON OF DRIVING on top of the long trek out and back. And because Jon loves his girls, he's willing to do it all with a smile. And so much more! He carried each of these little girls many many times this trip. And we were all happier for it!

 

 

Some of the girls favorites: Spending time with Aunt Jess and Uncle Derek, ice cream by the beach, movies in the car, Charlie Brown on the hotel TV, Lyds loved swimming in the pool and Sophie liked splashing everyone at the pool. And the milk shakes. Clearly ice cream is a favorite for everyone.

 

 

 

Thanks for partying with us Jess and Derek! We should do it again soon!

Sophie, our little gymnast

Thanks to our favorite babysitter Sophie dear is taking gymnastics. And absolutely loving it. We have the privilege of watching her lessons because there are bleachers set up in the building and several classes going on at once. When we signed her up we were told that it might be wise to have her do a trial class and see if it would be something worth committing to. I appreciated that option and enjoyed watching Sophie hang from the rings and walk on the balance beam and take her turn on the trampoline that first day, wondering how she felt about her experience and hoping she was getting as much out of it as she wanted to. And at the end of the lesson it was clear that gymnastics was a good pick for her! She walked away with a stamp on her hand and treat, with her teacher telling me she'd done really well. Since then we've learned lots about her classmates and how to do a bum drop and have gotten to see her improve on her summersaults and backflips.

She loves gymnastics and is constantly asking if it's Wednesday and how many more days until she gets to go to her class. I'm excited for her and love seeing her growth and confidence develop as she does these new, difficult (and incredibly fun) things. Maybe watching the Olympics next time around will be more exciting for her! I love watching the gymnasts!

Lyds, our little ballerina

 Lydia has been wanting to take lessons somewhere for months now. She went to cheer camp for a week two years ago and still talks about it. We drive by the Jr. High where the camp took place and she asks when she gets to go back. But her list of interests is a mile long. It includes hockey, soccer, dance, singing lessons, sewing lessons. swimming, and piano. Just to name a few. A few months before her birthday Jon and I discussed different gift options and decided that signing her up for ballet lessons would be something she'd get excited for and really enjoy. She's still interested in a million things (which I absolutely love about her and I imagine might always be the case) but at least now she gets to dive into one of her many interests. Next year it might be something else, but for now I'll enjoy hearing about her ballet friends and watching her show off her new ballet moves.

Jon often picks Lyds up after her class on his way home for lunch and one day while he was picking her up Lydia's dance teacher came out with her when class was over to tell Jon that Lydia is an absolute joy to have in class. She lights up the room and is so happy and positive that she loves being her teacher. She said that Lydia didn't know how to skip when she first started taking lessons but that she knows how now and she's a really fast learner. Lyds really is a ray of sunshine and we love how positive she is.

Lyds starts Kindergarten

Jon gave Lydia a school blessing for family night the night before school started. In it she was blessed with a happiness and excitement for learning and growing and experiencing new things. "As you start school I bless you to make friends and be an example to them. Some may not share your same values or have the gospel in their lives. You will be someone who follows Jesus. You're a good person who makes good choices. Respect your teacher. Be a good student. Your teacher will love you as we do. Your mom and dad love you so much. Feel comfortable talking about things that happen in your class, including all the sad, all the good and all the things that happen in class. Pay attention. School will be difficult. Things will be hard, but as you listen and ask for help you can master those things. Be an example to your sisters. Show them what a good student does. Your Heavenly Father loves you so much. You're a good person. He's proud of the decisions you're making. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen."

When Lydia was done Sophie decided she wanted to have her school blessing right then and  not wait for school to start in September, so that's what we did! I'll include that in her first day of preschool post.

On Tuesday July 26th (so strange to be sending Lyds to school in July!) Jon and I got to attend Lydia's first day with her. There were stations set up where she got to tour the school and find out where she'd be going to art, computers, library and PE. She made a beaded necklace (probably her favorite activity that day) that would have her name and number on it and help keep track of her when school ends each day. I filled out a questionnaire to help her teacher, Ms Shelley, get to know her and at the end of the day she joined her class on the carpet for a few minutes (Lyds insisted I sit by her) and learned their farewell song. We were told that the kids would start learning Spanish immediately and are so excited for Lydia to have this opportunity.

Lydia didn't have to go back until Thursday for testing. She spoke loud and clear. I got to be in the room with Sophie and Mia who quietly looked at books while we waited. I learned that we need to work on blending word sounds and thought she did a really good job overall. Ms Shelley let her choose a prize from her basket and Lydia walked away with a slap it bracelet. Later that night (after back to school night when Britt (our favorite sitter) babysat) Lydia wrote the following:

We were told not to spell words for her anymore, something that's a bit of a struggle since Lydia is very meticulous, but she's getting there! I just love her enthusiasm and hope that it continues in regards to school.

Friday was her first day of school on her own. Her good friend Lily is in her class (she lives right across the street), Gabe and Gavin are too (friends from preschool). She wore her gumball necklace (a gift from her primary teacher) for her comfort since her teacher sent home expectations that toys not be brought to class. She's always held a little toy in her hand since nursery that has made going to class easier for her. It took some discussion and brainstorming, but we thought these necklaces would prove to be a good replacement for the little toys she's grown accustomed to. We got the girls bathed before school, had a snack (apples and peanut butter ritz) and put her hair up in a braid crown. We took some picture of Lydia with her friend Lily and a few of her by herself. A little boy started crying when they lined up and Lyds lost it. Lots of tears. She hugged me so tight and wouldn't let go. Ms, Shelley took her hand but when she realized she was leading her to the little boy who was crying she pulled back hard. She did not want to be anywhere near the crying that bothers her so much. In the end, she made it into the classroom and I only almost cried a little bit while she was gone. Sophie and I made a pie on Monday the following week and I can't believe how hard the adjustment has been for me. It was so silly when we finished mixing the filling that I got a little emotional that Lydia wasn't there to lick the beater! Both Sophie and I missed her, but I'm pretty sure Mia was okay with the other beater being freed up for her. :) I'm excited for Lydia. She's growing up, and though it makes me a little bit sad it's what we do and she's having some great adventures!

Little update: Lydia has been bringing home books for several weeks now (It is mid October) and is reading like a champ. Her teacher has her rate the books she brings home and we've discovered that on ballet days she almost always gives them a lower ranking. Pretty sure she's worn out by the time school ends and books she'd enjoy on other days never seem to be as good on Wednesdays. I love hearing her read though. All of us do. Sophie joins in and Mia likes holding the books.

Lydia's first SEP went really well. The school does ST math which is a problem solving based math where the kids work on an iPad and solve as many puzzles as they can in a set given time with no instruction outside of what they deduce themselves. Lydia loves doing the puzzles she's already figured out but will spend lots of time trying to solve more difficult ones for her in the same way over and over again, so her teacher set a goal with her to progress in solving those puzzles and to work on her writing. She loves asking Ms Shelley to spell things. Her illustrations are awesome, it's figuring out how to put the story on paper that is a little bit daunting for her. Ms Shelley also told us that she can count on Lydia to bring in sunshine and butterflies. This little lady is so positive and cheerful! How can anyone not love that about her?!