Splish Splash

There is just something about little kids in a tub. I LOVE it! Every time Hallie and Eli are in the tub, I just think it is so cute. Maybe it is because they both just seem to love it. And I love it when they are happy.   Maybe it is because they are clean, or maybe it is because they are contained to one place and I don't have to chase them around. Whatever the reason I love it. The whole time they laugh and play and splash.I honestly think I have a million "tub" pictures, because they are just so. dang. cute.

Eating is a waste unless its Ryan's Alfredo

I am not a big food person. I don't like to eat, and think it is a total waste of time. I think of all the time in a day spent thinking about what food eat, making food, eating food or feeding your children food, and cleaning up food. When all is said and done I swear half your day was a slave to something that had to do with food. (and I don't even make the food). That's the day to day food issues. We won't even go into the time you waste eating when you are on vacation. You could totally pack so much more fun in a short vacation if you didn't have to spend time deciding where to eat, waiting for your food,and then eating the food..

Don't get me wrong I enjoying going out to eat, if it is the event. I love going out to eat with Ryan when on a date, and going out to eat with friends is always fun. But that's because that is my plan for the day/night. I don't have to stop what I am doing to eat  and I don't have to clean it up.

With all that said, I have to say one of the times I really look forward to eating is the night I know Ryan is going to make his Broccoli Alfredo. I  love Alfredo and I have never eaten anywhere that has Alfredo that tastes as good as his. It is my FAVORITE. I seriously think I could eat it everyday. It is so rich and creamy. My butt and thighs aren't too fond of it, but who cares it tastes delicious!  Then you throw in his breadsticks, and it is my heaven. I can't get enough. I am actually quite sad right now, because tonight for dinner I just finished off the leftovers. That means starting tomorrow I will again dread all the time it takes out of my schedule to eat food.

He CAN be sweet!

Eli can be such a handful for me sometimes. Especially lately it seems he has really been testing my patience. But last night the kid totally redeemed himself, and made me realize he can be a sweetheart sometimes.

Eli's great-grandparents gave him a little two wheeler but the tires needed to be fixed. We finally got it fixed the other day, and now all he wants to do is ride his new bike. He talks about it all the time and just loves it. So we clear the cars out of the garage and he just rides circles for extended periods of time, 9because it is so darn cold he can't actually ride it outside).

Well, last night we went out to dinner and then to Ross. Of course while we were out he kept saying when we got home he wanted to ride his bike. (He actually calls it a bicycle, because the grandparents that gave it to him call it that and so he is convinced it is a bicycle, not a bike). While we were out and about I started to get a migraine (again!) so we come home and I go straight to my room and lie down. Eli goes out and rides his bike, while Ryan takes care of Hallie. A couple minutes later Eli comes in my room. I say, "Hey bud, why aren't you out riding your bike?" He says, "Because I just want to come in here and lay by you so you will feel better".So of course, I jump on the chance to snuggle the cute little kid, because he never lets me snuggle him. And I felt so good knowing that he chose me over his beloved bicycle. Mom-1 Bicycle-0. YES!

As we are laying there he is being so good, and not very wiggly (amazing!) and I ask him what he is thinking about. He says, "I am just thinking about how much funner it will be when you don't have a migraine anymore. Then he says, "And it makes me sad when you are sick".Awww. What a sweet little boy. He does care about his mom. He made my whole night.

A much needed vacation

One thing I miss the most, and the least since Ryan quite his job is his traveling. I miss it because he traveled so much that there was always a couple trips I would get to go with him. So I always had a vacation to look forward too. We always stayed in really nice hotels, all our food was paid for, I usually got either a massage or pedicure, and many times we were completely catered too. Well since Ryan has quite his job we no longer get to enjoy those perks, but I also get to see Ryan a lot more because he isn't flying here or there all the time.

Well because he doesn't fly here or there all the time we have not gone on a little vacation for quite some time. Of course being the spoiled brat that I am,  I was complaining to Ryan, so he set up a nice relaxing vacation for the two of us. Now we didn't stay in any 5 star hotels, and we had to pay for all our meals, no massage, and no one catered to us at all, but it was still one of the best vacations I have been on. Why you ask? Because we had absolutley NO responsibility, it was warm and we shopped a lot! We had no plans whatsoever. so we could do whatever we felt like doing whenever we wanted. It was great!

So this is our trip in a nut shell:

Arrived in St. George-shopped and ate.

Arrived in Mesquite: relaxed in the hot tub. Slept.

Arrived in Las Vegas-shopped and ate.

Arrived in Primm: shopped, hot tub, slept.

Back to Vegas-Shopped. Gambled-a whole four dollars (those penny slots are a killer)

Arrived in Cedar city: Hot tub, ate slept.

Drove home the scenic way.

Notice the trend? Lots of shopping, eating and sleeping! It was great!

And now I am ready to be a mom again! I missed those cute kids!

and Thanks Ryan for the weekend away! It was PERFECT!

Thanks a Bunch!

My parents are the best! Without them Ryan and I would not have been able to go on our relaxing vacation. And I know when I am gone the kids will be fine, and not even miss me, because grandma and grandpa do so much with them.

Eli loves being there. I don't know how they keep up with him so well, I mean I am young and he wears me out. Yet, they are OLD and they just cater to his every whim ,and play non stop with him. This time my mom had to work all day Thursday, so my dad had to watch the kids all day long. I think that night he had the best night sleep my dad has had in awhile. I am pretty sure Eli wore him completely out!

Whenever I leave my kids with people I am always afraid that whoever is watching them are going to be bugged with them or just go crazy, (because lets face it, Eli doesn't just wear you out physically, but he is emotionally exhausting also). And then there is Hallie who sleeps sparatically. so I am always more worried about the people watching my kids, than I am about my kids. But every time my parents watch the kids they always act like it was just a party the whole time, and that my kids were 100% perfect. As much as I would love to believe that is true, I know how they really are. But I always hope that maybe they are telling the truth and by some miracle Eli behaved, only asked an appropriate amount of questions, and Hallie slept like a charm. At least this is how my parents paint the picture, so then I don't feel as bad that I left them to take care of my kids for four days straight.

I am so glad that my parents are so willing to help me out with my kids.Anytime I need a babysitter whether it is for an hour or a week, they rearrange their schedules to help me out. And I think they may be the only people that love them almost as much as me!

I asked Eli what he liked best about grandma and Grandpa's house and he said:

When grandma plays blocks with me and reads to me. When I play outside and water the pond with Grandpa. And watching Conference with Grandma.(I don't know what she did to make conference so fun, but I know growing up watching conference wasn't a highlight for me).

THANKS again mom and dad!