We've finally started to reach the age where our kids are interested in playing games! It's amazing!!! Games mean some quality family time, quality one-on-one time, or quality sibling time. What a great way to build our relationships.
Zeb has been asking to play Stratego for what seems like years now (probably closer to months). We finally made the time to sit down and play.
He was more excited before he got beat a few times in a row. Maybe next time I should go easy on him? Maybe not. How else will he improve his strategies?! Here's a hint...don't tell your opponent which players are guarding your flag. Hehe!
Magic Labyrinth is one of our favorite games to play with all the kids.
They love getting to help set it up (you put wooden pieces in random places to make walls on the gameboard) and then figuring out how to get the tokens without losing their magnet. We've been having lots of life lessons dealing with being good sports and teamwork. Yay for family time!!
Zeb's scout troop had their annual hike one weekend. It just so happened that it was the same Saturday as our ward's youth temple trip. Bryan got to go to the temple with the youth. I got to take 5 kids on a hike. Not sure who got the better end of the deal...
We went to a local farm and got a tour of the property. It was very interesting. They have a lot of neat historical features (old mills, a sweat lodge for a local tribe, lookout points to see a good portion of the valley, etc.) that the boys got to learn about and experience.
I was told that the hike would be on a dirt road and stroller friendly. Hmm....my double stroller was not making it up the hill. If you see specks of color on the top of the hill, that would be 3 of my kids with the scout troop. Thank goodness for friends who are willing to keep eyes on my little adventurers while I stayed at the bottom with Liz and Oliver.
Because this farm also does things like pumpkin patches, tree farms, etc., they have a few play areas. Elizabeth was much happier to hang out with the "secret toys" - it was underneath a large tree - than try to keep up with the big kids. She refused to get out of the stroller while we were hiking. Kept saying she was scared. Where did this all come from? I think she was just tired since we've all been battling colds for the past month.
Olive slept the whole time. He loves being snuggled and held...and I love wearing babies. It's a win all around. Once my babies realize they can move and be in control of their limbs, they lose the desire to snuggle (with the exception of when they are sick). I take advantage of this stage while I can!
The owner of the farm took all the kids on a hayride following the hike. So much fun! Great way to start the day. Now to hit the pool!
Blessing day for Oliver John! We love having family join us for any reason at all, but it's even more special for something like this. I absolutely love having Bryan be such a great man and example of a priesthood holder for our children. It was such a wonderful Sabbath. Even if I was playing the organ instead of sitting with my family. Even if traffic caused a few delays. Even if Oliver wasn't in his clothes until the very last minute, causing a slight panic. Oliver was very well behaved. The blessing was wonderful. Our lessons in class were great. Lunch was delicious. Family company couldn't be better.
Yay for forever families!!
Apparently Zeb got jealous of Lizzie sleeping in the book cubby.
He was actually playing hide-and-seek, but still. He's nearly as tall as me. There is no possible way I could bend enough to fit in the cubby. Silly kids!
Oliver is such a good sport with his siblings. They love him and love him and love him and bend him. Luckily he slept through this particular love.
Next time we'll just take the toys off when he falls asleep.
Bryan has made it home "early" a few nights this month so we *shocker* go to the pool. Really, the only shocking bit is that we are the only ones there.
Fun family time!!
A few days after our company left to go home, our kitchen sink decided it was time to give out. Not exactly sure what happened, but the faucet was leaking enough that Bryan decided it was time to replace it.
So much for getting an action shot. Haha! It's so nice having a handyman around. It's also very nice having a functioning kitchen sink. It was a relief to not have to do the dishes for a day...until the sink was put back together and wow! do the dishes pile up with our family size. I still wouldn't trade them for anything!
Elizabeth has started putting herself on timeouts. I usually don't even know what she is doing it for. She won't really talk to me until she's finished.
It's just a little hilarious to find her sitting or kneeling on the stairs with a pout-pout face. When I ask what is wrong she'll just say, "I'm on timeout" and leave it at that. I'll let her know that I'd love hugs when she's done and typically 1-2 minutes later I get some great hugs. What a cutie!
This is how we get ready for bed. Family scriptures, family prayers, family ride on Daddy. Isn't that how you do things too?!
Do they make those daddy saddles (you know what I'm talking about...you've all seen the ads...) to fit 4? Good times!!
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