TWO's Day

We spent TWO'sDay (2/22/22) at $2 Tuesday at the zoo!

And it was so flippin cold. But there was no school today so we went.

And there were so many people! We started the day off with Kasen getting lost after seeing the lions. I guess he stopped to read something and like 8 other boys had his same coat, so the kid I was watching wasn't even Kasen. I ran down past the monkeys calling for him when I heard someone yell, "Kasen's mom!" Someone had seen him crying and took him to the gift shop so the employees were already looking for me.

But in the primate house we got to see the cutest gorilla family with a mom, a dad and a little baby gorilla!

Then we went to the Sea Lion and Seal training show. Kasen was getting good at his sea lion impression. The polar bear was swimming back and forth right in front of the glass too. Tai was telling me that Polar Bears aren't yellow though! They are supposed to be white. She's recently taught me that polar bears also have black skin.

Mostly Kasen just wanted to go to the reptile house. That's the only place he kept asking to go. The smaller snakes were pretty active too! But the big Red Tail Boa that he was there to see wouldn't move for him.

All Tai really wanted to see in there were the fruit bats. She took me back to them a couple times and was so excited when one was finally eating some fruit and flying around.

Kohen loved this little cat. And the Caution sign that made a loud noise every time he dropped it on the floor! In one of my videos Kohen pushes another little boy away while he's looking at the cat. Such a stinker.

Tyne met up with me and Heidi (#kylefanclub) in the reptile house and then it was getting real chilly! Kasen said he wanted to go home cause we kept getting separated. And the funny thing is that Tai will usually call me Amber. Unless we're in a giant crowd of other moms, then she yells for Mom. Haha

 Kohen didn't seem to mind the cold though and was still able to fall asleep! I think it was the first year we haven't done the carousel. It was just so cold! We made hot chocolate when we got home.

While we were at the zoo Kyle got to go pheasant hunting with his partner, Christian. He shot 3 birds that he brought home and said he prefers cleaning birds than cleaning fish. We'll soon find out which I prefer eating though.

Happy Happy Hearts Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

We did another string maze for the kids to find their Valentines from us this year and this time Kasen finished it first. Kyle was the one to set up the string maze too and he did a great job!

Tai was having a hard time because she wrapped the string around her wrist so that she couldn't just pass her yarn around the furniture, she had to climb all the way through.

"Cheese!"

Kohen didn't get his own string maze, but he had fun running around, trying to figure out how to duck under and climb over the string.

Kohen loved playing with the ball of yarn afterwards too. The kids got some of my chocolate covered strawberries and some chocolates.

I got to go help Kasen's class with their Valentines Day party today. They all made their boxes at school today and Kasen's was a monster mouth with teeth all the way around.

Before Tai went to preschool we were invited to decorate sugar cookies at the Degraffenried's house. Tai was loving those gold sprinkles.

We also painted our finger and toe nails matching pink sparkles and did her hair like a heart!

The last couple weeks she's been asking me to sing songs about love when I put her to bed, but one night she sang to me instead...

"Valentines Day is all about hearts and Jesus and why Valentines Day is so special is because hearts are red like Jesus' blood so we know it's about Jesus about his blood, the hearts are red for his blood that's the one thing some people do not know." The way she kept saying blood was kinda creepy... She sang for a good 2 minutes all about it.

During dinner we went around to tell each person what we love about them. A couple favorites were when both kids offered to tell what they also love about themselves. Tai loves that she can make her bed and Kasen says he loves Kyle because he lets him pick his own hair styles. haha I really do hope that they always love themselves. They certainly are lovable.

Happy happy hearts day, happy happy hearts day!

It was a busy weekend because Friday night I went to another galentines sleepover that Katey planned for us. We went out to dinner at the Mercantile in Midway and then back to her house to eat treats, watch She's the Man and sit in the hot tub. She made yummy toffee and had matching Valentines Day socks for us! It was perfect.

I got to sleep in the cute little loft and the next morning Katey made breakfast for us. She is the the literal best!

When I got home I took Tai to an art birthday party for Hyde and she had so much fun! She got to paint and decorate a cupcake and do a piñata at the party. Then Emma was the best ever and came to stay with our kids while we went out with the Eason's to see Hamilton!

We went out to a fancy dinner at Spencer's and got the yummiest lobster and shrimp scampi.

Eccles theater will stop you to put a mask on, but you can walk in wearing a gun, no questions asked... so that feels safe! But the show was good, especially when you know that some of that cast switches roles during the second half of the show!

I loved our Valentines date.

Then yesterday, after church, we went to Hayden's for a Super Bowl party. We ate lots of good food and Kyle lost his $30 he bought Super Bowl squares with.

Last week we had dinner at my parents house and the kids got to make cute Valentine's Day crowns. Kasen drew Pikachu on his and was so excited that Kyle remembered what color Pikachu's nose was for him, while he was coloring.

Kasen also found a box and decided to make a house for Moltres, complete with windows and a TV.

We got to go to Hank's baptism this month and I love the song that he sang with his cousins, "I Will Be What I Believe."

And this is how Kohen watches ice cream being made and how Tai watches bread being made! Nice and close.

Fire, Fish and Patient Zero's Potent Puke

The first ever Middle Precinct ice fishing trip was a success because Kyle brought fish home! I'm not a fan of catch and release cause I wanna eat 'em, but Kyle doesn't like to clean them. So thanks Kyle for catching, cleaning and smoking fish for our dinner.

It's too bad that ice fishing is so cold because the two times Kyle has gone ice fishing have been more successful than years worth of all other fishing. And it doesn't make him sea sick either.

My fireplace made a sad zapping noise and now the heat doesn't work! I'm so sad. It's been my favorite spot in the house for 3 years. It's where I read my books, took my naps, snuggle, stay warm and eat my ice cream cone every night. Now I have to go back to sitting on the vent when I hear the furnace kick on.

Apparently puking puts Tai in a puzzling mood! She threw up 2 days after Kasen then woke up wanting to do puzzles and did them for 2 days. I said no to getting out the 2000 piece puzzle, but was quite impressed that she did the 300 piece all by herself! She also wanted them all put together at the same time.

 - Tai is the worlds loudest drinker EVER. The gulping noises have to be forced, but she doesn't even seem to notice.

-She is turning into a mini me. When friends come over to play she tells me she wants to keep her door shut so that her room stays clean.

-When she prays at night she's been asking for Kohen to please stop hitting everyone. I support.

-I'm also impressed with her memory. She is always asking if I remember things from over a year ago that she remembers. "Remember when we used to put our laundry by your door. Remember when we went to eat at Chubbys. Remember when I squeezed lemons for lemon juice and it made my hands itchy? Remember when I put my dolls in the freezer? Remember when I zipped my chest? Remember when I threw up pink cupcakes?"

-She lets me know when her toothbrushes are too "thoingy"

-She asked me why Pete's Dragon is called "Peach Dragon" if he is green.

-Her clothes never fit. Size 5 shirts show her belly, but this shirt is size 6. Why?!

We made it to the temple to do some sealings to celebrate our anniversary last month! 

And I loved our ride home. It was a special one talking about answers to prayers. Especially Kasen asking from the back seat, "And what did the mailman's letter say?"

While we were away, patient zero's potent puke continued to spread and infect the world. Kasen and Tai threw up once each and then days later Kohen and Kyle were hit. So were the DeVaney, Gneiting and Day families... It's never ending. Since when is waiting 24 after feeling better not enough? I can't leave my house ever again. 14 people and counting have thrown up in the last 12 days.

7 days after Tai throwing up once, she was up all night throwing up again multiple times.

I told her that Charly was throwing up the same day too and right as she was about to hurl again she said, "And we're both friends". So at least best friends get to puke together, far away from each other! And my best friend of the week is Heidi, who dropped off some food for us. Including cookie dough ice cream! It was Aiden's birthday that day and when we wished him Happy Birthday and told him to eat yummy donuts Tai said she wanted donuts. So Aiden picked out donuts to bring Tai, on his birthday. So sweet.

This right here is probably why this eternal sickness won't end. Kohen insists on putting the barf bucket on his head. That and carry his chicken nuggets around with him while he plays at the park. I don't know how I haven't caught the bug yet, but please let it be over!