School is Out!

School is out for summer!

And Kasen did a cute little "Happy" dance at his dance festival last week. Then came home and taught us all how to play Down by the Banks, Telephone and Nickel Nickel or Marble Marble as we played it.

In her efforts to keep him from being bored and then talking to everyone (he's Kyle's kid) and distracting other, Mrs. Wilde introduced Kasen to his love of the Dogman books. A deep love! I'm just happy he loves to read.

I'm also fairly certain that she will never forget Kasen after his infamous Halloween costume drawing of October 2021.

This year I learned that no matter how long and hard I dig though the lost and found, Kasen's coat and jacket will always randomly show up sometime after the fact.

And this little girl amazes me with her determination. We found her a bigger bike so that she could learn to ride it and it only took her 2 days! She fell down quite a few times, got a bandaid, and kept riding. It's all she wants to do now! I'm so proud of how hard she tried and how she kept going even after she'd fall. "Guess I need a third bandaid!"

We got out Kasen's first bike to see if Kohen could do it, but it's still too big for him. He loves being pushed on it though, even if he's too little to pedal it.

The only place I've been all week is to Kasen's dance festival because Kyle and I found out that night that we  for sure have Covid. I wouldn't have believed the home test if Walgreens hadn't confirmed it. The coronavirus of 2019 finally caught us in 2022! So good thing we got vaccinated. Twice...

All we've had are cold symptoms so it hasn't been too bad. We still canceled our Memorial Day plans to go camping at Strawberry Reservoir though just in case the kids got sick. Which they did! Sunday night both Kohen and Tai each threw up twice. Today after Kohen's nap he had a fever of 104 degrees, so we went to the night clinic. He has an ear infection. But no covid! Even though I hear it's super contagious.

The day before Kyle and I left for our trip Tai came upstairs and let us know that that ceiling downstairs was leaking! Kyle was out fishing and ended up coming home early to figure out how to fix whatever leak we had. He is so good at fixing things that he found the leak AND installed the new faucet that we needed to go buy. And Kohen was all about getting in there to watch.

And last week Tai got to help Kyle plant the garden! He even got a sunflower just for her to put in the garden too. Such good helpers.

Last night I woke Kasen and Tai up around 11:15pm to go out in the backyard to watch a meteor shower! I know they each for sure saw one, but claimed they saw more that I didn't see. We were out there almost an hour and I saw about 10 though. Kasen told me about how he is addicted to space and told us that "a falling star is a star that all of a sudden falls out of space, a shooting star is a star you see flying like a rainbow and a meteor is a big blue streak." Really they are all the same thing, but I liked his definitions. I think they had fun so I'm glad I decided to wake them up.

Happy Memorial Day!

Everything I Missed

While I was gone Tai Lynn graduated from A Step Ahead Preschool!

She has loved Mrs. Katie and making new friends and every chance she got to bring snacks and be the line leader. Her last day of preschool was a fun water and field day and it sounds like she had a lot of fun!

She thought she got to go to Kindergarten on Monday though and was so bummed that she has to wait until summer is over to go to Kindergarten. She is even telling us that she is in Kindergarten now, but Kasen is quick to let her know, "No you're not! You're just on summer break!" Haha

During her Kindergarten class she also had a movement class included, so her preschool got to perform at the Gotta Dance Showcase on Saturday and show off some of their tumbling too.

Tai has also been in a Jazz/Tumbling/Ballet Combo class at Gotta Dance studio since January and go to have her first dance recital later that day. They danced to 'A Sky Full of Stars' and I was so proud of her for being brave enough to dance the whole time! 

During her last week of class he teacher came over to let me know how much Tai had improved. For a while there all she would do during class is twirl and hang on the bars!

I was crushed that I wasn't there to see it, but also my heart melted at how many people came to support her! Grammy Tammy was there filming for me and Kyley and Jordan's family came and took pictures and Grandma and Grandpa Forsyth and Grandpa Kelly were all there too. Tai was showered with love and I'm so happy that she got to feel so special and loved and encouraged to try new and scary things, cause they might be fun!

Thank you so much everyone! It was all the next best thing to be being able to be there and meant the world to me and to Tai too I'm sure.

 I just love this girl so much! 

Lately when I've asked her if she wants to come with me to pick up Kasen from school she'll ask, "Can I roll down the window?" If I say yes, then she'll come. She always wants the window down! And loves to have her head hanging out of it to sing.

One day we drove past Kasen at pick up and I saw him running back to us, "I thought that wasn't our car cause I thought there was a dog out the window and we don't have a dog!" Bahaha

-She's been asking to do my hair too and puts bows in, calling them hair toppings.

-Chunk is her word. if there is more than one of anything or a lot of something, then it's a chunk. Look at that chunk of birds, that was a chunk of pee, can I have a chunk of candy, he just kicked me a chunk, etc. It is so funny to me, but she loves that word!

-She is always the first one to pick Kohen up and give him hugs when he's hurt and loves taking care of him.

-I helped her clean out our room a couple weeks ago and oh my gosh! All the trinkets. Everywhere. She has little boxes of beads and little bags of toys and rings and bracelets and makeup things in drawers and purses and inside her kitchen and in her closet and on here windowsill. She puts stuff everywhere. I don't know how to keep it contained. But for her outside nature things, I tell her if it can't fit into this tackle box, she can't bring it inside to keep.

-She picks me dandelions.

I'm so glad I get to be her mom.

The Alaska Cruise

For our 10 year anniversary trip Kyle planned an Alaskan Cruise for us and it was so much fun!

I convinced him to roadtrip to Seattle, instead of fly, so on Friday May 13th Melanie and Jack came to stay with our kids and we headed to Boise for the night.

The next morning we took a detour over to Portland, OR and got to see Multnomah Falls. Tallest waterfall in Oregon. The drive through Oregon, along the Columbia River, was gorgeous! It rained most of the way so the fog filled all the gaps between the evergreen trees. All the things we would have missed if we didn't drive. I even stayed awake the whole time, just to make sure Kyle changes his mind about roadtrips.

We stopped in Portland for lunch at Sammich. Kyle was worried the whole time about our window getting busted out for having a thin blue line sticker on it, but luckily our windows were all still there when we got back to our car. All the poles plastered in layers and layers of papers and flyers are what I am going to remember about Portland.

Then we finished our roadtrip in Seattle, where we stayed for 2 nights before boarding our cruise ship. We walked down to Pike Place Market and bought the kids postcards to send home and then found the gum wall at Post Alley.

And if you wonder about how Covid pandemics happen, it could be because of the people there, wearing masks, WHILE touching other people's chewed gum!!! Ewww

I added our gum to the wall right there in the middle. Our pieces are spooning each other.

We ended up walking to the mall and getting fish and chips and yummy clam chowder at Pike Place Chowder. Then some Strawberry Basil Gelato that Jordan recommended to us.

We also knew we were in Seattle from the goat's milk lotion and plant based conditioner in our hotel room.

The next morning was raining. Kyle and I had to go get Covid tests done at Walgreens so we could get on the ship. Luckily they were both negative! Kyle had been so worried about those tests.

Then we went to see the Seattle Temple. Right before we came I saw a time hop on Facebook from 13 years ago about wishing I was in Seattle. All our roommates were supposed to roadtrip up for Alex and Maren's wedding, but everyone bailed on me. Finally made it to Seattle 13 years later! lol

There was a secret garden trail there that had the most beautiful flowers and I loved all the moss growing on the trees too.

We thought about going up to the top of the space needle, but it was so foggy we wouldn't have been able to see anything anyway, so we just walked around at the bottom instead.

A little bit later we went and picked up Jon and Sydney from the airport cause they came on the cruise with us! We walked down to Elliot Bay and rode on the Ferris wheel and then went to dinner at the Crab Pot. Kyle got his favorite meal of the trip there, Salmon Fettuccine Alfredo. The $23 crab cocktail appetizer was NOT worth it though!

The next morning was Day 1 of our cruise to Alaska! We walked to get breakfast at Einstein Bagels first and also picked up Sydney's brother Alex and wife Tatum from the airport, then headed to the Pier, to board Royal Carribean's Quantum of the Seas. The line was crazy long, but we made it on! And went straight for lunch at the buffet. And then hot tubs. Priorities.

Kyle ended up bidding to upgrade our room. We tried for a balcony, but ended up getting a window. I don't think it's worth the extra money, but Kyle was happy to have it.

Day 2 we were sailing at Sea the whole day. And it was the first time I ever remember a ship rocking and moving so much! This was my 5th cruise, but the first time I'd taken dramamine. Luckily it was only bad that first day, but I was so tired and took the longest nap that afternoon.

Kyle was also excited to play Bingo, cause "Bingo is wild!" and then the girls all did karaoke together! We sang Hilary Duff's 'What Dreams are made of' and even though Kyle would never do karaoke, he asked us why we're so nervous?! 

Our ship had what they call the North Star that everyone could sign up to have a free ride in one time. Jon and Sydney took the first turn and got to go out over the water.

Day 3 Ice Straight Point, Alaska

Jon and Sydney did a zip line and then we all walked a mile to Hoonah. Which wasn't much so we paid for a shuttle to take us back. We got to go on a short little tram ride though and found a big clam shell that we brought home for the kids.

We saw a few blowhole sprays from whales in the distance and some Bald Eagles. From our ship that morning we saw dolphins, otters, seals, AND a baby orca!

Day 4 Skagway, Alaska

We were so excited about our excursion to hike the Chilkoot trail and raft the river, but when we got to our meeting spot we found out the tour was canceled for wind. Ugh I was SO disappointed!

They did give us 50% off to ride the White Pass and Yukon Railroad though. It was a 3 hour ride on a train that was very beautiful. If we would have known earlier we might have been able to ride it with Jon and Sydney though.

We went over a couple neat bridges, through a couple dark tunnels and saw a waterfall called Bridal Veil Falls. I love that they let you take turns walking out onto the platforms while we traveled too.

We also walked around the shops and got gifts for the kids and this year's Christmas ornament.

Day 5 Juneau, Alaska

We were supposed to go up Endicott Arm to see Dawes Glacier that morning, but that morning they said there was still too much ice so we wouldn't be able to make it. Super bummed about that too!

So in Juneau I wanted to go on the bus tour visiting Mendenhall Glacier, but it wouldn't be back in time for our North Star ride. So we just walked around the shops.

Back on the boat we played some WILD doubles ping pong. I have no idea what the rules are or how to keep score, I just try to hit the ball! And Kyle tries to hit Sydney. In the throat... lol

Back home my mom told me it had snowed that morning, but we had gorgeous, warm weather in Juneau! And back at the boat we got John and Sydney and Alex to participate in the Battle of the Sexes Gameshow. It was so funny cause it looked so uncomfortable! Haha

Day 6 Sailing at Sea

Alex entered his second Poker Tournament that day, but this time he lost. And Kyle just wanted to play Blackjack. The dealer was not happy with me taking a picture though and told me to stop.

That night was dress to impress night for their Lobster Dinner! The last few cruises I've been on didn't do lobster night anymore so we were excited! I loved all the good seafood we got to eat during the week. Salmon, shrimp, cod, halibut, tuna and lobster! I love eating in the dining room cause feeling fancy is fun.

Day 7 Victoria, British Columbia Canada

We played another round of Bingo and were 2 numbers away from getting blackout. I did win $1 from a crack it strip though!

This is when Kyle asked the waiter if the Lentil Soup was watery or thick and it came to him looking like dog food, so the waiter brought him a cheeseburger instead! Haha

We also played Hand and Foot quite a few times. This time we stopped Andy Elton, the Bingo announcer and Elton John impressionist, to take a picture with us.

When we got to Canada we walked down to Fisherman's Wharf and got some fish tacos, but they were no where near as yummy as the fish tacos I had in Seattle!

Then we hopped on a bus for our Scenic City Tour of Victoria! When we first booked the tour it said it was a walking tour, so we were surprised to hop on a bus, but also happy so see so much more of the city. It was so beautiful and it was kinda neat to see one of Carnegie's libraries because just that morning I finished reading the book I brought, 'Carnegie's Maid' so I knew about his libraries! Some of the neighborhoods in Victoria are outrageously expensive, but very beautiful.

I like going to all the shows at night on the ship. We saw comedian, Steve McGrew a couple nights, a sequins and feathers show, GODDESS, the Las Vegas Tenors and the Elton John tribute by Andy Elton. Kyle got a bad cold half way through the week and didn't like how loud the shows were. They hurt his head, but we had so much fun spending the week together! No cooking, no cleaning, no kids. We were missing them by the end though.

Monday morning we got off the boat first thing in the morning and drove straight home. We listened to a book on the way there and finished it on the way back. A murder mystery titled, 'All the Missing Girls'. We made it home by 8pm and my mom and the kids had made this sign for us! And their postcards barely beat us home.

I am especially grateful for everyone that made this week possible for us. Especially with coordinating all the events I was missing! Melanie and Jack stayed with the kids for 4 nights and took Tai to her last soccer game and preschool and her dance pictures and rehearsal and then my mom stayed with the kids 6 nights and took Tai to preschool field day and preschool graduation and her preschool performance and dance recital. Heidi changed her schedule to carpool Kasen to and from school the whole time we were gone and even watched the kids for a couple hours one day and Kyley took her family to Tai's events to support her and take pictures for me to see too! 

It all meant so much to me to have so many people willing to help us be able to take this trip and to be there for our kids. I will be forever grateful.

Thank you!