Track and Field Challenge!

The boys had so much fun being involved in this years District wide Track and Field Challenge.  They each selected the events they wanted to do, and then they performed like champs!  Aiden did the Frisbee Throw, Softball Throw, Long Jump, and the 50 yard dash.  Anden did the Frisbee and Softball Throw, as well as the 50 and 200 yard dash.  It was so much fun to see all of their friends out there and to cheer them all on.  Aiden won third place in the Frisbee throw for his age group and Anden won 1st place for the 200 yard dash!  We are so proud of both of our little athlete's.  Way to go!!

Anden doing the softball throw, thanks for wearing one blue sock so I can tell who is who in all of the pics!

Anden running his little heart out to take 1st in the 200 yeard dash!

Aiden finishing his 'big' jump on the long jump!

Aiden running to the finish, during his dash.  The boys decided to wear their soccer shoes because according to them they run super fast in them!!

Dress Up

Ashden came out of our bedroom tonight dressed like this!  I just had to laugh, and then all of the kids wanted in on the fun.  They raided Ryan's freshly cleaned and organized closet for a bunch of his clothes.  I snapped a few pictures that I thought Ryan would enjoy.  You don't realize how big he really is until the boys tried to put on his clothes, it made for a fun night!

All in all we are adjusting quite well to the absence of daddy.  I say that on day two, and still being able to talk a few times a day.  I will have to post again next week, once the reality of his eight months of training has sunk in.  For now, he is on a bus with hundreds of others, headed to South Carolina from Atlanta.  He has already made a friend who is 'old' too, and is headed to Arizona with him after his training in S.C.  I think he was pleasantly surprised at how many over thirty men there were, he won't be the only old guy after all!

As you can see, Adeline preferred to just play dress up with mommy's shoes!


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This is how I found Ashden asleep, what you can't see is that under the pants are underwear and socks pulled all the way up his leg.  That boy is going to miss his daddy a ton.

Celery Science

My boys were super excited to be involved with the science fair this year.  Me, not so much.  Knowing that they are in Kindergarten, and there writing skills are limited to 3 and 4 letter words, I would be doing most of the work.  We googled different science project ideas suitable for their age, and decided on a classic from my childhood, celery and food coloring.  The boys had a fabulous time 'doing' the experiment, and learning about hypothesis, and the process of osmosis.  We charted for three days, taking pictures, and learning about plants and how they use their roots to 'suck' (their words, not mine) water up to the top, and then I spent the night putting together the display board.

The fair was for one hour on a Thursday night, and we had fun going as a family to see all of the other creative and scientific experiments on display.  We were impressed with the level and sophistication of some of the projects, and very ambitious parents!  Lots of volcano's, which are always a crowd pleaser, some fun fizzy drinks, electricity, gak, and the answer to the age old question, which diapers hold the most liquid.  All in all, a very enjoyable evening.

Next year is the art fair, which I am sure the boys will be able to handle all on their own.

Art in Bloom

Every Mother's Day weekend they have the 'Art in Bloom' celebration in downtown Medford.  We have gone every year.  It is a little festival celebrating local artists of every kind, especially those that make things for your garden or yard.  They close down the streets and vendors set up their goods.  It only takes about an hour out of your day, but my kids really enjoy it, especially the shaved ice!

They have a great little kids area, where all of the crafts are cute little gifts you can give to your Mom for Mothers Day, and are themed around nature, flowers and plants.  They always have a flower you can plant, and then an assortment of cardmaking station.  This year you could make artwork with stamps, and a cute little tissue paper flower.  They have a big mural that the kids love to help paint.  If you have never been, put it on your calendar for next year, or better yet, send your husband with the kids, and he can have Mother's Day all taken care of!

Oh how I wish we had a big backyard with giant mature trees to hang that hammick from!  I hope all of you had a fabulous Mother's Day, my husband surprised me with breakfast in bed, and a beautiful bouqet of flowers.  He made my all time favorite Eggs Benedict, complete with Hollandaise with tarragon, who knew he had that in him, maybe he called my brother for advice!!  He even took care of my mom too!  I sure love that guy, and am going to miss him and his cooking skills for the next eight months.

I was reminded (by a friend) that I also got this awesome 6 qt kitchenaid for Mother's Day, as well as all of the above cards and flowers, my family sure is good to me!

My own little Imelda Marcos!

My little Adeline has a shoe fetish, I mean crazy, shoe fetish.  She is obsessed with changing her shoes a gazillion times a day.  She has about 25 pairs, thanks in part to a few friends and their hand me downs.  A good majority of them don't fit, they are either too big or too small, but that doesn't bother her!  She has been known to try on other kids shoes while we are out playing, and her favorite section at Target is, that's right, the shoe section.  She loves to 'click, click, click' on the hardwoods, with mommy's church shoes (ie, heels).  So it came as no surprise to me this morning, when after eating her Gogurts, she fashioned them into a homemade pair of 'shoes' and was so impressed with her self, that she could not stop giggling!  I just love that girl!

OK, seriously no joke, she just came out of my room, wearing none other than my knee high black boots, boy am I in trouble!

Tomorrow Land

Day One

(Adeline was in the stroller)

In order to save my sanity (curse you blogspot, it takes forever to load pics), and to give you an organized walk through of the parks, I will go by lands.  I don't have pictures of everything, because taking pictures just gets in the way of having fun, so I had to take them sparingly!!  OK, actually, I have a ton of pictures of the first few hours we were there, and then, the camera just got in the way!

Tomorrow Land

First ride-Astro Orbitor

Aiden was a little apprehensive and didn't ride with the other boys, but instead met Buzz, and got his autograph.  This is a huge part of our Disneyland experience, buying an autograph book and hunting down the characters!  I meanwhile ran to the 'fastpass' booth, for tickets to Autopia!

This was one of the displays in the long 'holding' area you wind through while waiting to ride Buzz Lightyears Astro Blasters, this was one of the boys most favorite rides in D-land.  One night while my mom and I were with the boys till midnight, (we stayed each night with the twins until closing, while Ryan took the younger two back to the hotel) we rode this about four times in a row, no lines!!!!!

This is an interactive ride, the car turns in all directions while you shoot at Zurg and other targets, so much fun!

Here is Zurg, you can see the square targets, you aim your laser at those and shoot, at the end it shows you your score, and takes your picture, which you can then email to yourself!

Autopia

Aiden behind the wheel, watch out!!  This was another of the boys favorite rides, we rode this one a few times at night also!

That's Granny with Anden behind the wheel!

Finding Nemo Voyage, with the Matterhorn in the background.  This had one of the longest waits, and there is no fast pass, but we all agreed, it was well worth it!

The boys enjoying their underground voyage!
If you are claustrophobic in any way, you will not enjoy this ride.

This little gem is Space Mountain, and this is me taking a picture of the picture it takes of you riding the ride. As you can see from the picture, the twins are in the front row, and yes that is me holding onto the back of their shirts.  About two seconds after we loaded, I remembered something my friends daughter told me about riding this ride, she said, "I slid so much in my seat that my dad had to hold onto me".  So in a panic, thinking holy you know what, my kids are smaller than her, I better reach over the back of the seat and hold onto them for dear life.  All of the other riders really got a kick out of this picture as we unloaded!  Needless to say Anden rode the whole way with his head tucked down and his eyes closed, and behind me is Ryan with Ashden.  He was in such shock after the ride ended that it took until we unloaded and were walking away for the tears to start.  The other boys just walked in silence.  Maybe we should have saved that ride for a future visit!!

Anden & Aiden with Master Yoda, after riding Star Tours!

So there you have it, Tomorrowland in a nutshell!

Next up, a park favorite, Fantasyland!