Birthday Girl Turned 9

I have a few to catch up on.  I'm going to start with little Miss Ellie who turned 9 (a month and a half ago...)  She had a family birthday this year but her friend got to come over for the fun.  

 We had the brilliant idea to surprise her with a kitten.  When I say brilliant I mean... what were we thinking? Then you see the look on her face and remember why.  

She ended up with the name Razamatazz but we usually call her Raz or Dang Cat!

A few things about Ellie this year:

• She is moving from 3rd Grade to 4th Grade which means she moves over to the big school this year.  She has loved Elementary but is so excited to move on up.  
• She LOVES to read.  Especially animal fact books.  
• She wants to be a "Wild Animal Vet" when she grows up.  Like in the jungle.  Like with cheetahs.  My only saving grace on this is she HATES bugs which might keep her away from the jungle but while discussing this she said, "I guess I could just be a Marine Biologist since there aren't many bugs under water."  Yeah, cuz sharks are way better than cheetahs.
• She is so kind hearted and always is concerned about those around her.  
• She is my best sleeper.  She loves to sleep and has no problem going to bed when tired.  When she is over-tired I call her "Ella" her evil twin.  She get's that from her father... ha ha ha!
• She doesn't like girly things but loves Star Wars, Jackie Chan and all things animals.  
• She really wanted a snake, but the cat will have to do.
• She loves to be happy.  I often tell her if I were to rename her I'd give her another middle name of Joy.  She makes everyone around her happy when she is happy.  She lights up a room.
• She has the most beautiful laugh of anyone I know.

To the other side of the country and back! - Be warned - LOOONG post

McKenna and I went on a crazy trip. I've been trying to post about it for a week now and hopefully will get it all down before I forget important pieces. We have been planning on this trip for a year now. The school does a 7th - 8th Grade "New York/DC" trip every two years. We knew it was coming. McKenna had to earn half her money to go, the other half would be her 8th Grade graduation gift. (Yep, she graduated. Once this post is out of the way those pictures will follow!)

I called it a crazy trip...because it was. We met at the school at 2am to take a bus to the airport by 4:30. While checking in and waiting and standing around a kid in our group passed out. Locked his knees, hadn't eaten. Boom. He was fine, btw, just not the best way to start!  We made it on the plane and flew to DC. Our luggage was loaded on a bus and we went directly to the Smithsonian. Phew! Here is what I learned from that. There are actually 20 Smithsonian's. They are all very big. We went to the Natural History (think Night at the Museum) and explored just a portion of it.

In this collage the 1st pict is McKenna with a teacher Mrs. Nunn who also loves "Wicked!" They are in front of Elphaba's dress. Below are the original Ruby Slippers, & the middle bottom is an original Harry Potter Cloak. You can see how excited they were. The crystal ball one is because it makes me laugh every time. That is McKenna's face but it took some time to get it just right. After I finally got the picture the guy behind her was bending down trying to figure out what she was looking at for so long. His face was huge and didn't even know it. Ha ha.

We went to see the Holocaust Museum.  No pictures.  So many emotions.  Can not understand.  Never will.  But I will also never forget.  I am glad we went - amazing stories, especially the survivor stories.  Stories of hope and bravery.  Of family.  Of sacrifice.  Unforgettable.

After dinner we went memorial sighting.

** Quick side note: I had decided to find something everyday that made me happy. Like spontaneous joy happy. The first evening in DC it was the surprise of fireflies. Totally forgot about those and chased them around like a crazy West-coaster.**

These pictures below are all from the Lincoln Memorial.  The one on the right are the girls in front of the Washington Monument (too bad you can't see it, lol) which was under scaffolding from the earthquake a few months ago.  Lincoln was so cool to see.  A different feeling there, the only way to compare it is like a beloved Grandfather watching over the city.

Next was the Vietnam Memorial (top and bottom picture on left).  There was so much symbolism with all the monuments I never realized.  The Vietnam Memorial is built into the hillside representing a scar in the land.  What struck me most there was when McKenna was running her hand along the wall of names, of people, realizing how many were lost she questioned, "Has all the work been done for all of them?  We have so much to do!"

The bottom right and top pictures were from the Korean War Memorial.  They call it the Forgotten War, which I suppose is true since I had not even known about this memorial until then. It was my favorite.  It spoke to me.  There is a winding path with larger than life statutes standing looking over the path.  Where ever you are on the walk one of the soldiers are looking at you.  Along the backside of the path is the granite wall (top) and instead of names the artist used actual pictures of soldiers who served and died in the war.  I'm a visual person.  There were over 2500 faces.

The middle right is the Martin Luther King Memorial.  It is one of the most recent built and it, too was awesome.  Behind him is a wall of stone which his memorial is carved out of signifying his work moving forward.  It is also an unfinished statue signifying his unfinished work.  

Next day in D.C.  First stop White House.  This was the only day the humidity was awful.  Blech.  They can keep that!  Saw the snipers on the roof.  Awesome.  *This whole time McKenna and I had been playing "Slugbug"  "PT Cruiser for a bruiser" and "Cop for a bop"  We had to stop in DC because there were SO MANY COPS we had huge bruises!**

Next was Arlington Cemetery.  Hot and muggy remember.  Probably were a lot of cool things to see there but the only one that stands out was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Wow.  Courage, honor and bravery.  The best of our country is definitely summarized there.   Look it up on YouTube if you don't know it.  

Next was the Capitol Building.  Pretty.  Cool.  The California statue inside is Ronald Regan.  That was cool, but the part I thought was cooler is the base of his statue is actual pieces of the Berlin Wall.

After all that and dinner and stuff it started to rain.  When I say rain I actually mean TOTAL downpour.  Soaking.  We were on the bus, only one stop left - the Jefferson Memorial.  Can't see it from the road.  Did I mention DOWNPOUR?!  Our guide asked the kids how badly they really wanted to go.  There was grumbling.  The teacher was pooped, the kids were pooped.  Now remember above when I said I had decided to do something FUN everyday?  What is more fun than dragging 36 people through the rain?!  I said, "I'm going!  I won't be back til who knows when.  Let's go!"  And guess what?  It was so FUN!!  The stairs looked like a waterfall.  I tried to take a picture but the reflection of the torrential rain doesn't show it well enough.  The sign says, "Caution Slippery Conditions"  HA HA HA!

This one is for James.  :)

Then off to New York!!!  We went to the Rockefeller Center and the views are from the "Top of the Rock" as they called it.  New York was crazy.  So Much Noise.  So Many People.  I was having trouble tuning it all out and became so overstimulated it was ridiculous.     

Next day we started at John Lennon's "Strawberry Fields" which is an awesome - and unexpected for me - memorial.  It's one of the entrances to Central Park and it was beautiful.  Very fitting I also thought.  Our awesome tour guide was spouting all these dates and facts and important events throughout the park.  I caught things like, "That's where Avenger's was filmed.  That building was where Ghostbusters was filmed."  (Bottom picture.)  Ha ha, maybe that's why I had so much trouble in History class.   

We went to the MET Art Museum.  Honestly I could have spent all day there.  We only had 1 1/2 hours so we had to pick what was most important to us.  For me it was seeing an actual Monet and Van Gough in person.  A.W.E.S.O.M.E.  We walked all over the city and finished the night with the Broadway play Newsies.  On Broadway.  Yep, that's right.  It rocked.  Then Time Square.  You can have it.  Yeesh.

Almost done.  So impressed you're still with me!

Collage of the rest of New York.  Top right the ferry past Statue of Liberty.  She was damaged from the Hurricane and was under repair but we got to see her and she is pretty dang amazing. Middle top pict is one of the new World Trade Center Buildings.  Biggest building in NY right now.  400 feet taller than the last one.  Super symbolic of not just New York's stubborn attitude, but of the country and it's unbeatable healing.   Top right: just a fraction of the people on Time Square on a Wednesday night.  Why?!  Middle left:our guide and other crazy boys on the Subway.  Middle right:  Fun for the day.  There was a guy who was dressed like Waldo.  I had McKenna sneak a picture of me by him.  Ha ha.  Bottom left:  Zombie Apocalypse on the bus.  Was funny when driver SLAMMED his brakes and kids and cell phones flew everywhere.  Bottom right:  Matching sweatshirts from ChinaTown.  Last minutes in New York.

This was actually our 1st picture of the trip as we boarded the bus @ 2:30 AM.  Didn't know what to expect.  Almost talked myself out of it 1000 times.  Out of my comfort zone.  Away from my family.  Worried about food issues, kids, all the other stuff I worry about.  However, I am so glad I went.  I wouldn't have traded that time with my daughter on our adventure for anything!

April fun and a hike

My "baby" turned 14.  Not sure how that happened so quickly, but it did.  We did a boy-girl party (she invited 5 girls, and 8 boys - LOL).  There was some swimming, some water balloons, some minute-to-win-it games, pizza and a movie.  Good times had by all.  They were a great group of kids and a great time was had by all.  I still can't believe she's 14.  *sigh*

Also in April my "adopted little brother" got home from his mission.  Jordan served in Denver Colorado and returned home even better than when he left.  It has been awesome to have him back!

We had been pretty plugged in lately and needed a get-away.  Last Sunday after church we packed a picnic and headed out to McCloud waterfalls.  Beautiful hike, great time together and no crowds.  Love the un-plugged family time.

And this picture because it makes me laugh.   Can you read the board?

Spring! Hooray!!

Spring has come.  I love Spring!  This year for Easter my two youngest and I drove to Utah for my nieces blessing.  Look how beautiful she is!!  Baby V almost 5 weeks old.  So cute, happy and sweet.  Ellie couldn't get enough of her (neither could I.  Carter, however, was fine playing with the boy cousins far away from the baby...)

Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of her in her blessing dress, but here is a cute one of Marybeth and baby V. ((Love))

After the blessing food and family there was an Easter egg hunt (I know it's small but can you see the amazing cupcakes Suzanne made?) and all the cousins and extended kids had a great time.  It was fun to see people I haven't seen in a long time.  

Later that evening when all was wound down, the kids got to play with the leftover dry-ice from Grandpa's famous home-made rootbeer.  

We played with cousins, went to dinner with Dennis and Jesica (and boys) and Heather and Andy; played more with cousins.  I loved seeing my sisters a lot.  Would love to do that weekly.

Next we went to Grandma Pedersen's for a cousin get-together and Easter egg hunt with Grandma and Grandpa Treadway.  After the candy joy we went to the park and enjoyed the sun and fun.

We had one last hurrah for lunch.  Love these ladies!  (And Zamiel, of course!)

Fast forward : Plays

I said it would be Christmas next.  I lied.  I'm going to fast forward a while and do Spring because it just happened and then I'll be all caught up.  Ha ha ha!

February and March mean plays here.  First was "Captain Bree and her Lady Pirates" with McKenna being Captain Bree.  It was a fun play and she blew me away.  She was awesome on stage and even the last night when she started losing her voice, was amazing.  After months of practicing and hard work we were all happy the play was here.  

Mom and Dad were able to come out and see the play since she had the lead and it was the last one with this performing group (she moves up to High School next year, gulp.)

We are so proud of her and so thankful we live in a place they can participate in the arts.  We love seeing her talents!  (P.S.  The pineapple is tradition.  You know the show Psych?  That's why...)

Next up (two short weeks later) was "Little Mermaid" which Ellie was King Triton's Seahorse.  She had exactly one line (although she was in most of the songs) but her costume was AWESOME.  The pictures don't do it justice but trust me when I say the costumes were amazing.    Again, so thankful we live in a place the kids can participate in the arts!

Ready to watch the show!

 After the show.

 So I'm not all caught up but am going to stop there for now.  You'll have to come back to find out what fun things we did for Easter.  :)

Thanksgiving - Because it's January

I know Thanksgiving was so last year but I'm posting pictures anyway.  I might make it to Christmas pictures before next Christmas.

We invited ourselves to Teresa and Dave's house in the Bay Area for Thanksgiving.  Luckily they were both raised with "The More The Merrier" and it didn't even phase them too much.  I did mention I felt a bit like Cousin Eddie from the Lampoon movies, but it turned out awesome.  There were three other families there also so it was a party!

Thanksgiving day started with football and swords in the backyard with mad cooking in the kitchen.  There was also a bed jumping/frolicking/kid laughing crying happening upstairs.  Thanksgiving night we played games and ate pie.  A lot of incredible pie.  We learned some new games, although the rules varied with whom was playing.  Ha ha.

The day after Thanksgiving we went on an adventure to the beach - I can honestly say I've never been to the beach around Thanksgiving.  Yeah, that rocked.

Let me tell you a bit about Teresa.  She is my closest cousin in age and personality.  She is super fun and super cute and I've always wanted to be like her.  Do you have a cousin like that?  Yeah, she's all that.  I do have to mention she is 7 days older than me.  Not a big deal - unless when you're a kid she always said, "I'm older so I get to decide."  Well - karma has a funny way of turning that action around.  Now I'm 7 days YOUNGER than she is.  Ha ha.  :)  Here are some pictures of Teresa and I and Dee and I at sunset.  Fun stuff.  Love that they live so close now!

We also went for a hike to work out some energy and lose some of that pie.  Beautiful place they live and as you can tell it was nice and warm for us.  

It was awesome to see them and enjoy Thanksgiving with such cool people.  There were lots of kids to play with, adults to talk to and great food to eat.  It was fun to laugh (yes, POWELL laugh) with Teresa and hear  her view on childhood shared memories.  I am thankful!

Where to begin?

Happy 2013!  

Starting the New Year feeling this behind isn't good.

I'm not sure where to start, I have soooooo many pictures.  And excuses. And so much has happened since my last blurb.

Maybe this one will be without pictures, maybe it'll be stories and the pictures can come later.

First the excuses.  

I got an iPad.  It was supposed to be in last July for our anniversary (Dee won it through work - Yay Dee!) and it didn't come until October.  Love it.  What does that have to do with my blog you ask?  I rarely use my computer any more.  However, I haven't figured out how to access my pictures to update them to my blog.  Complicated technology, I know.  

Next and more time-note-worthy is Tyler started home school in October.  It's a long complicated story involving high expectations and a teacher not delivering (when I say "high" I mostly mean "teaching").  It has had it's ups and downs: one of the ups being Tyler gets to be home all the time and one of it's lows being Tyler gets to be home all the time.  Selfish, I know.  I had about 4 hours to myself a week with Carter being in Pre-School - which might not seem like a big deal but this was the first time in 13 years to have 4 hours a week to myself.  Selfish, I know.  

Some of the good out of that is I've learned a lot of things I had forgotten from school, things I distinctly remember thinking, "I'll never use this again!  Why do I have to learn this stuff?!"  Surprise!  I've also been reminded of things I enjoyed learning.  It has also been fun getting to know Tyler on another level.  He's a funny kid.  Most importantly I see a love for learning returning to Tyler's eyes, I love when they get excited about something they learned, get excited about learning.  This is why I do what I do.  

As for adventures that include a lot of pictures to be posted at a later time:

Thanksgiving was spent with my amazing cousin Teresa and her family.  We weren't turned away when we invited ourselves to their house (no, really) and had a GREAT time.  They recently moved to the Bay Area and it was the first time in history I can recall being at the beach around Thanksgiving.  It was great company, great food and a great time!  I laughed so hard (although not the Powell laugh that reared it's ugly head...LOL) and loved sharing stories and commiserating with Teresa about our family and youth.

December flew through with projects at school (not Tyler's though, ha ha!) and a performance for Ellie - LOVE the Christmas song she learned this year - Carter's Preschool (he had his pants zipped this time - forgot to mention that about Thanksgiving, talk about funny!) and a big one for McKenna at the middle school.  Our friend even called it a "McKenna variety show" because she was in so many numbers.  That one also included the snack bar which I am always crazy enough to volunteer to run which means I spend a week baking like Mrs. Claus.  

Christmas break this year included going to Utah for two full weeks!  It was different for me this time.  Better.  It was the first official time we didn't have a baby I had to get up with or follow around to make sure they didn't get into stuff.  I slept in.  I played with adults.  We got to see lots of family but didn't feel rushed to do so.  We played in the snow.  We saw sites (Temple Square) and went on a date.  My entire family was together a couple times.  It was a wonderful time and my heart feels so full being able to be able to go.  

I promise pictures will come. I only have 500 or so to filter through... back to the iPad of avoidance.  :)