OOOOhhhhh, oh--let's go fly a kite!

Costco had kites for sale a week ago. Like every thing else at Costco, these kites came in warehouse-super-store sizes at warehouse-super-store prices so, I bought one. Spring in California this year has been cold, wet and windy, it wasn't long before we had a great day to go kite flying.

The kids and I walked down to the nearest wide open field and tried to get the kite in the air. The stinker of it all was while up on the little hill at our house the wind was blowing fiercely--down in the little valley where the field was the air was still and quiet.

Result: me and the kids running all over the field yelling: "Fly! Fly!" at the kite.

We did manage to get it up in the air a few times. I think we'll have better success at the beach this summer.

Aaaaaaand we're back!

I went on Spring Break and never came back. I've been busy making this:

Isn't that baby some thing else?

I guess it is time to get some back-dated posts up.

He's The Best Around (part one)...

Will competed in the Veterans National Wrestling Tournament on May 7th in Utah. Our ever expanding family drove all the way across barren Nevada for this tournament.

Will cut about 25 pounds to wrestle at 152 pounds for this tournament. I had to explain to my cousin and Mom why Will was putting himself through torture. Seriously, I have no idea why he has to do it. But it has something to do with "If all of his friends jumped off a bridge--he would have to too."

(Some body call the fire department--this guy is H.O.T.)

When we got to the tournament I pointed to a guy who had muscles on his muscles and said "See how much bigger that guy is than Will. That guy is in the weight class above Will. If Will hadn't cut down an extra weight class, he'd have to wrestle that guy." Ten minutes later Will met us up in the stands and pointed to the same guy saying: "I think he'll be my toughest competition."

Whhhhhhhhaaat!

Well, that big guy took first place. Will took second--which means he qualifies for the World Tournament in Switzerland this summer. We are so, so proud of him.

This is my Mom--She is wonderful. She flew out from Maine to see Will's wrestling tournament and for my brother's graduation from Idaho State University. It was so, so, so great to see her.

I don't know if you can tell from these pictures--but Adell is as happy as a clam. Adell just loves to be held and Grandma Claudia was happy to hold this baby. All. Day. Long.

The kids were so excited about Daddy's trophy. They argued over who really gets to keep it. Usually, any medal Will wins goes to the girls because Wyatt wins his own medals. We decided this trophy needs to be the whole families. We all made the drive to Utah and we all ate delicious food while Daddy starved himself--don't you think we deserve a bit of the prize?

Did you get a good look at that picture? I love all the additions that "needed" to be included in Daddy's proud moment. The trophy, of course, but we couldn't leave out Lorien's lip gloss, Clare's apple and Wyatt's black eye.

He's The Best Around (part two)...

We had another reason to drive all the way across the great emptiness that is Northern Nevada. My older brother, Caleb, graduated from Idaho State University. Not many of my siblings have gone on to college and even fewer of them have graduated (myself included). So Caleb graduating was a pretty big deal.

(me, my Mom, my brother Caleb and my brother Chris)

I loved being there for graduation. I loved seeing my brothers and I really loved seeing my Mom. Living in California has many advantages but being so far away from family is not one of them.

Congratulations Caleb!

Happiest Place On Earth...

Like I said below--we extended our Spring Break by a couple of days to drive down to Disneyland. We left early in the morning (you can't tell from this picture, but our van is the cleanest it has been since we bought it).

For lunch we stopped in a little town called Avenal.

Avenla was one windy place--it also smelled like cow manure but there wasn't a single cow in sight... The bread on our PB&J's was blown into toast before we could finish eating the sandwiches. Each of us took turns getting whacked in the head by bark and twigs that were blown loose from the trees. Every time we opened our mouths to talk or take a bite of lunch we could taste the dirt that was swirling around in the wind.

Avenal was one memorable place.

We arrived in Southern California early enough to spend dinner with my Aunt Colleen and Uncle Richard. It was nice to see them again. The last time we were down south I had just found out I was pregnant with Adell and hadn't told Will. I'll save that story for its own post.

Will took the big kids over to visit Uncle Alan and Aunt Heather who were also in southern California for Aunt Heather's work.

The next morning we all got up early and headed over to Disneyland. It had rained the night before and I was worried about the weather but the sun was shining and we were determined.

As soon as we got to the park--it started to rain. Positive: there weren't very many people at the park. Negative: it was raining for crying out loud! And the very few people there were all crowded under the same awnings and ride lines where coverage from the rain was possible.

By the time we rode the Buzz Lightyear ride (twice) and Space Mountain the rain was gone and we were off to a crowd free day at Disneyland.

Uncle Alan joined us at the park. The big kids had almost as much fun swinging from Uncle Alan's arms as they did on the park rides.

We made Uncle Alan take the kids on all the rides we didn't want to go on--like the Tea Cups--barf. (Thanks a million Al.)

We really had a great trip. It was a little rushed because we were taking extra days off from school and Will needed to be back to work but it was fun. Mostly, we were glad to see family we don't get to see very often.

(Princesses, make a wish!)

(I guess we aren't royalty after all...)

(Did you know the "It's a Small World" ride is a perfect place to nurse a baby? Well, it is.

Dear Cousin Catie,

Thanks for leaving a travel tube of Desitin in your Mom's guest bathroom. Adell ended up getting a diaper rash and I did not bring any bum cream.

Should I send a replacement to you or your Mom?

Love,
Cassie

Spring Break...

The big kids have had the week off from school for spring break. It has been glorious!

The kids have been putting on puppet shows on the bunk bed, jumping on the trampoline, riding their scooters, watching TV and playing with new found toys.

I ventured out (with all four kids) for trips to Costco, Target and the library (I am very brave). On our outings the kids were dressed (at one time or another) in an old green dress-up dress with princess crown (Clare), dirty blue yoga pants with holes in the knees and butt (Lorien) and one of Will's wrestling T-shirts belted with Will's old Boy Scout belt (Wyatt). The big kids raced around--while I hissed at them to stop being such hooligans.

We were a spectacle...

We are extending our spring break (and skipping two extra days of school) to go down to Southern California to visit my Aunt and go to Disneyland.

Don't call the truant officer.

April Fools!

Every year I want to play fun tricks on the kids for April Fools.

Every year I forget.

This year was no exception, until dinner time when I found a few April Fool's recipes from Family Fun. I gave the kids "Cupcakes" for dinner and "Mashed potatoes" for dessert.

They were not fooled.