***Take a trip out of town- (Bearizona)

One of the things that we put on our summer bucket list was to take a day trip out of town.  I have decided to try to document all of our bucket list activities this summer.  So any posts with asterisks in front of it, is off of the list.   So the other day we woke up and decided to drive up to Flagstaff for the day.  We grabbed up some snacks for the car and headed up the road.  We were driving in the middle of nowhere when of course Emma announces she has to go to the bathroom.  Of course there is nothing around and nothing coming up for awhile and it was urgent so we pulled off the road to find a spot in the bushes.  We pull off of the road a little way and we see a small sign that says "winery and garlic."  "How weird" I think to myself as I continue to look for a spot only to hear Deke say "Let's go check it out."  "What?" I say as he abandons that road for a little dirt road back into the bushes that appears to lead to nowhere.  Great. This is going to be interesting.  We continue to wind back into brush with nothing in sight as the kids giggle about the bumpy terrain and Avery squeals "We are on an adventure!!"  We drove back quite awhile.  Just as I start to tell Deke that it is time for a plan B we see a painted barrel..."Winery and Garlic" then to the left a small house/store and there is a car parked in the dirt next to it.  Not believing my eyes, we pull up as two people come walking out carrying slices of pizza on a plate and glasses of wine.  At this point I am wondering if I am in the twilight zone.  We walk up and I see a handwritten sign over the door saying "Garlic Paradise" which has me questioning the individual ideas of what paradise is.  We walk up to the door where four very yippy dogs greet us and an older gentlemen ushers us in telling the dogs to settle down and apologizes saying that they don't see kids very often.  Great.  I took Emma to the bathroom as Deke talked with him.  He was nice but definitely quirky and so was his shop.  He had garlic done in lots of different ways, Italian flags hanging everywhere a small cardboard sign hanging from some string that said "Wine tasting area" written in colored pencil with an arrow. The shop was dimly lit and everything was covered in enough dust that it seemed that he probably didn't see customers often.  He started telling Deke that all around his shop had been a vineyard and winery 30 years ago.  I would never have thought that a vineyard would have been able to thrive there.  Anyways the kids did get to see what fresh garlic looks like which none of us had ever seen.  It was pretty cool and I like the flower that grows on top of it.

 

 So we left Garlic Paradise cracking up that we never would've known that was there and headed up to Flagstaff.  After grabbing some lunch we arrived at Bearizona and started the driving portion of the park.

You stay in your car and drive through the different animal areas.  It is really neat because the animals get so close to the car and you can go through the park at your own pace.  We could drive a little and then just park the car for awhile and watch the animals.  I am pretty sure it was the kids first time seeing a bison, they thought they were pretty neat.

 Emma got really afraid when we entered the wolf area.  She came up by Deke and I and kept telling us she didn't like the "bad wolf."  I don't think it helped that he kept baring his teeth.  We saw some bison that we were able to get really close to and just sit and watch them graze.

 They had other sheep and mountain goats as well.  The highlight of course for all of us was watching the bears.

 It is interesting that even though you are in a car as they start to get close they are so large it is still pretty intimidating.  They have signs everywhere saying to keep moving if the animals start to approach you.  This brown bear started heading straight for our car and got within a couple of feet before we started to slowly pull forward.  The kids were all glued to the car windows, loving every second of it.

 It was really cool.  Animals are so amazing.  Then after over an hour of doing the driving portion you park and then there is a zoo like area where you walk around and see more animals.  The weather was gorgeous so we were all excited to get out and walk around.  By the way did anyone else not know that porcupines climb trees?  Well I was surprised, I guess they really like it though.

 Obviously hanging out in a tree is the way to go because the raccoon's also were enjoying it.

 These two were wrestling with each other...

One of the highlights of the day was the nursery area where they had the baby bear cubs.  Oh my goodness these little guys are so stinkin cute.  We spent the longest amount of time here just watching them play with each other and wrestle around.  One of them was trying to get a leaf out of his water dish and couldn't get it out.

They also had a bear "kindergarten" for the bears that were two and three years of age.

And of course they had a petting area as well....

Hudson thought that the goats were hilarious.  Especially when Em would chase them around trying to catch them and pet them.

Speaking of Emma she was a hoot all day.  She was so excited to be there and I think being able to be outside in actual nice weather she was being a little ham....

Of course we also had to go in the shops and check out all the fun souvenirs.

It was really fun for all of us, nice to get out of the heat and take a little family trip.

***Try either a Thai, Indian or Ethiopian restaurant- (Pato Thai Restaurant)

So after going to Bearizona we decided to go back into Flagstaff for a little while and walk around the shops since the weather was so nice.  We pretty much walked around all the shops of downtown Flagstaff.  After spending the afternoon shopping around we passed a restaurant called Pato and saw that it was Thai cuisine.  This was another thing we wanted to try with the kids this summer so in we went to have them taste their first Thai food.  The picture above is the dish that I got it was a fried rice that was AMAZING!!! It had lots of elements of fried rice that I have eaten before except it also had pineapple and raisins inside of it and a yummy sauce over top.  It was so delicious, best fried rice I have eaten hands down.  We ordered fried pumpkin for our appetizer.  It is a Thai pumpkin that actually has a green skin but still has the orange flesh inside.  They fry it tempura style and then you dip it in a honey sesame glaze.  It was yummy and the kids ate it great.

The kids all shared a rice dish and then also split a noodle dish and ate the whole thing.  Deke had something so spicy that when they put it in front of him and I even smelled it, it made my eyes water.  He does great with spice, I do not.

We are also going to have to try an Ethiopian restaurant sometime this summer as well since Deke ate quite a bit of that on his mission and really enjoys it.  We seriously stayed in Flagstaff until almost bedtime and then loaded everyone up and headed back down to the valley.  We didn't get home until way later than we had planned but that was part of the fun in just doing it on the whim.  I love summertime, love having my kids home and getting to do family days like this.

Fastest 6 months ever!!

This has been the fastest six months EVER!!!! I can't even believe it.  It feels like since he has been born time is just zooming by.  He is mobile these days and it is so fun.  He does this cute little inchworm crawl where he puts his bum up in the air like a little stinkbug and then inches his upper body forward and then drags his behind eventually.  Between that and his "secret agent" style rolls he manages to get all over the floor.  We laugh at him because when he rolls lately it is like two or three in a row like he is in a hurry on a secret mission and trying not to get spotted.  He is doing so awesome drinking water out of a bottle now and loves that he has started getting eat sweet potatoes.  

He is going through some separation anxiety and when I leave the room occasionally he stretches his little neck as far as he can to watch me until he can't see me anymore.  Then he sometimes will put his face down on the ground and just cry.  After a few seconds he will lift his head up and look around again to see if his distress has brought me back to the room.  If not then he drops his head back down and starts crying again and repeats this process until I either come back in the room or call out to him so he can hear me.  Once he can see me he is fine again and then I get this sweet face...

However this is only usually when he is tired or needing to just snuggle.  I'd say 99% of the time this guy is so chill.  Talk about a happy, easy baby, he is it.  Eats good, plays on the floor, smiles and smiles and smiles every time you just look at him, he also sleeps AMAZING.

He is always bright eyed and very curious.  Lately when he is playing with toys he often flips them over to the back or underneath and I see him taking his fingers and touching the screws.  He also really likes things that open and close or that have handles to pull on.  It may sound weird but he plays a lot like Hunter did as a baby.  I love that when he is playing I can see that little sparkle of curiosity in his eyes.  He is so much sturdier build wise than our other kids and I find that Deke and I are often commenting on how strong he is.  He was trying to hold his head up earlier than any of the other kids, and was more wide eyed from the get go.

He is such a snuggler.  There is not a person in this house that can't wait to take their turn mugging on him. I don't know if there is very much time that he is not being held or hugged or kissed on.  When I pull him close he tucks his head right into the groove in my shoulder and pulls his hands in close.  He will just lay and look around and coo and chew on his fingers.  Every once in awhile he will sit up and look at me then smile and lay his head back down.  I seriously could just hold him all day and get nothing else done.

Mr. Magoo you are the most delicious, snuggliest, happiest little guy I know.  Happy six months to you Hudson man!!!!

Koolaid playdough

The other day we decided to make some homemade playdough.  I remembered that you can use koolaid in it for color as well as it gives it a little smell that is better than the store kind.  So we picked out a ton of koolaid packs and each kid decided which two colors they wanted to make.  It has been awhile since I made some and I forgot how easy it is, how much it makes and how much softer it is.  I also love that it is simple so the kids can really help in the process.  Emma went first and of course wanted to make a pink playdough.....

 Avery really got into the whole process, she loved measuring everything.  Once Em's was made she was off to do something else for awhile....

 Hunter insisted that he was old enough to do it completely by himself so he did with mom standing by to supervise.  He did a great job.

 After they had been mixed and rolled into nice balls they each got a plastic bag and then I let the kids name their colors.  They came up with some great names like Ferrari yellow and Hot Tamale...

 By this point they were all just itching to get going on making some fun creations, they sat down to play and played and played and played for about two hours just making things and having so much fun with it.

Don't judge.

Hudson is going to be seven months.  Really soon.  He still sleeps here.  In the port a crib right next to my side of the bed.  Sometimes when I come in to go to bed he is sleeping with his face smashed into its mesh siding.  That can't be comfortable.  So I slide him back to the middle and then for a brief moment think about how much more comfy he would be sleeping on a nice crib mattress.  Then think to myself "I am just not ready." (Sigh.)  I haven't always been this way.  When I had Hunter he slept in the bassinett next to our bed for about the first eight weeks, then off to the crib he went in his own room by himself.  He was fine, I was fine and that was that.  I am just not the same person that I was then.  My life experiences have changed me.  It is not that I didn't appreciate Hunter as much as I have my other kids it's just that I now forever have a new realization as to how fragile life is.  That every moment given to me with these amazing little people is a gift and what a miracle it is that I have been blessed to have them come to earth healthy and safe.  I can't express how much I cherish them.  I love that when I go to bed, I fall asleep to the sound of his little snoring if he is slightly congested, or his grunting as he is stretching or changing position.  I love that if I suddenly wake up in the night I can look in and see him or put a hand on his chest to make sure I can feel his breathing.  That sometimes before it is quite light he is fussing to nurse and I grab him up and sneak him into bed to feed him and snuggle him.  Probably because having him so close to me that I can feel the rise and fall of his chest and his little hands playing in my hair as he eats...it's the best feeling in the world.  He will not be small that much longer and there is a chance that this maybe the last time I have a baby in the house. Sniff sniff.  Hunter keeps asking when Hudson can come in and sleep in his room, he has been waiting.  Deke keeps teasing me that Hudson is going to hardly get anytime in his crib if I don't move him in there soon.  In all honesty I know it is getting to be time, I want Hudson to sleep comfortably.  It's just that I can hardly stand the thought of him being all the way across the house.  Don't misunderstand me I don't believe in co-sleeping with my kids, Deke and I are actually sort of strict about the whole you have your own bed and this is our bed kind of thing.  I promise he won't be three and still residing at my bedside, but I love having Hudson so close.  I love having a little baby around and all the stuff that comes with it.  So I am going to do what I have been doing which is enjoy it, and "work on it" as far as transitioning him.  We'll get there :) :)

Our Nighttime Strolls

It's our little get away moment together just him and I a couple times a week.  Usually while the rest are brushing teeth and having quiet reading time.  I grab up my shoes and buckle him in and off we go down the driveway.  It's not too warm still and the neighborhood is quiet other than the occasional car coming through the gate.  We walk through the neighborhood right along the curb where Hudson can look at the moon.  It is quiet and I can hear him sucking intently on his binky and I look in his stroller, he is wide eyed and alert. 

 We get to the park, our favorite part of our trip and abandon the sidewalk for the grass.  Hudson starts making cooing noises enjoying the vibration sounds it makes in his voice.  The park has a row of trees that you can walk through and the lamp lights shine through their leaves.  We get right to the middle and I take him out and I lay on my back under them.  Hudson lays on his back on my belly and plays with his toes as he admires the leaves and branches above.  I talk to him about all sorts of random things.  He sits quiet and listens and lays there with me. It feels like I have been able to slow everything down around me for a moment.  I can think.  Think about life and decisions and have a moment to just think about me.  Where my life is going and what else I hope to achieve with it.  So nice to be able to sit and reflect and hold my baby close.  I feel his breathing which is sort of crackling from his nose that has been running from teething.  He holds up his foot and spreads out his little toes and I admire how small they still are.  Ten minutes max and the squirming starts, it has been fun mom but it is time to move again.  Back to the stroller we go, no more talking just walking together.  Occasionally I stop and peer down at him.  He bends his head back and looks up at me and grins.  Peaceful walking until we reach home again.  As I pull the stroller up to the garage I can hear giggling from kids that have surely gotten distracted from the teeth brushing and are now playing.  I pick Hudson up and pull him in for a hug.  He lays his head on my shoulder and snuggles right in.  "Thanks for the walk little guy" I whisper to him as I softly kiss his baby fuzz hair.  I love our little nighttime get aways together.