{hello, san antonio}

With our impending move, and Rick starting his new job in New York, we knew we needed to do one last "Texas Hurrah" before we left.  San Antonio had been on our list since we moved here, and we finally made the trip a couple of weeks before school got out.  

The plan was to leave after the kids got out of school, but things didn't quite happen that way.  Rick got home and packed the truck, and when he went to close the back hatch, it wouldn't latch closed.  We tried it over and over and over again, with no luck. Here we were, hotel paid for, tickets paid for, all plans made, vehicle packed...and we couldn't go. UGH. Of all the moments for this to happen!  Rick and I looked at each other, and decided we still need to go--we would just have to rent a vehicle.  The nearest place to rent one was the airport, so we tied the door down, and off we went!  

Renting a vehicle for eight people is not an easy task at any time, but especially spur of the moment.  The lady at the reservation desk gave us three vehicles in a row that only had seven seats (which we didn't discover until we got all the way out to each vehicle on separate trips). Finally, we did our own investigation, and peered into several large SUV's (we still can't use a mini van) until we found one with eight seats.  The ONLY one.  We went back inside, and fortunately it was available.  Do you know how much an SUV costs to rent?  A LOT.  But, it was worth it.

We dropped off the truck at the Toyota dealership to be repaired, and we were finally off!  Three hours later we pulled up to our hotel, and even though it was really late, the kids were thrilled.  It was the perfect room for our family--a suite that had 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen.  We tucked the kids into bed, all of us excited for the next day!

Morning came with the kids antsy for breakfast in the hotel (Yep--Texas-shaped waffles once again!). Rick went down by himself with the kids while I got ready, and before they went down, he had them stand and hold their hands up in the air, pledging their good behavior.  It worked! At least for breakfast, lol.  We headed to Sea World, and got to the gates when it opened for the day. It was already HOT, and I was already wishing we had gone to a waterpark.  ☺

We had a great time. We rode the rides, saw all the shows, ate yummy frozen lemonade, and rode more rides. It was even hotter than we thought it was going to be, but all the ride lines had big awnings with gigantic fans, so it wasn't too terrible.  We purposely sat in the splash zones in the shows so we would get wet!  The kids were so excited to see "Shampoo" (i.e. Shamu, lol), and I was DYING that they named the other one "Conditioner".  It was seriously SO funny, and Rick and I still laugh about it every time we think about it.

Late that afternoon, we had finally had our fill, and we stopped at a restaurant to get dinner. That night everyone slept well!  The next morning we woke up and headed to some large caverns that were on the way home. They had recommended to us by several friends, and we thought the kids would enjoy them.  Unfortunately, Caroline and I had to turn back, because she was extremely fussy (naptime), but Rick and the kids loved it.  When they came out from the tour, OF COURSE we had to stop by the fudge and ice cream shop.  We left with more fudge than we should have, and tummies full of yummy ice cream--the perfect thing on such a warm day!

Our ride home was quiet--all the kids fell asleep--and I actually read a book! We got home in the early evening, which is perfect--still time to feed kids and get them to bed, plus unpack. With school the next day, it was an extra bonus that night.  

It was SUCH a fun trip, and I'm so grateful that we were able to make it work. It was the best "last hurrah" we could have asked for!

 

 

{may randomness}

I take a lot of pictures.  Right now I'm collecting a photo every day, and when a year is up (in October), I'm going to get them printed and put them in a book.  I'm really excited about it, and plan to do it every year. No scrapbooking or fancy embellishments--just cute pictures with fun memories attached.

-----

Camping in the backyard! There is no summer camping in Texas, so this is one of the last nights we could get away with it.  Popcorn, a movie, and sleep under the stars? What could be better?

 Yes, I took a picture of the milk.  But hello??!!  99 cents? The way we go through milk, this was an extra amazing deal.  We bought a lot of it, and the kids put it to good use.

 

Oh, this girl.  Already a shoe obsession.  ☺  Try as she might, she just could not get this American Girl doll shoe on her foot.  Although I love the leopard...she has good taste! 

 

Yay! Finally another lost tooth! This girl just turned eight, and had only lost two teeth until the last couple of weeks.  Now we're up to five, she's missing both front teeth, and looks absolutely adorable.

 My Mother's Day chefs!!  Rick wore that chef's hat when he worked at a restaurant many years ago as a teenager, and Kate loved wearing it as his sous chef.

 I love this sweet picture of Emma and Caroline, caught in an unaware moment. This baby is loved!!!

 

I was able to attend a blogging conference in SLC the very end of April, and had a great time!  I have worked closely with so many bloggers over the last five years, and it was so fun to finally meet them in person!

 

This is in the lobby of the Little America hotel, where we stayed, and where the conference was.  My favorite parts of the weekend were moments like this...this was spontaneous picture of a group of us just chatting. I loved talking to other women that know exactly what I do--and what it's like to balance blogging, being a mom, and juggling the rest of your life.

(Eighteen25, LandeeLu, Lil' Luna, Lolly Jane, 30 Handmade Days, Kiki & Co., Or So She Says, Diary of Dave's Wife)

Yes, that is Hobby Lobby, and yes, I took my boys there. It was a moment of desperation.  Lol.  I also ran into a reader that recognized me from my blog, and it was so fun to talk to her! Although I'm not sure how she recognized me, because I was in yoga pants with hair pulled back and no makeup--nothing like my blog picture. She definitely got the "real" me!!!

 My cutey cute girls at their 2nd grade program! 

{pool time}

As the weather starts getting warmer, the biggest thing we have to look forward to is the pool opening.  It opened the third weekend in May, and of course...we were there!  

The other kids were there too, I just couldn't capture them fast enough.  ☺ It's only open on weekend for now, but as soon as school is out, I'm sure we will be there often. We've already been four times!! It really is so convenient to have it so close--it takes just a few minutes to ride bikes or drive, and we can stay as long (or short) as we like.  My good friend and I are planning to go together as much as possible, so we can tag team the kids. We plan to take advantage of pool as much as we can before we leave!!

{the week of all weeks}

They say things happen in threes, but this week it was way more than that.  We are all SO glad that it's behind us.  It started out innocently the end of the week before, when a few kids started to not feel well.  It didn't really keep them down, just slowed them down a little. My parents were still here, so we had extra hands which was nice, and we were handling everything okay.

And then...

Monday hit.  The photographer was schedule to come that afternoon to take pictures of the house so we could get it listed. My dad had spent the better part of the weekend painting, and we had matched the paint of the house and purchased it at Home Depot--thinking it would work.  Monday morning we discovered that the paint color was a match, but not the sheet, and we could see every single place that had been touched up or painted.  I frantically hunted down the manufacturer of the paint, where the builder bought it, and the nearest location, so I could go get some to re-paint...quickly.  If not, we would have tape off and paint every single wall we had touched up.  

To top it off, Henry was very sick--totally lethargic, and other details I will leave out.  Ryan was home sick, throwing up, and we were trying to keep him hydrated and out of the hospital.  Caroline was also sick, fussy, and wanted to be held all of the time.  The house still had to be cleaned, the walls painted, and all the kids taken care of.  In a few hours.

Somehow we pulled it all off, and if my parents hadn't been here, I don't know what I would have done.  It was CRAZY, and lots of prayers pulled us through.  The house was painted and cleaned, the photographers came...and then I took Henry to the doctor.  The poor boy seemed like he was at death's door, and it was actually pretty scary.  After some cultures were taken, it was discovered he had salmonella poisoning, and the CDC was monitoring his case, just to make sure it wasn't an outbreak.  

My parents left the next morning--Tuesday morning--and then our bad luck continued.  In the middle of the night, we woke up to Caroline screaming.  We went in to her room to check on her, and it was clear she was very ill. She was struggling to breathe, her little chest was retracting severely, and she was frantic. We gave her several breathing treatments, and after about an hour, she had calmed down enough that we could put her back to bed.  In a couple of hours, she was up again, and this time it was worse.  At 3am I took her in to the Emergency Room, and we didn't have to wait at all--they took us right back and starting more breathing treatments. After three of them, plus a dose of steroids, she hadn't improved, and they decided to admit her.  

She was immediately hooked up to a million things, which meant we had to stay on the bed--and not really move anywhere else.  I held her most of the time, and fortunately she slept quite a bit that next morning.  When she woke up, it was hard--she didn't feel well, but she didn't want to stay on the bed either.  Trying to entertain a sick 14 month old in two feet of space for a couple of days is quite the challenge, and thanks to some really amazing nurses, we made it through.  They spoiled her rotten--brought snacks, books, and even figured out a way we could for a walk around the halls. Rick came that night and stayed with Caroline while I showered and changed (I was still wearing my pajamas from the night before), and brought some much needed relief...and chocolate.  Fortunately, she began to improve, and we were able to go home the next afternoon.  Meanwhile, Henry was still sick, so fortunately, Rick was able to stay home with the boys and take care of him.  

 

I've had some really crazy weeks in my life, but I have to say, this has definitely made the top three.  I'm just so grateful that everyone is okay--we made it through with everyone now well, and our house went up on the market as planned. 

{emma the ballerina}

Emma absolutely loves ballet.  I think it's in her bones. She loves to dance, but she also loves all the stuff that goes along with it--the pink tights, ballet shoes with ribbons tied on, her teachers--everything.  

Her fifth ballet recital was this past weekend, and she was pretty excited about it.  Nervous too...but she's come a long way since that first recital when she wouldn't go more than a few steps onto the stage.  The ballet this year was "Esther", and her costume was pink, flowy, and of course she adored it.  Once again, it was time to sew ribbons on ballet shoes! I was much better at it this year.  ☺ But...her favorite part is still the hair and makeup!

Dress rehearsal went smoothly, and the performance was the next night.  Because we had sick kids at home, I took Kate with me to watch Emma.  We prepped her in her costume and makeup, then left her in the dressing room with the other girls and "moms in charge". Even the three year olds stay backstage the entire performance, and it's quite the professional production.

It was a lovely show, but it was LOOOOOONG.  As in THREE hours long!  Emma did a beautiful job, and as always, it was a treat to see her on stage.  Rick showed up at intermission with flowers, and he stayed for the rest of the ballet.   Kate fell asleep with about a half hour to go, around 9:30pm--she just couldn't hold out any longer. 

It's going to be sad to leave this ballet studio when we move...it's been a wonderful place for Emma, and she's loved every minute of it.  We're so happy she got one last recital before we left!  

{our next family adventure}

This is happening!!! We are headed to New York!!!

This is a huge move for our family for a number of reasons. It's not the first time we will move cross country--we've done that twice before--but it has some definite significance.  

First of all, Rick left Deloitte after twelve years, which in and of itself is significant.  Deloitte has been very good to us over the years, and we are grateful for that job, and all it's done for Rick and our family.  He's been able to work with some really wonderful people, and I know he's learned a lot.  But at the end of the day, it wasn't the job he wanted to stay with for the rest of his life, and we knew we needed to move on. He's really looking forward to the challenge of this new position, and the company matches up with not only what he was looking for, but our family as well. Our family lifestyle had greatly dwindled over the past couple of years, with Rick being gone so much that sometimes a whole week went by without the kids seeing him.  We were ready to find something that would have him home more, plus match his career goals, and we've found it!

As for the location...I am THRILLED!! The kids cheered when we told them we were headed back to snow--they've missed it terribly the last couple of years--and each one of them can't wait to get there. I think I'm most excited about the four seasons, and most especially the fall.  The holidays just never felt quite right when it was 80 or 90 (or 100) degrees.  I made a little list of all the things I was excited about in New York, and the things I would miss in Texas...

{NEW YORK}

-Four seasons!!!! 

Fall leaves, pumpkin patches, apple farms, crisp mornings in the fall, snow, spring flowers, beautiful summers...

-The weather

The heat has just about KILLED me. Until you've lived in it, and experienced it, there is really no way to describe how oppressive the heat and humidity are, at least six months out of the year.  I used to complain about the snow, and I'm sure I will again, but honestly, all I have do is remember what a Texas July is like, and I'll be cured.  

-Being able to enjoy the summer with my kids

It's just too hot in Texas to go outside at all in the summer months, unless you're at the pool.  With so many little kids, it's not really easy to take them to the pool, and especially not every single day.  Whether you're in cold weather or hot weather, you're inbound part of the year, and I would much rather be inbound during the winter, when the kids are in school.  I haven't been to the park in the summer for two years with my kids, and we're ready to go back!!!

-The country life!  

Man, have I missed living where it's quiet!  Our neighborhood is quiet, but to go anywhere, you're in major traffic, all of the time. I miss space, trees in my yard, two lane roads, and peaceful nights. 

-Land

We plan to build our next house, and we are looking for at least 2 acres to build it on.  After being SO SQUISHED on our Texas lot, we're ready for a big yard, lots of trees, campfires under the stars, a big treehouse, and plenty of space for the kids to run around, play, and explore.  I took it totally for granted in Michigan, and now I'm grateful that we'll have the opportunity to have it again.

-Location

We will be close to SO many places to visit, and things to do, and we've already started making our list.  New York City, Washington DC, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh, Hershey, Philadelphia), Toronto, New England...and so many more.  Most importantly, it's only four hours from Midland, and we all are looking forward to a lot more face time with our dear friends there.

-Rick's schedule

This should really be in the first spot, because it's the most important! No more busy season!!!  ☺ Of course he will still be busy, and have busier times, but it won't be nearly like it has been.  We already have plans to go skiing every winter, which we've never been able to do.  I grew up skiing (although I'm terribly out of practice now), and I can't wait to teach my kids.  He will be home more, earlier, and even though he will have to travel some, it will still be less than what we're used to now.

-Running

This might seem like a silly thing to have on my list, but the Texas weather has been a huge deterrent in my running goals. I've not stopped running, but I haven't been able to go the distances that I was used to before, because I can't do it in 90+ degrees--which it is more than half of the year, and I HATE the treadmill. I still run on it, but there are only so many miles I can run on it until I die of boredom. I have some goals that I would like to accomplish, and I'm looking forward to pursuing those, and getting outside more to run.

{TEXAS}

-Flip flops all year long

Okay, I'm sure I will still wear them a lot in NY, but I have to admit, it was so nice to never wear socks.  Ever.  Unless I was wearing running shoes.  Ballet flats and flip flops are all I've worn for the past two years, and it will be an adjustment to wear more than that on my feet.

- REALLY GOOD Mexican food

Good Mexican food was pretty non-existent in Michigan, and since we've moved here, we've become totally and completely spoiled. I have not one favorite Mexican restaurant, but THREE.  Leaving them will be very hard, because I know it just won't be the same.  My kids have already requested their last meal in Texas, so we will be stopping at Pappasito's on our way out of town.  It was our first meal here, and now it will be our last.

-Friends

We've made some good friends while we've been here, and it's always hard to leave that behind.  We are making the most of our time left, and since it's summer in a couple of weeks, we'll have more opportunity to do so.

Yes, the NY list is a lot longer than the Texas list, which is a good thing.  We knew we were supposed to move here, and as hard as it has been, and as glad as we all are to leave, we've learned a lot. We're hoping that this will be our last move for a long time, and we're all ready to put roots down and make a permanent home for our family.

Now our house needs to sell...quickly!!!  We're ready to go!!

{happy baptism day}

You talk about their baptism day their whole life, yet it seems like it arrives much more quickly than you ever imagined it would.  Kate and Emma were both so excited for the big day, and we spent months talking about it, practicing, and preparing.  Finally, it was here!!

The morning of their baptism day they actually went swimming.  ☺ Our pool opened that day for weekends only, and the kids couldn't contain their excitement.  They spent a couple of hours at the pool and then still had plenty of time to come home and get ready.  

I felt so harried when I got there--trying to get everything in its place, take a few pictures, and keep all the kids under control. When it started though, everything became calm, and everything went beautifully.  There was one other boy getting baptized that day, and the first half of the program was done by his family.  My parents were able to take a small leave from their mission to come, and of course we were all so glad they could be here.  The girls asked my dad to give a talk, and my mom to say the prayer, so it was fun to have them not only be here, but be a part of it too.  We performed our "I Am a Child of God" quartet, and it went really well--even better than the recital.  All of the talks were wonderful, and the whole program just couldn't have gone smoother.  

 

 

 

I've never watched a baptism from the steps of the font before, since Ryan didn't need me back there with him, and it was such a neat experience for me to be back there with them, waiting for them to come back up the stairs to get dried off.  Kate went first (since she's the oldest), and I loved watching her watch Emma from the top of the steps, all wrapped up in a towel.  I will never forget it!

When they had finished, we hurried quickly to get them dressed and back to the chapel.  I was worried that with two of them, people would be waiting. With my mom's help, we were super fast, and we even beat the one boy that got baptized!!  

Afterward, we met with friends that had come to see the girls, and it was the icing on the cake.  Such a special day!  

To celebrate, we headed to one of our most favorite restaurants, Pappasito's, and had yummy Mexican food--and Fried Ice Cream too.  

It was a PERFECT day.  We love you girls, and we're so proud of you!!!

{no training wheels!!!}

It simply became a necessity for Henry to learn to ride his bike with no training wheels.  He had outgrown his bike, and the next size up doesn't come with them.  He also was so hard on training wheels that we had already gone through a couple sets.

Our other kids have all learned to ride their bike around age 6, so at age 4, it seemed a little early, but we decided to go for it with both Jack and Henry while my dad was here (he's great at teaching kids how to ride bikes).  We had Henry try it on his smaller bike to practice, just until he learned, and you'll see how little it looks on him!  

The day before, my dad had a "prep" session with the boys, and talked all about riding bikes, and how it was going to work.  It definitely helped, because literally, Rick held Henry's seat for two steps, let go, and off he went.  He kept going, and never stopped.  He kept saying "I'm a natural", over and over again, and it was pretty hysterical. Then it was Jack's turn, and the same thing happened!  Rick held his seat for two steps, and off he went, never looking back.   They were able to get started all on their own from the very beginning, which is usually one of the most difficult aspects.  I think they're both naturals!

Way to go, boys!!!  I think Henry will be getting a new bike very soon.  ☺

{emma's first violin recital}

Emma started taking violin lessons a few months ago, and she has really enjoyed it.  Because she's young, I go with her to her lessons, and basically take the lesson with her, so I can come home and teach her at home.  Correct technique is essential from the very beginning, and it's been interesting for me to compare it to the piano.  It's also been really fun for me to spend that time with Emma, and since she loves it so much, it's never a battle to practice.  That's the best part.  ☺

Her first violin recital was this past weekend, and because she and Kate had been working so hard on the piece for their baptism, it was decided they would do the same one for the recital.  It was "I Am a Child of God" played in a quartet, with Kate and me on the piano, and Emma and her teacher on the violin. It's actually quite difficult to play in an ensemble anytime, but most especially as a beginning violinist or pianist.  I was really impressed by both of their willingness to work hard and learn their parts individually, then put it all together.  One day I heard the piano and violin at the same time, and when I went into the music room, I saw Emma and Kate practicing together, and counting "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and". I seriously teared up--it was so darling.  I hope this will be the beginning of many years performing together!

They both did a fantastic job at the recital, and I'm so proud of both of them!  I wasn't able to take a picture of all of us, but I did get one of Emma on stage while she was warming up.  

 

Great job, girls!!!  

{the smiths}

Trenton and Lyndi and their family had a huge layover at the Houston airport on their way back from Peru, so we were the LUCKY ones to spend the day with them before they headed back to Michigan. I kept it a secret from my kids, because I love a good surprise, and I couldn't wait to see their faces!  

After they got to our house, I took the Smith girls with me to get Kate and Emma out of school.  I had the Smith girls wait outside the doors, so as soon as Kate and Emma came out, they would see them.  It was fantastic. They kind of stood there, frozen to the spot, with huge grins on their faces, then there were hugs all around.  I loved it!!!

 Trenton and Lyndi were both absolutely exhausted after such a long trip through the night, so they headed to bed while I got to hang out with the kids.  We headed to the park that afternoon, and even Rick was able to come meet us for awhile.  What I loved the most was that it was like no time had passed--these little friends love each other, and it was so fun for me to see. 

All too soon, it was time for them to go.  It was too fast, but I'll take even a few hours!  We love you, Smith Family!!!

{birthday girls}

Remember how I said that Easter was a little crazy this year? Well, it continued on to the girls' birthday.  I went out of town that week, and flew back home on their birthday afternoon--just in time for cake, birthday dinner, and presents.  It was a BIG birthday this year...EIGHT years old!!!  I seriously cannot believe that they are this age--it happened in the blink of an eye.  

 

I'm so proud of who they are, and who they've become.  They are lovely, beautiful, smart, kind, funny and good girls that bring a light to our home that can't be described.  

{Kate}

Kate is the best little mother to Caroline and the boys.  She's extremely nurturing, and loves to help take care of the baby, read stories to the boys, and really anything I need her to do to help with the younger kids.  She loves to be active, is a great athlete, and loves pretty much any sport. She's happiest when she's outside riding her bike, climbing trees, playing volleyball, or playing at the park.  She's great at math, and it's her favorite subject in school. She plays the piano, and especially loved playing in a quartet for her baptism and Emma's violin recital.  She is such a sweet girl that loves to help me in the kitchen, make crafts, and go shopping with me.  Her favorite food is anything sweet.☺

{Emma}

Emma loves to read.  Mysteries are one of her favorites, and I'll often catch her snuggled up reading one of her American Girl mystery books.  She loves science, and wants to be a scientist when she grows up.  She's deciding between working for NASA and being a marine biologist.  She loves ballet, and is so excited about her ballet recital in a couple of weeks.  Playing the violin is one of her new favorite things, and she's really doing well and enjoying it.  She also plays the piano, and she and Kate like to play together.  Emma loves to write, and I get lots of love notes and stories on my nightstand.  She is so funny, has a great sense of humor, and keeps us all on our toes.  Her favorite food is pizza...and anything sweet.  ☺

We love these girls!!!!  

They were THRILLED to get new bikes as a present, and considering they had completely outgrown their old ones, it was perfect timing.  They also got new robes, which they've been asking for forever, new books, and from Gramme and Poppy, a tea set (Emma) and Raggedy Anne (Kate).  

They can't wait to be baptized in a few weeks, and are anxiously awaiting the big day.  

Happy Birthday, darling girls!!!! xoxoxo

{happy easter...barely}

I think I was the most unprepared I've ever been for a holiday. Honestly, April was so jam-packed that it feels like a blur.  I was getting ready to go out of town for a week, Caroline got really sick, and Rick was traveling, plus all of the other usual things, so it came and went without us doing some of our traditions.  But...we did go on a fun family getaway that weekend to the waterpark, and had a great time, so I don't think any of the kids missed them too much.  We did manage to hide Easter eggs and have an egg hunt, and they got their baskets, so I think we can call it a success. 

Our neighborhood had a huge egg hunt and festival the weekend before Easter, so I took the kids to that while Rick was working.  There were SO many eggs, and SO many kids, but they all loved it.  There was also a yummy BBQ, train rides, a petting zoo, face painting, and a ton of other stuff at the clubhouse, so the kids were pretty much in heaven.

I did manage matching skirts for the girls, and ties for the boys...that's a tradition that I love.  Easter Sunday dawned bright and beautiful, and it turned out to be a really lovely day.

We did spend more time talking about the true meaning of Easter, and our Sunday afternoon was spent talking and laughing as a family.  Seriously---the best time of the week.

{waterpark getaway}

After Rick's extra long busy season this year, we were SO ready for some family time.  He finally had a weekend off when it came to Easter weekend, so we spontaneously decided to go on a mini vacation for a few days.  Even though it was pretty warm here, the outdoor waterparks weren't open, so we headed to an indoor waterpark.

We do have a Great Wolf Lodge just a few hours from us in Dallas, but on such short notice, for a room that fits eight, it was $600!   So...I went on the hunt for another one nearby, and found the second largest waterpark in the state just a couple of hours away.  It was actually designed by the same people that do Great Wolf, so it looked almost identical to it, and had pretty much all the same things--but at a fraction of the cost.  

We decided to surprise the kids, so I packed during the day while they were at school, and when they came home, we all hopped into the car and headed out.  Staying in a hotel is always a highlight for my kids, and really, we could stay in one in our own town, and the would think it was the most exciting thing ever.  We still fit in one room, although I know those days are getting numbered.  Ryan sleeps on the pull out couch, the four little sleep the opposite way on one of the beds, Rick and I have a bed, and the baby sleeps in her crib. It works for us, as long as we can find a suite like that.  So far we've been able to!  

It was an absolutely beautiful drive.  Rolling hills, tons of green trees, and a quiet countryside roads. It was a much appreciated respite from the busy highways we're used to. 

We woke up early the next morning, and enjoyed the kids' second favorite thing...the free breakfast.  They had a good one, even Texas-shaped waffles.  (Seriously...ONLY in Texas.)  After breakfast we still had a couple of hours until the park opened, so we walked outside to let the kids play. It was in a town with pretty much nothing else in it--just farmland, and so we walked a little ways and found ourselves in a huge green field with cattle and horses.  We played tag, the kids played in the mud, and we enjoyed the perfect weather--not too hot, not too cold.

 

Soon it was time to head inside and to the park, where we stayed and played all day.  Henry could not be contained, he loved it so much.  He's tall enough to ride anything, which is sometimes a dangerous combination with a four year old mind.  He and Kate were buddies, and they rode all the big rides together.  Emma stayed in the lazy river pretty much the whole time, and Jack loved the smaller waterslide in the treehouse.  Caroline loved the lazy river too, and so Rick and I took turns going on the big rides.  

 

  Soon the day was over, and it was time to head home.  We changed the kids into their pajamas, loaded up the car, then stopped quickly to get something to eat.  The drive home was quiet--the kids watched movies, while Rick and I talked.  It was only 24 hours, but it was like a breath of fresh air after the last four months of crazy. I'm so glad we could get away--it was wonderful!!!