the plan stan

Me and my pookies hit the road on Thursday and landed ourselves in Illinois.  

We've managed to keep ourselves out of trouble for the most part.  Except Ian is embracing his two-ness with a vengeance and Mama found a five pound bag of M&M's in my in-laws pantry.  Not a good combo, let me tell you.  We've imposed on all sorts of family and have been loved on by everyone.  We started our trip with the cousins and after a brief family meeting they decided on the following agenda: cocoa puffs, park, slip-n-slide, pool, waterpark, ice cream, watermelon, and Disney movies.  I put on my stern face, insisted on milk in the cereal and then granted all their requests.  Who could say no to these faces?

baby beautiful

 After surveying the scene Ian cautiously put his feet in the water

 After an hour I persuaded him to go down the mini water slide.  He cracked a smile but really loved holding on to mama in the "bi bi poo!" (big, big pool)

 Celebrating their eleven year anniversary.  At the waterpark.  Sorry guys!  I told you to get a sitter and go to Japonais but you didn't listen.

 One

 Two

 Three!

 Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!

 I can't believe we just did that!

 I can't believe we just did that!

 I can't believe we just did that!

 Oh my goodness!

 Let's do it again.

 Yeh, Yeh has all the right moves.

Ian thinks this is really more of a slip-n-run

Elia can read!

Tomorrow we start our road trip to New York, and then four more days till we see Daddy.  We miss you!

Seriously

I know, right!

Stopped me dead in my tracks and gave Ava a minor case of whiplash as I u-turned on the back-road.

 "I want this one Mommy, the one that looks like a wedding dress!"  I am not even kidding you.  That's what she said.  And then, "These are my favorite and my best flowers."  That's why you're my favorite child honey.  Just kidding!

 I'll take them all!  "Mommy, I don't think they'll all fit in our car."  Dang you and your five year old logic!  Fine, I'll take a dozen.  Excuse me!  Oh, I guess I'll just leave my money in this rusty old coffee can.

 Can someone please get me a tent because I'm going to live here with the peonies.  "Mommy!  Get in the car, you're getting that crazy look in your eyes."  

 The smell still stops me dead in my tracks.  I can't get anything done if I'm in a ten foot radius of the dining room table.  I mean, come on people.  Calling these flowers is like calling monarch butterflies a bug.  It just doesn't do them justice.  

 I still haven't told you the best part...

 $2 a bunch from the little farmer out in Canby.  The one who grows the best sweet corn in the pacific northwest decided to plant some peonies in his garden. 

Which means todays eucharisteo is a measure of Eden in our dining room.

summer love

Dear Ian,

Don't think I forgot about you.  (And when did you get big enough to eat red vines and wear muscle shirts?)  You and me and those puppy dog eyes are going to part-ay this summer.  No shoes required.  I'm not even going to mention your fondness for potty words or for throwing anything in a two foot radius when you get frustrated.  It's going to be all hey nonny nonny and a cha cha cha.  You'll be double fisting your two spoiling grandpas and splashing in the pool (probably with some sort of harness, floaties, helmet and both parents attached, but that is OK!).  We'll read to your heart's content and play trucks until your 9pm bedtime.  Oh, it's going to be crazy.  There will be fireworks and s'mores and sailboats and fishing.  I might even teach you how to use the potty.  That's just the kind of mama I am.  See you when the weather reaches above 60 degrees or when we land in Chicago, whichever comes first!

Mama

The nerve

Well look what Ava did this week.  Did she ask me how I felt about her graduating from preschool?  Did she fill out the appropriate, I'm getting older and moving on to the next stage of my life, paperwork?  No she did not.  But what choice do I have really?  I can drag my feet kicking and screaming.  Or smile, take so many pictures that we have to purchase a new hard drive, give her a big hug and tell her how proud of her I am.

Enough with the pictures Mom! 

 I'm going to pretend like I don't see you.

Not looking...

"Your friends are all smiling at me."

 Fine.  I'll cave to the peer pressure.

 Ava's teachers told me she had the perfect "fruit" in the fruit of the spirit skit.  When she held up "self-control" I had to immediately muffle my laughter.  But it all made sense when she went running across the stage screaming and then did a belly flop onto the floor.  

It's her signature move.

 Teacher Deanna

 Miss Aubrey

 Cuteness with Daddy

 Landon, remember him?

 Teacher Kim

 Proud Grandparents

 Ian was on his best behavior and even refrained from calling her "poopy head" for the whole evening. He's reaching his own set of milestones.

 You'll see this one again when I write about her high school graduation and am a blubbering mess.  

Summer negotiations are now underway: icee pops for dinner and a trip to Disneyland with her cousins are tied for the top spot.  I'm going to let her sweat it out awhile before I tell her she can have both.  Congratulations Ava!