Dang Cold!

Ok, so do you think it's cold where you live? Well think again! We didn't know what we were getting into when we moved here. Yesterday as I was driving Anden to school it was -22 degrees. Yes, that is NEGATIVE TWENTY DEGREES FAHRENHEIT!!! Chris ran that morning and almost froze parts of his body off. The snow on the road won't melt, so we have been driving around on white snow covered roads for the last 6 days. I just can't believe people live in places this cold. I seriously feel like we live at the North Pole. Thank goodness we have a garage.

Ok, I'm done complaining now. I actually kind of like it this cold, because then I can brag about it.

Gettin' Better

Okay, so things are definitely getting better. I have been working at the rec. center in the mornings while Chris gets the kiddos off to school, and that has really helped boost my spirits, believe it or not. We are settling in here, and really starting to like it. We've found a great fishing hole for the kids, and have already had some friends up to see us.

Chris is headed to St. George this weekend the run the marathon. Go Chris!

Braxton and Calvin are starting to like school more, and Anden has always loved it. Chris really like his job, so that is good. He found out the classes he is teaching next semester, and it's going to really test him. The good thing about teaching is that he learns so much. He has to know the material inside and out. He really has a love for learning, so it has been fun watching him get excited about learning all over again.

Our house is under contract, meaning we accepted an offer on it. We'll see if it actually goes through. The closing date is at the end of this month. I'll keep ya posted!

If anyone wants to come visit northwestern Colorado, PLEASE COME VISIT! WE MISS YOU!!! WE PROMISE TO COOK YOU LOTS OF GOOD FOOD, TOO!

Rangely Greetings

Hi everyone. I figured I would give a quick update. And it will be quick cuz I am at a library computer and they close in 5 minutes! We are doing ok. We don't love it here yet, but the people are generally nice. The kids have had their nights of tears and so have Chris and I. We really really really miss Blanding and all our awesome friends. It really is so different here. People are different, the store is different, the church is different. I really WANT to like it, but it really is taking some time. I have grown so much from going through this experience though. I can truly see why Heavenly Father wants us to step outside our comfort zone. It is so we can learn and grow and become more like Him. It's not that we have to move to achieve this growth, but I can see His purpose in my life. I'm going to try to update more frequently now that we are on a school schedule. And, we may have good news on the sale of our house. I'll keep you posted!

Moving

I have so much to catch up on, and I really wanted to not leave anything out since I wanted to make my blog into one of those cool books especially since I don't scrapbook. But, since we are trying to move, and since after the move we will be simplifying and eliminating all unneeded expenses, I am afraid this may be my last post for awhile, although I will update when I can. This may be short-term depending on if and when we sell our home.

Chris' last day of work was yesterday. It was sad for him and me. Joe has been the best employer Chris has ever had, and I don't know if he'll ever get one that good again. Joe gave Chris the room he needed to grow into the accountant he is today. He trusted Chris and was extremely flexible, allowing Chris to leave work whenever he needed to.

Here is an update on what we are doing:

Chris is unemployed!!! Yes, I am excited about it. It's only for a week, though. Today we are going on a much needed family trip. We'll come back to Blanding on Tuesday, and pack up Wednesday and Thursday. Then on Friday we will drive to Rangely and get settled in our rental home.

We have seen the Lord's hand work in so many ways in the past few weeks. I was praying that we could stay together as a family. Yes, I want our house to sell too, but staying together is far more important to me. Well, I got a call from someone at Colorado Northwestern saying that she knew of a rental house that was available. I told her that we were on the bottom of the waiting list, and she said that if you knew someone, they would bump you to the top of the list (talk about small town politics, but we're used to it). Well, she was that person we needed to know.

The very next day Chris and I drove up there to look at it, and low and behold they had 2 rental houses we could pick from, both the same price. We chose the nicest of the two, of course. The house is fabulous. I am really scared of making the rent payment (which is double our house payment) and our mortgage at the same time, but we did find someone to stay in our house until it sells to offset the cost a little. He's single guy who just got off a mission. His parents live in Monticello (20 min. away), so it won't be that big of a deal if we do sell it, he'll just move back home. He'll take care of the yard, and let the real estate agents show it whenever they need to.

I really see the Lord's hand in my life right now. I don't understand why our house hasn't sold. It may not be for any reason at all, but I do know that I have learned alot from this whole experience. I have learned that even though I thought I was pretty humble, I wasn't. I thought being humble meant acknowledging God in all things, that without Him, I am nothing. I knew that without question, but my actions weren't showing Him that. My daily praying had diminished, I was a terrible mother most of the time, and forget personal scripture study.

This trial in our lives has helped me be a better mother (although I do need tons more help). I have learned so much from the scriptures, too. When this first started I was in tears most days, sometimes thinking that this was more than I could bear, and that my family would be better off going through this without me (I know, crazy, huh?!) My window of eternal perspective was small, maybe 5 minutes a day. I was constantly anxious. I wanted this burden to be lifted immediately.

Over the past several weeks my eternal window has increased a hundred fold. I know that it will all work out. If the worst thing that happens is us losing our home...I really don't care! I've got 4 boys and a man that loves me. I have found HUGE comfort in reading the scriptures, especially the New Testament when it talks about our Savior's ministry, and in the Book of Mormon when He visits the Nephites after He is resurrected. Jesus told his apostles that God knows our needs, and we shouldn't worry about tomorrow. I need to make good choices today so that tomorrow will be okay, but my Father in Heaven is ultimately in charge.

Paying the bills will be hard until our house sells. BUT....I have my family, and I will find joy in my life.

Our time in Blanding has truly been the best years of my life. I think of the person I was when I came here, and I have definitely changed for the better! The people here are amazing. Even if I don't know you really well, you have touched my life more than you will ever know! I am terrible with goodbyes. My tendency is to NOT say goodbye and just leave without saying anything at all, yup, I avoid pain like the plague. I want to tell all you Blanding folks that this isn't goodbye! Our paths may never cross again in this life, but I know in the life after this we will see each other. I'll look you up and see how life was for you!

Thank you all for taking the time to read my blog, even if I don't know you. I'll still check email at the library, and occasionally post an update

I didn't sign up for this.

My heart is breaking. When we decided to move to Rangely, we knew it was the right decision. We prayed about it and felt like it was the right decision for our family. Well, if it's the right decision, things are supposed to fall into place, right? WRONG! It's not that things haven't worked out. The problem is that I am a worrier. I worry over everything and it drives me crazy. I almost can't stand being in my own skin when I feel like I do now.

Our house has been on the market for about a month. Not a terribly long time, but we have a time crunch here! Eight people have come to look at it, and we have gotten one offer, which we turned down because we just couldn't even work with it. I will admit, our house needs a little work on the inside. The outside looks good, but it could use some new flooring, and when people buy a house, they want it to look good!

I am so bummed because I talked to a local contractor the other day, and he said instead of taking a really low offer we ought to re-do the kitchen and flooring, then up the price significantly. While this sounds like a good idea because we will probably make some extra money on the house, it really makes me sad. If we did that it would mean Chris and I would be separated. He would go work in Rangely, and I would stay here with the kids to sell the house. When I even so much as think of the words, my eyes well up with tears. I never wanted to be a single parent. I know how hard it is. I was raised my a single mother. I see moms struggle everyday in raising their kids by themselves. I honestly don't know if I can do it. Then the thought of Chris traveling that long drive by himself scares me too. There is a mountain overpass, and it really freaks me out. I didn't sign up for this!

We have prayed and fasted and gone to the temple. I know Heavenly Father is mindful of us. I know He can see the eternal perspective. I know I will look back at this and it will be a small wrinkle in my life. I know there are others out there who would be grateful if their worst worry was selling a house. But at the same time my stomach is in knots all day long. I am constantly in a state of worry and anxiety, and just to warn you, don't ask me about it if you see me because I break down at the drop of a hat.

Braxton's Trip

Braxton really had a blast on his trip out East. I was afraid that he was going to get homesick, but he really didn't. His teacher said he could call as much as he wanted from her cell phone, and at first he did. The very first thing he told me after he landed in Boston is that the pigeons were HUGE! He took about 100 pictures of birds throughout the trip. In fact, we have more pictures of birds than of anything else. Even though the pictures he took may have been different than the ones I would have took, it was fun to see the trip through his eyes, and to see the things that he thought were cool and picture worthy. I really needed those pictures too, because as the trip went on he called me less and less, and in true 10 year old fashion, he hasn't told me hardly anything about the trip. It's been like pulling teeth to get information. Luckily, his teacher forwarded me all the pictures she took, and I had a long conversation with her after the trip. What a truly exciting thing for him to do. I am so thankful we were able to let him have this opportunity!

Picture of one of the HUGE pigeons.

Here is a pic of Braxton by a Paul Revere statue. Paul Revere must have really impressed Braxton because he is one of the only things Braxton has talked about.

I was so proud of Braxton. This is a pic of him on top of the Empire State Building. His teacher said that he was so scared that he was in tears on the way up. He slowly went out on the deck, and was able to conquer one of his worst fears. He is DEATHLY afraid of heights!

This is Braxton and his two friends in front of the White House. I'm sure it was taken by another 10 year old. Sorry lady who we don't even know with the cute white hat, fanny pack hiked up around your waist, and weird look on your face, but you will forever be engraved in our picture albums.

Cute things

On Cal's birthday a couple days ago, we were doing "heavy, heavy hang over", and Calvin wished Roy a motorcycle for his birthday. Well, several days later Roy still remembers it. This morning he said, "me get motorcycle for birthday, drive it to store, get milk and candy, and crash." He's always talking about this motorcycle he's getting for his birthday. Hmmm, how am I going to get around that one?

Today Braxton wanted to look at the blog. He saw the picture of himself playing soccer, and said, "wow, my hair looks really stupid long mom." This is coming from the kid that wouldn't let us cut it, and when we finally did, he sobbed as if you'd just cut his arm off. I felt bad, and told him he could grow it out, but now he's decided he doesn't like it. He says his hair looks like a "pudding bowl" (whatever that is), and he wants it cut short.

Ornery Old Goat

I'm an ornery old goat. Anden even said so. I told him whenever he thinks I am being too mean he can tell me to stop being an ornery old goat. I'll admit, over the last month or so, every since we found out we are moving, life feels so out of control, and I have not been very fun to be around. I seriously feel bad for my husband and kids. I wouldn't want to be around me.

Today as I was thinking, which I do way too much of, I started thinking about why I feel like I need to control so many things in my life. It seems like the more I feel out of control, the more I try to control the little things. Like what my kids take to the pool with them...."don't forget your goggles...that towel is too big to carry while riding your bike....stay close to each other....play with each other....watch for cars....come back right afterwards....blah, blah, blah." I feel so bad for them. Then when they don't do what I say, and I am feeling stressed the poor kids get berated..."get off the wall....that's how you got hurt before...don't you remember....what are you thinking." I have been trying not to be like this lately, and praying really hard that I am not damaging my kids for the rest of their lives. I keep saying that as soon as we move I won't feel like this, but I know I need to try harder now.

I wish I could just let it all go, and say, "who cares if the house is messy when someone comes over to look at it, my kids feel loved. So what if Roy made a trail of mud all the way to the bathroom to wash himself off, at least he knows he can count on mom to help him. Who cares if we eat cold cereal for dinner, at least my kids know that they are #1 in my life." I am going to commit to try harder. I don't ever want my kids and husband to doubt that they are loved, and right now, I don't really think they feel that way. It's time for me to stop wallowing and start loving.

Braxton found his calling!

Braxton is really good at soccer! He loves it too, and has a blast playing. The position he is best at is goalie. He sacrifices his body for the ball, and really excels at it. This year at his last game the score was tied when the time was up. Each team got a kick off. Braxton's friend Kolemen kicked the ball for their team and made it! Then Braxton was the goalie and blocked the shot kicked by the other team. Braxton was ecstatic and it really made his day! I'm so glad he has found a sport that he loves and that he is good at.Having a blast being goalie

Update

I have been way too busy, so of course my blog is the first thing to suffer. Here is a short update:

We are feeling a little better about our move. It is slowly starting to sink in and feel better. We have been fixing things in the house to get it ready to sell, and it ticks Chris off that we are making it nicer for someone else. :D Our house isn't officially on the market yet, but we have a few people already interested. Hopefully it sells quick so that will be one less thing we have to worry about.

Here are some pics from the last few months:

Here's Roy covered in mud and snot. It's so blurry because I was trying to take a picture of this sad little mess, and he was so mad that he was hitting me away!

Anden graduated from Pre-School. I'm so sad! I'm going to miss my little buddy when he goes to Kindergarten!

Here's Calvin having a blast at soccer. He really likes it and does well. He's the kid in the yellow. Check out the determination on his face!

We made these paper hats one day, and the kids looked so cute in them, but the real reason why I put this picture up is to document Roy's hair. My sister Jilyn came down a few weeks ago and cut Roy's hair. It is still long, but just shaggy and shorter (I'll show a pic once Braxton gets back from his trip with my camera), and he actually looks like a boy now. I never really understood why people called Roy a girl, since he clearly looked like a boy to me, but looking at this picture makes me realize just how long his hair had gotten and that he DID kinda look like a girl! I do miss his wavy golden locks, though.

Blanding Home for Sale

I decided to do some cheap advertising and post our home on our blog. We are sad to see it go, and love our house so much! I don't have pictures yet. Braxton has the camera with him on his trip, but here is the description:

Home for sale in Blanding, Utah. 3 bedroom (with a 4th optional bedroom we use as a playroom) 1 3/4 bath in the best neighborhood in Blanding (on a dead end street) with 1600 square feet, a double car carport, and beautiful yard on 1/4 acre. Asking $119,000. Drive by at 390 West 400 South, and if you're interested give us a call: Chris or Sarah Bishop 435-678-3115. Best offer gets it!

Baseball

Calvin's foot was mostly healed for his last game, so we went ahead and let him play. Here are some pics:

3 Stooges

Okay, so they're not the stooges, but they do all look alike. Anden has been begging me forever to shave his head like Chris, so earlier this month I pulled out the clippers and buzzed it thinking it would suffice. He was totally happy with it until Calvin decided to have me buzz his head too. When Calvin's haircut was over, he told me it wasn't like dad's and he wanted it shaved with the razor. I succumbed and shaved his head, so Anden decided he wanted his shaved too.

A few hours later Calvin came to me and said it still wasn't like dad's. He wanted it shiny and smooth on the top. Sorry son, that will come with old age!

So here they are...all 3 with a shaved head.

He's Gone

Today I sent my 10 year old son across the country. I'm so scared and sad. Actually I'm terrified. Last Fall his teacher mentioned that she would like to take a group of students back east to tour the Eastern Seaboard. I was really excited to send Braxton since I used to nanny there back in the day, so, I signed him up. That is so typical of me. I get so excited and gung ho about something and commit to it, then later I really think of the ramifications and what it all means. So this Spring, I started feeling really stressed about all this and today he left.

It really is going to be such a wonderful experience for him. He'll learn a ton, and I'm sure his teacher will take better care of him than I would have. She is amazing.

Braxton was so scared to go, but he really wanted to go. He was scared the plane would crash into a building like 9-11 and scared the big buildings in NY would fall while he was in them. Of course, I helped him see that the chances of all that happening were slim to none.

All day today he has been singing and really excited about his trip. He could hardly believe it was here. And as I hugged him goodbye, irrational fear gripped me...maybe his plane WOULD crash into a building like 9-11, maybe the big buildings in NY WOULD fall while he was in them, maybe he would get abducted, maybe he would get lost, maybe someone would be mean to him, or maybe he would just feel homesick and need me to tell him everything would be alright. I can't believe I just sent my 10 year old across the country.

Sad Day at the Bishop Home

Chris and I have an announcement to make ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................


We've been waiting to make the announcement until after we told Chris' boss, but we're moving. I so badly want to put an exclamation point after that, but we are so extremely sad. It's hard to see that this decision is a good one when we will miss Blanding like crazy. It's our friends, our home, our yard, and the land we will miss the most. I have put thousands of miles in on my bike on these roads. And Chris has run over 7,000 miles here with his BFF Ryan. I cried when I realized how many miles they had run together. I feel like he is divorcing his best friend.

Now for the news. Chris got a job at Colorado Northwestern Community College teaching in their business department. Chris has known for a couple years now that he wants to teach, but now that it is real, he is questioning his capabilities. Chris is a born teacher, and I know he will be wonderful. The college is in Rangely, Colorado and the town is perfect for us. They really courted Chris. First they had a phone interview with him, then paid for him to travel up there to tour the college, meet with the dean, and check out the town. The kids and I even went out to lunch with the hiring committee. The job starts in August and Chris will be on a 10 month contract which means he is all mine in the summer.We know this is the right decision, especially for our family, but we are still leaving kicking and screaming.

He's Done!

I think I am the proudest wife on the planet. Chris is now an MBA graduate! He has worked so hard for this. He is the most wonderful man I know. He didn't just get his master's degree for himself. No, he got it for me and his children, who he loves so much, and who he would sacrifice his life for.

This has been a hard past few years for Chris. Amongst personal challenges he has overcome, he has also worked a full time job, a part time job, coached various sports for the kids, spent hours and hours on church callings, ran several marathons and triathlons, and loved me more than I could have ever expected anyone to ever love me!

Our 11 year anniversary is coming up next week, and I am so lucky to have found Chris. The men I dated before Chris weren't exactly stellar husband material. Chris has created a life for me that I never believed I could have or deserved.

I always say that all the blessings in our lives are because of Chris. He loves his Heavenly Father so much, and it shows in how he lives his life. He is so forgiving, and truly has a gift for accepting everyone.

He is also one of the smartest people I know. Our kids are blessed to have his smart blood running through their veins.

Chris, I love you so much and feel privileged to spend eternity with you!

He's 10!

I can't believe my baby is 10! And yes, he'll always be my baby (I've got 4 of them). Check out my baking skills. I make these super delicious homemade oreos, and since Braxton loves them, he thought it would be a good idea to make a giant Oreo for his b-day cake. Honestly, I didn't think it would work, but turned out super delicious.

Braxton is seriously the best kid ever. Whenever I ask him to do something he ALWAYS does it. He loves to dance with me, and he's got the best sense of humor. He never gets mad when I tease him, and his younger brothers adore him. He always tells me I'm the best mom ever, and he'll still let me tuck him in at night. He's super smart, funny, and is one of the most compassionate kids I know. He bears his testimony in church all the time, and truly loves the gospel. I am so lucky to be his mom!

Braxton got a Rip Stick for his birthday. He already got injured on it. The Dr. thought his arm was broken at first, but it ended up not. Then a few days later Calvin was riding the rip stick and broke his foot. He's out of baseball after only one game. The sad thing is that he's really good at baseball. There's always next year.

Funny

Tonight Calvin said, "Ow, my liver hurts!" Huh?! Not his head or his tummy or even his throat...it was his LIVER! Chris and I were chuckling at it and trying to figure out how the heck the kid knew where his liver was when it dawned on us. A few weeks ago in his class they did a life size replica of themselves complete with body parts: including heart, brain, intestines, and LIVER. So what do you give a kid for liver pain?!

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire

Ok, so I'm a liar. Here's how it all started:

Last week one of our cats was in the house (they aren't allowed) and wasn't walking at all. I felt bad for him, so I put him in my room thinking he may not live. I told the kids (big mistake #1) that I thought he might die or have to be put down. What was I thinking?! Braxton lost it. He cried and sobbed and mourned all night long. He is such a tender hearted kid. I really love it in some ways, but in some situations I just want to tell him to buck up and get over it. Well, the cat ended up having a broken pelvis, and the vet said he would live, it would just take several weeks to heal. Ok, lesson learned: Don't tell the kids until I know for sure, and when I do tell them, sugar coat it. What I actually did: LIE.

Fast forward a few days. Three teenage girls come to my house and pull out a teensy bunny that looks dead. They ask me to help them, and want to know if I know what to do to help this bunny live. It was a wild cotton tail and looked to be only a few weeks old. It was actually alive, but wasn't moving very much. Of course, the kids were all in the living room and very interested in what was going on. Braxton got really involved and decided it was his mission to research. He went upstairs and googled "how to take care of a wild baby rabbit".

In the mean time, I pulled out my heating pad to warm the bunny up and got a medicine dropper to try to hydrate it. While doing this Braxton came down stairs completely excited, telling us how to care for the rabbit, and exactly what we needed to do. While I was giving water to the rabbit, Braxton's friend came to pick him up to go somewhere, so he didn't see that the rabbit completely stopped breathing. Chris and I were sure it was dead. The girls weren't so sure, so they took the bunny and left.

When Braxton came home he asked if the bunny lived.

Me: "Yeah"
Braxton: "Oh, mom, I knew it would. I prayed to Heavenly Father, and that's when I knew I should go upstairs and google to see what we should do."

All day today he has been saying how glad and thankful he is that the bunny lived and how wonderful it is that we saved the bunny's life.

Ugh....guilt, guilt, guilt for lying. I don't think he can handle it though. He was saying he knew the bunny would live, and it would have been so sad if it had died.

People around here shoot cottontails as target practice. He'd die if he ever found out.

Our Last Night

Late night swim.
The pier at sunset.

Brack and I checking out the gorgeous sunset.

Oh, I just love the palm trees!

I just thought I'd throw this in there. We were driving along the freeway, and saw this amazing building. I thought, "wow, that looks like an LDS temple." And....IT WAS, so I got a picture. It's a beautiful temple.

I kept telling Chris on our last day in Oceanside that I didn't want to leave. I loved every minute of it. I loved the smell of the ocean. I loved going on our deck and hearing the waves and seeing the beautiful shore line. I loved the palm trees, the dampness in the air, and not having to worry about our responsibilities.

So, we stayed up late the last night to make it memorable. We went for a long walk on the boardwalk and pier at sunset. It was so gorgeous. Then we went for a late night swim. The next morning we got up early to collect shells. The kiddos thought we were the best parents ever.

I think my favorite parts about the trip were: buying just picked produce from the veggie stands; seeing the looks on peoples faces when they saw us with 4 boys, "are they ALL yours?"; and marveling at the diversity of beauty Heavenly Father has put on this earth for us to enjoy. He really must love us!

USS Midway

The end of the ship
Inside a cargo helicopter

Brack and Cal, trying to act like it's no big deal.

Roy loved climbing inside all the planes and playing with the buttons.
Anden was so excited and begged me to take his picture in every one.

We went to an aircraft carrier called the USS Midway. It was so much fun to explore and see the wonder in the boys' faces. Afterwards Calvin decided that he wanted to join the Airforce so he could live on a ship like that. I think this was definitely the highlight of the trip for the boys. They got to climb inside airplanes and helicopters, squeeze into the cramped living quarters, and ride in a flight simulator. Chris and I both really enjoyed it, too.

Cabrillo National Monument

Gorgeous view!
The boys loved seeing this "battle ship" go by.

Beautiful (the pics don't even do it justice!)

All the boys

San Diego has the best National Monument. We love going to national parks and hiking, so when I found out that San Diego had a national monument, we knew we were going. Cabrillo National Monument is on the tip of Poing Loma. You gain elevation as you drive into the park, so the view is incredible! There are rocky tide pools full of marine life, beautiful short hikes, and a lighthouse (which I forgot to take a picture of). The best thing about the park is the view. I read about it and was excited to see, but I just can't describe the beauty of this place. It is a piece of undisturbed heaven in the middle of urban chaos. The shoreline isn't made up of sandy beaches. There are rocky cliffs, and did I tell you it's gorgeous?! We even saw a seal hunting for some vittles next to the rocks. It's quite small, so it only took us a few hours to explore it, but it was so worth visiting.

The Beach

Calvin playing ball with his dad.
Braxton and I coming in from boarding.

Sand castle time!


What a kicker!
You gotta love the sand encrusted face!

We had such a blast at the beach. When we went, the tide was low, so the kids got to play in the tide pools. Since I'm an expert boogie boarder I taught Braxton how, and he said I was tons better than dad :D The other kids didn't want to step foot in the water because it was pretty cold. It actually wasn't that bad once your body went numb.

I did trick Andy into getting into the water once. I said I was going to pull him around on the boogie board in the tide pool, but after a few minutes I pulled him into the surf. He was mad.

We saw a group of dolphins playing, and that was awesome.

Braxton was very into the whole "modesty" thing. You should have seen the look on his face when he'd see a girl in a bikini. It really made him uncomfortable. I have to say I am glad about that for now. In a couple years I'll have to cover his eyes.

Oceanside Fun

The condo complex we stayed at in Oceanside was absolutely beautiful. They had a Koi pond with overfed fish, an awesome game room, and beautiful waterfalls everywhere.

Check out the concentration!

Roy and Anden were so cute trying to play pool.

FEED ME!All my handsome boys!
I just had to throw this one in there. Look at Anden's face. He was so sick of me making him pose for pictures.

We took the kids to an aquarium while we were in San Diego. It was so fun to see their excitement at all the new discoveries. While we were in there, Anden begged us to get our picture taken in the photo booth. Since I'm a sucker for photo booths, we all scrunched in, but never got a good picture. It was fun though.

Afterward, we had a few hours to kill before we could check into the condo, so we stopped at the beach. The kids rolled up their pants and had fun running from the waves even though it was kinda cold outside. In the end, two of the kids ended up falling in and riding to the condo in their underwear since we couldn't get to their clean clothes without a huge hassle.

Piano

Braxton is beside himself. Grandma and Grandpa brought us their piano about a month ago. Now he can finally take lessons! I'm excited too!