Life Within the Cuckoo's Nest: October 2019

The happiest people in one of our new favorite places!!

Oh my goodness, as always, I have so much to catch up on! This was our latest adventure and it was incredible! We took a break from our usual Disneyland vacay to explore something different! We went to Carlsbad and stayed at the Legoland Castle Hotel!!! It was seriously the most incredible hotel I have ever stayed at in my life! Everything was geared towards little kids from the decor to the activities all around the hotel, to the restaurant that actually focused on kids having fun with their meal! Our room was the best part! Everything was Lego castle themed so we slept inside a castle chamber complete with a stained glass window, and a treasure chest that the maid filled up daily for us! In order to open the chest, the kids had to do a scavenger hunt around the hotel to find out the code to the lock and they loved it!! The staff was incredibly helpful as we dealt with the usual problems that occur with kids, like the middle of the night call down to housekeeping for extra towels because Austin didn't make it to the toilet in time and pooped all over the bathroom floor, or because Mom spilled pickle juice all over the bed in my desperately tired attempt to have a snack before we set off on our next adventure (Yes, being 28 weeks pregnant and doing a trip like this definitely had it's draw backs....). The kids also got their own room with bunk beds and their own TV and Lego building wall!! We were all in awe of it all. Seriously, it was overwhelming when we first step foot in the lobby and was greeted by so many kids and activities and things to look at! Breakfast was included in the stay, which the kids loved the most, because they got to wander around the buffet and choose what they wanted for breakfast each morning instead of our usual poptarts or no breakfast at all routine during our hotel stays :). There was also an INCREDIBLE swimming pool that had giant floating Legos to play with and a never ending supply of kids to make friends with! Our kids are so good at making friends and are never without a play mate everywhere we go. When we weren't swimming, eating, or hanging out in our awesome hotel room, we were out in the courtyard playing at the playground! Yes, this resort had it all and I would stay there again in a heartbeat! I thought it was even cooler than the Legoland Park itself!!

The hotel lobby was incredible! The kids had fun playing in the Lego pit!

Legos Legos EVERYWHERE!!!

There was even a slide!!! Yes! A slide in the lobby!

The playground was a huge hit!

Of course there were Legos at the playground ;).

Austin bought Ninjago gear with his birthday money at the park and had a fun sword fight with his Dad, Evie, and other little kids around the playground!

Ninja down!!

There was fun entertainment at night and Evie loved this one! It was a dragon puppet show! :)

Pool days are the best days :)

Austin spent hours collecting and organizing the pool Legos :). It makes me smile how he can be so social and yet so introverted at the same time. If other kids wanted to help him, he happily obliged. But he also didn't care when they left :).

Even the lounge chairs were Lego themed! Like I said, this was one very cool pool!!

We spent two days at the Legoland park, riding rides, eating yummy BBQ and apple fries, and playing carnival games. Dad won this giant Squirtle that has been the prized posession of the kids ever since. They carried him all around the park and he accompanied us everywhere back at the hotel, including the outdoor movie! hehe!! It was adorable! We even caught the kids reading to him and trying to feed him! :)

Squirtle and the kids enjoying some outdoor movie time :).

And then there was the amazing beach day! We always make our first stop in California the beach because it gives the kids a chance to run around after a long car ride and it also kills some time before hotel check in time. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we all enjoyed a day of playing in the surf and soaking up the sun! Evie, true to her nature, was covered in sand from head to toe from literally being buried in it and not having a care in the world as she rolled around in the dirt. Austin, true to his nature, spent most of his time in solitude hunting for the "perfect seashells". Dad ran around in between the two and I spent most of my time on the towel watching. This pregnancy has been a painful one that doesn't allow me to frolic and play like I usually do. So for the first time ever, I just sat and observed. It was a beautiful day and the perfect start to our amazing trip in Carlsbad!

My whole world in one beautiful picture :).

They couldn't be cuter if they tried!

Taking a snack break. See what I meant by dirty from head to toe? :)

Oh how I love this boy's smile :).

Playing a game of football

Happiness is.... :)

Wandering around the surf with my two girls! :)

Burying Evie in the sand! haha!

We also celebrated Dad's birthday while we were there! He turned 35 and we partied from morning until night! The kids had been working on their surprises for weeks and it was so fun that morning to put it all together! When Josh woke up and went to the bathroom that morning, I woke the kids up and we snuck out and decorated the whole room with homemade cards and pictures before he came back out! The kids hid all of his presents all around the room and had him search for all of them before he could open them. This part was so adorable because they got so excited every time he found one and then they ripped into the wrapping paper for him, unable to contain their excitement about the gifts they had bought! :) We had a nice buffet breakfast that morning and then spent the rest of his birthday out by the pool! Mom and Dad read our books in the sun while the kids played for 10 hours straight in the water! They didn't even stop for food! I reserved a nice dinner for later and we had fun singing Happy Birthday to Daddy later that night over cupcakes! It was so funny because all the other little kids in the restaurant chimed in and we had quite the moment! :) It was so nice to celebrate Josh by relaxing and just enjoying his company in the most fun atmosphere one could think of!! He works so hard and never gets time off, so this was a really special birthday for us all :). We love you Josh and don't know what we would do without you!!!! Muah!!

Surprising Daddy with the decorated room!!

The present scavenger hunt was so fun!

Wandering all around the hotel room in search of presents!

Asking Dad if he wants them to open his presents for him hehehe! :)

Lounging by the pool for the rest of the day!

While the kiddos played all day long in the water!

And topping off a spectacular day with yummy food and cake! Happy 35th Birthday Josh!!!

Austin started school, and with it came alllll the stress and scheduling it requires! This job is all mine as I try to balance work, home life, and everybody's schedules. Evie is still in swim lessons and started Pre-K in September! Her first day was so exciting and she loved every minute of it! She LOVES to learn and gets so excited to do her homework pages she brings home from school. Austin, on the other hand, wishes he could be home schooled so he can just hang out with me all day and not have such a structured routine. I've thought on this a lot, but I honestly think it is best for him to stay in school and learn how to deal with this struggle. He is growing so much socially and academically and I am finally (it's almost the end of October) seeing him starting to love what he is learning! He is always my slow starter when it comes to things he doesn't want to do. I was starting to get really worried about him there for a while because his teacher kept telling me how he was acting out in class and refusing to stop talking when he should be quiet. The outright disrespect is what bothered me but we have been working on this a lot and he is growing in leaps and bounds! Basically he finally caved. This is Austin and has been since he was born. He puts up a good fight if he really wants to and it takes an extremely strong person to hang in there with him until he finally submits to what you want him to do. My sister in Law, Jenn, told me to nip it in the bud when he was a toddler and break his will. But I couldn't do it. In my head, if God wanted to give him a strong will and a stubborn side that would rival the most stubborn donkey, then there was a purpose for that and it wasn't up to me to break him. So here we are. Austin also started Instrument club and loves it! He gets up early every Wednesday morning to go to club before school so he can learn how to play the drums and other instruments. He is making friends left and right and is doing so well academically! He loves math and has lately been spending hours at night before bed writing out math facts. SUCH a turn around from his attitude just a month ago! And all I can say is, "Praise Jesus!!" :)

Josh has been working and working, but we try to really enjoy the time we do have with him. He gets 4 whole months off when the baby is born for Paternity Leave so we are just biding our time until then! This has been a blessing that we NEVER counted on! It's paid and everything! I only get 3 months off and it's not even paid!! However, this is more than either of us has ever gotten before. With our other two babies, Josh had to go back to work the very next day after the birth and I only got 8 weeks off. So extremely grateful is an understatement. I can't wait to have all of January-April with my husband finally at home to help out with the kids so I can love on our new baby! It has been all me at home with him working so much and it has been hard. Doable, but hard. However, I am grateful that my husband finally has a job that allows me to only work 1-2 days a week, depending on what our schedules allow, and after the baby is born, I will probably only work a couple weekends a month! SUCH a big difference from how my life was when Austin was born!! So I'm not going to complain about anything. God is good :).

My baby's first day of Pre-K! We enrolled her back in Children's Learning Adventure so she can get the awesome education that Austin got! She had been waiting for this moment for months and couldn't contain her excitement all morning! Then, when it came time for me to leave her, she started crying and begged me to stay. So I hung out for a little while with her and helped her make some friends before I left. It broke my heart to leave her and I anxiously awaited pick up time all day long so I could hear how it went!

Her Frozen backpack that Daddy bought her for this special day!

Hanging up her backpack in her little cubby! She was all smiles when I picked her up at the end of the day and had soooo much to tell me!! She made all sorts of new friends who hugged her goodbye and she couldn't wait to go back next week! She also begged for extra homework for us to do so she could learn even more while she was home :).

I have been feeling much better after the doctor realized I have a stomach ulcer and put me on Nexium. I suddenly don't want to puke all the time! So this meant I actually got to enjoy the rest of the second trimester and use that newly found energy to put the girls' room together! Evie got a new big girl bed and was ecstatic to pick it all out! She helped me turn the toddler bed back into a crib and we have been working on organizing clothes, toys, and the bedroom to fit two little girls in it!

I love that Evie's preschool sends me pictures of how she is doing!

She loves to learn and is so dang smart it's scary! She can already add and subtract, count to 100, and is working on writing and sight words!! I can't believe we made this little genius!

With it being just her and I at home, we do a lot of cooking and whatever else we feel like that day. Evie is my little shadow and just loves hanging out with me. I feel so bad that Austin is missing these moments, but I know it is important for him to be growing at school and for her to have this special time before baby sister arrives! :)

Mmmmm.... cookie dough.....

The house gets pretty crazy after we pick Austin up from school. Sometimes in a hilarious way like this, and sometimes in a not so hilarious way. But I am so grateful we are adjusting to this new way of life and our routines without too much trouble.

Off to church! Josh is the Sunday School President and always has meetings before church, which leaves me alone to get everyone ready and off to church on time. I'm basically a single Mom all the time who happens to meet up with her husband at different times of day. It is stressful, but I am grateful for a husband who knows the church is true and does his best to be there for all of his many responsibilities. I am also grateful for these two smiling faces who make my life worth living.

Evie and I have been in full baby mode and can't walk by the baby aisle without cooing over the adorable outfits and buying something :). This is going to be one spoiled little girl!! Evie is constantly hugging and kissing my belly and talking to her little sister. I love that they are going to share a room. I can just imagine their sweet little friendship growing. Evie wants to take care of a baby so badly! But she does NOT want to share her Mama so that part is going to be rough. She freaks out if I hug Austin too long, so I'm actually kinda scared of how she's going to take me constantly holding a baby..... From the day she was born, Evie has been my girl. My other half. My constant shadow. All I can do is pray that she will adjust quickly.

Summer turned into Fall and we celebrated by making homemade pumpkin bisque! Our all time favorite fall recipe!!

But of course, Fall in Henderson means 70-80 degree weather so we have been spending as much time at the park as possible! We play in the morning and even after we pick Austin up from school! It gives Austin a nice hour or two of down time before we jump into homework and school projects. I sure do love our happy little community!

Evie and her sweet friend Coco (Cosette) from church. They were preschool buddies last year when we did our little home preschool and have been missing each other lately. So a play date was just what they needed!

Taking the Barbie Jeep out for a spin!

Evie hard at work at school sorting colors and counting!

A perfect lazy fall morning! I caught a head cold as soon as the weather turned and I haven't been able to get rid of it since! Ive even been on antibiotics! But nothing seems to make it better. So I've resigned myself to hot drinks and the fact that I will just be miserable until this baby is born and I can finally take medication to help my symptoms again :( :(.

Evie and I went to the Nursery to buy flowers to replace the ones that didn't survive the summer. We love this place because of all the amazing plants and the beautiful pond filled with Koy fish and turtles! And Evie loves that it gives her a chance to stop and say "good morning" to Every. Single. Flower. along the way! :)

We sure do love our Costco dates where we always get lunch before we shop! Evie has been making this goofy cross-eyed face lately and it cracks me up! This was right before she told me she loves these special moments with just her and I... insert silent sobbing in my Mama heart :).

We had an impromptu family date night and it was so fun! We went out for Vietnamese Pho soup and the kids loved it!!

We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.

Evie trying so hard to use those chopsticks haha!

Oh how I love these people :).

After our soup, we headed over to the Movie's and Candy store to pick out all sorts of fun candies for our movie night that night!

We've spent a lot of time out in Logandale now that Aunt Briana and our sweet baby Gracelynn live there!!

Oh how I love Logandale sunrises! My body wakes me up at the crack of dawn for no reason every day now that I am pregnant so I get to see a lot of these :).

Grandpa Nate went on a trip and came back with cool gifts for the kids! This was a geology kit that they got to crack open with tools and find the rocks!

Our awesome finds!

Decorating for Halloween is always a good time!

Austin at his school Popsicle party that they got for earning enough reward points in class!

More cooking with my girl! I was having a rough morning when a total stranger bought me this cup of coffee and suddenly my life didn't look so bad :).

With all of this constant running around, it is hard to remember that I'm pregnant! Well, except for the lack of sleep and pelvic floor pain whenever I walk.... But baby girl is doing good! She moves around constantly is going to be an active baby like her brother! I am getting huge and struggling to find clothes that fit these days, but as always, I am just grateful to have her and that so far she has been healthy and all is well :).

Grandpa Steve and Grandma Janis came to visit for the weekend and we had so much fun! We played a lot at the park since the weather was so nice!

We also played a lot of board games since the kids love them so much!

Hanging out at the park after we picked Austin up from school.

Evie sure loves her Grandpa :).

We played a lot of baseball!

And they even joined us for church that Sunday!

We went out to eat at Chili's once Dad finally got off work!

We have been having all sorts of car troubles over the past month so Evie and I found ourselves at Kneaders again while we waited for the latest car update.... I guess you can't complain with a parfait and a cinnamon roll :).

Our neighborhood Oktoberfest was a bust this year because they made it open to the public so there was wayyyy too many people there. But the kids did love the root beer obstacle course!

I am always getting all sorts of sweet pictures from my kiddos and Evie's always has a picture of her and I and if you look closely, you can see the baby in my belly :). This particular picture has the holy ghost floating by because we were watching General Conference :).

Taking a break from Conference to head to the park!

Everyone fell asleep on me during the afternoon session of General Conference and I couldn't help but take a picture. This is what life is all about people :).

Grandma Jill came to visit and attempted to help Austin learn to ride his bike without training wheels! Sadly, it was a failed attempt..... I don't know what we are going to do with that kid.

She also read them stories and taught them how to make caramel apples!

Fun at the park with my crazies!!

Aunt Sadie came out for the weekend to celebrate her birthday! :)

We made a fun dinner and the kids helped me bake a homemade pumpkin pie for Sadie's birthday! It was a great weekend!

Starbucks Date with my bestie :). She got this box that looks like a cell phone from Austin's school book fair and now she carries it around everywhere talking on it hehe!