DAD

 

For Brady's birthday I took the kids to the park to try out a cute pinterest idea. Luckily, I got a few pics of each kids, before the camera ran out of batteries. Here are a few outtakes from our short photo shoot. The gift turned out great so no photo 

CougarVille

Washington State football is a big deal here in Pullman. Everywhere you look there is crimson and gray!! In the streets, on the signs, in tile at the grocery store, and every college student is decked out. The kids weren't allowed shirts til after the BYU game and then we bought some gear to support the local team. Coach Leach is in our ward!!

Since the weather was so gorgeous for the first home game we decided to take the kids to CougarVille. They had a bunch of games and food set up on the practice field next to the stadium. We enjoyed the free shuttle from the airport and once we found our way the kids had a blast.

They bounced in the bounce house with Butch the Cougar, ran through the blow-up obstacle course, played all the games a few times and met the cheerleaders. Ellie had a blast chatting and showing off her cartwheel skills. We left before the game started and headed home to watch our other Cougars play!!!

We still bleed blue, but it's fun to add another team!! Most Friday's Ellie wears her shirt to school to match Mrs. Boone, but she always reminds her "We like both the red and the blue cougars!!!" at least at school she doesn't add how much she hates those UTES!!! 

CooperTime

With Ellie in school every afternoon, Coop has been my little pal. Most days we enjoy a quick lunch with Dad at Jimmy Johns or if a trip to Moscow is needed at my new fave Qdoba!!! 

On days we don't see Dad we make runs to Wal-Mart and Safeway. Cooper helps to make our trips exciting and he loves flirting with the abundance of college girls!!! I will be in trouble one day. The rest of the time we

Plan out our Disney Days.

Watch the tractors in the fields by our house.

Trips to DQ for ice cream.

Taking silly pictures.

Entertaining Mom from the backseat. 

Yes the glasses are on upside down.

Super Secret Spy naps

and playing in the car, while waiting for Ellie in the parent drive-thru lane!!!

1st Day of Kindergarten

 With our move Ellie started school a week late, which meant the first day was also picture day!!! She was super excited to met her new teacher Mrs. Boone and learn where her classroom would be. She even gets a locker!!! She has loved school and is super excited each day. We still have to walk her in, unless a friend gets there the same time, I guess she doesn't like the walk through the lunchroom by herself and I can't blame her. 

Tukey Farms

Yesterday Ellie's class went on their first school field trip to  the WSU orchard, Tukey Farm. I was lucky enough to get to go and it was fun to put faces to the names that Ellie chats about at home. The first highlight of the trip was the bus ride. Ellie loved it and has secretly wanted to ride the bus ever since preschool started last year. 

While at the farm we learned a lot about Apples. I had no idea there were over 5000 different types of apples and that red delicious were the most popular. 

While we were there we got to go into a huge freezer they keep the apples in, pick lots of apples, see the vegatable garden and have a delicious snack. 

When we got home I asked Ellie a few things...

Your Favorite Part: Picking Apples

One thing You Learned: That crab apples are sour and not good to eat, just to pollinate the other trees.

Your Least Favorite Part: Picking raspberries, because they had sharp bushes.

I'm just glad it was nice and sunny yesterday, instead of cold, windy, and rainy like today!! It was fun exploring a place we had never been before and I am excited to take the kids back next week and pick some apples, anyone have any yummy recipes?!?!?!

Holy Smokes!!! I can't believe I haven't blogged in over 2 months. Our lives have changed drastically in that small time span and we are finally adjusting to it all. We have a big family vacation planned for the 1st week of November and I hope to be totally caught up by then. Post should be happening daily and they may be out of order so it will be a huge surprise each day!! Sorry for the lack of posting and I hope someone out in blogland still wants to hear about our adventures!!!

Ellie Turns 5!!

Ellie has been waiting FOREVER for her birthday this year. She had quite the list of wants so she was pretty easy to buy for. Grandma Haycock got her a few things the week before and Ellie opened and played with one. However, as soon as we got home she took the other gift and got out a bag and wrapped it up and left it until her birthday. It was pretty cute and took alot for her. 

That morning she got up early and unwrapped her presents before Brady left for work. At first it was just going to be one, but it ended up to be all of them. 

Right before the party we got a package from the mailman and Ellie was happy to see it was for her and even more excited for what was inside. Thanks Lonny and Lisa!!

After a pretty exciting party last year, we kind of took it easy this year. Our house had just gone up on the market so I didn't want a showing messing things up, so we opted for a small gathering at Menchies. We had the Brinkerhoff gals, the Beckstrom boys, and Abby come along. They had a blast running around and eating their yogurt. Ellie loved her presents and has enjoyed them ever since.

After ice cream we headed over to pick up Dad and then to the theater to finally see Brave. Both the kids did great and they loved the movie. A few parts were kind of intense but Ellie keeps asking "when can we own that one?" Afterwards she had to pose with a few of the movie posters.

For dinner we went to every 5 year olds dream place, McDonalds for dinner. The Brinkerhoff's joined us and the kids played while  the adults chatted. We ended the evening with a nice swim at the Heines. It was a great day and how in the world do I now have a 5 YEAR OLD!!!!

Posey Lake

The week before the 24th of July my kids spent a few days at the Cabin with my Mom and then we headed over to Posey Lake near Escalante. My kids had a blast exploring the campground and fishing with their Grandpa. 

Ellie quickly caught a fish with some help and Cooper was busy catching seaweed and throwing rocks.

We also went on a little drive and were able to see where my Dad once herded sheep and hear a few stories. 

Emergency Appendicitis

Wednesday afternoon, May 23rd, we had been over at the downtown water park celebrating the end of school and the beginning of summer. Cooper was running around like a crazy boy and having a ton of fun. Later that day we was kind of being lazy and attributed it to being tired from the sun and water. The Heine's invited us to swim and after a lot of persuading Cooper decided to come. Once there he swam and swam and swam. 
The next day Cooper woke up warm, tired and not really feeling well. I knew a few kids in the neighborhood had the flu and just thought that was all it was. About 8 at night we was getting warmer and had absolutely no energy...here he is all sad and zonked on the floor. 

That night he slept with me and had a fitful few hours, he woke up and sighed a few times. Once he headed back to his room and i fell back asleep. Then he woke up screaming and complaining. I thought maybe he was hungry or thirsty, but he couldn't keep a thing down and threw up the bite of cracker he had. I went down and got Brady up and after much thought and prayer we decided to take him. His heart rate was pretty high and I was just worried. A few phone calls later, a neighbor sleeping on our couch and we were off to the ER.

Once we checked in and moved to our room. Cooper got an IV with fluids and pain medicine. They came to take some blood for test and decide to do an ultrasound to check on his appendix. The ultrasound was fine, but the blood level was high so they decide to do a CATscan. It also didn't show everything, but by 9 am Cooper was headed into surgery for an emergency appendicitis. After the surgery we found out that it had in fact burst and that Cooper was doing fine. I am just glad that Cooper is built bigger and that they were able to do it with just 3 small incisions. We then got an ambulance ride over to the older hospital to the peds wing. I wished Coop felt better at the time, because he would have loved it, but he just wanted out of there and the stretcher. 

Once in the peds wing, we settled into a quite large and private room. Grandma & Grandpa Haycock were able to visit. Cooper got plenty of rest and enjoyed watching Cars over and over. Once Ellie was able to visit we explored the floor and found the toy room. Cooper and Ellie rode wiggle cars around and played for hours there. Everyonce in awhile Cooper would wear himself out and get pretty grouchy but for the most part he was a pretty awesome patient. 

Saturday afternoon my Mom and niece Chelcie came to visit. Cooper just kept saying, "I hate chelcie, I want Chelcie to go away, I don't like her!" over and over. It was kind of funny, but I felt bad he was so grumpy. Eventually he let her in, but boy was he mad at first. 

He had a pretty quick recovery and we were able to check out Sunday morning and go home. He still walked like a little old man all hunched over and hobbling like his Uncle Shane did, but he managed. We are just so thankful for all the neighbors that helped us with Ellie and took care of our family. HE sure love the little guy and are glad that he was fully recovered and may have more energy now than he did before!!!