Vacation - Day 4

My sisters' families went to the Hershey Amusement Park. Since there was supposed to be scattered thunderstorms (we didn't bring any warm clothes or rain gear) and Kyle was still running a fever, we decided not to go with them. Instead, we went to Chocolate World which was just outside the amusement park. Grandpa came with us and Julie and Jessi met us there. 

We rode a little ride that showed the chocolate making process.

Afterwards, the girls got to package some chocolate. They first had to take their employee ID photos. 

  

Then they were put to work!

After filling their containers with chocolate, they had to shake them up and put them on the conveyor belt.

They did a great job and got to go home with a container of Hershey's kisses that had their photos on it.

Vacation - Day 3

We made a trip to the Pennsylvania State Capitol to see where Patty works. She is serving her first term as a State Rep. She made state and local history by becoming the first Asian-American woman to be sworn in as a House member and the first woman to fill the 103rd House district seat. She's doing great!

 

  

Poor Kyle was running a fever the first few days we were there. He didn't seem uncomfortable nor did he lose his appetite, but he didn't sleep well at night. I think his fever was from cutting new teeth. He's soon going to have four new teeth on top!

The kids spent the rest of the day playing. The girls loved playing with Brielle and Jessi. We didn't see them for long stretches of time. Karis spent a lot of time coloring as well.

  

Kyle spent most of his time eating and following the cats around.

Vacation - Day 2

We slept in the first morning. I could hear lots of little feet at our door and up and down the stairs. The cousins anxiously waited for our kids to wake up. It was non-stop play the rest of the day.

We enjoyed our first cool day (upper 70's/low 80's) in the pool. Grandpa came up later in the day and stayed with us until Thursday.  

I can't wait until Kyle is old enough to play alongside the boys.

The water was cold and it took some time to get used to.

Of course Karis wasn't bothered by the cold water.

Warming up in the sun. 

Derek received the "Daddy of the Day" award for getting into the cold pool with the girls.

Hanging out

Vacation - Day 1

We just got back from our first summer vacation trip. We went to the east coast to meet up with my family. The girls were beyond excited to see all their cousins. For two weeks, they counted down the days with paper chains. They ripped off one ring each day until there was nothing left and it was vacation time!

Our vacation couldn't have come at a better time! People weren't kidding when they warned us about summers in Texas. It's been crazy hot and we're not used to (nor do we like!) being confined to the indoors during the summer. We were ready for some cooler weather and time away to relax. I also hurt my back two days before we left. It made it hard to pack up the family, but my back held up great during our travels and I was able to recover at my sister's place where we had a lot of help with the kids.

The kids did great on the airplane. We had a 3-hour flight, a 1-hour layover and then another short 45 minute flight. Last time I flew, it was just me and the kids. This time with Derek, it was a piece of cake!

We got in close to 11 pm. My sisters met us at the airport and helped us get situated at the house. It was a long day and we were definitely ready to end the day!

My Littlest Helper

I can't wait for the day when the kids can help with the chores around the house -- emptying the trash cans, folding laundry, vacuuming... and making me my coffee in the morning. Ahhh, one day...

I can see glimpses of little helpers developing, but the littlest one won't be helping me cook any time soon.

"Mom, is this how you use these?"

Perhaps he can start by sweeping the floor. He's definitely watching me and taking notes.

Happiness On Wheels

The girls have been wanting new set of wheels for awhile -- a scooter for Karis and a 2-wheel bike for Makena. I found some secondhand ones, and they got them a couple days ago. They have been SO happy and excited about their new toys. I love that they didn't care what kind they were, where they came from or how much they cost. The only thing they really care about is the color -- pink!

I know this won't last forever, that some day it will be about the brand of their toys and from where they came from. So I'm savoring this, that for less than a $20 bill, they are both beyond thrilled and having so much fun. I love seeing them so happy! 

Miss Cranky-No-Nap

I think it's funny when people on Facebook tell me that my kids are always happy. I think the better, more truthful comment would be, "You always take pictures when your kids are happy." But doesn't everybody? Maybe I should start posting photos like this on Facebook: 

It wouldn't be hard to take photos of unhappy kids these days. Since Karis has dropped her nap, she has been a wee bit cranky. She needs more sleep each day, but because she shares a room with Makena, she doesn't get the sleep she needs. Makena takes a 2+ hour nap each day, so she doesn't need as much sleep at night. Each night Makena often get out of bed for one reason or another (e.g., bathroom, can't find a stuffed animal, has a question). She's also usually the first one up in the morning and will wake Karis up from her slumber. 

We're working on trying to get Karis more sleep at night. But for now, we're in this tough period as Karis' body adjusts to not napping. During the day, there's a whole lot of whining and drama. She's definitely not her usual self. It's slowly getting better and we'll be SO happy when we get past this.

I have to say, the one (and perhaps only) nice thing about all this is that she's not as anxious to get out and do something every day. She used to always ask me, "What are we going to do today?' because she  wanted to go out and do something new. But nowadays, since she's been tired, she's okay with spending a day or two at home playing with Makena. And they play up in their room for a long time.

Today's Pics

We have a standing playdate with Karis' preschool friends every Friday. Each week, someone picks a place and we hang out. It's a great way to keep in touch with school friends over the summer. Today we went to a friend's house for some wet fun (slip n slide, water guns, sprinklers and water balloons) and snow cones. The girls had a great time with their first experience with a slip n slide. And snow cones are one of Karis' favorite things. Kyle kept me on my toes by playing with the dog's water bowl, trying to stick his hand in the pond and going through the kitchen cupboards. It didn't leave me much time to chat with the other moms. Eh well, there's always next week!