Bir-Cay-Ding, Part 2

'Kay, folks.  Here is the much-anticipated Part 2 of our awesome celebrations!  Aren't you SOOOO excited?

July 29-July 30: Grand Targhee adventures

We drove to Targhee on Friday, and checked into our room.  It was awesome!  I should have taken a picture.  There was a hide-a-bed in the upstairs/main level of our...I'm going to call it "suite".  There was also a mini fridge and a half bath.  Then downstairs there was a full bath and two rooms.  One of the rooms had a king bed, and the other room had two bunk beds.  The kids were way excited about that.  So we had Jake and Brock on the top two beds, and Troy and Ivy on the bottom two.

Lex and Chris had a kind of golf game near Grand Targhee, and then they were having a dinner afterwards with the wedding party and family members. So, we got just word-of-mouth directions to get to the golf course, which is at a place called Teton Springs, which is very, very beautiful-it's near Driggs (where you turn to get to Grand Targhee) and Victor. 

So, the people we talked to were all, "Just drive through Victor, and then it's just right there with a ton of signs-you can't miss it." We had also heard, "It's a little bit farther than you think.  Just keep going, and you'll see the sign-you can't miss it." The golf course is called Headwater, by the way. So we were looking for signs showing a golf course, or for Headwater. Shouldn't have been too hard.

Well...we drove, and got through Victor, and kept looking for signs.  And soon we were heading up a canyon. Both Pete and I were all, "Oh, it will show up any minute. I'm sure it's around this bend in the road." Um, no. We were heading to Jackson, which is about 20 miles from Victor. I think we were about halfway there when we decided to turn around. Neither Pete nor I had cell phone service because we tried calling for directions.

So we went back to a gas station we had seen earlier to ask directions. The guy was all, "Go left, then right, then left. You can't miss it. Oh, and the sign says 'Teton Springs'". Yeah, that would have been nice to know in the beginning. We had been right on top of it, and just didn't know what we were looking for. So once we got there, it was great. And we showed up right in time for the dinner.

It was SO yummy!  They had these chicken and/or steak fajita things, and a salad with a cilantro-lime dressing (I'm in love with cilantro).  And for dessert: peach cobbler, with blackberries in it!  YUM!  So, so good.

It was really nice to meet all of Chris' family.  Honestly, though, from that night, names-wise I remembered a guy named Chad, who was Chris' brother's buddy that drove with him.  Go, Chad, the Random Dude!

That night we went swimming at their pool.  The main pool was pretty cold, but the super deep hot tub was really nice.  Afterwards, we went back to the suite, and Pete and I watched TV, which reaffirmed the fact that we don't miss regular TV. (We don't have any form of television; we just watch stuff online.  You know, where you get to see exactly what you want, when you want, without commercials. It's luxurious.)

The next morning (July 30), Pete, Jakob, and I went horse-back riding.  I had gone a handful of times growing up, but Pete had never ridden a horse before.  We would have taken everyone, but the other kids were too young for it.  My awesome parents watched our other kids while we rode.  Jake's horse was named Cammanche, Pete's was Spirit, and mine was Butch, which was funny to me because I had a cat while in high school named Butch that loved me a lot.  The horse stuff was right on Targhee's grounds.

Pete told the rancher dude that I had ridden "a bunch of times", so I think the dude thought that I was super experienced.  Um, no. That would be my other sister, Brianna, that rode and trained horses for years and years.  So Butch was a little...strong-willed. And apparently, hungry. 

We went on a trail up the mountain, and it was very beautiful.  Butch kept trying to eat every two seconds, and he kept wandering off the trail. The rancher told me to pull up on the reins and kick him  a little and he would stop. Yeah, right! If I kicked him, he would just start running, and then he would stop and eat some more, and then wander around. After a while I put my reins behind the horn on the saddle so he couldn't reach down as far to eat the grass.

I definitely had fun riding, but it was like a wrestling match the whole time. And when I got off, my knees were hurting from the stirrups. I'm such a city slicker.

After our horse ride, we did another ride: the chair lift up the mountain.  I've ridden on this lift about a thousand times in the winter, but never in the summer.  The chair is lower in the winter, because you're standing on a bunch of snow to get on.  I also think they ran it slower than they do in the winter.  Here's my mom and dad with Brock and Jakob:

We went up Saturday morning and Sunday morning.  On Sunday it was cloudy, so the top was pretty cold.  But Saturday it was nice and warm and sunny.

Another thing: I've ridden up chair lifts a million times.  But to get back down you either had to bike, walk, or ride.  We opted for ride, but it's pretty trippy to see how far you've actually gone up.

So here's my family with the valley behind us.  At the top of the lift there's a little trail, and you walk to a platform to overlook everything, including the Grand Tetons a couple of ranges over.

Here are the boys with the Grand Teton behind them. I was a little nervous about my run-around kids.  Why, you may ask?  See the little rope under Brock's arm in the picture below?  That extends out, though you can't see it because of the snow (yes, snow) in the picture.  But on the other side of that rope is a very, very, very steep cliff.  So I told the kids they had to stay on the platform at all times.

So of course, Troy being the close listener that he is, started running around on the entrance of the platform.  I grabbed his arm, and tried to show him the IMMINENT DEATH that awaited him if he didn't stay on the platform.  Which, in 4-year-old translation, means I was just being a mean mom because I wouldn't let him play wherever he wanted to. That is why he's being a grumpy pants in the picture.

My dad took the boys down below the platform (where the ski hill is), to an area that still had snow on it.  They tried to make snow balls to throw at us.

And here's my family again, this time with the Tetons behind us.  Ivy had gotten a combination of sun lotion and bug spray in her eye, so she rubbed it and whined the whole time.  (You can see the rope behind us in this picture.  In front of the rope = nice happy beautiful pictures.  Behind the rope = IMMINENT DEATH!)

These next two pictures were taken on Sunday, after we rode the lift back down.  We were chatting with my parents and my two aunts and two uncles that had come for the wedding.  And my kids, being the self entertainers, decided to play with sticks and dirt.  Seriously, why do we even buy toys for our kids?

Alrighty.  I know I suck, because I should have started this train of posts with the most interesting event - the wedding. But instead, I decided to save the best for last.  And I'm going to stick it in its own part.  Soon to come: Part 3 (the final part) of the Bir-Cay-Ding extravaganza!

Jelly Belly

No, one of my New Year's Resolutions was NOT to blog less. It's just been kind of crazy around here, and I simply haven't had time. (I know, a pretty blasphemous thing to say.)

So my boys all got balloons from their Grandma, and one night while I was making dinner they decided to play "Fat Tummy". That's what they called it, anyway. It pretty much consists of them putting the balloon in their shirts and running into each other. Huh, it's kind of like Sumo Wrestling.


I've actually been working on a project, and I'm thisclose to finishing it, but I wanted to have it actually done before blogging about it.

My boys would yell "FAT TUMMY!!" before running into each other. After impact, they'd explode into a fit of giggles.


Yesterday for Troy's preschool, we took the kids to Craigo's. The pizza guy showed them how they make the dough, and they each got to pick toppings for their own pizza. The guy also made a big pizza for the moms there, and also brought out a dessert pizza and drinks. All for free. It's one of the best field trips I've been on, ever! SO yummy.

Oh, and did I mention...

FAT TUMMY!!!

(I love this action shot-Troy's face running right into Jake's balloon.)

And yesterday, just because Pete loves me, he got me a dozen roses. He asked for a dozen red, but the lady said they didn't have a dozen red ones, so he did half red and half lilac-colored. (I personally think she's lying; I think they're keeping all the red ones for V-day coming up. But I really like the mixture, probably even more so than all red.) How stinking sweet is that? I don't know if I've ever gotten flowers, just because.


FAT TUMMY!!!


I taught a lesson on Sunday in Young Women's. I was so worried about it, but I think it turned out really well. I've also been reading (slowly but surely) Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage. I've been loving it! And-

FAT TUMMY!!!

I just-

FFFFAAAATTTT TUMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYY!!!

(I promise, I'll blog about my project soon.)

(Fat tummy.)

Bob the Snowblob

Meet Bob the Snowblob, ravage crusader and guardian of our backyard:


He started his long and glorious life as a Snowman, put together lovingly by Nat and her three boys. However, he knew he had a higher calling, especially when the three boys thought his base was big enough and were done helping Nat roll. He then proceeded to grow by clumps being thrust upon his base, complete with machine-like noises emanating from Brock. His arms were found by Jakob, where he took mere sand rakes and turned them into raging claws of death. His mouth is sharp, like a pencil, literally. And his basketball eye, monster-like, a la Mike Wazowski.


More snow now covers his form, camouflaging him from unsuspecting passers-by. And as long as the cold weather holds up, he will as well, remaining vigilant day and night. Raaarrrr.

For Future Reference...

Two-year-olds and scissors and curtains are not a good combination, because this is the result:


When you tell your husband to get a shirt for your son, make sure before taking off the tags that the shirt is a boy's shirt: (See the gathering on the sleeves? Don't ask me why Pete didn't notice it when he bought it, or why I didn't notice it until he had had it on for most of the day.)


(Of course, shirts can be optional in our house, especially when the couch is a "swimming pool") :


And maybe the key to this many smiles in one picture is to keep the kids up late and feed them lots of candy. I'll have to remember that for our picture appointment this coming weekend.

The Von Trapp Family Rock Band

The other day Jakob made us all instruments out of paper. (He is constantly drawing things on paper, coloring them, then cutting them out. One day he made a computer, complete with headphones. He was pretending to play a game with his cousin, Dylan, called-get this-World of Ironman. Such a creative little bugger.)

Anyway, here we are with our instruments, singing a Flight of the Conchords song called "Robots".

Brock is rocking the "drums".

Troy with his "guitar". (Yep, the same day as the great tanning lotion extravaganza.)

Here are my boys, getting ready to be the next Jackson 5, or Hanson, or Partridge family:

They're singing "We Will Rock You", if you couldn't tell. Troy used to sing "We will rock it". Jakob is pretty good at doing the pound pound clap part. They first heard the song on this fine movie:

You know you wanna hear the real thing now, right? I'll happily oblige.



Better look out, Jonas Brothers!

Tubby Toast

A game created by Jakob, Brock, and Troy, the next Parker Brothers!

To set up: lay out as many blankets and pillows as you can find onto the extremely old, super comfortable couch.

Object of the game: to jump as high, as long, and as much as you can onto said pile of blankets.

Play starts when one player jumps lengthwise from the arm of the couch, landing on the blanket pile. Each player continues, not really taking turns. Landing on each other is a definite plus. Staying on the pile is also acceptable. Play persists until it's time to bury one another under the blanket pile. Play ends when the players tire of the game, a player gets hurt, or the players get distracted by some other game/toy.

To win: have a blast, and erupt into fits of laughter.

Origin of the title: no clue, but a fat piece of "tan" bread makes a good game name! I'm raising geniuses!

Jakob's Future Career Choices

Doctor or Dentist:


Architect or Engineer:


Tattoo Artist or Chip-N-Dale:
(it's hard to see, but Jake drew Spiderman on Brock's tummy as well as his own)

If You Don't Like Raspberries, Don't Look!

Yep. My boys love blowing raspberries. And my belly is the perfect firmness, ripe for the fabulous "ppppfffftttthhhhpppp" noise.

And, because you already think I'm super amazing, here's a little poem I made up that you'll love (or you'll love me anyway, in spite of my poem) :

'Twas the night before baby, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The mom had cleaned everything,
Except the gross floor
Though her pelvis was hurting,
Then she said, "Hey, no more!"

The boys were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of baby sisters danced in their heads.

The dishes were done,
The hospital bag packed,
The camera batteries charged,
Not a thing did she lack.

The mom enjoyed her final moments with three
While baby girl kicked in her stomach with glee.

The excitement arises,
The moment has come!
In the morning I'll be drugged;
From waist down I'll be numb!

And then it's all over,
And soon I will birth "it"!
We'll see our new baby-
The waiting well worth it!


I know, I'm totally Dr. Seuss in the making!

If You Do That for Too Long, Your Face Will Stay That Way

The Entertainers

I've mentioned before that my children are VERY self-entertaining. And I love it. They always surprise me with their creativity and imaginations. Here are a few samples:

Here's Jakob being a robot, with his robot he made by his feet:

My superheroes-Brock as Superman, Jakob as Spiderman, and our Elmo toy they dressed up to also be Spidey:

Here's proof that I actually DO play with my kids, though-Hungry Hippos:

Braveheart

I know I'd never do it!

(P.S. This is a video)