A Spring Break to Always Remember!

Ever since Emilee turned 13, I have had this panicked feeling inside that time is moving to quickly and that we need to take advantage of every opportunity to make memories as a family. This spring break I was determined to getaway as a family! We had sick kids the week before spring break so I was hesitant to make any plans. The Monday Spring Break started I woke up and saw that everyone was starting to feel a bit better. So I started packing us up, called Jason at work and told him that I was booking us some rooms at Disneyland. By 4:00 in the afternoon everything was booked, he got home from work around 5:00 PM, we loaded the car and off we drove. I was more excited than the kids to have a full week away and best of all... together!!!
We told the kids that we were going to St. George for a couple of days. They were asleep as we drove through St. George and when they woke up we were in Vegas. They were so confused. Emilee even said, "Wow St. George is a lot bigger than the last time we were here." Once they realized we were in Vegas, they were a bit disappointed. Abbie said that Vegas is "scary and stinky". So we told them that we would go back to St. George in the morning. Of course we headed the other direction to California. Emilee and Max slowly started to figure it out as we passed several California signs. But Abbie and Lucy had no idea until we actually pulled into our hotel.
They were SOO excited!

We didn't get into Vegas until about midnight, but Jason and I were ready to party. After all, in Vegas the party is just getting started at midnight. So we pulled into the Belagio and woke up the kids to see the fountains.

Then at 1 o'clock we headed into the sugar factory for an early breakfast, ice cream cones and suckers.

We spent the rest of the week enjoying the happiest place on earth and we loved every second of it!!!

The Nelsons flew down and met us for a few days. My kids loved having their friends to ride all the rides with.

It was a perfect week! I'm ready to go back.

a mind of her OWN!

Jayne's been sick.

Jayne was very thirsty.

Jayne didn't want a drink from a sippy cup or any cup for that matter. I offered her a water bottle, buy that wasn't going to do either.

Jayne ONLY wanted a drink of water from THIS BIG water jug.

After trying to talk her out of it, I finally gave in, pulled it off the pantry shelf, washed it out and put some water in it for her to drink.

Then Jayne was happy.

I don't know why she catches every sickness that goes around but I swear she is sick more than she isn't. This week she threw up 50 times in a 48 hour period.

Just before she'd throw up she'd say "I up!" And then we had one second before it came. She made it to the toilet about half of the time, which I thought was pretty good considering she is only 2.

The only good about having a sick little girl is that I've got to hold her for 3 days straight. She won't let me leave her side for anything. Even when she is sleeping I try to sneak away and she wakes up immediately and makes me lay back down by her. I like to test her and I ask if she wants to go to the park or the mall, which she usually loves, but this week she always responds, "No, Mommy's bed, I sick!"

Jayne get better SOON and tell all sickness to go away forever!

Teenager

I am now a mother of a teenager. And Heaven knows that this will be difficult on me. I love my babies and wish more than anything I could keep them that way! Even though Emilee has acted like a teenager for years now, it is now official and I'm going to need all the help I can get! Hormones, texting, boys, and all the drama and attitude that comes with it makes me a little nervous!!! Emilee has been celebrating her 13th Birthday all week and believe me she has felt the LOVE! Her birthday morning, she woke up to the sound of a group of her friends screaming Happy Birthday and then tackling her to the ground. Emilee had set her alarm really early so she could get up and look "cute" on her birthday. Knowing that her friends were coming to kidnap her for breakfast I turned off her alarm so she had to go as is. They went to Kneaders for their yummy french toast and then straight to school.

That night we went to the Olive Garden of course for dinner. I think it is the only time we eat there all year but it is Em's favorite!! Then we had birthday cake while she did homework with her friend Maddy.

Friday night she had all of her friends over for a BBQ. It was a lot of fun. I turned the night over to Jason to be the party coordinator and he did a great job. He made sure everybody was full with double and triple patty's on their hamburgers, put together some fun relay races, sent them on a neighborhood scavenger hunt and played some fun night games. Everyone seemed to have a great time.

One of my favorite parts of the night was when Emilee opened up Wyatt's present to her. It was a picture he drew of himself and Em that said friendship. When she opened it he said "Sorry Emilee, I don't think I got your bangs quite right." He had me laughing so hard!!! To bad all presents can't be that simple!

EMILEE I SURE LOVE YOU!!!!

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I love that you have millions of friends!

I loved going birthday shopping with you, and of course everything you tried on looked so stinkin cute on you. I wish shopping was that easy for me.

I love that you are almost as tall as me and that we can share shoes.

I love watching you run at your track meets, even if I do cry every time. You are amazing!

I love that you are the first one up every morning and and ready for school 15 minutes before your carpool comes.

I love that you check your grades twice a night just to make sure you are getting straight A's.

I love it when you talk to me and tell me everything that makes you happy, sad, & frustrated.

I hope we can always stay close! Remember you are my guinea pig for being a mother, and this teenage stuff is all brand new to me. So when I check your texts, make you come home the earliest out of all your friends, and turn off your music, it's because I LOVE YOU!!!

Happy Birthday!!!!