Our last few days were busy days. The kids helped clean out the hot tub.
My parents drove us to the airport and my Dad and Jordin helped the kids swim. Kevin was swimming really well all on his own by the time we finished and Julia was jumping in really far. I love that my kids love the water and I am very grateful for how much time my dad spent with my kids while we were in Idaho.
Tessa went home from the puddle fun to find a flooding house. Lucky for her, I'd already planned a party at her house that night and just as she found the damage she ran upstairs and JD and Ashlynn were there and started bailing water.
We enjoyed several family dinners. At this one, my Cody was thinly missing person.
My dad accidentally killed his grass. Kevin was a great worker and helped rake out dead grass.
The kids ally wanted to give Lucy a Harley shirt for her birthday and they LOVED matching.
My dad cleaned out the garden in his shorts. I thought his grass line on his legs was really funny.
My Dad spent quite a bit of time with Kevin teaching him to throw the tomahawk and the Chinese stars. He also took them to the park and taught them to shoot bows and arrows. The girls all had fun but my Kevin boy was in absolute heaven!! (If you look closely in this pic you can see the tomahawk flying through the air. The next one down it is stuck in the bottom of the board.)
We also enjoyed a very refreshing/rejuvenating evening at the temple.
And on another day of downpour we had more fun at Tessa's hauling dirt.
We had a fun dinner at JD and Ashlynn's the night before we left. Elena used the walker for the first time and devoured her first graham cracker.
Our flight home turned CaRAZY!
I was very pleased with myself when we were through security sitting at our departure gate all potties and enjoying a soft pretzel well before go time. Our first flight went very smoothly. We were all set to be on the same plane straight through with a stop over in Denver. I was excited that just as we landed Julia and Lacey fell asleep. We were smooth sailing. I had packed lunch and things were looking in my favor. After they napped they could wake up and eat and we would be golden, with just enough time to pack up our things and be ready to land. The plane emptied, the stewardess started cleaning and then came the dreaded announcement. This plan was no longer going straight through. I looked around me at all of the toys, coloring books, socks, shoes, and blankets strewn over the floor and wanted to crawl into hole and die. We were told to hustle to a specific gate to catch our flight. Just as I laid the baby on the seat to start throwing our goods into bags I look up to a man and a women looking over our mess. The lady says, "we are here to help. We are a military family, we know what it's like to travel with children and we understand having to run at a moments notice." I thanked them a million times over and started handing them bags and children and we were off and running. The stewardess, who was less than pleasant our first flight could read my distaste and apologized for the inconvenience. I'm sure I looked annoyed and mumbled something incoherent. These sweet people rushed us to our gate only to find out we had a two hour delay. They found us a place to sit in an extremely packed area (none of the flights had made it to New Hampshire the day before so there were hundreds of people trying to hop on our plane.) they offered to bring food or toys back. I assured them we were fine. Just as they walked away the previous stewardess showed up with boxes of new markers and coloring books for the kids. She lead us to the locker/phone booth area and set a child up in each booth with their lunch and coloring things. That is where we enjoyed our next two hours. About thirty minutes before departure, Elena was passed out and asleep on a bench and the kids were restless. We had already played games, sang songs, colored, and told imaginary stories. The stewardess suggested a walk and she would stay with the baby. Then she would have to get to the gate to board the plane. We went for a walk, grabbed a snack and came back just as Elena woke up and just as it was time to get in line to board. When we walked around the corner another man came up explaining that the previous couple had been so worried about us and had been looking everywhere for us. I apologized for leaving and thanked him for their concern when the couple walked up. Grabbed backpacks and the stroller and the lady explained that we would be getting on this plane first no matter what. At boarding time she pushed us through to the front and we were one of the first to board sitting in the very front of the plane. The flight was going well. The kids were exhausted but still holding it together when Lacey said her belly hurt. She had a nasty diaper and the second I stood up this lady waved to me. I delivered Elena to her while I pottied all of the kids and changed a few yucky diapers. I then won't back to my seat, reorganized all of our goods and cleaned up before going back to get Elena. I wish I could remember her name. I was honestly so flustered, I can't remember any of their names. They took good care of us and made sure we made it to baggage claim where our dear friends the Temples and the Jensens were waiting for us. I was sooo happy to see them. They the took over with the kids and helped us get our bags. They had even ordered us a delicious pizza for dinner. I tell you what. We were so so so blessed on this day. I knew we would be. We always are. I even told my Mom earlier in the day that as nervous as I was, I knew we would be fine. Kind people always offer to help us. I learned a lot this day as well. I will be a better helper. I will work every time I go out to be somebody's angel. We were blessed with many along our way.
Once we got home. I unpacked a bag, the kids started playing with their toys, we devoured our pizza, and Lacey started throwing up. Oh, and it was pouring rain. I walked into the living room to find a big wet spot on the ceiling. (Bless Cody's soul, he fixed it the day he got home. An air vent was missing a seal. All better.) This is how we fell asleep that night. So grateful to be in our own house, so grateful to be safe, so grateful for kind people, so grateful for my well behaved little babies.
We are blessed and we know it!!
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