Family Night at the Hongs

During weekly allowance, Matt pointed out that Kaylee had been putting a lot into her savings jar. 
"What are you saving for Kaylee?  You'll have enough for a phone someday!"
Danny piped in, "I'm saving my $ for a DS."
"I no want a phone.  I want a animal," explained Kaylee.
"Oh, like a pet?"
"Yeah."
"A lizard or snake (which she's fond of)?"
"No.  A dolphin pet."
Excellent. 

Then, a few minutes later during our family counsel time where everyone has a chance to share anything important, Kaylee shared some significant news.
"I like candy."

And finally, after a great lesson on forgiveness by dad, caramel apples, and creationary, it was time for bed.  But Danny and I couldn't stop giggling during his song and snuggle because I messed up the words to Baby Mine.  "Rest your head, close to my heart, never to fart, baby of mine."  But really, who wants a fart when someone is resting close to your heart? 

I sure do love this family of mine. 

I Three

 We still think of her as our baby, but she's been in panties over a year, sleeps in a big bed, and negotiates like a teenager.  She is sassy, stubborn, and independent, but equally sweet, snuggly, and fun.  Her fearlessness keeps us on our toes, but is a joy to watch, and she has unwavering determination, always doing things "by myself," usually in her own unique way.

This year, we decided to have a friend party for Kaylee's 3rd birthday.   She chose a Mickey Mouse theme and I promptly found this blog.  Hooray for people willing to share their great ideas!  We certainly had fun Mickey Mouse bowling, playing 'Who Has Mickey?' coloring Mickey pictures, Mousekercising, and eating Mickey Mouse chicken nuggets followed by Mickey cupcakes. 

 On Kaylee's actual birthday, we were spoiled to have grandparents and cousins visiting.  With a 4th of July birthday, Kaylee is going to have to put up with excessive red, white, and blue her entire life.  Then again, she also has fireworks for her birthday every single year. 

 

 

We feasted on Jello parfaits, blue and white chips with red salsa, veggies & ranch, watermelon, and (not pictured) wings, hot dogs, & corn on the cob.  Yum.

There were more Mickey Mouse cupcakes and hats, along with "Who has the Mickey," a cake walk with Mickey characters (and stickers instead of cake), a treasure hunt, and gift opening.   

And here is our big girl.  Her hair is a mess because she wanted to do it herself.  She is sitting with her cousins, the big kids, with no concern or awareness of mom and dad.  And she is so focused on the task at hand, eating dad's chicken wings, that there is no pausing for smiley pictures.  Our baby, is not a baby anymore. 

We love you Kaylee LaRue!

Disney Take 2

 At the end of March, we were looking over our calendar for the rest of the year.  It was filling up quickly.  Matt said, "You know, this is the last Spring we won't have any kids in school.  We should take a little family trip somewhere."  After such a fantastic trip to Disney World last spring, it wasn't hard to decide what we wanted to do.  We roped our parents into the adventure, and 3 weeks later we were on our way to Disneyland.  Since the trip was planned on such short notice, we decided to surprise Danny and Kaylee.  They thought we were just dropping Grandma and Grandpa off at the airport.  When luggage was pulled out of the trunk, dad found a present for them too - their little Disney figurines.
"Where do they live?" asked Matt.
"Disney."
"Guess where we're going right now?"
"Disney!?"   

And I'd like to say it was magical and brought tears to our eyes, like all the Disney commercials do, but in reality there was just a lot more confusion than anything. 
"What?  Really?  How?"  Once it settled in, both kids were giddy as could be. 

Matt and I have both decided, however, that it was more fun to let the kids know ahead of time so they could help plan and share in the excited anticipation.

Day one, we hung out at the pool, explored Downtown Disney, and met up with my cousin Michael who lives in the area.  We enjoyed dinner at Rainforest Cafe, except that the loud rainstorms, which occurred every 30 minutes, frightened my children so much that they spent the entire meal covering their ears. 

 Day Two we spent the morning at Disneyland and the rest of the day at California Adventure.

 Day Three we hit Disneyland hard - arriving before the gates opened and staying through the fireworks. 

Day Four we spent time in both parks, hitting our favorite Disneyland rides and California Adventure shows we'd missed the previous days.  By 4:30 we were headed back to the airport to fly home.

A few things I learned this time around.

1. My children don't share a bed well.  After Danny accidentally kicked Kaylee off the bed the first night, we made her a little bed on the floor.  They are, however, capable of sleeping in matching umbrella strollers.  

 

2.  My children surprise me.  And they are different.  Kaylee LOVED meeting characters and could spot them a mile away.  

 

Danny, however, had no interest in character interaction at all.  He watched, but didn't want to participate in Incredible Training.  When we were in Mickey's house, he was timid and didn't want his picture taken.  He even decided he didn't want to do Jedi Training this year.  But, invite this same kid to join us on a thrill ride and he was brave as could be.  Guess who was screaming most on Tower of Terror?  It was me, not Danny.     

3.  It's important to pause and enjoy the details once in a while.  Of course the big rides and shows are hugely fun.  There are so many amazing things to see and experience - Soarin', Big Thunder Mountain, Screamin', World of Color, Aladdin, Pirates of the Carribean.  But Kaylee & Danny found equal, if not more, joy in some of the smaller details and unplanned moments.  Splashing in Dot's Puddle Park, digging on Pirate Island, playing with $1 Store glowsticks before Word of Color began, dancing in the lobby of Disney Animation while we waited for Turtle Talk with Crush.  I am the type of person that likes an organized plan at a theme park.  Before we went, I had spent hours meticulously creating the ideal schedule for our group so that we could see and do it all.  I am still a firm believer in doing this, but it was good that others in my group reminded me to treasure the little moments, even if they weren't on the itinerary.   

 

 

 4.  Bringing grandparents is the BEST.  For us, having my parents along was a win, win, win, win situation.  Kaylee and Danny loved having them around - extra spoiling, extra attention, extra hands to hold.  Matt and I loved having them around - extra eyes to watch the kids, extra ride buddies for us (Matt and my dad did a mountain tour while my mom and I took the kids to the hotel for a rest), extra late nights kid-free (when Grandma and Grandpa take the kids to the hotel for bed).  And Grandma and Grandpa seem to love coming - extra magical time with the grandkids and kids.  Having my parents come with us on both Disney trips made the experiences even more wonderful.  

We decided after this trip that we should take a break from Disney and have some new adventures, but it may be hard to stay away after two magical Disney vacations. 

Hotel Hong

Tuesday, July 3 - My sister Anne, her 5 kids, and my parents arrive
Wednesday, July 4 - Alki Tide Pools, Birthday Party for Kaylee, Downtown Bellevue Fireworks
Thursday, July 5 - My parents head home
Thurs - Sun - Pike Place, Waterfront, Newcastle Beach Park, Waterfall Treasure Hunt,
                  Lattawood Park, Saddleback Park, Pirate Birthday Party for Eli
Monday, July 9 - My sister's family heads to Richland
Mon - Wed - Swim Lessons, LAUNDRY, playdates
Thursday, July 10 - Kids and I head to Richland with a quick stop at Ensign Ranch to check out
                  my girl's camp site
Thurs -Sun - Campfire with dogs and s'mores, Brave, Jet skiing, hike up Badger Mtn.,                         sprinklers, splash park, talent show
Sunday, July 13 6 PM- Return home
Monday, July 16  10 AM- Girl's Camp Meeting with my co-counselor and YCLs
Monday, July 16  2 PM - Mindy Swanson and co. arrive
Tuesday, July 17 Pike Place Market, Mindy and co. depart
Tuesday, July 17 6 PM - Depart for Idaho
Wednesday, July 18 7 AM - Arrive in Idaho
Wed-Thurs - Game night, family time, Carrie's birthday party at Chic-fil-a, Madagascar 3
Friday, July 20 10 AM - Depart for family reunion outside Lava
Fri - Sun. - VanEps Reunion, Camping, hiking, more s'mores, family auction, bucket decorating
Sunday, July 22 10 AM - Depart for Bellevue with dinner stop in Richland
Monday, July 23 11 AM - My parents arrive to drop dogs off
Tuesday, July 24 - 3 PM - Anne, Rex, & 5 kids arrive, pizza picnic, dog sitting
Wednesday, July 25 - Downtown Seattle - Pacific Science Center, IMAX, lunch at International Fountain, parents return, adult dinner downtown at Ivar's
Thursday, July 26 10 AM- Everyone departs
Friday, July 27 9:45 AM - Aunt Karen and Aunt Nadean arrive on ferry, Day at Woodland Park Zoo, Nadean returns to ferry
Friday, July 27 5 PM - Matt and kids depart for ward campout
Saturday, July 28 7:30 AM - Drop Aunt Karen off at airport
Saturday - Monday - LAUNDRY, pack for camp, watch a little Olympics
Sunday, July 29 - Grandma & Grandpa Mauger arrive to take care of kids
Tuesday, July 31 5 AM - Depart for Girl's Camp
Saturday, Aug. 4 3 PM - Return home from Girl's Camp

Wow.  Glad we survived that month.  It was SO much fun to see everyone. I also gained a new appreciation for hotel cleaning staff.  I washed a lot of sheets last month!   

Cleaning the Fridge

I've decided to stop stressing about blogging in order and just writing when I've been thinking about something.  I may never finish the Disneyland post that I started 6 weeks ago, but I have other things I've been thinking about.

Recently, I finished serving as a Co-Chair for Danny's Cooperative preschool.  This was a fantastic experience.  I worked with a lot of wonderful parents and had input about how to spend the co-op $ and the curriculum.  I was in charge of running meetings and making sure everyone involved was doing their jobs well.  As the school year drew to a close, many parents praised my efforts and encouraged me to do it another year, since Kaylee would be starting at the preschool in the fall.  A part of me wanted to, but after a lot of pondering and prayer, I decided not to.

When we moved here, there were very few young families, and no organized church playgroup.  A friend and I got one started 2 1/2 years ago, trading off scheduling and emailing reminders.  She moved out of the ward and a new work schedule precluded her from attending as often, so I took over most of the playgroup organizing.  It was really, not a big deal at all, so I kept doing it.  Then earlier this year I realized I was almost never able to attend these playgroups anymore because of my own busy schedule with preschool.  There have also been many new families move in, so I finally passed the torch onto someone else.

I've been in my calling 2 1/2 years with the Young Women in the church.  I have LOVED it, but keep feeling that change is imminent since it's been a few years. 

So often, I really worry and fret over these little life changes.  Can someone else do the job?  Will playgroup fall apart?  Will the girls get along with new young women leaders?  Not to mention all the other life changes - potty training Kaylee, teaching Danny to read, walking the dogs (not a change except that I don't do it anymore).

But lately, I've been feeling like an overly cluttered refrigerator door.  You know what I'm talking about.  The door that's filled with condiments, half of which you've only used once.  There are multiple mustards, because one slipped behind the jar of pickle-less pickle juice, which is being saved in case you need it for an egg salad recipe.  There are 5 different half-used bottles of random salad dressings, and one bottle of Ranch.  The Ranch dressing, which we can never have enough of, is turned upside down to get the last drops out.  There are many important things in the side of the fridge - soy sauce, ketchup, parmesan cheese, mayonaise.  But why do I have a Rudy's bbq sauce packet and Dijon mustard.  I don't even like mustard. 

I feel like I'm cleaning out my fridge.  Taking everything out, and reassessing what is really important.  It's been wonderful to just let some things go, and then make more time for things that matter most.  Spending a little less time emailing others about preschool and playgroups and a little more time just being with my kids.  I still have a long ways to go, but my fridge is getting a little more organized. 

Don't like change . . .

Matt and I were going over our summer plans last night.  We are thrilled to have lots of visitors and trips all summer long.  I'm pretty sure we should start charging room and board for all our guests.  For the past 4 weekends we've had 4 different sets of guests.  I can hardly keep up! 

Truly, life seems to have picked up pace drastically the last several months.  I couldn't pin point why or how, but it feels like we've been racing all over the place.  I swear we just celebrated Easter and now we're only a few weeks away from the 4th of July.  Didn't May just start?  Aaagh!  Maybe it's because Danny just graduated from preschool.  Or because Kaylee is talking so fluently and wearing panties consistently enough that we can't call her a baby anymore (she is almost 3 after all).  Maybe it's because Daisy, the beagle puppy we got shortly after being married, was called an elderly dog by the vet at her last visit.  It all boils down to this, LIFE IS MOVING TOO FAST! 

So I depend on little consistencies to keep me sane.  That is why, when I got on blogger about a month ago to post on our recent trip, I was furious that they had changed things around.  Can't I just have one thing that stays the same without constantly changing and evolving and growing up (OK, so I'm talking about the kids again).  But c'mon blogger.  I needed you to be the same.  In rebellion, I just haven't posted in ages.  Turns out the change is not that drastic.  Also turns out there aren't enough blog readers to mind that there haven't been new posts.  But, I've missed the writing release, so hopefully this is the beginning of a return to blogging.   

The People of Ammon

Tonight it was Danny's turn to teach the lesson for Family Home Evening.  In the afternoon he and I had a prep session so he could decide what his lesson would be about and how he'd teach it.  He decided to teach the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehis, or people of Ammon.  We pulled out a picture from our gospel art kit, reviewed the story, and he practiced telling it. 

Then he decided on acting out the story for his lesson.  We brainstormed what parts each of the 4 of us could be and what costumes or props we might need.  After the obvious shields and swords, the following conversation ensued.

"So who do you think should be Ammon, to preach the gospel to the Lamanites at first?"

"I'll be Ammon.  And since he was a missionary, I can wear a white shirt."

"Great idea.  But I don't think the sons of Mosiah wore white shirts when they were missionaries.  They dressed differently in those times."

"You're right.  What else could I wear?"

"Well, maybe you could just wear your little missionary name tag so we know you are the missionary."

"But mom, they didn't have missionary name tags back then either.  Not the metal kind.  They just had a leaf and took a stick and wrote the words on the leaf."

Love the way this kid thinks.  :) 

We settled on mostly props, and not too much in the way of costumes.  However, when I suggested we actually go bury all of his weapons in the backyard, rather than just pretending to bury them by hiding them under the rug, he was not too enthused. 

Celebration

There's been some party's goin' on round here.
Some celebrations, to last all through the years.
We've had some good times, and some laughter too.
Now we're gonna blog our celebrations with you.

Christmas in Idaho - Late night game nights with Hong cousins, cookies with Mauger cousins, jingle bell dancer, Playmobile Castle, Dollhouse, Cafe Rio, Tin Tin, Coyote Puzzle, Poker, Giant dog, Ski Day, Blast Off with the cousins, many miles between IF & Pocatello, more miles between Idaho and Seattle, fun, fun, fun

Snowmageddon - No school for an entire week, snowmen, sledding with YM/YW, hot chocolate, Disney movies, passing around the flu, napping under lots of cozy blankets, board games, venturing out to Burger King when cabin fever got the best of us.

Chinese New Year - Red envelopes, white rabbits, Phoenix Rolls

Valentine's Day - Valentine's bags, playgroup party, sugar cookies with PINK frosting, strawberry crepes, heart shaped pizzas with friends, Fancy family dinner with manicotti and Black Forest cake, too many yummy desserts, date night to Beauty and the Beast at 5th Avenue

St.Patrick's Day - Leprechaun Trap, green milk & upturned chairs, painting the kitchen green, corned beef & cabbage with Grandpa & Grandma Mauger, lots of golden rolos
Celebration...
Let's all celebrate we've had a good time.
Celebration...
We celebrated and had a really good time.

Porcupine Necktie

Way back when we were dating Carrie and I read a book together called Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. Shortly after that she made me this awesome necktie that I still wear occasionally because the boy in the book collects them. It's one of my prized possessions and one of the most touching gifts I ever received. So lucky to have a Stargirl in my life.

Danny's First Ski Trip

I took Danny skiing for the first time today. It was really fun and he did well. We took a break to make a snowman, which he really liked. I think he most enjoyed eating Pizza, Cheeseburger, Fries, cookies, and Hot Chocolate after we got done skiing.

Here are some pics (the videos were too big to upload):