Long weekend in Oklahoma

Since we didn't travel anywhere over the holidays, we decided to take a long weekend after Zach left to visit Aunt and Unc and Great-Grandma in Oklahoma.  This was my first time on a plane with all three kids, so it was extremely helpful to have Lauren along for the trip.  We looked like a hot mess going through security, but we all made it, safe and sound.

We spent the four days there just relaxing, enjoying the nice weather, helping Unc with the new calves, watching the Olympics, and hanging out.  I spent 12 hours or so on my back with a stomach bug, but I'm glad I got sick when I was there because I had a lot of help.  Ben and Hannah had already had the bug in California, but Dan got sick the last night we were in Oklahoma.  He even threw up on the plane on the way home.  Barf bags really work!

Unc's cows are having lots of babies, so we got to tag along while he checked on them and their mamas.  Layne even got to wrestle a calf in the back of his truck!  This calf is a twin and he got separated from his mom and sister, so Unc wanted to drive him back over to the side of the pasture where his mom was.  Layne got her workout for the day, holding onto him while bumping through the field.

Dan and Ben and Hannah had a great time with everyone.  My parents and Layne came down from Wichita so the kids got a lot of love from everyone.  My mom flew back to California with us and is here now, helping me get ready for our move to a new house next weekend.  Actually, she's cracking the whip now, so I better get some pictures on here before I have to go back to work!

Got afterbirth? 

Happy Valentine's Day

Yesterday, Dan and Ben had their Valentine's party at school.  At the beginning of the school year, parents had to sign up to help with two class parties throughout the year.  I chose Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day, so it was my turn to get crafty.  My station was pretty simple, but the craft turned out well and I think the kids had fun.  It was non-stop for that hour, so I didn't get to take too many pictures.

Hannah was great and slept in her car seat except for when Dan was wheeling her around the room, showing her off like a proud papa.  Toward the end of the party, she woke up and I let her play a little bit while the big kids had their snack.  You'll see she had quite the fan club by the end of the day!

La Jolla Cove

On Saturday, to take our minds off Zach's departure, the kids and I headed down to La Jolla to meet up with Lauren and Jesse.  Lauren thought the boys might like seeing the seals at La Jolla Cove and I hadn't been there in many years, so it sounded fun to me, too.  Little did we know that the boys would have zero interest in the seals and lots of interest in the wet rocks and crashing waves and cool cave.  Thank goodness we had three adults so each of us could be responsible for one kid.  There's no way I would go there with just myself and the maniacs!

We were there for sunset and it was beautiful.  After the sun went down, it started to get pretty chilly so we headed out for pizza.  On the way to the car, the boys just had to climb some cool trees.  That was probably the safest thing they did at the beach, actually.  Then they saw a guy flying a kite and he let them have a turn too.  Not a bad way to spend our first day without Daddy.