A Pick(le) Me Up

We've had a crazy week.  I should be posting about everything that has been going on, like moving to a new state, but I have a final tomorrow and I have to pack and sell a house...so...diversion time! 

Last time we went to Disneyland Ethan and I were talking in line about random things.  We talked about the "old" movies my parents and aunt and uncle made based on Indiana Jones.  That got us  talking about how funny it would be to make beloved movies (Frozen, Star Wars, etc) entirely out of pickles. 

Even though this is the worst possible week, and we are all super sick, the kids really wanted to make it happen today.  They had spent all day coughing while packing up, so for the last hour of daylight Eric calmly sit and taped them do take after take.  I edited as soon as they were done, and here is the first Picklemation production:

Dwerping At The Park

The weekend before my birthday I dragged everyone to Cheyenne to go to Outback and the bookstore. While we were there we went to a cute park in the center of town. I got some good pictures of the kids and loved being silly with everyone.

 

Does anyone else see this and think James Franco?

A very historical train that was very...historical.  I can't remember why it was cool, but at the time I was thoroughly impressed.

 

Eric on the tinniest swing in the world.

Journal Maxwell

Eric got addicted to The Walking Dead.  He would watch it while loading the dishes, while waiting for Livi to fall asleep, and basically any second he could get it on his phone before I got exasperated.   He always had headphones on and was pretty careful the kids never saw it, but one day Ethan glimpsed over his shoulder and exclaimed "Dad, what are you watching!"  Livi, without missing a beat, replied "Journal Maxwell."  We all thought is was hilarious and now "Journal Maxwell" has taken on a life of it's own.

This is only the beginning,  They have created their own story and theme song.

Goin' to the Getty Part 2, or Train of Doom

One of the reasons I was excited to go to the Getty again is because they are having an Ansel Adams exhibit and I really do love good photography.  This was the very end of the day and Livi was DONE.  She hung on for a long time, through statue halls, impressionist paintings, and even 18th century paneled rooms, but this was her breaking point and I just wanted to quickly look at the prints.  She was whining and pulling on me so I did what every great mother does and handed her my phone to play a game.  She then decided that the one place in the WHOLE museum where you can't take photos would be a good place to start her budding photography career.  I got yelled at by a guard, who seemed awfully mean about a 5 year old taking pictures, which means I got beet red and teared up (because I fear breaking rules) but then looked at the photo she took and thought her interesting composition  was worth it.

 We went out into the gardens before we left, and was sad to see we couldn't go in the majority of it because they were trying to fix the problem of the sun scorching all the plants planted around the water. Who would have thought that the sun could get really hot in Southern California? Oh, everyone who has ever spent time there in the summer??? Yep.

 In the background is the arch that Eric and I took a picture in front of for my 18th birthday.  It was part of the roped off area and I'd had my fill of being yelled at by authority figures so didn't risk going down for a photo.
To get to the Getty itself you have to park down below the mountain and then take a train up to the museum itself.

On our way back down we barely made it to the stop in time and Ella raced right on.  I was right behind her, but the door closed right in my face.  She was on the train, all by herself, surrounded by strangers, in L.A.  Luckily they are the type of people in L.A. who frequent fine art museums, so they tried valiantly to get the doors open, but none of our efforts worked.  The automated train started taking my 8 year old off without me.  I yelled at her to wait down at the platform for me and not go anywhere.

It was an excruciating 5 minutes waiting for the next train.  I could have run down the path, but didn't think my already tired knees and out of shape body would get me there any sooner than the train.  As we pulled up there was at least 5 workers who saw our group waving at Ella and cheered.  The group of strangers on the train alerted the workers about the situation and those workers kept close to Ella.  I will never see those people again, but I am thankful to them from the bottom of my heart.  It's not typical California behavior (outside of Disneyland) and honestly nothing probably would have happened, but it made me happy to know that there are still good people out there

Goin' to the Getty Part 1

For my 18th birthday I was lucky enough to have a wonderful boyfriend, and two great friends who were willing to humor me and my nerdiness and go to the Getty Art Museum (not something most 18 year olds want to do for fun).  I hadn't been back since, but I had always wanted to since I had had such a wonderful experience the first time.

My mom pointed out that the kids were probably old enough that we could possibly have a good time at the Getty.  We arrived on one of the busiest days (Spring Break gets us again) and had to wait in line just to get some food.  One we had full tummies and empty bladders (which getting 3 kids to all go even if they "don't need to go" is a chore itself) we were able to head off and enjoy the compound of museums.

The first building is always one of my favorites because it houses the illuminated manuscripts.  It also held Livi's favorite piece "Venus and Mars Embracing."  She stared at it a good 10 minutes, which was fine, but then I would try and get her to go into another room to look at manuscripts or stained glass windows and she would always want to go back.  We kept going back, because I like that she was interested in art, but I was starting to get a little concerned by her obsession with the sculpture, and was able to finally pull her away with a promise of M&M's.  Because no matter how intriguing kissing, naked people are, M&M's are better when you are 5.

They have a small kids area where there are some interactive stations that incorporate famous art in other parts of the museum.  Here the kids made the creepiest masks ever, to match the creepiest painting ever

There is also a reproduction of an 18th century French aristocrats bed. 

Livi was VERY taken with the real thing, and although very respectful of the bed and good about not touching, she did inform me that she WILL have a bed like that when she is grown up.  Yep, because I totally have my VW Bug, and pink bedroom.

Also in the kid center (which was actually quite empty.  I think the rest of the museum was busy with all the teachers and professors on Spring Break) was a giant illuminated manuscript the kids could add to using white board markers.

Ethan added a ghost and a farmer saying "You scared me," because all provincial landscapes need more ghosts.

On this one he added the shepherd saying "Let me just check my email," and the sheep exclaiming "WHAT?"

The craziest story is yet to come, including one of my worst nightmares as a mother, but I have to go get kids in a second, so I'll make this a two part post.

Hidden Treasure

We had the Bagleys over last night for Ella's birthday (which I will post more of another time). The kids were playing capture the flag outside and were sad when we called them into eat. I guess they improvised because later I went to get a paper towel and it felt heavier than usual.

When I found this the kids started laughing like hyenas. They thought it was the funniest thing ever. I guess the boys hid the remote as the "flag" and it was such a good hiding spot they forgot all about it.  

Everybody Spring Break Tonight

Due to sinus surgery being exponentially worse than advertised, we postponed our spring break trip to California from our spring break to Everyone In The Nations' spring break.  Here are some highlights from this particular Disneyland trip (because as I've often said, every time is different).

The girls' favorite part of the airport:

 We went straight from the airport to Disneyland since I screwed up the airport we were flying into and the timing worked out really well.  Happy accidents.

Livi really didn't want to go Splash Mountain, but we eventually talked her into it, by promising multiple treats, the Winnie the Pooh ride, and that I would sit next to her in the back.  She assured me it would be better if it was Dad sitting next to her, and I was a poor substitute, but she did agree to go on the ride.

Immediately after this drop she said that she would never go on it again.

I laughed when I saw these helmets and asked the kids to try them on and without prompting THIS happened:

 We were pretty tired by the end of the day, what with flying half way across the country and putting in a solid 9 hours at Disneyland, but everyone wanted to stop and watch the fireworks when we were in the parking garage.

 The next day we realized that Fridays during Spring Break are kind of the worst days in the world to spend at Disneyland, but we still managed to have fun.  Dad was able to come for part of the day, and it was fun to just spend time with my parents, even if it was for an hour in line at Roger Rabbit (which is only worth a 10 minute wait, tops).

Livi noticing Cinderella's castle on the Story Book Land ride, in sequence:

 

 

 

 

 Ethan has become a wee bit obsessed with Jim Henson's Muppet's lately (hey, better than a lot of things 11 year old boys are obsessed with). We hadn't realized before that there was a Muppet theater here in California Adventures, so we made sure to stop by for him.

 The kids really wanted to go on Chip and Dale's Horrible Line/Short Ride Coaster and unfortunately Ghirardelli single handedly gave me a gallbladder attack, so while I was fitting in multiple bathroom stops my mom kindly went on the ride with them.  Doesn't she look like it was the most fun thing in the world?

 The weirdest thing about the whole trip was Livi's new OCD behavior (no joke).  EVERY TIME we went on a ride she would freak out if we had any drinks or food on us. We got churros in line at Splash Mountain and she just about had a heart attack. She didn't want to eat it because she was afraid they wouldn't let us go on the ride if we had food, while also worrying they would take the food from us and throw it away.  I tried explaining we would have over an hour in line, which was plenty of time to eat a churro, and she just wouldn't calm down.  It kept going the whole trip.  She would try and take our drinks and throw them away, even if we weren't finished.  She wouldn't want to get snacks, and would try and cram them in our purses as soon as we entered a line.  This was the reaction when she found a drink in my hand:

Hopefully it was a one time thing.  I'm sure she will have something different to feel strongly about next time.

Dinner With The Stotts

I feel like if someone came up to me and said "What is life like at your house?" I could show them this video and it would sum up everything perfectly.

We Fought (at) A Zoo

The weather was finally nice enough to go to the zoo again. It's sad to see Ethan getting big enough that although he still likes the animals, the other stuff doesn't see quite so fun.
He does not seem thrilled to have to put his face in an animals...

 or measure his arms/wingspan...

or pose at the petting zoo...

The girls are still having a blast driving their invisible horses at the playground though.  I still have some little ones...

 

...at least for a little while longer.

Although he doesn't seem to have liked it much when he was 3 either:

My Talented Story Tellers

My kids have GREAT imagination.  They write and illustrate such amazing stories.  We had a few stellar examples lately and I thought I would share.

Ethan drew the cover for his latest comic book:

I especially love her doe-eyed expression:

I'm not sure anything came of "The Adventures of Tonks," because I'm not sure Tonks lives a very exciting life, but it was sure cute concept art.

Ella is an amazing little writer.  When her class had the opportunity to read 6 stories to the principal her story got 16 of the 22 votes in the class.  This was just a writing assignment, but I was so impressed I took a picture.  They were reading a story in class and came to a pivotal moment.  The teacher asked them to write their own continuation of the story.  This was Ella's:

I would type it all out, but I'm tired.  Trust me, it was pretty awesome for a 3rd grader.  Most of them wrote about 4 sentences, so almost a full page was quite prolific.

Not Exactly What We Had In Mind

Ethan really wanted to play the indoor soccer the YMCA has here in the winter. Ella decided she would do it to since we were going anyways. I got a call saying they were on the same team which seemed like no big deal. Their first game was while I was in Utah visiting my family. I got a text saying "One of our children is very excited about the team color."

Guess which one?

Man, YMCA, between accidentally signing our son up for girl's volleyball and pink uniforms you are really killing us.

Excccceeelllllleeeeennnnttttt (in best Mr. Burns voice)

My little geeks are growing up exactly how I wanted:

 Livi wanted her hair done for school in "two bun like princess Leia."

Ethan had to decorate a box for school to put his Valentines in:

I must be doing something right!

On The Bright Side of Crazy People

I am having a VERY hard time with our new primary president.  We have fundamental difference on how to interact with children, other adults, and even basic gospel tenants.  The only week I haven't come home crying from church was the week she wasn't there.

We have our ward primary program next week and it has been a crazy fest.  I don't enjoy being told what to do and micromanaged like a low level lackey in a huge corporation, but there was a bright side.  She informed me I would be playing a duet with Ethan.  Didn't ask either of us, just told us we would be doing it.  She told me to just write a piece to play.  I informed her I don't write music and she told me her 12 year old daughter was musical enough to do it if I found myself lacking.

I luckily found a Sally DeFord piece that required minimal changes to it for Ethan.  Ella found out and felt left out.  I couldn't find any other duets for any of the songs we are performing so I was at a loss.  I asked my piano teacher and in his infinite wisdom he basically said "Quit whining.  You can write one."  So I did.  It's not amazing, but it IS prettier than the original and Ella is very proud.  I've ended up rewriting the arrangements for 3 songs now and even though they probably all sound the same I am pretty proud of them.

I still don't want to go to primary but I am thankful to that crazy woman for pushing me.

Here are the kids playing their songs. They originally were playing with both hands, but they were getting nervous, and this is their first time playing in front on anyone, so we simplified.  (note to self, do not wear baggy shirts next to tiny people):

A Quick Recap, or I've Been Lazy

Things have been a little busy with Halloween coming up and costumes to be stressed over so here is a quick recap before I forget:

I got called as the Primary Activity Day Leader and my first thing as leader was to take all the girls to Cheyenne for a stake activity.  It was fun, but oh so loud.

Ethan went to a sleep over where THEY DID NOT SLEEP.  At all.  Not one minute.  He was pretty tired by dinner time the next day,

A client asked if we wanted "some" tomatoes.  This is what we got (soda can for scale):

Ella has excelled so much in school this year!  She was so far ahead in math her teacher made her, her own sheets for "1 minute math" that are harder and contain 20 extra problems (She even named them "Ella Sheets"). Thank goodness for good teachers that will accommodate smart kids too!

Ethan had to do a report on a foreign country.  Being a big Dr Who fan he picked The United Kingdom.  We tried to think of a traditional British treat to take and since I didn't want to make blood pudding I bought something else online.  Nothing says England like Digestives at tea time!  As a side note they taste remarkably like graham crackers.

Livi's preschool got to go to Perkins for National Pancake Day.  It was kind of amazing.

Livi put a napkin around her neck and said "Look Mom, an ascot," a true sign we have been watching too much Scooby Doo.

Part of Ethan's costume came and Livi LOVES it.  I have to keep taking it away from her...

and Elmo.

An amazing day on a walk with my two babies.

We already had snow and Livi made a Snow Owl, because Snowmen are lame.