Annual Post Falls Trip

Southwest Airlines seems to have a steal-of-a-deal on tickets, each year in the Fall. There are restrictions on dates and times to fly, but that doesn't stop Krissi and I from snatching them up each year. She comes here and I go there within 2 months of one another. My turn came early February this year.

I typed up a schedule, letter and surprise list to keep things running smoothly at home, while I would be gone.
Leaving little daily prizes for the kids to open (after tasks or chores are finished) is becoming a tradition. I think they like it, because they say things like, "Mom, when are you leaving? I can't wait!" --Thanks a lot. :)

This is who greeted me, as I stepped inside the door of Krissi's mom and dad's house ....Amber the crazy dog. Don't let her cuteness fool you, she is a WILD puppy!!! She jumped up on me, chewed on my hands and tried to bite off the decoration buckles on my shoes. She wouldn't leave me alone. She thought I was her instant best friend.

Krissi and Steve sold their house, as she was visiting me in December. They moved in with her mom and dad until they could figure out their next move. Living together started to seem like a good idea. They started talking about it and eventually decided that they would build a house for all to live together. Her mom and dad put their house on the market, had a showing the first day I was there and then SOLD it the next day! ---I'm claiming to be their house-selling-good-luck-charm. :)

Jessica and Ila LOVE this crazy dog!

Jessica bought this HUGE moose while I was there.

Her school mascot was a moose.

She thought I should love it as much as her.

And her mom too.

Daniel came to me Sunday evening and asked if I would help him make a house for his Zhu-Zhu pet, Sarge. He had drawn all the walls, pathway and bushes. I helped him cut them out and tape them all together. --Creative kid!

I think Sarge and his cars are quite cozy in their house, don't you?

Krissi and Anna Laura made treats almost every day I was there. It was torture being on my NO SWEETS challenge!

We went about the week doing nothing in particular, but having a good time being with one another. I helped out at the elementary school, did Activity Days with Krissi and the girls, went shopping, etc.

The last night, before I went home, we had dinner with these ladies; Kathy Pollock and Lisa Zane. It was fun to talk and catch up with them.

It's so nice to do this twice a year. I'm so grateful for our families and for Jason and Steve who support us in our "girl time". Thanks guys!

Post Falls Trip

My friend Krissi and I try to see each other at least twice a year... I go to her house and she comes to mine.

Southwest Airlines has helped us do that. They had a $25 deal last year and a $30 deal this year. Can't pass up a deal like that... it costs more in gas to drive!

My trip began, after I wrapped up some December craziness at home; Favorite Things Party, Ward Christmas Party, Ison FHE, and the R.S. Christmas Dinner. There were a few things that happened while I was gone and more craziness when I returned, but it was well worth it. I LOVE my time with Krissi!

Steve, Krissi's husband, has been working for an architect firm for several years now. I guess he's been considered an apprentice?... learning the skills, on-the-job-training, under licensed architects. In the recent years, he's been working hard and taking tests (I think 5 or 6 total... spending a pretty penny along the way) to become an official architect.

While I was there, he received his last and final test score saying he PASSED and that he was an official architect! This was cause for celebration. We made him a "Congratulations Smartie!" banner, decorated the house with balloons and Krissi made his favorite dinner, lasagna... with homemade noodles.

Jessica's idea of decorating with balloons is to rub her head to create static and stick them all over the ceiling. She said that her dad always does that. Perfect, for a Steve celebration. :)

Ila and I blew up all the balloons. They were tough.


The girls taped Smarties candy all over the banner and then we hung it in the front room for him to discover, when he got home from work.

"Congratulations Smartie!"

Delicious homemade lasagna.

Looking at this makes me hungry. I want some right now!

Krissi, Steve & Ila

We shared the celebratory meal with their good friends the Zane's.
Ryan & Vaughn Zane & Jessica
It was a nice evening; yummy food, good friends and an official architect. :)

This is Daniel, Krissi's youngest. He is so cute and funny. He was quite sure I had come to see HIM. Every day, many times a day, he would ask me to play with him. He wanted to play cars, Littlest Pet Shops, puzzles and games mostly. I wasn't a very good play-buddy, but that didn't detour him from asking, bringing me toys, putting them in my lap and saying, "You HAVE TO play with me!".

While there, I also....

Attended Steve's work Christmas party. It was catered with fancy foods. Yum.

Helped out with the elementary school Christmas Book Fair.

Did some shopping.... of course.

Did some crafting.... of course.

And in general, just enjoyed hanging out with the Goodmansen's.

Krissi also nursed me back to health, with a cold I had contracted on the way there.

Thanks Krissi! You're the bestest!!!

Can't wait for you to come see me next month.

Spring Break: The Final 2 Days

Thursday, this is what we had for breakfast....

fried ostrich eggs!

(At least that's what Rylee called them.)

APRIL FOOLS!!!

When the kids finally got the courage to try them, they discovered their "ostrich eggs" to be vanilla yogurt and a peach.

It seemed like our wheat grass was growing right in front of our eyes. This is what it looked like, just 2 1/2 days after being planted.

Our Thursday plan all along, was to go to the Boise Zoo, but Mother Nature played an April Fools trick and was cold and wet that day. Sooooo we went to Plan B, the Discovery Center.

The Discovery Center is full of all sorts of science fun...... more science fun than I can handle. :)

What the kids mostly wanted to do is play in the miniature grocery store. So we spent lots and lots of time in the store.

When we first got there it was a MESS! Our group scampered around putting everything back in order, just so the next kid could come by and mess it back up again. I resisted the temptation to sort and organize, but Krissi and Rylee could not. :)

We also got to make "slime" a mixture of Borax, water, and something else.

Next, lunch at Carl's Jr.

I was worn out and I think Krissi was too. After eating our lunch, we just sat in a booth with a window and watched the kids play in the structure. They seemed to have a blast crawling in and out of the tunnels and sliding on the multiple slides and we had some nice down time....just sitting there.

Brrrr... it was super windy as we left Carl's Jr. and then it started snowing as we arrived on the temple grounds. We took a brief walk around the temple, then headed toward our warm vans.

Friday, the Goodmansen's planned to head home.

Here's how our wheat grass was coming along. I was excited to see how much it would grow by Easter.

I'm sure there will be more pictures to come.

-Treyson, Jessica, Taylee, Rylee, Daniel, Abree & Ila-

The van was packed, the water bottles filled, potty stops were in order and then they would be off. It was so fun to have the Goodmansen's come visit. Krissi and I travel back and forth to each other's homes a few times a year, but our kids hadn't seen each other for a LONG time. It was nice to have them get reacquainted and establish some long-lasting bonds.

Side note- On the way home the Goodmansen's ran into blizzard-like conditions going through the Blue Mountains. They had to pull over on the freeway. As they were getting back on, a semi-truck went passed them, fish-tailing his trailer into their van. It damaged the driver's side of the van, broke out the middle window and broke off the side view mirror. It was traumatic and scary, but everyone in the van was safe! They spent the night in LaGrande, OR in a hotel and rested their weary bodies. The next day, they were able to get home safely with no exciting or traumatic events. Whew!!!

Spring Break: Day 5 & 6

Tuesdays, around here are CHEAP movie days.... only .50 cents at one of the theaters! Soooo, after an early lunch we took the kids to see, "Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel". We got there early suspecting it would be busy because of Spring Break and bad weather. At first, we were almost the only ones there, but by movie time it was PACKED! The 20-30 minute wait was almost worth it. :)

Wednesday, Jason took the day off. We ran a few errands, including dropping Krissi's van off to be detailed. While we were gone, I left the kids with a box of crafty supplies and told them they could make anything they wanted.

They turned this....
and these....

into all sorts of fun.

Look what Ila made.

Jessica's pom-pom pandas were named Fluffy and Squishy... I think.

Rylee's egg carton fuzzy creatures made me laugh.

What is this Treyson, a warm fuzzy?

Abree made a whole family of these..... along with fluffy pom-pom pet.

Isn't this cute?!

Taylee made it using a t.p. roll, feathers, googly eyes and craft foam.

Next, on the agenda was an Easter egg hunt.

Krissi and I hid about 50 eggs in the living room and backyard for the kids to find.

On your marks. Get set. GO!

Treyson's checkin' out what he got. His candy was gone in no-time-flat!

Next, Jason and I had to take our kids to get immunized. Abree was getting ready for Kindergarten and the rest just needed boosters to get them caught up. In total our kids got 15 shots!

It was interesting to see how each child reacted differently to their shots. Rylee was teary-eyed... making the others nervous. Taylee took it like, no big deal. Treyson had really funny facial expressions, making Jason, myself and the nurse all laugh out loud. (Not so good when administering a shot.) Abree was mostly brave, but when given the MMR, broke down a little, cuz it HURT! (Don't know why the nurse didn't give her that one last. It was second and she had 2 more after that.)

When we returned home, we walked in to a room full of smoke!

Krissi had graciously offered to make dinner for us, while we were gone. The biscuits on the top of the chicken pot pie weren't baking correctly, but the liquid was bubbling over onto the bottom of the oven, creating smoke. The smoke detectors kept going off, so we opened all the doors, a few windows and turned on the ceiling fan. It energized the kids and concerned them at the same time. They ran around crazily. Finally, we called the pot pie done and ate in the hazy mist. It was really yummy! It was worth the burnt toast smell in our house, for the next several days.

After dinner, we decided we needed to get out of the haze and went to pick up Krissi's van from the detail shop. NICE!

We delayed going home and decided to go get a milkshake from Burger King and let the kids play for a while.

They played and played and played.

I was asked by someone, if they could live there. No. "Ok, then can we come back the next day and the next day AND the next day?" I don't think so.

We stayed a LONG time.... at least it felt like a long time to me. :)