Friday, August 14, 2009

Oregon Coast (Erika Visit Pt. 2)

Sat: This was the only day that Mike was going to get to hang out with us so we decided to make it a fun adventure. We didn't really have a plan in mind except that we were heading to Astoria, OR and we would see as much as we could throughout the day.

Our first stop was at the Astoria Column - the highest point in Astoria. We climbed all 164 steps to the top to get a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean, Columbia River, Mountains and the Astoria-Megler Bridge.
After the Column, we crossed the bridge just for the experience (it is the longest truss bridge in the world) and checked out an old fort on the Washington side. We didn't stay long because we really wanted to see Historical Fort Stevens since we had missed it the last time we had visited. It was a good decision too, because when we pulled into the fort we were informed that a WWII re-enactment would be starting in about 5 minutes. We ran up the hill and made it just in time to see all the action. It was intriguing yet sad to see what combat was like at that time and how quickly men died in battle. We left before the show was over so that we could explore the fort a little without all the people around. I could have explored the fort all day and been content, but we had a shortage of time with Erika so decided to move on to the next adventure.
We drove to a different part of the Fort Stevens State Park - The Peter Iredale Shipwreck and ocean. It was at this point that Erika informed us that this would be her first time to the ocean! After finding this out I couldn't believe the girl hadn't been dragging us from the fort. :D Now, as beautiful as the Oregon coast is, the water is FREEZING cold. We still let the boys play in it though because, like Erika, this was their first time playing in the ocean. I was amazed at how much they loved playing in the water regardless of how cold it was. We eventually had to drag Korben from the water because his lips were turning blue and he was shaking like a leaf, and yet he cried the entire walk back to the car because he wanted to
"play in the ocean".
From Astoria-Seaside 2009
(You can see from his face that he absolutely loved it, but that is was REALLY cold)
Before we left the beach and headed for our next destination, Erika wanted to get some pictures of herself in the ocean. She completely surprised me when she decided that she needed to sit in the freezing cold water in order to "get the full ocean experience". I remember the days when I did silly things like that just for the experience - now I just prefer to stay warm. :D Unfortunately, she was wearing denim which doesn't dry out quickly...fortunately, we had Mike's swimming shorts just in case he had decided to get in deeper than his ankles, so we at least had something she could put on. Luckily for her she is completely gorgeous even in over sized men's swimming shorts, not to mention completely confident in herself, so it didn't even seem to phase her at all.
We decided to take the long way home and go through Seaside, OR. While we were checking out the shops in Seaside we found a great place to get ice cream - a place that also sold every kind of salt water taffy imaginable - called The Seaside Candyman. We went a little crazy and ended up buying around 4lbs of salt water taffy. One would think that much taffy would last us about a year...um, yeah, it lasted us about 4 days... :S

After Seaside we decided that we wanted to go see Cannon Beach and the Goonies rocks. It was getting late so we put the boys in their pajamas intending to only stop long enough to get a few pictures and then head home.
However, our intentions went right out the window as soon as the boys set foot in the sand. For some reason the sand would squeak when you walked on it- something the boys thought was outrageously funny. They ended up running and prancing and kicking the sand in every way possible trying to get it to make funny sounds.
At one point I was kneeling in the sand and Logan ran up and gave me the sweetest hug. I didn't know at the time that Mike saw him and snapped a picture of the moment, but I was excited to see it later. I think that I mostly blog about how crazy Logan is and forget sometimes to mention how sweet he can be - I sure love my little Logan Spencer.
From Astoria-Seaside 2009
We ended up staying for an hour or so just enjoying the peace and beauty of the ocean. It was a great way to end an absolutely wonderful day.
Posted by at 6 comments:

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Erika's Visit (Part 1)

I knew that after the fun of visiting Idaho/Utah we would all be tired; tired of the car, tired of travelling, and simply tired from lack of sleep. So Mike and I decided to see if my niece Erika could help me on the drive back and then stay and play for a while . Her parents were good enough to oblige, and I will forever be grateful for it. The drive home was pretty good all things considered. Erika was a huge help not only with the boys, but with keeping me awake by providing great conversation, funny stories, and a willingness to sing songs with me. We obviously made it alive, but with zero energy left and for the next 2 days we would recuperate by sleeping in, reading books, catching up on tv, sleeping some more, etc, etc.

Then the fun REALLY started:
TUES: We eased into things by going to the park, making cookies and catching up on tv shows.

WED: We stepped things up a notch by going to Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince. We enjoyed it immensely - like most, I didn't care for the ending, but I am okay with it being different than the book and I am eagerly looking forward to the next two movies. When we got home, my friend Theresa had the boys all dressed and ready to go swimming in her kiddie pool. Rather than intrude on her longer (the movie is already 2.5hrs) Erika and I decided to suit up and take the boys "swimming". This basically ends up being one consecutive trip after another up the stairs and down the slide, so we got our exercise and the boys had a blast. We topped the night off with $5 Little Caesars and TCBY ice cream (did you know every Wednesday is "Waffle Cone Wednesday" and their waffle cones are only 99cents?!)

THURS: We decided to go check out Portland. As usual I had much more on the agenda than is possible if you don't have the utmost perfect sense of how to get around the stinking city. Just like every other time I have gone to Portland, we ended up getting lost, having to call Mike for help, getting stuck in traffic, and yet having a wonderful time. I just kept telling Erika it was all part of the Portland experience - I'm pretty sure by the end of it she was glad to be from Idaho though. :D What we DID get to see was the Portland Temple, The Candy House, and the view of all of Portland by way of the Tram. It was at this point that Erika had a teenage boy fall madly in love with her and follow her around like a little puppy dog just to get another look. He nearly trapped us in the corner of the second floor, but thanks to a quick escape through the outdoor garden we were able to avoid too much embarrassment. :0)
From Erika's Visit Blog
(Side Note: I was pretty impressed with myself when I took this picture. Thanks Mikey for teaching me about proximity to my subject.)

FRI: On Friday we decided to read some more (Erika brought me some great, silly romance books and I got her hooked on the "These Is My Words" set) and chill out. We wanted to go see Multnomah Falls, but wanted to be able to enjoy it without dragging the boys along. So when Mike got home, Erika and I set out for some exercise and silly girl time.
From Erika's Visit Blog
It was fun to hike all the way to the top since I have never had the opportunity in all of the times I have been to Multnomah. We had a great time taking lots of fun pics, talking about boys, and enjoying the awesome weather and beautiful nature. When we reached the top there wasn't a soul in sight to take a picture of us so we had to try and take one by ourselves. After about 100 failed attempts and lots of giggling, this is what we ended up with:


As you can see, by this point in Erika's visit the silliness had set in full force. Mike was such a trooper to put up with so much estrogen (although he will be the first to tell you that he loved having Erika here and would love to have a girl someday). And I loved every single minute that I was getting to spend with my niece. I remember being in her exact position: the family member that is young and flexible and more than willing to babysit or travel or sit around and do nothing, just for the experience. I have so many great memories of being the "extra help" on trips for my older siblings, and it was fun to be on the other end of things and be able to provide fun things to do. I also loved all the girl time that we had, the silliness and girly late night talks and all the other stuff that goes along with having another girl in the house. Mike is not the only one that would gladly add a girl to our family.
(Stay tuned for Erika's Visit Part 2)

Posted by at 4 comments:

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Camping Trip July 2009

After a sad farewell with Kathy, the boys and I headed to Rexburg to go on a camping trip with the Boyds, Edwards and Mom & Dad. This was the first time we had ever taken the boys camping so it was a bummer that Mike couldn't be there for it(he had to fly home for work). The week before heading to Idaho, we bought the boys new sleeping bags and prepared Korben by letting him sleep in one. He was so excited to camp that every single day of our trip he would ask if he could sleep in his sleeping bag "in the tent". After lots of disappointed nights, I told him he finally got to sleep in the tent and he was ecstatic.

After setting up camp, the boys were able to wander around, get dirty and play with their cousins. The older kids and the adults set up a table just outside of camp to have a gun shooting marathon. I think there were 7 different guns total, a whole truck load of ammunition, and plenty of people ready to shoot things:
It had been a long time since I had shot a gun, so I was excited to take my turn shooting every single one. And since I have absolutely no aiming capability whatsoever, I was pretty impressed with myself when I managed to shoot the water bottle they threw in the air. I had loads of fun, but ended up with a splitting headache and a nice bruise on my shoulder - all part of the experience I guess. Here I am with the sniper rifle and shotgun (notice my tongue out on the second pic - that is when I actually shot something so I guess it helps me focus :D)
Logan loved getting dirty, climbing on things and trying to get into anything he shouldn't. For some reason he was always trying to get back into the car...you can see the lengths he took to try and get into ours (standing on the truck). He wouldn't sit still to eat so I'm sure his food was good and contaminated by the time he actually got it down, but again that is all part of the camping experience. The hardest part of the trip was trying to get him to fall asleep. He somehow managed to get out of his pack n' play and would try and escape the tent. I ended up having to let him fall asleep strapped into his car seat and then move him later in the night. Unfortunately, it was so cold that both nights he had to climb out again and come crawl into my sleeping bag. It didn't make for very good sleep, but at least we were warm.
Korben loved the whole experience. He loved gathering wood with Kells and Andie, playing in the dirt, reading books with Grandma, and playing with his cousins. He also tried to be like his cousins which meant we were always having to keep him away from the fire where the older kids were playing. We actually made it out with only a tiny burn on his finger from one of the hot rocks, so I am grateful for all the extra help I had in keeping him occupied and away from the fire. He loved sleeping in his sleeping bag and didn't seem to be bothered by the cold. He was so sad the night that we went back to Kimber's house because he had to sleep in a warm bed with a warm blanket - rough life right? I foresee lots more camping in Korben's future.
By the second night, the little boys seemed to have a hard time keeping out of mischief, so I set up a little camping theatre using the back of the pilot, a portable DVD player, the stroller, and some camping chairs. It worked like a charm-they were content and I was able to eat my dinner without having to chase little boys around. Ahhhh, modern technology-Love it!
Posted by at 3 comments:

Sunday, August 2, 2009

4th of July 2009

Well, it has been exactly a month since I last blogged. There are lots of reasons - traveling, partying with family, YW Stuff...but lately it has simply been because it has been over 100 degrees every day and the computer room is like a sauna. Some would say to just skip over July and start fresh; but this is our family journal so I will be spending the next few days (with the help of a fan) catching up. Hopefully the weather will cool down soon and I get can back into the groove of things again.

THE DRIVE
On June 30th I loaded the boys into the car for the long drive to Idaho/Utah. It was the first time that I would be doing it alone with the boys. We made it till about the first exit out of town before Logan started crying....needless to say, that experience is one that I don't care to duplicate anytime soon. Although they really were good travelers, having to drive one handed while trying to hand out food, or toys, or comfort wasn't easy and probably not the safest option, so let's hope it works out better next time. After around 10 hours of travel time, we made it to Twin Falls where we stayed with Cami and Ben. They got to experience the pent up energy of two little boys and I think were a little overwhelmed with the noise and craziness....but now maybe they are a little more prepared for their little boy. :D
From Twin I drove to Kara's house. We stayed up way too late (as usual) talking and watching movies. On the 2nd Mike flew in and for the next 4 days we stayed with Kathy. It was fun to get the 5 boys back together again (the first time in 6 months). They all were elated to see each other and played together so well. The adults were able to have a very missed game night, and lots of fun and long talks. It was a blast and was very sad when we had to leave.

4TH OF JULY-FULLMER PARTY
On the 4th we woke up early and headed to Arimo for the parade. It was the first parade that Korben and Logan had been to and they loved it. Korben had such a good time collecting candy and we ended up with way more than any family let alone one kid would ever need. It was also neat to see 4 of my brothers accompany the flag at the front of the parade. Aren't they a good looking bunch?

Following the parade we had the huge Fullmer Family Photo (the whole reason for the trip). It turned out as well as can be expected with that many people to get together. I am actually pleasantly surprised with our family photo - I know Korben isn't looking, but I still love the smile on his face and the moment that she captured-

And for all those reading my blog that aren't part of the Fullmer Clan, here is the photo of the whole crazy group:
After the pictures, we went back to the church for some food, games, and good conversation. I love this picture that I got of Mike and Korben while we were there...
Mike and I had to leave early in order to get back to Utah for his family party. Before we left, we had Mike take a picture of the 5 Fullmer Gals. I loved being silly with my sisters and getting some fun pics. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have such wonderful sisters that are also my friends and confidants.
4TH OF JULY-HARRISON PARTY
After another 2.5 hour drive, we arrived at Doug's house for the Harrison dinner and party. (pretty sure I gained 5 lbs just from the two meals that day) I thought the boys would be spent and kind of cranky, but they were surprisingly happy the whole time. They loved playing with the other kids, on the trampoline, in the garden, on the swingset, and even participated in the water fight. I was so impressed with how well Korben handled himself. He didn't throw tantrums or seemed overwhelmed at all the whole day. This was a huge step for him and I am so happy to know that we can get together with either of the two huge families and not have to worry that he is unhappy or overwhelmed at all.
The adults played the traditional game of crochet. I didn't really get any great pictures other than this one of my SIL Kathy Jo. I decided to put it up because it is a great picture that makes me smile. Kathy is truly a kindred spirit and just as much of a sister to me as any of my own are. I miss her terribly and am so glad for her friendship (even if it is long-distance).
Love you Kath!
After all the festivities, we topped the day off with a fireworks show. With a few added Washington specialties we had a great finale to the night.
Korben has always loved fireworks, but this year he especially loved the little snappers. After each snap he would cheer with more excitement than for any of the other big fireworks. It was really cute to see him so excited for something so simple.

At the end of the day I felt almost overwhelmed with how blessed I am to not have just one, but two amazing families that I am a part of. It was a very fulfilling day.

Posted by at 6 comments:

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Strawberry Picking

My friend Theresa and I decided that it would be a fun outing to take our boys strawberry picking. We weren't necessarily trying to get a huge amount of strawberries for any real purpose, but just thought it would be a fun activity for the boys. We ventured out on a nice sunny day thinking that we would be gone for an hour or so....

...4 farms, 2 hours, and a drive all over Vancouver later, we finally found a field that was ready to be picked. The boys donned their hats and grabbed their buckets and were off. Logan didn't really care about picking the berries, but was very good about holding out his bucket for Mommy. Korben loved picking the berries but soon became picky (no pun intended) and would only pick the berry if he deemed it big enough. So I had the task of locating berries that were big enough to pass the inspection of an almost 4 year old and then wait for him to slowly pick it, examine it, and toss it into his bucket. It was a fun adventure to say the least.

I would like to say that I did something useful with the bucket of berries that we ended up with, but sadly, I left them on the counter and they were rotten by morning. Regardless, it was a fun outing that the boys loved and left them perfectly exhausted for bed time - so to me it was $5 well spent.

From June Posts

Posted by at 2 comments:

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

It Starts...

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Korben and Logan have started acting much more like brothers lately. They love playing together - a term I use loosely because "playing" mostly consists of wrestling, slamming doors in each other's faces, and chasing each other around the house. There is lots of giggling many times followed by tears and owies and a few kisses before they move on to the next activity. The following picture is a perfect example of my point:
You can see the absolute giddiness on both of their faces as Korben launches himself down the slide straight at his much smaller brother. What you don't see are the tears on behalf of Logan after he is shoved face first into the rocks. One would think that this scenario would only have to be played out once for them to learn that this isn't the best way to use the play equipment; but what can I say, I have BOYS, not girls, and this was only the beginning of the same game being played over and over again despite my attempts to stop it.

Korben has also taken his role of the older brother to a new level and the bossiness is starting to show. We often hear him yelling "Loooo -Gan" when he wants Logan to come back for whatever torture he has up his sleeve. Logan is a very willing participant and is enjoying the attention from his older brother so for the time being it seems to be the perfect arrangement. I am told that this is simply what brothers do and am slowly accepting the fact that I can fight it uselessly, or just go along for the ride.

I mentioned that they enjoy chasing each other around the house. Most of the time this means that Logan chases Korben back and forth across the kitchen floor until one of them trips over their own feet and falls down. Since Logan is particularly accident prone, I am always on edge when they are running around, and for good reason, since the other day Logan happened to fall directly into the piano bench. When his head hit the leg of the bench, it sounded like a board snapping in two and I was positive it was going to leave a nice mark. Sure enough, before I could make it the 5 steps across the room, Logan's head had grown a nice egg shaped bump. The kid is a trooper though and these pictures were taken just a few minutes after the crash:


The bump progressively got worse (as all bumps do)...

From June Posts

From June Posts
...and took nearly 2 weeks for the bruising to completely go away - but that is the price you pay to hang with your older brother I guess. :D

Posted by at 3 comments:

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Progress Report

June 17th was Korben's last day of school. Although it is nice to have a summer break free of schedules, it has definitely been an adjustment for Korben and I both. I think Korben misses his class and teachers, and he often asks for the school bus. And I am realizing just how easy it was to go shopping with one child rather than two, and am trying to re-adjust to having a full day with both kids.

The first week home it seemed like both Korben and Logan were happier with the school schedule. They were fighting a lot, whining a lot, and I think both were feeling like they deserved more attention than the other. However, as time has gone by they are getting along so well and really enjoying some serious brother bonding. They are playing really well, we are having a great summer so far, and things are getting back to normal. I imagine that this is the case in all families that have children in school.

I have been asked a few times what Korben was actually doing at school. To be honest, I had an IEP (Individual Education Plan) that discussed what they wanted him to learn, but as far as the day to day happenings I wasn't really sure. I knew that he met with a speech therapist and occupational therapist each day, but I was a little hazy on the specifics. I knew that he had adjusted well to school and that he was happy there, but what his schedule was like each day was a mystery. I was okay with this because I wanted Korben to have a separate school schedule and home schedule. I knew the things that we needed to work on at home and I was trusting his teachers to work on different things at school. Both Mike and I noticed huge improvements not only in his speech, but also his physical abilities since he had been in school, and knowing that he was happy was enough for us. That being said, it was great to get a progress report at the end of the year to see exactly what areas he is excelling in and what areas he needs more help in. So for all of you that wondered what he was working on for 3 hours a day at school, here is a very detailed report of his tasks and his progress:
(Click on June Posts link to see larger views)

As you can see, Korben has acclimated to school extremely well. In most instances he is making either "adequate" or "great" progress. What more could we ask for? Korben loves to learn and putting him into school has been the best thing we have done for him so far. Since starting school in February, we have seen the most noticeable improvements, more than from therapy and diet and anything else we have tried. So woohoo for school!!

Here is a picture of his first school class:

From June Posts
Posted by at 3 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)