Our first camping trip with the kiddles...

Rob and I have decided that we have turned into a family of hermits as of late. Somewhere between the messy diapers and scrubbing toddler vomit up off the floor, we have lost our spontaneity and become boring and predictable. This is when we decided (spur of the moment) last weekend that we would take the kids camping! Amazing idea, right? It was 4:00 in the afternoon. The plan was to pack up the car, make a quick trip to Walmart for snacks, and be on the road arriving at our camp sight and making dinner by 7:00. We frantically ran around the house gathering sleeping bags, jackets, tents, coolers, and board games. I even whipped up a pasta salad in the packing frenzy! Feeling proud of our hurried accomplishment we loaded the kids in their car seats and sped off to Walmart (all the while pumping our kids up for the smores, songs, and games that awaited them). Never mind that it was 7:00 already. We weren't going to let this get us down! So the kids would stay up later than we had originally anticipated, big deal. We roll with the punches now with our knew found spontaneity and mad cap approach to life. An hour and six grocery bags of snacks later we were back on the road (no thanks to the painfully slow cotton headed customer in front of us in the checkout line who had coupons-a-plenty and wrote a CHECK to pay). Off to Mapleton Canyon! Rob had printed off Map Quest directions and I began to guide Rob to our destination. The directions led us right into a new developing neighborhood and we found ourselves on a dirt road with a sign which read "DEAD END". Good times. Still in good spirits, we turned around and began to search for an alternate rout. An hour later the sun had gone down and Maggie's voice shyly spoke up from the back seat..."Daddy? Are we lost?" I turned around to see a nervous Maggie and a past out Henry. "We lost one," I said to Rob in reference to the sleeping child. At this point we decided it might be better to go camping the next day instead (Saturday). We would just have to pack up early so that we could be on time to church. We told Maggie that we would go camping tomorrow and tonight we would go to Carl's Jr. playland instead (we wanted her to have something fun to do after dashing her little dreams of sleeping in a tent that night). So we get to Carl's Jr, wake up Henry and drag the disappointed little children inside only to see a ghetto, hand written sign on a dirty piece of card board hanging from the doorway of the playland..."Playland closed. Sorry for inconvenience". I growled a loud involuntary sigh which caught the attention of one of the workers. He shuffled over to us feeling as though he owed us an explanation. He mumbled in an annoyed teenage tone, "Ya, um, it's closed". Rob was in no mood for this kid's antics and said "Where is the sign with your playland hours?" (referring to a professional, permanent sign). The kid pointed at the piece of garbage dangling from the doorway and said "There's a sign right there." Rob pointed dismissively at the sign and said "That is not a sign." He turned around dramatically and we all huffed out of the restaurant. At this point we had to try to explain to Maggie and Henry that the playland was "broken" and that we would try to find another one. My nerves were shot as we drove to the nearest McDonald's with Henry howling in the back seat as though his entire world had ended. Finally we found an open playland where we let our children run themselves ragged until 10:30pm.

After that things went fairly smoothly. We got up the next morning and took the kids swimming, to a movie and last but not least....camping, which was actually really fun. It was one of the most....eventful weekends we have spent as a family thus far. But what can I say, that's just the impulsive kind of people we are.

I think I win!!

A few of you have been complaining about having bad Easter pictures that didn't quite turn out. Well, I am here to tell you that mine are the worst and I SHOULD WIN! Never mind that I went to tremendous efforts (as we all do) to make my children look adorable on this very momentous occasion. In my life, when it matters most, it is destined to fail. This is my lot, I have accepted it. If you will please notice the following when looking at the pictures you will see why I should take the cake this year for horrid Easter Sunday pictures:



#1. Blurry. Blurry is the worst. I should win on blurry alone.
#2 Not one picture where both children are smiling at the camera
#3. Crabby Maggie
#4. Chocolate stain on Maggie's dress from receiving CHOCOLATE in primary!!
#5. No mommy. I literally look like a shiny whale in every shot and I refuse to subject you to such things.









































So there you have it. Easter with the McDowells. It was actually a really fun week. Lots of hunting for Easter eggs, 2 hunts to be exact. The first one was kind of sad. All the big primary kids snatched up the eggs before Henry could really grasp what was going on. He only found 2 eggs total. Our solution was to take the 2 eggs out of his basket while he wasn't looking and re-hide them. It was tricky business! I swear the older kids could smell the freshly hidden eggs and would come running to snatch up poor Henry's pathetic 2 eggs. Rob and I would have to ward them off by hissing and stomping our feet which worked quite well. Henry was very pleased and proud of his findings. Maggie, as you can see from the last picture, has had a kind of glazed look in her eyes from all the candy this week. I think we have turned her into a junky. I keep catching her looking in odd places for candy, trying to find her next fix. One morning I came down to find her standing on the counter looking in the tupper wear cabinet with a wild look in her eyes. Luckily most of the candy is gone at this point. Well, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and that you cast your vote for me, Lilly McDowell for "Worst Easter Pictures 2008"!

I have decided...

that is is completely unfair for mothers to get sick. For the last two weeks I have been flat on my back, more ill that I have ever been in my entire life! My husband had to take three days off of work to help with the kids as I lay delirious in my disgusting state. At one point I actually thought I was going to die, for real. I was convinced that I wouldn't make it through the night! As I lay in my bed silence, (except for the hum of the humidifier) a hot, feverish tear streaked down my face and I tried to take everything in around me because I thought I would never see it again. I tried to remember the last contact I had with my children earlier that day and was horribly disappointed when I realized that the last encounter with my two sweet babies was me moaning in pain and waving them out of the room. This was one of the most horrific experiences I have had thus far in my 27 years. And I swear to you it was never ending! Every morning I would wake up thinking, "Okay, this has got to be the day I start feeling better!" but no such luck. Two weeks of greasy hair and ill fitting pajamas, hobbling around the house with a blanket like Linus from Charlie Brown. We are kindred spirits, that blanket and I. We understand each other after being inseparable for two weeks straight. We have napped together, cried together, and watched Saved By the Bell in secret together. The one thing we didn't to was laugh together. Oh no, there was no laughter to be heard in this house! At one point my tonsils (which are already ridiculously large by nature, ask Carrie, she will vouch for me) touched and were rubbing together as I rocked back and forth in such severe pain that I am willing to compare it to child birth. No bueno I tell you, no bueno!

So now I am feeling better. I only cringe mildly when I have to swallow at this point. I think that the most frustrating part of it is that all I got out of this hideous experience is a messy house. There is no sweet baby at the end. My eye sight is not better. My boobs are not bigger. I'm not even thinner, which you think I would be after eating nothing but Tylenol and juice for two weeks straight, but no. No good has come from this illness. Only the feeling that I am incredibly behind in every aspect of my life. Don't I do enough as a full time wife and mother that I should be exempt from getting so ill? Don't I change enough dirty diapers? Wipe enough snotty noses? Fold enough laundry? Wash enough dishes? Does this all count for nothing? Apparently so. I suppose I am bitter at the strep throat gods. They are a vicious crew and all I can do is warn you not to cross their path because they will take you down my friend! They take no prisoners! I wish you all the best of luck through the remainder of this wicked flu season that is upon us. Hide your little ones! Lock your doors! And for heaven sake, don't share your cup with ANYONE!

Peace out.

Well Mr. Disney, you've done it again...

...you have completely stolen my breath away as well as my girlish heart.

My little family of four returned recently from the happiest place on earth and as far as I am concerned it still holds that coveted title. I have been to Disneyland a ridiculous amount of times. I will be the very first to admit that my love of this place boarders on obsession. I have visited Disneyland during each stage of my life all the way from birth and I must say that I have never seen more magic and wonder in it than I did during this last visit. This is because I viewed it through the eyes of a three year old. It was honestly like I was seeing everything for the very first time. The trip was full of tears of joy, tears of sadness, and tears of anger due to suckers being stolen by younger siblings. We witnessed magical parades, singing birds, talking insects, and my personal favorite, Goofy shifting his personal area when he thought no one was looking. Come on now Goofy, is there EVER a time when no one is looking?

I have come to the conclusion that when traveling with children, there is "good Disneyland" and there is "bad Disneyland". Which one you experience relies exclusively on the mood of your little ones. We experienced BOTH many times through out our stay, and I have pictures to prove it (as you will see). I think my favorite part is that cotton candy and churros can more often than not change "bad Disneyland" to "good Disneyland". Contrary wise, passing a candy stand without indulging can quickly flip "good Disneyland" to "disastrous Disneyland". For example:

In this shot, "good Disneyland" has turned upside down into "tragic Disneyland" because "King Henry" did not want to wear his crown and smile for the picture.

In this shot we were able to quickly salvage the moment and change "sad Disneyland" to "happy Disneyland" by purchasing a $7.00 sucker at the candy shop on Main Street USA

This is what I like to call "tired Disneyland" which is remedied only by sippy cups of milk, blankies, and reclined stroler seats.

This is called "try to stifle the lump in your throat and hold back the inevitable tears at the adorableness of your husband and child Disneyland"

Much to Maggie's dismay, this one is called "you can't please everyone Disneyland"

"Mommy keeping the troops' spirits up Disneyland"

This is called "diapers are changed and tummies are full take a moment to breath Disneyland"

This is called "diapers are full, tummies are empty, and it is waaay past bedtime Disneyland"

"Family portrait Disneyland"

"Nervous to ride the Matterhorn Disneyland"

This is "daddy turns waiting in a boring line into instant laughter Disneyland"

This one is my personal favorite. I call this one "it is worth every penny and we can't wait to go back Disneyland"

Welcome Baby Vanessa!

So this Saturday was Di's baby shower and let me tell you it was adorable!! It was all decked out in Vanessa's nursery colors; pink and brown (a stunning combination if I do say so myself, Di). It was so totally adorable and so were the gifts! If it wasn't hand sewn it was hand crafted in some other way. This is a talented bunch of ladies you are looking at! We need to go into business or something. Anyway, it was amazing to see you all! Love and kisses and other wonderful things!

My deepest appologies to Mrs. Haws

Well here I sit eating my words. I vowed I would never make a blog because I found it too time consuming . I thought that facebook and myspace were completely adequate for my internet socializing needs. Well most of my friends who I wanted to keep in contact with have deserted those ridiculous sights. And for good reason!! They have become completely tainted and cluttered with:
1. Photos of women who have their perky slutty butts perched high in the air.
2. Silly applications where you can "super poke" one another and tell each other that you are "crushing" on each other's friends.
3. A plethora of mindless quizes. "Which Warner Brothers character are you most likely to date? Take this quiz to find out!"
4. Bulletins. People posting bulletins that say nothing more than "Good night!" or something equally as time waisting.

I ask you this; are we in junior high? What started out as a wonderful way to keep in touch with old friends has now been completely overrun with teenage tom foolery. Now, in stating my opinions, I really hope I haven't stepped on any toes. I have "super poked" my friends, I have taken the quizes. I am not above it, I am just over it. I will continue to check my facebook and myspace. There are still some amazing people on those sights that I will keep in contact with, but I must take the next step and move on. This is where my blog begins!

And now my apology: I must apologize to Jayna. Jayna invited me to join the blogging world months ago and I mocked her and gave her a severe tongue lashing. I told her that I would never be able to spend the time it takes to check other people's blogs or tend to my own. I told her that myspace and facebook were sufficient for my needs and that I would likely never get a blog. I am completely willing to say at this time, Jayna, you were right and I am wrong. I am a trife, and you are a sweet pumpkin on stilts.

Well there you have it. My first entry. I promise to post lots of pictures. We just returned from Disneyland and there are hundreds of adorable moments captured on film that need to be seen by all of you.

Peace in the middle east.