The day that Nate went home for Alaska the kids and I packed up our stuff and went to stay at my parents house. That night we just hung out and settled in. The next day I had a surprise for Tyler. His best friend from Mountain Home was coming to see him and he had no idea. Tyler has known Jackson since he was in kindergarten and because of them hanging out so much I started hanging out with Jackson's mom, Nicole. So when she said that she wanted to come to Utah and bring Jackson to see us I was ecstatic. We thought that it would be even more fun if we didn't tell Tyler. I did however tell him that he was going to be getting a surprise that day. He was so excited for whatever his surprise was going to be he couldn't stand it and even tried to bribe people into telling him. I being the smart mom that I am didn't tell all of the kids because I know how well some of them (Ella) keep secrets (or don't). The only other person who knew was Nate. Tyler was convinced that we were going to go bowling or something like that. When Jack finally got to the house he sat on the swing with his back to Tyler. I had Tyler come outside to see his surprise. Right off the bat he could tell that it was a person but, he thought that it was his cousin which wouldn't of been the best surprise because it hadn't been that long since he had seen him. I told him to take a closer look. When he finally realized who it was he was overjoyed. They both ran into each others arms and gave each other a hug (yep just like in a love romance but should I just say bromance). It was such a fun surprise for him. After catching up with each other for a little while we went to my sister's house for dinner. Then Ella, Tyler, Jackson, Nicole and I went and got a cupcake for dessert and went to the park so the kids could play. The boys had a ton of energy to run off. When it was finally time for bed I went in to tuck the boys in and tell them that they had to be super quite because they would be sleeping with my parents in the other room and my mom had to get out of bed extra early. I made them a bed out of a blanket on the bottom for them to share and a blanket for them each to use to cover their bodies. Jackson then asked me where his mom and I were going to sleep. I told him in the guest bedroom. I could tell he was confused. He asked if we were sharing a bed. I told him yes. He pulled a stink face and told me that it was gross. Why is that gross. You and Tyler are sharing a bed I said. He said it was ok if he and Tyler were sharing a bed because they were friends. I laughed and said your mom and I are friends too. He still looked at me funny and replied, yeah but your both adults. I told him it was ok and quickly Tyler and Jackson fell a sleep.
The next day we got up bright and early so that we could head over to the splash park before it got too hot. The kids ran around in the water until they were good and tired. We then went to my parents house and the kids had sandwiches for lunch while Nicole and I went out to Lunch at Goodwood BBQ with my brothers and sisters. Followed by a quick brows around the mall. Sadly Nicole and Jackson had to leave the next morning. It was a sad farewell. Until next time my friend.
The next day my mom, dad, joy, the kids and I all went to the SLC farmer's market. Which is one of my favorite places to go. Then we went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. I had the seafood chimichanga thinking that it was a shrimp one. It was shrimp alright and crab and octopus. I could of lived without the octopus. When we got home Natalie made this nifty dog collar,head accessory? He hated it being on him but she insisted on putting it on him several time throughout the rest of our trip.
The following day (Sunday) was my big sisters birthday. She is now 36 years old. To celebrate she asked my dad to make a roast for her. Everyone else went to the movies while I stayed home with the kids and was put in charge of the roast. My dad had fixed it and told me to turn the pressure cooker on at a hour and a half after he left. I had never used a pressure cooker for anything other then canning so I followed my dad's directions to a tee. After about a hour I asked the kids if they could smell something funny. They all answered no. About 15 mins after that I swear I could still smell some thing so I once again asked the kids and they said "well maybe". Another 15 minutes went by and my mom called me and told me to turn the pressure cooker off and that the food might be way done. Way done it was. Burnt to a crisp at the bottom of the pan was more like it. I felt so bad for ruining my sister's birthday dinner. We did have other food prepared. But she did not get a roast. Instead she got hamburger patties for dinner. Just Not Quite The Same!
That day Ella started complaining of a sore throat. She didn't seem to be running a fever but I could see something in the back of her throat that looked like a blister. But it was red and not white so I didn't really worry about it at all. The next morning she still complained of a sore throat so I took her into the ER. They did a strep throat culture and we found out that it was negative. The Dr. told me that her throat was very red and it was going to hurt for a while but she would be fine with just some Motrin.
The following day I took Ella and Tyler to the zoo to meet up with my friend Mindy and her 3 kids (I did for warn Mindy about Ella's sore throat and she wasn't concerned about it). We enjoyed the zoo and the new things that they had put up around it. But toward the end Ella complained about being too hot and too thirsty. I found a drinking fountain and she gulped down a ton of water. Mindy and I decided that we had been at the zoo long enough so we started packing the kids up. Ella once again gulped down more water. Not 3 minutes later Ella looked at me with her "Oh Crap" look and told me she was going to puke. I was watching all of the kids while Mindy was in the bathroom changing her baby so I told her to run to the garbage can. The poor thing threw up right by where people were eating. I felt so bad for her and for the people around her. But I couldn't gather the kids together fast enough to go into the bathroom with her and it didn't even cross my mind to send her in there with Mindy. After throwing up Ella felt a little better so I decided to risk it and still go to lunch with Mindy. In the car the only thing I had in there to drink that was cold was Dr. Pepper and she drank all of that up in a jiffy. I had her bring the empty cup into The Cheesecake Factory with us "just in case" although I was confident that she was going to be fine. She didn't order anything to eat and just laid down on the bench except for the brief moment that she sat up and puked once again into the cup that she had brought in (I am ever so thankful for having the foresight to bring that cup in). When we were finished with our lunch Mindy and I parted ways. She is moved to Virginia and with me still being in Alaska it might be a while until we see each other again. On the plus side Utah is a home base for the both of us. So hopefully it wont be that long.
The following day I took the girls to get a hair cut. We all needed one so desperately since I have only got one since I moved to Alaska (It is so blasted expensive to get a cut and color here) and the girls haven't even gotten one since we moved here. Nichole and I got our usual cut. While Ella was brave and got 8 inches cut off her hair. She said she wanted to look like Selena Gomez. Natalie was the Rock Star of the hair cut trip having cut her hair very, very short. But, It looks so cute on her and fits her personality perfectly.
Thursday we hung out with Pam. We went to a house of bounce and the kids played and jumped for quite a while. I played on my phone and Pam took a much needed nap. The kids slept over at Pam's house that night and the next day she took them to the reservoir to play while I hung out with my mom and sister. We went to lunch and shopping. That night the girls stayed over at the Musil's house and Tyler spent the night at Joy's house. The following day my Mom and Dad picked up the big girls and took them shopping. Tyler wanted to play the wii so he stayed at Joy's house which just left Ella and me. We went to one of my favorite place's to eat Cafe Rio. Ella refused to get anything there so instead of fight with her I caved and bought her some McDonalds. Once we got home we ate and played a few games of Rummicub but I could tell that she was very anxious to go and play with her friends (the next door neighbors) outside. She ran off and played for a while. When the girls got home I took my parents phone shopping and they went and picked out some school clothes for Tyler.
On Sunday we had a special birthday dinner for Tyler. He wanted to have hamburgers and hot dogs again but, I talked him into make your own pizza. Which turned out so much better. Tyler opened his birthday present from my mom and dad (a water gun) and we had brownies and ice cream. After dinner Tyler and my dad got into a water fight. My dad trying to escape Tyler ran into the house. I went to take a picture of him with his water gun and he squirted me with it in the face. They he went on a water shooting rampage. He got my sister, my mom, and all of the girls. He didn't get Otis because my mom put him under her shirt to save him. Glad I wasn't being saved by my mom. I grabbed a cup and filled it up with water. When my dad wasn't looking I threw it on him and raced to the bathroom. I was able to get 2 cups full of water on him and he didn't get me again. By the end of the water fight all of us were laughing and all of us (except Otis of course) were soaking wet.
After the epic water fight we strolled on over to The Musil's to say good bye.
The next day was the day we headed home. I had been super stressed out because I had to change our tickets and it made it so that none of us were sitting by each other. I had told the lady on the phone that I didn't want to buy the tickets if we couldn't sit together and she assured me that on the day of the flight the airline would be able to change the tickets so that we were sitting closer to each other. I went to the ticket counter to check in and have our seats changed. The lady that was at the counter hemmed and hawed about if she would be able to change the tickets. I ranted about the other promises the booking agent had told me and in the end although not all of us were able to sit by each other the 3 little kids and I were. We did have to sit in the very back row. The big girls sat clear up in the front on rows 6 and 7. The flight was so much easier this time because I bought movies for all of the kids. It was the best 46 dollars I ever spent.
We were so thankful to finally be home to our own beds. But it was very nice to go on vacation and see my family and spend time with them. I miss them so much already.
