Missing Take 2

This time I was here.  

Thank you AJ for losing your first tooth while you were with me.

This kid takes pride in the way he looks.

So, I was a little worried that he would have issues when he started to lose his teeth and I was trying to figure out explanations to help him through this awkward stage of life.  But he was excited to be growing up.  And I'm happy for him . . .

for both of them.

A Little More Than an Imagination Vacation

Our Spring Break was magical thanks to my brother and his awesome wife.

With a little imagination we visited more places in two days than we could have ever done in a whole week.

Where to start?  

I guess with the first day.

Hollywood!  Amazing because our first adventure took us back about 20 years.  We saw Indiana Jones at his prime.

We then continued our brief time in history and landed in Chicago to meet the one and only.

 It was then on to Italy where the children got to watch the gondolas and hear the beautiful vocals of the gondoliers as they steered their way through the canals of Venice.

We even made it to Hawaii where we saw a spectacular volcanic display.  The heat from this natural occurrence was enough to keep us warm on the cool breezy night.

It was then back to Italy.  Only this time we took over our own palace.  You may have heard of it . . . Cesar's Palace?  Definitely, one of the kids' favorite spots since it is ours.

Here the kids begged and pleaded but I just couldn't give them what they wanted.  A wish from this desire granting genie would mean that they would be big tomorrow.  And they're growing up too fast as it is.  So we continued onward without looking back.

Our next stop brought us to Atlantis.  This is not just some made up underwater city.  We saw it and the kids will tell you it is real.

The highlight of our imagination vacation was traveling to the jungles of Africa, Asia and Australia.  It truly was a magical jungle where all the animals loved to sit on your shoulders and swing from your head.

Momma kangaroos didn't even mind a bit if you held their little joey.  Isn't he cute?

There was a scary moment when we found out that R.O.U.S.s really exist.  But not to worry, we only encountered the baby ones.

And I swear to you this guy's beak is fake.  Apparently he puts it on every morning to scare away any predators but really his smaller less intimidating beak is somewhere underneath.

 Even the two toed sloth hung out with us for a while.

See, I wasn't kidding when I said the animals liked to swing from your head.

It's a bear cat.  But I'm sure you already knew that.

Armadillo anyone?

As you can see, I think we had the most well traveled Spring Break ever.  Crazy that it all happened only six hours from our home.

This post would not be complete without AJ's version of our trip.  Following is the low down he told Papi on the phone this morning as we were filling up at the gas station to come back home.

"We went to the gym.  Came home.  

Got cleaned up and packed. 

 Then we went to Las Vegas.  

We lived happily ever after.  

And now, we're going back home."

Missing

Most every minute of the past 

9 years, 2 months and 13 days

I have spent with our children.

Finally, the time came for Papi and I to take a little break of our own.

So, Mommy went missing for 48 hours.

But I came home to find something else was missing.

DJ was missing a tooth!

He lost his first tooth while I was away.

I don't know how Papi does it.

I missed one tooth falling out.

He misses a lot more.

He really does have the harder job.

I did get to be here to see how excited he was for the tooth fairy though.

And with a grin like his

I couldn't help but smile at that missing tooth. 

New Vegetarian

Having chickens has been fun in many ways.  We get fresh eggs everyday.  We have fewer bugs.  My kids love playing with them.  They really make great pets.  Isabel was thinking about her pet chickens when it occurred to her that "chicken" that you eat and "chicken" like our pet chickens rhyme.

I gently let her know that they were the same thing and you eat the chicken's muscles, (unless you're Papi then you eat the bones, hearts and gizzards too).  After that she decided she was never eating chicken again.  What kind of mean person would eat their pets?

Broken Guns and Cowboy Hats

His gun broke.  He was broken hearted.  But then DJ just discovered there's more than one way to enjoy a toy, especially after it stops working.  I've never seen him sit for that long.  He unscrewed every tiny screw and unhooked every skinny wire.  It was a fabulous disaster, much better than the disastrous meltdown he was going through five minutes earlier because his toy gun had quit working.  He was even content with it not working after it was reassembled. We might have found a new solution for broken toys.

On another note . . . I never knew the Wild West was so alive right here in Mesa.  We enjoyed chicken chases, popsicles, pigs and turkeys at Lehi Days.  Next year I'll have to get a cowboy hat and boots just so I fit in.

Enthusiasm and a Glimmer

Unfortunately, my boys don't have the best example of missionary work at home.  Papi never served a mission and neither did I.  I've tried to talk to them about how great it will be when they serve a mission and we have the missionaries over whenever possible partly because I want inspire my boys to live up to that calling of a missionary.  Usually, after discussing the possibilities of a mission with my children I get, "I don't want to go on a mission" from them or some other negative comment.  I was feeling that my efforts to teach them about the importance of missionary work were failing, that they would never understand one of the core principles of the gospel.  Then yesterday I overheard as AJ enthusiastically shared this gem with his nonmember friend,

"When missionaries come to your house they can teach you about the gospel and about Jesus."  

Did you get the part where he said it with enthusiasm?  He was excited about sharing what he knew with his friend.  That moment made my whole being smile.  I know we've got a long way to go until these precious boys reach the magical age of 19 but I saw a glimmer.  Now if we can just keep that alive and help it grow for the next 13 years my job, at least when it comes to a mission, will have been successful.