Here's a cute little Larky Lu story. She was sitting on my lap just a second ago...which is really unusual. I asked her where her nose was. She started getting all silly and looking looking left and right as I kept asking her. Then she stopped and pointed at Noah...who we often times call Nosey...or even Nose for short. Silly little confused girl! Noah is her favorite person in the whole family...seriously!!

Aaron and I had the best weekend ever!!! First off, thank you, thank you, thank you to Matthew and Bethany for watching our kids Friday and Saturday!!! You guys are amazing!!!

Aaron and I started off our weekend with a trip to Benihana's for yummy dinner!! The lobster was delicious as was the sushi...our favorites!! We got up at 6:00am on Saturday to start our kid-free adventure. We packed our bathing suits and towels and jumped in the van. We headed about an hour and a half away to the Estacada area. We went camping there this past summer and learned that there are some pretty cool hot springs up there. We weren't able to go to them because you have to hike about a mile in and didn't know if all the kids would make it and also there are only a few tubs. So, if you don't get there early, chances are you wouldn't get one. Well, things were going fine...until we turned down our road that said basically no one maintains it during the winter. There were downed trees all over the place. Then the snow/ice appeared. It looked like snow...but really it was solid ice!! The picture below shows what it looked like right at the beginning of the "course."

I say "course" because that is what it was. There was really no way to get off the course. It was like playing pin-ball. If Aaron veered too much to the right, well then the ice bumpers pushed him right back to where they wanted him. It was pretty crazy!! Then it got a little scary because the snow/ice got a lot deeper (sorry...no pics!!). We could feel the ice scrape the bottom of the van. But, as long as Aaron maintained a steady speed, the ice bumpers kept him on the road. There were some areas with lots of big rocks on the road and I about died thinking about what it was doing to the bottom of the van!! Well...we made it to the final turn off and realized that there was no way we would make it...even if we did have our chains in the van...which we realized we should always keep in the van!! So, we decided to turn around...and got stuck!! After about a half an hour and the use of some kind man's shovel in a huge 4 wheel drive truck, we got our tires back into the grooves to go back down the mountain. We made it down just fine. Too bad...we'll have to try again when it warms up some!

Check out this sweet "snow chicken" we saw on the way back to civilization. It was totally glowing on the side of the road! I almost peed my pants when Aaron was riding it because he put too much pressure on the "chickens" head and it broke off and Aaron fell down with the head!

I found a huge agate (well the biggest we have ever found) when Aaron was stacking rocks.

Here is one of the three creations he made. When we were about to go, he let me throw rocks at the them to knock them down. I hit the first one and my big rock that I threw ricocheted off and hit Aaron right between his knees. Oops!

Here's the big river...so pretty!

Then we stopped off in Oregon City to see the paper mill. It was pretty cool looking. We hiked all around the city and discovered lots of cool things before stopping for lunch and Costco. Then we picked out kidlets up. They were so not happy to see us...because as they have told me..."Aunt Bethany makes way yummier food and they have lots more fun over there than with me!

We had a fabulous Valentine's Day here...though it wasn't a traditional Valentine's Day. I had the amazing opportunity to help all of the kids at church put together a Sweetheart's Ball for all of the adults. The fun shindig consisted of fabulous decorations, dinner, and a dance. It was a ton of work, but so fun!! The only downside was that Aaron and I did not get to spend Valentine's Day together. He stayed home and tended the kids, while I tended the older kids at church. He took the kids exploring and found an awesome park just minutes from our house.
It was up at Jenkin's Estate, for those of you who are familiar with it. It's an amazing place to take family pictures!


Stinking Larkin and her pacifier! She really isn't as attached to it as the other kids were...she only gets it when she has her blankey. Looks like Daddy was a softy and let her play with it OUTSIDE!!
Here's superstar Noah and his wild choice of shoes lately. I bought the kids their Easter clothes this weekend and had them wear them to church on Sunday...they looked soooo cute! I even managed to get the boys's cowlicks tamed and looking nice. Larkin didn't look like a boy and kept her little pigtails and bows on top of her head in all day. We got to church and I looked down at Noah's shoes as he got out of the van and this is what I saw...one green croc...one yellow croc.
Thanks Aaron for being such an amazing husband and father! We love you the best!

On a day off of school, me and the kids went on a trip to the coast to hunt agates with Bethany and the cousins. Bethany showed us a great agate hunting beach called Oceanside Beach. We had so much fun and found so many agates that we brought Aaron back that same Saturday...not that he's in any pictures though...sorry Aaron!!
Sticks are a must when you are outdoors...you never know what needs a good poking...maybe even your baby sister!

We had beautiful weather...lots of sun with a little wind. The poor kids froze because they insisted on going in up to their knees in the water.
I love this picture of Joshua. What a mope out on a rock in the middle of the water with the waves rushing in. He is wearing the same winter hat that I wore when I was in kindergarten! I love it. He wore it the ENTIRE day because Aaron told him it was a train conductor hat.
You'd think they really were best friends...but really, they are just AMAZING actors!
Here's the coolest picture ever of Joshua. Watch out for the scary train conductor!!