Chloe did my hair.  That hair style took about an hour for her to do. 

 She also made a checklist of all of our names and checked them off if we said "thank you" in response to her homemade gifts. 
I don't think she was ever able to check Macie's name, because that ungrateful little 2 year old never said thank you to Chloe's gifts:

 Chloe's gifts lay waiting for when Macie woke up from her nap on the floor.  Chloe said she put out everything that Macie liked.

 And surrounded her with them too....

 As I recall, the only response she got when she finally woke up, was Macie's usual banshee like behavior that usually occurs after a late afternoon nap on the floor.

 But Macie sure is a doll in her unpossessed state.

And also, someone told me that I looked like the Toy story doll.  I thought it was funny, so I took a picture. I think I am a dead ringer for sure. ; )

I found this quote the other day:

“Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different...” -C.S. Lewis

Maybe everyone has already heard this quote besides me.  I heard it for the first time recently, and I really liked it.  Although it was attributed to Calvin and Hobbes in the original post, not C.S. Lewis, so I am not sure if C.S. Lewis really said it.  It doesn't sound like C.S. Lewis to me, it is way too simple.  

At any rate, that's how I feel when I look back at my blog.  I can't believe how much my children have changed and how day by day their growing and changing has been imperceptible.  I watched a home video of Chloe when she was 3 and was dumbfounded.  I had forgotten what she was like at 3. She has grown up so much!  It hurt my heart to see her as a little 3 year old and to realize and quickly it flies by!  

Today is also the 13th Anniversary of the day my Mom left this earth.  It is hard to believe it has been 13 years, but on the other hand, it feels much longer than that.  So I will be thinking of her even more than I usually do today.  And I hope that she knows that.

 

Chloe turned her shopping cart into a bed.  And really intended on sleeping in it last night.  I told her she could, thinking she would quickly realize it was a horrible idea.
She didn't.
so I ended up having to tell her it was a horrible idea.
She still hasn't been able to get the unfortunate poop dream out of her brain...Last night she told me again about her woes, and I told her that when I want to get rid of a bad thought, I just think of something else I want to think about and then I can't even remember the bad dreams anymore.
And she told me , "I can't forget about them. I have a good brain."
Which I am not sure what that that means in relation to my brain.
Also, Chloe recently discovered the movie "Pocahontas." ie. The worst Disney movie ever made. And the kid likes it.  She rewinds the ending and watches it over and over again.  Apparently she likes watching the wounded soul mate of Pocahontas shipping off into the distant colors of the wind, or something like that.
The only way I can even handle the ending, is remembering that the true story of Pocahontas bears pretty much no resemblance to the Disney movie...the real life story is even worse.
The only thing I think weirder than Disney making a cartoon about Pocahontas, is them trying to make a children's movie based on "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."
Hopefully they won't try to make a cartoon based on "The Hunger Games."  But I would like to see them try.

4thof July

 

Today at church Chloe whispered to me that she had a really bad dream last night.

She said that in her dream she ate something  really gross.

I asked her what it was.

She whispered almost inaudibly, "poop."

We giggled.

A minute later she whispers to me again, "Mom, I can't stop thinking about.  I feel like I can taste it in my mouth, and I think I am going to throw up."

I look at her and she is dry heaving.

I told her to think of a lollipop.

Once again she repeated that she couldn't get the taste out of her mouth.

 

That it is my potty humor for the day.  I admit, I thought it was funny, even though I normally poo poo potty humor.  Get it, get it?

 

Anyway.  The 4th came and went last week. We went to our annual ward breakfast where they had a huge grown up slip and slide.  I really wished I had worn a swimming suit.  Chloe went on it once. I didn't witness it, I just heard about the aftermath from her, and her feeling guilty that she ran into a "big boy." 

Also last week she told me that after swim practice she failed to receive a donut like the other kids.

"I just sat there on my towel waiting for them to notice me, and they never did.  I just sat there with my hot face."

So disappointments all around for Chloe last week.

 

 

 

I bought the gals some patriotic hair bows for Independence Day because I know how to properly celebrate.

After the breakfast we came home and relaxed before heading over to a BBQ with our friends the Carrs, Wests, and Matrtzs. We all had fun...except for when Macie fell and got a bloody nose, and then fell asleep a few minutes later and we all worried she had a concussion. 
But she didn't.
After that we went to the Sutherland's house to watch our own fireworks.  Too bad our kids fell asleep in the car on the way over there and acted miserable and tired while we tried to watch fireworks.  Also, it was really, really hot. 
and that was our 4th of July.
Also last week we celebrated Adam's and Dad's birthday.  I tried to make my Dad strawberry shortcake but unfortunately there was no flour available that was not crawling with weavils.  So I used pancake mix.
P.S. I really miss the days when chloe was totally fine with bad hair.  But at the time, I just wished she would let me comb it.  But now...I am her personal hair stylist and she is incredibly picky.  If I haven't mentioned it, I shall mention it again. I HATE FLAT IRONING HER HAIR.  I think it is tragic that a person with curly red hair wants her hair  to be bone straight. And, she is 6.  I don't think I cared what my hair looked like when I was 6.  I don't think I even combed it up until 6th grade. 
That is all.

The Crowdiest, Sweatiest, Expensivist (but I still love it!) Happiest Place on Earth!!

 We just got back from our trip to Disneyland. I have wanted to take Chloe for 2 years now, and we finally did it!  We had an amazing time.  Now we just need a vacation from our vacation.  It's true that Disneyland is a lot of work.  And exhausting.  And ridiculously expensive and crowded, yet I would do it all again next week if we could. (Don on the other hand...)
I did learn a few things in how to Disneyland right next time.
Do's:
* You only need the Park Hopper that allows you to do one park per day.  You pay extra to be able to switch back and forth, and it mostly just accounts for more walking.
*Bring Chelsey.  We got to the front of all the lines with her.  Except it still was somewhat of a wait.  If it wasn't summer, we probably would have not to wait much at all.
*Do go in the off season. 
* Do bring an adult that doesn't care about going on any of the fast rides so that no one minds sitting back and watching the babies.
*Do bring snacks.  Don't pay 10 bucks for a hot dog.  Go to the Pier and get Mexican food instead!
*Take a lot of breaks. Sit and watch the shows.
*Bring an adult stroller. ; )
*Do put comfort over fashion.  Arrange your outfit around your most comfortable shoes, not arranging your shoes around your outfit.
*Switch shoes half way throughout the day so your feet get a break.
*Go for at least 2 days so you don't feel stressed trying to get everything in as fast as you can.  It's exhausting.
*use a map instead of walking around the whole flipping park trying to find the good food.

We left AZ at just the right time of day.  The time of day when the sun shines straight in your eyes for 3 hours.  Macie covered herself with a window shade so she could watch her movie and keep the sun out of her face.

 

 

 we spent way too much money of souvenirs. Chelsey picked out this Goofy hat.  I am sure she will get a lot of wear out of that hat  It is a very versatile accessory.

 Macie and Chloe picked out some Princess Minnie Mouse Ears.  It was a really difficult decision for them.  For two days Chloe just kept asking to go to the "Princess Bowtique" where they put your hair in a bun for only a small fortune.  So I convinced her to get a crown instead.  When we ran into Cinderella, she desperately asked me again to take her to the Bowtique so that she could have princess hair when she met her.  I sacrificed the bobby pins in my own hair and did a shotty job at a bun in hers, and she was pacified for about 15 minutes until she decided that the bun was not high enough and that I needed to do it over again.  (This conversation happened several times over the course of our trip).

 See: Princess hair!

Chelsey wanted to meet Cinderella too, unfortunately I didn't realize that until after my girls were done. So we improvised and just had Chelsey photo bomb someone else's picture.

 

 
 

 The girls loved The Little Mermaid ride.  And Macie loved the Finding Nemo ride.  She put her hand on my arm, I think just to feel safe because it was dark in the sub, but she was captivated looking out through the window.

 Macie was in heaven on the caterpillar ride.  Probably because it drove by huge pieces of food.

 Both the girls fell asleep before we could leave the park.  That was fun trying to get them out of the park and into the hotel while completely asleep.

 Macie talked on some pay phones in Tomorrow Land, which I found ironic.  It's funny that Tomorrowland is really Yesterday land.  It's so retro.  But that's part of its charm.

They had a great time dancing with their new Minnie ears.

 

 And Macie did a little meditating on the tea cups.  Probably so she wouldn't throw up.

 she grew tired of the tea cups very quickly.  A common complaint of the tea cups.

 Small world and the train ride were a nice relaxing ride.

 This must have been when she saw Ursula.

 

 

 Other highlights:
Chelsey rode on the California Screamer twice and loved it.  She got all the way to the front of the line and was about to get on.  But I guess she was nervous because she said she had to use the bathroom first before she got on the ride.  So Don ended up having to get out of line to take her to the bathroom.
The swinging Farris wheel with all of us was awesome.
Chelsey rode on Space Mountain three times.

 

 Chloe's favorite ride was the new Cars ride.  She rode that one twice.  Cars land is really cute and fun. 
We loved watching the Bugs Life show.
Macie HATED the roller coaster in toon town.

 

We saw a good amount of both parks over the two days we were there. All in all, it was a success. 
On our way out of CA, we stopped at Joe's Italian Ice and our friend (and owner) of Joe's, hooked us up with some delicious frozen desserts.

 

 

 On our way out I told Don we needed to stop by the beach since we were so close.  And I take responsibility for the chain of events that happened as a result.  I only intended to stay for a few minutes and then leave.  But we ended being there more than 2 hours.  Which resulted in us all getting sunburned:

 

2 days at Disneyland in the sun and heat, and it was the 2 hours at the beach that did us in.
I don't regret going to the beach.  I just regret not wearing our bathing suits, not bringing towels, and not wearing hats or sunscreen.  Oh, and not having a place to go clean off after going to the beach. it was rather poor planning on my part.
Macie got pelted by a wave within the first 3 minutes we were there.  Got completely soaked and covered in sand.  She was not happy about that. 
But they loved the beach and playing in the sand.  Chloe was horrified by the seaweed and stayed far away from the water.  I was surprised at how quickly Macie recovered though, and let me put her feet in the water.
I think Chelsey enjoyed it the most of everyone.  She kept remarking at how good it felt on her sore feet to have them covered in water and sand. 
Unfortunately our little trip to the beach put us right in the middle of rush hour traffic trying to get out of town, which I think was Don's favorite part of the whole trip. 
My favorite part of the trip was Chloe not making it to the bathroom in time at Del taco and peeing all over herself and the bathroom floor. 
I just love cleaning up accidents in public restrooms.

All in all, we had a really fun trip and I am sad it is over so soon.  But luckily it is 118 degrees here so that's nice.

 Tan lines...oh, and she's a girl.