Zoo Fun

As long as it's not snowing- we're going!

Just Hanging

Last summer we painted basically our entire upstairs and unfortunatly that's about where everything stopped. I'm the first to admit that I lack much design style and added to that is the quirkiness of having a house built in the 60's. This wall in the living room especially stumped us for a while. You see the fireplace is... not symetrical, nor is it really tall enough to do much with. But since we're still in more of a fix-it-up stage instead of remodeling, we'll live with it for now. So we came up with the idea to do a collage wall instead of just hanging one or two pictures that we couldn't figure out how to center. We snagged a bunch of nice black frames at the day after Thanksgiving sales and then the Saturday before we started in on the project we had friends over who gave us the brilliant idea to cut out butcher paper in the exact measurements of our frames. Then we were able to tape them up and move them around until we found a configuration we liked. Genious!

The even better part was that then we were able to simple mark where the hooks were on the butcher paper and drill holes right through the paper. So much easier and each lined up exactly where it needed to!

It took us almost 6 hours to agree upon how to layout the the wall, and then less than an hour to hang them all.

Of course by then we'd worn ourselves and all our freetime out so we didn't get around to hanging up the actual pictures in their frames for another 2 months. But we're done now- finally! And here's the finished product- at least until I take cuter pictures of my kids and can't resist hanging them up.

Girl's Trip

Ahh! To be a Kitchen. So growing up with 3 boys and 3 girls, there was always a little competition going on. Okay so there was a lot. We're competitive and sometimes poor sports and it's definitely an inherited trait (trust me lots of stories to share). And a common theme growing up was fairness and equality. And our dad tried to instill in us that while life isn't equal you'd really not want to it be and what you really want is to feel that others are trying to make your life fair. Of course life doesn't work that way but we Kitchens sure do try to make it!
So a few summers back, after my dad had gotten a nice bonus and was drooling over hiking trips and rafting trips, my mom finally just pushed him into booking a trip down the grand canyon. And then some of the siblings got wind of this and wanted to join. Which turned into everyone wanting to join but of course since half the siblings have kids, it couldn't become a family reunion. And thus was born the first "boy's trip". Which of course in fairness land (that would be the Kitchen family) meant that there also had to be a "girl's trip". It took several years to line up the timing so that there were no little babies to drag along and just one somewhat pregnant sister, but we finally booked it.
So off we all headed- by now 3 sisters, 1 mom, and 3 sisters-in-law to sunny and (somewhat) warm Florida for a long weekend together.
We're girls- of course there had to be some pampering involved.

And who can resist the beach even if it's windy and you have to wear a jacket. Yep, that's me the wimp in the parka and sandals.

But on the beach no less.

We spent a day shopping at downtown Disney, saw a Cirque de Soleil show, hit up the outlet malls another day, learned to make jewelry together, relaxed at the beach, at way too much food, did more shopping, more movie watching, lots of book reading and lots of chatting, and in general had the most relaxing weekend any mother of young children can imagine. Even free of needy husbands. But all too soon it was over. We stopped by the Orlando temple.

And the beach one more time.

Enjoyed the amazing veranda and it's sunsets just one last time.

Seriously need one of these added onto my house (and maybe Florida's weather too).

And then it was over. Of course it was even nice to fly on an airplane by myself- read in peace, listen to the babies crying who weren't mine to deal with. Can't wait for the next boy's trip- cause then it'll be our turn again after that!!!

2 Things We Love: Cousins and snow

My Aunt Cyndi has this fabulous house down in Draper. In fact you can see the Draper Temple in the background of this first picture. My grandparents came for a visit from Florida so we went down to see them and my cousin whose kids line up perfectly with Ethan and Isaac (both exactly 2 months younger than each- how bizarre). It worked out perfectly that the valley had just gotten dumped on with snow and they had built the most amazing sled run in their own backyard.

Honestly can you get a better background than that?

Unfortunately it was FREEZING so the little boys and the mommies decided to be wimps and give up after just a few runs. But Ethan stuck it out for another half hour.

Even dragging his own sled up the hill each time.

And figuring out how to get himself on and then started.

And he loved every minute of it!

While we loved every minute inside with my fam.

Cutie Pies

Honestly who can resist these cute smiles and giggles???

Farewell to the South

Yep, had to include a picture of this famous Southern landmark which ended up being our favorite (and almost daily) breakfast spot.
Bye Alabama! We miss you (and your weather) already!

New Years Eve fun... and not so fun

So this is the only picture I have of New Years Eve. We all (minus Taylor who missed his connection in Atlanta and had to spent New Years Eve in a hotel) went to a local outdoor mall where we shopped, played laser tag and had dinner. Then the adults (minus me- the mother) all went to see movies and then ring in the New Year with fireworks. Then the plan was to sleep in the next day and enjoy one more day together of golfing, sun and sand. That WAS the plan until someone picked up a really nasty flu bug and spread it throughout the group.


As we were ordering at dinner Ethan informed me that he needed to use the bathroom so I took him and left Miles and Isaac at the table with everyone else. As we were coming back we passed Arty and Isaac. Arty said "Isaac needs to go to the bathroom. Can I take him?" Can you take him? Would you like to take them all??? I sure don't mind especially without Taylor here. So we went back to the table and settled in. A good while later Arty comes back with Isaac who has a wet shirt. Now this isn't that surprising since Isaac is mostly potty trained but has on occasion somehow managed to fall in the toilet while he is peeing. Yep, did that while my visiting teacher was watching him back in November. I try not to laugh. Okay I don't even try, I just laugh at him. So I wasn't that alarmed that his shirt was wet- until Arty told me he had thrown up- A LOT and some of it got on his t-shirt and so he'd had to wash it off. WHAT? Seriously? You're THAT GOOD of an uncle. You voluntarily took a child to the bathroom- who told you he needed to throw up (apparently I missed that part of the dialogue as we were passing in the hall) and you took him back, helped him do his nasty deed, and then cleaned the poor kid up. Okay, we officially love you and adopt you as the favorite uncle (okay maybe Mack ties since Ethan smeared pigeon poo on his shirt). No more "the other Uncle Mack" for you sir. We'll make sure they know your name now!

Of course after throwing up Isaac was feeling fine and actually WANTED to eat his dinner (this is rare for him) and since he hadn't acted at all weird beforehand I decided to stay. He ate a plateful of buttered noodles and lots of bread and we had a great meal as a family. Then the others went off to the movie and fireworks and I took the boys home thinking maybe it was just a fluke and he wasn't really sick. Of course just as we pulled in the parking garage Isaac said "I'm sick" and started to throw up. No warning. Just, yep.

So I spent New Years cleaning up the nasty and listening to Taylor be sad in his hotel in Atlanta. And then woke up New Years Day feeling really nasty myself. The kids watched non-stop Star Wars cartoons while I barely survived on the couch. When Taylor arrived he informed me the other condo was faring no better than us. In total only Taylor, Mack, and Sam escaped the flu bug. Lovely New Years Day. I don't even remember what we did that night but we were together and after a quick family picture and one last meal at Waffle House we were off.