Happy Birthday Lydia!

Last year was the big baptism, and this year Lydia turned nine. One last year before she hits the double digits. I'm a broken record, but I can't believe it.

We kept things simple this year - besides Lydia getting her very own room - and had her macaroni and cheese dinner, opened presents, and had cookie cake with family the Sunday before her birthday.

Lydia is not a dessert lover in general, and especially does not like cake or most ice creams, so each year I get to make her a cookie cake. This year I went with a reeses chocolate chip edition. Delicious, and Lydia-Approved. 

Lydia received some gifts that included the Greatest Showman Soundtrack, a bunch of panda-themed room decor, a globe, slime, and more. My mom also got her the game of jacks which the kids spent a week playing together.

My mom loved jacks growing up and it was fun seeing her pass the game on to her granddaughter.

On Lydia's actual birthday, she and I were both swamped with basketball practice, Activity Days, piano lessons, etc. I actually didn't even get to see Lydia most of the day and we were all eating dinner on the run.

However, I was able to snatch a picture of her before she went out the door to school.

She looks so grown up in this picture, it kills me. I didn't really hit me until I scrolled back through her birthday pictures and saw how mature she looks and that she really has grown up. She loves her personal space in her own room, listening to music, reading, arts and crafts, friends, games, family, and piano. She is gifted in learning and music and makes a really good big sister. She's intuitive and silly and obedient. I really love her. Happy Birthday, Lydia!  

Lydia's Nine Year Birthday Interview

1. What's your favorite song? The Greatest Show from the Greatest Showman
2. What's your favorite thing to do with Mom? Play Just Dance
3. What's your favorite thing to do with Dad? Watch movies
4. What's your favorite day of the week? Sunday 
5. How old are you? nine
6. Who is your best friend? Hailey
7. What's your favorite thing to do?  Read
8. What's your favorite color? Teal
9. What's your favorite food? macaroni and cheese
10. What do you like to do with your family? Play games
11. What's your favorite toy? Silly Scent Marker Maker
12. What do you want to be when you grow up? Actress or singer
13. What makes you happy? My family
14. What makes you sad? the loss of things
15. What's your favorite show to watch? Zumbo's Just Desserts
16. What's your favorite book? Junie B Jones 
17. What do you like to learn about? Animals
18. Where do you like to go? Texas to visit Emmy and Jack
19. What's the best part of your birthday? Going over to Grandma's house
20. What's your favorite treat? Brownies
21. If you could meet someone famous who would it be? Zendaya
22. What's your favorite movie? The Greatest Showman
23. What's your favorite game to play? Whoonu
24. What sports do you like? gymnastics
25. What do you like to wear? Dresses that aren't too fancy
26. Who's your favorite princess? Ariel

Tappana Times: February

Playing catch up here on the blog again. I last wrote about our awesome trip to Harrison Hot Springs, but now I need to fill in what happened the rest of February.

We had our first sickness of the winter, a miracle really. Usually, we're one of the first families to drop and then go through at least a couple rounds. However, this year we were able to make it until February and then only Kendrick really got sick. He did get pretty sick. When his eyes glaze over and he slowly slides down the couch while watching Elmo, you know something is wrong with the kid. Luckily, he pulled through in a decent time and all was well again. I was definitely panicked about everyone getting the flu. Definitely not something this pregnant mom wanted to worry about.

One lovely Friday morning, I was sitting on the couch by the front window helping the kids get ready to go to school. Suddenly, I hear this giant crash and I turn to look out the window and see our garbage and recycling cans knocked clear across our yard. Whoever rammed into them with their car did it so hard and so fast that our recycling can flew twenty yards across our driveway!

Papers were strewn everywhere and we had to hurry and pick everything up. Whoever hit our cans just kept right on driving; as soon as I heard the crash I immediately turned and looked out the window and I didn't even catch a hint of a taillight. People drive so fast on the road in front of our house and I always worry about them hitting my kids. This did not make me feel any better.

This first picture is what our waste cans looked like before they were hit, and the second picture is of the garbage can WEDGED under our bush.

Whoever hit it broke the handle in a couple places and now it no longer closes correctly.

I just wish the person would have stopped, apologized, and helped clean up the mess. I hope they at least learned to watch the road more closely. And that garbage cans are the worst thing they hit and run.

That was probably our most exciting morning in February. Most other mornings it was business as usual as Kendrick and I wave goodbye to the kids at the bus stop across the street.

Though when the sun started coming out, it was hard for this Washingtonian baby to handle. Kendrick kept coving his face and saying, "My eyes! My eyes!"

Valentines Day rolled around and we kept it low key and had some fun decorating boxes and making out cards for school.

Ammon came up with the idea of a mail delivery truck all by himself for his box, and I helped him orchestrate the actual design. It was simple and cute - just perfect for Ammon.

Lydia's teacher insisted "strongly encouraged" that no candy be brought with Valentines, but I thought this was a crime against humanity. Everyone deserves a little candy on Valentine's Day! So against the teacher's wishes (and Lydia's because she was mortified to defy anything her teacher said), I made Lydia tape one little Now and Later candy on each Valentine card. Especially her teacher's. Lydia said no one else handed out candy that day, and I told her that I bet everyone loved Lydia's cards the most. No candy on Valentine's Day?! Preposterous!

Kendrick turned into a demon the night we made cards and I took a picture to represent the terror. You can see his swollen face from crying all.night.long.




We created some lovely heart hair to add to the day's festivities on February 14th.

As for Kendrick and I, we surprised Brigham at work and passed out Valentines to Brigham's coworkers.

Kendrick loved sitting in Brigham's chair and he sure was a little charmer.

Brigham normally loves going out on Valentine's Day (we couldn't make it work on actual V-day this year and ended up doing a double date with our good friends later), so instead I made him a fancy beef, mushroom, and asparagus dinner to enjoy as a family at home.

This picture doesn't make it look that appetizing, but it was GOOD.

I love my Valentines and celebrating love has always been my favorite.

Soon I'll have one more Valentine to add to the bunch and in February I hit thirty weeks. It's always a solid, fun number to achieve.

In preparation for the new baby, we began moving rooms around and Lydia was thrilled to finally have her own room.

She likes to hole up in there now, but it is adorable seeing her sit at her desk listening to music while she draws or does homework. I know she's truly enjoying having some personal space. Ammon moved to the top bunk and had his own room for a couple weeks until we moved Kendrick in a couple weeks later.

As the weather warmed, these ugly ugly creations reared their yellow heads and my never-ending battle with them began again. Hopefully, I will be able to stay on top of them rather than fighting voraciously to conquer their armies marching across my grass.

And that's about as February as you can get. 

Harrison Hot Springs Resort

Schools in our part of Washington have something in February called mid-winter break. I think it's so everyone doesn't lose their minds in the constant rain and gray, and we all try to escape to some sun so we don't die of vitamin d deficiency. Last year we were in Disneyland during this time, but this year we were in no position to do something as grand. However, we were able to find a resort about three hours away in Canada called Harrison Hot Springs.

Now you might be thinking that Canada is in no way going to be warmer than Seattle, and you're right. However, this resort has naturally-fed hot spring pools that sounded fun to explore, not to mention nice and warm in the cold winter weather. They also have hotel family suites that have two separate rooms - one for the parents and one for the kids. I was sold, especially because the winter rates were decently priced. My parents booked a suite for themselves and my sister, and we booked one for our family for two nights.

We packed our suitcases - or in Kendrick's case, his "soupcase" - and we were off!

The drive took a few hours and we crossed the border to Canada in no time. We told the kids that they had to learn to speak Canadian, and when they asked how we told them they had to say "eh" at the end of every sentence. They didn't believe us, but when we made a quick stop at Costco, they quickly learned that we spoke the truth.

The first thing we noticed when we got out of the car, was that it was FREEZING. We immediately dug all of our warmer coats and clothes out of our bags and kept them close by. Despite the cold, it was clear and sunny: just what the doctor ordered.

The area was beautiful and we loved the view of the lake and mountains from our rooms.

The first night we took advantage of the resort's four o'clock tea and cookies that they serve each day.

We went out to dinner at a HORRIBLE restaurant that made the worst alfredo ever. My dad ordered a steak and received literally two bites of meat. We realized our mistake when we looked up the ratings after we ate, and noticed it barely received two stars. After our miserable dinner, we took our first trip to the hot springs.

Running around mostly naked in freezing weather before slipping into deliciously warm pools really shocks the system. It was almost unbearable, but then once you were settled in the warm water you never wanted to get back out. Especially because you knew what you faced if you did. Every time I made a transition from the cold to the warm, or visa versa, it immediately gave me contractions. Seriously, it was traumatic. But swimming in the pools surrounded by evergreen trees, steam, and seeing the beautiful stars overhead was an exhilarating experience. And it was fun to laugh together about the absolute wretchedness of getting in or out.

The next morning we enjoyed breakfast and hot chocolate in our rooms before we spent another day exploring the area.

It was even colder than when we first arrived, and it also started snowing. Undeterred, we checked out a few hiking options and found a trail that had some cool carvings to find as we walked.

You can't tell in the pictures, but was snowing on our hike and everything was covered in ice.

Brigham, Ammon, and Kendrick had more fun stomping on icy dirt and throwing sticks in the frozen-over water.

When we were done freezing our tooshies off, we headed back to the hotel for lunch and then Brigham took the older kids and my sister to swim while Kendrick and I rested and chilled in the rooms.

Kendrick and I went down to the pools to visit and take pictures.

The steam and falling snow, mixed with the greenery and mountains truly was awesome. I couldn't drag Brigham and the kids away from the pools. Kendrick and I explored more of the resort and we went up and down the many many stairs.

We found a much better pizza place to eat for dinner that night, and then left Kendrick with my dad as the rest of us returned to the hot springs for one last swim in the snow and stars. We all took warm showers that evening and relaxed watching the US women beat Canada for the Olympic gold in hockey.

The next morning we packed up and enjoyed a bit of sun out on the dock on the lake before we headed out.

Cold, icy, and beautiful.

We made one last stop in Canada to extend our fun at a castle family fun place. We miniature golfed, played arcade games, and blasted some laser beams.

Then it was time to cross the border back into the USA.

For just getting away for a few days, it was a relaxing, fun trip. I loved checking out a new area and the kids loved swimming for two days straight. Harrison Hot Springs is beautiful and I hear it's even prettier in the summer with lots more to explore and do. Maybe we'll have to go back, eh?