February - Work Trip

The second week of February, Alex went on a work trip for a few days. It was a *fun* week...but I'm always SO glad when he returns :). Here are the goings on from that week. The night before he left, he gave the 'be good for mom speech, and left the kids quaking under the tablecloth :). I'm not actually sure what this game was, but it involved a few spilled glasses for sure.

Early Sunday morning, Alex went to the airport and was immediately delayed. The Pullman airport is tiny (2 gates, 4 non-TSA employees) so it's not super fun to get delayed for an indefinite time after you go through security. Actually, it doesn't really matter whether you are past security or not, unless you can head home, there's not a lot to do. Alex (and all of his coworkers) were expecting to make it to Seattle in time for breakfast, so since they were still sitting at the gate at 8:30, the kids and I brought breakfast to send through security for them :). Later that morning, Olivia was talking all about how 'Daddy is with Matt, and I have a picture of Matt deer, and I will stare at it all day. Actually no, that would be weird.'. When I asked her to show me, I found out that indeed, it was weird. I'm not at all sure why or when she took this picture on her LeapPad.

There is no real reason for this picture, but her tongue is just SO long I had to document. She came home from school this day and gave me the absolute best compliment ever :). She came in and didn't even ask, she just said 'Mom, I can see that you mopped the floor today. Did it take a long time?' I replied with a huge thank you and was headed over to give her a hug when she followed with 'You sometimes just watch shows all day, so I think this is a good day. Can I have a cookie?'

Sometimes there is no explanation needed...I just love this girl.

The rest of the week was a lot of madness and mayhem. We made it through (barely), but here are some of the new adventures we had. Hunter learned to clear a bookshelf!

Carter took a break and lounged on all of the Amazon boxes.

Hunter learned to get from the family room to the kitchen!

Daddy sent me the view from his hotel room...

Olivia took these pictures while we waited for Carter to get done with school. I was trying to read a few pages in my book, but I'm usually unsuccessful :)

This is my dinner view, with corn dogs and steamed veggies. This guy got his first broccoli, and loved it just like all of the other kids.

Alex's dinner view...he was trying to upstage my corn dog, and I think he succeeded. I am trying to remember that all of the kids around me was a better view though ;)

The conference he was at went from February 12-15, so I got to do Valentine's Day for the kiddos without him. Usually we split up duties, I get to arrange all the goodies and prepare fun food while he does the cleaning. I think I get the good end of the deal, but when he is gone I realize how much work it is to do a holiday with 4 littles. Here was our Valentine's setup. We still had candy from Christmas, so I was happy to give the kids each a book and a reading accessory in lieu of candy and flowers.

After I got the upstairs all ready to go, I headed down to clean downstairs. Thanks to Hunter's shelf-clearing adventures of the day, I got to do a chore I have been waiting to do since Christmas...

Aren't they beautiful!?

We had a crazy morning. Here is my list from Facebook about what I did that morning. "What do you do before 8 when Valentine's day, the 100th day of school, and a work trip for Alex fall on the same day? Nurse the baby twice, pink pancakes, bacon, yogurt with heart sprinkles, pink milk, get three kids dressed, wake the baby, special heart hairstyle for one and regular hair for another, video chat with dad, fine Valentines day surprise with the kids (a book and something to read with for each...I totally forgot the candy this year!), finish putting 100 hair ties onto toilet paper rubes, bust out a cutesy valentines day lunch (heart PBJ, heart peppers and carrots, hummus, heart strawberries, and 2 little sugar cookies), get the baby dressed and fed baby food, 4 kids into coats and shoes, and out the door to drop O off at school ... can I have a nap?"

I definitely take the partnership for granted when Alex is around. We did manage to have a magical Valentine's Day though, which is the most important thing for me. Growing up, I remember holidays were always magical with fun treats from my parents and festive foods that my mom had made. I hope my kids have similar memories.

Olivia loves holiday hair, and we do fun hairstyles less often now that she is 'too old' for me to do her hair every day. I love this heart from Cute Girls Hairstyles that we do every year.

Carter LOVED his bean bag chair, but I'm not sure how long it will last because he started using it as a landing pad almost immediately. Hope it was built for boys!

Makenzie received her alphabet book from Alex and I. These little books have become treasures with each of the kids, and I love making them. I made it with pictures of Makenzie and the people she loves for each letter of the alphabet. It's always fun to look through 2 years of pictures for the kids to find fun pictures of each letter, and Makenzie was no exception. We have had a wonderful *almost* 2 1/2 years with this spunky girl.

Alex sent dinner on Valentine's Day, and it fed the kids and I for 2 days :). It was so sweet of him to remember me on Valentine's Day, even when he was on a trip.

Olivia lost her 4th tooth on the 15th of February, which has given her the adorable lisp and gap that is typical of Kindergarteners. I'm loving listening to her talk, and she loves that now she can whistle :).

Carter was really proud of completing his new space puzzle, and he hasn't quite figured out that cute 'put your face down next to it' pose :).

This little guy got his first faux hawk on the day that he was getting a little cold and was completely attached to me. Looking at the picture now, I realize that he was a little sicker than I thought, he looks so miserable! He loved looking at himself in the mirror though, and we will be repeating the hairdo after I trim some super long hairs that he has on the back of his head. This boy has impressive hair growing skills, but only on about 10 hairs :).

Alex came back that evening, and I was SO happy to have him back. This life we have created is so full, it's easier to contain with 4 grownup hands around :).