Memorial Day Weekend

One of our family's favorite things to do is be outdoors, surrounded by nature. We really don't do it often enough, but we have the best time when we do. So this weekend was a "Nature Vacation." Ryan had some work to do in Redding, so we stayed with him in his hotel, which the kids think is the coolest thing ever. The first picture is fast becoming a staple in during our Redding adventures. Burney Falls has a great hike which we just found leads to a beautiful lake (see picture of Ryan and Ben.) The middle pictures are from a hike we took to Castle Crags State Park in Dunsmuir, just south of Shasta. It was breathtaking. At the end of the hike, before we turned back, was a little stream that the kids really enjoyed. We were really proud of them, since we literally hiked or drove for three solid days. The loved it, though. Very few complaints, which is quite huge!

Dear Friends

I'm just amazed to know so many wonderful women in my life. These are a few dear friends from Vacaville I visited with while they were in town. Mandi, Christy, Judy, and Tricia. Each one plays a part in my history, from different periods of my life and I feel so awed by them, what great mothers and women they have become. I'm blessed to know them.

Toothless!

After a few weeks of anxious wiggling and painful apple biting, we have an official lost tooth! Lauryn was so excited to have her tooth finally come out. This was that morning's conversation:

(Ben and Lauryn had been sleeping in his tent)

Lauryn: My tooth hurts. I think it's almost out.

Ben: Try to move it.

Lauryn: I'm trying to, but I can't feel it.

Ben: Where is it?

Lauryn: I don't know. I was just wiggling it. Hey, I think I feel something.

Ben: Let me see!

Lauryn: Yeah, it's my tooth!

Ben: Mom!! Lauryn's tooth came out!

It was hard to tell who was more excited, but she definitely came out beaming. And it seems we have a very generous Tooth Fairy! Initially the Tooth Fairy thought $1 was perfect, but the Tooth Fairy's husband thought that wasn't sufficient to celebrate a 1st tooth! So the next morning, this was the conversation:

Ben: Mom, what was that you were writing last night with Lauryn's name on it. It looks like the Tooth Fairy's note.

Mom: (shooting the former a dirty look) Well, I don't know why.

Lauryn: The Tooth Fairy gave me $5!

Ben: Hey, I think the Tooth Fairy only gave me $2 for my first tooth! (Shooting a dirty look my way.)

Oops!

Dillon Beach

We spent a few days with our friends at Dillon Beach. It was freezing and windy, but the kids had a fabulous time!

Ellie's 3!

We have this tradition in our family, dating back to my childhood, of being awoken to a sleepy rendition of Happy Birthday. Then we were presented with a single wrapped gift, our favorite (sugar) cereal. That was the only time all year we were allowed to have sugar cereal, so birthday mornings were quite a treat. My favorite was (and still is) Honeycombs. My birthday just isn't the same without it. Ellie has decided her favorite is Fruit Loops. This is her 3rd year opening her little box and watching her get so excited makes me so grateful my mom made such a point to create little traditions like this. (I have to say, however, that I have tweaked it slightly over the years. We buy the small, individual boxes so there are no leftovers! This way, the other kids also get to choose from what is left in the packet of cereals, so it's fun for them, too!)
Happy Birthday, Darling!

Gettin' Down and Funky!

Our friends, Matt & Christy, brought over Dance Revolution the other night. It's seriously addicting! You keep thinking, I'll get it this time, no, really. I don't even know what time we got the kids to bed, but it was late. Ryan actually busted quite a move, reverting back to his old single days when he was the hottest thing on the dance floor.

Well, we thought it might be too difficult for our little white kids to really get, but they sure proved us wrong! They each had their own style - Ben was more thoughtful and gentle, and then there's Lauryn beating the heck out of the pads!

(Sorry, I had a hard time getting the video to work, so I've added it to our other website (www.easysite.com/mahoneyfamily5). Feel free to visit and see the kids gettin' down and funky!

The Hicksville Twins

Okay, this picture was too cute. They were having so much fun being silly. To save my brother and sister-in-law's reputation, though, Taytum is always dressed adorably - matching clothes, shoes, hair done, the whole bit. Now I know that sounds like normal life for most of you all, but in our family, it's a miracle if we can keep clothes on our kids. And then to try and get those clothes to match, well, it's just too much for me. So when Taytum comes over, she has to blend in, of course. She just becomes one of the kids. So, sorry Paul and Tiff! This is really what happens when she's at our house!