February This and That

I know it's April, but I found this post as a draft. I thought I had published it! Besides all the big things that happened in such a short month (Interview trips to California, Rob going to Guatemala for a week, Ellie's Baptism, Sterling and Trevor's birthdays, a new furnace...)

Here's a little about what else we were up to in February.

SHOVELING SNOW.

It's a great way to get some exercise! I loved how the boys would get all bundled up to join their dad without even being asked. They knew it was a good man's job, and they felt manly doing it.

Young Women picture scavenger hunt at the mall.

These girls are awesome. I love working with them.

We also had New Beginnings in February, we had a "Once Upon a Time" theme and used part of Elder Uchtdorf's talk, "Your Happily Ever After." It was a wonderful night.

Shoveling MORE snow.

Ryan playing with his armor every day!

With his buddy Ben, or most often with Trevor.

Homemade pizzas for family night.

Trevor's Preschool field trip to Splitz Gymnastics.

Funny story. Trevor was being his 4 year old self, and jumping to his hearts content on this yellow tramp even though there was a line of kids waiting for a turn on the trampoline. I had a camera in one hand and Sterling in the other and I was saying, "Trevor, your turn is over. You need to get off so the other kids can have a turn now. 3 more jumps and then your turn is done, okay..." It must have been loud in there, because he could not hear me at all...okay so he was intentionally ignoring me. The girl who was running the field trip then walked over, picked him up, and threw him into the the foam pit! It was awesome. He just sat there, wondering what happened, and then climbed out and went to find something to do. I wish I had a foam pit at my house!

We had Preschool week at our house.

I love these kids! They are so wonderful, sweet, adorable and pure.

A few months ago I pulled out a funny poem about snack time during snack time, and now they won't let me forget to read it every time they are at our house.

The shout the part, "Snack time is so yummy, yummy!" at the end of each stanza.

Life is full and wonderful.

TJ's 4th Birthday

Trevor had a happy

4th Birthday.

He woke up to presents and streamers.

Since Daddy was out of town and we didn't have to wait for him to get home from work,

he got to open all his gifts in the morning!

Then he got to enjoy them during the day while the big kids were at school.

His favorite breakfast request was

blueberry pancakes and smoothies.

The favorite gift was definitely the

scooter skateboard.

He also loved his rock star guitar and I have some great video footage of him rockin' out with it.

He's such a tough guy.

I captured a lot of funny faces of him with his birthday poster.

I write about things the kids learned and enjoyed from the year on their poster and for record keeping.

This year Trevor learned:

• To use the Potty like a big boy
• To swim in Level One swim class
•  To ride a big red bike with training wheels around the track
• To be a big brother!
•  To be a good friend and student in Preschool, Nursery and Sunbeam Class
• The sounds letters make and beginning reading
• How to write his name and many letters
• To draw people and shapes
• To sing many new songs 
• To play the computer by himself, his favorite computer games being starfall.com, Clifford, and pbskids.org
• How to play a song on the piano, “Three black bears, going up the stairs” from Grandma Soulier
• To pump himself on the swings
• To do his chores and be helpful in many ways
• To dress himself and brush his own teeth and gel his hair

This year Trevor Enjoyed

• Becoming a big brother to Sterling
• Going to the Toledo Zoo and the Detroit Science Center
• Going to Zumba with Mom at the church 
• Riding his big wheel and red bike around the neighborhood track
• Going to swimming lessons
• Watching Ryan’s T-ball games
• Play dates with his friends!
• Playing Super heroes and Cowboys with Ryan
• Flying on an airplane to Utah
• Going to Holland, Michigan with his family
• Running down the Sleeping Bear Dunes and going to “Trevor” City
•  Getting his Pirate Ship for Christmas
• Being Buzz Light-year for Halloween
• Coloring, writing, and learning to read
• The ‘Learning Box’ Preschool
• Story-time at the Library
• Starting Sunbeams and going to Primary
• Playing catch with Dad in the back yard
• Making funny faces and winking in pictures
• Going to a Tigers game on a date with Dad
•  Picking Raspberries with Mom
  

We love this kid.

He has so much personality!

Doesn't that face just make you want to tickle him?

Trevor shares a birthday with his Preschool friend and neighbor Rachel Cardon.

He got to go to her party the morning of his birthday, and it made the day really fun for him.

He came home with a crown he had found as Flinn Ryder from the movie Tangled.

He also brought home Rapunzel's paints which he has enjoyed too.

Later that night we had cupcakes and he was a happy, little guy.

Trevor really wanted to have a party at McDonald's for his birthday.

We have dropped of Ellie and Ryan to parties there, and he thinks it is the ultimate party place.

So, we waited until Dad was home from Guatemala and planned a party day with some of his buddies.

So he had two days to celebrate his birthday!

Being the family of a medical resident, we had to reschedule the party last minute even after careful planning around dad's supposed schedule.

Gratefully, our friends were flexible.

 

The afternoon sun was very bright through the big windows!

The kids all had fun playing together, and enjoying their happy meals, cake and ice-cream.

Everything went smoothly and everyone had a great time.

He had his fun party at

"Mickey-D's!"

(as he calls it).

We call Trevor Jon "TJ" as a nickname.

He is also known as "Trevor J," "Trev," "Big T," and by his request, "Super Trevor."

TJ had a fun celebration for his 4th year, and I just can't believe he's growing up so fast!

Valentine Cupids

We had a very simple Valentine's this year.

The kids woke up to a candy heart message

(written in edible ink from an edible jewelry kit Ellie got for her birthday)

and a new (much needed in this cold, dry weather!) chapstick.

 

Ellie and Ryan had worked hard getting their Valentines ready to pass out to their classes. Ellie decorated a box that Grandma Soulier got her while she was in town. Ryan had decorated something with his "big buddies" at school.

After the sugar rush at school, we decorated strawberry cupcakes for our family Valentines tradition of

Heart Attacking. I loved watching Ellie and Ryan tip toe around the side of the house all sneaky and sprint to the van for our escape!

We put hearts on our friend's doors, cupcakes on the porch and a note that read:

"You've been heart attacked by the Valentine Cupids!

To find out who we are,

unscramble the message written in edible ink

on the candy hearts."

The only problem was I didn't give them a much needed clue.

Every word was the same color and size of candy heart!

No one deciphered the whole message, and one family caught us,

but it was fun. 

Trevor had a Valentine exchange at Preschool on the 15th of February.

They had made mailboxes to put the Valentines in, and I think the kids were more excited to give them than to take them home!

Rob was in Guatemala for Valentines, so after the kids were in bed I watched the movie "Northanger Abbey" that is based on the Jane Austen novel I read last fall. It was beautifully done. I loved it. I cried.

Checkin' Out California

Robert and I enjoyed a break from the cold and a chance to thaw out in

California for a week in February. 

Robert was given the opportunity to interview with Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Redlands, California. I was able to tag along and check out the area.

Redlands is filled with orange groves.

They recieved over 50 applications for the position, and only interviewed 10 of the applicants.

No matter the outcome, we feel grateful to have been given the opportunity to interview.

The interview day went wonderfully! They are a fabulous group of physicians, and were very professional and respectful (a big change from Robert's Michigan experience). The night of the interviews, one of the Doctor's had us over to his house for pizza. We met their five kids, and they were good enough to answer our questions about living in Southern Cali.

It was really helpful to talk with them. 

 

We also loved a few days break from the daily grind, and some extra time together. We were able to wake up and exercise everyday which was nice (although 1/2 hour on the tredmill was all I could take! I missed Zumba...it's more exciting). Our first hotel stay included an amazing breakfast both days, and these pictures are of us trying out a Vietnemese Restaraunt suggested by one of the doctor's Robert interviewed with. I'm laughing because we were trying babo's which are a kind of squishy tapioca at the bottom of your smoothie. As you drink they come up the big straws and add some chewiness to the drink. It was tasty! We love trying local, authentic food.  

The day after the interview I was able to go with Robert to tour two other hospital locations and meet two more of the doctor's. 

This is the clinic in Redlands, California where the new hire will start working.

It's only two years old, and it's gorgeous!

They plan to build a full hospital in Redlands in the future.

 We then drove too see downtown Redlands (lots of history and restored buildings) and the temple right at sunset.

 This is the Stake Center that shares a parking lot with the Temple.

 It us up on a hill, and it  is gorgeous! Redlands is at the base of a Canyon and on the edge of the San Bernadino National Forest. Big Bear Lake is just a 20-30 minute drive away!

We really enjoyed our experiences in Southern, California.

As Robert has said many times, "We'll see what comes of all this."

We have felt very peaceful about exploring all of our options, and so that's what we're doing.

 Below is another 'drive by shooting.' :)

 The next day we took an hour and a half flight from Southern California to Northern California. The plane stayed lower than usual, and I spent the whole time looking out the window at the ocean and unique landscape of California.

 We spent the rest of that day exploring the area.

It is also very beautiful! 

Instead of orange groves, Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton were covered with grape vineyards and wineries.

 The cost of living is much higher in Northern California, and almost every home for sale that we were able to grab a flyer on was a million dollars or more!

 That night we were able to attend the Oakland Temple (you can see it below up on the hill).

We also arrived at the Oakland Temple at sunset. 

 We loved taking a minute to stand in the wind and watch the sunset over San Francisco Bay.

 The Visitor's Center was beautiful as well.

Below is the picture we asked someone to take of us with the temple...oh well. After we realized it didn't turn out well we tried to take one of ourselves, but I chose not to post it since I know you really don't want to see our nostrils that close up.

 The last day in California we had Jamba juice for breakfast (my favorite! They don't have them in Michigan). Then Rob took off in the car for another day of interviews and I had a quiet study day at the hotel. We went to a very ritzy Mexican restaraunt in downtown Oakland that evening with the "big dawgs" as Rob calls them. It was quite an experience.

We're excited to see what's in store for our family.

I told the kids I would bring back pictures of the orange trees for them.