Finally Living the Dream

While we were in Southern California a few weeks ago Porter, Finn and I went to Disneyland. The boys have been wanting to go there for years, and I have been trying to make it happen. Finally the day came and the boys could barely contain their excitment. They were giddy, and amazed by everything they saw. They were so grateful to be there, and before we could even get down Main St. they had thanked me many times for bringing them. As we were standing in line for Space Mountian Porter looked up at me, his smile splitting his face, and said, "I can't believe we're finally living the dream!"

It was a wonderful day. Magical even. No one fought or complained. Nobody cried or begged for stuff. The boys were full of wonder, and gratitude and couldn't help expressing it. The happiest place on earth was made even happier because Aunt Wendy, everybody's favorite Aunt, came to meet us there. It was so fun to go on rides and have lunch with her. She was a great sport, and didn't even mind getting wet on splash mountain. (There is a reason the line for that ride is so short in December. BRRRRRRR!)

Our magical day was made complete by an amazing fire works show over Sleeping Beauty's castle in the evening. The fireworks were synchronized with beautiful Chrstmas music. When the fire works were over I looked over at Porter and both of our eyes were filled with tears. We just stood in the streets and hugged eachother. Just then the song I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas started playing, and it started snowing little puffs of bubbles. The air was filled with the beautiful white fluff, and people all around were ooohing and aaahing. Seriously that Walt Disney guy really knows how to direct a happy ending!

A New Holiday Classic

Don't you just love the beautiful Christmas music this time of year. For weeks our house has been filled with the joyous strains of familiar Christmas carols, as well as some new favorites. This morning however, there is a new song filling the air. It seems to have gotten stuck in Finn's head, and he just keeps repeating this one line.

"I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus...It was very gross for me!"

There is no use trying to correct him, and tell him the real lyrics. As usual Finn knows he is right. I asked him why he thought that would be gross, and he said well guess what? I DO think its gross when you kiss daddy, so it would be even grosser if you kissed Santa. Hmmmm, I disagree!

Some People Are Just Afriad of Santa

Last night as we were putting our kids to bed, I was lying with Finn who shares a room with Brandon. Finn was talking about when he went to see Santa in California. He said that he didn't sit on Santa's lap, but just stood next to him. Brandon asked, "why didn't you sit on his lap, were you afraid of him?"

Finn, acting a little offended quickly replied with an emphatic 'NO!"
Brandon said, "well some people are just afraid of Santa."
Finn agreed, "yeah, like theives."
I said, "really, thieves are afraid of santa? Why?"
Finn explained, "its because he has all of those umbrellas, and the theives know that he could just whack them."
I said, "what umbrellas?"
Finn said, "well you know how it snows all the time in the North Pole. Santa has to always carry an umbrella, and since they break easily he probably has a lot of them."

I am telling you he says these things with a straight face, and is completely convinced that he is correct. I think he has a great career in politics!

Trip to California

The Monday after Thanksgiving Porter, Finn, Kirk and I drove to Southern California to stay with Kirks mom for a week. We had a LOT of fun. She lives in Dana Point, and we loved getting up in the mornings and looking out at the ocean from her dining room. We did a lot of fun things on our trip. The first day we were there we went to the Aquarium of the Pacific.

The boys were amazed! Finn had a great time dancing with the Puffin. Porters favorite part was the Cockatoo show. Finn was quite a photographer. He wanted to take pictures of all the animals.

They loved getting a little keepsake snuggle animal to remember their fun day at the aquarium, and walking along the pier afterwards, right across from the Queen Mary.

It was a great day. Later on we went to Santa Monica and walked along the big pier there. The boys wanted to try several different desserts that were sold along the promenade. Finn chose something called a xooro (pronounced sure-o) It was delicious and the packaging was really fancy. Porter didnt like the dessert, but wanted to keep the package. Then after walking for quite a way trying to find an icecream place (everyone around us was in coats, but my boys are in shorts looking for an ice cream store - do you think they could tell we were tourists.) We finally found a Citrus Valley yogurt shop. It was really beautifully decorated, (probably why I noticed it) and sold only plain, unsweetened frozen yogurt that you could put toppings on. The boys tried it before we ordered, and I could tell that Porter didn't really like it. I asked him if he liked it and he said he thought it would be better with toppings on it. The had a gorgeous, colorful buffet of fresh fruits you would choose from, but Porter chose m&m's and Finn, predictably choose gummy bears. When we sad down Finn devoured his, eating everything but the yellow gummy bears, because I just don't eat the yellows mom, but Porter barely touched his. I asked him why he ordered it if he knew he didn't like it. He said he just didn't want to hurt the clerks feelings. I love that he is so sensitive to others feelings, even though the 15 yr. old kid who was listening to his ipod and playing on a laptop probably couldn't have cared less.

Finn got a new computer

When Finn came home from school the day before Thanksgiving he had a new computer. It looked surprisingly like a large piece of construction paper with colored turkeys on it and a book attached called 5 Little Turkeys, but Finn told us that was really only the decoration of it, and it was his new laptop. He wanted to show me how he can watch movies on the computer. I watched while he used the finger mouse in the center of the keyboard. Waited while the files loaded. Was able to choose from several different movie selections. Adjusted the screen so I could see better. This special computer had all the features and functions of the real deal, we even had to wait once while the battery charged. He didn't just show me. He showed everyone, with shocking similarity every time.

At one point, I actually started to question Finn's sanity a little bit. I am just going to say he is a very smart creative boy. That sounds better than cuck-oo cuck-oo right?

Thanksgiving (part deux)

Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of our wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, but it was awesome! Kirk and Brittany came to our house on Wednesday night, Mom, Dad and Ty the next day. It was so fun to anticipate everyones arrival. I love planning and cooking Thanksgiving dinner, it is one of my favorite things. Most of all though, I love having my family around me. I have been so homesick for them lately. Mom and Dad brought their bikes to "ride Finn's butt off" (dad's words - like you couldn't guess) around our neighborhood. It really thrilled me to see my little men riding around with two of the people they love most in the world. Before dinner we all shared what we are thankful for. Of course I have to say how grateful, thankful, and blessed I feel for my family, (new and previously viewed). They are everything.

Mom got up and shopped with me on Friday morning. She didn't really want to I know, and I don't think she will ever do it again, but it was so fun to have her with me. Kirk and Ty met us at 6am, and shopped "victoriously." Ty pushed some old ladies out of the way, and Kirk ran through the isles to obtain our bounty. All I can say is I LOVE those guys.

Ryan, Traci and co. arrived Friday night and we had a blast! Man I really wish my family lived closer. I sure love those guys, and was thrilled when Jenny told me that they are coming back during summer vacation for 5 days and 5 nights.

Riding the Gravy Train

We got to celebrate Thanksgiving early this year. The Walton kids, and Grandma Walton joined us the weekend before Thanksgiving to have our big Turkey dinner. We had a great weekend. We put up Christmas decorations in the morning, and had a turkey dinner in the afternoon. (When I look at the pictures of this dinner I am surprised by how sparse our table looks. Most of our children are picky eaters, and since I want peace at the table, and satisfied children I made only dishes I knew they would eat. My adventurous cooking is taking a break!)

By far the highlight of our big holiday dinner was the GRAVY TRAIN!

Kirk Jr. literally made this train out of legos, named it the Gravy train, and had the idea to put the track around our table and use his remote control train to serve things at our meal. He modified the train to hold napkins, salt and pepper, butter (beautifully served in the wrapper) and baby carrots, (he was a little disappointed that we couldn't figure out a way to fit the gravy boat on the train). It was awesome. All the kids loved it, and I was so proud and amazed by our very creative son. I can't wait to see what happens at Christmas dinner.

Happy Halloween

We had a great Halloween. First we went trunk or treating at our ward building.

The kids were SO excited. Especially Livy. She was Tinkerbell (thanks for the costume Labelle) and she got out of the car and started running to people and saying "Tinkerbell, Trick or Treat!" Brandon was a frog, a costume I guess he has had for a while but is emotionally attached to, and adorable. Finn was Cosmo, the BYU Cougar. Uncle Cory bought him the cougar head at the UNLV/BYU game. Finn chose it over a football and blue hair. He thinks he caused the Cougs to win because he put the hat back on right before the cougars intercepted the ball in the last play! The costume was very popular/unpopular at the church. Porter was a hippie. Gotta love the ‘fro. Eric was a Samurai, and Kirk Jr. was a very nerdy nerd.

We let them go around and around the church parking lot, and then finally headed back home some pictures and more trick or treating.

We told the kids that if a house’s lights were off, that we wouldn’t go trick or treating there. Livy would run from house to house yelling, “lights on GO, GO!” After going for a while the kids’ bags were so heavy that they started putting them in the wagon in between houses. Livy heard Eric ask if we could go home. She said, “NO, I need more candy.”

How could we resist that little cutie. We did keep going, and we definitely got more candy!

I forgot to take pictures of them carving pumpkins, so you won’t get to see the 2 Indiana Jones pumpkins (Finn and Brandon) complete with hats and whips, and Spock (Eric) with pointy ears.

Also I did not take pictures of us doing the corn maze, because it was dark when we went there. The boys LOVED laying down in the maze (covering their glow sticks) and scaring me when I walked by. It was so fun, and we loved the hot donuts at the end.

Blue Blood

I'm pretty sure that if we took the boys for a check up the Dr. would find blue blood running through their veins. Uncle Mark and Aunt Susan gave us tickets to the season opening BYU football game. We sat 2 rows up from the field and were visited in our seats by Cosmo. The boys had a great time, and were excited to see Uncle Kim and Uncle Cory & Courtney at the game!

The boys all want to go to the Y so it was a great chance for them to catch a llittle bit of the BYU football fever. It's very contagious!!!

Labor Day Weekend

For Labor Day weekend Kirk and i took Kirk Jr., Eric, Porter and Finn on a fun trip to Provo UT and Aberdeen. We stayed with Kirk's Uncle Mark and Aunt Susan (who are fabulous hosts) and spent time with cousins Ken and Kelley and their children Ryan and Evelyn. For days KJ and Eric told us how great going to Uncle Mark and Aunt Susans house is. We certainly weren't disappointed. We arrived late on Friday night, and talked and played games into the wee hours of the morning. Saturday morning Uncle Mark and Ken took us up to Tibble Fork Canyon to go fishing.

We loved being with Uncle Mark. He is such a kind, patient person. All the boys had the time of their lives, and we were happy to have them gain such precious memories with a very important person in the Walton family. Thanks so much Uncle Mark and Ken for the great fishing trip.

Very Muddy Boys

Porter has always been such a clean boy. He has never liked to get dirty. He has only worn out the knee of one pair of jeans. I often tell him to "Go play, get dirty, stain something." We both cheered last year when Porter came home from school with his first ever grass stain. Knowing this about my son Porter, you can imagine how shocked I was to open my door and find this standing there!

The McPherson Boys meet the Walton kids

Porter, Finn and I traveled to Eagle to meet Kirks kids for the first time. We jumped on the trampoline, played soccer in the yard, wrestled, and had an epic water fight. As the kids were playing in the yard in the waning summer light, Kirk and I watched them out the back window and couldn't help commenting that they really looked like a family.

Pictures to follow later!

A Very Busy Summer

It is the understatement of the century to say that the Waltons have had a Very busy summer. I can't begin to document everything that our family has done this summer, but over the next few days I hope to add a few posts to share some of the highlights with our family and friends.