Hair Cuts

No one wants their hair cut these days. I had put it off until they just looked too shaggy. I just wish my sis Amy was here to make it actually look good in these new longer hair cuts. Since they don't want it short, I try to just trim it up. Wesley hair is so out of control no one would notice. Jack it's not so easy. Now Liam that about made me cry to cut off his curls, but he looks so grown up with his new cut, I guess it's OK.

i photo booth

I rarely let the kids play on my computer, but when they get the chance they head straight to my photobooth. Mckinzie has become a frequent user. It is really fun to come and see what they have created. My mom even got in on it while she was here. Here are a few favorites.

Wes and Liam- "Peace"

Mom and Jack

Wesley

Grandma- I just love it:)

Kinz

Liam, Ashton and Wes

Brianna and Kinz

Kinz

Halloween

Jack-o-lanterns

This year Halloween snuck up on us. The night before Halloween we got the carving kits out and got to work. Each got to choose their design and "assist" with the carving. In the end, they all liked their pumpkins, which is what really mattered.

Oh "Boy" this is fun ;)

Liam my sweet baby has given me the test of motherhood this week. I couldn't adore a child more, but "OH MY!!!". To start the week out, he got mad at my new Apple laptop and and repeatedly pounded on it with a baseball. It now makes a loud grinding noise when the fan is on. I didn't know this was just the beginning. . .


Tonight, while looking back on the week, I started to add up a few of them. For the sake of brevity, I have included only the highlights. The picture above is the mess I just finished cleaning up. Mckinzie came running out of the kitchen saying, "Mom, you've got to come see what Liam did!" This is a picture of the waterfall he created. I turned the water down before taking the picture. When I came in the tap was on full speed.


This is the bite mark from earlier today on Mckinzie's arm. When I intervened- I put him in time out in his room, where he pulled out all the diapers and threw them around the room.


Above is from two days ago. While I was down stairs Liam was upstairs watching TV. When I heard water running in the bathroom, I went to see what was up. I found him with the tub running, the sink running, and many things soaking in the tub and sink. He had also pulled out all the dental floss and had it strewn all over the floor. Later we realized four toothbrushes are missing, yet to be found. In my room was a tube of lotion rubbed into the carpet. I quickly cleaned up the messes, dumped water on the lotion, wiped it up and put him to bed. That night when I went to my room, I looked at the floor and realized it was lighter where the lotion had been poured. That is when I found an empty tube of acne medicine that was mixed in with the lotion. I hadn't realized my haste to clean up was not good enough, now have pink carpet:)

This story goes along with Tuesday when I got done changing his bum, I asked him to throw his diaper away. Later I hear a noise in the bathroom. As I came in the now empty diaper is on the floor, completely full of water after being put in the toilet to get the poop out. After which he put all the TP in the toilet, then flushed as he used the toilet brush to try to shove it all down and then "clean" the floor. As I was cleaning up and flushing the toilet he said "Bye, bye poo poo" with a big wave and smile. I had to have a good laugh at that.



The list goes on, but I wouldn't trade them for the world. This boy loves his mom. I love it when he: he cuddles with me, grabs my face and gives me kiss after kiss all over my face, at night when we sing together then he puts his face right next to my neck and snuggles in while I rock him. My heart could not melt quicker. He is an active boy with very strong feelings and like he tells me "Liam yummy!!" He really is:)

Ireland- McDermott Castle

This last weekend we made a quick trip to Ireland to see the McDermott Castle and the McDermott area. We were disappointed that they would not give us a ride to see the Island, but enjoyed seeing the area anyway.






McDermott decendants:)


A little break at the park.





Travel is always an adventure, especially the airport. Whatever gets us through we will do.


(This picture ended up blurry as well as the church one above, but worth the spot anyway.)

Egypt and back to Cyprus

The trip from the port to Cairo was about three hours. The kids caught up on sleep and still had plenty of time for play and building forts.

For lunch we ate on a ship on the Nile river. The entertainment was music and a belly dancer. Jaxon was picked out of the crowd to come dance with her. Poor kid, it was more than he should have to bear. He kind of danced and looked around wondering what was expected of him. Later she had all the other kids in the group come help.

The Pyramids were amazing. We had the opportunity to go into the medium pyramid and into the tomb. Pictures were not allowed which is too bad. We had to bend over and basically crawl down and up and down in the tunnel in the pyramid until we reached the tomb. There were all sorts of other passages that could easily lead tomb raiders astray. It felt so good to get out, stand up straight and breath fresh air!!

Jaxon loved climbing around the ruins.

Wesley found some other passage. We wondered where it goes??

It was so hot, by the time we left the boys thought they were going to die. The were good sports considering all.

We went to the papyrus institute and learned how to make the papyrus paper. Then over to the Egyptian Museum. The would not let cameras in, so memories is all we get of that as well. This is where a large part of King Tut's treasure is kept. WOW!! Jaxon and I went into see some of the unwrapped mummies. He took one look and said, "I don't want to see that!". Since we had paid extra to see them I walked around the room quickly keeping Jack's eyes from seeing anything more and then went to catch up with the group.

The homes and building in Egypt and Cairo especially were very interesting. Apparently if you don't finish your home you don't get taxed. So there are miles and miles of unfinished apartment building. There are windows in some and paint on a few, but mostly just half done building with families living in them. When night came and you would expect the light to come on there were almost none. It was erie!!! Since the streets below are just dirt there are no street lights either. It is like driving through a MASSIVE half finished abandoned city.

This is a home by the Nile River that is mostly finished. At least it had a roof of some sort.


After a busy hot couple days of touring in hot weather. The boys were ready for some water play. We found a water park in Cyprus and spent a few hours there before heading to our plane.

It was fun to hangout with the boys and see some of the world we otherwise couldn't have done with the entire family.

Jerusalem and Bethlehem

After a long bus ride we entered Jerusalem from the top of the Mount of Olives and past BYU Jerusalem. The old city visible in the distance.


We walked in to the old city thru an ancient gate, past the Muslim synagogue to the "Wailing wall". This is actually Jaffa gate that we exited our tour through.



The wailing wall is the outer courtyard wall built by King Herod when he enlarged the ancient temple enclosure first built by Solomn and later destroyed by the Romans. This west wall is all that remains intact. We were not allowed to take any pictures at the wall because it was the sabbath, but we were able to take them from afar. Many Jews were at the wall praying and worshipping. We wanted to touch the wall, so the boys to the left with a temporary yarmulka on their heads and girls to the right. Both genders are not allowed to pray together. When I got to the wall I put my hand out to touch it and was overcome by the spirit. I had not expected this at all. This was the only time on the trip that I had this feeling. I have many thoughts on this for another place.


Next we walked through the market and on the streets that Jesus walked as he was taken to Golgotha.


On the place they call Golgotha there is another huge church,The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, filled with people visiting the site of Christ's crucifiction.


We went up to the Golgotha and Jaxon light a candle like all the other visitors there. It was so crowded it was hard to feel anything but cramped.


The kids touched the stone where they say Christ's body was laid after his death. The tomb where He was placed is around the corner.


Back to the bus and onto Bethlehem in the west bank. This seems a bit scary but we didn't feel that at the time. Doug bought me the Nativity of my choosing and then we took it to the site where Jesus was born "to be blessed". This is done by placing it on the spot of his birth.


Here I am looking with child myself entering the Church of the Nativity.


Here we are waiting our turn to go down to where Jesus was born.


Aerie, Wesley, Jaxon and Izzy sitting in the place of His birth.


As we came out of the Nativity room, the Priests were having a service. It was very interesting to watch.


On the way back to the ship, we stopped at a garden/temple for the "Bai". I am not sure of the name exactly. It was beautiful.


View of the gardens from the bottom.



Lunch in Bethlehem was interesting, but not terrible. Love the writing on the soda cans.