No Time. No Energy. Plenty of Excuses.

Okay, okay. I know. It's been 2 entire weeks since my last post. But in all fairness, I did write ALL DAY LONG last time. I deserved a break. I hope none of my fans got bored and went searching for more interesting blogs to follow.

So here are just a few of my excuses:
1. I was REALLY sick and didn't have the energy to take care of my family, let alone write about it.
2. Even though I was sick, the world didn't stop turning, which I find deeply offensive. So I still had plenty of responsibilities to keep me busy.
3. Too much keeps happening and it's piling up and it gets too overwhelming, so I put it off for yet another day.
4. My normal blogging time is after bedtime, which also happens to be my showering time, my reading time, my scrapbooking time, and sometimes my exercise time. I've had to prioritize (reading won).

So why don't I give a QUICK update (Robben is napping, therefore this is my alternate shower time)...

*We got the lizard and named him Rex (as in T-Rex). He's BIG, but luckily not all that creepy. I took pictures of him, but that will have to be for another time. So far he is not too neglected. He gets fed daily (chicken, eggs, porkchops, etc), but not really played with a whole lot yet, which I think suits his fancy just fine.

*Track is still going strong, and Tyler has found a new passion. He is driven, as Todd describes it, to get better every day. His current PR (personal record) is 11'-0", which was Todd's PR as a Freshman. There are still 2 months left in this season, so Tyler's goal is to beat dad's record. I think his goal for the season was 11'-6", but I'm pretty sure he has upped it to 12'-0" or 12'-6". Wesley is at 10'-6", but he's not as serious as Tyler. Honestly, we've never seen Tyler this into anything before.

*The girls have found a job. Elissa needed money to pay back some debts (lest cronies come after her kneecaps), so they set up a lemonade stand last week. They made $35!!! The next day they added tea cookies to the menu, but I think they forgot to add the sugar. Luckily, they're cute, 'cause people were payin' 50 cents a piece for those cookies!

*Business finally hit a lull for us (I use the term "us" very loosely). Todd was home for 2 weeks, but work is picking back up now. He has a big job coming up and I've taken 3 calls already today. So keep your fingers crossed that we're on the upswing.

*I suffered a moment of weakness last weekend. We went into an SPCA adoption center and came out with a new pooch. Well, technically. We are not yet in possession of said pooch, but she does bear the last name Hiester. They were calling her Sweety, but we've renamed her Lily. She has to get spayed, so I'm just waiting for a call saying I can come get her. I'm not even sure what day it will be! So since my last post we've managed to acquire a lizard and a dog. And I'm proud to report that we haven't lost any!

*Robben is getting his Easter pictures taken this afternoon. I wanted to do 15 month pics, but the entire month was a bust. First there was pneumonia, then we were in Kansas, and since we've been home, he manages to get bumps, bruises and scabs all over his face and head. That's not even including the chapped rash all over his chin from the CONSTANT drooling (man those teeth take their time coming in!!!). So I just decided that this is it, dang it. If you can see the marks on his head in the pictures, then by golly, that's just the way it is right now!!!

*The main scabbing on the baby's face and head came from his first skateboarding accident. Daddy was pulling him around on the mountainboard and he fell off. He cried, but not because he was hurt. He was just upset about not being on the board anymore! He has also taken to pushing the 3 girls around the living room on a skateboard. Last week he was pushing Ally and the board tipped back, spilling her onto the floor. He walked around, assessing the situation, then pulled mightily on her hair to try to get her back up and on the board. :) :) :)

*Robben has also started riding forward in the car in a big boy car seat. He looks around proudly. The best part: he dances almost the whole time! When Daddy puts on his loud screaming music, Robben throws his head forwards and back (in a head-banging motion). Sometimes he even works his mouth like he's lip singing. The next step is to teach him to hold his hands up in fists as he head bangs :)

*We took the whole family to a Christian concert Sunday night. There were 5 bands, they played for 3 1/2 hours, and it was only $10 per person. It was really cool. The SaveMart Center was packed to the gills. They said there were over 13,000 people there. It was awesome. Afterwards, we told Wesley, Ally and Amy to meet us at Carrows. Then we got stuck in the parking lot. Literally. We didn't move a single inch in 20 minutes! And it was like 9:45, so we just left the car and walked across the street to the Doghouse Grill. We couldn't reach the other kids to tell them the change in plans, so we just waited to get a call from them. We never did! After we ate, we went over to Amy's and waited there. They finally showed up at about 10:45, still hungry. And it was a school night. Ally said she was surviving on her own swallowed spit. Better than someone else's, I'd say. Anyway, we had a good time, and everyone managed to get up on time Monday morning.

If I don't scram now, who knows when I'll get a shower!

Robben, I Have A Feeling We're Not In Kansas Anymore

Welcome Home...

The first words uttered to me by any of my children: "Marianne? We missed the bus." Off to a great start.

And here is the litany of other trials throughout the day:

**The house was a WRECK!!! I don't blame Todd, as he was busy doing my job(s) as well as his. In his words, he was in a permanent state of being on his way to do something else. He literally took his shoes off and fell into bed every day when he got home. But the kids, they are a different story. They had the time, they just didn't have the accountability, so they didn't bother to do ANY of their chores. There were dirty dishes in the sink AND in the cabinets! It took upwards of 2 hours to get the kitchen in any condition to be cooked in... so we had a very late dinner.

**When they were instructed to do their chores properly, with additional chores to get the house back in shape, some of them (they will remain nameless) dragged their feet and needed to be told repeatedly to get back on track. It took me yelling, grounding, and sending them to bed early to get the basics done.

**Fighting girls. Enough said.

**Elissa presented me with the dreaded manila envelope... the survey from the school. One for each kid. At least I'll only have to do 2 of them this year, rather than the 4 I've had to do in the past.

**Unpacking, doing laundry, and general re-entry activities.

Now I understand why the Wicked Witch wanted those stinkin' ruby slippers. I wish I had a pair of my own to magick me back to Kansas.

It Might Have Been Easier To Take A Twister

Well, I can't say the traveling portion of the vacation was very...how should I say?... vacationy. The night before I left, Todd and I both took some cough medicine before hitting the sack at 11pm. I had the alarm set for 5am, giving me an hour to get myself and Robben ready to leave by about 6 to make it to the airport by 6:30 for my 8am flight. Well, the cough medicine prohibited any kind of restful sleep for both of us. We tossed and turned for a couple of hours, knowing that there were precious few left for sleeping. We must have finally dozed off, because I was awakened by the phone ringing at 2:30am. I smacked Todd and said, "the phone is ringing and it's 2:30 in the morning." Of course 2 people came to mind: Amy (34 weeks pregnant with twins) and Papa George (92 and health going downhill). Any call at 2:30 in the morning cannot be good. It turned out to be United Airlines calling to inform me that my flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems. I thanked God right there on the spot. For not putting Robben and me on a potentially dangerous aircraft, and for the phone call notifying me. Oddly enough, the last time Todd and I traveled to see Lyndsay it was for her wedding and our flight was changed without our knowledge... so we missed it... and we had used a travel agent... and we ended up losing a whole day in Mexico. Needless to say, we haven't used that travel agent since. Anyway, United Airlines did me a HUGE favor and called me JUST IN TIME to reschedule on an earlier flight. With a whopping 12 minutes to spare, I booked us on a 6am flight out of Fresno to LA, then on to Denver, and then connecting with my original flight to Wichita. So Lyndsay & Luis would not be affected by this little snafu. I, however, was AFFECTED!!! My arrangements were all settled by 2:48am and with the change, I now had to start getting ready no later than 3am. So the day that never ended turned into the day that was about to begin.

And how did the baby do on the plane? Dare you ask? Well, there are a couple of things that need to be said about that. 1) Robben is a very social baby. He worked the planes, man. In his opinion, every person on that plane was a friend to be made. Why, after all, would they be in his little world if not to love him? 2) Little boys, apparently, are not meant to be confined in small spaces. 3) Someone felt it was a brilliant idea to seat us in a MIDDLE seat, where he couldn't lay down or stretch out. There was smiling, giggling, crying, screaming, shhhing, squirming, kicking, arching, and finally sleeping... and that doesn't even touch on what Robben was doing the whole time! Three flights over = three daring challenges for Mommy. And once we got there, the little chap had to be strapped into a carseat. More screaming ensued. I can't tell you how done I am with the screaming. After "The Day That Never Ended", Lyndsay set me up with a foot massage and an alchoholic beverage. Hallelujah.

The trip home was not much better. It was in the evening when he should be ready to crash for the night. Instead, he walked up and down the aisles, making friends and being all-around rambunctious on the first flight, only falling asleep about 15 minutes before we landed. And on the second flight, there was only a short bout of screaming and fighting before he fell asleep. But that seemed too easy, so he woke up and puked on me. Curdled milk... again. Luckily, I had an extra outfit for him (I'm not stupid), but nothing for me (or maybe I am). He was up and cranky for a little while after that, but then he finally let me have some peace.

I'm sorry if this post was not a lot of fun to read, but you should at least be glad you didn't have to live it! Oh yeah, and Benedryl? It only makes the cranky baby crankier.

The All-Inclusive Chez Perez

A review of one of the most glamorous and sought-after all-inclusive resorts of the midwest: Chez Perez. This patron was highly impressed. The amenities and hospitality are surpassed by none. The owners of Chez Perez, a young married couple, treat you like family (only without the drama) and find little ways to make you feel like you are their highest priority. When you book your stay, the lady in charge asks for your favorite foods and activities. Then arrangements are made to provide you with exactly what you requested. They even place items around your suite to make you feel at home (only without all the responsibility).

I notified Lyndsay, the "mother" of the house, of my desire for bagels & cream cheese, French Onion Sunchips, Wheat Thins, CheezIts, Redvines and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. In addition to a lovely gift basket with all of my favorite treats, she managed to procure a beautiful wedding portrait of my husband and myself to place beside my bed.

The bed itself was AMAZING and is beyond description. In an effort to convey the glory of this bed, I have devoted an entire article to it. For further information, please see the post titled "A Piece Of Heaven."

Across the hall from the suite I stayed in is a lovely little room designed and furnished for the future children of the owners of Chez Perez. They've gone with a beach/ocean scene. Lyndsay painted the mural on the wall and during my stay we perused the aisles of Babies R Us to find some crib bedding that might suit the room.

Unfortunately, I failed to get photos of the rest of the downstairs of the establishment. It has a beautiful common room where the couple entertains guests with movies, tv and junk food; a glorious dining hall where guests enjoy the meals prepared by the on-site chef, Luis; and a fully stocked kitchen that is available for guests to use at their whim. One of my favorite features of the kitchen was this brick accent wall, complete with one of the most charming clocks I've laid eyes on. My husband would love this piece and it would fit perfectly in our own home, but I have a feeling it's a one-of-a-kind.

There is a stairway in the main hall that leads to the master suite - the area of the house that is reserved specifically for the owners. At the bottom of this staircase is a door, which not only marks this as private quarters, but also provides safety measures for any babies that might be visiting.

At the top of the staircase is a long hallway with lots of framed pictures. As mentioned above, the patrons of Chez Perez decorate the place in such a way that makes the guest (in this case, me) feel very important and ... Loved. I prefer to call this "the Hiester hall." Notice the many pictures of my wedding and family.

The entire second story of Chez Perez is the master suite. This is a dream bedroom in my opinion. There is plenty of storage, a sitting area, and most importantly - and most coveted - PRIVACY!!

Check out the amazing wedding photo of the owners, Lyndsay & Luis. They were married on a beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and were given this 24"x 36" framed portrait as a gift.

As previously stated, Luis is the gourmet chef in charge of all meals. One day, before heading off to work (he's a chiropractor), he prepared a scrumptious lunch of beef stew. This was not just any beef stew. This was the best beef stew I have ever enjoyed. Robben, Lyndsay & I devoured it, and continued to munch on it for days to come.

Another day he provided a take and bake pizza, custom ordered. See, Lyndsay doesn't do vegetables, so he pleased us both with half supreme and half meatlovers.

And for my final night, he prepared prime rib, potatoes and asparagus with hollandaise sauce. It was finished off with warm black cherry pie. He began the preparations for this particular meal 2 DAYS before we actually ate it! All things considered, I'd say I ate like a queen!!!

Beyond the resort, Lyndsay and Luis are more than willing to show you around town, go for walks, scout out coffee shops, and even entertain your baby for you. Not only is this a service provided, but it seems to be something the nice young couple enjoys.

In addition to playing with Robben so that I could grab a shower (in my own private bathroom, by the way), they also pushed the stroller on walks so I could enjoy a locally-purchased chai, took him to a park and let him enjoy the slide, and found a place for him to observe some ducks (another luxury to make him feel at home).

When he was a screaming baby, Luis found the cure: his very own Starbucks cup.

At the resort, there is a wonderful foot-massaging machine for your personal use, but if you'd like further services, Lyndsay will make arrangements for that in the nearby city of Hays, KS.

She took me to a delightful place cleverly called Salon Ten o Seven (it's clever because the street address is 1007 something-or-other). The ground floor has brick walls and wood floors and is dedicated primarily to merchandise and hair stylists. The pampering takes place in the basement. I received a pedicure in a small room designed to look like a cave, with low light, rocky walls and interesting sculptures.

After the badly-needed pedicure, I was treated to a full-body massage that began with a jaunt in the steam room and a sea salt scrub. Pictured below is the massage room.

During my services, Lyndsay took Robben to the park, the mall, and to visit Luis at his office (he has an office in Hays as well as Larned). Babysitting service... can't beat that.

After the trip to the spa - and after getting cleaned back up - we headed to a local brewery called Gella's. Again, the decor was brick, wood concrete and steel, a style much appreciated by myself and my husband. The beauty of this brewery: they serve patrons of all ages! Don't worry, he's only drinking milk :)

Just before heading home, Lyndsay & Luis took me to the mall in Wichita to do some last minute shopping. I found Robben a couple of cute outfits, but also wanted to find souvenirs for the other kids. We weren't sure where to look for "Kansas" stuff, but thought we'd give the mall a quick look before deciding to settle for an airport gift shop. With about 10 minutes before closing, we managed to find this store!! I have a feeling God plunked it down right then and there when I needed it. The shopkeeper was a sweet grandma who stayed open long enough for me to find something for everyone.

And the final touch of Chez Perez: an airport shuttle service. Not only did they drive me there, but Luis entertained Robben while Lyndsay made the best of our last few minutes together. They stayed until I was safely checked in and checked over (through security). Lyndsay cried big tears at goodbye... I'm hoping to see her again VERY soon.

Over all, Chez Perez is an AMAZING resort. The only drawback was having to leave. The Perez couple makes Larned, Kansas the ultimate vacation destination for any time of the year. If you have a connection with these wonderful people, I strongly suggest a getaway to their establishment. If you don't have a friend like this, GET ONE!!!

Review by Marianne Hiester

A Piece Of Heaven

Elissa and I (and sometimes Kurstin) have some ideas (and hopes) about Heaven. It all started one day when Elissa was about 6. We were driving - as I so often am - when she announced out of nowhere that when she goes to Heaven, she wants her room to be made out of bubble gum. This began the activity of dreaming up the ideal situation and claiming it as your own personal heaven. Every time we come across, or think up, something that we really love, we add it to our heaven. So now, this is Elissa's description of her heaven: "My room will be made of bubble gum that never loses its flavor, and it will be full of birds that never poop." I love that. She thinks of everything!

Here is mine: I will be in a hammock outdoors in spring/fall (in Heaven I can probably have both at once) with a light breeze and the soft tinkling of windchimes. I will be drinking a never-ending, yet guilt-free chai from Starbucks and reading a book. Robben will be asleep on my chest with his baby face tilted up towards mine. (He'll be all of his baby ages and stages at once) And I recently added that I will be receiving a Rascal massage... she's my fat cat who is ever so SOFT; I just want her poofy warm softness rubbing all over me. And from Kansas, a new addition: the guest bed at Lyndsay's house. The only bad thing about the bed was that I had to get out of it. It was somehow firm, yet cloudlike all at once. The covers were light and fluffy, but warm and cozy. The pillows conformed to my head and body (there were a lot of them) and held me like a baby in Mama's arms. This bed deserves the honor of becoming a permanent part of my heaven.

4 Reasons Todd Would Live In Larned...& 2 Reasons He Absolutely Would Not

The Core of the Hiester Family (Todd & Marianne) will forever reside in Sanger, California. We own 2 acres out in the country and plan to stay here for the rest of our time on Earth. There are many reasons for this, but the top two are: 1) Todd's business is established here, and 2) I don't want to have to deal with all the crap we accumulate, so I'll leave it to the kids when we die!!

Though I know there will be no moving for us, I still have dreams. I hope to one day own an old farmhouse in Tuscany or Umbria and live there for about 3 months out of every year. (See, one day our own house WILL be done, and my dear husband will need another project. Plus, I would love the kids to have a vacation home to take their own families to... I'm HUGE on travel.) I would also love to have a rustic cabin in the mountains. But this particular story is about the possibilities of Kansas. Todd did ask me upon my return, if I could live there. My answer: of course, I can live anywhere (except the desert - we all have limits), because my life is what I make of it. Since I don't work, my life is about my home, my family, my friends and the activities I choose to involve myself in. When you don't have to worry about a job, the location of your life matters far less. Naturally, I imagined life in Kansas while I was there. Heck, I was treated like a queen! I'll go wherever Lyndsay & Luis are!!!

This could be a false impression, but life seems a bit simpler in Kansas. The things that Kansans concern themselves with seem to be slightly more in line with our own values than those of Californians. The prime, numero uno example of this would be the signs I saw up and down the highways - which I neglected to capture on camera :(...

1) "No baby should die by CHOICE"
2) "Smile, your mom chose life" (with a yellow smiley face)
3) A picture of a Koala Bear proclaiming "Save the baby humans!"

This, in my mind is the first of the reasons that Todd would call Kansas home. He is passionate about a few things, abortion being the absolute highest on the list.

Reason #2: pick-ups. In Kansas, you don't call these trucks. A "truck" in Kansas is a "semi" or "diesel" in California. When you are speaking of your car in general in Kansas, you use the word "vehicle". I guess we're too lazy for that here. I mean, come on, that's 3 syllables! I'm stickin' with one: "car". Even Robben can say that...now. Anyway, one of Todd's main interests is classic "pick-ups". He has one for work. I found a couple hangin' out around Lyndsay's neighborhood. When he saw these pictures he let out a long sigh. His most commonly uttered phrase when seeing a classic around town is, "be still my heart."

Reason #3: Beautiful old homes for cheap. Being in the hardwood flooring business, Todd has a great appreciation for older homes with lots and lots of character (and/or quirks). His favorite style of home is Craftsman. Not only is Lyndsay's neighborhood full of craftsman style homes, along with some Victorian, but her own house is a craftsman as well. Due to his love of classic vehicles and craftsman homes, Todd regularly says that he should have been born in a different time. I, personally, am glad he was not.

This particular house has a guest house in back, and this beautiful screened porch, and is selling for $185,000!! Plus, it's already painted Todd's favorite color :)

You might be able to tell in this picture that all the streets of the neighborhood are paved in brick.

Here's another beauty with a guest house in back. Guest house, teenagers' I-want-to-move-out-but-can't-handle-it-on-my-own house, whatever you want to call it :)

And Reason #4, and one of the most important reasons, is this lovely couple. Lyndsay & Luis are great people and great friends and I know Todd would love to be able to see them on a regular basis. And they admitted (without a lot of coersion) that they would love to be able to see our family anytime, too. I LOVED my time with them and hope to be able to do it again before too long.

Unfortunately, there are also reasons that Todd would not live in Larned, Kansas.

As you can see from this picture of Robben on our walk, it gets pretty cold in Larned. I can't say it was "freezing", because I think it was about 36 this day. Robben didn't mind. He borrowed Lyndsay's gloves and was good to go. He really doesn't complain about much, and as long as he's outside, he's happy, weather be darned. Oh, you can see the brick roads in this picture, too. They really should paint them yellow, don't you think?

But the Number One, no compromising reason that Todd could never live in Larned is...

L-A-R-N-E-D. He has a real issue with this name. He thinks it sounds like a word said backwards. He says it is just a strange combination of letters and sounds. He has a hard time saying it without a giggle. I heard a couple of other Kansas natives say the name, and they pronounced it Larnerd. He says that's a little better. I, personally, don't really mind the name, but as a good little wife, I respect my husband's opinion...even if it's wrong :)

A Favor From Me 2 Me

Greetings from Kansas! Everywhere I look and everything I do is material for bloggin'. I'm taking pictures and thinking of catchy titles and stories to be written. But at long last, I have let myself off the hook! If I FEEL like posting while I'm here on vacation, then I will. But if I don't feel the pull, I won't. This is my vacation, after all, so I'm going to do what I feel like doing... and I'm not going to do what I don't feel like doing :)

Yesterday was a VERY long day, beginning with a phone call from the airlines at 2:30 am notifying me that my flight was cancelled and rescheduling me on an early flight. The day ended with a steak dinner followed by a Smirnoff wine cooler and an incredible foot massage (by a machine). I fell into a bed plucked from heaven, which will earn it's very own post on this blog when I get home. Today was a lounge-around-and-eat day. We did manage to go for a walk (at Robben's repeated request). We walked around Lyndsay's incredible neighborhood and found a scrapbook store with a coffee shop inside where we got yummy chais, then continued on to check out all the beautiful houses. Robben loved being outside, even in the cold. He was all bundled up, right down to the pair of Lyndsay's leather gloves he doned on his baby hands. I took pictures and will post them at a later date. Robben's down for the count now and we are about to watch my favorite movie, Step Up 2. And I'm hungry again, so I think I'll eat some more... First I'll put on my jammies (Lyndsay's - that's another story) so I can be comfy and unrestricted (at the waist).

I might write again from Kansas, and I might not. I get home late Sunday night, so at the latest, you'll have more to read by Monday. In the meantime, check out my sister-in-law's blog for entertainment. The link is under "Blogs I Follow" - 3x Blessed!

Happy reading :)

P.S.
The newsman is saying it might snow tonight! Yippee!!!

23 Hours In A Day

There's one day a year with 25 hours (in the fall), and one day a year with 23 hours (in the spring). The 23 hour day happened to fall on my birthday this time, and it leaves me wondering... Did I get gypped? I think not. Here is what the day held:

Every birthday in our house starts out the same. We have a breakfast of pancakes in the shape of the honoree's first initial. Every once in a while Todd gets crazy and spells out a whole word, as pictured above. He also did it once on the cat's birthday. Then, as the birthday girl (in this case) digs in, every other member of the family has to wait their turn to sing a birthday solo and say something nice about the b-day person. I particularly like my own birthday the best, because not only do I get to eat first, but I get to be lavished with praise... one of my favorite pastimes :) Wesley's serenade was my favorite this year, as he created a whole character and sang to me the spanish version of Happy Birthday. He can be really funny when he wants to (and sometimes we get to laugh at him even when he's not trying). Since Robben has not been well for about a week, he hasn't been eating normal meals, but we did toss him some pancake chunks and a little bit of peanut butter. This was his first experience with PB...

After breakfast, we hung out for a couple of hours (I can't even remember what I did) and then Todd and I went down to the Johnny Quik and got Subway sandwiches, chips and tea for everyone. We packed it all into backpacks, grabbed a blanket, and made for the hill. Any outing with 8 people is quite a production, so here is what Elissa did to pass the time as she waited:

There's a rope hanging from the tree and she winds it up and then flings rapidly about. I made her do it several times consequtively so I could get a good picture :) She was begging to stop.

At long last, we were off like a herd of turtles. I don't know if you can see, but way off in the distance is the rest of the family. Robben & Ally & I were laggin' behind... Robben has the shortest legs :)

I tried to take pictures on the hike up, but I think the only way to actually capture the beauty is to be up there. The hill is so close, but once you start the walk, you feel so secluded and peaceful...and out of breath.

Robben gave up walking. He had the easiest treck and halfway up, Ally and I were coveting his position.

Nobody coveted Wesley. He had to carry the mountainboard. Todd has this skateboard/snowboard type thing with gigantic off-road wheels that he takes up the hill and then rides down, much to my alarm.

I had to take a self-portrait, because whenever someone else takes a picture of me I feel awkward and... round.

When we finally reached our destination, there was only one thing on our minds... FOOD!!! Here is a photo of what it takes to feed the Hiester Crew. Todd and the big boys each got a foot long meatball sub and the girls and I each got a 6 inch club (2 foot longs split in half - $5 for any footlong baby!). And Sun Chips. Mmmmm.

After we chowed down, we stayed and enjoyed the sun, the quietude, the serenity. The little girls both commented at separate times that it reminded them of camping. They suggested camping up there, which I am opposed to for the sheer fact that I'm not willing to lug all that crap all the way up there. I prefer a campsite with a parking spot.

They also suggested going up for every birthday. I told them we should just go every weekend...why wait for a special occasion? Of course, I say that when I'm at the top, not when I'm walking up!

Todd and the boys went to ride the board, the girls scampered off somewhere to play in the grass or on the rocks, Robben played on the blanket, and Ally took up her post as the Sleeping Hiester. I later used her booty as a pillow, and a mighty fine one, I might add.

In general, we all just enjoyed the sun and all God's creation.

And no hike up the hill is ever complete without our pooch, Andy. Not only does he come up the hill EVERY time we go, leading the way, but I suspect he goes up without us on occasion. His first order of business was to find a cow patty to roll in. He made sure to actually GNAW on it. I finally had eye-witness evidence for why the kids should NOT allow him to lick their faces/mouths.

And Andy's not the only one who found a cow patty. Ally stepped in one on the way up, and Todd stepped in one on the way down. But nothing beats Robben's experience. I had taken his shoes off, because he was getting ready to fall asleep. Todd offered to take him from me, and rather than work on getting him to sleep, he let him run off in the grass in his socks. Naturally, he found a cow patty!

After about 4 hours (and I'm not exaggerating) we began the descent home. The girls and I took a short cut through the grass, but Todd and the boys stayed on the trail so they could ride the mountainboard. I guess you're never to young to risk life and limb. Here is a picture of my little boy in Dare Devil Training. He absolutely loves it! As soon as you set him on the board, he knows exactly where to hang on. Sometimes at home, he even pulls the board down and sits on it and looks around at us expectantly.

When we were almost home, we passed our neighbor, Doug, walking his donkeys. It's been a while since we've seen these cute little lassies. We used to see them pretty often, as they were little escape artists. The funniest thing is to see Wesley being dragged by a rope behind a donkey with his heels dug into the dirt. I like to call it Donkey Surfing.

And Robben got to meet them for the first time. He's not shy and he's not scared :)

The little girls got home a few minutes before the rest of us (I think they missed the donkeys) and planned out a "Birthday Surprise Fashion Show". Kurstin was the announcer, and Elissa was the model (complete with various stage names). Here are a few of the pieces they put together.

All in all, I'd say it was quite a full day, despite the missing hour.