Spring Break: Part ONE

Five things. And then five HUNDRED pictures. With more than five more stories. 

Because that's how I do.

1. My first long-distance road trip alone with the children was full of Quinn's screams, a broken ipad, 100 bottles for the perfect baby, hourly treats with riddles from Dad for the big boys and was, overall, a successful and not-too-horrible experience. I felt empowered and excited, after all, this is the year of the road trip and there's many more where this came from.

2. Being an aunt is quite possibly the sweetest experience in the world. I love each of them like my own and my heart breaks in half when I have to leave them. On my last night in Provo I held a crying Kai and Avery in my arms and told them how they made me an aunt for the first and second time and they were so special to me. Kai said between sobs that he wished I would stay "so many more weeks or just move in" and I meant it when I said I wish I could. 

3. Provo is AMAZING! I've only ever lived there as a BYU student and so obviously didn't see the family perks. Instead of people commenting about how I have my hands full or "have you heard of birth control" like I've experienced in LA, I was told countless times that I had a beautiful family, was a great mother and was so blessed. WHAT? Not to mention drive-thru pharmacies, free parking everywhere, incredible rec centers and cul-de-sacs filled with neighbor kids on bikes. I really do love where I live, but it's hard not to think for a half second that I'm making life SO much harder for myself! 

4. I hiked the Y with my four little ones in tow, as well as a few Tat's and the littlest McKee's. On that first hill I thought for sure we wouldn't make it, but we dug deep and darn it we did! We doled out cadbury eggs at every switchback and took turns carrying babies and backpacks and before we knew it we were sitting on the Y overlooking gorgeous Provo and BYU campus. All the way down I kept telling the kids how we accomplished something great and that Wigginton's can do hard things. I'm so proud of all of us!

5. Cora got sicker than she's ever been. We spent nearly all of our nights with her on my chest, fidgeting and miserable from a high fever and what we later learned was an intense double ear infection and possible case of strep throat. I had to cancel my plans with nearly all of my friends and was devastated not to get to see my NY girls. As always she was a trooper and I put her in the pack for our adventures and she came along for the ride, but it took nearly the whole week before she found any relief. Still, almost a week later I still wonder if she is fully healed. Poor Cor!

Did Quinn scream the WHOLE entire trip, you ask? Well, the answer to that is no. She was not screaming during this picture, until she realized she hated string cheese and threw it at her brother...and resumed her 11-hour scream session. 

We were welcomed to Provo with SNOW! It snowed overnight and only stuck for a few hours on Sunday morning but my kids thought it was pretty cool, and by the number of pictures I took so did I!

I love Ash and Logan's beautiful home they so lovingly share with me and my kids.

It was FREEZING outside but this California Mama didn't pack any cold-weather Easter best. Luckily they were good sports about it, way more than they were about taking a picture for me. 

Logan took and edited this picture for me and I am so in love! She is the absolute sweetest little friend.

We called ourself "Team Cousin" on our many adventures and they were the greatest (and naughtiest) team in all of Utah County.

Ash has chickens and Mad has chickens and T keeps begging for us to get chickens. He wrote a journal entry about his trip to Utah and talked about Aunt Ash's 6 pets--a dog, 4 chickens and a fish. Haha, it sounds like the beginnings of a pretty impressive farm!

We met up with Care and her kids for some jumping fun at Lowe's Trampoline Park. It was great to have so many cousins from both sides together for an activity. 

It was about this time in the trip that I realized Coco was really going downhill. Luckily Ash's doctors office was close and accommodating and they scheduled an appointment for my baby girl. 

The view from her doctors room--how about that view!

When Log and Ash went out for their anniversary date I loaded the seven cousins in the car and went through a couple of drive thru's to make sure everyone got the dinner they desired (McDonalds and Taco Bell!) Would I do this as a Mom? Never! But Aunt Heddy would do just about anything for fun cousin time! Everyone was thrilled and we had a blast staying out past bedtimes and rolling down grassy hills in gorgeous Rock Canyon Park.

It just so happened that the day we all met up for the first time was National Sibling Day. I got the cream of the crop right here and don't take it for granted. Love you Ash, Jord and Chasey!

Meghan was the one who organized this hike up the Y and I'm so grateful she did. What a great morning spent proving to ourselves that our bodies can do hard things. 

Ash the model!!! I love this picture sooo much!

VICTORY!!!

Why look at the view (or the camera) when there are 5 trillion rocks to taste? And look at that poor sick Coco in her pajamas.

Hunter has the kindest eyes and the sweetest disposition. He takes a minute or two to warm up to you, but once he does he never wants to leave, even if it's back to his Mom or Dad. It feels so good to be loved by a little one, and Hunter helps you feel the love. 

Simply coming to cheer was not enough, I had to make signs for my little soccer star. Oh gosh I love my Kai-Kai, and I was so proud of how hard he played and what a good attitude he had. His determination on the field just cannot be matched, and I had no idea such a little guy could have such skill. The icing on top was that in the very last minutes of the game he scored a goal! If you know me you know I'm loud and proud on the sidelines, but you've never seen me cheer like I did at this game. I couldn't have been prouder of sweet Kai and absolutely could not love him more.

These two fight and play and love and argue and defend and fight again. They're so cute together...for a minute!

Everyday we'd do a little tidying up in the afternoon between adventures. Evie was on shoe duty and Aunt Ash was so proud of his efforts she snapped this picture. That's a whole lot of shoes and an excellent job of organizing!

Open House

It's nights like this that make me so grateful for amazing teachers and a top-notch school for my little boys. Walking around the beautiful campus with views of the temple from the schoolyard and into the classes where colorful artwork and inventive writing filled the walls and tables I kept thinking the same three words: we are blessed. I was also thinking: this is crazy, but that had more to do with little Quinny trying to tear the art off the walls and spill her fishy's on the floor. Luckily Daddy was there to take the little girls on a walk so I could focus on the blessed part! 

All hands on Daddy!

We've recently entered a weird-pose-in-every-picture phase of this kindergarteners life and I'm thrilled about it (cough cough). 

I love his artwork and can't wait to get it home, framed and on my wall. I also love his writing--this artwork makes me feel happy to Ev! To think, this was written by a kid who barely knew his letters when he started school. Kindergarten is the greatest!

From Evie's class we went to T's where we learned about some pretty important members of history. Talmage published a biography about Alexander Graham Bell and it was full of enthusiasm, detail and humor, let alone a ton of facts. I am so proud of his second-grade brain.

I love this family of mine and I'm so grateful for the education we are able to offer our children. We truly are blessed.

More Fun with Fuzzy

While I kinda shudder at the idea of a stuffed animal being passed from germy kindergartener to germy kindergartener, it is the absolute highlight of Evie's month! This is maybe our third or fourth time with Fuzzy the Bear and it never gets old to him. They play, they eat, they cuddle, they both change outfits at least 100 times and there are almost always tears when Fuzzy has to say goodbye. It's really so darling to see the world through my little Ever's eyes.

First Day on the Music Makers 'Chute

Cora loved being a big girl on the parachute at Music Makers. We put all the kids in the middle and the mamas spin them one way and then the other. The kids squeal with delight and on her inaugural run, Coco was no different. I thought it was so cute that a couple of the older friends held on to her so she wouldn't fall. I love this little group of buddies and I'm so grateful for this class my church friends put on. 

A Funny Bunny FHE

Before they left on their cruise my parents sent us an Easter package with candy and a funny bunny game. The only problem was that the package didn't come with a note! (It was supposed to come with one, but for some reason neither mine nor Ash's package did.) I spent the good part of two weeks feeling super sheepish every time I talked to any family member or friend that may have sent such a sweet gift and in the end I just blurted it out to my Mom and sure enough it was from her! The week before we were in Utah for Spring Break we broke it out and had such a great time playing together for FHE. Evenings are usually pretty crazy around here and none of us are in the best mood but I'm trying really hard to be better at Family Night and this game made it a piece of cake.

Daddy walked through the door right as we were starting to play and he ringed the first bunny!

Thanks Mema and Pepa for the funnest little Easter treat!

A hike in Franklin Canyon

Cesar Chavez should be thanked for our Friday free from school which allowed a group of Mama's to take our kids up the canyon for a hike and a hug from Mother Nature. It was a gorgeous day in LA and I honestly feel so grateful to live here. I love the warm sunshine and the beautiful surroundings, and even though my heart leans more towards the beach than the mountains, I've found lately that I really dig hiking--who knew? 

While the official hike was a little under an hour round trip, we stayed in the canyon and explored for more than five hours...because why go home on a beautiful afternoon when there are ducks to chase, rattlesnakes to spot and hundred-year-old trees to climb? The hike itself was a little bit steeper than I expected but my kids were champs. T and Ev ran ahead with all of their friends (our fabulous group totaled a couple dozen), Coco was content to be carried in the pack, and little Quinn was the queen of the adventure, using all of her two-year-old muscles to get up and down that mountain completely with her own two feet. At one point she looked at me and said, "Mommy, I fink my legs need a drink of wato" so she sat on the path, guzzled from the princess bottle her brother had carried in his backpack and then once again started marching, marching up the mountain. "Can I help you?" a few Mom's asked the baby of our group (besides the true Cora baby). "No, is OK. I bigger. I do it by myself." And that awesome little thing did--all the way up, all the way down, all the way around that park for five hours and with no complaints.

When it was finally time to go home I strapped Quinny into her carseat and showered her with praises. "Quinny, you were amazing today! Thank you so, so much for being such a good girl. Thank you for being so strong, and hiking so well. I'm so proud of you!" With a twinkle in her eye she took my often-used words right out of my mouth, "I weally wocked it, ha Mama!" You did rock it, girlfriend!   

A million palm trees led the way to Coldwater Canyon. The big debate in our car was which palm tree is prettier--do you prefer the thick trunks with a full head of hair or do you fancy the tall gangly version?

This picture doesn't do the surroundings justice, but I love seeing the kids in the top left of this picture. A few switchbacks ahead of the slow-mo Moms and toddlers. The whole time I kept praying that the group of "older" kids wouldn't get too competitive and run off a cliff. They didn't, thank goodness. 

She's smart. And strong. And brave. And independent. And incredibly cute. Quinny is the package deal, that's for sure!

We waved hi to Daddy in one of those tall buildings behind us!

I never regret asking our gang to get together for pictures on our many adventures. Those babies are too cute and incredible (and sometimes silly) not to photograph. 

I look 10 feet tall and my top knot camouflages with the rocks behind me. Hahaha! 

This was just moments after one of the girls in our group was dancing by the duck pond and fell in--directly on top of a massive koi fish! She was screaming, was convinced she almost drowned, lost both shoes in the mirky water and gave a few of the other kids PTSD but she was fine and it was a story everyone is going to remember forever. Obviously T wasn't too concerned because minutes later I turned around to find him petting a turtle sun-bathing on a tree branch! 

You know when you do something so fun that you just can't wait to do it again? That's how I feel about this day! It made me so excited for summer and the many adventures my little Wigs and I will be taking. They are a fun lot and I'm so glad they're mine. 

Kid Quotes and Coco

I used to be SO good at recording all the cute, funny and clever things the kids said during the day, but I've gotten busier and out of practice. Every time they open their mouth (except, of course, for when they are screaming or fighting) they make me smile with how they put words together to express their feelings. This last week I tried to write the things they said in a memo pad on my phone, but I know I still missed so much. Another week and another personal goal--be present enough to hear the humor of their words and write them down! Most of the quotes below are from Quinny, frankly because most of my time is spent by her side. But T and Evie had a couple good ones this week as well. Cora can't talk of course but per normal most photos are of her so she has a place in this post as well. There really is nothing cuter than our Cora Nicole.

VTech Computer: What has a blowhole?

Quinny: ME!

Me: You don't have a blowhole, silly girl!

Quinny, pulling off her covers and examining her feety pajamas: Yes, Quinny DOES have a blowhole. See dat hole in my toe, dat is my blowhole! 

{Sure enough, there was a tiny hole.}

Quinny: I've got some wiccups.

T: I am LITERALLY amazing at so many things. 

Quinny: I need to brush my teesch!

{Overheard} 

Everett: When I die, how will I know where to go?

Talmage: Well, you'll probably die after you're 8 so you'll have the Holy Ghost and He can tell you where heaven is!

Quinny: Coco's a fox. And I'm a horse.

Me: Really, what am I?

Quinny: You're a pig.

Everett: I know a lot about what I believe in.

Me: Really? What do you believe in?

Ev: I believe in Heavenly Mother. And Heavenly Father.

{Me too, kid! And I believe in you!}

 T was "babysitting" Cora in the back bedroom and came out saying "Everyone bow for Princess Coco!" She was THRILLED with the attention and I thought this moment was one of the cuter in my lifetime.

This baby crawls to the window and waves to her Daddy every morning as he leaves for work. She's just so darling that sometimes James turns right back around to give her another kiss goodbye. These two baby girls have their Daddy wrapped, that's for sure!

First day of Cub Scouts in his new uniform and feeling excited that it's a cook out. S'Mores here he comes!