According to Mabel

Today I asked Mabel if she wanted to walk down with Grayson and see if Nash wanted to play.
She said, "No."
I said, "Why?"
She said, "I hate boys."
I asked her why she hates boys.
"Just because."
"Because why?"
She informed me, "When you say 'just because' then you don't have to say any more words."

I posted this on Facebook, but I wanted to get it down on the blog as well:
The garbage can in the kids' bathroom is always full of toilet paper, but not wads of it, just a square or two here and there. This has always puzzled me. I was in there the other day when Miss Mabel was doing her business. When she was done, she tore off a square of toilet paper and threw it away, then grabbed a wad and wiped. I asked her why she threw that piece away and she told me, "That one was torn." Apparently you can't use toilet paper unless it's torn exactly along the perforation. Good to know!

Spring Break

For Spring Break we headed on down to Benson! I know, sounds fascinating! But Aiden has been studying stalactites and stalagmites in school so Bret wanted to take him to Kartchner Caverns. No pictures were allowed, so this is all we got:

It was an awesome sight though. If I had to do it all over again, I would have waited until Mabel and Gray were older. Mabel was scared. Grayson was stressed about not being able to touch ANYTHING! And I was stressed about having a bunch of kids in a place where they're not able to touch ANYTHING! But it was still pretty cool to see.

The next day we headed on down to Tombstone. We checked out the museum...

Checked out the reenactment of the shootout at the OK Corral...

And took a stage coach tour around the town.

On the way back home, we stopped in Coolidge to visit Gram and Gramp Yellow. Mabel and Gray were excited to show them their merchandise from the gift shops.

Gray got a cap gun.

Mabel got a stick horse.

Aiden got a stuffed scorpion but we didn't get any pics.

When we asked them what their favorite part was about the trip, here were their responses:

Mabel: The gun show with real people. (She likes to show people how she responded to the sound of the gunfire.)

Gray: The gift shops

Aiden: The gift shops

So basically, we could have taken them all to Wal-mart to pick out a toy and Aiden and Gray would have been just as happy!

Tampa Retreat

I can't believe I went to Florida again in less than a year! But everyone keeps moving there. I only have Bret's sister left to visit now ;). Anyhow, my friend Lynae and I took a trip to visit good ol' Dickety! I know this may sound strange, even scandalous, to some but you just have to know all of us. We've known each other from the womb it seems. It was just like old times, except we needed a fourth for a few games of Canasta and pinnocle...that was the only thing missing.

The first day we were there, Derek treated us to Busch Gardens! Fabulous, FABULOUS roller coasters! It was fairly dead, so we rode coaster after coaster after coaster. Some we just stayed on and rode twice in a row! The only thing that sucked was I didn't get a single picture because my camera was locked up pretty much the ENTIRE time. They don't allow you to take ANYTHING on the coasters with you. But trust me, the coasters were fantastic! It reminded me of the days we used to walk through Disneyland when we were teens. But Farrah (singing her country songs), Ron, and Kristin were missing :(. We'll have to have a TRUE reunion trip one day!

The following day we did a little grocery shopping and then hit the beach. How's this for a view. I love the ocean there. It's clear, green, and somewhat warm! Absolutely. Beautiful.

It's a very busy beach. It was packed with people speaking a myriad of languages. The weather was pretty much perfect. Lynae and I did a little reading while Derek swam out into the ocean. I'm not so brave when it comes to water. I went in all the way up to my...knees!

Derek and I hit a volleyball around for a while. Then the weather started to turn angry on us.

People started clearing out. But it was only like this for a very short time and I, for one, thought it was beautiful.

Later that night Lynae and Derek worked my trash in a rousing game of Pop Trivial Pursuit. Just like in our youth.

Friday was another Theme Park day. Sea World. I've never ridden the coasters there, but color me impressed! Atlantis was a little hokey (until a kid drenched Derek with the water canon!). But the other two coasters were cool.

Manta was probably one of my favorite coasters. You're lying on your stomach the entire time. Except of course when you're being flipped and flopped all over the place!

We caught a few shows, checked out the dolphins and sharks and rode the coasters some more!

Sea World, though, made me miss my kiddos a little. They would have loved the Seamore and Clyde show and the show with the Orca whales (with it's lame-o music that Derek insisted on singing most of the time we were there).

That night Derek worked us at a game of Scene it on his X Box. I'm talking slaughtered us. We kept making new rules to give us an advantage (like Derek couldn't buzz in to answer until Lynae and I had both had a chance...or I would buzz in just to give Lynae more time to think so Derek couldn't answer right away) and we still got schooled! Derek has a wealth of useless knowledge...it's almost un-human. Hmmmm?

We caught up on shows we normally only talk to each other on the phone or e-mail about. Lynae and I drove Derek nuts watching The Voice because we have a comment for everything! But Derek was kind enough to keep his mouth shut. Good times, good times.

On Saturday we went to the outdoor outlet mall. I planned to do some shopping but then I realized I left my wallet at the apartment! Blast! We went back and picked it up and then went to a book store. I picked up a book called Divergent (Lynae's suggestion). It was a really good book, I recommend it to anyone looking for another good read. The next one, Insurgent, will be out May 1st...I'm excited!

We talked, laughed, argued...just like we were teenagers again. Loved it!

I was jonesing to be home towards the end and I'm sure Derek (with all his bachelor habits ;P) was relieved to have his apartment back.

Thanks for the hospitality Derek! Until next time...

Rapelling at Coon's Bluff

Our friends, the Hollands, invited us to go rapelling with them last Saturday.

We loaded Oscar up (because according to Bret, we don't take him enough places. He may be right) and headed for the hills!


The little ones loved doing a little rock climbing.

Adelyn and Mabel both holding their mopheads out of their faces. One day Mabel's bangs will grow out and I'll be able to put them in a pony.

Grayson and Rylee.

Grayson and Adelyn hunting for airgun pellets. That boy and his hoodies!

Here comes Bret, down the cliff.

Here's what it looks like from a distance. It's a 100 ft. cliff.

Aiden kept begging and begging to go. He said it looked like so much fun. I was thinking, "Yeah, right. Until you get up there, get all harnessed and try to come over the edge."

I finally gave in thinking he would chicken out at the top.

My boy proved me wrong.

I didn't dare let him go without someone right there beside him...which turned out to be me. But he did awesome! I am so proud of him. Seriously, even as I'm typing this, I still can't believe he did it!

It was slow-going, and my legs were falling asleep in that harness, but we made it to the bottom.

And then he was ready to go again! We let him go one more time before we hit the road. I may have my own little thrill seeker. Finally, someone to ride the scary coasters with me (because Bret no likey)!

Golfland

We chose to celebrate family fun day on President's Day this month. We loaded the kids in the car, picked up Grandma Biggs (whom we invited to join us) and off we went to Golfland!

Aiden and Grayson loved it (although, Aiden tried to decapitate us a few times with some of his "putts"). It still failed to hold Little Miss Mabel's attention, however.

All that really needs to be said of this trip is that Bret blew a SIX shot lead to me and we ended up tying. BOOYAH!

What Are Brothers For?

Grayson is chomping at the bit to start school. I guess he'll do pretty much anything to pass the time. Poor kid. But what a good brother! He really is good at entertaining his little sister. I don't know what we'll do next year when he goes off to school...