Parting with Pittsburgh

I have to make this post a quick one because we are piling into our car and moving out of here in less then 12 hours! (and there is still a good amount of work that needs to get done in that time. . . along with sleeping if we can) Our last two weeks in Pittsburgh have been . . . well . . . hell.

I know, it's terrible to say but it's true! The weather has been awful, in the 90's every day with humidity in the 90's too. Normally this kind of weather isn't fun but you just go to the pool and wait it out. We haven't been able to do that though because we have been packing and cleaning.

I don't think you can fully understand the misery of humid weather until you have actually experienced it. For instance, last night I was scrubbing our bathroom clean with a fan in the doorway turned on to high. I had to take my glasses off because they kept fogging up, the sweat was pouring off my forehead so bad that my eye brows weren't doing their job and I was sliding all over the place on the bathroom floor because my legs were sweating! Sick! Crazy! Yuck! I hate sticky weather!!!

One night at the dinner table we were all miserable. Finally it got to Ryan and he half grunted, half yelled (it was very manly) took his shirt off and threw it on the floor. Immediately all the kids were doing the same. It's like they were waiting for any excuse to take their shirts off. I laughed so hard, and then pulled out the camera. We had a hot, shirtless dinner that night!




On a better note, we are leaving tomorrow to a land of moderate temperatures, light cool breezes and no severe weather warnings in all seasons of the year!!! (sigh of pleasure)

We met up with some friends from the ward this last week at a great little park for some pizza and fun. They are the only other family that has five kids also and we just love them! We are really going to miss them when we leave.


I forgot that this park has a splash pad so that is why our kids are running around half naked (again), or a little more then that in Makays case. It looks like a lot of kids for only two sets of parents huh? It was a great evening.

The kids have been in the back yard a lot since Ryan and I have been busy with the house. As you can guess, when there is a lot of rain things grow like crazy. I don't know how long it took these plants to swallow the kids bikes but one day the bikes were there and the next, they were gone! (This is the only place Ryan and I have ever seen where there are no sprinklers. . . anywhere. No one needs them!)

They kind of look peaceful don't they?

The kids have been good about trying to entertain themselves. Their "trying" didn't always work but they gave it a good effort. This is Easton getting creative with triangle dominoes. Does that face look happy to you? Maybe he's trying to tell us something about the way he's feeling. It's been hard for the kids to have their lives so disrupted.

When the days get too long and the kids can't "try" anymore Ryan and I have to come up with something. You saw the plastic bags parade (see last post if you missed it). Well we were running out of materials because we were packing everything up. So what could we use to entertain kids? We had paper. So, Ryan got creative with the paper. . . and it worked!! A day and a half of entertainment, woohoo!!

Let's hope we can get that lucky with entertaining them in the car for seven days!

creeds buried treasure and other summer tales

So Creed just celebrated his 5th birthday and what a party it was! Berni decided to throw him a pirate theme party and spent many hours preparing for the celebration.
These invitations had many piratey words like "buried treasure, loot, ye, plunderin, sea dogs, and captain creed." (The kids wanted very badly to assist with the part where Berni burnt the edges).

Amazing! Thats what comes to mind when I look at the cake scene that Berni made.

She spent many hours on this beautiful masterpiece...and then I chopped it up with a knife...

Here's ole "mad maky", strikin' fear into the heart of many a brave folk...well, maybe if her sword were turned the right way...shiver me timbers.

Aye, whats a pirate party without "pin the patch on the pirate"?...

and a hunt for buried treasure...

Creeds presents along with other pirate bootie (chocolate coins, candy necklaces and ring pops) made for some jolly pirates mates...

Heres captain Creed, the ole sea dog himself, makin a secret birthday wish...Arrr matey...may ye delite in a wish come true. Many thanks to the fair maiden "Beautimus Berni" for a very satisfyin' and plentiful party!

Okay, back to a normal voice now...

This is what happens when bored children use their imagination...well, our children anyway: The recycle bin replaces the dress up bin. (As for our parenting, Warning: to avoid danger and suffocation...hey we warned em.)

The kids have been surviving the recent heat wave by spending many an hour at the public pool...Don't worry, Creeds just practicing...

Beckham lookin all serious in his froggy goggles. He loves the water and enjoys falling over in it, now we just need to teach him how to get back up...

For the third of July (since 4th was on a sunday) we bought some sparklers and let the kids run wild before bedtime...yes it is light outside, a little lame, I know, but they still had fun. And no this isn't trick photography, Makay is actually sticking the sparkler up her nose. Please don't try this at home, she is a professional.

This last shot is of me being commissioned into the Air Force. a good friend from church who is a retired marine officer was able to swear me in. This photo came from our phone and is a little fuzzy but you get the picture...looks like lueitenant Button needs to work on his standing at attention...and on spelling leuitenant...yeah no idea. :)