Going to the Gear Con

So it finally happened, after months of preparation and perspiration, we finally went to Gear Con! In Portland. The kids were so excited! We went to both the Friday and Saturday events. The kids did great and we only got one nasty look form a less then gentleman in a class. The kids were not loud or disruptive at all, but he thought so I guess. I was surprised at how small this con was. Granted this is only my second con, but Steam Con made this one look like a backyard fete. We had a great time though. I especially liked the craft classes. Lizzy and I made note books look aged and we all made test tube specimens. Lizzy and I also made Christmas ornaments.

From 2012-08-21 gearcon

From 2012-08-21 gearcon

  This is how we dressed up on Friday, minus Daniel's fabulous hat. I need to get a picture of that!

From 2012-08-19 Gearcon

 I had used food coloring to dye Daniel's shirt. It worked really well. It's kind of an apple green. I made Lizzy's cameo necklace as well.  Daniel made Charles' gun. Charles wouldn't wear the bow tie, but he still looked rather dapper. On Saturday our apt. complex put on a cowboy themed lunch which we enjoyed. We feasted on hot dogs and played games and won several prizes. Afterward we dressed up in different outfits to go to the con. Here's Daniel's look, I forgot to get a pic of me alas.

From 2012-08-19 Gearcon

Isn't he adorable?  We had fun and came home exhausted, well I did at least, but well satisfied. Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures of the fun costumes, there really wasn't a good place for it.

Pregnancy woes

I wish to take this moment to complain... feel free to move on if you like. I understand.  Recently I have been contemplating the many joys and pains of being with child. This is difficult having other children to cater to as well. Some how they just don't understand that because I am working on adding to our family I can no longer be treated as a trampoline or jumping off point for their various activities.
"Hello..I have a condition! Don't jump on the baby!" This seems to fall on deaf ears. Or perhaps their ears are running away too quickly to function properly. Alas. But Paramount in my discomfiture is the annoying habit my body has taken up in recent months. Some how my brain decided to give the reigns to my bladder. I did not agree to that! I'm fairly certain the memo was deliberately misplaced. In any event let me illustrate my irritation...
 Picture this... Its night, late, the children outside have finally gone to bed. I have found the most comfortable position in which to rest my weary body when suddenly something wakes me. I look around blearily and realize that everything is kosher and begin to settle back down for the night when my Bladder decides it needs immediate attention! "I must be emptied! NOW!"
"No way It's 3:47 AM. I'm going back to sleep."  I try to resist the urge, but the brain sides firmly with the bladder and I must acquiesce. Alas. But I know that it will only be a temporary state and the rewards are far outreaching the current discomfort. So that's something.

Soft Ball

Our Elder's Quorum hosted a BBQ and softball activity. It was fun and well attended. We had to send people out to buy the paper goods, since the person who was supposed to bring them never showed up. But other then that minor detail, oh and when Charles made a beeline for the busy street nearby, it went rather well!

Visits and Adventures

We were pleased to have the Martins come visit us. We met up at the Lewis-McCord base to witness their annual air show. I left around 8 am and we arrived at the exit for the base around 10, but there was so much traffic it took us nearly 2 hours to exit. Ouch! We finally parked and followed the crowd to where the air show was taking place. It was quite the show! After a brief fainting spell, I went with the Martins through an airplane that was not, I repeat NOT designed for pregnant women. I thought they were going to have to call the fire department to get me out of there, but luckily I was able to squeeze through. Whew! Luckily for you my sister took a picture so you can witness my humiliation first hand. Hooray!

From Desktop

 Tight squeeze indeed. Oh well I lived to tell the tale! We saw some amazing planes and wonderful aerial acrobatics. It was fun. Then on Sunday we went down to the Portland Temple for a tour. I knew the girls had never been to their new visitor center and I was excited to go on a tour of the grounds as well. It was nice. We had a beautiful day and the kids loved being there. I must say though I was disappointed in the tour. The sister Missionaries took us around and didn't really tell us much about the temple at all, but it was nice.
 Then on Monday we visited the Fort here in Vancouver. I always like going there, it's just fun. The gardens were looking beautiful and they had several volunteers helping out. One of the rangers let us try eating a chive blossom. It was very strong, but good. I don't think Taylor enjoyed it.

From 2012-07-28 Martin Visit

 Later I took them to our famous library downtown. It was a fun visit!

This is what summer looks like!

From 2012-07-02 Bremerton

 Over the past two weeks we have been up in Bremerton fixing up our rental. After 3 months we finally got our squatters evicted. Huzzah. So we were hard at work turning this:

Got to love that hole in the floor and strange bed creation in the back room huh?
To this:

  Much better don't you think?  Daniel did most of the work, but we couldn't have done it without the help of my parents and sister looking after our kids. It wasn't all work and no play though, we went up to horseshoe lake and an wonderful garden on our way to the light house at Point on Point.

  Lizzy and Charles were excited to spend so much time with their cousins and Grand parents. Then we celebrated the 4th in true Martin fashion with "The War." The war consists of  opponents setting off a bunch of moving fireworks at each other. It is quite exciting and dangerous, but fun to watch. Here's the lineup:

From 2012-07-09 Bremerton

Jessica made a wonderful birthday cake that looked like the flag inside.

From 2012-07-09 Bremerton

We left before it got too late, the kids were zoning big time. It was a fun celebration.

Fabulous Forth

From 2012-06-15 Portal Party Lizzy 's 4th bday

Recently my little girl turned 4. Let me tell you how her week went... First she had to go to the dentist to have her tooth extracted. The day was fine, we went early so Lizzy could drink the magical juice to help her relax during the procedure. She drank it down like a champ. The nurse was impressed. Most kids gag. Then we let her play with a leap pad that they had. I really like our pediatric dentist office. It's called Adventure Dental and they are ready for kids, they play kids movies in the tiki reception room and have game stations for the older kids and quite a few leap pads with games that teach you good oral health. I was glad because I had my charge with me again and she was not sad at all this time. Yay! Anyway so the Dentist had warned me that a loss of bowel control was highly likely and to be prepared. So I put Lizzy in a pull up and thought that would be fine. It wasn't. She filled the pull up and continued onto the floor and I quickly grabbed my bag and Lizzy and headed to the restroom. The medicine was in full swing now so she was cognisant, but unable to use her limbs and feeling very fuzzy. I got her cleaned up and then the nurse took her away and started the procedure.
 They told me that she was getting mad at them, but that is pretty standard for this type of medication. So thy put her in a HUG, basically a strait jacket, so she couldn't bat at them and finished up. We were all happy to leave the office afterwards. Lizzy cried for a bit, but then we got ice cream so everyone was happy!
 The next day was her birthday! Lizzy had been asking for a Portal party.so Daniel made her a portal gun and I made her a companion cube.

From 2012-06-15 Portal Party Lizzy 's 4th bday

She loved them both. Charles really wanted a portal gun for himself. Lizzy was sweet and let him play with it. Here's a video of Daniel showing them how it works:

From 2012-06-15 Portal Party Lizzy 's 4th bday

Lizzy also loved the gifts she received from her grandparents. From the Gutierrez's she got a fun watch and grow planter and today we spied the first sprouts! From the Bartholomew's she got a matching outfit for her and her doll. They looked so cute. She continued to wear the outfit for the next 3 days and she cried when Daddy put it in the hamper. And from Great Grandma  Murphy she received a darling little doll. She is still talking about her gifts. All in all a successful party.

The next day she had to go to the doctors and get 3 shots. She is still upset about that. I'm glad the week is over!

Farm life

On Saturday we decided to visit the Pomeroy Living History farm. They were having a steam logging demonstration and we were itching to go. The farm is run by the decedents of the Pomeroy family. We got to talk to them about the history of the area. It was great fun. Lizzy really liked the wash board!

From 2012-06-11 Pomeroy Farm

 She kept going back to wash more. Once inside the house the theme was "Cradle to Grave" So in the master bed room was the wedding dresses of most of the Pomeroy Women who have lived on the farm including a great great granddaughter who was married at the farm a few years ago.  Mrs. Pomeroy could still fit into her wedding dress in the 1950s before she died. You can't really see the picture on the wall, but that is her. Women traditionally wore black wedding dresses until Queen Victoria wore a white dress to her wedding.

From 2012-06-11 Pomeroy Farm

The coat and hat were so she could wear the dress to other functions. On the table is her hope chest. In the dining room Lizzy and Charles tried their hand at churning butter:

From 2012-06-11 Pomeroy Farm

Also in this room was the famous "bed" it is a desk, closet, bed and dresser all in one. The purchased it form a college student. I don't know if they were common or not but it is definitely a piece of engineering. They had the pictures of Mrs. Pomeroy's funeral there as well.

From 2012-06-11 Pomeroy Farm

Upstairs was the baby cradle and clothes. In each of the 4 rooms was a different time period of when the family lived there. From the 1930s - the 1970s. It was neat to see the evolution. Then we went to visit with the farm animals. Lizzy fed the goat named Lewis, the one named Clark was too shy. Then we met the pigs, Ham and Bacon. We tried to coax the horse over, but he was content eating the grass and we didn't have anything tasty to offer. Then we loaded up on the Hay ride and headed up to the steam logging.

From 2012-06-11 Pomeroy Farm

 It was very exciting and loud!

From 2012-06-11 Pomeroy Farm

After a while we rode back to the farm and had lunch while listing to a country band. It was so fun. Lizzy challenged Daddy to a game of chess. Then we saw the blacksmith and visited the gardens before heading home. What a wonderful day!