Sitting in sinks and water balloons

Just a fun post of happy times in the Wing home.

One afternoon I was feeling crafty and tried my hand at some bows. Pretty darn cute if you ask me

Oh you know. Just Kelsey's life size doll sitting in the stroller

Kelsey waited in her swim suit all day for dad to get home and try the new water balloons. Totally worth the wait.

Madison was loving them and then saw one pop and was horrified! She couldn't believe that these beautiful creations contained water.

Madison sat in the sink for 30 minutes while I made dinner and did the dishes.

Before I knew they were sick we went to the Hall of Flame. It was kind of a let down, but there was an old firetruck that the girls had fun playing on so that killed like an hour of the morning.

Madison is REALLY into games these days. She always takes my hand, walks to the game closet, and knocks on the door. When I open it she looks for Candyland or Hippos. She is playing Go Fish here, but that doesn't matter. What matters is how excited she gets when she gets to play a game.

She's also into playing right now. Like really playing with toys. She will fill up this bus with people and vroom around the house. Then she will line them all up and they will "talk" as they get out of the bus. It is just so darn cute. I could watch her all afternoon.

I made ribs and to be honest I didn't have a single one because they smelled so bad, but everyone else was excited to try them.

 

Turns out they were as bad as I feared :) 

Madison's carseat came in the mail so consequently we got a big box. I haven't mothered in days.

Why are closeups of kids like the cutest thing in the world.

The Sunday we got back from Antelope Canyon was a rough one. We drove all morning, grabbed the girls, and while they got quick naps, we got ready for church, and were only 10 minutes late. Sacrament meeting was a grumpy one because everyone was so tired, but luckily I had some stickers in my purse. After we found the stickers, the girls kept quiet for quite some time.

The only time Kelsey has acknowledged my presence in primary

See those melted chocolate chips. They melted in my pantry. INSIDE!!! My house is NOT that hot. I don't know what happened.

Belle 1

Belle 2

Belle1 and Belle 2

Went to a spin class and when I got home I found these adorable holes in the butt of my tights! You're welcome spin class

She brought me a can of green beans and started screaming. I thought she meant something else so I put them away. When she threw herself to the ground, I thought that maybe she really did want the green beans. I opened them and she double fisted her way through the entire can.

And one more for good measure because close ups of kiddos is the best

My Parents mission call

On July 25th, we all gathered around the computer via google hangouts and watched my parents open their mission call to Tokyo Japan South mission serving for 23 months. HOLY COW!!! We all made guesses and some even guessed Tokyo, but to actually hear them say that was incredible and so surreal.
They report October 24th

And if you want to know what a video chat with 30 people looks like here ya go. Don't get too sick!
(we all muted our computers while my parents read their call so this wouldn't happen)

I've had a lot of people ask me how I feel about my parents serving a mission. I've never really thought about it until recently, but my feelings are nothing crazy. Obviously 23 months is a crazy long time. SO LONG!! But I don't live by my parents now so I guess I figure, whats the difference between Tokyo or Spokane? Either way they aren't close and either way they are only a plan ride away ;) (right Ethan!) For reals though, we have grown up living apart, all of us, and this will be no different.
I also have no feelings but joy for them. They have talked about serving a mission together for as long as I can remember. My mom and dad didn't' serve as kids, so this is their chance to go and serve and they get to do it together. How awesome will that be! I am so excited for them. Of course it will be hard because  despite distance I still see my parents about once every 6-9 months and talking to them now is easier than when they will be in Japan, but mission rules for seniors is so different. We will still get to talk lots. Plus, back to my original statement, this has been their dream for YEARS!! How could I be anything but happy for them that it is finally coming true?! My siblings and I are very close and I do not fear that that will change with my parents gone. This is an amazing opportunity to share the gospel with our kids and friends as we explain to people why are parents aren't coming for Christmas and other events. Sometimes I think about my parents missing stuff like holidays, moves, possible babies etc, but then I just keeping thinking about how this is what being an adult means. I don't mean that in a cynical way either. I truly mean, there comes a point where I have to be okay that my mom isn't going to be at every major event in my life. She is still crazy proud of me and I know that whether she is there in person or spirit, she cares about everything that is going on. We have reached a cross road where for the next two years, they will be in Tokyo and I will be, well somewhere else, and that is the way it will be. Both our lives will keep going and when they get back, we will be reunited in one giant party!  I just have a complete testimony that this is where they need and want to be! They wouldn't have it any other way. What a great example. They are so willing to leave behind their family, business, home, and lives, all of which they love dearly, and go to a strange place with a new language, and new people, and a new everything, to help improve the lives of those in Tokyo. I hope that someday I am that committed to the gospel. Their testimonies have always astounded me, but this just takes it to the next level for me. They have always loved the gospel, but now they are willing to show just how much. THAT is true faith.
I am so excited for my parents and I know that I will miss them so much, but I couldn't be happier for them. We wouldn't have it any other way!

Sick Week

The girls had pink eye one week and then hand-foot-mouth the next. Cabin fever set in about day 2 and hit us all pretty bad. how we were cursed for two weeks is besides me, but instead of stopping the curse we definitely spread the love. Both times we gave what we had to poor little Rowan Petersen. In our defense I didn't recognize the symptoms when I should have, and both times we played with Rowan. I hope she will still be our friend after.


One of my favorite pictures of Kelsey. I was trying to see if her eyes were getting better and she looked at me like this and said "Do you see anything?" It still makes me laugh looking at this

Luckily both cases were very mild so the girls were not in a lot of pain, but they were so gross (no offense). We stayed inside the first couple of days and then when we couldn't take our walls anymore, we started walking around stores  like Costco, Ikea, and Target just to get out.  HFM is contagious for a week so that was a bummer but pink eye is fine once you start using the drops. Since the girls started the symptoms just days apart we were able to get them both on drops very quickly.

Funny story about the eye drops:
You need to insert the eye drops three times a day for 7 days. Well, Madison had pink eye. Yeah. Madison. The girl we have to Velcro to the floor to change her diaper. The girl who tries to jump off the pew backwards at church laughing while she does it. The girl who screams as her form of communication. You know, Madison.
Well the first day went exactly like you imagine. We just didn't know how we were going to get there stupid drops in her eyes. We told Kelsey all about the drops and how they would help her eyes and asked her if she would be an awesome big sister and pretend that it was so exciting to be getting the drops. Every time we went to give Kelsey the drops, she would cheer and clap her hands and shout for joy. Well Madison wants to do anything that Kelsey does, so after about a day of Kelsey doing this, Madison was convinced that the drops were amazing. I gave Kelsey the drops, expected a fight with Madison, but she clapped her hands and looked up to the ceiling!! It was a Christmas miracle. After that, we had absolutely no problems. She would look up (accidentally squinting her eyes becasue she thought that that would help)  and we would drop in the drops. It was hilarious.

One good thing about sick kids is all the cuddles they willingly give. We did not take it lightly. The only thing that was frustrating was that the girls both bounced back so quickly, but we still couldn't pay with friends. I just wanted to get out and they wanted to get out, but we just couldn't.

 Unrelated, at the family reunion Kelsey hit her front two teeth on a couch and they turned grey. Luckily, the dentist thinks they were just bruised and not dead, but we still won't completely know for about a week or more. They aren't this gray anymore which leads us to believe that they are getting better.

Monsoon season

July to September is monsoon season. That is the time of year that Arizona gets its rain. Other than those few months, it never really rains. The storms here are very different than what I'm used to and for several reasons:
1. After it rains it doesn't smell good. There is no "after rain" smell. There is so much dust in the air, that it just smells, well, stuffy
2. The storms last about 10 minutes and then leave. Obviously sometimes they will last longer, but rarely do we have a cloudy day all day long. It has happened, but it certainly is the minority
3. The rain itself is warm. I remember one time in December is was a cold rain, but most of the time its warm enough to play outside in which is super fun for the girls.
4. Once it rains, it goes right back to being hot. The coolest time is when the storms are blowing in

I have never lived somewhere where you can watch huge dark clouds roll in for miles. It is amazing! I'm sure other places like this exist, in fact I know they do. I just haven't ever experienced them first hand. It is so beautiful. Watching the storms roll in has been one of my favorite things about Arizona. you don't really notice them coming and then the wind will pick up. You look off and sure enough, there is a massive wall of black coming. The clouds literally roll in and even at night you can see them do it. The best is obviously when there is lightning intermixed with the clouds too. One thing that has really surprised me about monsoons season is how often the storms come. I mean for a few weeks it is like every night. It doesn't rain every night, but there will be a huge formation roll in. Its just been so fun to get to know.

 

  See the cool lightning in the left hand corner!! I also love this picture becasue you can see where the night sky is just getting swallowed by storm. This was a particularly cool storm becasue it was coming from the north and the south.  Also can we all recognize how amazing photographers are who actually and INTENTIONALLY catch pictures of lightening! Hardest thing I have ever tired to do. And this picture was on accident!

Dance Class

Kelsey started a ballet/tap class on July 15th. Her dream come true. Its through Avondale city so its super laid back and super cheap. It is perfect.

She is not really a fan of the tap portion of the class and even asked me once if we could just show up in time for the ballet part, but I know if her heart of hearts any type of dancing is what she wants to be doing.

When they finally get to do the ballet portion of class, Kelsey just lights up. She loves it. She loves to dance "pretty" and "fancy" as she so beautifully stated.

I don't ever want to push Kelsey into things that she doesn't want to do (other than housework because sorry girl friend, you live here too!! ), but as a parent, its really fun to see her try and love new things. She dances all around the house now. She always danced, but now I will catch her saying things like "umbrellas up" and "mommy foot, baby foot" and "beach ball, bow." It is adorable. I just love watching my kids love something. I guess that makes me a full on mom: what I've dreamed about being my whole life.

 

Its okay Kelsey. Tap is really hard! 

 

Madison and I just have to sit on the chairs and watch while sister dances. Someday you can go in to Rooster

Make way for Princess Madison

What do you get when you need to ride your scooter, have to eat your Popsicle, and have to both right now because heaven forbid you miss out on something that big sister is doing? You stand on your scooter, holding your Popsicle, looking adorable, to ensure just the right amount of pity on mom and dad so that they will push you around the neighborhood on a cloudy evening.

I mean come on! Who wouldn't have pushed her!?!

 I think my favorite part was when she dropped her popsicle onto the hot pavement. Its not that it was hilarious, but more the perfect set up. It was like what you see in movies: she went to lick it, it fell off the stick (or cone), hit the ground, melted immediately, and then she started trying to pick up the remaining orange liquid that was once her delicious frozen treat. Her face is what made it so wonderful. She had all the right emotions in all the right places. Madison NEVER disappoints when it comes to facial expressions.

One of these things is not like the other

Moniqua sent me this picture that she took at the park with the caption "one of these things is not like the other." It made me laugh so hard! I love Moniqua. She has the BEST sense of humor and is so kind. I love her!

Meshia, Mela, Kelsey, and Tia

Moniqua also sent me this picture. She asked the girls to smile and this is what happened :)

 Nene and Madison were living it up at the snack bar.Sweet girls. I love them all!!