A picture heavy journal of our trip to Spokane

John had to go up for a week of training followed by a family pre-deployment fair that we were invited to. It was good to see him, to learn about all the resources available to us while he is away, and also have a little fun. We left to see him on Friday morning. First thing we did was stop by Buttercuppity, a new fabric store in Steam Plant Square that I am totally in love with. All the kids picked out prints to make their Easter outfits from. The owners are so nice and the fabric is even nicer! During the Olympics she had a great giveaway and I won a set of mom/daughter aprons. We will get them this week.

After ogling over cotton wovens and lunch with daddy, we met up with friends Kaylie and Grady at Jump and Play, a huge steel building filled with inflatable playgrounds. Shawn had fun, Katie had a blast, but Sarah, not so much.

By this time, Sarah had spent a week or more without playing with other kids her age. We were sick from church the Sunday before, and she was really missing socialization. (this is the part where my brother-in-law will say "I told you so" about the socialization and homeschool thing, but she had been sick, she wouldn't have gone to school anyway). When she saw that not only were there no kids her age to play with at the bounce house place, she was also banned from the 3 and under play areas that all other children in attendance were able to go on.

 

This resulted in her sulking and hiding in unseen corners of the jump-jumps. It was pathetic. She didn't care that she could play on ANYTHING else in there that she wanted to, she just wanted to play with other kids. This forced her 30 year old mother to climb, bend, and run in ways that she hasn't in some time. Like, before I was pregnant last. I got sore, quick.

We spent the afternoon at our friend's house sewing and introducing my children to DJ Lance and Yo Gabba Gabba. Yes, that show is psycho. I brought my sewing machine and it was a good thing, since K's busted halfway through the tote bag project I was walking her through. It was fun to see her and G, since we met online and rarely get the chance for our boys to play together.

We met up with John afterward and ate at Marie Calenders in Spokane Valley. Not only was the pie to die for, the staff was so nice. Katie was so exhausted that she slept through almost the entire meal. Luckily, Shawn didn't eat all of his food, so she had something to eat. We will definitely be going back.

What a glorious Saturday when we woke up. While the east is experiencing a very heavy winter, it is practically spring here in the west. We took the opportunity to meander through riverfront park on our way to the children's museum, one of our favorite haunts.

 

That meant that we got to play on the giant radio flyer and see the ducks (which Katie was not too thrilled about)

 

Katie wandered through the kids museum and it was hard to keep a handle on her. I had to spy her out to get any pics. This time, she was playing doctor and taking some random woman's blood pressure.

Sarah did a good job of staying with Shawn. The thing I was really disappointed about was that I couldn't watch all my children all the time. I wanted to enjoy playing with them, but I couldn't because there was just too many of them, and not enough of me. I had to focus most of my attention on the smallest, since the older two are more independent and mobile. While I enjoyed the moments I got to spend with them, I found myself longing for more.

Sunday found the children playing with kids their age (finally!) in the craft and game room set up for them at the pre-deployment fair. Except Shawn who had a horrible time in the nursery without his sisters to keep him company. He stayed with us during the afternoon. We created a Will, I met the people I should call in case of emergency, We signed up to receive a "flat daddy" for the kids to have while he is away, and learned about our new medical insurance. Some fun. On the way home, the girls were busy coloring and writing, Katie was practicing her scissors skills cutting a bazillion tiny pieces of coloring book paper all over the back seat. I was annoyed, but figured "hey, she is learning fine motor skills, right?" Yeeeeaaaahhh..... "MOM! PULL OVER! KATIE CUT HER SEATBELT!" There it was, clean in two, one end sucked back up into the seat. Luckily we have several empty seats in our suburban. She is now banned from scissors.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) we will get to go back to Spokane for a few days very soon. John has to do some further medical testing with the Navy docs and has to check in a few times a day over the course of a few days. In the meantime, we get to do whatever we want. It's like a 3 day vacation that will be interrupted a few times by his military obligations. We will have plenty of time to make more memories, and I am so excited.