Mammoth Camping - Day 3

Rachel at some point last night got scared and ended up in bed with us. Little stinker moves so much in her sleep. No need to worry about whether or not she was cold, she wasn't, you could tell she was warm by the warmth of her hands every time she smacked ya in the face. LOL.

Once up and dressed, the girls enjoyed hot cocoa with their cousins inside the trailer. They continued to play at the table once their cocoa was gone. After breakfast, the four of us headed out for some sightseeing of some of the local attractions. We rode the gondolas up Mammoth Mountain, did some hiking, did some more hiking. All in which, aside from having no water, Rachel was a very good trooper about all the walking we did. Course in my head I was doing enough grumbling for all three of us girls, LOL. Not really. We had a very busy and active day. Rachel got a bath at Gramma and Papa's condo this evening. You should have seen the dirt to come off of her. LOL. She's been in pants since we got here, but somehow it creeps up onto her legs. The relaxing bath and being clean made for a good night's sleep. To see all the pictures from our Mammoth Camping trip, please go to Mammoth Camping Part 1 and Mammoth Camping Part 2. You can also see other pictures from our camping trip by visiting my sister-in-laws Camping Pictures.

Camping in Mammoth - Day 2

Rachel is an early riser at home, and it was different camping. She was up pretty early this morning and raring to go. When we last camped, two years ago, Rachel was still just a baby. Each of the other three girls had gotten a fishing pole for the trip, so that Rachel wouldn't be left out, she got her very own pole for this trip.

After breakfast, we headed to one of the many nearby lakes for the girls to cast their poles into water. All four of the girls were having so much fun just casting their plastic little fish into the water. Imagine what excitement there'd be if there was a real fish on that line. LOL. The afternoon was spent relaxing around the campsite, playing games, and for some, taking naps. It was a struggle, but Rachel eventually gave in and fell asleep. The rest of the day we spent at the campsite, the girls all playing. Later in the evening we headed to the campground amphitheater to enjoy Fiddlin Pete. Rachel enjoyed the music for a while, and then she just sorta lost interest. Back to our campsite we made smores and had Uncle Robbies yummy dessert, and then off to bed.

Camping in Mammoth - Day 1

We left the house shortly after 7:00 this morning. The drive to Mammoth Lakes is about five hours and because of the long drive, I was a little apprehensive as to how Rachel would do that long confined to her car seat. I bought the girls two new DVD's to watch, and brought miscellaneous other favorite movies to watch as well. Rachel did pretty good. But now has the phrase "we there yet?' down pretty good. And between her and Hannah asking often, it was enough to drive one crazy. We arrived to our destination shortly before 1:00, and got to work at putting up our tent and getting our beds made, etc. Robbie and Grace and the girls were the first to arrive to our site about mid morning. They already had the trailer set up and the play tent up as well. They were already in relaxation/vacation mode. Uncle Bart had arrived shortly after them and had his tent up already. And Mom and Dad, they were staying at a condo about 2 miles up the road, had no tent to put up so they were there lending a hand wherever they could.

Rachel and Hannah were so excited to see McKenzie and Haylee. They had four glorious days of playing ahead of them and the girls were beside themselves. The afternoon was spent relaxing and taking in the beauty. The girls playing in the designated "play tent". Robbie had put up a screened tent and that's where all the toys were kept and the girls played.The campground, Pine Glen, was an extremely dirty campground. I mean it in the dirt sense, and not overall appearence of the campground, because appearance wise, it was a beautiful campground. It seems as though the minute Rachel got out of the van til the time we left, the girl was always covered in dirt. During dinner we were visited by a bear, which was totally cool! Once he started walking away from our camp, Steven brought Rachel out from the trailer to see it. She wasn't too thrilled. LOL. We sure were! The evening continued with the girls wanting in their jammies early and in Uncle Robbie and Aunties new trailer to watch a movie. But once the Smore making stuff was brought out, they came out to make smores around the campfire. The girls went to bed fairly easy. Although Rachel kept asking to go home. She and Hannah are sharing a queen size air mattress with sleeping bags, blankets, and of course Rachel has her Minnie Mouse from home.

To see all the pictures from our Mammoth Camping trip, please go to Mammoth Camping Part 1 and Mammoth Camping Part 2.

Hearing Test / ENT Appointment - Results

Rachel was extremely cooperative for her hearing test. The audiologist did a tympanogram, where the mobility of the ear drum is tested. Unfortunately, her ears had fluid and the mobility wasn't good. The audiologist was pretty positive that Dr Rowe would recommend placing tubes in her ears again.

Dr. Rowe checked out her ears and said there was minimal fluid, and since she's not having any ear infections, or showing any signs of hearing loss, or extreme problems with her speech improving, then we'll wait on the tubes and retest in two months and make a decision then. If her ears aren't improved, then we'll do tubes. But for now, we'll just wait and see.

Hearing Test / ENT Appointment

Rachel has a hearing test and an appointment with her ENT this morning.

The hearing test is to determine if she has hearing loss (too bad they can't test for "listening loss") and whether or not she has constant fluid in her ears and needs to have tubes places once again.

Would appreciate your prayers for both to go well and that Rachel would cooperate with the test. Thank You! :)

Making Cookies with Mom

Rachel and I made cookies today to take with us camping at the end of the week. Rachel was so excited to help.

Our Little Karate Girl

Rachel wants to learn Karate, but is still too young to join the class. She can do the stances and even throw a good punch or two. Tonight she unofficially became a Senior Orange Belt when Hannah became a purple belt and had no need for her Orange belt.

Fighting Stance
Attention Stance

Father's Day and Ice Cream

We believe Hannah has tonsillitis, so our Father's Day plans of having family over for a BBQ had to be cancelled. We spent Father's Day just hanging out and relaxing, but did end the day with a trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream.

Caterpillars!?!

Recently, Aunt Kim sent the girls a package in the mail, a butterfly garden! A little over a week ago, I mailed off the certificates for the live caterpillars and they finally came in the mail today. Now comes the part of watching the caterpillars grow, and make their chrysalis, ultimately becoming butterflies. We're hoping we don't miss all the action when we are gone camping at the end of the month.

Rachel was a little confused at first when we opened the box...
there were no butterflies.

Disneyland with Friends

We met some friends at Disneyland today, Carolyn and her little boy Matthew. We've known each other for years and years and got to know each other better when our oldest kids, both girls, were born. Carolyn also worked at the hospital where I had Rachel, and when she learned of the circumstances of Rachel's delivery - emergency c-section with Rachel being born with a birth defect, she volunteered to come to work the next day and was my personal nurse. Talk about royal treatment.

Our intentions were to get on the newly opened Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. However, when at 9:10, only an hour after the park opened, and the line was over 3 hours. We skipped it. Rachel kept asking to go on Nemo, and we will again, someday, in a few months or years when this craziness dies down. We did a few things in Disneyland, but truth be told, it was extremely busy and crowded and people everywhere that we went over to California Adventure. We had lunch and the kids enjoyed playing. We spent some time in Bugs Land, where Rachel got to ride a new ride she is now tall enough for...The Tuck and Roll Bumper Cars! She had fun and it's now another ride that our entire family can go on at the same time. We ended our day with the kids playing in the leaky faucet in Bugs Land. It was a hot day and the water was refreshing. Rachel got soaked!

Breakfast with Cathy

For the last 18 months, Rachel has been going to the church nursery, and week after week, the two workers have been the same for the entire time.

Rachel has developed quite a fondness for Cathy. And Cathy refers to Rachel as her "fill" until she has grandkids of her own. LOL. Rachel goes right to Cathy and if she sees her outside of the nursery, she runs and gives her hugs. It has been such a relief having such wonderful women to hand your toddler over to and know that they are loved and cared for. Unfortunate for us, but fortunate for Cathy and her husband, they are moving to Montana this week and beginning a new chapter in their life. As a special goodbye time for Rachel, Cathy had us over for breakfast this morning. It was such a nice time of fellowship.

We're going to miss Cathy. I'm so thankful and grateful that the Lord blessed us with someone as special as Cathy. For a while, I know the question of the morning on Sunday mornings will be "where's my Cathy?".

Finding Nemo Voyage and Disneyland

A trip to the Happiest Place on Earth with Uncle Bart was on the calendar for today. Upon arriving to Disneyland, the girls and I headed over to see if perhaps the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage was previewing today, and it was!! We had to stand in line for just over an hour, but the girls did great and both were excited about seeing the new ride and of course finding Nemo.
Hey Look! It's P. Sherman.
Don't believe me?... look at the writing on the back of his mask.The ride was great and Rachel really loved it. We already have plans to meet a friend and her 3 year old little boy for another Nemo adventure on Tuesday. The girls can't wait!

After exiting the Nemo ride, Uncle Bart had arrived and was waiting for us. We did some exploring over at Pirates Lair on Tom Saywer's Island and a few other things and then we headed over to California Adventure where it was a little less crowded. One of the things Rachel absolutely LOVES is the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. She loves the rope bridge! We exposed Uncle Bart to the Brother Bear show in the littel outdoor amphithere there and Rachel loved it. She ran right up to the bear and hugged him. Other must do rides for Rachel while at California Adventure includes King Trition's Carrousel and visiting Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc. Two of her favorite rides!On a positive potty training note....towards the end of our day, Rachel was rewarded with a Nemo bucket of popcorn for having stayed dry ALL DAY! Whooo Hooo. Preschool here we come. Rachel fell asleep in her stroller, with her hand in her bucket. Poor girlie was exhausted from all the fun she'd had all day.

Santa Ana Zoo

Rachel was so excited when I told her we were going to the zoo with Gracie this morning. She absolutely loved our trip to the San Diego Zoo last week and loved seeing all the animals, so I knew when Christy called inviting us to go with them to the Santa Ana Zoo that Rachel would love to see more animals.The Santa Ana Zoo is a simple zoo, right in the middle of the city and next to major California freeways. We wondered how the animals dealt with all the noise, but apparently they do just fine. There weren't many animals, but it didn't matter to Rachel, she still enjoyed seeing what animals the zoo did have. The zoo did have an electrical train ride around half of the zoo grounds. Rachel loved that! It was a short visit to the zoo, but a fun outing none the less. We ended our time at the zoo with a trip into the zoo gift shop and look what I came home with....a little monkey.

Washing the Car

Who knew washing Dad's car could be so much fun.

Her Very Own Build-A-Bear

Hannah had a birthday party to attend to this afternoon for a friend at school, where the birthday girl's mom so graciously invited Rachel to participate as well, and boy was she excited!!!

Rachel has a new vanilla teddy bear who she initially named 'Night Night bear', but I think has been renamed 'Tinkerbell' seeing how that's the outfit she picked out for it.

A little worried as to why her bear is so flat, and not stuffed. Getting her bear dressed as Tinkerbell. Rachel was so cute this evening. I found some pajama's of hers to put on the bear and Hannah let her borrow her Moses baby basket. Rachel put the basket right on her bed next to her. When time came for us to go to bed, the baby basket was on the floor and Rachel was hugging her new bear.

Disneyland

As if we haven't walked enough the past two days, we spent the entire day, and evening, at Disneyland. Steven never gets to go to Disneyland on a weekday where it isn't a holiday, so we were hoping he would get to experience some of the weekday slowness, but for some reason, it was busy today. But we had fun nonetheless.

Upon arriving at Disneyland, we went straight to Tom Sawyer's Island, where they recently turned the island into Pirates Lair. We spent over an hour exploring the caves and looking for treasure, we also saw the new show where Captain Jack Sparrow fights another pirate for a treasure map. We were also hoping that despite an official opening date of June 11, that perhaps soft previews were happening with the new Nemo Submarines. While the ride was up and running, the people in line were employess of Disney and ABC getting a preview. So no such luck for us, we'll have to go back on June 11 to experience the ride. Rachel was bummed as Finding Nemo is one of her most favorite movies. Leave it to Rachel to find water to play in. A leaky hose in Toontown.