Mountain Ranch

We just got back from the mountain Ranch and we had such a good time. This year we were brave and we drove. It's a 12 hour drive and Liam didn't do so good on the way to Cali and that is only a 5 hour drive. We were nervous so I made a these fun things for the car, yummy snacks, books and plenty of DVDs. We broke the trip up over two days and left Tuesday for Albuquerque. I am glad to say it went a lot better then we thought it would. Liam only had a few rough spots but over all it was okay. The next morning we got up ate breakfast and drove the rest of the way to the Ranch. We spent the next few days hiking hand fishing, relaxing, watching trains, and enjoying each other. I was not very good at taking pictures this time. However I did get a few shots. Just for the record Eli and Jacob actually slept at the ranch while Liam, Cecil and I drove and stayed at a hotel about 20 minutes away.

Thing to remember:

• Eli was really good at catching grasshoppers. He would catch them and say they were his friend/pet. 
• Eli loved hand fishing and Jacob did a great job teaching him. Eli even caught one. Jacob had him put the net in the water, then he chased a fish toward Eli he yelled for Eli to lift up the net, and Eli did! Thus pulling up a fish!
• Liam was a good sport about everything and did great. He would try to walk and do everything by himself. However once he got tired you knew it because then you had to carry him or he would just cry and cry.
• Liam's favorite thing to do was dig. He was just pick up his shovel and bucket and walk around the placed moving things around with his bucket.
• One time we went down by the stream to look for snakes. After looking for a while they were about to give up when Eli spotted one. His face was so cute. Then he lost it only for little Jacob Malnar to find it. Jacob (my husband) was able to catch it so all the kids could see it and touch it.

Eli's PPI

Jacob's parents gave him a personal interview every year. I thought that was a great idea. I also felt this year Eli would really be able to answer the questions and enjoy it, so I started the same tradition in our family. As our children get older the questions will adapt however for now these are great questions for his age and a fun way to remember him at 4.

1. What's your favorite color? Black and Grey
2. What's your favorite toy? Superheros
3. What's your favorite fruit? Strawberries
4. What's your favorite show? Pocoyo
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Chik fil a
6. What is your favorite thing to wear?   My super hero shirt. I have two ;)
7. What is your favorite game? Have a head pop up (Rock em sock em)
8. What is your favorite snack? Raisan's
9. What is your favorite animal? Deer
10. What is your favorite song? Follow the prophet
11. What is your favorite book? Ironman vs. Whiplash
12. Who is your best friend? Carson & Liam
13. What is your favorite drink? Water
14. What's your favorite cereal? Fruit Loops
15. What' is your favorite thing to do outside? Play super heros
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Marley
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pancakes
19. What do you want to be when you grow up?  Scubadiver
20. What makes you happy? Playing superheros with my friends who like superheros
21. What makes you sad? When my friends don't like superheros. That makes me sad.
22. What's your favorite thing to do with your family?  Wrestle
23. What do you like best about school? Learning stuff
24. What's your favorite thing about church? Snacks

Eli had so much fun with this activity. He kept asking me to ask him more questions.I even added a few more because we were having so much fun. It made me realize I need to ask him more questions during the day so that he knows how much I love him and so I really know this sweet boy I am so lucky to have. I did not help him with any of the answers so  few of them I know are not correct but I didn't want to mess it up.
The first question that was a little off was #1 it is a true answer now. However since he knew his colors he as been obsessed with the color blue. Then all the sudden one day we came home from Hawaii and his colors were black and grey. It really threw Jacob off.
#3 This one could be true but I am not sure. If you cut the green part off the strawberry he doesn't eat it. It actually kind of freaks.
#8 could be true he eats them, but never asks for them. I think he was currently enjoying rasins at church or something and wanted more. I know his favorite snack is an Apple because he is always grabbing one when he can get his hands on one.
#9 I highly doubt his favorite animal is a deer. I don't even know why he would say that. I would think it would be something more scary or big like a Tiger.
#13 Now Eli really does like water, but I am sure he like a lot of juices and sodas over water. I couldn't pick a favorite but he sure loves icees from QT
#18 This I wouldn't have to say is totally false. I never make pancakes. He never asks for them and he never orders them when we go out. I know he loves eggs. Scrambled or exploding he loves them and would eat them pretty much any day.
#19 I don't think Eli has put much thought into this one. I don't know why he said this or why he came to him mind, but I am sure he thought it sounded like a cool job to have.

Eli also went to the Dr to get his shots for school. When I got there they said I could wait because I was holding him back, but since I already talked it up I figured lets just get this over with. He tried really hard to be brave and he did a good job and had a great attitude, but after the first shot he lost it. I basically had to hold him down for the next two. The poor guy freaked!!

Eli's 4 year old stats are...

Weight: 42 lbs 87th %tile

Height: 41.25 in. 67th tile.

Elijah Bean is turnning 4

Our little Elijah bean is about to turn four and we couldn't celebrate any other way then to have a SUPER HERO party. Eli is really into Super heroes so a few weeks before the party I got to work coming up with ideas. We were originally going to have it at our new house, but the HOA has taken to long to approve our yard so Jacob asked one of his business partners if we could use their backyard. (Let's just say they have the most awesome backyard ever!) The Young's being their awesome self's said sure, and we went to work finishing up the details. I made the invitations. They were not flashy, but for my work they looked good. Eli helped me cut and glue them together, and he also helped deliver them of course.

The food was Wonder Dogs, Hero Sandwiches, All sort of fruits (They had signs that described the superhero strengths you would get when eating them), we also had cheeto puff that we "power puffs" and Bugels which were "Cat woman's claws". I got some green punch and added dry ice to it which made "Joker Juice" (this actually turned out really good and everyone drank it super fast.

When the kids arrived it was so hot we let them swim first. After swimming we ate some food. Once everyone was done eating the kids were issued their super hero uniforms and were ready for super hero training camp. ( I made capes, masks and cuffs for all 18 kids) We had fun stations like test your strength and they punch throw tissue paper. Agility was tested by jumping over buildings (which Eli painted). The buildings ending up being a little too big for most kids so if they said Blueberry (which was the berry that gave you this power) then Jacob and I would help them rocket higher. Jacob dressed up like the Candy Caper and I told the kids he stole candy from a baby. They chased him down with their super speed and got the candy back. We also had the kids line up and run across the yard avoiding bombs (water balloons). They tested their bravery by sticking their hand in goop and saving the little dinos. (The goop was jello and red. It got all over my legs. Jacob and Spencer saw this as a great time to joke the my water has broke). The kids seemed to really love it and so did Eli.

We wrapped up the party by opening presents and then eating a superhero cake that melted because of the heat. The cake wasn't very good and it didn't end up looking very good once the heat got it, but the kids did not mind! After everyone left our family and the Christman's stayed and swam a little longer while we ere there a double rainbow showed up in the sky. I have never seen a double so it was extra special. Eli said Jesus was telling him happy birthday!

p.s These naked pictures at the end need some explaining. Jacob thinks if you go down the slide on your bare bum that you go fast. So Eli ran up and tried it. it zipped out so fast he hit his head. Jacob was right it does make you faster. Eli cried until he spotted and car which he and Liam got scratch by. For the next week Liam kept telling me about the mean cat that scratch him.