Day trip to the Dunes!

Chelsey called this morning and asked if we wanted to come out to the dunes and hang out with her and Austin. They were there dirt biking for the weekend. (Poor pregnant lady is not allowed to ride though) I have a hunch Chelsey was getting bored just chilling at camp. So we headed up. Thad bought some awesome toys for the girls and we made a pit stop in Rexburg and picked Mormor up.
The kids didn't seem to really care for the toys all that much, but we sure did. Austin and Chelsey (one team) and Thad and I (other superior team) had a little castle building competition going on. It was lots of fun. The girls got wet and everyone was pleased. Here are some pics of our spontaneous dunes trip. Yes, that is Thaddeus showing off his prego belly! I thought it was just too cute not to share.

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Elsa lost it!

Oh my, the tough little buggar finally decided to let go.
Actually, I had to "help" it out. Elsa was so worried that it would hurt, but once it finally came out she didn't think it hurt at all. There was a whole lot of blood though. She rinsed and rinsed and rinsed. Then she ran upstaird and showed pappa.
I don't know why this feels like such a big deal. I don't think Elsa even cares all that much. For me if feels like a HUGE step toward having "big" kids. Happiness/sadness. I can't help but ask Elsa to stick her tounge out the little whole just cause I think it's so adorable. I've asked her several times to stick her tounge out today, just for me. It's such a crazy feeling having a six year old who looses her milk teeth. Who'd a thought when you have your little babies that they'll loose their teeth and get all growd up on ya?
Elsa insisted on giving Kajsa half of the money she got from the tooth fairy last week from the first tooth that she lost. This time I though she'd keep it all, but nope. As soon as she counted it she said she was going to split it even with Kajsa. And she did.
Elsa is not very sold on the tooth fairy though. She quized me a whole bunch right before she went to bed last night and said, "I think it's just you or dad that pretend to be the tooth fairy". I tried not to give it away, but at the same time not make her stupid by helping her believe rediculous stuff. So I asked her why she thought that. She had some pretty good clues. I just smiled at her and told her she better keep watch if she wanted to find out ;) She said she was going to lay in bed and pretend like she was sleeping so she could bust the myth...... too bad she feel asleep right away.
What a cutie.

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Lotta Lava Love

Thaddeus and I had a little LOVE trip this past weekend. Since I LOVE water I wanted to go to Lava Hot Springs. He's too sweet to turn me down, so we went. We actually made a spontaneous stop at Lava on our way home from our honey moon almost seven years ago!!! So it was extra LOVEY to go there now and reminisce.

We were plesently surprised to see that they had remodled a lot there and made it much nicer. The hot pools were just as hot as ever though. Actually, they were hotter than we'd emembered. It was fantastic! We were also surprised to see that they had new slides built by the big pool. It was their grand opening the day we got there. With no kids in tow, we decided
to take it easy and skip the "fun" pool. We headed straight for the hot pools.

We enjoyed the perfect weather, beautiful scenery, and eachother ;) Ooh lala LOVE!
Grandpa and Kristene were sweet and spoiled the kids all weekend. It was great actually being able to have someone watch the kids so we could celebrate our wedding anniversary ALONE. This is the first time that we've been able to take off (for more than a few hours to get dinner) and leave the kids to celebrate. Our anniversary is actually on Monday the 25th. Since that day is memorial day, we decided to celebrate early. I'm glad we did. We stayed at a really cozy old hotel called Riverside Inn.

If it's been a long time since you've been to Lava Hot Springs I recommend checking it out. I think it is such a cozy little place. I can't wait untill we go there again. They had camping grounds set up right next to their big pool as well. I'm sure the girls would LOVE staying there this summer.

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The Newest Ferrin Girl

Meet Ylva-Li, the newest family member.
She is a cute little lab puppy with lots of spunk. I never had a dog growing up and I have always felt like I don't really know how to act around them. It makes me happy that the girls get to have this experience that I missed. I have never been a "dog person".
Ylva-li was not my idea though. It wasn't Thad's either. Infact, it was grandpa that took the girls for a "surprise" the day after we got here. What a spoiler ;)
I have to admit that it's been a lot of fun having a dog though. I sat outside with Ylva-li the other night in the garage and found myself talking to her and asking her if she was going to be the first dog I was going to fall in love with. Funny thing, she didn't answer me. But she did lick my arm and cuddled right up in my lap. I find myself getting attached to her already.

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Pretty smile

What is that in Elsa's hand?

Yup, it's true. She lost her FIRST tooth!
My baby is a little lady. I can't believe it finally decided to let go.
It finally fell out the morning of their b-day party, may 9th.
The tooth that fell out is actually not the tooth that was loose first.
I had no clue there was so much to learn about loosing teeth.
Seems they take FOREVER to fall out from the time you first
discover that they're loose, till the time they actually let go.
The little tooth right next to "the missing one" is the one
that was really loose. Then .........

This HUMONGOUS tooth poped up right behind it and
suddenly it wasn't as loose anymore.
Then the other tooth just fell out while I was
brushing Elsa's teeth. Since this picture (a week ago),
another new tooth
has broken through the skin. That other loose sucker is still
hangin' on though. It has got some "nerve" and just
will not give up.

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Pretty people!

Here are a few people who are easy on the eye ;)

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Last day

This is from the last day of day care.
The girls have loved attending day care at Solgården.
The teachers have been wonderful
and Elsa misses her friends A LOT.
The teachers went out of their way and
decorated really cute on the last day and put a cute little
"good luck" folder together for the girls.

Vi kommer att sakna er alla!!

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The move

I realize that I am WAY behind on blogger. Well, I guess I have a pretty good excuse. As if there is anyone who doesn't know, we made the big move from Sweden to USA at the end of April. Here are a few pics from right before we moved to right after we got here.

In these photos:
Elsa cleaning out the kitchen in our old apartment. Staying with the Horvatics. (Love and miss you guys) At the airport in Landvetter. On the air plane(s). The drive home from the air port. Grandpa driving and the fabulous sign for the HUGE town of Blackfoot. (Yes, that was sarcasm)
for anyone who doesn't know, Blackfoot is a small town.

We have enjoyed ourselves immensely though, getting to chill with family and friends who we haven't seen for quite some time.

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Happy late Påsk!

I made this collage last week and I thought I had already posted it. Some of you may think that it is strange to celebrate Easter by dressing up as witches and pretending that you're going to fly to Blåkulla to have a seanse with the Devil. Before you judge another culture as "weird" I just want to let you all know that many Swedes think it's morbid to dress up for Halloween, when it's really "all hallowes eve". I constantly tell people that it's just about letting the kids have fun. It's like a costume party, okie okei?
I personally think; let kids have fun and keep culture and tradition alive. Dressing up as witches around Easter time started sometime in the beginning of the 18oo's here. Why dress up as a witch? Witch trials happened a little earlier here in Sweden than those in Salem. Of around 400 people that were killed for being witches between 1492-1704, about 300 were killed between 1668-1676. So there was a big "witch movement" during those eight years. This time period was called Det stora oväsendet. I don't know why they started dressing up as witches during the eighteen hundreds, probably to honor all the innocent people who were killed.
Either way I think it's smart to remember what happened. I took the oportunity and tried to teach my girls a little about how people were way back when. We talked a bit about what happens when people are SUPERsticious and how fast things can get out of control. I doubt that any of that stuck with them though, they were mostely excited to eat the chocolate.

All of the pictures except the middle one are from the day care celebration. I dressed up as well of course, cause I'm childish like that =) Only there were no pictures of me, (evil laugh). I'll let you all emagine what a horrid ugly witch I was that day. Read more!

Avery!

Nope Stacie, this isn't what you think it is.
Thaddeus has a cousin named Avery.
Avery is a clever woman, she's got a happening blog.
Unlike me, she has talent when it comes to writing.

Everyone knows that I just post pictures
because I can't express myself in writing.
Oh well....

If I did have some talent, then I'd write more like
Avery does........like I said, her blog is happenin',
but don't take my word for it.
Go snoop around :) Read more!