The Oram Hand Cart

During the Oakland Zoo excursion there came a time to determine and/or test the functional capacity of the Valco Stroller we have. Officially the stroller will hold 2 children between the ages of 2 and 5 in its current configuration. This just will not do since we have 5. We had previously determined that with Addison on one side and Nathan on the other, we could have Emma sit above Addison on the top of a seat and alleviate the complaints emanating from her. (see the "super dad" pictures below).

After lunch at the Zoo, Emma became insufferably audacious and Nathan contacted his inner cheetah and exhibited an incurable desire to run and hide.

It must be noted that Kaci is not one to disregard manufacturers recommendations to quickly, but after some light "persuasion" and appropriately manipulated insolence from Emma, I convinced her that Emma, Nathan, Cake and Ahdi all needed to fit on or in the stroller if we were to enjoy the rest of the day. After thorough investigation of the cargo compartment underneath the stroller, I determined that Kate, as the smaller of the two, would fit quite nicely under there. I lined the tray with a blanket, stuffed (read: gently placed) her underneath, popped in a pacifier, and the OramTrain rolled out. We moved all the gear that was underneath into bags hanging on the handle bar and effectively mounted four children on our "double" jogger.

What an awesome piece of equipment and the perfect tool for our family!

Let's try that again....

I posted the information about our trip last night with these pictures, but realized later I must have been super tired because it came out very odd when I actually posted it. So I am not going to try to do any fancy picture placement, just straight down. And I will be more coherent now as I am not tired:)

We surprised the kids with a trip to the Bay Area on Friday after school. We stayed in a hotel with an indoor swimming pool, and then went to the Oakland Zoo the next day. Here are the oldest three in the fold out bed. We had to graduate to the Embassy Suites with so many of us. Ben and I had our own room, and the five kids were in the living room. Honestly, we only told the hotel that we had two children as they make you get a second room past four people. Yeah, not happening! So we were a little sneaky, but I think they noticed anyway and didn't really care. It's hard to hide a family of 7!

At the zoo. You can see Nathan's monkey backpack here. What a lifesaver! He likes to run, run run, and without this he would have been lost in the crowd multiple times. We did get quite the attention, not only having twins but having a child on a "leash." Most parents looked at it longingly as they chased down their own two year olds. With five kids, we have to be creative. Which Ben will post later about:)

The girls did so well. They slept almost the whole time, ate, and were content in the stroller. We got the regular oohhs and aaahs that come with sporting two of a kind. But we have mostly started to tune them out or all you do all day is stop and let people gawk. Our Valco stroller is officially the best Craigslist find ever. It saved us on this trip!

Kids looking at more animals. Nathan LOVES looking, and constantly wanted to climb into the fenced areas. Thank goodness it's not possible. He especially wanted to romp with the honey bear. No fear, that kid!

In the reptile house. Emma and her face! Classic Emma lately. But she did have fun, promise.

Mr. "Cheeeeeeessssse!!!!" He looks so grown up here.

Bailey and Emma posing.

Addison and Nathan in the stroller. We had to eventually pull Kate out and strap Nathan in. He can only handle so much:) Where is Kate? hee hee, you'll see later.

Play area at the zoo. The kids loved this probably more than anything. We could have gone to just a park and they would have been happy. But we did get in to the Oakland Zoo for free since we are Sacramento Zoo members (thanks, Mom!) So, they got some educational stuff in their brains as well.

It was a great trip that we really needed. It was nice to get away and just have some fun, despite the enormous amount of work it takes for only 24 hours! We do make quite the site out and about, which for other people, we were the highlight of their trip!

Twins with Twins

I've become somewhat cheesy as a mother to twins.  I thought it would be cute to get a picture of Aunt Nancy's twins with ours.  Now, I am a horrible relative and cannot tell you which one is Paul and which one is David.  But they were sweet enough to humor me and smile for the camera even while their friends were over and they had much cooler things to do!

Family Visits

Addison with Ben's grandma, Mooma.  We have this picture with her and all of our kids.

Kate with Mooma. 

Sorry, Aunt Bonnie, you said to not put the picture of you on the internet, but the blog in private so I'm hoping you forgive me:)  We are having the blog printed as a family journal, so I couldn't leave you out!  

We took the kids to see some of Ben's extended family down in the Bay Area as part of our mini trip.  Here is Addison with his Aunt Bonnie and Kate with Uncle Sonny.  This was their first time meeting the latest additions to our family.  I didn't get one with his Aunt Nancy, but the girls gave her some pretty good smiles and the rest of our crew always enjoys her toys.  We don't hear a peep out of them, and they played to their hearts content.  

Bat Man...dunna nunna nunna nunna dunna BAT MAN!

At work last week, Ben "saved" the office from two bats that got in somehow.  At one point, he even swooped in as one was about to run right into one of the legal secretaries.  So, now he is fondly referred to as Batman at his office.  We couldn't resist taking a picture of him and the bats at the zoo... Have him tell you the story in real life instead of my lame blog version:)

Not Da Mama!

When I was younger there was a TV show called "Dinosaurs." The only thing about the oddly stupid show was the lame little pink baby, dinosaur, "Baby Sinclair," would smash his dad, Earl Sinclair, on the head with a pan or a club and yell, "Not da mama, not da mama, not da mama," and the dad would throw the baby dinosaur across the room. Well... that was tonights ordeal, only without the throwing. Kaci posted "superdad" pictures. Yah right, more like "not da mama." It all started so well too. Once the Oram Family Train arrived at the building for the Youth Fundraiser the looks of pity began immediately and smiling guardian angel Sisters saved the twins from a seemingly incompetent father, but only after Addison spewed forth a large portion of the wonderfully fragrant formula-mamas milk concoction. Gotta love that. We made it through the dinner and service auction and ended at home where all three girls (don't forget Emma, whom I am glad did not have a pan or a club) melted down into a puddle of self-pity and crocodile tears, thus reinforcing the fact that I am "not da mama!" - Ben

Super Dad!

So, I have about two minutes to post this before my ride gets here to the baby shower.  That is where I will be---Ben will be with all five kids at a fundraiser dinner for our ward youth.  That's right, spaghetti, a lot of people and flying solo.  I told him he is attempting something even I wouldn't do, and I've been known to be a little nuts.  They walked to the Church in our contraption of a stroller that we have adapted for Emma to sit on as well.  So, hats off to Ben! I am off to enjoy my girl's night :)

P.S. In the bottom picture it looks like Emma is flipping off the camera.  For posterity, she is not.  She is eating an animal cracker and her finger just came up that way.  Or that's what we are telling ourselves...