Spring Break 2011

Spring is a crazy time around our house with sports and extra-curricular activities so we opted to stay around home for Spring Break.  The weather was gorgeous all week so we spent a lot of time playing outside, playing with friends, swimming, watching movies, playing the Wii and games, and not worrying about commitments or time restraints!

Monday was mostly spent swimming between the hot tub and the cool pool.  That evening we played Laser Tag, had dinner at Market Grille, and went shopping for summer clothes and swimsuits at Old Navy.

Tuesday was spent at the park playing at the splash pad, picnicking with McDonald's Happy Meals, and then back to our house for more swimming.

Wednesday we organized and cleaned the upstairs and I started re-organizing my craft stuff.  Then we got sick of cleaning so we watched movies, played the Wii, and had the young men over for scouts.  There was more swimming, basketball and tetherball.

Thursday we packed up and headed out for an overnight camping trip with friends.  We borrowed a tent trailer and headed up to Logandale for our very first family camping trip!  Crazy that we have been married almost 13 years but have never camped as a complete family unit!  We had a blast and our girls are hooked and want to go more often.  They even want to know why they don't have daddy/daughter campouts.  Sounds like we should start some . . .

We arrived early afternoon and set up our camp.  I should have taken a picture of each family's camping setup.  The Bodilys have a toy hauler trailer, the Aikeles have a motor home, we used a tent trailer, and the Swaseys had a 9-man tent.  It was funny to see each level and style of camping.  Our girls (and myself) definitely loved borrowing the bathrooms in the trailers.  That is definitely our style!

Shortly after arriving and setting up for the night, the kids colored Easter eggs.  Wynette had heard of a great idea of rolling eggs down "Easter Egg Hill" the next morning so the kids were anxious to start on their racing designs the night before.

We spent the evening riding four-wheelers, climbing rocks, going on hikes, and just getting dirty in the outdoors! 

How many doctors does it take to put up the Swaseys' tent?

Amber Bodily is in love with four-wheelers.  Anytime someone headed over to the quads, she was asking for a ride.  She was happy to ride with anyone that would take her.  Notice Joe's concentration face . . . I wondered where all four of mine got it!

Carlee is a mad woman on these things!  Full throttle all the way!

Sam was teaching Clark to ride the dirt bike.  When he first started, he added too much gas, lost control and was high-centered in the bush to the left.  Sam was laughing so hard but encouraged Clark to try again.  At least he did and it looks like he has the hang of it a little bit. 

That evening we ate some delicious fajitas for dinner, enjoyed some birthday cake and berry cobbler to celebrate Ella and Amber's birthdays, and made s'mores.  We also played Fugitive around the rocks with flashlights and Mafia around the campfire with all the kids.   It was so funny at how easily we could sway the kids' vote and alas, the Mafia won!

Brock and Luke--Don't let the innocence fool you!

Jake and Cole--Mischievous Rascals

After a windy but warm night in the tent trailer, we woke up the next morning and had a delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns.  Why is it that everything tastes better in the outdoors? 

Then we all piled on the quads, dirt bikes and in trucks and headed over to "Easter Egg Hill" for the race.  The hill was steep and sandy.  Every step forward was like a step back because your foot would slide back down in the sand.  It was a nice little hike and workout up to the top of the hill.

 This was the entourage behind the truck.  A bunch of wild children on four-wheelers!  Look out!

 It was quite the hike!

 Ready, Set, Go!

 

The Egg Roll wasn't much of a success due to the many divets in the sand but the kids had a great time trying and re-trying different techniques to get their eggs to go farther than the others.  After playing in the sand for a while, we headed back to camp for lunch and camp take-down.  The kids were really disappointed that we only stayed one night but we promised more family campouts in our future.

When we got home, Joe took the girls on a Daddy-Daughter Date.  They went to TGI Friday's and saw "Rio" in the theater while the boys and I ordered pizza and watched The Sandlot at home, totally exhausted. 

Saturday morning we slept in and just relaxed during the day.  That evening, Joe made awesome Hobo dinners and s'mores over our firepit.  We also colored Easter eggs outside in the dark and went swimming with the Oldhams. 

These two just love playing together.  They sang and swam and floated all over the pool.

These two talk and talk and talk.  Apparently they get it from their mothers.  A very serious and deep conversation.

I didn't get too many pictures of the boys.  They were busy playing tetherball, basketball, running around, and making s'mores for the ladies.  What a fun night!  Now off to bed for Easter morning!

Field Day

My children's favorite day of the school year is Field Day.  And the best part of having Field Day in Las Vegas is that they include water with almost all games and relays.  Luckily the weather was gorgeous for the kids.  Spring brings really high winds every year and it had been blowing like crazy for about three days prior to Friday.  When I dropped the kids off at school, the sun was shining, there was blue skies, and no wind.  Perfect! 

Katelyn and Sara getting ready for the three-legged race

Carlee and I enjoyed running around the fields of the school trying to catch the kids in their competitions.  Because the three of them were all over the school grounds, we spent a lot of time walking back and forth searching for each class and not enough time actually watching the kids participate in the game.  Next year, I will have to spend 30-45 minutes per kid before moving on. 

Best pals--Cole and Jake

Beanbag Bucket Toss (Carlee is giving moral support and helping Jake line it up)

Field Day officially ended around 11:30 a.m. and the Family Picnic Lunch began.  Each month, we all get to have a huge picnic lunch on the playground.  The grades are divided up to eat at different times and parents bring picnic blankets and baskets full of yummy food and everyone eats together on the school grounds.  It is so much fun and the kids look forward to taking turns picking what we eat for lunch--sometimes it is a home lunch and sometimes I pick something up at a local restaurant. 

Best buds and classmates--Mitchell and Clark

After eating and cooling off inside for a couple of hours, the students filed back outside to watch the first annual Fifth Graders vs. the Faculty Kickball Game.  It was sunny and warm so Clark was grateful that his clothes were still wet from the morning's games.  Students and teachers played hard and well and it was a happy day! 

Mom, will you look in my ear?

I was sitting at the computer checking my email and Carlee walks into the office to climb up onto my lap to see what I'm doing.  She is just talking to me and asking what my emails are about.  She reaches up to her ear and says, "Mom, I can't hear very well." 

I ask her if it's just clogged and if we need to get some earwax out.  She says, "I don't think it's earwax.  I think something is in my ear." 

I look and sure enough, I can see something whitish in color sticking out.  I am staring at it and tugging her ear back a little so I can get a better look.  I am thinking it is some big glob of wax but in a really strange color.  I poke it a little with my finger and it is hard. 

I ask her, "Carlee, did you put something in your ear?" 

She looks at me innocently and says slowly, "No."

I ask her again and explain that it doesn't look like earwax.  Her eyes fill with tears and she confesses, "Maybe." 

I ask her what it is and she said that she didn't know.  I explain that I need to get it out so she needs to be really brave and hold still so I can pull it out or we will have to go to the hospital to have Daddy take it out.  She promises that she will hold still like a statue, be brave, and not talk so I do what I've seen Joe do a million times--bend a paperclip to make a tiny loop, burn the loop with a flame to sterilize it and gently maneuver the object to the front of her ear hole and push it out slowly so I can grab it.   

I pull it out.  She gives me a big hug and says, "Thanks, Mom!  I can hear now and it didn't even hurt!"

We have the little talk about not putting things in our noses or ears so they don't hurt us or get stuck in our bodies where we have to get cut open to get them out.  (Yes, I believe in scaring our children a bit with the worst case scenario)  She gives me a kiss, professes her love for me, and runs off to play with her Barbies.  This child sure keeps me busy--putting make-up all over her face, cutting her own hair, and putting random things in her ear.  What a gal!

Still no clue what that is or where it came from!

Easter Egg Hunt

We attended our ward's Easter Egg Hunt in the park.  Jacob had an early soccer game so as soon as it was over, we rushed to the park and our kids jumped out of the car with their baskets as soon as the whistle blew to let all of the kids loose to pick up the eggs.  Whew!  We made it!  The weather started out nice and a little breezy but within minutes, the temp had dropped and the wind had picked up.  Every year since we have lived here, the weather acts up on the Saturday of our ward's Easter Egg Hunt.  Crazy, but it doesn't stop the kids from gathering up as many eggs as they could.

 Carter and Clark were too mature and cool to hunt for Easter eggs but they did get their fill of donuts!

Mom!  How many do I get to have?

Counting the stash

Kate and Hanna

General Conference

For General Conference this spring, I put together some buckets with semi-annual coloring/writing packets and some favorite snacks for the kids.  We also played a different version of Conference Bingo in which they would get a little something every time they heard a particular word that we had chosen.  It was something different and it helped the kids pay a little more attention to the speakers. 

The Conference Buckets full of fun and food!

 Special words to listen for:   

SCRIPTURE STUDY (Cheez-its), SERVICE (Cinnamon Life), TITHING (Tootsie Rolls), PRAYER (Pretzels), JESUS CHRIST (Gummy Life Savers), and PREPAREDNESS (Grapes)

Sometimes it's hard for me to listen because I'm helping them spell words, answer questions, or keep from talking but I love that they enjoy listening and try really hard to pay attention.  We look forward to spending the day in our pajamas, not doing our hair, eating yummy finger foods, and listening to the teachings of the Lord.  I also love reading the talks later to better understand the details of what we need to know.  I know that President Monson and his apostles speak for the Lord and I love feeling the spirit of their testimonies.