Spring Break Update

It seems like the more I take blogging breaks the harder it is to come back.  I truly get writer's block unless I am consistent.

We had a wonderful spring break with the kids in upstate New York and Kirtland Ohio. Despite the cold weather and the stomach flu we passed around every other day.  It was great to feel the spirit in so many of the church history sites.  I was a bit worried that the kids would be sick of seeing old building after old restored building and so we tried to mix in some fun stuff as well.  There was very little grumbling and one teenager actually shared with me how much he liked seeing the spiritual stuff.  He would not admit to it later for some reason, but I was there and I testify that he did say it!  Even my four yr old had a spiritual highlight of her own when they showed her a replica of the golden plates (she even got to touch which is more than Emma Smith could boast).  For days following the event, she'd tell us all that she'd seen the "real gold plates!" over and over.  It was pretty sweet.  Of coarse now when you ask her what her favorite part of the vacation was she will tell you "the pool at the hotel."  But I think that pool experience will fade and she will recall the 'gold plates' forever.  (At least that is what I am hoping).  

Don't Touch?

The Falls Were Amazing

But a cold day!

Happy to be Inside!

He Loves a Photo Op

Little Boy at the Sawmill

We also got to go to an amazing museum called the Strong in Rochester NY.  An incredible place to learn through play.  Video hall of fame for the boys.  Butterfly exhibit for the girls (and Big Boy who loved the butterflies!) If you are ever in Rochester on a snowy day in spring where your Niagra Falls day trip gets bumped, I highly recommend it!

Since returning I have been battling a cold/sinusitis making my life a bit miserable.  But today is the day I am willing myself to turn the corner, meet life head on and go out and gather milk for the children.  I may even buy bread.  I mean to work out as well, but I always mean to do that : )

In other Family News.... 

Big Boy took an AP exam in phycology.  He can now officially tell us all that is wrong with our parenting techniques.

Middle Boy is at the tail end of a great lacrosse season. He is proud of himself which is wonderful.

Little Boy continues to lose his violin books and has bet his teacher a dollar or a piece of candy that he will have them all at the next lesson.  This comes after I verbally reminded him to get his bag of books together the night before.  I asked him why he didn't do it then and he said something he picked up from Big Boy "did I answer when you said that?  If not I didn't hear you- so it's your fault mom"  I just may kill him before his next birthday... Speaking of birthdays.  He recently had one.

Happy Twelveth

Big Girl recently earned a chain necklace with a plastic foot on it for choosing to walk for 5 miles during her recesses.  It's part of something called the mileage club.  Me likey!  Today she was asking if it was real silver and how much it was worth...

Little Girl claims to know all there is to know about ballet after two months worth of lessons.  Her Swan Lake is to die for in cuteness.  She also chopped off a big clump  of hair in the front of her head making it necessary to part her hair on the other side or introduce more hats and headbands...

Kelly- I am getting new dining room chairs this Friday.  That is very big news for me!

T-T and I celebrated 19 yrs of marriage with expensive root beer, flowers, black jelly beans, Little Boy's birthday, Easter, and a promise that next year will be a cruise or something.  I really love him!

At the Newel K Whitney Home

'The Face' says it all

Kirtland Temple