Super Spring Break

This year for spring break we decided to do something a little different.  We let each of the kids choose what they wanted to do and then we would ALL do that for one of the days of the break.

Day One:  Camping at Red Cliffs, ended up being camping near Red Cliffs.  The kids loved looking for old mine shafts and hiking in to red cliffs.  We had lots of fun playing in the FREEZING water until the end when Seth rescued a 76 year old woman who broke her ankle and fell into a pool. Definitely memorable!  He helped carry her out of the canyon and waited with her until the paramedics arrived.


After I got out of bed in the morning all the cold monkeys snuck into my place!
I remember doing the same thing as a kid.

Day Two:  Coulsons turn.  The Museum was great and we got our own personal tour from "Tom."  He was SUPER helpful and even showed the kids a dino butt print.  

That was the highlight of the tour.

Day Three:  Adilaide chose swimming.  I was actually sick and stayed home to rest for this one, but they came home and told me all about the fun times at the Aquatic Center.

That night, to celebrate Ellyn finishing the 5th Harry Potter book,  we made some chocolate wands, butter beer, and snacked on bertie botts and pumpkin (pasties) cookies, while watching the movie.

Just Ellyn and Mama.

Day Four:  First we colored Easter eggs, then had a fun lunch at grandma and grandpapa's house in their gazebo.  Afterwards, we went ROLLERSKATING.  Quinn's choice.                         

Bailey and Brody Duncan came with us.  And I have to admit, I still love roller skating.  I grew up on those things.  As a little kid it was my dream to grow up and work at a restaurant where the waitress's wore roller skates.   We had a BLAST at the skate rink!

Once Bailey started helping Adi, she wouldn't let him go.  She even made him hold her hand 

on the way home.  So, cute.

Easter Morning, waiting to go find the eggs. 

 Can you tell which one forgot to pretend sleep for the camera????

APRIL FOOLS!  The night before April fools, Seth and I sneakily applied mustache tattoos to Coulson and Adilaides upper lip.   I thought they would think it hilarious.  I guess in hind sight they  do, but at the time they were pretty upset when they woke up in the morning and everyone was pointing and laughing and they didn't know why. 

Masters of Disguise!

Adi got a mustache from the dentist after her check up, and Coulson got this great disguise from a birthday party=tons of dress-up fun!

cross-dressing?

Thompson and Tomson

handsome

This is the first daffodil of spring at our house, and it bloomed ON the FIRST day of spring.
Coulson was really excited about that.

I check on the kids each night before I go to bed, and the other night this is what I found. What a character.
"I wear my sunglasses at night..."  Remember that song?

Hiking out at Three Peaks!  It ended up being more of a bone collection.  They wanted to find the entire bunny skeleton.

When Ellyn brought these eggs in from our chickens I couldn't help but feel bad for the hen who laid the big one. OUCH! Would that be like having a 20lb human baby??

Humor Me!

Sometimes whoever sets the kitchen table for dinner will write messages or jokes on the napkins.  Yesterday Coulson set the table and surprised me with this cute joke.

Can you read it?

 

Adilaide and Daddy went Shed (antler) hunting last Friday.  They only found one old shed

but, they had a fun adventure and spied some great animals.



 wild horses.  always wanted to see them. missed out!

While getting pictures off the camera for this blog post I found at least 50 pictures had been taken by the boys of their toys and them.  Most of them were a bit blurry but I had to laugh still.  They took many shots of their animals standing in front of this block building.  Don't really know why...and lots of themselves also posing with the blocks??????

Snuggy nap time!

 

 

 More Coulson words.  I don't know why but I am getting a kick out of all his new words. 

What an exciting time of life.  Learning how to read and write.

Fun with Letters

Coulson brought these words home from school, can you tell what he likes?

(These kindergarten words make me smile)

Quinn is now 9 years old.  For his birthday he wanted to go sledding with a few friends

but a couple days before his b-day the weather got warm and the snow melted, so then

he decided he wanted to play kickball instead. But, on his b-day it was really rainy and cold.  

Instead he played some indoor games that were thought up last minute.  He was sad about his

plans, but still happy it was his birthday!!

Free "fee" day....Zion!

Living in Southern Utah makes it easy to take advantage of the free-fee day in the National Parks.  This time we went to Zion.  The first thing Coulson did when we got there was run off, find a dangerous tree hanging out over the water and climb out on it.  The way Seth gets him to stay with us while hiking is by talking to him about the animals around and other geological and botanical facts.

All lined up ready for our first hike of the day.  Don't be fooled the weather looks warm but it was really chilly at first, especially in the shade of the tall straight cliffs.

As I am looking at these pictures I realize my kids are dressed a bit "old-fashioned" "unstylish".  Let me explain we are very frugal and I have never been one to spend money on fancy clothes.  I am more of a "use it up, wear it our, make it do, or do with out," type of person.  If someone gives us hand-me-downs, or we find a bargain at a yard sale I get a lot more excited than if I hear the words, "Let's go Shopping!"  Ugh, I am not a shopper!

 Our first hike was cut short by falling ice. I think my sister-in-law, Jenny, 

will appreciate that the trail was closed from this point on.  Last year on free fee day 

she broke her ankle slipping on the ice.

We saw some deer, but this guy was right next to the trail.  

The deer in Zion are unafraid of the tourists.

 Now for my randomness at the end of each post.

Adilaide in the tub.

Ellyn admiring her curly hair in the mirror.

She wanted me to take her picture wearing the clothes she borrowed from a friend.  She looks so tall and grown up in this picture.  I am grateful everyday for this awesome girl.  Yesterday I was sick, when she got home from school she took over.  She cleaned the house and kept her siblings happy and out of my room.  Today, she woke up sick. Now, I get to return the favor