Spring Break 2010

We have spring fever around this joint. Fortunately, last week was spring break and we really enjoyed it. We needed the break! The kids and I headed off to Boise on Tuesday and Joe flew in on Friday afternoon. It is always so great to meet up with my family, they are so awesome. We got to meet the new baby Jakey (oops...didn't take any pictures of him) and visit with everyone. The kids had a great time and were bummed when we had to leave. I can remember those same feelings from when I was a kid and we would drive to visit our cousins in Salt Lake. :)

My sister Emily had planned "nature school" for the kids during spring break. She found all sorts of fun field trips to learn a little more about this great planet upon which we live. Grandpa came along as the expert, of course, and the kids loved it! Fun and learning all wrapped up in one. What could be better?

While it sounds like one big party, it wasn't all perfect. Hannah Bay had been sick all through conference/Easter weekend and continued to be sick on Tuesday. She had a fever and just felt kind of crummy. She did recover a day or so into the trip, but then on Friday night Bekah started throwing up. We drove home on Saturday with Bekah throwing up in her car seat every 30 minutes to an hour. Ugh. She continued to be sick until Tuesday (!) and today (Wednesday) Lizzie is now throwing up. Let's just say that I am tired, haha. Note to new parents: just because your kids get older does NOT mean that they will always sleep through the night.

Excited for our first experience with "nature school"

Bekars and Lizzie find interesting tracks as soon as we set off (yes, Bekah has a leash...we rarely do strollers anymore so I brought this instead)

We went to this bald eagle nesting place in the hopes of seeing some. We didn't see any, but we saw GIGANTIC herds of deer! The kids had fun trying to catch up to them.

Such cute girls. I didn't know we were actually going into the wilderness, so the kids (and I) only had crocs. They kept getting sharp poky things in their feet. Poor kiddos

Lizzie loved finding deer bones. I worried about the sanitary nature of it all, but she seems to have survived.

Cabers did better than I thought he would. He actually kind of enjoyed it

Look closely and you can see Grandpa trekking through the wilderness with Addie, Karl, Ammon, and Lizzie

Lizzie and Bekars...so adorable!

Bekah likes to walk by herself, but she can be a little too slow. Here she is hitching a ride with Mama

After our hike, we stopped to have a lesson on bald eagles. It was very interesting and the kids seemed to enjoy it

Visiting the zoo on a rainy, windy day

Voting for our favorite endangered animal

Emmers and Bekah

Spring time at the zoo is the VERY best time to go!

Solemn Caleb watches the lions

Cute kids

I had to get a picture of the girls by a bald eagle (look closely in the background). Our first day we went hunting through the bald eagle nesting grounds, but they were all gone. :( At least we were guaranteed to find one at the zoo.

Bekah was very enthusiastic, as always, and ran up to see this (mean) bird. It came over to her and started viciously pecking through the fence...it scared her to death.

My sweet baby is getting so tall! He is nearly as tall as me these days and his feet are a size or two larger than mine! Before we left, Joe gave him a little talk about being the "man of the house" while we were in Boise, since he wouldn't be there. Ammon really stepped up and was always offering to hold doors, help with kids, push shopping carts and so on. I am really proud of the awesome young man he is becoming. He is just so darn cool.

I love these kids! Look at that personality :)

I am sad that spring break is over. :( Only seven more weeks until summer, though! I am sooooo ready. I love spending time with my sweet kids.