Spring Break

This year for Spring Break we went to California. The kids and I were looking for sunshine and a beach we could wear swimsuits at. Mark was so kind to drive us to my mom's house for the week. This is what a "road trip" looks like in the year 2009! If we don't have our music players on, the DVD is playing.

We went to Avila Beach for a few days before heading to Bakersfield. We decided to head south via San Francisco so the kids could see the Golden Gate Bridge. We did drive down Lombard Street, but did not do the Trolleys this time. The kids had a lot of fun driving up and down the hills of San Francisco. A lot of questioning was going on if our car would make it! I can't wait to take them back sometime and do the hills in the Trolley.

John saw this guy and pointed him out to us. Yep, he really has only one foot! What balance!

Mark, Alison and John in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The story of the nickel. While at Avila Beach we shared a two bedroom suite with my mom and sister Nicole. On Saturday night Nicole watched the kids for us so Mark and I could go out to eat. We had a super delicious dinner of "Crab Dump". Like a crawfish boil, they dump the crab, potatoes, shrimp, sausage, and corn right on your table. It was yummmy! When we got back to the hotel Nicole relays the nights events to us. John came to her while she was putting Alison to bed and said, "I swallowed a nickel and I can feel it right here" (pointing to his throat). Not wanting to panic him, as she could see he was already concerned, she gave him a drink of water to help wash it down. And down it went. She asked him how the nickel got in his mouth. His reply, "I was looking at my money and decided to swallow it". She told him that it would eventually make it's way out of him, but that he should not put money in his mouth. While she was tucking him in to bed he asked her if she was going to tell his mom what he had done. She replied yes. I think he woke up the next morning waiting to see if I would say something. Of course I did bring it up over breakfast, and reminded him that only food goes in our mouth. Luckily for him, curiosity did not kill the cat this time. How do you decide that you want to swallow a nickel? I don't think I will ever know the answer to that one.

My sister Melissa and her family were also at the beach the same time we were. Here is Sophia, John and Alison in the cove. The tide was low so we went over and looked at the tide pools. The kids loved seeing the crab, clams and anemone. I was handing Mark the camera to take a picture of a crab he had found and oops! And there went the camera in the tide pool. It never turned back on. We luckily did not loose the images on the SD card. My sister let me borrow her camera while we were at the beach. When we got to Bakersfield I did some research and went and got a new one. Bummer!

John playing by the "river".

Alison covered by cousins.

Looking for me?

The view from our patio. The kids loved the pool and hot tub! Now every time we stay in a hotel, which we did on the drive home, they have to go for a swim.

While in Bakersfield some of my sisters and my mom and I went out for dinner one night. My dad watched my kids. Knowing that he was home for the night, I took Grandpa and Grandma and the kids for ice cream. We went to Dewar's. They are a local ice cream and candy shop that have been around since my mom was a little girl. We went to the original location which is down by my high school. We had a lot of fun together. It was really nice to spend time with them. My kids love having that one on one time with Grandpa and Grandma. They were excited to see my high school as well. That has more to do with movie High School Musical.

That is a Black and White. Vanilla ice cream with hot fudge topping. Topped with chocolate ice cream with marshmallow topping. Topped with crushed almonds. Yum!

Don't you just love the seats and the two pretty girls?

Sophia turned 6 years old while we were there. So that day Alison and my mom went with Melissa to her school to give out suckers and read Sophia's favorite book. Then that night we had a family party at my mom's house for her. The kids had fun breaking open the pinata and watching her open presents.

Happy Birthday Sophia. We love you.

This is John with Olivia. She belongs to my sister Angela. John fell in love with her. He is really into babies right now and thinks they are the cutest thing ever. She is a real mamma's girl, so John did not get to hold her as much as he wanted to.

Good times with Grandpa and Grandma Thompson!

Do we look alike?

Luck of the Irish

Do we really have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patricks' Day? We think not! We had our friends the McBride family over for dinner tonight. Green soda cans, green confetti and green eggs and ham! The kids sure enjoyed their meal. The adults enjoyed corned beef, potatoes, carrots and cabbage. YUM! It was Mark and Susan McBride's first time ever having corned beef. I was a bit nervous if they would go home hungry. I am happy to report that they loved it! They even went home with leftovers. We had gold coins from our Leprechaun, See's Candies! The next best thing to real gold.

The beautiful table. So corn, toast and applesauce are not green, but make a well balanced meal for young ones.
Green scrambled eggs and deli sliced ham.

The very hungry Ryan, John, Alison and Ella.

Mother Nature

This is March right? Who ordered snow? I want sunshine!

Cooking with Butterflies

I had made cookies for the family and was sending the kids to school every day with one in their lunch. The kids in Alison's class decided that they wanted cookies too. I was asked to come and make cookies with them! Me? I don't let my kids in the kitchen with me! I gladly accepted the challenge, I mean opportunity and headed with what felt like my kitchen to the Butterfly class.

This is Alison making glue, not cookies! I just did not have one of her working with me. They get to do so many fun things at school. Thank heavens for school!

Evan and I mixing in the flour. Notice my "hovering" hand. It was really hard for me to not "help" the kids with every step. I wonder if I could have a controlling personality?

The finished product was enjoyed by all!

I had a lot of fun and came home exhausted! I stand in awe of teachers everywhere!

John's Musical Performance

John did a great job for his performance! He is playing the "boom whacker". Never heard of that instrument? Neither had Mark and I. He was very anxious about this performance for the week leading up to it. But was able to perform without incident. We all enjoyed some ice cream at Cold Stone afterwards. Good job John. Dad and I are very proud of you and love you very much.

Trip to the Dentist

The seasoned professional. He makes fluoride look cool!

His 6 year molars are almost all in. His loose tooth in the front, that has been loose for 3 months, is still in! He refuses to pull it. It is driving me crazy! It is all I can do to not hold him down and flick it out.

The first timer. She was fabulous! Loved every minute of it.

No cavities, check. Goodie bags, check. Token prize, check.
Excited to go again in 6 months, check.

Sunday Sayings

During the sacrament, the bread is blessed and served first. John leans over to me and says, "mom, it just tastes like regular bread. I don't taste the blessings."

Later that day, our Home Teachers came over to visit. They are telling a story about a young boy who is trying to round up the family's cattle. They asked if the kids knew what cattle were. John said, "yea, it is a Cadillac". The boy ends up getting lost in the woods and it was starting to get dark. They asked the kids what they thought the boy could do. John said he could pray. Alison said, "He could ask Heavenly Father for a flashlight"!