Memorial Day Weekend

We made our annual trip up to Duck Creek over the long weekend.  It's usually a little brisk over the "Opening Weekend" as they call it but this year it was downright freezing.  On Saturday, I ventured out on the mule to visit the horses and wasn't interested in going on a 4-wheeler again the entire weekend.  I got chilled to the bone.  Thank goodness Papa, Lindsay and Tripp were willing to take the kids out for rides so that I could stay inside and wimp out.

Saturday, we made our first visit to the horses.  Nate and Daisy are in love with them.  Daisy walked right up to the coral and one stuck it's head through and she wrapped her arms around it and gave it a huge hug...wish I had a photo.  She loves to hug, pet and feed them and can't wait until July when we will go back up and ride them.

Next up, a trip fishing.  We went to Papa's magic fishing pond where everyone always catches at least one fish.  They each caught two (Abbie is happy to tell anyone who will listen that she caught the only boy) and Papa even caught a huge one while fly fishing (a first I believe).

The kids did a lot of walking in the woods with Grandma or Papa, looking for treasure and deer.  I was in charge of crafts this trip which were all inside and I was good with that job.  The cabin has a new fuss ball table which was quite a hit and provided endless hours of entertainment.  We attended the annual Memorial Weekend Dance in town and the kids (except really Abbie...her weird I am embarrassed even though I dance at home every chance I get routine) danced up a storm to the live band.  All in all, it was a great weekend.  I did a horrible job taking photos.  I forgot a normal camera and didn't bring my phone anywhere as I didn't plan on calling anyone so there went my secondary camera.  If you want a more detailed pictorial summary, check out Lindsay's blog.  You'll have a chance to see me wearing one killer hat.

Disneyland

Lindsay, Sam and I took the kids (minus poor little Ryan) on our second annual Aunts/Cousins trip to Disneyland.  Lindsay wanted to go for two days this year and explore both Disneyland and California Adventure and I certainly had no objection.  Sam already bought a season pass so we were all on board.  We took the kids mid-week during the first part of May again which is truly a marvelous time...barely a line to be had and great weather.

The highlight for my kids, in particular, this trip was meeting so many characters.  We really took the time to stop and meet as many people as we could both days.  I don't even have all the photos of everyone we spent time with...these are just some of the wonderful Disney folk that spent time hugging, kissing, laughing with and signing our kids' darling autograph books (thanks Aunt Sam!!!!).

Of course we all like a little love from the mouse in particular so he granted us a family shot on our second day.

 

But our trip was about way more than meeting all the fun characters....we started the trip off Monday night in Downtown Disney.  The Lego Store there is so much fun.  All of the Disney characters they have built out of Legos are fantastic.  They also had an area where kids could build their own race cars and race them down a track...quite a hit with our little crowd.  We might have to try LegoLand after the rest of the family's Disney season passes expire.

We went on rides, rides and more rides.  The usuals were a hit...tea cups, Peter Pan, Storybook Ride, Small World, Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, etc.  Nate and Abbie weren't too thrilled with the Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean.  We totally avoided Thunder Mountain this round.  A Bugs Life in CA was a hit as was Soaring Over California.  Sadly, the Ferris Wheel was not.  I laughed so hard I could have peed my pants but Nate was one unhappy camper during that ride.  Abbie started out scared but turned into fits of laughter after I started busting up.

I got both my girls on Splash Mountain.  It was the only really big girl ride I made Abbie ride.  She wasn't a fan, although she really didn't seem that scared at all.  Daisy didn't care for it because it made her wet...otherwise, she was good to go.  Nate, on the other hand, loves it.

 The 3-D glasses and carnival style games on Toy Story were a hit for everyone.  Fun, fun ride.  I enjoyed finally being able to wear 3-D glasses without having to take a pair of glasses off and not see or to put them on over my glasses and have that arrangement not really work.  Having the LASIK before this trip was a dream.

Even the time-wasters at Disneyland were fun.  The girls had a ball well, playing with this ball.  Kyle used to really love it too.  I used to let Abbie play with it when we would wait for Tripp and Kyle to get off Space Mountain...she doesn't remember it but she loved it all the same.  Simple pleasures.

I think the very best part of the trip was just hanging out for 2 1/2 days with each other.  We never spend time just aunts and cousins (all of us at the same time) together hanging out for this long...just us. It is really, really fun.  I get a chance to see my sisters, which you would think would happen daily since one lives directly behind me and the other in the neighborhood next door...but it doesn't, and the girls get to hang out with their aunts.  The cousins actually see each other more regularly but it's not usually at a place that is so much fun.  I'm not sure we will be able to continue this forever so I hope while we do, the kids cherish these memories as much as I do.

Reading the Scriptures...

During family scripture reading Abbie asked to read the last verse, per usual. But instead of having me whisper it in her ear and then just repeating what she heard me say, she wanted to read the verse herself. She did it! Ok, Coriantumr was a stretch for her...but isn't it for most of us? Otherwise, she did the entire thing by herself.

Maybe it's my turn to sit back and let someone read the scriptures to me for awhile....

5 Fun Days....Zero Photos

We just got back from five days in Salt Lake. Unfortunately, I only have one blurry Instagram to show for it.

We (two girls, one mom) left Wednesday after Abbie got out of school and drove to my Aunt Leslie's house in Utah. We were part of a baby shower for my cousin Ashlie on Saturday morning (lots of fun). We had a great time hanging out with Leslie, Ashlie, Will, Kenna, Briley, Alexa, and Leslie's really darling Sister-in-Law Taffy. We snuck in a couple of visits with Tina as well. My girls really fell in love with Taffy...she is something special. The weather was rainy but they still managed to squeeze in some time outside. We also fit in a trip to the Children's Museum at Gateway.

Saturday afternoon Scott and Lori invited us over (after our zoo plans got washed away by the rain) for some play time at their house. The girls discovered how much fun a train set with Brigham and Gavin can be. Hopefully we can try the zoo with them another time.

We drove home yesterday with both girls wanting to stay another day or two...the mark of a perfect trip!

Day Without Shoes...

Tripp and I participated in an International One Day Without Shoes today. We spent the day walking around without our shoes (which the girls thought was hilarious). I wore flip flops in Costco, the post office and the Girl Scout Store. Tripp carried his with him but didn't end up wearing them and had several really good conversations with people about what we were up to. Tripp's really good at pushing the envelope and doing that...I'm a little more tentative. He's a good example to me.

We were trying to raise awareness for those around the world who aren't blessed with shoes for their feet. And let me tell you...it really wasn't fun. The girls caved in a matter of minutes. My feet are so sore tonight. The sidewalk was really hot today. I wasn't meant to be a pioneer, that's for sure. Tripp isn't grumbling so who knows how he is doing...seemingly well from the looks of it. I'm looking forward to my Toms tomorrow.

If you are interested in learning more, visit here.

Happy Birthday Ruby!

Our favorite BFF Ruby Ru turned 6 last week so we set off to LA Tuesday to celebrate. Nikki asked me about 8 months ago if I'd be up for taking the girls to the American Girl store with them for Rubes' birthday. Sounded like a great idea! We've had a pretty excited group of girls for the past eight or so months, eagerly awaiting one little birthday.

We set out early Tuesday morning and made our way to the store. We arrived in time to make appointments at the hair salon, confirm our lunch reservation and do a little browsing before our big birthday lunch. They seated us in the most darling little room and we had a wonderful lunch with our birthday girl. All our American Girls (Lanie, two Kananies and a Julie) had a nice lunch as well.

After lunch we shopped (Lulu had a Christmas gift card, Rubes got her birthday gift and Abbie & Daisy had a bunch of Aunt Susie money and allowance they saved for the occasion), got the dolls new hairdos, visited the AG Library and then got ready to make our way home. We stopped for some pancakes (or fish and broccoli if your Abbie) at IHOP before the long ride back. The girls watched American Girl movies and the moms got a long overdue chance to chat. Posie was a real trooper the entire day. She is a wonderful, wonderful Bitty Baby in the making.

Girls at the fountain. What a lovely day in CA. Could have sat outside forever if we didn't have a long, long ride home. Thanks Butler Girls for inviting us for your day of fun!!!!

Visions 6

Tripp and I spent last weekend finishing the triad of seminars that culminated with Visions 6. We started this journey with "Discovery" when Kyle was at Horizon Academy in the fall. When it was clear he would be leaving, we decided there was still a lot of value in us staying the course and completing the rest of the seminars (Focus and Visions) so we continued on through the Fall, Winter and now into the Spring. This last seminar was split into two parts (weekends) with 10 weeks of work in between. We've made some amazing friends along the way and learned incredible lessons to boot. Looking back, I don't think either of us would have done it any different. We attended what was only the 6th Visions workshop. Most people don't make it that far. Our class was noteworthy in that it was incredibly large (nearly 30 people strong) and more than 3/4 of us came from the same Discovery group. Unprecedented from what I understand. So...here was Visions 6 Weekend 2.

Friday was a blur. I got there just in the nick of time but Tripp was able to visit the Salvation Army with a good portion of the rest of the group to deliver coats we collected to the homeless. There was in-house session work that afternoon and evening. And as always...homework.

We woke up Friday and headed (after a slight detour...thanks for not grumbling Jay, Jen, Shannon & Terri) out to meet the group for our big day. This is Tripp and I upon arrival, ready for whatever we had in store.

Tripp leading our team on a log and board course.

Tripp and I on the Leap of Faith

Ali repelling

These two are Visions BBFs (our friend Shannon featured with Tripp)

Day three was an in house day that involved our two year vision boards, a trip back to Focus and really wrapping everything up. It was quite a day. Satisfying to be done but hard to say "Goodbye" to some of these folks. Never fear, they have Visions Reunions!

Marjory, my Visions small group leader. She was also my Discovery small group leader, which is also quite rare.
Vanessa, who so aptly says, "Obviously, I don't have a kid in the program...." She is in recovery and has applied to UNLV. We are keeping a room open for her!!!!!!

Tracy, my Visions/Focus BFF

Gus, Tripp's Focus Buddy, Tracy and us...lifelong friends

Shannon, Tripp's Visions BFF

The Lee's, more lifelong friends. Janae was Tripp's Visions Buddy and Kimuel. They (well, mostly Kimuel) bought a double decker tour bus and put our Visions 6 logo on the side...that is commitment.