Hogle Zoo in February and April

I don't post a lot of our little field trips, but this one was memorable enough to note. The last Wednesday of each month during the winter months Hogle Zoo has free admission. It's usually pretty busy, but I thought it would be worth it to take Adam and our little guy. Parents are the ones that care about weather and crowds. Kids just want to see animals.

We started out in the reptile house and then went to the otter house to visit Erik and Kevin's fish. We took the usual tiger photo opp and then headed up hill to see the giraffes.

When we started going uphill I asked our little guy to walk since I'd pushed him for the previous hour. He didn't like that idea. At. All. I didn't get a picture of him lying on the ground yelling about how much he hated walking and feet, because that would have looked bad, but I got some good pictures of the pouting. Is it okay that I found it cute?

We went to the ape house but I still made him walk. Evil, I know. He wasn't happy about it. (Does this make me seem like a horrible person? I promise, he was well fed, rested and he didn't walk very far.)

He and Adam took pictures with the ape statue and then we rode the train. Oh the memories!

In April we took a trip with Adam's kindergarten class. It was SO COLD! I bribed the kids with a french fry break twice so we could go into the restaurant and escape the weather. :) We didn't wander as much but we did get a picture with Erik and Kevin's fishes and with some of his classmates at the gorilla. 

His a picture of him in the morning before we left and one of us on the bus. I love my little buddy boy!

Random April

My parents came to visit, so Mike and I took the chance to go skiing

When my parents come to visit my boys like to wake up early to hang out with my dad. Today the made a book path. :)

We hid a geocache that looks like a rusted nail. 

Mike showing the kids how to roll down a hill properly

The kids dressing up

Zombie Apocalypse

Enjoying some fine Japanese dining

Spring Recital

This is why I'm glad I go through pictures before printing the blog book. It's June 2019 and I missed blogging their spring recital. Thank goodness for pictures and Youtube videos. :)


Sarah played, "Waltz of the Flowers"

Steven played, "Ode to Joy"

Face Swap fun

While in Colorado we discovered the Face Swap app. As you can imagine, we all wasted a decent about of time using it. :) Mike started off the fun by taking a picture of him and Steven. It was weird. I then took a picture with Steven and realized how much he looks like me. Then we all just took lots of random goofy pictures. I'm just creating this because it will be fun to look back at these pictures in 20 years. (and remind our kids how incredibly cool we were/are)

Since that first day I've found some additional gems on my phone.  I love my goofy family!

Happy Easter

Like I say every year, I love Easter. I love this time of year. I love the emphasis on renewal. I love new beginnings. I love the Savior and His resurrection. There is so much to love about Easter.

A week before Easter weekend we went to Lynette's work's Easter egg hunt. They had it divided by age group. Our little guy had minimal competition, so he cleaned up. Sarah had a full basket of eggs, but when some kids showed up late and one of them asked for some of her eggs. She proceeded to shovel handfuls into his basket until hers were almost gone. I watched it from a ways off and it was a proud mommy moment.

Since we had a long weekend we decided to drive to Colorado to spend the weekend with my family. Mike was able to go flying with my dad which is always a big treat. He sent me a text when they were flying overhead and I was able to snap a picture.  

On Sunday afternoon we went to church with my parents and then the whole family came over for an Easter egg hunt and nice dinner. Even though there is always chaos when the numbers rise it's great to spend time together.

My parents have a new addition to their family and it's pretty funny. They already have a Jack Russel terrier and bit bull at home, but were adopted BY a cat. The cat began by coming in at night and stealing some food. They bought it food and started leaving it out. Then they put a little box in their utility room. It eventually started coming in and sleeping high enough so the dogs couldn't get it. While we were there it started coming and hanging out once the dogs were put away. Smart cat.

Right before we were leaving the boys BEGGED to be able to stay behind since they were on spring break the whole week. My parents offered to drive them home the next weekend so we enthusiastically reluctantly allowed them to stay. Having one kid is SO easy, especially when that one child is a 10 year old Sarah. Not that we would have it any other way, but it was a very quiet week. On the way home we stopped at the "other" Lincoln Memorial since we've passed it dozens of times.

Their first night there the boys called us crying, but then they passed out and were happy the rest of the time. This is a picture my mom sent me after they called crying. We missed them and Friday didn't come soon enough.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints put out a beautiful Easter video called, "Hallelujah". I am so incredibly grateful for the reality of the resurrection. Death hath lost it's sting.