Spring Break!!!

Before I even get started on this, I have to say how thankful I am to have these pictures!!!  I hadn't uploaded them to the computer yet, and yesterday...I did the worst thing you could ever do-I dropped my phone in the toilet!  The toilet!!!!  And the first terrifying thought I had was that I had lost my spring break pictures!  I dried it off as best as I could, even hair dried it a bit, threw it in some rice and left it.  This mornng, I couldn't even get it to respond, and then Cris got home and he knows when I am stressed, but I don't want to tell him because I don't like him to be stressed.  He could tell I was stressing, and he coaxed it out of me.

Well, instead of even getting mad, he was sweet and sympathizing.  Then, I told him my panic attack I had about the pictures, and that mad genius of a man took the phone in the rice and shook it up, then he plugged it into the computer, and wouldn't you know it, the thing started syncing!!!  I still get butterflies thinking about how hopeful that made me!!!

Slowly, my spring break pictures started appearing on the screen, and I am not going to lie, I got teary-eyed!!!!

That husband of mine is a wonderfully disturbed brilliant mad man!!!!

And just up to date...I heard it ringing not too long ago, but i don't dare to take it out of the rice.  So, for now, I will just be thankful I have my pictures, and later tonight I will have my amazing and talented son call me and see if it works and makes a connection.

After all, I did not let it sit in the toilet.  It just splooshed, and I knee-jerk react pulled it right out.

So, onto more important things.

SPRING BREAK!!!

We spent most of our break with the Sorenson's.  That's right, I came to Idaho and found my other family!  Even spelled the same.  And the mom's name....Mary!!!  That is my grandma's name!!!  So when they announced this family in our ward, I went straight to her and told her we would be friends, and we are!

 The first couple of days of spring break were beautiful!!!  But we knew we didn't have long, so we did our outside stuff first!  We went to the Nature Center!  We love this place!  We spend at least once a week here in the summer.  The girls can't get enough of it!  So we brought the Sorenson's here, they've never been.  They have 4 boys, and 1 of them is Ethan's age (Jake), 1 is between London and Ethan (Garon), and 1 is London's age (Oakley), and 1 is Aubrey's age (Mac).  They get along soooo well!   London and Oakley are the best of friends right now!  They cannot get enough of each other, it's so good for her to have a buddy, and if I'm being completely honest, she gets along better with boys her age than girls (although, she still has some cute girl friends).

 We looked at the fish, and the owls, and took the nature walk, then we had to decide if we were going to the river, or to the playground.  it is not warm enough to play in a river yet, so we went to the playground and had a picnic and played ball, and played on the park.  We were there for like 5 hours!  The kids loved it!  They are so ready to get out of the house and play outside!

 That night, they all wanted spaghetti, so my Ethan helped me make a big batch of spaghetti and meatballs.  Everyone ate tons and they all slept like rocks!  Hooray for sunshine!!!

 Isn't he cute, just stirring away?

 The next day, Mary and I decided we should take the kids to see Sherman and Peabody.  London has been begging me to see that movie forever!  So I was super excited to take her!

When we got to the theater, we were just in time to hear them announce that our time and our movie was SOLD OUT!!!!  The kids were so bummed!  So Mary and I (being the crafty devils we are) put our heads together and found another time just an hour later downtown!  I have never been to the downtown Boise theater, so we decided this MUST happen!

It was perfect, there was no one there!  So we got a huge popcorn and tons of little containers so all the kids could have their own, we got them all waters, and then we made little bags of candy for each of them and snuck them in (shhhhh).  Lond was so excited to sit by Oakley!  The big boys were happy to hang out together, and Aubrey and Mac were content by each other and the mommies.

Afterward, Mary and I had to take a minute to congratulate ourselves for hauling 7 kids to 2 movie theaters and making sure they all had something yummy to munch on with their movie.

Isn't she so cute?!

 The next day, Cris decided he wanted to do some stuff as a family.

We NEVER go out to eat as a family!  So we decided we would go have lunch together and it was so fun.

 We went to Wingers.  I know it doesn't sound like that great, but Cris loves their wings, the girls love corn dogs, and my Ethan is a hamburger man!  So we knew everyone would find something they liked.

 This was the look on Aubrey's face after I told her they had mini corn dogs.  She is ok with that!

 London and Cris, I was actually surprised Aubrey let her sister sit by daddy.  She is a little possessive of him.

 Afterward, we went to Toys R Us.  We wanted to get an idea of what London wants for her birthday.

We walked smack into this display!  She was grabbing all she could carry.

 I took pictures to save on my phone, but since that is questionable, I am blogging them to be safe!

HOW COOL ARE THESE!!!???  

 I may have mentioned that London is obsessed with dragons...she is, she just is, so how perfect are these?

 And, she would like a dragon party this year please.

Of course she would.

 I had her hold up the ones she wants.  These were 2 of her favorites and of course, she loves the big dragons.

 Cris and I also picked out some new bedding.  We figured, we saved money by not going anywhere, plus we had to use almost our whole tax return on tuition, so we decided to do something kind of fun with a little bit of our money mountain.

 

When we got home from our shopping trip and lunch, the Sorenson's had already called us to play, they wanted to have a Nerf war at the park.  All the kids were way too fast for Aubrey, so Cris helped her get all decked out in camouflage, and helped her pick a Nerf gun and sent her out the door and over to the park.  She is so intimidating.   

 We also had a visit from the Tooth Fairy!  

I have to tell the story!  The other night, Cris and I were taking movies to the Edward's house, and we left the kids home.

While we were gone, London's tooth fell out.  She did not even panic, she was bleeding and everything.  She just went to the sink and rinsed and spit and repeated until the blood was gone.  Then she bagged up her tooth in a zippy, and got ready for bed.  HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!!  I smell a future dentist/doctor.  The blood didn't even bother her!  She kind of rocks.

Well, the Tooth Fairy may have been a little distracted by spring break and forgot....2 nights in a row!!!  So when she finally remembered, she left a note apologizing (with plenty of sparkles) and 2 dollars!  She was promptly forgiven.

Moving on!

The next day of our spring break, it rained allalllllll day long!  So Mary called me and asked if we should make a scavenger hunt at TARGET!  I was so in!  We started looking on-line for ideas and wouldn't you know, we found some really good ones.  So we chose our favs, loaded up the car and off to Target we went!

Littles went with the moms, and the bigger boys went together, and it was on like bing bong!!!

 First item, tags that added up to $25-.  We found the 3 for $24- and Aubrey had a $1- chickie in her hand.  Perfect!

 Next item, an autograph from a stranger with words of advice.  This lady was so sweet, her advice was "Be kind".  And Oakley was kind enough to let her use his back.  I love this kid.

 Next, store hours.  

 Next, someone in the team shaking hands with a bearded man.  Aubrey was born ready for this challenge!

 Next, our team wearing sunglasses.  Mac did not want to do this one, so he helped me take the pic.

 Someone ready for bed.  

Mac and Oakley put on pajama pants, but Mac went the extra step and took a nap on the floor.

Next, everyone in a silly t-shirt.

Next, everyone is something patriotic.  I love Aubrey's salute, and London's Captain America pose.

 Next, a happy 100th birthday card.  The big boys could not even find this one he he he.

 Next, one of our team members doing YMCA with strangers.

When we finished, we met up front.  Our team was the first one done!  And we had ALL our list items!  We beat the big boys!!!  So we let our team choose a treat from the dollar spot!  And we may have been kind and got treats for the big boys too.  After all, we were advised by a stranger to be kind.

 When we finished with Target, we took the kids to get an ice cream cone.

I tell you everywhere we go, people always know!  We are a loud crowd!  No one seemed to mind too much, we made a lot of new friends this day.

 London was making faces in her ice cream cone and for some reason, it was making everyone laugh their heads off!  We were so loud at Arctic Circle!  Good thing we were the only ones there.  After all, who really eats ice cream on cold rainy days?

We do.

 The next day, the kids played at the park by our house, and had more Nerf wars.

That afternoon, Cris and I decided we needed some alone, quiet time so we went to the temple.  It was so nice!  The contrast of my crazy loud week, and the quiet calm temple...yeah, I needed that.

We then went and had dinner at the Ram.  That place is so yummy!  It is always loud, but the food has never never never been disappointing, so we always find ourselves choosing that place!

 Saturday I was so excited all day to take London to the Women's Conference!!!  I have been looking forward to this forever!!!  I was amazed when they announced it, and I have been telling London about it ever since, and then I got worried that she would just be bored!  She so was not!  She listened to everyone, she got up and sang the song when Sister Wixom asked the girls to stand, she loved the video they showed, and when we got home, we talked about President Eyring's talk!

It was just way too special, and I got emotional way too many times.  I love my daughter so dang much!

This is London and Matti, and that silly boy behind them is Sammy.  He came to help serve ice cream. 

After the meeting, our Primary Pres. had a sundae bar in the primary room, and she gave the girls journals to write about the conference in.  London actually did too!  When we got home, she put on her jammies and wrote in her journal.

 Sunday.

The last day of Spring Break.  Frowny face.

We still had fun though.  After church, the girls wanted to watch Mary Poppins, and eat blue ring pops (I truly truly hate blue suckers, but my girls love what it does to their tongues and teeth and lips....blarg) which was good because Cris and I watched Saving Mr. Banks the other night and it made me really want to watch this movie.

So, we had treats, and watched Mary Poppins, and snuggled on the couch.  I need to find this book now.  I am all intrigued after seeing Saving Mr. Banks.  

Then we had warm bread for dinner.  The kids love it when all we have for dinner is fresh bread with butter and honey and jelly.

It was a good and busy spring break, and I was not ready to let them go back to their teachers, but a mom's got to do what a mom's got to do.