Monday, April 23, 2012

Arches.


For as long as I can remember we have always gone to Arches over Spring Break with the Hookers and a few other families in the ward.
I have so many fun, unforgettable memories from this place.
This year as spring break quickly crept up on us I was really unsure about going.
We were moving in a week, and I was really worried about how Olivia would sleep at nights.
And definitely did not want to deal with getting up multiple times.
But, I just couldn't let myself not go.
So for a couple days we ate yummy food, played games, went jeeping, ate popsicles at the park, caught a lizard, played endlessly in the sand, gave the babies a bath in a tupperware container, and spent time with amazing friends.
Olivia was such a trooper and slept perfectly both nights.
Michael and I slept well even though we slept "old" style on the ground because our tent was too small to fit a mattress.
I'm proud of myself for that but hope to never have to do it again:)
I love my mattresses.

I am sad that we probably won't be back for a while.
But it was a perfect trip to end with.


Olivia, Hallie, and Jay playing in the sand.
Definitely a favorite thing for these littles.

Sitting in their very own camping chairs.
Such big girls!


Okay, the puffler hat makes me laugh so hard.
She looks like a marshmallow!

Up high on the rocks with uncle Emerson!
 
 Squeezing in a nap before the excitement of the afternoon begins.
I love her little ponytail sticking straight out.
 
 Jeeping at Fins and Things.
Michael, me, Sophia, and Emerson getting ready to head for the rocks!
 
 
 Getting pumped up by eating some warheads.


 It had been so long since I had one.
Seriously I thought it would be nothing, but those things are really quite sour.

 Picture with my boy before we venture down these rocks in the jeep.
There were definitely some iffy parts but it was so much fun!

 Thinking they are big girls and that they can venture off into the endless rocks by themselves:)



Trying to show dad something. 
(She is huge into grabbing your hand and taking you to what she wants).

Part of the group just hanging out!

Well Olivia got a little violent and hit ma on the head with a shovel so here she is saying sorry:)

Went off with the best friend on these beasts. 
I am so proud of myself for getting through all the crazy steep parts we rode on without dying.
 
Leslie and I took the littles to get a popsicle and then to a park because it was so dang hot.
The others met up with us a little later.
As you can tell by Olivia's shirt she insisted on eating the popsicle all by herself!
Thank goodness for camping clothes.

With Aunti Soph.

 
Cute pose.

Playing on the playground.

All the kids. Minus Winston:(
 
Love giving this boy hugs.

Well because of the sand, snacks, and sticky popsicle juice you can only imagine how dirty the little guys were.
So we pulled out the tub, heated up some water, and stuck em in.

They were in heaven.
And so were we because our babies were clean!




Wrestling around in the tent with Soph.
I really have no idea what this face is, but it is funny.



Loving the warm sand.





Once again, I failed to take a family picture.
It makes me so mad.
Anyhow, we are so grateful for fun vacations, family and good friends to share them with.
Arches will always have a special place in my heart.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Easter.

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday this year.
 We woke up and got ready for church, and went to church.
Michael came home early with Olivia to put her down for a nap.
Oh and he had a terrible allergic reaction and ended up with puffy swollen eyes.
He took 2 benedryl and that was it for him for the rest of the day...sad.
My BFF Leslie and I put together an Easter egg hunt for the littles which they absolutely loved.
Olivia knew right what to do. 
And was ecstatic about all the candy.
And her little friend Hallie who she calls "Ha"
It was a perfect day not only because the weather was great but because we got to spend it with family and good friends.


P.s. We leave tomorrow to go camping in Arches National Park and then 4 days later we are off to California. So if there is a lack of posting, I apologize but promise to still take lots of pictures and update as soon as possible.

Enjoy all the cute pictures.
(I really struggled getting her to look at me. She was a bit feisty today!)







 Our family and the Hookers.

 Off she goes to get her eggs!



 With her little friend "Ha" (Hallie)

We were so glad Stephen could spend Easter with us.
Right before the Easter hunt, he went around to some of the eggs and ate the candy and then put the wrappers back in.
Haha, he was definitely caught by some of the older littles!

 Olivia and baby Jay


 Opening up the eggs, eating all the candy, and then putting the egg in her basket!


 Pretty girl





Looking at the stash of eggs.
 
(I meant to get a family picture but was unable to because of my very cute knocked out husband..sad.)

Enjoying our yummy Easter dinner that evening

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter.