Spring Break!

I do not usually do spring break with the children because we have many breaks throughout the year. But this week was different!
Monday:my friend Amy and her children were visiting their grandma (our next door neighbor) so we took advantage of the time with friends and went to cub scouts, Dairy Queen, and played at the pond. It is always fun to have company! Tuesday: we skipped our American Revolution Day with Ben and Syndi to go to the beach! See the cool pictures and fun time we had at Syndi's Blog.
Wednesday: We went to Cara and Klay's house for a play day with all her children! They got to see the baby chicks, ride bikes over the jumps, splash in puddles, play puzzles, and hang out! Aaron and Erik loved helping the big boys and Taylor enjoyed girl time! All went wonderful except for a black eye! On the way home the children and I enjoyed fast food and Sonic and Dairy Queen and then went straight to bed before 8:00pm!

Thursday: We met Geaba and Justin in Bellingham and went to teriyaki for lunch and Mike's RC World for a birthday party for Geaba. What a great grandma that for her birthday she wants to take her grandchildren to a remote control place to play with cars! We had a great time and all the children did very well taking turns and helping each other out. Aaron made it all the way around the track without crashing because 'Mike' said he would give whoever could do it a dollar! But then he said he had to see it and Aaron could not do it a second time. The photo above is after Erik gave Geaba her present. Only a grandma can be truly excited about a key chain, a golden egg with Taylor's name written on it and a plastic toy!

Thursday evening my friend Shella and her boys, Tyler, Ryan and Jake came for dinner and Geaba's birthday dessert! We had a fabulous time! I love that my friends with teenage boys can play with my boys and hold my baby and enjoy it! Unfortunately I have not been taking many pictures so I have to wait for her to email me some. Tyler got a really bad sunburn on his face (while snowboarding) and it was blistered and peeling and none of my children said anything about it. They enjoyed him so much.

Friday: Sean and I took the kids including our "adopted" daughter Megan (we call her Fudge) to Watermania! We met Shella and her boys there for a fun day of water slides, wave pool, hot tubs, diving boards, and rope swings! Unfortunately my hand continued to swell and get bigger and more itchy so I was not much help with the children. Sean and Megan and Tyler took turns with the non swimmers and all went smoothly. We continued our tradition of Tim Horton doughnuts and Starbucks for the ride home. Thankfully we had provisions for the hour long border crossing!

Cara and her mom, Joan

Saturday: Grandpa Ivan and Melody came up to visit! We were so excited to see them and spend time with them. Taylor and Melody helped frost Erik's Birthday Cake since it is really difficult to do that one handed. Grandpa enjoyed Tomahawk and knife throwing with the boys and reading to Ian and Ruby. He even got down on the floor and played puzzles with the children. I really miss seeing them! It was such a wonderful visit.

Ian gave Grandpa a legendary Grandpa Ivan Hug and really stuck close. Seeing them makes me miss my dad even more! We hated to see them go but were so glad that they got to celebrate Erik's birthday with us!

Ruby and Kaiden

Saturday evening we made Resurrection Cookies and read the story about Christs' Crucifixion and Resurrection. It was so cool to hear the children read the story out of the Bible and understand and discuss what was happening. When we sealed the 'tomb' Ian put a Playmobile guard to make sure no one stole anything.

Erik and his Frog cake. That boy has an obsession with frogs.

I know my photos are all out of order but I am not sure how to fix it. I did something wrong.

Sunday: We went to church and had wonderful fellowship! The worship was so inspiring and the message one of Hope! Taylor held Libby through the service and Libby slept so peacefully in her arms, it was very sweet. I love watching my children sing to Jesus and develop their faith in our Savior.

We rested for the afternoon and went to Cara and Klay's house for dinner-- non traditional Tacos! We had a Easter egg hunt for the little ones. I procrastinated and did not buy any candy so I filled the eggs with quarters and other change! I like that I spent less money did not have candy to contend with and the children added to their savings. Klay kept threatening to take the money and get a latte. Ruby loved Cara's eggs that had tootsie rolls in them.

Again, Cara's big boys took such good care of the little ones.

We had dessert with Cara's mom and dad and finished the evening with worship songs led by Cody (the oldest) We had an amazing sunset and the majestic mountains and air washed clean by all the rain!

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!