Easter!

Easter is one of my favorite holidays! I love to see everything come to life and have a new fresh start! This year hasn't been your typical spring Easter season. We have had our fare share of cold wind, snow & hail storms, and rainy weather, so I think things are still a few weeks off. The great part is that is just around the corner...I hope! The Easter Bunny made a Saturday morning appearance and filled the girls baskets with some fun things. The girls went hunting in hopes of finding their Easter treats. Makell found her basket in the oven. Good thing I wasn't in the mood for some early morning baking. Kourtney found her basket in the office closet. It took her a while to finally discover where it was. I'm thinking how nice it could be to clean closets while eating candy.;) It seemed like Kaitlyn looked for a good thirty minutes before she found her basket. She eventually noticed a purple handle sticking up on top of the hutch in the kitchen. She gave us the excuse that her eyes were not fully opened yet. We ventured down to the city Easter Egg hunt. Technically Kourtney could have participated this last year but she refused to. She said she was to old. Reality check, my daughter is maturing and growing up. Kaitlyn and Makell

Sunday we spent the day reflecting on and pondering the real meaning of Easter. It was wonderful because we didn't have all the distractions of candy and eggs to take us away from thinking about Jesus Christ. I am so grateful I can say I know that our Savior lives. How blessed I am to have the Holy Ghost testify of the truths to me and have those feelings to gain a testimony that he still lives.


Later Sunday night we got together with my family at my brothers house for an Easter dinner and to celebrate a few birthday's. My brother Matt and sister-in-law Janette put together an egg hunt for the kiddos. With the rainy weather, it was held indoors which didn't seem to bother the kids. The kids had a ball and it was fun enjoying every one's company.

Egged!

It was about 10:00 on Friday night when I backed out of the driveway for a quick run to the grocery store for some milk, when the headlamps on the car revealed many Easter eggs covering the front lawn and flower beds. I noticed a note on the door and went back in to tell Adam and the girls. The note that was taped on the front door read, "You've Been Egged"! I wished I had a video camera at that point so I could have captured the girls excitement! They were eggstatic! They ran to get their Easter Baskets and busted through the front door! There was no evidence left behind on who this sneaky Easter Bunny was, but who ever you are THANK YOU so much for bringing so much joy and excitement to our family! This really meant a lot to our kids and especially to Adam and I. We felt so much love and gratitude for your kind act!

Eggs covered the lawn and flower beds!

This brought a new level of excitement and challenge trying to hunt for eggs in the dark! They loved it! I loved hearing little laughs and giggles as the girls ran around the yard carrying Easter baskets!
Thank you again for your sweet act of kindness!

One Time a Year!

These birthday's come way to fast! I was surprised with some fun birthday signs from my sweet girls first thing that morning! I have to say I had the best day! My sweet friends invited me over for a wonderful lunch and mingling. They are the best! I had many visitors that dropped by, which totally made my day! Thanks for everyone who made my day wonderful!

Transportation Day at School!

I think this is one of the cutest things the preschool class does. It was the annual transportation day parade. The kids all made and brought a form of transportation from home, and then they walked around the block in parade form for all the parents and grandparents. This school bus has held out for over six years. Adam made it for Kourtney when she was in preschool and Kaitlyn used it as well. Makell was quite thrilled that it was finally her turn. Adam was grateful that it actually lasted through all the girls! ;) A one time build! There were so many creative ideas this year! The kids loved it !

Makell with her friends Daniel and Jackson!

Going Home!

I can't believe how well the kids did traveling! We were in the car for a VERY long time. I don't remember one complaint from any of them. They were awesome! We did have a lot of fun together. I'm sure this will be the first of many long road trips for us! I got a thumbs up from everyone on how they liked road tripping! ;)

4 Corners

On our way back from Texas, we took a small detour and stopped off at the Four Corners National Monument. Adam was the only one that had been there before, so it was new experience for the rest of us. I had in my mind it being more than it was. It is literally in the middle of no where. We quickly found out that it is one expensive place to park. $12 to park the van in the middle of rocks and sage brush. The kids loved the idea of being in four States at once! They each took a turn spreading themselves out across the emblems. We can now say we have checked the Four Corners Monument off our travel list!

Ft. Worth Stockyards!

Kaitlyn turns 9!

While in Texas, Kaitlyn celebrated her 9th birthday! I can't believe it has been nine years since she joined our family. She is such a joy in our lives! I love her sweet smile and funny personality! There is never a dull moment with Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn was fortunate to celebrate her birthday with Adam's side of the family this year. This is a rare occasion since we live so far away. Dad made sure that she received her annual birthday spankings. :) Kaitlyn had a birthday dinner, opened presents, and we all played some of her favorite night games. She sure was spoiled! Since I forgot to buy wrapping paper to wrap gifts, we decided that we would blindfold her and make her feel the gifts and guess. She was a great little guesser! Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!

Dallas Temple

After we left Caleb and Mubeen's house, we realized that the Dallas Temple was only about ten minutes from their house. We made a quick little detour and walked around the temple grounds. I am amazed at the feeling that exists around the temple. There is so much peace and comfort there. It is such a blessing to know that even though our children are not old enough to enter the temple, they can still feel the power and strength that comes from the temple by being on the temple grounds. It has been several years since the last time I was at the Dallas Temple for a sealing. I think Kourtney was just a toddler at that time. I loved having the opportunity to visit it again. There were a few brides there taking pictures. It was awesome for the girls to see how modestly they were dressed and give them a small glimpse of what their future can be like!

Visit with Grammy Tx & Grandpa Jim!

For our last few days in Texas, we stayed with Lori and Jim. It seemed like it had been forever since we had last seen them. The kids were excited because all the cousins came as well. It was like a big loud party the whole time. Grandma let the kids practically do whatever they wanted, and they think her house is the greatest! Adam tried to teach the girls how to shoot pool on grandpa Jim's pool table. Next time grandpa might have to teach them since he is the pro at pool, literally! Grammy TX bought a lantern for each of the grandkids to play hide and seek, and night games. Grandma gets the "grandma of the year" award for that one! The kids had a blast and are still talking about it! I'll admit I had just as much fun as the kids! Makell was having Harley withdraws so she was glad Shiloh was there to fill the void. It was great to visit and catch up with everyone.

The Dallas Arboritum

We spent a few days with Caleb and Mubeen. We had a great time staying with them and hanging out. Mubeen took us to the Dallas Arboretum one day! We packed a picnic and walked through the beautiful flower gardens! It was the perfect day and the kids loved playing in all the fairy tale houses and castles. I literally could have stayed there all day. It was so peaceful and pretty. I wish I could make my yard look like that! Good choice Mubeen!

Shock to our system...

Just a few days before we left for Texas, a snow storm hit and left seven inches of snow behind.
Talk about a shock to our system! The second day we were in Texas the temperature rose to a hot and humid 94 degrees! We literally thought we were dying! After spending the day at the Ft. Worth Zoo in the heat, one of our children became over heated and had a melt down in the parking lot. I felt so bad for her because it took all I had to not have a melt down in the parking lot as well! :) I thought it was crazy as we were walking around and overheard a few people talking about how it was a little on the "chilly side". Obviously they don't understand what "chilly" really means. I should have invited them to Utah. On the other side, I am sure as they witnessed us with our flushed cheeks and sweat dripping from every part of our body we looked pretty silly as well. :)

$$ Tour

Shawn and Kim had told us about the tour they had taken to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. After hearing about it, Adam and I really wanted to go. We were able to witness how American currency is made. Security around this place was crazy as you can understand. As we pulled into the parking lot we heard over the PA system that we had to leave everything in our cars. They wouldn't let us bring any cameras or cell phones in with us! We entered a building and had to go through a security check point. Adam had to practically get undressed before they would let him in. :) After the security point they bused us to the building where the process actually took place. There are only two places in the Unites States where our currency is made and one was right there in Ft. Worth, Texas. The other is in Washington D.C., but it is a much smaller facility than Ft. Worth. There are 800 Federal Law Enforcement Officers guarding the facility at one time. When we entered the building, we were taken on a tour. They took us on the catwalks above the printing and processing equipment. The day we were there, they were printing $5's and $20's. Have you ever wondered why your money doesn't fall apart when it accidentally goes through the washing machine? We leaned that bills are not made with any paper at all. It consists of 80% cotton and 20% Linen. The facility prints 1.6 million dollars an hour. That is why they need all that security! The process was absolutely amazing! The kids loved it as much as Adam and I. They showed us how they print each sheet with specific numbers and in certain sequences so everything is accounted for. If there is a flaw in the process or the sheet gets jammed in some way, the process stops and every sheet is accounted for. They "somewhat" explained and showed us how they print so it's hard for people to counterfeit. Right now they print three different colors on each bill, but can print up to fourteen. Printed on every bill is the location of where is was made. If it is made in Ft. Worth, you will find a small FW on the bill. If it is made in Washington D.C., it will not have any distinguishing mark on it. They told us that the Ft. Worth facility is printing 67% of the United States currency right now. After the tour, we went into the visitors center and saw some really cool things and heard some amazing stories. We also went to the gift shop where we purchased an uncut sheet of $1 bills. Granted they do know how to make a few extra bucks. An uncut sheet of thirty-two $1 bills cost us $50. Crazy I know, but it is pretty cool! They told us that we could cut one out and spend it if we wanted. It was all legit because of the markings and numbers on the bill. If you ever have the chance to go to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, we highly recommend it! The kids loved it and it was very educational!

There were about eight rows of chain link fence strung with razor wire along the top. The facility sits back in on the property so there is not a chance of getting out except their way!

After the tour, Shawn and Kim took us out to lunch at Joe T. Garcia's. This is one of our favorites! The atmosphere is amazing and so beautiful!

Cooking with Grandpa!

Grandpa Shawn had some fun activities to do with the kids while we were staying with them. First they made some yummy homemade bread. It was a really interesting recipe. You begin the process with a starter, and there is no yeast added to the dough. The dough mixture absorbs the yeast that is in the air. They also helped him make his amazing homemade beef jerky. This is definitely a family favorite! Shawn is awesome when it comes to having patience! He spent several hours in the kitchen helping and coaching the girls. The kids loved spending time with grandpa.


The bread was delicious!

Fun with Grandpa & Grandma

We have so much fun spending time with Shawn, Kim, and Logan. One of my favorite things to do with them is playing games around the kitchen table. It never fails that our game nights end with tears because of much laughter! We were fortunate to participate with them for their monthly family and friends FHE. Kim is a great host and went all out for the kids. After our Easter Lesson and dessert, Kim put together an Easter Egg hunt for the kids. Even the older kids got in to it! Anything for candy and money, right? ;) Shawn and Kim still live in the same ward Adam grew up in. He was excited to see so many friends and familiar faces. Adam was especially grateful to see a few of his Young Men's leaders and tell them what a difference they had made in his life. The girls loved going to primary in a different ward. Kaitlyn thought it was funny that the ward only had two primary classes, which meant she and Kourtney were in the same class. I am sure it only seemed strange to them, where we come from a ward of about 160 primary kids and about 12 classes (only in Utah). A little girl gave Kourtney and Kaitlyn a beautiful real Hawaiian Lia for visiting her ward. She was such a sweet little girl who was such a huge example to them about showing love and kindness. I think they will always remember that.

Ft. Worth Zoo

We must have had the same idea as everyone else this day. The Zoo was sooooo busy! According to the regulars that live in Texas, they have never seen it that busy! That would be just like us to go on such a busy day! The kids loved it besides the fact that it was so hot that day! I think the Ft. Worth Zoo is one of the best that we have been to. After seeing many of the exhibits, the heat won and the kids were done. Poor Kaitlyn was overheated. She was trying to be tough, but after finally making it to the parking lot, the tears of discomfort let loose. It was great to spend a fun day with family. Shawn, Kim, and Logan came with us, Caleb and Mubeen came with the kids, and Kali and Jay brought his little girl Cami. After the zoo, we went and experienced Babe's Fried Chicken. This place was very unique and VERY good. The menu items are: fried chicken or chicken fried steak. Then they give you all the sides, served homestyle. Definitely NOT for the dieters!!

Along the Route...

We knew that as we traveled we would have to stop along our route. Our first stop was about an hour outside of Moab. We drove around a bend and over a small hill to spot the Monticello, Utah LDS Temple. We took a small detour and jumped out for some pictures. It was quite cold and windy so we didn't stay long but it was so pretty! We also passed by Chimney Rock and Ship Rock. They were pretty impressive! Next we stopped off on the official old Route 66. The kids thought it was quite cool since they have seen it in the movie Cars! Once we made it to Texas, and our hotel, the kids had a blast swimming. Our kids have one rule, so they tell us. "Our hotel must have a swimming pool!" On our second day we stopped off at the famous "Big Texan" steak house in Amarillo. This place is know for the famous 72 oz steak. The challenge is it you can finish it within one hour it's free! I wished we could have witnessed someone try, but no one was up for the challenge that day.

4 states in 1day!

For Spring Break this year we decided to take our first 22 hour road trip to Texas. I have to say, preparing to leave made me worried. The longest road trip we have been on was 11 1/2 hours. This was practically double! I wasn't quite sure how the girls would handle it! Adam told me he was more worried about me than the girls. I wasn't quite sure what to think about that! We decided that we wanted to stop at every state line and snap a quick family picture! I was so glad that we did this! It broke up the ride and gave us many things to laugh about! This first picture of all of us was taken at 4:30 a.m. (in Utah) right before we loaded in the car to head out!

State line in Colorado. It was absolutely freezing! There were ice pellets hitting us from the side. I would love to know what the people that passed by were thinking? We received strange looks and a few horn honks! :)

New Mexico state line. We were literally in the middle of no where! This is the state we spent most of our day driving in. I was so anxious to see green grass and green trees!

Finally after 14 1/2 hours in the car, we made it to the Texas state line! We were getting closer! We still had 7 more hours in the car before me made it to our final destination. I was amazed at how well the kids traveled! It might have been a long drive, but it was a drive we will never forget! I have to say there are perks about driving instead of flying. For one, it is much cheaper! Also, the time spent together can never be done the same on an airplane. We had so much fun playing games, telling stories, and just being silly. We have many memories from this road trip we will never forget!