Spring Break

The beauty of being on EST is that General Conference doesn't start until noon which gives us the morning to get our wiggles out. Sunday morning the weather was just so perfect and the kids were definitely in need of a chance to get outside so we went on a nature walk in Kensington. Their were a lot of people out and I am pretty sure we drove a lot of them crazy with our noisy rambunctious kids but it was a perfect family outing for us!

With this week being Spring Break I tried to have at least one fun thing for us to do each day so that the kids wouldn't get bored and drive me crazy. On Monday for FHE we went to The Commons (the indoor soccer field and playground). On Tuesday we went to the Zoo. It was not a very warm day and it was sprinkling when we got there but with all the animal houses they have we were still able to have a good time. At the Butterfly house the boys really wanted a butterfly to land on them so they sat so still for a long time. Sadly they were not rewarded for their efforts but it did make for a super peaceful moment.

We also had this really funny moment were I went to take a picture of the girls and they were both happy about it...Until Lucy had the audacity to hug Penny and then Penny scowled for the rest of the pictures I took. Love these silly sisters and their super different personalities.

On Wednesday Ben had a friend from school over. We rarely ever invite friends from school over because I just stink at arranging such things plus I always worry that our chaotic home will scare them away. But I finally managed to arrange something and I don't think we were too scary- he and Ben seemed to have a good time. I did take them all to the bakery for donuts so as you can see I am not opposed to using treats to help people like us. We also went to the park for a bit but it was pretty chilly outside so we didn't last too long. Later, after he went home, we went to the library where the kids played in the library's little play area for an hour, NICELY. That never happens, it was so great!

On Thursday we went to the Milford HS Pool/Water park with the Brandley's. We wanted our husbands to go with us so we didn't go until they got off work, this made for a super LONG day of waiting. It was also a super chilly day (it snowed) so we bundled as little as possible and freezed ourselves with very quick walks into and out of the pool building. I really don't love swimming in the winter because of all the changing hassle but the kids had such a good time so it was totally worth it. Both Ben and Lucy were totally terrified of the water in the beginning but then swimming around like champs (with their floaties on of course) by the time we left.

On Friday we met up with a friend from church at the Henry Ford Museum. Each time I go lately, I worry that the kids are going to be tired of it but they always manage to have a good time and somehow we always manage to find a few new things that we haven't seen before. This visit they discovered these various stations of crayon rubbings they could make. It turned in to quite a process with all 4 of my kids wanting to do it and my friend's child as well. Each time we hit a station we were there for a good amount of time! Their favorite exhibits still seem to the LEGO ones though. They always love to build things and then they insist I take their picture.

Also they climbed up this ladder on a train and insisted on pictures. I promise there was no sign that said "no climbing" but a family walked by and when their child asked to go on the ladder the mother told her that it wasn't allowed. Made us feel quite rebellious!

Saturday was our big Primary Activity-- A breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt. Kellie, the Primary President, didn't delegate quite enough so it wasn't super stressful on my part. The event itself was kind of exhausting though because I never really got to stop and sit but I think it went really smoothly and turned out so well. The kids all had a blast! I was the documenter so I took a zillion pictures but they were all with Kellie's camera. My phone died and I didn't have a camera of my own so I have zilch of my own documentation. Fail.

Other things this week...I found a new dentist and got a much needed root canal and it went MUCH better than my last root canal. Pretty much a painless process! The biggest bummer is that all the money I earned subbing the week before Spring Break had to be spent on that dumb tooth. I really hate spending so much on teeth, especially when I think of all the fun things I could buy with that money instead.

And Lucy got into the Junior Kindergarten Program for next year so that is exciting...and totally making me sad. I am so glad we don't need to pay for preschool but this means she will be gone all day Monday through Friday and that makes me sad. She is my little ball of crazy and sunshine and I am not sure I am ready to give her up. Plus she has been such a good playmate for Penny these days. 

So instead of ending on sad notes, here are two funny stories....

1) I forget why it came up but Steven declared to us that "Two is better than one!" Well, Tyler being Tyler started to use some money examples to foil that idea, "Would 2 pennies be better than 1 quarter?" After quite a few examples like these from Tyler Steven revised his declaration, "Ok, in trading two isn't better than one...but it is in crime fighting!" Such a funny kid!

2) This week I gave Lucy a bagel and her response, "Thank you your Majesty!" This girl knows how to win me over!