An egg hunt and a Jazz game

Saturday morning, the kids dyed and decorated eggs.

Jared and Teresa hid them and had the kids hunt them down.

In the afternoon, we relaxed while Jared/Teresa and family went to Teresa's sister's house for their family Easter party.

(Jason went to the movie "GI Joe" with Brandon and J.C.)

When they got back, we packed up our bagel sandwich dinner and headed to Salt Lake. The guys and kids went on the Trax, while Tereasa, Lynley and I traveled by car. (In case Lynley needed to come home early. Ok, also so we could make a quick stop into Teresa's favorite home decor store on the way there.). We met at the new downtown mall by temple square. We didn't have a lot of time before the game, but wandered around for awhile. Jade and Rylee bought matching red sequined shoes from the VANS store.

As we were headed back to the car for dinner, we noticed we were missing someone... Where's Carson??? We were more than half way back to the car, so Jared and Colton took off to try and find Carson. (I guess Carson is famous for getting lost/left behind. They told us the story of him getting lost at Disneyland several times.) We ate our dinner, at the car, while waiting to hear news of Carson.

Jared finally called. Carson was waiting for someone to find him, at the last store we had all been together...the Disney Store! (He, being an experienced "lost boy", knew to stay put.) Whew! Guess his reputation continues. This time, lost at the Disney STORE. :)

When we were done eating and all back together, we walked over to the Jazz game.

Treyson and Emma were the lucky ones that night. Treyson caught a ball they threw into the stands (made his night!) and Emma caught a coveted (by Jordyn) pom-pom. 

The kids danced their hearts out, trying to get noticed and put up on the big screen...to no avail. Still a really fun time together.

Spring Break 2013

As Jason was talking to his brother Jared, a Spring Break plan started to form. 

Come down for a Jazz game..and a family BBQ..and Easter. 

Ok.

We left Thursday, after retrieving Rylee from her choir tour bus. She had been traveling back from San Fransisco, CA with her Cantus choir group all night. She had just spent 11+ hours on the bus and then got to spend 4+ hours more in our van. Luck her. She traveled through 5 states that day! :)

 Friday morning, we went to the Hill Aerospace Museum. 

Rylee-Taylee-Jordyn-Treyson-Jade-Colton

Abree-Emma-Carson

Lynley

We found the airplane that our Grandpa Smullin had worked on.

Inside there was all sorts of airplanes..and airplane history.

Rylee

Taylee

Treyson

Abree

A nice employee took our group aside and did fun experiments with the kids. They played with an electricity globe (can't remember the real name).

For the final experiment, he had the kids link pinkie fingers. He charged them up and then touched the electric globe. It sent a shock through the line, making the kids YELP and drop to their knees.

We ate a pizza lunch in a park, close to Grandpa Smullin and Uncle Fred's work. They came over and said Hi!

That evening, Jared had planned a family BBQ at Grandma/Grandpa Smullin's house. (Thanks Jared. That was awesome!) Everyone was there except Jeff/Amy and family. I jokingly called it the Cousin Party..and was so glad it was over with..not having to worry about it for this summer. They didn't go for it..guess the Cousin Party is still on at our house, this summer.  :)

After the BBQ, Teresa had planned a candy hunt. 

A candy hunt is the same as an egg hunt, but without having to fill hundreds of little plastic eggs...genius!!!

Cathy and I hid candy in the back yard for the big kids. While Teresa and company hid candy in the front yard for the younger kids.

Grandma Smullin and Frankie (their new dog).

Jessica-Catie-Ethel

Joshua

Lynley

Christian

Savannah

Jak

It was a fun day and so nice to be with everyone. 

Thanks everyone for hanging out with us!

PS- That night, Melissa, Juila and I went to the movie, "The Host". Melissa and I enjoyed it, but Julia was NOT impressed. 

Yay, for late-night girl time!

Spring Break with Cousins

For the first part of spring break we headed to Utah.

We had a date with this little cutie.... Lynley Francis Smullin,

who was born early, but is growing a TON each day.

And also wanted to meet this little cutie... Sydney Lynn Polston,

who is laid-back and let us all hold her and play with her for a long time.

Also on our list of things to do was to watch tons of 3-D movies on Grandma and Grandpa's new 3-D T.V.!!!

Colton, Emma, Taylee & Jordyn

We also did some of this. Clockwise, starting bottom left-Carson, Treyson, Jade, Rylee, Jessica, Taylee, Jordyn & David.

And some of this. Abree & Emma These 2 were attached at the hip for most of our time there. Which lead to sharing sick germs and Abree started throwing up Monday morning. We were glad she was better by that night, so that (cross our fingers) no one was sick on the way home on Tuesday. On Monday evening, we went over to the Olsen's for dinner and FHE. Jeremiah gave a sweet lesson on being kind to everyone. I loved that when he played his own game, he somehow picked the *BONUS* which helped him to win the prize... reading the scripture. So cute and funny!

Treyson, Jeremiah, Catie

Rylee, Taylee, Ethel

Lex & Bob Abree was home with Grandma recovering...didn't want to further share the wealth.

Cousins are the BEST!!!

Spring Break: The Final 2 Days

Thursday, this is what we had for breakfast....

fried ostrich eggs!

(At least that's what Rylee called them.)

APRIL FOOLS!!!

When the kids finally got the courage to try them, they discovered their "ostrich eggs" to be vanilla yogurt and a peach.

It seemed like our wheat grass was growing right in front of our eyes. This is what it looked like, just 2 1/2 days after being planted.

Our Thursday plan all along, was to go to the Boise Zoo, but Mother Nature played an April Fools trick and was cold and wet that day. Sooooo we went to Plan B, the Discovery Center.

The Discovery Center is full of all sorts of science fun...... more science fun than I can handle. :)

What the kids mostly wanted to do is play in the miniature grocery store. So we spent lots and lots of time in the store.

When we first got there it was a MESS! Our group scampered around putting everything back in order, just so the next kid could come by and mess it back up again. I resisted the temptation to sort and organize, but Krissi and Rylee could not. :)

We also got to make "slime" a mixture of Borax, water, and something else.

Next, lunch at Carl's Jr.

I was worn out and I think Krissi was too. After eating our lunch, we just sat in a booth with a window and watched the kids play in the structure. They seemed to have a blast crawling in and out of the tunnels and sliding on the multiple slides and we had some nice down time....just sitting there.

Brrrr... it was super windy as we left Carl's Jr. and then it started snowing as we arrived on the temple grounds. We took a brief walk around the temple, then headed toward our warm vans.

Friday, the Goodmansen's planned to head home.

Here's how our wheat grass was coming along. I was excited to see how much it would grow by Easter.

I'm sure there will be more pictures to come.

-Treyson, Jessica, Taylee, Rylee, Daniel, Abree & Ila-

The van was packed, the water bottles filled, potty stops were in order and then they would be off. It was so fun to have the Goodmansen's come visit. Krissi and I travel back and forth to each other's homes a few times a year, but our kids hadn't seen each other for a LONG time. It was nice to have them get reacquainted and establish some long-lasting bonds.

Side note- On the way home the Goodmansen's ran into blizzard-like conditions going through the Blue Mountains. They had to pull over on the freeway. As they were getting back on, a semi-truck went passed them, fish-tailing his trailer into their van. It damaged the driver's side of the van, broke out the middle window and broke off the side view mirror. It was traumatic and scary, but everyone in the van was safe! They spent the night in LaGrande, OR in a hotel and rested their weary bodies. The next day, they were able to get home safely with no exciting or traumatic events. Whew!!!