Playing catch up...

I plan on blogging and making photo collages for the next hour and a half...because that's when I leave to pick the boys up from school and Olivia is content on the couch watching the movie Bolt.  So let's see how much I can accomplish in 90 minutes...

First I need to take care of a few items of business before we get to this post 'highlight'!  

KJ had his Cub Scout Blue and Gold banquet.  He played a part in a skit and I was proud of him for being the main character as he is super shy when he performs in front of crowds.  He did great.  I don't think I see an Oscar in his future, let's just say acting is not his forte.  :)  The cake assignment this year was to think of something that has changed the world for the positive.  He chose to make a steam engine cake.  He had fun decorating his 'Oregon Duck' steam engine.  

I am a counselor in the YW program and I have loved every minute of it.  I REALLY love working with the youth.  They give me hope for my own children that the 'teen' years don't have to be that bad!  We have a fabulous group!  We had our New Beginnings night and it was hilarious.  I love those girls. 

Dan took KJ and Olivia to see the Monster Trucks.  Jack said he didn't want to go because it's too loud, so while Dan took the other kids, I took Jack to a movie.  It was a great date night with my little man.  I told Dan to be sure to take pictures and this is all he could come up with.  Now we see why I am usually the one behind the camera!  But they had fun and Olivia wants a dirt bike now.  :)  She sure is a well rounded child.  She's not scared of a thing.  

It has been unusually warm this March.  We've seen 80* a few times and the kids are loving it!  I also love that for Spring sports we've had great weather so far.  I remember Spring sports in the past have been FREEZING so this has been very welcome weather!  

Liv made us some grass stew for dinner.  I love that she so easily keeps herself entertained.  

Jack has finally mastered the swinging monkey bars.  Now at recess, it's all he wants to do.  The poor guy has blisters and calluses on his teeny tiny little hands.  But he has gained some confidence on the playground, and I was so proud of him.

KJ has made his way back to the dirt bike park.  He's also gained his confidence back after his 'wreck' last year.

I started babysitting a friend's baby over the past few weeks.  He's such a little cutie pie.  Originally I thought this would be a great cure for my baby hunger, but alas, it's only gotten worse.  Here is Ryder.  The kids and I did a photo shoot with him the other day.  He gets lots of love and attention at our house.  Isn't he a sweetheart?! 

We have a new family photographer.  I uploaded pictures from our Spring Break and was shocked to see that I had 316 pictures.  186 of them were taken by Jack.  I didn't upload most of them, but you get the picture of what's important in Jack's world.  What a little stinker.  

I know this is silly, but I have to blog about this...Taco Bell has a new taco.  The shell is made of a giant DORITO!  Brilliant, I tell you, Brilliant.  And so so delicious.  We stopped here 2x in a few days during our road trip.

Which brings me to our feature story for this post...SPRING BREAK!
We were able to meet Grandma and Grandpa Howard in Kansas City for a long weekend.
It's always fun getting to spend time with them.  We all had a great time!


Here are some of the things we found ourselves doing during our 'mini-road-trip-vacation'...

We, of course, had to try a few Kansas City BBQ joints.  Mmmmm.

We stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge and shared a very large 2 story room with Grandma and Grandpa!.  It was a kid's paradise.  There were all kinds of fun things to do.  

Most importantly...there was a giant water park.

Our hotel was next to a nice shopping center...which is always a bonus for me. 

Grandma and Grandpa treated us to a fun day at the Kansas City Zoo.  Perfect weather.  Lots of fun.  My favorite part was the Polar Bear.  He would swim laps and laps and bounce off the glass walls right in front of us.  What a fun and memorable day that was. 

Since we were out of town for St. Patty's Day, we found the next best thing to having a green dinner at home.  We went to Ihop for breakfast and they had fun & festive 'green eggs and ham'.

 I'm glad we had the chance to do something fun for our break.  

The kids said it was the best trip ever.  :)  

A BIG THANK YOU to G&G Howard for driving to meet us there.  

We miss you guys already.