Wow where oh where does the time go? I just really don't know. I am so confused one minute it is just April and the next it is the beginning of May and I have preschool graduation in 2 weeks. Then the kids are out of school just 3 weeks after that! I am so looking forward to summer. I love having the kids all to myself. I can have them do homework when we want or skip it a day if we are having too much fun. Anyway let me focus on the past and what we have done this month before I change the subject and focus on what we are going to be doing this summer.
So Spring break was from April 11-15 and I just loved that week of my life. We did so many fun things together I think that is why I am so excited for summer. The first day we went horseback riding w/ grandpa C. Matia was in heaven and just couldn't stop. Of course that is fun for me to watch because it reminds me of when I was little and had that same thrill. Who am I trying to kid I still get that giddy about horses. Bowdee went sledding with Adi which they always have a good time together. When Terry got home we worked on putting up more sheet rock.
Tuesday we took a trip up to the Childrens Museum at Gateway. We have not been up there in a few years so that and the free tickets got us up there. The Garricks were going as well so we hitched a ride with them and we had a fabulous day together. Of course on the way home the kids planned a late night after soccer practices. Terry and I spent the night basement... ya you got it we did more sheet rocking.
Wednesday I went walking with my friends, the kids worked on their reports and posters. Then we went to Yogi Bear at Movies 8 and Build-a-bear to use up our free coupons. Matia got to choose this years bear and it ended up being a sheep. Then Bowdee got to go to a Real Game with his soccer team. Terry and I ended up back in the basement worried that Bowdee was going to freeze his guts out!
Thursday Terry got off work a little early and we had free rooms at Wendover so we took the nice drive through the salt flats for a little family time. We spent 2 nights there this time. We went four wheeling and exploring. Then the last day before we left for more four wheeling we stopped at the park and Treg hit his head really hard on the T-swing. He got the biggest goose egg I ever saw.
The kids thought it was super cool to go visit Uncle Teds brother that owns a parts store there in Wendover. Well okay they absolutely LOVED his big parrot Big Red. And Bowdee LOVED the corvettes he had outside getting ready to wash. Ya they were pretty cool. I do have to admit, he also gave us some good tips on where to go ride our 4-wheelers and shoot our guns! Thanks Mike.
I think it was more like an ostrich egg. I hate head injuries they scare me like crazy but of course his dad is all cool and reminded me he will be ok. But it did ruin what 4 wheeling we had in mind since there was no way his helmet was going to fit over that thing. So Saturday we headed home picked up Dash from mom and dad C. and you got it we finished sheet rocking the basement! :)
The week that followed we played lots of soccer, practiced oral reports, finished reports, Bowdee had his first baseball game which he played catcher the entire game and loved it. He also got the first home run of the season. He was so excited and I was upset because I missed recording him. But it was fun to watch how excited he got about that. He has some great coaches this year and Jonah one of his best friends is on his team. So I think he is going to like it better this time.
Saturday of Easter weekend we had 3 soccer games, a birthday party and a yard to clean. We also made a fence to keep the chickens in half of our garden. I just got so tired of them pooping on my sidewalk. What a project that was, oh then we finally got to color those Easter eggs.
Easter finally came the kids have been so excited they could hardly wait another day. It's always so fun to see what the Bunny is going to bring them and where he will hide their eggs. It was a beautiful day so outside it was. After the hunt we got to chill for a little before church then away we went. Terry stayed home to finish working in the yard some more. After church I took a record of 3 hour nap...
I don't remember the last time I did that but WOWSER that felt Great! I think I will do it again sometime soon! After all the lesson was on simplifying our lives so I felt like I was following the Lords commands when I did it. Then Terry fed us an amazing dutch oven dinner, man he rocks.
Monday was Matia's Time Machine Oral Report. She choose to do it on Florence Nightingale. I learned so much about Florence but I also learned that Matia is a great student who always tries her best in her schooling. I am so proud of all she does. She wanted to look just like Florence so I did her hair like the pictures and I made her a dress just like she thought it should be. I know, I know.... am I spoiling her? or am I encouraging her to always do her best? I don't know but I hope I am doing it right. She did fantastic just like I knew she would!
Tuesday she got to go on a field trip up to the Clark planetarium at Gateway. I wanted to go so bad but I was teaching preschool that day so :( But she did take some photos for me and it looked like it was a lot of fun. Matia said her favorite part was the bus ride...
Wednesday was Bowdee's Oral report on the state of Oregon. He did a power point in class and then the poster board and a 15 page report. It was amazing. I can't believe they are doing this in 5th grade this was much like my high school state report. Once again I was amazed at how much of it he did all by himself. The way he held himself during his oral report with just a few notes to go off of was great. Then right after school he had his 2nd baseball game. Played catcher again and he hit a great hit out in left field and made it to 2nd base.
May 22nd is a special day in my life. This is my mom's birthday. My mom is an amazing person. She has so much strength and courage. We share alot of the same loves in life. She never judges anyone for the things they do. I love the comfort I feel just by being near her. I feel like I can tell her anything and she will somehow understand. I love you mom! I sure missed you when you were in Hawaii.
Then Monday, Tues, and Wed where such a blur. Filled with all 3 kids baseball games, practices, scouts, dance, activity days, and packing for Yellowstone. To me baseball isn't as fun to watch as soccer is. But I still love watching my kids do their best and learn the sport.
Thursday we finished packing and headed out right directly into the storm. We almost didn't go because of the weather but I am so glad we did. We left Dash with Troy and his girls and squished all 7 of us into our Sierra. This is the trip we like to do yearly but missed it the last 2 years. So we spent the first night in West Yellowstone at the Days Inn. 
The pool was so full of teenagers we skipped swimming that night and figured we would hit it early in the morning. We did eat at Gushers Pizza and then sat around listening to Grandma's Hawaii experiences as the snow gently covered the ground through the night. 
Friday the kids (Dad, Terry, Bowd, Tia, and Treg) all went swimming while mom and I went to check out the roads in Yellowstone and Movie times. We found out they closed Yellowstone until about 12:00 because of all the ice. So we checked out of the hotel and went to enjoy the IMax movie of Yellowstone. 
After we picked out rocks and souvenirs and headed to Mammoth. We spotted 2 bears and some amazing wildlife sites. Of course it was snowing on and off all day. So we just enjoyed the amazing sites Yellowstone has to offer from the comfort of our truck.
Saturday we went to go into Lamar Valley to check out the wolves and Grizzly w/ Cubs feeding on a carcass when the road was closed due to a rock slide. DANG! So we about faced and headed back to Mammoth. The boys went to the museum watching movies and browsing trying to kill time for the road to open (which it never did). While the girls went shopping. 
Then when we decided it wasn't going to open we went for a drive down to Hayden Valley. We saw more Grizzlies up close and by the road. They were amazing and so fun to watch. I was also thrilled to find a Grizzly bear since this was the one thing Treg really wanted to see on this trip.
Sunday we took our time driving through the park down to Jackson. We also stopped at the mud pots and geysers for Bowdee. The Grand Canyon waterfall was hidden by a thick layer of cold frost in the air. When we stopped at West Thumb we saw an amazing Coyote in the parking lot. 
Since we didn't see Bowdee's Wolf we were excited to see one of his cousins. Tia was still on the lookout for her moose and we were all relieved when we found a lone moose at Grant Village. Then we saw another moose along the Snake just outside of the Grand Tetons. 
We made it to Jackson in time to do a little shopping for Bowdee and Tregs last souvenir and then to Bubba's for dinner. After dinner which took a little longer then we liked we hit the pool. It was nice and warm in the pool but oh how the rain was cold outside. 
This was the first year since we started this tradition that my mom felt well enough to get in and play with us. I can't tell you how valuable this memory is to me. I loved every minute of it. 
Monday morning I took the kids to play in the game room while Terry cooked us an awesome tailgate breakfast of english egg and sausage mcmuffins. Then we cleaned up and headed home. Nobody was excited to have our exciting vacation over but we will cherish our memories created forever! 
Thank you mom and dad for the wonderful experiences you shared with us. It was an amazing vacation even if it snowed everyday and never got over 45 degrees!
