Creative Carvings

The kids were able to take a minute out of our crazy schedules and carve their pumpkins. I'm trying to put this the nicest way possible, but they are all pretty wussy when it comes to cleaning out the pumpkin slime. Okay, one of them doesn't surprise me a bit, but the other 2? Seriously?

Easter Was When???

I've tried posting these pictures a number of times and for one reason or another get pulled away from the computer. Hmmm....

We headed to Utah for the Easter weekend and had so much fun with family! We started out on Saturday morning with a unique type of Easter Egg Hunt...

We waited

 in line and clowned around until it started...

We met the furry guy...(which didn't fool Gage a bit because "rabbits just really don't grow that big")

And then we "hunted" around the grocery store with Easter baskets and "found" people handing out treats.

A lot like Trick-or-Treating...in a grocery store...in April

And then came the ducks that wander around about 50 yards from that grocery store. The grocery store bakery hands out the old bread that doesn't sell so that rugrats like these guys can torment those ducks. The kids loved it. The ducks...not quite sure.

We then had a family Easter Egg Hunt with all the cousins.

Lovin' this cutie and his obsession with blue!

Too old for pictures? Too old for Egg Hunts? Too bad! You want the goods? You're gonna have to earn them just like the little ones...

...ALL the "little" ones.

Tate's new buddy.

 Coop waited so patiently to hold him.

His first Easter and first vacation all rolled into one fun weekend!

.:sledding:.

We finally got out the sleds and headed up to the "BIG" snow hill. We drug Steve out this time to show him what great fun it is! (Although I really should have known better than to think it wouldn't completely freak him out watching the kids FLY down that hill.)

So proud of this little guy for making it through the day in one piece! Only one crash...that involved tears.

This is what caused Gage's crash. Hayden felt she needed a snack after each trip down.

It was great watching [and listening] to Steve fly down the hill. Don't know how he stayed put in that little saucer.

This one has LoVe written all over it.

Hunter, catching air.

And of course, trying out the snowboard.

He's in there somewhere.

And then there's Tate the Great.

No, no, no. He didn't sleep the entire time. This was the only time he slept and it was only for about 10 minutes. Notice the bags under his eyes? 

Trippin'

On Sunday, November 22, my grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They are such a great example to everyone around them and I admire them very much. Which brings me to this question:

What were they thinking?!?!?

They were definitely "trippin'" this time. To help them celebrate, they took almost every member in the extended family on a trip to Las Vegas! There were 45 out of 51 family members there. How great is that! I love that they think so much of their family and want to have us together. Watch out Vegas...here we come!

Starting out with a little Duck, Duck, Goose while waiting at the Idaho Falls airport

On with the flight and a warm, friendly smile from Hunter...
... and Hayden...

...and Gage's very first time on an airplane!

Nothing like relaxing with a tractor magazine and some zzzz's. (Just kidding. Like this kid was going to sleep - ever)

After the plane came the shuttle ride to the hotel. I love this picture of these best friends...

...because it led to this about 2 minutes later!

Our first full day there was Thanksgiving Day. I have to say, in my few years of living, I can't ever remember getting the chance to swim on the morning of Thanksgiving. Swimming was one of the kids' favorite parts of the trip.

Hayden and Madi playing around

Hunter doing what he does best. Which in this case is what he's not supposed to be doing. (Jumping off the lifeguard's chair when not occupied)

Gage, anticipating Hunter's attack

Jace and Gage, plugging the decorative fountain. (The water spraying up under them could explain the cheesy grins on their faces...)

And of course Steve, dreaming about what he wants for Christmas. (I would almost dare say that he spent as much time in the hot tub as he did in the casino. I said "almost.")

And nothing says Happy Thanksgiving like a big Thanksgiving BuFfeT! Once in a lifetime I tell ya.

Yes, that's pizza on their plates. It's a Thanksgiving pizza that they carved themselves!

Hayden did throw a couple pieces of ham on her plate along with her pizza, trying to get into the spirit of things.

And the ice cream for dessert.

And don't forget one of the BeSt parts of the trip for them all...The escalator!!! (Or as Gage called it, the "ex-ca-waiter" because you have to stand & "wait" on it.) This was what they asked to do the most.

Going up...

...and down
The next day was the bus ride to The Strip. We discussed why they call it "The Strip" and decided a good answer was because it was "a strip" of famous road, but in sad actuality, I think there could be many other reasons for the name. (Such as "strip" any innocence out of a small child or the most popular "activity" done there, etc. You get the idea.) Nice place to visit and teach young ones how to "just keep walking."

Gage, sitting on the top level of the double decker bus to get there from our hotel

A picture of Madi and Hayden in front of the Statue of Liberty at New York, New York.

So Hunter gets that warm, friendly smile from his Dad

The M&M factory (aka: Hayden's heaven!)

The Las Vegas Eifel Tower at the Paris Casino

The Bellagio (No, we did not go there, but what comes to mind when I see it? Pitt, Clooney, Damon...)

People who act like statues...

...statues that look like people...

...people who stand by statues...

...and statues that move like people to entertain these people (this was at Caesar's Palace)

We also had a bowling alley in our hotel and took full advantage of it.

Hunter bowling his turn

Gage bowling his turn

Gage pouting during his turn

Hayden bowling her turn

And Gage still pouting during everyone's turn

A happy ending though

We hit the arcade.

Gage racing his car

Biker Babes

And Hunter jumping lights around, and around, and around....

It was such a fun trip but always good to be back home!