Spring Break Day 2: Tour de Provo

This year marks 20 years since I moved to Provo, so I took the kids on a little walk down memory lane when we woke up on Saturday morning, March 27th ( you may recall, WAAAAY back when I posted about our hotel slumber party). We took photos of all the places I lived, got gas and sodas at "my" old station on State Street, and took a picnic to Bridal Veil Falls (still freezing cold).

This is a close up of the silly shot below--apparently "silly face" means "Stick your tongue out!"

Heidi, Ally, Addie, Belle, and James
Sweet kids at Bridal Veil Falls
Silly Shot!
***
It was too cold to hang out in the canyon for long, so we headed back into Provo to visit Buchert Tribal Headquarters (it just occured to me the other night that I have never devoted a post to explaining this "other family" of mine--I will write it soon). I am kind of rude that way--just droppin gin when I find a minute--but it's the only way we ever see each other! So we stopped to check in with Ellen and George ("Mom and Papa Buchert") and Aunt Jen (Jeanne Buchert, my former roommate and dear amiga). They were home, working on the yard, cooking chikcen soup, and generally just chillin'. It was WONDERFUL to see them.

Heidi at Bucherts'
James, Heidi, and Addie feeding the chickens

Addie look a bit pouty, but check out the chickens!

Heidi whipped Addie with a switch she found in the backyard, hence the red eyes. The girls came inside and Belle, Addie, and Ally learned some beading ideas from the master, Aunt Jen.

Heidi stayed out and over fed the chickens.

The kids had a wonderful time exploring Bucherts' back yard and I had a wonderful time catching up with some of the dearest friends of my life. It was so soothing and edifying to visit with Ellen and Jeanne, to eat Ellen's perfect chicken noodle soup, and to feel love, love , love! I am so glad we stopped--a good time was had by all and the afternoon just flew by. Before we knew it, it was 4pm and time to head out to Lehi to spend time with my sisters.

(Little did I know, at the same time I was enjoying some Buchert time, my Grandpa in Arizona was being taken to the hospital with bleeding ulcers, and later, lymphoma...good thing I stopped by for some edification--I needed it!)

Spring Break Days 3&4: Church and Dinos!

Sunday Morning, Sara and I got up and got everyone ready to go to church at the Petersen's ward in Lehi. We had a nice meeting and visited with Jill's friend, Lisa, after the meeting. While the kids were in Primary (we left everyone there with Drew), we ran back to the hotel to clean up and get play clothes for the kids so we could go straight out to mom's house after church and cook a nice Sunday dinner (sadly, mom was still not well enough to enjoy it).

We took Ally and Belle with us out to Nana's house--here are all the kids except Marshall after church.

Heidi, Addie, and James at Nana's house 3/28.

We had a nice dinner then went up to Murray to meet up with my Layton sisters, Erin and Rhonda, for Erin's son Max's first birthday. It was so great to see all of them! I didn't take any pictures, but I am hoping Laura will hook me up!

***
Monday was our big activity: The Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point. We checked out of the hotel and headed to Lehi at 11am.

Heidi, James, and shark!

Heidi, Addie, and James ready to watch the awesome IMAX movie!

Papa Post, Addie, James, and Heidi.

Papa stopped by to see us after the IMAX because he was right in the neighborhood.

More dinos and crazy kids....

Addie made a fabulous dinosaur world while playing at the "Erosion Table" (a long, winding tub of sand and water and dino figurines).

We loved this display of insects (and other things) stuck in amber

Dino-Scale!

YAY! The T-Rex room!

Awesome Turtle Skeleton!

A tiny prehistoric elephant skeleton--he woulda been the perfect pet for Heidi!
***

After the dinosaur museum, Aunt Debbie (our Livingston friend, Heidi's special buddy) wanted to meet up for treats at the TG Point Ice Cream shop...

Addie loved her float!

Heidi got a mint-chip cone

Haylee and James waiting for treats

Heidi with Deb and her SIL, Cara.

The decor at the shop was so cute!

Easter-rific!

James with a chick

I kind of fell in love with these chicks and ducks in the Emporium!

***

We had such a good time there with Aunt Debbie, we decided to bring the cousins there the next day! Monday night, we headed back to Nana's house to eat Chinese food and have FHE (sorta) with Aunt Sara and The Grays--Aunt Janet, Rachel, and Christa. It was such a nice night, and we slept well in Nana's guest room!

Spring Break Day 5: Pack It Up, Pack It In

On Tuesday morning, Papa Mark took Aunt Sara to the airport early in the morning, so I got up and got Abby and Marshall off to school and did our laundry. I cleaned the upstairs bedrooms and bathrooms while my kids slept in. Later Cousin Autumn came over and we had a nice visit while I fisnished the laundry and fed the kids some microwave soba noodles for lunch. I made an extra dinner and stuck it in the fridge, and then loaded up my kids to head to Idaho for the night. But first we had a treat stop with the Petersen cousins...

Ally, Addie, and Belle at the Thanksgiving Point Ice Cream Shop.

James and Ben loved their ice cream cones!

Jack and Heidi shared a root beer float

"sluuurrrp!"

Ally and Addie split a shake

(isn't that a great deal? you pay the regular price, but they put it in two glasses each with its own whipped cream and everything!)

Isabelle has raspberry yogurt with gummi bears

Belle is so cute!

Three Cousin Pals!

***

After treats at Thanksgiving Point, we said good bye to our cousins and headed north to Papa Jim's house. It was a stormy drive, but we made it...1/3 of our way home!

Spring Break Day 6&7: Idaho & Chico

Tuesday night we drive from Lehi to Pocatello and slept over with Papa Jim & Grandma Becky. My step sis Kaycee is staying there for a few weeks, too, while her house is getting renovated, so we got the see her cute girls Becca and Abby, and her new red-headed baby boy, Rhys (soooo cute!). We arrived just in time to watch American Idol--I was surprised and delighted that my dad watches and has favorites! I failed to take any photos there, but took this one as we drove away:

Beautiful view of Pocatello from Dad's neighborhood.

This is what Bozeman Pass looked like around 2:30 on Wednesday 3/31, about 20 miles from our house....more snow!
***
On Wednesday night, my bro Matt and his family came to sleep over and go to Chico the next day. Aunt Amie's birthday was coming up on Saturday 4/3, so we made some chili and a bday cake and they brought cornbread and salad and we had a delightful dinner (when I laid down on my bed, I thought of my Grandma home alone that night, my heart broke--I called her and we talked for a long time, and that's when I learned that Grandpa had been diagnosed with lymphoma and wouldn't live much longer--it was a conversation I will always remember). Then we had a sleep over, and yummy breakfast, and headed out to Chico to swim.

Chico Hot Springs
Jacob Post

Sam Post Matt Post with James
My Darlin' Heidi
Heidi with a snow ball

Addie

Sam and James on deck

We went inside for some hot cocoa...James and Addie shared

Heidi and I shared...yum!

Such sweet sibs!

Happy Little Spring Romp

This album--Humroot by Shelleyan Orphan--was the soundtrack to the summer before my mission. I was surprised I still knew all these lyrics as I haven't listened to it since, I think...

Some Links For You

My mission bro, Randall, posted this link about our mission president last month (here's another one). I have renewed gratitude for President Hickman, not just for taming me in the mission field, but also for inventing catheters and pioneering dialysis machines and things that are keeping my loved ones alive right this minute. He is a great man. A tiny, great man.

Also, my family fell asleep early last night which left me with some time for catching up on conference (watching it on DVR is my personal study time this week) and blogs. My dear Kacy Faulconer (yes, the one who was quoted in the Ensign article about blogging last fall) had me laughing so hard, I produced tears. Actual tears. I enthusiastically recommend her whole blog, but her new series called "Obvious Tips for Not-Very-Good-Homemakers" will SLAY you. Click HERE for part one and HERE for part two, and wait with baited breath for part three. Remember to leave your own tips. The image of Kacy in PJs at 10:30am eating Flamin' Hot Cheetos will delight me for days.

And even though I am feeling a little tired of commercial blogs (because let's face it, much of the realness evaporates in the glow of all that compensation), it's MAN WEEK over at cjane and there are some really great posts there. I hope all of you will click over and read what the menfolk have had to say all week, but I am begging my brothers/brothers-in-law to do so. Also, my amiga Stephanie Ingermanson "FINGER CHUCK" Lund has been on a roll at her blog and you will not be disappointed if you click over and catch up.

And now, adieu. I have a few more yearbook pages to make.