OtterPops: Spring Break

Most of the kids before the "olympics"

We had a great staycation with a short trip to my parent’s house for Spring break.

To kick it off, Lillian’s preschool class had Kid Olympics to finish off their food and fitness unit at one of the teacher’s homes. She coordinated all of us swimming at the Rec center Thursday night and then each of the parents hosting a station or event the next morning complete with food and an awards ceremony for the kids. I still need to get all the pictures from my friend since I was busy hosting my event and keeping Emma happy and avoiding sunburn during the awards ceremony but the kids had a blast. We had everything from Horse Riding to Bean bag toss to bike races and everything in between and the kids were really good sports and worked hard. I was in charge of the “throwing” event so Thurs. night at dinner Jared asks what I’m going to do for it. I told him I was going to bring a couple different sized buckets and balls to accommodate the varying ages and skill levels of the kids (ranging from 2-10 yrs) and then call it good. He suggested that we make a bean bag toss to make it more exciting to which I replied “go ahead!” Well, long story short, Jared and I were up until a little after midnight working on this beauty. We traded off the whole evening: I put the girls to bed while he cut out the wood and constructed the stand, He put Jonas to bed while I began painting, I nursed the baby while he outlined Batman, etc. etc. We actually had fun and it was worth the lost sleep because the kids had a lot of fun with it and we can use it for future birthday parties, primary activities, you name it.

We celebrated Easter morning at home with a yummy breakfast, went to church, then ate Easter dinner at the Bedell’s house for our 3^rd annual Easter Extravaganza. I, unfortunately, burned my hand that morning. Yeah, I pretty much unintentionally placed my entire right hand palm flat down on a hot burner which was great fun, but Jared took good care of the burn with aloe vera from our yard and ice packs, but that put a little damper on the day for me. The Easter Bunny brought the kids some needed summer shoes and clothes and seeing Jonas’s excitement and dawning comprehension of the Easter Bunny and his potential was really cute. He kept looking out the front window for the “Easter Bunny to come!” but we had to inform him he already came and hid their baskets, just leaving tracks for clues as to where they might find the treasures he left behind. He was not disappointed!

Kids with dyed Easter eggs

The next day my cousin Janelle and her family came into town along with my mom and they all stayed for a few days. It was so fun to have the kids hang out together, take them on a day trip to the Forest and the Beach, have dinner with them while catching up with my cousin, and then go to the Jelly Belly Factory up near my parent’s house. We even got to see my Aunt Lori & Uncle and a couple of their kids as they were on their way through and stopped at my parent’s house for the night. While at the forest the kids were on a quest to beat our current record of finding 14 banana slugs in one "hike". They definitely beat it with a new record of 18! Mason had the most serendipitous find under the picnic table right where he was sitting and eating lunch. No, it wasn't gum under the edge of the table, just a HUGE banana slug! Aunt Lori and her kids were so good to take care of Emma and the other kids so I wasn't so outnumbered and it was so fun for them to get to know my extended family and the help was much appreciated!