The surprise spring break

Spring break happened on April 1 to the 7th this year. We had kept secret our plans for this year from the grandkids. The weather was still warm then cold and snow and back again. These pictures of the yard show how things looked on the morning of the 1st.

We went to both Payton and Connor's game. At the end of Connor's we announced to them that they were going home and changing close and then we were off to California and to the beaches for spring break. Cindy had told Payton that maybe we would have a sleep over one night and maybe do something else one day but that was all that was said about spring break. You can see Payton's excitement about the news. Connor took a little longer to realize what we were going to do.

On the way we stopped at Scipio to get gas and to see the little zoo they had at the gas station.

We continued on and stayed in Las Vegas the first night. We asked the hotel desk about some reasonable priced family place to eat and was directed to a pizza place in a mall. It was a great suggestions and the grandkids had fun there. It was one of those places with the light, noise and tickets to claim things were preparing kids for the adult version of Las Vegas.

The next day was on the road again to Los Angles. We got there in time to go to our room and then change and go to the beach since it was pleasant there and not cold like it was at home. We looked at the weather forecast at home and appreciated where we were.

Everyone had fun with the waves. Cameron still runs away from them like he did when he was Connors age.

The next morning we announced our next surprise, Disneyland.  Everyone was really excited about that. We started off with Indian Jones which was probably not the best first ride for the kids but once we explained on the other rides what would happen they had fun.

Connor and Payton used the map to help plan our next ride and to show us where we were at in the park. And if they could not find it there was Walt pointing us in the right direction.

There were parades in the day.

Then there was the electric light parade in the evening.

We went on Thunder Mountain near the end of the day and they started fire works while we were on the ride and it was amazing to come around a corner and then there were fireworks in the sky. it was the end to a great day.

The next day was a beach day again and we went to Cyrstal Cove State Park which was south of Newport. We walked down the cliffs to the beach and had it to ourselves.

We set up our canopy and then played on the beach and in the water.

When it was time to leave we packed our belongs to head back up the cliff

Once we got to the top we looked out at the ocean and to our surprise we saw some whales and then a pod of dolphins came close to the beach following a school of fish. We watched for a good 15 minutes.

After that we changes clothes and went into Newport Beach to the Joe's Crabshack for dinner and watching the sunset.
The next day was off to California Adventures. Nic, Shannon and their kids and Cameron and Cecelia went and stood in line for Cars while Cindy, Maddie, Aubrey and I did other rides waiting for them so we could then do cars with the stroller pass. They were three hours in line waiting so we did some different rides. We saw Minnie Mouse which Aubrey pointed out. We then went and had lunch while we waited for them.

The rest of the day went well and we did everything we wanted to. While we waited in line at Soar'n we started to play hand games to pass the time.

That evening we watched the fountain show in the lagoon.

The next day was a day to go see some other things. We thought we would go into LA and take the kids to see the La Brea Tar pits. For a 20 mile drive we were an hour and a half to get there.

From there we went to have lunch at the Farmers Market.

We thought we better leave early to get back to the hotel because we promised Connor and Payton that they could swim in the pool. It took us almost two hours on the return trip but they did get to swim and we had a barbecue at the pool for our last day in California.

March Activities

The month of March had a variety of things take place. Connor's kindergarten class had a road rally at school. Each kid decorated a car. They first sang some songs to parents and grandparents.

After the singing it was off to get their cars and then "drive them down the sidewalk as parents watched the parade.

Of course Connor had a cool car because he is a cool driver. He and his cousins then posed to show off their cars.

This time of year the flowers seemed to be coming up earlier because it started to warm up quickly. The rivers were already running high in March which is unusual. I love this time of year when color and sweet smells begins to come back into the yard. Even the walk into the office at this time of year is pretty.

February Activities

We did two different family activities during the month which was good because Friday nights and Saturday mornings I was at the south church building running basketball while Cindy was home alone. We did our annual combined bowling activity to celebrate mom and dad's birthdays. We did not do to bad as a group.

After bowling it was over to the Ogden Pizzeria for a meal.

The next activity was on the President's Day holiday. We took Shannon and the grandkids plus Maddie to the Natural History Museum in SLC. We went there five years ago when it first opened. This time the kids were the right age and really had a fun time. I'm glad that Maddie and Shannon are at that age to appreciate dress up.

Connor was thrilled with the dinosaurs and this is the place for someone with that interest.

Tribute to Marley

Even before children we have had a dog in the family. It started when Cindy had an abandoned young dog follow her from her noon run to the mouth of Logan Canyon and back to USU Purchasing. That was Mowgley. Mowgley was followed by Molly which was a dog that we took in when someone at work told me they were trying to find a home for some abandoned dog that she had found. After Molly died in a accident on the street in front of the house we thought we would not have another dog. We came home from our Hawaii trip in June of 2008 and Cameron and the girls were going to Wal Mart to get some things. Someone was selling puppies at the corner entrance into Wal Mart. The girls convinced Cameron we needed a dog and he bought it. It was a surprise to see what they brought home from their run to the store. This was the first time we actually had a puppy. Keeping with the M's we named her Marley. She was cute and soon became another member of the family.

Cameron would take her to training classes and learned some important skills that made her a good, obedient dog. Marley was our most obedient dog and we could be outside and let her roam and she generally would stay within view all the time. She did not stay a puppy long but she loved to be around us all the time.

While Cameron left to do different things Marley stayed with us and became our dog. Maddie would take her on trail walks or trail runs, play fetch in the field. Marley was just  a good loyal friend to all of us. She even had her moments she had to overcome. When we were robbed and she was in the kennel the robbers terrorized her because she reacted differently to strangers for a long time. She had always been so loving and accepting of everyone. But the lessons we learn from Marley is always to be loving and accepting no matter what happens. A short memory of the bad is the best way to live life. Last fall Marley developed a limp. At first we thought it was a bruise and she seemed to be getting better but it reoccurred and this time we had X-rays done and found she had cancer that had spread throughout her body. Finally it was time that she not suffer any longer and she left us on February 10. Maddie and I cried as we said our final goodbyes to a loyal family member who had been with us eight and a half years.

100 days of school and the Harlem Globetrotters

Each year when there has been 100 days of school Cindy and the other 2nd grade teachers dress up to look like they are 100. This year was no exception and Cindy modals her latest outfit.

On February 6th the Harlem Globetrotters came to Salt Lake and we took the family there to watch them. I remember as a young boy watching them when they came to Weber State and it was Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal. Now it is Big Easy. Even though they do many of the same things each time we watch them, it is still enjoyable to watch their skills, be entertained and be together as a family.

Snow and Hardware Ranch

The new year started off with one snow storm after another. Generally it was good powder snow but a couple of times it was wet and heavy.

The mountains really got a lot more snow than we did in the valley but we still had more snow than we have has for several years.

For Martin Luther King holiday we went up to Hardware Ranch. It was a good break and we actually got out of the inversion that settled in with all the cold temperatures and snow to see some nice blue skies. The kids had fun sliding on their coats while we waited in line for our turn to ride the sleighs.

It was not too long of a line and soon we were off to see the elk.

Aubrey got so excited looking at them she could hardly stand it. No really she was.

After the sleigh ride it was time to head back home but we did see a couple of moose on our way down the canyon to Hyrum.