Spring Break 2011

We had a great spring break a couple of weeks ago despite all the cold weather we had. In the middle of going to Trafalga, Chuck E Cheese and heading up to Salt Lake City to stay in the "water slide hotel" we found a great weather day to head to the zoo. When we got there we immediately took a ride on the train.

It has become tradition for us to go to the zoo with the Cooks during spring break. Here is most of the crew all riding the train.

Here are my monkeys looking at the monkeys. There seems to be a lot of monkeys at Hogle Zoo!

The boys had a good time checking out the elephants.

This is the first year that we rode the carousel. Kayden loved riding a giraffe while Kaden and Josh enjoyed the lion and monkey.

Jaxon and McKay found their own animals on the other side of the carousel to ride on.

Kayden kept sticking his tongue out while enjoying his ride. Too cute to not take a picture.

Kayden was mesmerized by the giraffes.

After a full day of looking at animals, we took some time to play at the playground. Jaxon found himself all tangled in a giant spider's web. The only way he could get out was by removing his shoes. Here he is getting untangled and having a good laugh on the ground.

Jaxon found a nice giant egg to take a rest after his ordeal with the spider's web.

McKay experienced what is like to be a tortoise. (Man he looks huge!)

Josh on a giant egg. He tuckered himself out by trying to climb on the top without any help.

Kayden had fun doing everything. He ran back and forth on this bridge for a while and then....

....he was eaten by a crocodile. See him yelling for help? This kid cracks me up!

It was a great day at the zoo and we enjoyed spring break. I was exhausted when it was all done. The kids, on the other hand, can't wait for summer!

Moving Right Along

Yesterday they did the back fill on the foundation. It was weird pulling up to the lot without seeing a huge pile of dirt. Instead, I could actually see the foundation.

They filled in the basement and garage with dirt and gravel in preparation for the cement floors.

The basement all filled in up to the footings. They also did the in floor plumbing today to get ready to poor the cement .

The plumbing on the south side of the house. You can see Jaxon's window.

The plumbing on the north side.

We went back today and saw that the cement had been poured and looks beautiful. This is the basement.

Even the garage floors looked great. Can't wait to have extra space in the garages!

They have delivered the wood to start framing tomorrow.

Just as we were leaving the lot the all important port-a-potty was being delivered.

Happy Easter!

This last weekend was Easter. It was a great weekend and we enjoyed celebrating the resurrection of our Savior together as a family.

The boys all got new Easter shirts and ties to wear to church. They are one good looking bunch!

Because Dad had early morning church meetings and then we had early church as well, the Easter Bunny did not make an appearance until we were at church. So we did all of our Easter egg hunting right after church. Above Josh is collecting an egg from the flower garden.

Kayden had a great time looking for eggs.

Jaxon found eggs in all sorts of places.

McKay had found all of his eggs and was enjoying watching Jaxon frantically search for his last egg (along with Suki the dog).

The egg hunt is over and all the loot has been found.

Kayden didn't hesitate to quickly enjoy some chocolate!

Later Easter afternoon, we colored Easter eggs. (I had to remind myself several times that coloring Easter eggs is supposed to be fun. It sure can be stressful having all that dye around a few excited boys!)

Meet Albert Einstein

Jaxon stepped into a time machine today and stepped out as Albert Einstein for his third grade time machine project. Jaxon did a great job memorizing and presenting all his information and we have enjoyed learning about Albert Einstein over the last few weeks.

Here is Albert Einstein with his teacher, Miss Udy.

A class full of famous people. Among them there was Neil Armstrong, Rosa Parks, Helen Keller, Shirley Temple, Michael Jordan, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Albert Einstein (Jaxon) is on the far left on the end.

The Petition

There are some changes being made at my boys' school next year that McKay doesn't approve of. They are moving from the traditional extended day model to a modified extended day model. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but McKay is against any change. He doesn't like that they are losing a long time favorite PE teacher, losing separate science and social study teachers, no computers and less time in PE, art, and music. He wrote a petition one night (without my knowledge) and took it to school. He had as many 3-6 grade students sign it as were willing so that he could give it to the principal. He felt that the voice of the students was not being heard. The principal saw McKay's petition one lunch hour while kids were signing it and told McKay that when he was finished collecting signatures to come and see her in her office. He has turned in the petition, but has yet been invited to her office (much to my relief--I think she has caught wind that we are moving).

McKay collected hundreds of signatures from the kids at his school.

His reasons why he is against the change were all mapped out on the petition.

Whether or not his petition makes any difference, I am proud of him for making a stand for how he feels about something important and then doing something about it.

UPDATE: When I went to pick up the boys from school today, McKay was in the office visiting with the principal about his petition. I took a peek into the office and watched McKay sweat it out. The principal was very kind and told McKay that she will go and visit all the classes to make sure that she hears all the concerns of the students. Then she shook his hand. (Phew!)

How Firm A Foundation

The foundation of our house was poured yesterday. It seems like things are moving rather quickly even with all the horrible weather we have been having!

This picture is taken from the back of the house looking to the front corner. It is fun to see what is on paper come to reality.

Crazy kids.

Construction Begins

Last Thursday they starting digging the hole for our new house. They finished the hole on Friday.

Today they poured the footings. I was only able to get one shot due to the fact that everything was completely muddy because of all the rain we have been getting.

Happy Birthday Jeremy!

My sweet husband celebrated his 38th birthday today.

He is still as handsome as the day I met him. We have celebrated 17 of his birthdays together. Happy Birthday Jeremy and here is to celebrating many more birthdays together!

A Parcel Of Land

Today we bought us a parcel of land we are building us a house! We couldn't be more excited! We found a beautiful lot in a cul-de-sac that is just over two-thirds an acre so there is plenty of room for our boys to play play play. The process will all begin in two days when they will start digging the hole for our foundation. I will be posting often to show updates of how the house is coming along.

The "before" picture. The orange stakes are where the house is going to sit on the lot.

Four excited boys who have heard us talking about this for what seems like months. They can't wait to have their own space in the new house.

Fifth Grade Music Performance

It is the end of another term and therefore McKay got got perform with the rest of the fifth grade in a very patriotic music performance. I had to blink the patriotic tears back a few times so I wouldn't embarrass my fifth grader. They sang great songs like Hope of America, Nifty Fifty United States, Presidents Club (where they sang all the names of the Presidents in order), Star Spangled Banner, This Train and other songs that make you happy to be an American.

All of the fifth grade have matching red shirts that they will wear later next month for the "Hope of America" program.

They sang that Star Spangled Banner in sign language. It was pretty cool.

McKay even learned to play the ukulele in music class this year. I was impressed.

They learned some fun line dances. This is a time where I really wish that the video camera had been all charged up. I know for next time.

I am looking forward to the "Hope of America" program that will be at the middle of May. Watch for an upcoming post in a few weeks!

Just Dance!

I was browsing at Costco not long ago (I know--VERY dangerous) and came upon the Wii game Just Dance 2. I had heard this game was a lot of fun and my husband was out of town, so I bought it. I took it home that night and had a GREAT time with my boys shaking our booty. We laughed and danced our little hearts out. It is a great game and we love playing it. I have become a 5 star dancer and hold the high score for most dances. My boys love dancing to Hot Stuff (as do I). Check out some of their dance moves:

McKay really shaking his booty. Kayden is dancing along with him.

Now he is really getting down!

Kayden, Josh and McKay all dancing their hearts out.

This has been a fun game for our family. We have even popped it in for an Family Home Evening activity. It gets you off your couch and grooving!