Las Vegas for Spring Break

This year we spent Spring Break in Vegas! I really dislike driving through the mountains as a passenger so Patrick had me do most of the driving and he took care of the girls. It worked out better for everyone. It was a VERY long drive and our kids were troopers:

Las Vegas is actually one of few places we go that so comfortably handles our family (weird that it's Vegas of all places, no?). Patrick's parents have this fantastic time-share just a few blocks off the strip that is clean, quiet, family friendly, and the condo is large enough to hold us with room to spare. And this trip we made an effort to make it as child-focused as possible.

Here is Patrick and Caroline having breakfast our first morning:

The girls waiting for the limo to pick us up:

In the limo with Grandma and Grandpa on our way to the "Tournament of Kings" show at the Excalibur hotel:

Before the show started:

One of the "kings" came by after the show and let Maggie pet his horse. It was a great show and the girls loved it!

We went to the M&M store:

Arcade fun:

The resort we stayed at had craft time for the kids. The first day was bow making. Patrick took them while me and his mom spent the morning getting massages and pedicures.

The next day was pottery painting. Maggie painted a frog piggy bank and Caroline painted a turtle piggy bank. They are wearing the hair bows/flowers they had made the day before:

By the pool playing chess with Dad:

Making a cushion fort with Grandma:

We thought the kids would love the Rainforest Cafe. We were WRONG. The hostess asked us if our girls were afraid of gorillas. We said no. Um, wrong. They sat us by the animated gorillas and every time they turned on and moved the kids freaked out. Maggie was especially freaked out by them. Poor girl!

We have pictures of a few other things but I have to somehow motivate Patrick to download them from his phone...

The drive home:

Thanks a million Grandma and Grandpa for a great week!

The In Between

After our trip to Utah we packed right back up again and headed to Las Vegas for Spring Break. We had a few glorious days of sun in between the two trips:

Caroline has taken to my computer. Or more specifically she has taken to Dora games online. She's still pretty shakey with her computer skills (using a mouse, understanding a browser, etc) but she asks regularly (like 853 times a day) if she can play "Dora Dot Com".

March Trip to Utah

Like every March since we married, Patrick disappeared for the first weekend of March Madness basketball. He went to Ohio to visit his friend, Greg, so the girls and I headed off to Utah to visit my family. While we were there we celebrated my little brother Randy's birthday:

By the end of my stay I had been accused of spoiling my kids with new toys. I really don't buy them new toys every single day. But since we spent so much time in restaurants, and I so badly wanted to chat with my family, a new toy became the magical tool to do just that.

After Randy's birthday lunch we strolled across the street to the county building and relaxed in the beautiful weather.

Maggie and Caroline had plenty of time in the "Rabbit Room" at Julie's. They love that little room and so do I. Oh how I wish we had some tiny magical room like this at home.

Julie read to the ladies:

Brett breakfasted with them each morning:

Although the weather was not all that cooperative, we managed a few minutes to visit Grampy's rabbits:

A funny shot of Julie, Randy, and the many wheelchairs of Randy. They are used in place of a couch. If you visit Randy you get to sit in your choice of wheelchair:

He's rigged a doorbell to his back bedroom:

Thanks to all of my Utah family for taking such good care of us!

And Now March

I'm STILL blogging for month's past! Oh well--we will plug along...

Caroline and Maggie had dental appointments. Here is the hygienist trying to talk Caroline into letting her "tickle" her teeth:

Maggie was very easy and cooperative.

Caroline finally agreed to a cleaning but wouldn't let them do x-rays...until we got to view Maggie's. Then she wanted her own "teeth picture".

Maggie has been picking her own outfits as of late. It's hard on me but I'm so tired I just agree to anything. Anything:

A sweet sister photo and another awesome example of one of Maggie's outfits:

The Last of February

A random picture Caroline took of herself with my phone:

The ingredients to my green smoothie--kale, chard, spinach, parsley, lemon, apple, strawberries.

I love my Vitamix! Happy, happy green smoothie!

Caroline taking a ride on...her sister's back:

Maggie got a haircut. She wanted a very short style. I wanted longer. We compromised.

More February

In the interest of getting something, anything, on the blog I'm just going to skip all that photo editing nonsense and just post directly from my phone pics.

Reading the Book of Mormon:

Discovery Days:

This was Caroline's first Discovery Days that required the use of scissors. Hysterical.

The theme for this week was "Dinosaurs" so there were very few girls. This sensory table was full of dirt and mini dinos to play with. My girls immediately started a little make-believe game with the dinos that was more suited for....small princesses. The other moms got a big kick out of the obvious gender difference there. My girls were none too pleased to be constantly interrupted by growling dinos that might be intruding on their game as the little boys tried to join in.

We are the VERY lucky owners of the Pixie Girl Maxi Dresses from my friend Vicki's clothing line. They lovey LOVE these things and request to wear them every single day. You can buy one here: http://www.chasing-fireflies.com/swirly-ruffles-maxi-dress/productinfo/36565/

Dinner at one of our favorite restaurants--The Med. The girls insisted on wearing their hats throughout the meal:

I think I found a few more pictures from February....maybe someday I'll get caught up on this here neglected blog.