Spring Break

We decided a little visit to Lacey/Olympia was in order this spring break and had the incentive that Andy’s sister’s family moved there to push up that visit to our State’s capital (which NONE of us, although mostly raised in Washington, had been to!)

We drove over on Sunday and listened to a little General Conference on the way and stopped at a park to have a hoagie and other snacks and then we had delicious taco soup with Sara.

Sara took us to a super cool park to let the kids play for awhile.  There was a fun teepee that spun kind of like a merry-go-round, but not as fast.  Andy loves these things.

There was a HUGE set up of ropes to climb on that they kids really enjoyed.

There was even a cool zipline.  You should have seen Abby fly at the end of that.  Good thing she knows how to hang on tight!

Even Elizabeth tried out the rope structure.

Daphne LOVED this thing!  She was all over it, especially when her mom asked her to come a little lower. ;)

This little teacup sat crooked and spun fast.  And faster with a little help…

Vincent made the funniest Popeye face.

After the park we went back to Sara’s for yummy strawberry shortcake.

Monday morning we went into Olympia to the Children’s museum since Sara has a family membership and had a few extra passes.  There were so many fun things there.

Abby liked looking at x-rays in the doctor’s office area.

I think this area was a favorite for all of the kids.  They put fabric and puff balls into the tubes at the bottom and they shot out the top.

Baby Emma liked hanging out with Andy a lot.  She’s so adorable!

We waited for a rabbit petting zoo to start and lined the kids all up.  They all had a really fun time!

After that fun, we stopped for lunch and then headed to the State Capital building in Olympia.

There was marble everywhere.  Cute kids on the steps!

We walked around and looked at the big room the legislature votes in when they’re in session (but it finished last week, so no one was there.)

We stopped in to the offices where our Richland representative’s offices are, but they were already back home.

Next we had a quick snack and headed to Tumwater Falls.  I wanted a picture of the kids by the totem pole.  They all did really well on this trip.

Upper Tumwater Falls (and Vincent).

Olivia with Ezra at the Falls (and wearing Sara’s jacket since she didn’t bring one.)

There are two sides to the Upper Tumwater Falls.  It’s really pretty to look at.

Abby loved all the plants everywhere, especially the moss.

Sara was brave over this bridge since she’s afraid of heights.

All the kids, except Emma by a small waterfall.

We had such a fun trip to visit family and saw so many fun things!

Tuesday morning we were going to visit a friend who lives about 2 hours away from Sara, but her kids were sick, so we headed to the Washington coast to see the Pacific Ocean.  We haven’t been to the coast since Vincent was about 2 years old and Abby has never been there.  They wanted to get out and see it.

Vincent took a picture of Andy and I for me.  I had a bit of a cold/allergy stuff going on all weekend, so I was sleeping a lot in the car.

 We took Wednesday to recuperate and rest and then I took the girls to make quilts with my mom in Walla Walla.  I dropped them off about two pm on Thursday. Pictures of the girls working on their quilts are on my mom’s blog here. Finished quilt tops here.

They made all the blocks that first night and sewed the tops together the next day.  SO quick and beautiful and they have learned great skills from Grandma Mary.

They got to hang out with Grandpa Paul too.

While they were away, I took Abby and Vincent to Food Truck Friday at the Pasco Farmer’s Market to try out a few new foods and some cupcakes from a friend who owns a baking business (and she was helping cook at Camp Wooten with me.) I think Vincent and Abby liked the cupcakes.

Abby made herself a snack Friday afternoon before dinner.

We picked Elizabeth and Olivia up and got everyone ready for family pictures in Walla Walla Saturday afternoon.  Captured By Tessa posted the pictures she took already!

I love the pictures.  We had a really great spring break this year.  Most years we just have a nice relaxed week at home, so this was a nice change.

Easter + Camp Wooten

Our youth at church filled plastic eggs and hid them for our primary kids to find the Saturday before Easter.  I love that they do that. It makes everything so easy and fun for both the youth and the little kids (and parents too!)

Abby and Vincent especially had a good time finding eggs (and eating the candy.)

I invited my buddy Ally and her family to join us.  I had an overnight at work and got off at 6:30am that morning, so I’m a little red-eyed and tired here… We’ve been friends for nearly ten years and I’m SO glad!

The Easter Bunny brought some treats (which were pretty much all eaten before I even woke up…)

       

The next morning Olivia and I headed off to Camp Wooten in the Blue Mountains about an hour and a half away.

Olivia’s fifth grade class went up for Outdoor Education with their teachers from school.  This is between the 35-40th year of this camp for our school.  One of the teachers has been running it all that time and it gets better every year.

I went up as a cook like I did with Elizabeth two years ago.  It’s a TON of work (like 6am-10pm every day-about 60 hours total for the week.)  It’s a good thing I enjoy it and there was a good group this year again which makes it even more fun.  We do get to take little breaks to go see our kids do good things.

 

They have regular class time for the whole normal school day time and then the afternoon is full of special activities like archery, bb guns, hiking, geocache, kickball, crafts, and even Amazing Race this year.

I caught up with Olivia at her archery and her craft time.  She went on hikes the other days.  She loves to hike.

We cooked three full meals and a snack each day.  It is so busy! We feed 80 fifth graders, counselors, TA’s, and teachers of all the different classes, so we cook for 130 and plan for more like 160 (the bonus of working in the kitchen is at the end of the week, we get to take home some delicious food leftovers.)

One day at lunch we had soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Three people on the grill working on that, and the rest of us cutting and putting them into pans to stay warm and doing dishes (luckily, there’s an awesome sanitizing machine that does a lot of the work.)

One day we dressed up the staff’s creepy camper doll and left her out in the dining room.

I also was able to go to Olivia’s cooking class (and helped a little).

Mr. Manners (one of the head cooks who plans the meals and orders each year) taught the group how to make an omelet and then they divided into groups of two to make their own.  Jane and Olivia did a really good job.  Their omelet was second place in their class.  The winning team from this day and the previous day had a Top Chef cookoff the following day which was pretty cool.

 Abby had playdates at two different friend’s houses and with Grandma Shirley while I was away.  Elizabeth did a great job walking Vincent home from school and picking up Abby along the way and taking care of them until Andy got home from work.

We are enjoying springtime!

Vincent had his first Pinewood Derby in March.  His car got fourth in our Pack.  He had a great time and loved it.

On the way home from the church, Vincent asked me not to post a picture of his car on Facebook.  I asked him why not and he said, “because then I’ll get arrested and go to Juvie.”  I asked why he thought that and he said because it was copyright because his car was a Bulborg from Pikmin’s video game.

Here’s a good side-by-side so you can see what he meant.

He cracks me up.  Life is fun!