road trip to st. george - day 1

it's tradition.. we always hit the road mid february and head south to hang out with my parents! almost always.. the weather is sunny and much nicer than our winter temps back home. we soooo look forward to going every year!!!

{instagram photos intermixed with nikon d90 camera photos}

when we ses this red & white stripe lighthouse we know we're almost there!!!

first thing we always do, is meet up with my parents for lunch at good 'ole chuck-a-rama! have i mentioned.. they have the best salad bar ever? then.. the kids are usually chomping at the bit to get checked into the hotel and race out to the pool... kynlee couldn't wait either, she loves to play in the water! :) 

kynlee had so much fun at the pool. they have a little kiddie pool that is just perfect for her. the water is warm and it's not too deep. she got pretty adventurous with exploring and even going into the middle away from the wall. still to this day though, her favorite thing to do is to find the little jet where the water circulates. she puts her hand on it and laughs and laughs... she laughed for two hours straight. i thought for sure she was gonna have a tummy ache from laughing so hard.. for so long! 

 i told him to smile.. and this is what he gave me! Nice---

 wow!!! don't i look like a cutie! LOL

i guess that's what stayin' up most the night before packing, sleeping maybe a total of two hours, early morning road trip, chuck-a-rama lunch, long pool time, dinner out at subway and back to the room for exchanging some valentine goodies.. will do to ya! everytime...

holding hands with grandma!!

she loves it.

especially when she hasn't been around her in a long time...

Valentines Morning~

The morning of Valentines Day is always a big deal at our house.. it's filled with hugs-n-kisses, balloons, gifts of love, heart shaped breakfast items and this year the normal case of sillies we often get.

The kids got to have a dress down day at school as long as they wore a color that represented Valentines Day. They were all really excited and couldn't wait to pass out their valentines!!! It was a busy day.. I took donuts & chocolate milk in for Chandler's class party at the end of the day. Kynlee's vision consultant helped her make some cute little Valentines for her friends & teachers with braille on them, they were so cute. Did I mention how in-love I am with her new school, new teacher, assistants & IEP team, they're all so awesome! I'm so thankful for such incredible people who are willing & truly want to help McKynlee reach her fullest potential. They're amazing and I love them all so much. For dinner we had heart shaped pizza & made some special valentine deliveries! Ya know.. where you leave a special something on the doorstep, ring the doorbell and run! 

Lot's of fun...

gettin' ready for valentines day...

Friday was busy... 
I felt like I was running non-stop just to cross the next thing off my list of things to do. The first half of the day was filled with last minute preparations & packing before Andres & the boys left on the klondike winter campout with the scouts. When they drove out of the driveway I looked at Sydnee, threw my arms in the air and yelled "Party Time!!!" but I really just wanted to curl up in my bed and go to sleep. 

Instead we ran to Target for some treats & supplies for decorating Sydnee's Valentine bag and handmade Valentines for everyone to hand out on Monday! When we got home we set Pandora to our favorite station - Frank Sinatra, made ourselves a glass of ice water with orange slices, laid everything out and got started! 

We finished Sydnee's bag & all of her valentines.. and then we were pooped. We decided to call it a night and do Tanner's in the morning. Kynlee came home from Abu & Papa's house, we all got in our jammies, piled up in my room (I made a bed for Kynlee on the floor) and watched a movie together while falling asleep! 

***************************************************

The days have been so warm lately, like up to 60 degrees warm, with blue skies & the sun shining bright!!! It's been so nice, but late afternoon it suddenly began to change. The blue skies turned dark & grey and the howling winds sent bunches of leaves whirling through the air. Old man winter's snow storms on it's way.. brrrrrr---

Fun in the Sun!

Come Thursday, it was time for our traditional trip down south to visit my parents in sunny St. George! We left that night, got there around midnight and woke up with a weekend of fun & relaxation awaiting us! I was hoping the weather would be really nice and that it was... it felt so good to feel the warmth of the rays on our skin and to even have to turn on the AC in the car at times.

Day 1:

• slept in
• running
• swimming @ indoor pool
• lunch @ Chuck-u-rama
• Chandler-n-Me: Arcade, photo booth pic.s, stroll down main with a peek or two in the little consignment shop, book store, etc.
• Andres-n-the rest of the kids: went swimming @ outdoor pool
• dinner @ Iceberg (eewww... that was yucky! we wanted to go to Brick Oven for pizza but it was overflowing with people so we settled for Iceberg and it just didn't satisfy the taste buds..)
• Sydnee-n-Me: night time drive with Gma & Gpa up to the airport to watch the planes coming in for landing/taking off and to reminisce while looking out over the city of lights.
• Andres-n-the rest of the kids: movie @ hotel room!
• Sydnee got to sleepover with Gma & Gpa in their trailer!!!

 Tanner LOVES to swim..

Day 2:

• slept in
• breakfast @ JB's
• haircuts for the boys @ Loyd's Barber Shop (Loyd was quite the character... with his big feathered white wig, gray polyesters, white nurse shoes and missing teeth! But he was nice.. and he's finally figured out what love is, (he thinks..) he's been married seven times, four times before he even turned 21! He said his problem was that he was confused between what lust & love was, but now his seventh wife is a real keeper!) LOL
• lunch-walk-play @ Snow Canyon Campground: hotdog & marshmallow roast!
• swimming @ outdoor pool
• dinner @ hotel room: Gma & Gpa brought Subway sandwiches, chips & drinks!

The boys wanted to catch Mr. Lizard & his buddies.. but they were entirely too fast! I'm surprised they even stuck around for the photos.

Whenever McKynlee is with my Dad she smiles! She can feel his love for her & always knows she's in for a good time... he sings her cute little songs that make her giggle with lots of hugs -n- kisses in between.. and she loves how he squeezes-n-massages her legs and feet! 

..and it's the same with my Mom!

Day 3: VaLenTiNes DaY!

• breakfast in hotel room: yogurt + grapes + donuts-n-danishes + milk!
• flowers from my love
• church @ 11:00
• lunch @ The Majestic Lodge in Zions (tradition)
• rest & relax @ the hotel
• Gma & Gpa delivered Valentines & sugar cookies for us!
• all 9 of us cuddled up on the beds together and watched one of our favorite movies, Secondhand Lions!
• pizza for dinner @ hotel room
• lots of xoxo's

Day 4: President's Day, or if ya know my dad... a.k.a. George Birthington's Washday!

• slept in
• swimming @ indoor pool
• packed up the car
• lunch & shopping @ The Cracker Barrel (met up with an old friend so she didn't have to pay shipping on her headbands)
• goodbyes
• on the road again.... home.

 

Man.. that must have been a dang good joke I told him!