Spring Break 2011

We were supposed to be going to Rexburg over Spring Break but things just didn't work out. So we figured we'd better find some fun things to do here.

Monday wasn't really a day to be noted so we'll pretend it didn't even happen. Tuesday however Todd was home from work because he always has the day after tax season is over, off. It also happened to be 85 degrees that day so we headed to some water to play in. I still haven't found the ideal splash park but this one did fine for this day.

The girls were SO excited to finally get to wear their new swimsuits. Ellie is into posing for some reason, I just smile and say "cute" and take the picture. Cheese ball.

The kids all admit it's not as great as the splash park in Rexburg because there were no slides, but they seemed to enjoy themselves just the same. This one had palm trees that squirted water.

My sunbathing beauties.


That night Todd's mom had a layover here in Las Vegas on her way home from Utah so we headed to the airport to have a quick visit with her. We were all so excited to see her and were sad she had to get back on the plane and not stay and play with us.

Wednesday & Thursday were park days. Have I mentioned how many parks are here in Las Vegas? TONS!!!! We like to go find new ones to play at. I've found my favorite, it's still new, hardly anyone ever there, and has a place for the little kids and the bigger kids to play.

Friday arrives and I had done some research online of some things to do here. Todd and I decided on Three things and away we went. Our first stop was the Mirage Hotel. They had the Sigfried and Roy Secret Garden and Dolphin habitat.

It was a gorgeous hotel and the kids loved the waterfall and cool bridge.

First we sat and watched the Dolphins for what seemed like forever. They don't have a "show" that they put on but the trainers were out weighing them and feeding them so we did see them do a few tricks for a treat.

Holland was upset about something and refused to stand with the kids for a picture. Drama.

We then headed over to the big cats to see the Leopards,

The GIGANTIC white tiger which I swear would smile for the camera. (I have two more shots that I took at different times and each time it smiled)














They also had a white lion but the only shot I could get of it was of it's backside since it was sleeping up on a platform.

On the way out we stopped at the bathroom and Ellie was in awe. SO I had to get a picture of her in the BEAUTIFUL bathroom.

I had found online what sounded like a fun place to eat lunch but it turned out not to be so fabulous. So we went on a hunt for a park and luckily Todd had heard of one out by the airport. Eventually we found it and had fun eating lunch and watching the planes coming in to land.

It was a huge park and we found this little dessert walk to go explore.

Gross fact for you. At the top they had a drinking fountain and at the base was a fountain that dogs could get a drink out of and of course that's where my kids got their drink from.

After lunch we headed to the Flamingo. They have a flamingo habitat with Koi fish, turtles, and a black swan.

The Koi were ENORMOUS!! and there were tons of them swimming around.

We then went across the street to Caesars to watch the "Fall of Atlantis" anamotronic show. Todd and I thought it was pretty cheesy but the kids loved it.

At the end they had real fire and the dragon on the back of this chair came alive which scared Ellie to death. The boys thought it was "so cool".

We ended the day with dinner at McD's and an ice cream cone at home.

It's amazing what you can find to do here. I want to take the kids to Hoover dam as well as Red Rock Canyon for some thing out side of Vegas, but we've still got even more on our list of things to explore.

Saturday we kicked back and hung out at home. Todd played a little frisby golf in the morning then I ran and got some Easter bunny things since I completely forgot to take care of that during the week. After lunch we headed out to find another park to explore. We found a great on too but I of course forgot my camera. We will certainly be going back so you'll have to wait until then to see the fun place we found. Ellie wants to go back and have a picnic under the big flowers and butterflies, wait till you see them.

I think we had a pretty fun spring break considering we were supposed to have been with cousins and family which would have been even more fun.

SHARK!

One of the many things we've wanted to do since we've come to Las Vegas is go to the Shark Reef aquarium at the Mandalay Bay hotel. This last Saturday we decided we needed some fun family time and went to check it out.

Obviously the kids LOVED it. It's not a huge place but they have some really cool fish and sharks.


This was in the gift shop after we went through and of course the kids found all kinds of things they wanted to get, and will be saving their money so they can go back and get them. Quinton thought this hat was great.

They had a tank full of Jelly Fish, really cool.

They had a tank of sting rays and horseshoe crabs you could touch (the sting rays didn't sting)
Weiland was the only one brave enough to touch one, even reached this giant one.

At the end is this huge tanks with two tunnels that you can sit under and watch the sharks swim by. They had lots of other fish in there as well as three sea turtles (who we didn't see because they were hiding or sleeping we were told). They also had a saw shark which I couldn't get a good picture of but it was amazing. We'll certainly be going back again and the kids can't wait to take cousin's and grandparents to see the sharks.

our little outing

The kids had a day off from school this past Monday and rather than stayed cooped up together I decided to go somewhere that the kids love (i do too because it's free). We headed to the Bass Pro shop to see all their taxidermy animals and their large fish tank.

The ram out in front of the store

They have really cool fish in their aquarium, tiger sharks, large sting rays, a sun fish, and lots more.

The kids stood there forever, and then followed the sharks along the tank.

Not sure what was up with the kids that day, they were really into posing like they were attacking each other, as you'll notice throughout the rest of the photo's.

Not even sure what kind of fish this was but it was HUGE! My guess was a catfish but we never found out.

This was an actual giraffe, E.NOR.MOUS!!

More attack poses

They were all sure that their cousins would love this place too. We'd love to take them if they come down to visit.. I'm sure we'll be visiting this place again, can't get enough of stuffed animals. : )

Happy Birthday Weiland!!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet Weiland. I feel like he got jipped this year for his birthday. No party, no balloons or streamers, his gifts weren't even wrapped. I'm pretty sure my birthday decorations didn't make it here in the move and I couldn't find my wrapping paper to wrap the gifts his grandparents sent. I couldn't even find the box with his birthday gift in it from one of the grandparents. I feel like a slacker mom this year for him. He went with Todd yesterday, the two of us thinking he'd like to pick out a new bike for his birthday. But no, he really just wanted a few new animal toys and Toothless the dragon. So that's what he got and he loves them. We were both surprised he didn't want a new bike, but since there isn't the space here to ride like in Idaho he's not really into it. Maybe when we start to ride to school things will change and we'll try again. Oh well.

Anyway this year his birthday being on a Sunday kind of made it a little more low key. It would of been so much more fun of course having the cousins over for cake and ice cream (we really needed you all to help eat the cake). But it was just our little family and thankfully he really seemed to enjoy his day.

We were so surprised to find out we would be welcoming Weiland to our family only 6 months after Quinton arrived. I'm actually really glad they are so close together, now anyway, because they do act like best friends.

Unfortuantely this is not one of my finest creations but he loved it and that's all that matters.
(notice i couldn't find my birthday candles either, i was sure to tell them not to lick these ones)

Love my little man who is growing up to be such a big boy.

Quinton's Baptism

Quinton was baptized on February 5th 2011. He was a good sport about waiting a whole month more to be baptized (mom and dad had to go on a cruise that first weekend in Jan.). We wanted to be able to do it while we lived in Rexburg near family and friends. Both sets of Grandparents were able to come out to support Quinton and we are so thankful they did.

Here's our little man posed with his new scriptures.

Quinton and Todd ready to go. (sorry babe, that jumper isn't the most flattering thing ever)

My boys. I'm so grateful to Quinton for his good choices and good example he is to his brother and sisters.

Quinton with his Grandpa's

The cousin crew we had there with us. We love you guys and miss all our other cousins and wished we all lived closer.

We were lucky enough to have some good friends come as well. This is Lincoln and Everett Lees our awesome friends and neighbors. Others that came were the Schellenburgs (also neighbors).


A few things I'd like to note about the baptism: In Rexburg because there are so many kids being baptized each month they do a stake baptism day the first Saturday of the month. Every child that has turned 8 the month before is baptized on that day. They stake puts on a small program before the actual baptisms and then you are dismissed by ward to the font to be baptized. We had two other kids baptized from our ward that day. After our ward meets in a room for conformations and the bishop says a few remarks and there is a closing prayer.

After the baptism we went to Courtney's for a lunch/dinner with all the family that we had there. Unfortunatley we couldn't just hang out and enjoy their company, we had to get back and get the moving truck packed up.

It was such a special day and it made me so very grateful for the gospel and the anchor it is in my life. I'm thankful to have it's teachings to help me teach my children. I'm thankful for Quinton and his desire to be baptized and his desire to make good choices. He is a choice son of God and I can see his great potential through his actions. We love you Quinton and are so thankful for you.