Spring Break - Mormon Battalion Historic Site and the beach

 On Monday, we drove to Old Town San Diego, and went to the Mormon Battalion Historic Site. This was our first time and I highly recommend it. It is incredibly done! The missionaries do a great job on the tour, and we learned a lot through the interactive experience.

We drove over to Coronado Island, where we had had a really great time last year on our July trip (there's a Navy base, and American flags were flying every where). But Monday mid-day was cold and windy. We went to see that beach, and didn't get very far. James sat and waited huddled up for JB to go get pizza.

We ate the pizza and played at Spreckles Park, which we discovered last July. 

But then it rained and so we drove back to the AirBnb. JB took the big boys to the outlet malls, where they got some new shoes and clothing they were pretty excited about, while the little kids and I played games and watched shows. But then later that afternoon, the rain cleared and it got much nicer, so we walked down to the beach again.

  

Sharing is caring with sunscreen

Having sand toys to borrow and take with us was a great thing

Millie couldn't get enough of the water and the sand

Andrew got really good on the boogie board

Ben picked right up where he left off last July

Millie cracked us up with her poses

They got a little cold from the water

I saw some people walking along the beach in jackets and hats, but I thought it was great weather. So much better than a wintery Utah!

Spring Break - St George and first beach sighting

We drove to Southern California for a Spring Break trip the last week of March. We got to St George and played at their large, new, all abilities playground.

Then we went over to JB's cousin Michelle's house in St George. Michelle and Ray were so much fun! They had lots of family stories to share, and fun experiences to talk about. And they have a pool.

And they gave Millie a swim barbie, which she has carried around ever since.

Here is JB in Michelle's house by the pictures of their grandparents. Byron and Gladys Wilde.

The next morning we hit the road again. 

We saw this sign after Mesquite, Nevada, and the two Byrons had to get out and take a picture.

We stopped for food at Raising Cane's somewhere after Barstow, California.

When we got to the Air BnB in Carlsbad, we unloaded our stuff and then walked down the block to the beach. 

But it was early evening and a wind was blowing and James got COLD after getting into the water. So Max took off his shirt and tried to warm James up.

The AirBnB was nice  -- it had games and movies and a good kitchen, and James's only complaint was the ticking clock at night time. Millie wanted to be on the king bed in between mom and dad but I convinced her that the cushions on the floor next to be would be a nice, sweet little bed of her own. She fell asleep fast every night.

Bowling!

Last Friday was another non-student day, but I was on web publishing duties and had a busy morning, so JB took the kids bowling! 

The U of U bowling alley opens early, and this crew had a great time. Based on the videos JB took, I need to go see their celebration dances and bum-wiggling and fist-pumping actions again in-person.

Long February update on all of us

February's weather has been gorgeous the majority of the time. We have been able to play outside more.  Here's an update on everyone in the family for the past month.

 JB and I went on a date to Red Iguana. Enchiladas Suizas might be my new favorite at Mexican restaurants. I used to always get quesadillas with chicken. We saw cars there with license plates from several states (it was featured on The Food Network but we like to say we knew it first). 

JB is very busy with his calling as Stake Executive Secretary. Lots of long meetings. Things may pick up even more for refinances and new home loans in the spring with his work. I try to keep up with our amazing ward primary president as her secretary. We are thrilled to see more signs of normalcy at Church for our children, and more people coming lately.  I've written articles lately I'm really proud of for The Church News, and I feel so much happier with my job, because I am writing stories about people doing good things. And I go to Apostle devotionals, pinch me!

Max had an eye exam — he needs glasses, and they are arriving this week.  He was squinting at the board a lot, and another kid had him try out his glasses, and Max said everything suddenly looked clearer. So the genes struck one of our kids!  He started high school tennis practice again. But he has to be on tarp duty, to help cover the courts when it rains or snows, because a new roof on the drivers ed cars casts shade on the courts. Max is also working Friday or Saturday nights at Coldstone.

Ben is playing on the 8th grade team, and on a team JB coaches. Nona and Papa came to watch him play. Ben is working hard in his honors classes, and he still walks our neighbor's dog, Bella, every day. He is busy a lot, but also has time to watch The Book of Boba Fett and any Avengers or Marvel movie he can. Also Dude Perfect and Mark Rober. It is fun to watch something with him and bond with him over shows and movies.

Andrew switched 5th grade teachers on Valentine's Day. It was a day full of prayer for us for our boy. But he came home happy, and with two bags of candy from his old class and his new class. He is adjusting really well. His new teacher has an open, inviting classroom without plastic barriers around each desk, and he made a Princess Bride reference the first day. We appreciate all his former teacher taught him.

Here is the Valentine's Day box he made (but the Friday before, his teacher said they would just use bags). It's a Sarlaac Pit from Star Wars. Andrew LOVES all things Star Wars, still. He and Ben woke up early each Wednesday to see the latest Book of Bobba Fett episode for several weeks.

Here is James's Valentine's Day box, a green dinosaur. He drew up a plan and did almost all of the gluing and measuring. We often still call James, "J-Dino."  He wore a dino shirt to school that day, too. James still has plastic barriers around his desk, but more parents spoke up, and at least some of the kids can put their barriers down now. He would love a play date every day, as long as he can still watch a show after school for his quiet time.

Andrew leaves early Monday mornings for safety patrol. Most days, he and James are ready before Millie and have to wait for her to get her hair done.

And here she is. I've included lots of pictures because she's had a fun and silly month. She lost her first tooth!

She wore her swimsuit several days in a row under a dress and jacket when was home or playing after school.

Earlier in the month, she wore this Batman cape.

Even wore it while picking dead skin of Andrew's feet. She loves to peel dead skin, it's really weird and I had to document it, haha. She'll hang out under the table while we read scriptures and listen to us and pick at anyone's feet who lets her.

On the 100th day of school, the kindergarteners dress up as a 100-year-old. Her hair is in a bun, but she did not like the wrinkles I drew on her face and rubbed them off.

We've had these marble tracks for a long time. I set them up on Sunday afternoon and soon more of the boys were over, trying them out, too. Oh, and Millie and I have matching sweaters.

Max had a mission from JB and picked out these Valentine's Day roses for me at Costco the day he and I went to his eye doctor's exam. Then he brought home a Coldstone ice cream cake that night with his work discount. It was a really nice Valentine's Day!

Three young men

In January, Andrew joined the Church's young men organization and became a deacon!  He gets almost a full year more of these experiences because of his December birthday.

Here is the day when he was ordained.

Then on January 26, he was able to go to the temple for the first time when our ward youth went to Bountiful. We tried to tell him a little about what to expect when doing baptisms, and I was glad Max and Ben were there with him. He said he felt really good.

Appointments are hard to get, so we were happy to hear the YW had an appointment for this morning. These three left for the Jordan River Temple at 5:30AM (it's been since October 31 that I have seen that time of the morning, my last day on the radio). They were back in time to change and eat breakfast before school

Andrew has passed the sacrament a few times now, and I appreciate his reverence and willingness. His first time, I was giving a talk so I was sitting on the stand, and I watched him through the whole room and felt so proud.