Easter Weekend

For the past several years we have gone down to Southern Utah to celebrate the Easter weekend with our Families. This year we decided to go down on Thursday and we stayed with my sister Kamberee and her hubby Tyler and their son Karev for the weekend. I am always so grateful to her opening her home up to us and letting us stay. We always look forward to going down to Southern Utah in the spring because the weather is always warmer than it is up here in Northern Utah and it is so nice to be able to get away from it all and have some much needed family time.We didn't do too much on Thursday after we arrived but visit and catch up with Kam and Tyler and Karev.

 On Friday morning, we headed down to Grandpa & Grandma Frisbey's house in Santa Clara, Utah. When we arrived, Bob and Laurie had hidden some eggs around their yard and in their house for the kids to look for. They had hidden pink and purple eggs for Karmindy and green and blue eggs for Kaleb. The kids had a great time searching for the eggs. They both got ten eggs with $1 in each egg. They were pretty thrilled with their money eggs. After the kids had their egg hunt, Bob and Laurie let the kids color some eggs. The kids had fun spending time with their Grandma and Grandpa Frisbey.

 After the egg hunts and coloring eggs, we headed to eat lunch at the Pasta Factory on the Blvd. in St. George. Mark and I sure miss the Pasta Factory and their yummy pastas, raspberry lemonade and their yummy bread sticks. We always look forward to visiting southern Utah to get a taste of our roots! We met Rex and Misty and R.J. there for lunch. It was nice to see Mark's brother and spend some time with him and his family and Bob and Laurie.

On Saturday Morning, we took it easy, slept in and then got up and got ready for the day. After getting cleaned up for the day we headed to Grandpa and Grandma DeMille's house in Hurricane. We had a yummy picnic with my parents, and siblings. We missed having Tiffany, Ryan and Kenley there. They are in Hawaii because Ryan is stationed there with the Army for work.

After the picnic, we all headed outside to ride shoot balloons out of Grandpa's grape vines. Kaleb brought his airsoft guns and Dad got out his BB and pellet gun for all the kids to shoot. After shooting we went for four wheeler rides, scooter rides (Uncle Karson's scooter), and Uncle Karson's girl friend, Brittany's go kart. The kids all had fun, and even the big kids enjoyed themselves!

After having fun shooting, four wheeler rides, scooter rides and go kart rides, Grandpa and Grandma had their tradtional egg hunt. The kids always look forward to my parents egg hunt and look forward to trying to find the Golden Eggs. My mom hid 2 gold eggs this year and one Silver. Kaleb, like every year, was stressing about getting the golden egg (because the golden ones have money in them.) I had to reassure him that it would be fine. He was happy when he found the 2 golden eggs. I was proud of him because he gave one to Karmindy to have. He was so thoughtful! I am very proud of  Kaleb and the awesome big brother he is to his little sister.

We sure had a great weekend with both sides of our family. It was nice to spend time with all of our brothers and sisters and our parents. I feel very blessed to come from such a great family like mine. I truly look forward to seeing them now that we are all older and have our own families. It makes the time so worthwhile and precious!
On Sunday morning, we all woke up and the kids raced downstairs to see what the Easter Bunny left them. Kaleb, Karmindy and Karev were so excited to see that the EB had came! They were happy with their treasures!

I am so grateful for my own little family. I am truly grateful for the knowledge that we can be an eternal family and I am grateful we can have an eternal family because of Jesus Christ, and his sacrifice and atonement for us! We had such a great weekend! Happy Easter!

Easter Weekend

For the past several years we have headed to Southern Utah for Easter. It is always a welcomed break to head south and thaw out after the long winters up here in Northern Utah. This Winter seemed especially long since I had my gallbladder out and I didn't feel well and Kaleb was off track for most of January. It was nice to have something to look forward too!

We took off on Thursday afternoon and arrived in Hurricane by dinner time. We did stop in Beaver to stretch our legs and took a couple of pictures at the Gas Station for fun.

The kids like to sit in the big Rocking Chair in Beaver. They also like to check out all the fun little souvenirs that they have there at the gas station. Everyone needs a coon skin hat! 

To thank my sister and brother in law for letting us stay with them we decided to take them out to dinner. So Thursday night, after we got into town, we decided to head to the Pizza/Pasta Factory Express in Washington, Utah. The Pizza/Pasta Factory is always a favorite. The kids had the Breadsticks there and couldn't get enough. Mark and I indulged in our favorites, Creamy Pesto with Chicken and Mushrooms and Pesto with Chicken. It had been a long time since we had been able to enjoy our favorites since we don't make it to Southern Utah often enough!

The next couple of days we hung out with family. 

On Friday afternoon, we met up with Grandpa and Grandma Frisbey for lunch at the Pizza/ Pasta Factory again. This time we went to the one on the Blvd in St. George. The kids enjoyed the bread sticks again and seriously couldn't get enough. Kaleb and Karmindy got spoiled by Bob & Laurie with Easter Baskets and Money-filled eggs. After lunch we headed back to the car to head back to my sisters place. Karmindy saw this little chef outside of the "Painted Pony," another local restaurant and begged to get her picture taken by him. I don't know what the fascination was but I am guessing she liked that he was about her size!

She also wanted to have her picture taken in the cool old telephone booth too. Funny girl!

Also, another photo op Outside of the Painted Pony is a piece of art that is a pony that is created out of old metal scraps of gears, pans, etc. The kids thought it was so cool and enjoyed looking at it and seeing all the scrap metal and what the horse was made of.

On Saturday, we headed to my parents for our annual Easter Picnic/Easter Egg Hunt. The kids have been so excited this year and have been talking about how they were going to "score" Grandma & Grandpa DeMilles golden egg. It is a competition to see who can find it because it is filled with money. Kaleb was especially competitive this year and I swear that is all he talked about for weeks in advance.

Here are some pictures of our day....

The kids eating lunch with their cousins outside at the "kid table."

All the cousins have so much fun together! After lunch, I got the kids together and we made a Bunny Headband craft that I brought for the kids to make and wear during the Egg Hunt. The kids all loved the craft and really enjoyed their headbands.

Here are all the cousins minus 3 of them. LtR: Karev, Kennadee, Kenley, Karmindy and Kaleb.

 Traeson and Ryker were at Kami's house and sweet little Bronson was back up at Primary Children's because his heart isn't doing well.

The Egg Hunt was awesome. This year, my mom and sisters packed 120 plastic eggs with candy and money before we had gotten there.

 The kids all had a blast looking for the eggs in Grandpa and Grandma's Orchard. I love this Tradition!

After the Egg Hunt, the kids all love when Grandpa DeMille gets out his two four wheelers and get to take rides in the pasture. It's so fun!

 My parents are too cute. They are always so thoughtful and give the kids some sort of small gift each year at Easter. This year it was bubble wand machines and a toothbrush set with toothbrush,cup and holder. Kaleb and Karmindy where thrilled with their gifts.

We had so much fun spending time with family over Easter Break. On Sunday, Mark and I headed to Vegas for a couple of days but ended up coming home sooner than we wanted. Both Kaleb and Karmindy and myself all came down with the stomach flu. It was horrible. What was even worse is that Mark and I had spent some good money on our room and for a Cirque du soile Show and ended up not being able to get our money back because I was so sick and came home early. It was a bust of a getaway for us. We are glad that we were able to feel good enough to spend time with family for a couple of days before coming down with such a horrible flu. We look forward to being able to going down for Easter next year.

Easter Clothes!

We have a tradition in our family that the kids get a brand-new Easter Outfit for Easter each year. The kids look forward to having something new to wear; especially something that is a little "lighter" and not so warm to wear to church. During the winter months in Northern Utah they wear heavy sweaters and tights, so I know they look forward to wearing the lighter fabrics. Kaleb and Karmindy weren't able to wear their New Easter Clothes for Easter since we were in Southern Utah that day but we let them wear their new duds the following week and I thought they looked darling! I am so proud of my kids and I think they are just so cute! Now if they would just stop growing.....

They are both growing up way too fast!!

Easter Weekend 2

 I couldn't fit all the pictures that I wanted in just one journal entry so I thought I would do two! The picture above is my kids with Grandma and Grandpa DeMille! Boy, they had a fun time spending the Easter Weekend with them. After all the kids went for an Easter Egg hunt in my Parents Orchard, we all came back into the house and my mom and dad gave them their Easter presents from them. My mom is such a fun Grandma and always tries to make the holidays fun for her Grand-kids. She takes great pride in going shopping for them and picking out special presents for each of her grandchildren whether it is for the holidays or their birthdays. She does a great job. For Easter this year, she made each one of her grand-kids their very own fleece blanket that matched a darling pillow. The blankets were a hit and my kids have really enjoying playing with their and cuddling up on the couch with their blankets and pillow that Grandma and Grandpa gave them!

My kids truly love visiting their Grandpa and Grandma DeMille. There is always plenty to do and cousins to play with. My kids love my mom's foam blocks and they love to build the biggest structures they can without the foam blocks crumbling. Kaleb went to work and built a structure that resembled the picture on the container. He was so proud!!! He had to hurry though, before cousin Karev knocked it down. Luckily, I was able to snap a  photo before the decimation began!

 My kids also love to go down to the Chicken Coup with Grandpa D and gather the eggs. Kaleb has enjoyed doing this with his Grandpa since he was a little boy. He loves it and I love seeing him bond with his Grandpa! I wish we lived closer so he could learn more about the Animals and outdoors. My dad really knows so much about gardening, and animals and I really wish that I knew more so I could pass the knowledge down to my kids!

It has been a tradition for me for the past two years to make Karmindy some sort of Easter/Spring Sun Dress. This year, while I was shopping at Hobby Lobby, I came across some darling fabric that already was smocked on top. I thought it would be so easy to whip Karmindy up a darling Sun Dress. She looks so cute in it and was proud to have something to wear to Grandma's House for the Family Picnic and Egg Hunt. I was really proud to be able to make something that my daughter enjoys wearing. I wish the picture was better quality because the print on the dress is more vibrant than the picture portrays!

The kids always get a little depressed when we have to leave Hurricane and return home. I love that they get to make good memories with their Grandparents for they truly enjoy visiting them and spending time with them. My parents always wonder if they have a good time but I don't have any doubt that they do. The Monday following the Easter Break, Kaleb came home with this Journal Entry that he wrote at school. It says, "I went to Saint George to see Grandma DeMille (Grandpa Too!). We went on the Four Wheelers to. We had an Easter Egg Hunt Too!!" 

I don't get Kaleb to reveal his feelings too often so it is a treat when he writes in his journal at school and brings the entries home for me to read. 

Our whole family enjoyed spending the weekend in Hurricane and I am so grateful to my parents and the parents and Grandparents they are to us! Thanks for a memorable Easter Holiday Mom and Dad!

Easter Weekend

 I have fond memories of  Easter Weekend, when I was a child. A typical Easter was spent getting together with my dad's side of the family-Grandpa and Grandma DeMille and his siblings and cousins. We would all make yummy food to eat and then head to some place to enjoy the food and each others company. We would go to several places growing up but a few places that I remember was Kolob and Grafton, Utah. Grafton is one of the last remaining Ghost Towns in Southern Utah. We got permission to go on the property. I remember having a fun time exploring the old church and homes. I love anything to do with History!

As our family has grown, we have branched off and have done our own traditions. For the past two years we have gotten together with my parents and do a nice cookout (Friend Chicken, Baked Beans, Deviled Eggs, Pasta Salad, Potato Salad, Jello Salads, and Mom's awesome creme- filled Chocolate Cupcakes) and then an Easter Egg hunt for the kids in my parents Orchard. The kids, as well as, the adults all look forward to it. This year Kaleb and Amber, Kam and Tyler and us were the only ones able to make it to the get together. Karson had to work and Tiff wasn't able to come down. We missed them!

The kids and their stash. Grandma D puts money in some of the eggs. Kaleb announced/hinted at that he was going to find one with $50 in it! Hmmmm. I wonder if Grandma was in on that secret. I think not! Keep dreaming Kaleb! ;)

After lunch and egg hunts we all go for four wheeler rides either around the Church Farm property which is located just down the street from my parents home or in my dads pasture. This year we stayed close to home. The little/big kids look forward to going on Grandpas "Wheelers!" We all have a great time!

Easter Bunny Visit

For the past two years, we have headed to Southern Utah to celebrate Easter. We look forward to getting away from the Snowy Northern Utah Weather and heading South to thaw out for a couple of days. I love going home and I always feel so rejuvenated when I get to go home and be around my family. Since we have made it an annual tradition to head south, the Easter Bunny comes on Thursday night and drops off the kids Easter Baskets so he doesn't have to make a special trip to Southern Utah. I am really glad that the Easter Bunny comes a little bit early because then when Easter Sunday rolls around we can focus a little more on what Easter is about- Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

This year the kids have been super excited for the Easter bunny to visit; especially Karmindy. She would talk about the Easter bunny non- stop and what he was going bring her on a daily basis. On Friday morning, I could hear the kids scramble from their rooms and search around the living room to find their treasures. I love the holidays and I truly enjoy watching my kids get so excited about the holidays. I loved listening to them converse with excitement about what they had gotten. They were so excited. 

The Easter bunny this year was very, very gracious and brought the kids one big gift. Kaleb loves Star Wars Legos (they are not cheap) and the Easter Bunny knew just what he would enjoy so he brought him a large ship to build. Karmindy got her very first bike! She was so excited and spent the morning riding it around the kitchen. The kids got some candy, play-doh filled eggs, coloring books and crayons, some little Velcro catching mitts and brand new sandals for spring. We were truly spoiled. The Easter bunny also left a few trinkets for Mom and Dad (Movies, Candy and Banana-grams, a Scrabble Type Game.) 

It was a fun morning spent together!!