Spring Break

This year for Spring Break my whole family headed down to Springdale. My brother Dan lives in Virgin and we were doing our family service project for the year. If you remember last year my dad decided that each year instead of Christmas presents, we would do something at one of my siblings houses each year. It all began with my pergola last year. So this year we all went down to enjoy a few days in the warmth and help Dan clean up his yard.

On Friday Jesse, Garrett, Chris and Don took advantage of the nice weather and went golfing in St. George. Hunter and I went hiking in Zion National Park with my mom and dad, Spencer, Kristy, Stella, Miles and Brighton. It was a beautiful day.

Stella, Miles and Hunter after the hike. Did we tire them out or what!?!

This is what happens when you leave your camera alone with your brother when you go to the bathroom!

On Saturday we got up and went to Dan's. My mom made her yummy pancakes and we got to work. When we got to Dan's he was telling us how much longer his growing season was in Southern Utah than ours in Northern Utah so I was telling Jess that I wanted to move so that I could have more tomatoes. Well after working at Dan's I changed my mind! Everything that we picked up had snakes, lizards, cockroaches and other creepy things! Never mind! I am happy were I'm at. The funny thing was that the little girls LOVED the snakes! They carried them around all morning. I didn't get many pictures of the actual work part because I was actually working, unlike others I know! he he By the way Mom and Angie, I am still waiting for you to send me pictures!

The gang!

After we were done working Dan took us on a hike in Zion. We hiked to a waterfall and the kids loved it! They actually got in the FREEZING cold water.

Smile Angie!

On the last day, we went for one last hike before heading home.

Sleeping on the ride home!


We had such a fun Spring Break. I am so glad that we could all be together. My parents were kind enough to get us all rooms at the Desert Pearl in Springdale. It was a beautiful hotel and had a great pool, though I didn't get any pictures of the kids swimming. The rooms even came equipped with a beday, which was the topic of MANY conversations during the weekend. What a high class bunch we are! But all in all we had a great time being together! Though my family makes me crazy most days, I wouldn't trade even one of those weirdo's! Thanks mom and dad for the great memory!

Hawaii

I just got back from a week in Hawaii! My mom and I and Chris went to visit Nate and Anya and meet baby Nico. It was a fun filled week!

Nathan, Anya, and Nico.

Baby Nico

Mom and I at the temple in Hawaii.

Me, Trinh, and Anya. Trinh is a good friend of Anya's and was visiting from Utah this week as well.


Me and Baby Nico.



This is how none tourists enjoy the beach! Nate was such a good sport and spent everyday at the beach with us. He even was a good sport and went with me, mom and Trinh to the swap meet!

Me, Chris and Trinh by the Kayak. My dad flew in part way through the week and we went and rented kayak's. Chris and Dad were in one and Trinh and I were in the other. On our way back dad jumped onto our kayak and tipped us over! Getting back in a kayak in the middle of the ocean is not easy! I never did pay dad back for that one! Don't worry Dad I won't forget to get you back! You'll never see it coming! HE HE

This is a Portuguese man of war. It is a small jelly fish and everyone called them blue bubbles. They have signs warning you about them on the beach. We all got stung at one time or another but I was standing in the water and one wrapped around my ankle! It wasn't too bad but it did hurt. I had a pretty good size mark on my ankle the rest of the day.

These gecko's were everywhere! It was a little creepy but after they told me they are killing all of the bugs around I was better with them! I was surprised at all the bugs in Hawaii! My legs and arms have mosquito bites all over them, and Nate told me about the cockroaches! They are HUGE! I was lucky enough to not see one the whole time! Thank goodness!

So mom got the new book Breaking Dawn from the Twilight series right before we left for Hawaii so this is how she spent her vacation! She was driving Trinh and I crazy because we were both waiting to read the book and she would sit and read and say "Oh your never going to believe this" or "Oh wow"! She drove us nuts! Luckily for me she finished it the night before we went home and I got to read on the LONG flight home!

Here she is using my and her cell phones as light to read in the car!


This is how Chris spent his vacation! Talking to Sara on the phone or texting! She got a play by play of everything we did!

Anya's parents Boras and Verra.

Verra and Trinh. Verra is such a funny women! She is Russian and speaks very little English. Every time you walked in the house she would either say "you beach" or "you eat." She was SO sweet and always had tons of food ready for everyone to eat. I felt so bad because everything she cooks was nothing I could really eat (being a picky eater) and she about died every time I wouldn't eat it. In this picture she was giving Trinh and I cooking lessons! A very interesting thing to do when you are speaking a different language than the cook!



Nate took us hiking to a nearby waterfall.

Chris at the beach.

Chris and I went to the outdoor mall in Honolulu. We were walking through one of the stores and saw Sayid from the TV show LOST. So of course I asked him for a picture! I have to say I have never thought he was that cute on LOST but seeing him in person he is a VERY cute guy!

Our last night in Hawaii my dad took everyone out to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays. It was very yummy and a lot of fun.

All in all it was a very fun week! Thanks Nate and Anya for putting up with all of us and being our tour guides! Thanks also Boras and Verra for letting us all intrude in your home!
I was a little nervous about leaving Jesse and the boys all week since Jesse had to work all week so that left the boys home to fend for themselves but all in all it went really well! The house was still standing when I got home and they had actually cleaned it for me! Jesse got the Pressurized Irrigation hooked up that I have been hounding him about, and he also got the large gate on the side of the house fixed! It took a lot of time but he got it done! What an awesome husband I have!