Spring Break was awesome and should happen more often.  That said we had quite a few hiccups in our plans.  Friday night we took Taylor to respite, grocery shopping, packing and picked up the tent trailer from the repair place.  While Jeremy was driving the trailer to our house, it became disconnected and ran under the truck punching a hole through the trailer and breaking the trailer's braking system.  And Jeremy's police volunteer friend who stopped to help him pointed out that his truck wasn't registered for this year.  Just a little stress to start off our trip.  Luckily the repair guy ran over and helped Jeremy fix up the trailer.  We found the registration to prove that the truck was registered but the sticker had come up.  We packed up the next morning and headed off to Cedar City, listening to Conference once it started.

Got to the RV park in Cedar City.  It was truly an RV park which Robyn was not expecting and hence major tears and pouts ensued as we tried to explain that we were just staying here at night and going up into the mountains during the day.  With snow in many high places and spring break going on we hadn't been able to get a camp site that worked besides an RV park.  All unloaded and went up to hike Cedar Breaks and a few yards away from the speed limit change sign on the way up the canyon we get pulled over for speeding and not waiting for the sign to accelerate.  Luckily we got off with a warning.  Get up to Cedar Breaks....the last 3 miles of road was closed due to snow.  So we drove back down ten minutes to warmth and heat and played by the river instead.  We sort of just hung out for the afternoon and I get a call from respite that Taylor wasn't drinking because we had forgotten his special sippy cup.  It was sitting on our counter at home.  Thankfully my friend went to our house, gathered up some cups and drove them up to Taylor for us.  And that was the end to our hiccups.  I have decided all family vacation require a few obstacles just to prove to yourself that you can persevere as a family to have fun!

We checked out a park, and another park and a library and old bookstore and just basically played together.  Sunday we drove down to Zions and spent the day hiking and exploring.  It was an awesome day.  We did two big hikes.  One with Jeremy, Emerald Falls.  And then Jeremy nicely spent over 3 hours hanging out at a picnic spot while the 3 kids and I did Angel's Landing which Robyn and Spencer really wanted to see.  Allison came under protest because she said she knew we would come back telling how awesome it was and then she would regret not going.  Its got some pretty good steep switchbacks going up.  Allison was saying she was thankful that she got Jeremy's sweat genes which means she doesn't turn red like a tomato and sweat a ton, like Spencer and I do.  Robyn thought she had Jeremy's sweat genes as well until this hike...every photo her face is dark red.  She was so excited to do this hike though that she never complained or slowed down. 

The last half mile requires walking along the edge of a mountain where you hold onto chains to make sure you don't fall down either side.  Spencer took lead and made sure to help girls across any tricky spots and I was in the back so I could yell periodically, "do not let go of the chain!!" (a church talk waiting to happen, and I shared it today in YW).  The view was wonderful.  A couple was getting married out on the edge and Spencer went out to add to the rock collection there and crashed it.  Luckily they didn't seem to care!


We rode the tram throughout the park and did little hikes here and there to see things.


On Monday we toured SUU and got to see what the campus was like.  Spencer was very impressed with it and liked the small college feel.  Then we drove home and met a very happy Jasper at the door.


Tuesday we didn't have to pick up Taylor until 7 so the kids and I spent the day exploring all of Thanksgiving Point museum's.  At Taylor's school fall festival we had bought four day passes.  We have never attempted to do all the museums on one day before and it made for a very full and fun day of hanging out together.  At the farm the girls laughed when they realized the mama goat sounded just like them bleating, "maaaa, maaa" and a mama sheep sounded just like Spencer bleating in a bass voice, "maaaa".  I think that should be my new ring tone.  Then we looked at chicks for a bit, picked up Taylor and Spencer babysat while Jeremy and I went to the movies.  I was taking full advantage of a week of playing!

Sadly I couldn't play all the time and had to do school and homework and girls had play practice at night.  But we fit in as much as we could.  Enjoying some yard work, running errands (Spencer finally has jeans that fit and won't rip when he bends over), Allison got to go a few places with friends and a lot of staying up late and watching movies.  Taylor approved of the yard work:


Spencer and I did our first bike ride of the season.  It took 2 tries to get it right as our first one involved a massive mother/son communication fail.  But the 2nd try was awesome.


One day we went and got our new set of chicks.  Agatha is mine (Aggie for short), Brek is Taylor's (short for breakfast, he had a big smile when we were joking about names and said breakfast), Daisy is Spencer, Bubbles is Allison's and Ginny is Robyn's.  They are getting really big quickly and are currently in our garage.  Jasper is banned from going anywhere near them.



Taylor got a new quilt courtesy of my amazing parents.  I didn't realize how old and ratty his old quilt was until the new one came.  That is true of most things in my house though.  I get used to how they look without realizing things now have holes and worn fabric.  When it came and we put it on the bed, Jasper wouldn't let anywhere near it except for Taylor.


Now everyone is back in school and the routine of life is rolling once again.  Girls have play practice every day often till late right now and are loving it.  Spencer stayed home with a stomach bug one day.  Jeremy's computer broke and he is working to fix it.  Our vacuum met its match with girl crafty thread's and tooth floss and is currently being taken apart and put back together.  Spencer discovered a pick ax and has been busy tackling some yard projects for me.  School is winding down for me with projects and tests.  Just the usual day in and day out of stuff which keeps everyone happy and busy.  Jeremy is looking forward to next month as he signed up to do a weeklong photo shoot...in Barcelona.  He just finished up the republican county delegate meetings.  We are all starting to dream about summer and summer plans.