Spring Break

Now that Savannah is in school we have to start planning our vacations around her, so Jason decided to take his vacation time off during her Spring Break and we headed to Utah to visit family. So Sunday night after Jason got off his night shift we headed on out. It took us about 15 hours to drive, our fastest time ever with no speeding. We stayed with Jason's parents who had just moved into their new house the week before, so we helped them break it in. :)

We had a great trip even though it was fast. We basically just spent time with family. We met the four new babies in our family, saw old friends, went to the park with cousins, Boondocks with family, shopping, ate at restaurants we don't have here, went to The Treehouse with cousins, Savannah went to school lunch with her cousin Riley, Jason and I went out on a quick date...the only reason it was quick because we couldn't think of anything else to do (we know we are lame), swimming with family, dinners with family, but best of all we just go to see everyone and spend time with them. It is always fun to visit but hard to leave...in fact Savannah is trying to figure out how she can live in both Utah and Iowa at the same time.



Paige and Madi

Riley and Savannah

Sierra and Olivia

Austin and Josh

Owen, Bailee and Austin

Bowling at Boondocks

School Lunch, Savannah and Riley


Jason, Austin, Shawn and Cole

(can you tell they are brothers?)

Olivia and Grandpa Gardner

Brandon, my brother

Spencer, Bailee and Katie (my sister)

Madi got to be the little pig in the play at the Treehouse

Savannah at the Treehouse planting vegetables

Olivia at the Treehouse playing school.

Rolling Madi in the big ball


the kids with Great Grandma Green

the kids with Grandpa Spjut

Three generations

playing ball with daddy. Austin loves balls, everytime he sees on he repeats "ba ba ba ba" until he can't see it anymore.

Mia and Olivia
Max and Savannah
Jason and his grandma

Austin, great grandpa Allen and Olivia
Austin, grandpa, Olivia, grandma, Bethany, Madilynn, Monica and Savannah

Jensen/Spjut Grandkids
Gardner Family Dinner


Austin, Grandpa LeCheminant, Madilynn, Olivia, Brenda and Savannah
Madilynn, grandma Lois, Austin, Savannah, Grandpa Gardner and Olivia
Gardner grandkids

Josh, Savannah, Tate, Riley, Olivia, grandpa, Austin, Bailee, grandma, Owen, Paige, Sierra and Madilynn

Thanks everyone for taking time off work and spending time with us. We had a wonderful time. We Love You All!

Oh and did I mention I took some pictures.

children

"Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that he was a parent before you were parents and that He has not reliquished his parental rights or interest in these little ones. Now, love them, take care of them...welcome them into your homes and nurture and love them with all your hearts." -Gordon B. Hinckley

prince charming

One night Austin was trying to put this crown on his head, so I put it on and he loved it. We told him how handsome he looked and he walked around so happy and when it fell off he wanted it back on, it was so cute. We think he makes a very handsome prince. (FYI Jason took this picture)

Happy Birthday Grandma Spjut!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

We love you!

(July 13, 2008, I think we have a more resent picture but I can't remember what year it was from...so grandma we need to see you again so we can get an updated picture. )

We finally made it!

This past weekend we finally went to the Winter Quarters Temple and did a session together. Jason had gone by himself and we went and walk around the grounds last year but other than that in the 4 1/2 year living here we have never been together.

We went with our friends the Morris, it was hard to find a time when both our husbands could go but we finally got it to work. Jason left work early, we took Savannah out of school early and left around 12:30pm on Friday, we had to leave early enough to get there for the 4pm session because we thought it would be more fun if we could fit both temple sessions in on Friday and then just relax, sleep in and swim on Saturday morning. We got there right on time Andrea and Steve went to the temple while we watched their kids in our hotel room and then they got back just in time for us to go to the 7:30pm session, while they watched our kids in their hotel room. The kids had a great time playing together, loved spending the night in a hotel and swimming.

Austin had a great time in the water but after awhile he started to get tried and dad's shoulder was the best place to rest.

It was so nice to have a little family getaway and not to mention being in the temple and feeling the peace there.

did you ever do this?

Jason and the girls love to watch "Funniest Home Video" together. The other night they had kids with nylons on their head and Jason said, "Did you ever do that?"' "Ya! all the time with my cousins at my grandma and grandpa Gardner's house."

Well the girls thought it was a great idea...so I found them so nylons. They had the best time laughing and playing, they even wanted to do webcam right then with grandma and grandpa so that they could show them (it was late so I made them wait til the next day). And they even tried sleeping with them part way on their heads. Oh the fun you can have with a nylon!

This brought back so many memories...oh the fun we had as kids.

Sledding on my Birthday

Austin looks like Ralphie's brother in "The Christmas Story".

poor little boy couldn't move

but he still was happy, for most part, and loved being outside