Spring Break 2009

Spring Break 2009 found us in St. George with warm weather, sunshine, and fun. As I mentioned in a previous post, Brook and Zach took time to go 4-wheeling down there, but there was other fun to be had as well. While the boys were off playing in dirt, the girls took the day to visit Snow Canyon and enjoy the beautiful scenery there. It was breathtaking! We also stopped by the Jacob Hamblin cabin (an early St. George pioneer) and learn a little about him. The tour itself was a little lame (the tour guide wasn't a good story teller. In our family, we're used to Grandma Buhrley who can spin a tale like not other) but it's always fun to go into old places.
We also had fun on a daytrip to Zion's. We've NEVER taken our kids there.... bad parents, I know. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon. You really can't beat grabbing Diet Cokes and junk food (hello licorice and every flavor of Corn Nuts) and snacking all the way to a National Park. Southern Utah is so beautiful. I've never really appreciated it before. Brook went to school down there and has always loved it. For me, however, it was just a red city on the way to Disneyland. I must be getting old because it's grown on me!
It was also so much fun to swim, find yummy restaurants to visit, go to the movies, and just hang out together. We are so glad we went. I think we may have started a family tradition.

Honeymoon Trail

Spring Break turned out to be so much for us. We went to St. George with my parents and brother and sister. My parents and brother purchased 4-wheelers this year and so we all decided to go 4-wheeling in St. George (well, Brook and Zach decided and the rest of us just tagged along).
They ended up taking a day and riding the Honeymoon Trail outside Hurricane. I believe there are a bunch of trails which all create a massive riding area for riders. The Honeymoon Trail got it's name for the LDS saints who used to travel it from Arizona back in the 1800's to get married in the St. George temple.
They had so much fun and I'm sure each consumed their fair share of dust. Zach's highlight was riding in the sand dunes after the trail. He texted me that afternoon, telling me about the fun, and commented that it had been "the time of his life." I was so happy they enjoyed themselves and got to spend time together.

Forgetfulness

During the week of Spring Break, I had two days of classwork at the University of Utah. I'm in the process of renewing my teaching certificate and had scheduled a class to help me meet the requirements for relicesure. During the drive home the first night I realized that Caitlyn had soccer practice and would need to be ready for it. I called her at her babysitting job at 4:20 and reminded her about soccer at 5:00. "Ok," she said, and that was that. Our neighbor also plays on the team and Caitlyn frequently gets rides with her when her dad helps at practice.

Nothing was thought of it again until Brook arrived home from work and asked where Caitlyn was. It was getting later and raining heavily outside. I called her, worried that they were stranded at the park. "Hi Caitlyn," I said. "Where are you?"
"I'm at Ellie's."
"Ellie's? Didn't you go to practice?"
"Oh ya, I forgot."
"You forgot?" I could physically feel the blood rush to my head. "You hung up the phone with me and then proceded to forget that there was practice in 40 minutes? Boloney Caitlyn. GET HOME NOW!" I believe that there were some other unpleasantries said, but we'll just leave it at that.
Within minutes the front door opened and Caitlyn, being the clever and not-so-dumb girl she sometimes pretends to be, walked in with her friend Kylee in tow. Evidently Kylee had forgotten about practice as well. Side Note: The bring-your-friend-in-with-you is always such a good choice when you know you're practically dead. And as I swung around to really discuss my unhappiness with the situation I caught sight of nothing short of two drowned rats. They had walked home about three blocks and neither of them had a dry patch left on their entire bodies. Instead of being mad, I decided that it was better to laugh. I'll forget about it... this time.

Easter

WOAH! It's been quite a whie since I blogged last. Life has been busy, busy, busy and in the process, any free time to blog has been swallowed up. I'm going to promise to be better about it. I know it's bad when Brook casually asked me at lunch when I was going to update the family blog. So here goes.....
Easter this year was, well, quiet. It seems that Caitlyn and Zach are becoming less interested in holidays and more interested in hanging out with friends. I understand that that's a casualty of teenagehood, but it makes life a LOT more boring for me as well! I should have had more children and had little ones around forever!
As I've said before, thank goodness for Brynn. She is the keeper of holidays and the protector of tradition. She inherits that from her Grandpa Allred, I think. We did manage to decorate some easter eggs and discovered that we love hard-boiled eggs. Who would have thought it? We had them all eaten within days of Easter. I don't think I'll ever get tired of decorating eggs. The smell of the vinegar and the smooth surface of the egg just make me happy. It's a fun way to wittle away an afternoon.
Easter morning brought baskets from the Easter Bunny who accidently fell asleep the night before and didn't hide the eggs until Brynn woke up Easter morning, ready for the hunt. "Brynn, go get in bed with Caitlyn and we'll tell you when he's gone. He got here a little late this year." And that was that.
Church was nice and it was such a lovely day. We were so glad to be able to spend it as a family.