Providence Canyon and Auburn Too

On Sunday, we decided to get a hotel near Columbus so that we wouldn't have to drive too far to go to Providence Canyon.  Well we couldn't find a cheap enough hotel in Columbus, but we found one in Auburn, Alabama.  So we booked it (thanks priceline) packed real quick and off we went.  The hotel had a great pool and the kids loved it.  Later that evening, we ran downtown to explore Auburn University.  It has a lot more character than Weber State.  It was fun and we decided Jac could go there, if she gets a scholarship.   Go War Eagles.

The next morning we drove down to Providence Canyon where we hiked for several hours.  For those who are not familar with Providence Canyon, it was formed by reckless farming and soil  erosion.  There is a 3 mile hike around the canyon and then several small hikes up the canyons.  But these canyons are all made from dirt.  Not like the rock canyons in Utah, but the same colors.  Jac was running up one and tripped on a tree stump and dove to the like she was diving for home plate.  And she ended up as dirty as if she had slid to home plate.  After some whining about how it hurt she was better though.  After a few hours of hiking up these canyons, it started to rain, so we returned to the van.  It was a lot of fun and we'd recommend it to anyone that is looking for a fun beautiful place to hike.  But it is just over 2 hours away, so it can't just be done any day.

Daddy Daughter Braves Games

Ryan and I (Kelly) went to the Braves game against the Rockies tonight for a Daddy-Daughter date.  Don't feel bad for Jac; she got to go to London for a Daddy-Daughter birthday trip.  All day Ryan was excited and telling us about the Championship Basketball Game that she was going to go to.  As we were driving, she kept asking if we were at the Championship yet.  We watched a few innings and then when to the Cartoon Network kids area where she had some fun for 2 innings, then back to the game. She did great watching the game and then she decided that she wanted to be on the big screen.  So after a few innings of her dancing, she was on the big screen.  She almost didn't notice because she was having so much fun dancing.  But she saw herself and had on the biggest grin.  Then she was full of adreniline for the rest of the night.  During the top of the 9th after the Rockies had scored 3 runs, we decided to take off early.  Right as we were leaving a foul ball came screaming towards us, and I caught it (if by catching it you mean sticking your right hand out to catch it and then realizing that this thing is coming at you at a very fast speed and it is probably going to hurt and then pulling back your hand at the last second and letting it rickasahy off of the pole and then diving to pick it up).  So then I gave Ryan the ball because she had just gone for a crazy ride on my shoulders while I was diving for a foul ball.  She immediatley threw the ball back.  What in the world?  I had just risked her life to get that thing and she throws it back!  Well a nice little girl picked it up and returned it to us.  I didn't let her touch it again until we got back to the van.  But once she had the ball back, she wouldn't let it go and snuggled up with it to fall asleep.  

We had a good time and she really did enjoy herself watching the game.  Thanks Delta for the tickets in a great location. 

Jannica's got style

I do not usually wake up when Jac goes to school. Because I work nights, and Kelly has to get up early anyway, that responsibility falls to him. The other morning I was awake early because I was sick and came out to talk to Jac for a minute. I did a double take when I noticed what she was wearing and made her come into the light so I could get a better look. This is what I found....






The leopard print over the black and white polka dots is bad enough, but do you see the leggings over the tights? And the gold shoes?
Just when I think she has got the whole getting dressed on her own thing figured out.....

Easter

A little late, I know.

We went to Pigeon Forge, TN for Easter this year. This is where Dollywood is, for all my friends and fam in the west. We "unfortunately" did not make it to the infamous boobland. We were lucky enough to spend a lot of our time in the Great Smokey Mountains. I think we all had a blast seeing all of the great waterfalls, 2 cute back bears (although they probably would have ripped our faces off), and the real hiking trails. The water in the river was beautiful. Kelly and I would love to go back this summer and do some camping, fishing and floating. It could happen. I will only be like 9 months pregnant by the time we find time to go up there. I am pretty hard core, I could have a nature baby.

We went on a hike that was a mile in and a mile out. It took for-ev-er because we tried to make Ryan walk. To pass the time we were talking about our favorite hikes. Kelly asked Jannica what hers was and she said "I don't know, I really don't like walking that much." totally serious. I have high hopes for her Olympic future. The day before she had a tantrum over the fact that we would not let her go on an 11 mile hike. Maybe this gets easier with boys.

This is Ryan getting ready to jump and grab a leaf to make a boat. She did this everywhere we went.

Easter was fun, the girls got gardening Easter baskets. I thought it was a good idea, but all in all I don't think the girls care much. So next year we may need to come up with some other celebration of Easter. Maybe just an egg hunt with cool things inside.

Garden

I am loving this gardening thing. It goes along with my longing for Martha Stewart-hood. I have been harvesting my lettuce, spinach and broccoli. My carrots, potatoes, sugar snap peas and onions are all growing beautifully! All of which survived the blasted snow storm in March.

Who knew potato plants grew in these little bushy things, Not me!

I just planted 20 tomato plants. I was feeling ambitious. Here's the problem, I think canning time comes around baby time, so anyone interested in giving me a shower gift can give me help with canning. I also planted corn, 3 different types of cucumber (again, ambitious) and some squash. I am ve-e-e-e-e-e-e-ry excited (as Ryan would say).

Another cool thing was that Wal-Mart had some flowers on sale for 50% off, so I dove right in and bought a whole bunch. The front garden is no longer weeds. Now it is a wonderful flower bed! I also planted my shade garden which I have been waiting to do for a while. I finished everything about 11 PM on Friday night before we left for Hawaii. Ahh, procrastination, it is the only way things get done!

Ryan LOVES helping in the garden, she gets to play in the water that comes out of the hole in the hose and she gets to have a Popsicle to keep her busy while I work. Her life is great!

Thanks to Melissa P. for helping me keep the dream alive while I was out of town!

The Ultrasound

A few days ago we took the kids to the doctors office to go see the ultrasound of the new baby.  Jannica was happy because we took her out of school for a few days.  Ryan just knew that we were going to see a picture of the baby.  So the ultrasounds starts and Ryan is entertained for a few minutes.  Jannica is very interested though.  After about 15 minutes the ultasound tech said, "Can you tell what kind of baby it is?"  I (Kelly) screamed out, "It's a boy!"  Jannica echoed my comment by saying, "Yes, it is a boy."  I asked her if she even knowa how we know that it is a boy.  She replied like I was stupid and said, "He's bald.  That's how I know he's a boy."  It might be about time to have that conversation with her.

Well, all three of my girls were a little dissapointed that he'll be a boy.  They'll get over it.  They are both still very excited for a little brother.  And me too.

Boston!

Jannica and I got a chance to get away after her birthday. We were originally headed to Des Moines, Iowa but naturally the flights were oversold. I mean duh, who would not go to Iowa in March? So we detoured to Boston. Jannica has wanted to go because she has been studying the revolution. She was nearly as good a tour guide as the book I bought

We were lucky enough to go with our good friends Shelyce and Mikayla Denison. (incidentally, we have found our new favorite travel companions.) We got there on Friday night and spent the evening at the hotel either in or around the pool. The girls were in heaven and that was all they wanted to do the whole trip.

Saturday we walked the Freedom Trail. This is a 2.5 mile (one way) walk through Boston's historical sites. We saw great things like the church where "America the Beautiful" was first sung, graveyards full of famous historical figures, (one I swear was haunted) like Paul Revere, Mother Goose, Samuel Adams and many more. We also went to see Old Iron Sides (not much to look at, but cool to visit) and the Bunker Hill monument (my personal death trap). The monument is like the Washington monument, and you walk up 294 stairs (at the end of the 2.5 mile walk) to get some great views of the city. Needless to say, I was the last one up. I blame it all on pregnancy, not on the 20 extra pounds that were there pre-pregnancy and the sedentary lifestyle I lead.

We decided to wander back to the hotel (2.5 miles back to where we started). On the way we stopped in Little Italy to enjoy some authentic Italian and the great ambiance. Shelyce was a little skeptical about going, but in the end I think we were all very happy with the choice we made.

Sunday we went to a great ward in a cool old warehouse in Cambridge. Totally awesome to sit through church without worrying if Kelly had taken Ryan potty yet, and to be able to go to Relief Society.

All in all it was an awesome trip. We will hopefully be going again with the Denison's sooner than later.

This is a one of the views from the top of the Bunker Hill Monument. I do not know any of the geography of this city so I will say that you are looking at Boston Harbor where the famous tea party took place.

This next one is of Jac by a Paul Revere statue and the "one if by land two if by sea" church behind it. I don't even remember the whole story, if you want to know you are on the Internet, look it up.

This is Jac and I on a bridge on our way to see Old Iron Sides. A very old ship that has never been boarded or beaten. I thought it was cool, but the money the government has thrown into keeping it afloat is appalling. Freakin' liberals!

Lastly this is a Jac and I in the restaurant about to enjoy our wonderful dinner. Jannica had lasagna and I had fettuccine alfredo. When our food came, Jac exclaimed that she loves fettuccine alfredo (although she refuses to eat it at home). Luckily I like lasagna and so we were able to share and get a taste of a couple of things at the restaurant. The fettuccini was the better of the two, we both agreed.

By way, we are having a boy.