For a second year in a row my dad's fields in Farmington were too muddy for us to have our Easter festivities there so we got together at Poppy's house. Kylie was disappointed as she has yet to ride the horses and really wants to, maybe next year. We still ate hot dogs, just cooked on the grill rather than a fire, and had all the usual sides and desserts and of course plenty of chocolate milk or soda. We then let the youngest kids hunt for eggs first, Kylie had a blast. Then the older kids got their turn. Trevor & Logan were both thrilled that some of the eggs had money in them. We then herded the kids together to get a group picture which is always a challenge. It is especially entertaining to watch and listen to all the adults with their cameras and video cameras trying to get the kids to hold still, look at the cameras, move a little this way or that. Later that afternoon back at my parents' house Grandma helped the kids dye and decorate their eggs. That night most of the family got together after the Priesthood session of Conference to eat Mandarin (yummy). On Sunday the kids looked for their hidden Easter baskets then enjoyed their new toys and some candy. We had a nice relaxing day hanging out at my parents' house and watching Conference and then a wonderful dinner by my mom. That evening we went to Poppy's as is tradition to do on every Sunday evening for more goodies and visiting.
This year for Spring Break we hooked up the 5th wheel trailer and took off for Southern Utah. We started with a couple of nights in Moab visiting Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. Then met up with my brother Nick and his family in Little Wild Horse Canyon and Goblin Valley State Park near Hanksville, staying the night in Torrey. The next day we went to Capitol Reef National Park, and then drove to Tropic and spent the night there.
The next day we drove through Bryce Canyon National Park, and then headed for Bountiful.
We saw a lot of this beautiful state that I was born in and yet this was only the first or second time for me to see these parks. The weather started out cool and very windy but then warmed up a bit each day. Kylie was a real trooper walking nearly the entire time on our hikes in the parks, most of it on our day spent in Arches, she only had to be carried near the very end. The kids favorite part was spending time in the trailer (maybe one of these times we'll just stay home and let them play/sleep in the trailer in the backyard, they'll probably be just as happy).