Spring Break!

March has brought in weird wheather and crazy behavior in our children. But it's also the beginning of what I think of as travel season. I love getting away. I love traveling, and I have to say that has been one of the hardest thing about having kids in school is not being able to just take off on a whim to explore some local digs or visit family. I start going really batting. So with the breaks that came this month for report cards and spring break I was all over it. first we visited Kenny and Jandi in Washington. That was so much fun. It was great to hang out with them and, see Miles and how big he's gotten and his wonderful little personality and to snuggle adorable Wyn. We also tryed out Band Hero on the wii, discovering new talents. Brig (I already knew this) is an awesome singer, same with Jandi, Kenny plays a mean Guitar and so does jandi, and Surprise surprise I rock as a drummer. It seems to come naturally. In two days I could do some of the hardest songs in the beginning level (the 2nd one, easy being the first). We are really looking forward to rocking out again in April when the family gets together for Easter and the run. We made a GREAT band together. We sure had a blast and miss them. We also ventured out to the Nezpierce National Historic Park (or site), which was really cool. all the kids earned their Junior Ranger Patchs there and we learned a lot of cool stuff. We also did the Whitman Mission National Historic Site and Lliam and Neddie got their badges there, Etta decided she was through after the second activity. It was cool, but the history of the site is really sad. We explored Walla Walla's happening downtown. Super Cute! The Inland Octopus was really cool and the CANDY STORE WAS AWESOME! so much dark chocolate!!! Then of course the book store there where I got my favorite Dr. Suess Book ever Marvin K Mooney Will You Please Go Now. It was really fun misnus the HORRID Cold that I got. The next week was miserable with the cold.
Then Spring Break came the cold had lightened up and we were off again. The choosen destination Silver Falls State Park, OR. We rented a little one room cabin (it's a little cold for tents), but the rest was all camping. We have decided a double camp stove is the way to go! We had so much FUN! The park was great, the hiking and scenery was incredible. The trails take you behind most of the falls, the green moss (I love MOSS!) and the whole area is breathtaking. The kids did 2 miles on Wed. and about 1 mile on Thursday. We did have rain, and at the end of our hike on Thursday we had hail. I love the discussions that hiking provides with the wildlife and plants and questions (Always why and what). We discussed explorers and pioneers. We made up a greek myth for hail.
Zeus is writing a book and he's really frustrated that it's not working and he's having trouble writing. So he starts tearing pages up and throwing them down to earth. That's hail. It's really Zeus' paper. We've also been branching into Celtic mythology, thanks to St. Patrick's Day. It hasn't quite caught on with the kids like the greek mythology has but I'm enjoying it. It's really cool to learn more about what our ancestors believed and their lives. The fact that the vikings and the celts of scotland and Ireland had so much impact on each other and intertwined so much is really cool. It explains the dominates of features in our children too. Our ancestors are mainly slovak, celtic and norwegian (bad spelling sorry). No wonder the look so similar, its all the dominate traits! It's been fun. Lots of documentaries and books to read. I love our nerdy little family. I think Lliam knows more history than I did in High School. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Any how, the kids are starting to fight so I have to go. I'll post pictures and stuff later. Happy Break and Enjoy the upcoming General Conference. (clink for a link to find out what General Conference is all about)