Spring Break

We rarely go anywhere for spring break. There have only been a few times that we traveled with Casey to various places for work meetings when the kids were younger if it happen to align with spring break, but otherwise we usually stay local and enjoy our time off at home.

However, this year Ryan's spring break happened to be the same week as Kaitlyn's in Utah. So, we thought we'd venture out and enjoy some time with our girl and her hubby.

(Didn't even notice the photo bomb until now.)

We had the best time!! It was also general conference weekend, and we managed to get tickets. Casey, Ryan and Alex went to Priesthood session, and we all went to the Sunday afternoon session. What an amazing experience!

Casey's brother came for a short visit from Colorado with his two oldest boys and they went to priesthood session as well. I had forgot to pack Ryan a tie, so thankfully they had brought an extra one and were nice enough to loan it to Ryan for the evening. Cute boys!

We stayed the weekend with Grandma Ritz in Farmington and then headed to Provo to stay with Alex and Kaitlyn. Jason and his boys met us in Provo one afternoon and we started our food tour, sampling a few of Provo's best.

We continued our Provo eatery, and it really was so very good. We found a Mexican restaurant that is comparable to our favorite Sr. Sol in Athens, which Cody will be very happy to hear. They have these crazy soda shops that you can make your own blend of all kinds of different ingredients. There were so many places that I think would do so good in Athens. I wish I had more of an entrepreneur's spirit to venture out and try it. Oh, and not to mention the 10+ loaves of our favorite Harmon's white chocolate pecan bread we ate on all week. It was amazing!!

I will definitely be hitting up this place again in August! One of my favorites - I didn't even get a picture of the food, because I was too excited to eat it and there was no time for pictures - sorry!

One of the things I enjoyed the most was the beautiful scenery. There was still a small amount of snow on the mountains, and the weather was perfect all week which made for a fantastic view everywhere we went.

I ran a few times in the early mornings, which was glorious!

We took a few drives up through the canyons - beautiful.

We made it to Temple Square in Salt Lake and met up with my sister and her little boy.

Kaitlyn and Alex live right next to the Provo Temple, so Casey and I went for a walk one evening up and around the temple. So nice!

The view is breathtaking!!

We also made it over to the newly finished Provo City Center Temple. It's as beautiful inside as it is on the outside.

Poor Alex was still in school(BYU doesn't get a spring break...boooo), but he came along on a few of our adventures. We had such a fun week and said several times we really needed two weeks instead of just one! Luckily, I get to go back in August and stay awhile after driving Cody out to school, and I CAN'T WAIT!!

Thank you Kailtyn and Alex for letting us come and invade your space! It was so much fun! See you in a few months❤!!!

Easter

I'm a little late on the Easter post. Things have been a little crazy these last few weeks, so I'm finally getting the time to sit down and share our Easter activities.

Andy and his family came for the weekend. It was a little misty and rainy all weekend, but Janelle brought some Easter crafts, and we did manage to get the kids out for an egg hunt, so all in all it was a success!

There were a few naps taken

And I got some snuggle time with my cutie!

Eggs were colored

We ventured out in the rain in search of eggs

We made it out to our favorite eats

And we had Easter dinner with the missionaries, because we love our missionaries!

One of my favorite videos this year was of two young children telling the Easter story. Out of the mouth of babes. I love it! It's pure, it's simple, and I'm thankful for the gift of the atonement in my life. What a blessing to know we will all live again. Death is not the end. We will see, hug and visit with all of our family members who have passed on. I love this knowledge. I love this gift. I love this message! #Becausehelivessoshallwe

He's coming home!!

We received his flight itinerary yesterday!! Our missionary comes home in less than 100 days!!! We are so excited!!!! Let the countdown begin...

He is seated next to another missionary flying home who is from Macon GA. They both served in the same mission. How fun is that?! His mom contacted me, so we will be there together waiting on our Canadian missionaries to come off the same flight. What an amazing, fun, exciting, life changing, uplifting, good, wonderful, and purely intense two years this has been for all of us!!! I'm so ready for a hug!!!!

Organize It

With the world at our fingertips via the internet, there are so many possibilities when it comes to self-help. Whether it's fixing our cars, fixing our homes, or fixing ourselves. Experts and ideas flood the space of our world with solutions for any and all quandaries. One of the best sites that has come our way is Pinterest. I have pinned more than I will ever use. But it is such a brilliant idea - all of our self-helps in one place! No traveling or buying book after book, we simply pin it with a press of a button and our knowledge of home improvement, health & fitness, style and design, or any other myriad of categories are at our beck and call. I have pinned more desserts than I will ever make, let alone eat, but the idea that I have so many recipes at my fingertips is, for some reason, extremely satisfying. It's how I plan my weekly dinner/dessert menus, and I love it. It saves time, energy and money, and for that I'm eternally grateful to the creators of this fantastic venue.

My cupboards were overloaded with recipes stashed from my pinterest adventures, so I decided, as one of my new years resolutions, to organize that cupboard. Thanks to Pinterest, I realized I don't need the dozens of magazines I've kept over the years full of recipes I've barely glimpsed at, so Casey & I went through my stashes, which I'm embarrassed to say, contained many duplicates(I should've taken a picture of that pile). The result is a 3 ringed binder filled with our very favorites. I love it, and can't wait to add more.

A few of our favorite recipes over the years:

Christmas

We had a busy and fun Christmas. Andy and family came and stayed the week of Christmas. Alex and Kaitlyn flew in and were also here the week of Christmas, and we were able to skype our Canadian missionary on Christmas, so it was a great week with lots of fun activities.

We had our annual Gingerbread house construction. Everyone took their time and created their own masterpiece. Kaitlyn's had lights, Andy had a cozy house complete with a Christmas tree with lights, Alex's house was reaching the skyscraper category, Ry had a fire and a pooping dog, Seth decided to play it safe and just have a flat roof, and Josh(who just decorated a tree) was given free reign of a couple sprinkle bottles, which he used up within minutes. They were all very unique in their own "special" way.

We also went to the movies and saw Star Wars - I was in the 2nd grade and with my grandma when I last saw Luke and Leia on the big screen, so it was a pretty nostalgic afternoon for me.

Josh and Seth posing at the theater with a movie prop.

We also had a temple night in Atlanta.

Our weather was warm and wet for the most part of the break, but there were a few nice and sunny days we were able to get out and play(thank goodness!).

Somebody loves to swing.

I had a very special helper all week. He was always asking to help. "I a good helper" he'd say, and yes he was! The very best....and the very cutest!

We had a wing night

And a El Sol night

(I think Casey's tired of my picture taking)

And last but not least, we had a very nice Christmas

with a very special skype. He is doing so good. We miss him so much, but it makes my heart happy he is loving where he is at and the people he is with.

It was a very Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a very Happy & Healthy New Year!