The Bridge ...

The Mackinaw Bridge ...

Spring break events also included a trip the the Mackinaw Bridge! We stayed overnight at a superfun "water park" hotel with some superfun friends. Driving across the longest bridge in the western hemisphere was a thrill and setting foot on "UP" soil was a checkmark for the Michigan bucket list. Spending time together as a family is the BEST!!

Spring Fever 2011

Fredrick Meijer Gardens

So, I can't even begin to describe my longing for spring this year. I'm typically a "season" lover ... but I can definatly say, with out a doubt, I have spring fever.

The Fredrick Meijer Gardens made the cut on our spring events list this year (just HAD to see that giant horse sculpture one more time) and the butterflies in the big green house did NOT dissapoint. MSU's butterfly exhibit was hands on (poor little fellas) and so much fun for the kids. Sunny made it her personal mission to seek out and nurture the injured few who had been "loved" a little too roughly. Gage proved to be a natural "butterfly whisperer" as he made one friend in particular that spent the better part of 20 minutes on his finger. Ike managed to enjoy himself this year which was a big improvement over the "they're flapping by my face mom!!!" fiasco of 2010. It's the little victories really. I hope spring is finding it's way to your neighborhood as well. With any luck the next post will involve flip-flops.

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BUTTERFLY FEST
2011

Sk-8 day

Sunny has been begging for months to go skating.

Glad she did because it was TOO much fun!

Gage and Sunny did great for first-timers.

...and I have been sore beyond description

in the two days since! That's the sign of a good time, right?

Sunny makes me laugh.

All the other kids were bundled up in their

snow pants and winter gear.

Not my Sunny though.

Full blown cuteness complete with pink tutu,

tights, jacket, and piggy tails.

Oh, I just LOVE your style!

Season in Review

Apparently I've taken some sort of a blogging hiatus ...

not from reading blogs, mind you, just from posting them.

I'm feeling particularly blessed as I write tonight.

Thankful for my sweet family,

thankful for dear friends,

thankful for this beautiful change of seasons.

The pictures are our commings and goings of the last two months

and are in no particular order.

A Mormon Adventure

Our family vacation was AMAZING.

Tracking our religious heritage was a special experience for all of us.
Steve and I were both impressed at how hard those early saints worked. They sacrificed everything to build a temple and were blessed with incredible visions and revelations. The keys of the kingdom of God on the earth were given back to a living prophet. Wow. Just amazing.
Made me want to give everything I have to the Lord.

Joseph Smith was blessed into a loving family
with support from his parents that sustained him from a very early age.
Made me want to be that kind of a parent.

4 hours to Kirtland, OH...
(and then only)
4 more hours to Palmyra, NY ...

{On our way}
Lansing to Kirtland ... 4hrs.

{Kirtland Temple}

{Historic Kirtland -

Visitor's Center}

{Newel K. Whitney Store}

I had to wonder if Emma Smith ever got after children for playing in these curtains that overlooked such a busy, bustl-y Ohio street.

This table belonged to Joseph Smith himself.

Testing the brakes of the saw mill ... because that's what (almost) 3 year olds do.

(4 hours from Kirtland to Palmyra ...)

{Hill Cumorah}

A first edition of the Book of Mormon.

Racing up the front of Hill Cumorah.

Made it to the top.

"See how far Mom."

Loved this nature trail that led down the hill back to the visitor's center.

{Smith Farm - Sacred Grove}

For some reason this picture takes me right back to 1830.

And this is the sign of a great family vacation.