Spring Break Chicago

 I am now in love with Chicago.  Great family city.  The aquarium was the best I have been to.  All my pictures are not great because you can't use a flash anywhere.  I'm sure a better photographer could have rocked that but oh well. I was too busy enjoying the fish. 

 Waiting for the dolphin and whale show.

 Sam could not wait for the sharks.  Highlight.

 The official Chicago hot dogs.  They had to eat them with all the proper fixins.

 The field museum.  This was Spencer's heaven.  His specialty is prehistoric animals.  I couldn't catch him in a good picture he was moving so fast trying to see everything.  This place is so big it would take many trips to see all the exhibits.  Nathan cried for a stroller for an hour so I finally broke down and rented one, and then he insisted on pushing it around the rest of the time.  At least I could unload the backpack for a bit. 

 The Willis Tower glass ledge. 

 We saw one great 3d movie, and one amazing 4D movie with water splashing us in the face when the sharks jumped at you.  It was a riot!

 Loved watching my boys soak up all the science. 

 Nathan and Chicago. 

 We had to make a stop at the Lego store. 

 The Hershey store was a fun treat after a long day. 

 Chinatown, the boys were skeptics, but they downed every crazy dish we put in front of them.  I would do the drive again to eat at this restaurant.  Yum.

 This is Sue's head.  It was too heavy to put with the rest of her body, over 700 pounds!

 This looks so delicious!

 Of course swimming was a highlight.   The rooftop pool. 

Goodnight Chicago, you will be missed.  Thanks for the best time! 

Spring Break Nauvoo

I'm not sure how to describe our trip to Nauvoo and Chicago this past week because it was so amazing!!  So, I am just going to throw up some of my favorite pictures and go for it.  First, the Nauvoo temple.  There really are not words to describe how I felt driving up to this temple.  Or really how I felt the whole time I was in this city.  It was so inspiring and faith promoting.  You must go to Nauvoo.  It was so hard to leave, and I hope I can return some day.

We found the best little breakfast diner in Shenandoah, Iowa.  Cheap and charming, it was a pure delight.  You really should come on vacation with us.  We are the best at finding amazing food and obviously we are super fun.  Especially at 6am.

I bought this dog for Nathan as a surprise to use as an incentive.  This is baby "Abby"  We now have two stuffed animal versions of our once upon a time dog.  Mom Abby and baby.  He loooooved this dog on the trip.  All the boys did.  In fact, I think she was in surgery most of the time, they set up some veterinary hospital in Chicago and I kept hearing, "I'm sorry Nathan we are going to have to cut her open with a big sword and we are out of pain medication." 

Family shot at the Nauvoo printing shop.  John Taylor was the Editor.  They put out two regular newspapers from this shop and the process was so interesting. 

The end of a long day, but Matthew is actually just goofing around.  The boys had nonstop energy and it was always Jeremy and I that had to call it quits each day. 

This was our hotel.  The best.  Please stay there.  It was so charming and the buffet dinner was the best I have ever had.  Our boys actually ate more than their money's worth and it was just lovely.  We had one big room with four! queen size beds.  It was a party!

Jeremy's beautiful photo. 

 

This was our first stop.  Joseph, Emma, and Hyrum's graves.  Joseph and Hyrum's bodies were secretly buried under that little shed for 80 years before they were moved and properly marked.

Yes, this is Nathan sitting in the window at Carthage jail that Joseph fell out of when he was shot.  Yes, they let you sit there.  I'm still in shock.

This is where the pioneers left Nauvoo to cross the river to start their journey west.

Carthage jail, another great picture by Jeremy.

The room in Carthage jail where the prophet was killed.  THAT is the original door with the bullet holes.  I cannot get over that. 

My boys, especially Sam are very interested in the history of our church.  I was so glad to be able to share this piece with them.  Tomorrow on to Chicago!

I knew this day would come

One of my boys finally, (finally!) let me spike their hair for crazy hair day.  I got so excited I even busted out the blow dryer to make it perfect.  I bought some hair gel in case this moment ever arrived. And it came! This is as crazy as we get with hair around here.  My boys are very conservative about the spiky stuff.  Another son was going to participate too, saw what I did to his brother, and opted out.  Hmmm.  Oh well.  Dreams do come true.

Personality Test?

Nathan

 Sam

 Spencer

 Matthew

 

I found the gingerbread house decorating to be fascinating this year.  We so clearly have 2 right brained children, and 2 lefties.  Nathan and Spencer were methodical, very orderly.  Sam and Matthew were throwing caution to the wind, putting candy anywhere their hearts desired. This fits them all so well.  Matthew and Sam are my creative, artistic children.  Nathan and Spencer are much more orderly and precise about how things should be.  I just watched in wonder how these traits seem to pour out into their houses. Afterward I went through and found some pictures of Spencer decorating when he was just two.  He was extremely orderly in his house then too.  Fascinating.

Favorite Halloween Activity

 I love carving pumpkins with the kids!  It might be the only part of Halloween I enjoy.  Not a huge fan of this holiday.  But those faces, oh my.  I will keep going each year for those faces.

 Spencer can't wait for Rio 2 to come out. 

 Sam is loving Idaho history this year.  Guess what he carved?

 Nathan wanted a happy pumpkin!

 Matthew wanted a vampire.

 Look at all the muscles!

What I did for my Birthday

 We took the family camping for my birthday.  It was my idea if you must know.  Jeremy asked me if he had proposed marriage by telling me we were going to take our four boys camping for my 36th birthday would I have accepted?  No way!  But it is amazing how our dreams change, and I couldn't have asked for anything more.  Fall camping is so lovely and quiet and cozy.

 This picture is hideous and unflattering.  But it's funny right?  Your welcome.  Spencer took this picture during the log throwing contest Jeremy and I were having.  For some reason we were throwing them behind us.  Is that a real thing?

 The boys did a polar bear dip.  It snowed later that afternoon.  Yeah, they are crazy. 

 We also went ice skating just to make sure we were really cold enough.  Nathan loved, loved it.  He couldn't get enough.  Huge tantrum when we had to leave.  Future hockey player?