Spring Break: The Final Post - Camping!

We have some really gorgeous property near our house called The Fields. It is run by a local Baptist church. There is a playground, baseball fields, soccer fields, sand volleyball pits, a spray ground, and a huge pavilion with picnic benches and rocking chairs. We booked a room in the Building for Jasmine's first birthday in a few weeks. Anyway...the ministry hosts events there like a fabulous Fall Festival, sports leagues (Jayden's baseball team will play here), and even an Easter egg hunt in a couple weeks. But last night, they hosted a Family Camp Out! Several close family friends of ours from our church all registered and parked our tents next to one another. This is the only camping I am willing to do: controlled environment with no wilderness, lots of friends, bathrooms up the hill, and activities.

The men used the hot grills to do hotdogs for each family.

Here is Vivi with our church children's preschool director, Ms. Courtney!

The guys learned real quick that Jasmine doesn't do grass!!
Hahahaha. :)

After dinner it was kite time...BOY was it windy!

Jasmine looked hilarious in this little camp chair!

As long as her feet were off the grass, she was happy.

Jasmine parked on a blanket in front of our tent and was later joined by our friends' foster baby, "R". At one point, she was trying to kiss him, it was so cute!

The evening got real wild on a hayride to a fire pit.

Ending in Smores!!!

When the sun went down, the kids initiated elaborate games like running down the hill.Followed by rolling down the hill.I said to my girlfriends: "This is what memories are made of, Baby!"

The night ended with dog piles of boys that at one time was 6 kids and one adult deep.
Then later the kids all meandered about the tents in their pajamas, which I just love. Our church is so small that the kids almost become like cousins to one another.The tent and air mattress we borrowed from friends were very nice.
Score!

I took Jasmine home a little before ten to leave the kids and Billy to rough it out in extreme wind and a thunderstorm that sent them home at 1:30!

Billy took Isaac back in the morning to eat a hot breakfast with everyone and pack up all of our wet gear.

Spring Break Part 3 & 4

On Vivi's actual birthday, we went to Chuck E. Cheese with our friend Cooper.

Cooper's Mom brought Vivi some really fun girly birthday presents.
She enjoyed opening these and she has also enjoyed getting mail from her Aunt Beth and Nana with MORE birthday presents! She opened these way too fast for me to get the camera, but she was spoiled for sure!


I have been working on some decor projects around the house,
as spring has sprung around here!

This blue is my new favorite color.
I will be using it alot around the house for Easter.
So pretty.
I will post more spring decor in the next week or so as I have a couple of wreath ideas I am working on and I forgot to take a photo of my kitchen table centerpiece.

My final project this week has been to re-do Vivi's room!
A few months ago, we bought her this scroll bed. Both sets of grandparents gave her money for her birthday, so we went out and bought hot pink bedding, zebra sheets, and pink and zebra decorations!

I also used some old birthday decorations.

On one of her wall shelves,
I have always kept a photo of Vivi with her birthmother and one of her with me.

I still have more to do before I will be happy with the finished product...a zebra valance for the window, a zebra throw pillow, and I need to scrapbook her name above the bed.

Next Spring, when Jasmine grows out of her crib the girls will share this room.

My final Spring Break post will be tomorrow as we are going camping tonight!

Spring Break Part 2: Sea World

After a yummy hotel breakfast, we headed off to Sea World!!!!

The place was quite crowded all day, but we managed.
Our kids are very well behaved and we don't tolerate whining at all or begging for stuff of any kind, so other than the crowds and lines...the day was fairly stress free.

This double stroller rental was a lifesaver. I highly recommend it!

Sesame street does a really cute show in their Bay of Play area.

Vivi kept a safe distance from her biggest fears on Daddy's shoulders.

Roller coaster fun!

The Sesame Street 4D movie was really great, there were air and water effects and our seats shook. It was fun! Check out my scary humidity hair! :)

There is a reason I am never in any of the pictures, people.
It is just best that way.

We had lunch at a pizza buffet called Rosita's, named after this Sesame Street character. I have to share with you this series of Jasmine photos because they are SO hilarious!

What the heck is this thing?

"Mom!!! Get it away from me!"

"I'm serious! Isn't anyone going to rescue me?!!!!"

The penguins were really cute.

We ran into this cuddly creature when we came out of the penguin exhibit.

This is my favorite brother shot of the weekend:

Two tired little ones waiting to see Shamu.

We were very happy to not be in the splash zone. It was fun, however to watch silly parents in the 3rd row that thought their two year olds were going to want to get wet by a gigantic whale. Every time the whale tidal wave came, dozens of parents would go running up the stairs with screaming toddlers. Hilarious!!!

When the sun starting beating down, the kids changed into swim suits and played in the water area.

Jasmine was NOT a fan. She was in her suit for all of maybe 7 minutes. sheesh.

The sea lion show was cute!

We also watched the dolphins.

We ran into Zoe on our way out. This is the first time since Minnie Mouse that Vivi has ever wanted to stand next to a person in a character costume.
She is still not amused by these guys in anyway.When the day was done, we had totaled eleven hours at Sea World.
And we were TIRED!
I am so glad my kids got to go when they were young.
I am not so sure Sea World would appeal to them much past about 10 years old.