SPRING BREAK

Lucky for us, both Darin and Trent were on Spring Break last week! I feel blessed more and more each year that Darin is a teacher and gets so much vacation time! We are so SPOILED!

Thursday we went to Disneyland as a family for the first time! Even though it was crowded we had a good time and are looking forward to going back with our new Annual Passes. I was so surprised at how brave Trey is. He is not afraid of anything! While Trent and Julia were holding on tight and closing their eyes, Trey had his hands up in the air with a huge grin on his face! He is such a crack-up! Julia is just barely 40 inches tall, so she got to go on all the big kid rides with her brothers. Trent spent the entire day searching for characters to sign his autograph book and Darin decided that the Buzz Lightyear ride was his new favorite. We had to go on it twice so he could beat his score from the first time through. Lauren got to go on at least half of the rides with us. She slept through everything, even the drops on Pirates of the Caribbean and the really loud show in Bug's World. She is such a good baby!
I had talked Darin into taking Trent, Trey and Julia on our annual "Spring Break camping trip" without Lauren and I, but once I realized how lonely I'd be with out them, I just had to go! The weather was so nice! The kids enjoyed playing in the sand while I relaxed with my latest obsession... the book Twilight by Stephanie Meyer.. it was so good! Lauren and I stayed in a nice, WARM hotel room near the camp grounds while Darin and the kids roughed it all night in a tent. It wasn't too hard to convince them to join me at the hotel the second night! We had a "slumber party" and watched cartoons until they all fell asleep. Here they are ready for a scooter ride with Grandma Salmon , Bruin and Capri. This year we celebrated Easter on Monday with the Salmon's, on Saturday with Grandpa Mark and Great-Grandma Monroe, and on Sunday with my Mom and Grandma and Grandpa Kirkpatrick. Apparently children never tire of easter egg hunts, the more the better!

Grandma and Grandpa Kirkpatrick met Lauren for the first time. It was so sweet when Grandpa held Lauren and she fell asleep on his shoulder.
My Mom's backyard is so big. There were over 200 eggs scattered all over her HUGE backyard! Here are Capri, Trey and Julia filling their baskets.

I remember dancing and singing with my cousins as a little girl, while Grandma played her violin. I was so excited when I heard Grandma playing "Teady Bear Picnic" for the kids.
This was Lauren's first visit to Great-Grandma Monroe's house.
Grandpa Monroe bought all the kids a new kite to fly down at the bay. It was so beautiful there flying our kites right next to the ocean. What a wonderful afternoon!