A Day Out With Thomas

Since we have season passes this year to the Henry Ford Museum, we had to take advantage of this exciting event with Thomas the Train! Austin loves trains, especially Thomas. Erik has been favoring our Thomas toys over the others lately as well.

First we got to ride the train, a favorite of every one's.

Somehow we managed to get a front-row seat!

Then it was picture time. They had little platforms for family pictures that you could buy, so after our shot I squeezed this picture in with my own camera.

A little farther from the optimal photo area.

There were all sorts of activities like bubbles, chalk, a motor area, story-time, and train tables to play on.

Austin enjoying the motor area.

What's Thomas without Sir Topham Hat?

Erik enjoying the train table, even though many older boys kept taking the Thomas trains from him.

The kids also enjoyed the downtime we had hanging out by the pond and looking at the fish. Even though it was focused more on Austin's age, the girls still had a great time.

April Showers....

April showers do bring May flowers, but my boys are more interested with the puddles they bring.

Recognize these boots? That's because all my kids have worn them. Even I did!

 Erik does resemble Victoria a lot!

Looking for worms.

I can't always get a good face on Austin lately...

Found this two-seated wagon waiting for the trash to pick it up. Not a thing wrong with it and the boys love it!

Allowance

This year we decided to start giving Victoria and Karissa an allowance. So far it has taught them the value of money pretty well. Victoria has bought a few things with her money and is learning about saving for things that she really wants. Karissa is learning too, but she's content with what she currently has.

For a few months now, Victoria has really wanted another "American Girl Doll". A couple of her other friends have two or more, so she wants more as well. Of course, her first "American Girl Doll" is actually an Our Generation Doll from Target. She knows it is, but she calls it by the other name anyhow. I told her to save her money and she can buy one.

The other day I was at Target and I noticed that the Our Generation Dolls were on sale for $18.99. So, Saturday, when the girls were upset that they couldn't go to the spring game at the U of M with Jason because it was snowing and way to cold to go to a free game, I told them I'd pay them their allowance early and we could go buy new dolls. Even though Karissa didn't voice that she wanted another doll, she was on board! They counted their money, brought their purses to Target, picked out their dolls, and paid the cashier, with a little help from me. We were so excited, though, that we forgot to pay tithing on it (oops!) So that will have to come out of next month's allowance!

Karissa with Ayla

Victoria with Charlotte

Some Favorites

Here are some favorites from the past week of spring break:

My crazy-cute kids on a rock in Palmyra.



Not to be out-done, Erik had to do it too.



Loves his Easter ball!

A log cabin they found at the Botanical Gardens.

Erik has discovered his hat isn't so bad!

Stream we walked along at the Botanical Gardens.

Warmer days are coming! Now if I can only get rid of this second cold in three weeks!

Easter Surprise

We wanted to surprise the kids for Easter and take them on a trip to Palmyra, NY. for the long weekend. We figured we were in a hotel over Christmas, why not over Easter? Victoria is studying church history in Primary, we thought since Palmyra is only 7 hours away it's the perfect destination.

We arrived in Palmyra on Friday afternoon and went straight to the publishing site for the Book Of Mormon. We had an awesome tour there and enjoyed learning all the work that went into printing the Book of Mormon. The kids played at an old aqueduct afterwards.

 Learning how the printing process works.

The aqueduct.

The next day we went to the Sacred Grove, first thing in the morning, just as Joseph Smith had done on a spring day. Though it was definitely earlier in the spring season for us than when he went, the sun was shining and the birds were singing. We even heard a woodpecker. We could feel the Spirit there just as if we were in a temple. Afterwards we saw the Smith farm and home.

No leaves yet, but gorgeous!

 Coming out of the woods and going into the farm.

We hiked up the Hill Cumorah next, Austin was tired and hungry at this point so I carried him up and he perked up for the run down, but more tantrums ensued afterwards. The rest of us enjoyed a picnic lunch and the visitor's center.

Monument where the gold plates were buried.

 From down at the bottom.

Just in time for Erik's nap we drove out to the Whitmore Farm where the church was organized exactly a week after the day we were there, in 1830.

 (Erik was sleeping...)

We promised the kids we'd take them to a new playground everyone told us about, so we did.

We had our "Easter dinner" that night. I had a ham in the crock pot, which was way overcooked since it was a very small one, but after I cut off all the burnt outside, the inside was still super tender and juicy, much to our surprise. Potato pearls, peas, and rolls I brought from home went with our ham with jelly beans and special cookies the kids picked out for dessert. Our room not only had a microwave and fridge, but a nice sink, counter top, and cupboard as well. It was made for Mormon families traveling! Ensign magazines and pictures of the historic sights of Palmyra were some signs that Mormons own the place.

Our room.

During sacrament meeting the next day, Austin wet his pants and Karissa wasn't the happiest, but the meeting was nice. (Austin still has to be reminded to use the bathroom every hour, which made it tricky driving out there, but he did better driving than during our sight-seeing!)

To finish off the trip we stopped by Niagara Falls. We had brought our passports and put them to use by crossing over to the Canadian side to get a better view. And it is better!

Canadian side

American side

We went through Canada driving home, as well, since from Niagara Falls it is faster that way.

Victoria did an Easter egg hunt for the kids today, including Logan, the boy I watch. I liked doing a hunt after Easter, it made the holiday more meaningful for the kids.