News del Mercado: Spring Break!

Nothing like a 2 long day road trip to reset everyone. We needed to get in the car and drive to "the land of freedom" as my friend called Utah recently. Our Covid numbers here started going up the last 2 weeks before spring break. Erik got tested the Monday before we left because he had a cough. Karissa got tested the Friday evening that we left because she had an exposure to someone on Tuesday, outside with masks on, who had tested positive. We probably wouldn't have gone if we had known earlier in the week, but after we had everything ready and I even did the major push to get Karissa to Austin's school so she could catch her bus on time to her school, when I got her text after she had been at school for only 15 minutes that she had to go home, I decided that we would still start the drive out after her Covid test. If the results came back positive, we would figure it out from there. She only went to the bathroom at stops and never had contact with anyone. Plus, after having been exposed to Covid from 3 of my students, with masks on, I have decided that masks do the trick. They really make a difference.

Her test came back negative on Saturday, as I thought, but with my brother traveling to Hawaii with his family on Wednesday and we were going to see them Tuesday, she took a rapid results test on Monday in Utah, just to make sure enough days had passed.

On the way, we really did just enjoy sitting and driving and listening to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which is a nice and long one. We didn't stop much on the way there and even less on the way back.

Our favorite stop where the prairie dogs are super friendly!

We got there Sunday evening in time for turkey dinner at Grandma Pat's and Grandpa Jim's. We thought it would be later when Erik was car sick that morning in flat Nebraska, but his Dramamine kicked in and we plowed through.

After dinner, Victoria went off with Mariah and Natalie (19 and just about 17). They chat every day and were so happy to be in person together! Austin was off with Peter, just a bit younger than him, and Erik and Karissa enjoyed being around everyone else. Erik palled around with Nikolas who's about his age and with the other boys, but he also enjoyed his time playing with toys at Grandma's.

Unfortunately, it wasn't their spring break the same week, so my kids spent as much time with their cousins on the days they missed to school as they could.

Monday, they went to school, so we hiked the Y and went to the BYU Creamery. It had been a while since we had done those things. Tuesday, the younger boys took off school because we went to my brother's house in Draper. He took us on a hike to a waterfall near his house, in between his meetings, with his youngest son Izaak. By the time we got back, Kallie was home from school, and then Layla and Jake not far behind. Derek and Missy were so nice to let us all invade their house the day before they went to Hawaii. They even turned on their pool heater and hot tub (it was in the 20s that day), so those who were brave enough could swim. We sang karaoke, hunted for Easter eggs, danced, and had pizza for dinner. We took the younger kids home to Orem by 7 so they could get ready for their trip, but the teenagers hung out in the hot tub a little longer.

Grandpa Jim was up bright and early and ready to garden!

Crazy hair day! (It literally was for Peter and Nik, you'll see Nik's hair in a few photos)

First hike of many!

Post-hike and school

Nik's cornrows, done by Victoria. Erik's hair was crazy because it needed a cut!

Koki and Karissa

Ghost Falls hike in Draper.

Draper Temple, behind us.

The Fabulous Trio!

We made it!

I was freezing. We had nice weather in MI before we left and it was pretty cold in UT the first couple of days, plus windy.

Victoria 16 and Jake 14. I think we decided that Jake was taller, but not in this picture!

Miniature golf in their very own backyard!

Karaoke queens!

The water must have felt good, but I never even felt it. I was warm inside!

Slide!

Easter egg hunt group, all the youngest grandkids.

Teens in the hot tub

Wednesday is a "virtual day" for school in Orem, but there it means no school for the jr. high and high school, is what I understand. So guess what we did? We went on another hike! Actually, Victoria hung out with Mariah and Natalie and did whatever they did, including shopping and Natalie's track meet, but the majority hiked up Rock Canyon. Karissa was in charge of Koki, which she loved and they were BFFs, but the boys loved exploring every rock and crevice on the way up with no bossy teens telling them to hurry. As we got higher, we left Grandpa and Grandma behind so they wouldn't slip on the ice and snow that we encountered. The higher we went, the more there was. Imagine that! This was the very same hike that Erik tried last summer as our first hike and didn't get far. Thanks to Covid, he's a seasoned hiker now and made it with flying colors! Since 4 hours of hiking wasn't enough, they put on a little show on the stage at the bottom of the trail. We went back home to make it to Nik's soccer game, before a yummy Cafe Rio dinner at Karina's. After which, the Primary boys went on another hike to Bridal Veil Falls!!

BFFs

Mountain goat kids, even Koki loved these side trips.

Austin's head is hiding amongst the rocks.

Erik was hot, so he stuck his head in the snow!

Austin's head again!

Show time!

I think they finally got tired!

The kids went back to school the next day, so my mom and I took my kids to the Orem Rec to climb the rock wall and swim. Jason had to work Wed and Thurs, so he missed those fun days. But we had a blast being active again. We went to Natalie's track meet afterward, which she took 3rd place in the 800 in State, I believe. We timed it perfectly to see her! We went to Calvin's soccer game after that. It was a tough one!

Murdock trail ride waiting for the kids to get home from school, because why not?

Victoria and Natalie

Oldest granddaughters!

The next day was our day to leave so we could make it back in two days for Easter. Since the four days we were there I worked out every morning super early (staying on Michigan time) and were active the rest of the day, then went to bed kinda late (on Utah time), I was pretty tired when we left. We had to wake up very early to make up for the lost hour the first day and the 13 1/2 drive. But it was worth it!

We enjoyed listening to Harry Potter the first day, which I have a new perspective of now. Now that I have three teens (including 1 preteen), who often put their homework off till the last second like Harry and Ron often do in this book, I almost felt the anxiety for them while listening. I'm so used to feeling that with my kids! Also, the Ministry of Magic's issues in believing that Voldemort was back, somehow reminded me of our government issues now. It's such a well-written book! They all are!

Even better was listening to General Conference the next day. I got so much out of it while in the car and took very good notes. I think we should often go on a road trip while listening to General Conference. Even the kids got a lot out of it. We decided that the first session encouraged kindness in so many ways. We have a new kindness project in our home now.

We made it home in record time, early enough for me to pick up some Rice Krispies at Kroger so I could use our melted marshmallows for Rice Krispie treats to bring to my friend who just got out of the hospital after being there for 3 weeks on a ventilator for Covid. I may have gotten very stiff legs from so much driving, but we recouped nicely while celebrating Easter and watching more General Conference. We definitely got more out of it in the car, but we enjoyed coloring Easter eggs and eating jelly beans while watching. We had a nice spiritual FHE on Christ's atonement and resurrection that we all took part in participating in.