Geocache Project for Earth Day

 The boys ended up being partners for an earth day project.  They could choose from several suggestes or come up with their own project idea.  Camden had been really into geocaches and he came up for an idea for their project where they hide a geocache and inside is a QR code that you scan to watch a video about earth day.  The clues to find the cache had to do with facts about earth day.  He found the perfect plastic container for a cache and spray painted it green to blend in with the surroundings.  Chase came and took the boys to hide it and helped them get it registered.  

Liv Goes to the Benson Boone Concert

 Liv really became a Benson Boone fan this year.  Knows all the lyrics to every song, follow him on instagram, play his songs and sings with her guitar all the time.  She told me and put several alarms going off at various times to remind me the moment tickets went on sale for his concert here in Utah.  I was at work that day, but that was one of the most hectic experiences of my life.  In between patients I was trying to get tickets.  I would get on, reserve a ticket, and then they would be gone before I could check out.  Finally, after several attempts, I was able to get her one ticket in the pit which was her dream.  I sent her with Eliza and her Mom because Derek and I actually already had tickets that night to see Come From Away in Salt Lake. 

 What I didn't realize is that her ticket was actually a VIP pass, she got let in early and had a little private performance with Benson Boone before the concert and then they were let into the venue early. 

 She met Benson Boone's Mom and sister.  She and Eliza went crazy over the fact that Benson made eye contact with them and signed that he loved them.  

As they were exiting this little room to get their spots in the pit, they were close enough to him that they could give him bracelets they had made for him.  She was literally stand right near the stage the whole concert and had the best time.  

Benson is apparently quite the acrobat and was back flipping all over the stage.  

Camp Floyd Field Trip

 I had the opportunity to go on the boys' 5th grade field trip to Camp Floyd.  I had never been so it was actually pretty fun for me.  We got to see the old school room and hear war stories from Camp Floyd.  One of the historians there loaded a gun with gun powder and shot it for the kids.  We toured the stage coach inn.  The boys rotated from various parent run stations.  

I ran a station about the pony express as camp floyd was a pony express station.  Mostly, I learned about how once the telegram was invented the pony express was very expensive and impractical, so it was kind of an epic failure.  I got to eat lunch with the boys and all the kids were excited to bring some spending money to spend at the gift store.  

Gram's 90th Birthday/ Spring Break

Gram’s celebrated her 90th birthday this year and my whole family decided to meet out in Arizona to celebrate. We left Friday night and drove as far as St. George. Mom had a honey baked ham ready for us and home made Greek Pita ready for us upon arrival. The boys jumped in the warmed pool. Then, we all played Nerts! We left pretty early the next morning for Arizona. Our kids are getting to be such good travelers. They can travel for several hours in the car without stopping. Upon arrival in Scottsdale we met Nathan, Benazir, Bob and Daniel at a cool train park. They had a little museum in an old train car, a huge model train car building and then a big park with playground equiptment, but also a carousel and train you could ride. 

 We spent about an hour there and then it was time for the birthday celebration. We had dinner at the Sugar Bowl in old town Scottsdale. 

 Apparently, it was Great Gommie’s favorite place and we would eat there every time we came to Arizona to see her. After dinner Derek drove all around the valley delivering Liv to her good friend Lilleigh’s house- Lilleigh moved to Queen’s Creek Arizona this year. The boys and I went back to Gram’s house with Kylie, Jordan and Dean. We watched a little bit of Patch Adams, then Derek picked us up and we drove to the Pendleton’s house. Upon arrive we played wavelength with them (a game we brought as a thank you for letting us stay with them). We went to church with them the next morning. It was a great Easter service. After church, we had a big breakfast with the Pendletons. Then, we had to pack up and head to Surprise to Aunt Kathy’s for easter lunch with my family. It was a great lunch and we did an Easter Egg hunt in the backyard with Dean. 

 I recorded some audio of Grams telling about her childhood. Liv serenaded us all.

That afternoon we drove to Flagstaff Arizona. It was gorgeous and snowy and covered in Ponderosa Pines. I twisted everyone’s arms into eating at Black Barts. It’s a cool restaurant where the waiters are generally all musical theater students at NAU and in between serving tables perform musical theater songs. The next morning we drove to the Grand Canyon. It was a little chilly, but we were all prepared and had dressed warm for the day. All of the trails that hiked down into the canyon were closed because they were icy, but we walked along the south rim trail from the visitor’s center to the village. 

 We packed a lunch and ate it here and explored the visitor’s center up there and the old lodge hotel. Then, we rode the bus out to Hermit’s Rest and had a drink. 

 Then, we rode the bus all the way back to our car. We drove out the park past the desert view. The view from the watch tower was about the prettiest view we had all day. 

 Then, that evening we drove to Page, AZ. There was a gorgeous sunset on the drive home. Derek insisted we pull over and take a pic. We had dinner at our traditional Fiesta Mexicana where we always eat with the Davidsons when we are in Page for Lake Powell trips.

In the morning, we met Mom and George in Mt. Carmel Junctions for lunch and they brought Kota back to us. They were dog sitting her while we were gone. Then, back up to Orem for the rest of Spring Break.