Disney on Ice ...

To top off our already busy week we took the kids to see Disney on Ice on Thursday night. We are so fortunate to have a great event center (Budweiser Events Center) that is only 25 minutes from our house and the majority of the time the tickets are fairly reasonable.

It was a little overwhelming cramming all this excitement into one week but you can’t be overly picky when it comes to children’s entertainment.

~ Justin excited for the show to start ~

~ Daddy and Makenna ~

I remember going to the “Ice Capades” as a child. It was a special family event and my sisters and I looked forward to it each time we went. I love seeing this same excitement in my kids.

Makenna is so active that it was a stretch to try and get her to stay seated for 2 hours but she managed to make it through the show. Lucky we were surrounded by other restless children so it wasn’t just our child getting in and out of her seat.

Justin on the other hand … loved every minute of it … especially the $10.00 bag of cotton candy that came with a “Dash” mask and wrist guards. (Dash is one of the superheros from the Incredibles movie)

Hopefully this cures his need to see the "Mouse" himself. I’m pretty sure this will be the closest to Disneyland our kids will get this year.

~ Justin with his Dash Mask ~

~ The Incredibles ~

~ Back to the real world ~

Road Trip 09' ...

It’s been a while since we have been to visit my sister Lori and her family. Despite Dwight’s super busy schedule I convinced him to take some time off and talked him into a spring break road trip. Not sunny Mexico … spa treatments … or drinks by the pool vacation … just a good OL’ IOWA Road trip.

We hit the road early Friday March 13th … 10 hours later it was nothing but excitement for a house full of 6 kids … ages 7 and under. Makenna and Justin had a ton of fun playing with their cousins. Taylor (7yrs) – Brandon (5yrs) – Caleb (2yrs) – Emily (9m)

~ My sister Lori with her youngest ... 9 month old Emily Ann ~

~ Makenna jumping on the mini tramp ~

~ Taylor ... 7 years old ~

~ Smiles from Emily ~

~ Caleb ... age 2 climbing outside ~

Sunday Outing …

~ All Seasons Aquatic Center ... Sioux Center Iowa ~

We figured out the best way to wear out 6 kids. Take them to the indoor aquatic center for an afternoon of fun. This wasn’t your ordinary indoor pool. This place is amazing … a huge interactive play center with a mini slide for the little kids and 2 huge water slides for the big kids.

~ Dwight and Makenna getting wet ~

~ Justin just came down the slide ... Taylor and Charlie waiting ~

~ Miss Emily Ann ... she slept most of the time but woke up just in time for a snack ~

~ Caleb and Brandon enjoying a snack ... Dwight and Justin in the background ~

Hanging with the cuz's...

~ 3 Stooges ... Brandon - Justin -Taylor ~

Not much to do in a small town in North West Iowa … Orange City… except hang out, enjoy the company of each other and create some wonderful memories. After 5 days of hanging with his cousins… Justin pretty much summed it up on our drive home. “Lori needs to move closer to us… this is a long drive”. Oh do I only wish they lived closer to us. But for now we just have to take turns driving 650 miles to see each other.

~ The boys hanging outside ~

~ The huge Fire Slide at the Park ~

~ Tub Time ... Caleb - Brandon - Justin ~

~ Best Buddies ... Brandon and Justin ~

~ Worn Out ~

Blue Bunny ...

For a special “last night” treat we packed into the truck and van and head 16 miles south to Le Mars, Iowa … the Ice Cream Capital of the World. We enjoyed a special treat at the official BLUE BUNNY Ice Cream Parlor.

~ Taylor and Brandon ~

~ Caleb hoping to shared daddies sundae with him ~

~ Justin loving his Colorful Ice Cream Treat ~

~ Mommy and Makenna outside Blue Bunny ~

~ Me and the munchkins ~

Spring Canyon Park ...

~ Spring Canyon Park ~

Our weather has been unusually warm for this time of the year. We have broken numerous temperature records over the past few weeks. It’s been 60-70 degrees most days … except yesterday we had a light snow … and then today it was once again a BEAUTIFUL 65 degree day! The kids and I along with Aunt Sheri and her dog Dakota enjoyed the weather with a walk/bike ride to the park.

~ View from the Bubble ~

~ Makenna Loves the Slide ~

~ Getting Dizzy ~

~ Aunt Sheri helping to get Both Justin and Makenna Dizzy ... Round and Round ~

~ Cheif Justin ~

~ In the Tunnel ~

~ Justin on top of the Cave ~