We spent our spring break this year comfortable in our own beds. We were in Mexico just a couple weeks ago and decided we were going to enjoy our own area during the break.
Steve took Hallie, Hunter and Bennett up skiing one day. It’s Arizona snow, so its not great – but we like to get our kids on the slopes at least once a year and this was their chance. And you know what – they thought it was amazing. But Steve will attest – teaching kids to ski is not for the faint of heart (bless his sweet father who taught nine kids to ski without ski school!) There’s a whole lot of frustration…until they get it. Going once a year is not enough to make a kid a comfortable skiier – it takes the whole morning to remember how to do it again.
It was Bennett’s first time, so he was in ski school for the morning (Steve didn’t have it in him to try and teach and reteach three kids!) and then joined the group after. It took him some time – there were some tears and even some accusations that Steve was purposely pushing him down! But towards the end of the day, it clicked. He got it.
Of course that won’t be enough to remember it a year from now but the pride on his face when he finally got it was priceless. Steve has video footage of him going down the hill and then turning around as excited as can be telling him he needed to send me the video. We were hoping to find snow another day with the whole family but it just didn’t work out. Owning snow gear in Arizona seems worthless most the time!
We spent an evening at the park with families from the neighborhood for pizza and an intense game of kickball. When kickball was done it was popsicles and soccer and bocce ball and frisbee. It felt like a long summer night…in any state but Arizona!
Another day, another group of friends – Urban Jungle for the win. The kids ran around for two hours and wore themselves out pretty well.
We went with friends to the Greatest Showman (I was probably the last person to see that movie and I loved it!) and took the whole family – Briggs included. He knew all the music and sang along at just the right times! We found a little splash pad outside the theater and immediately Briggs was stripping down to get wet with his little buddies.
We had friends visit from out of town and we introduced them to a local favorite – Camelback Mountain.
The last night of spring break was pizza and the Easter Pageant. We look forward to attending every year and it never disappoints and it never gets old. I love watching my kids as they watch the Savior on the stage – the depiction elicits emotion at every age. Even Briggs. And never failing when I ask the kids their favorite part they describe Christ rising above the top of stage with angels trumpeting. I love that we live close to experience this every year. (Unfortunately, they’re doing renovations at this temple and this pageant will go on a two year hiatus while the renovations are being completed – now’s the time to go!)
A week before spring break I was starting to feel a little nervous at how I was going to entertain the kids for a week – which ended up being nothing to worry about. We had lazy mornings and late breakfast every day and then enjoyed an activity with friends every day or night. It was just the right staycation for our young family.
