We are enjoying our spring break. The kids are having fun being outside and having lots of free play time. The best part was Mom’s visit. Last Thursday I went into the library for my volunteer time. While I was there we had a fire drill at the school. I left the building and stood by Andrew’s class and said hi to him. The kids were so behaved. I am glad that they were following instructions. It is good for them to practice so if there ever was an emergency hopefully there wouldn’t be fear. I left the school a little early to get to the air port in time to pick up mom. Her flight actually came in early so I am glad that it worked out for me to get there for her.
After picking up mom we went out to eat at Subway then we drove around the part of the city where mom and dad lived back in the late 1960’s. We found the church building they met in and their old apartment. Things look different but yet had the same feel to it for her. This was mom’s first time back to Albuquerque since she lived here as a young mother. We enjoyed some quiet time together. We got to the house before the kids got out of school, then things got busy.
Friday was the first day of spring break. The kids were happy to not have school. Mom, Neal and I went to the temple that morning and did sealings. We finished some work that I had been working on since last July of family file names that Dad had researched and given me to do the temple work. It was special to end it with mom with us and to remember those beautiful promises with the sealing of families.
Friday afternoon we took the entire family out to eat lunch at a place called Weck’s. It was good NM/Mexico food. In the afternoon Neal took the kids to go on the Tramway up to the top of the mountains. Mom and I didn’t want to go. Then it ended up they couldn’t go because the Tram was down for repairs and also the weather wasn’t the best. They enjoyed hiking around on some pathways by the Tram station. They will try the Tram another time.
Saturday morning Neal took Ruth and Andrew on a bike ride along the river trail. They ended up going over 30 miles on their bikes. The kids came home tired but excited that they went on such a great ride. Mom and I were at home having a quiet morning with Spencer and Caleb. In the afternoon, after the bikers got home, we had some fun decorating Easter eggs. Then we did a little egg hunt in the back yard. Spencer and Caleb had filled the plastic eggs with candy in the morning and I hid them around the yard. Then I gave them Easter baskets with a few small gifts in them. That evening Mom, Ruth and I went to the Stake Center for a dinner and then watched the General Women’s session of Conference. It was a nice evening together.
(I didn't notice my camera was on a different setting and my Easter pictures were all blurry.)
Sunday we went to church and visited at home. I had a substitute for Primary so I could go with mom to the adult classes. It was nice to attend them. I hadn’t been to Relief Society in this ward yet, so I enjoyed that. We enjoyed a nice day together as a family for Easter.
Our Easter family pictures
Monday we were doing things at home (like laundry and I did some grocery shopping). Mom took time to play Andrew’s new game, Phase 10. They played all 10 phases and it took a long time to get through it. After lunch we went miniature golfing. It was entertaining to watch the kids hurry along and be so excited. Since we went that afternoon the kids have been playing with the croquet set and also golf balls and sticks. They have made some holes in the back yard and are hitting the balls in them. They have their own mini golf course!
Monday evening for our Family Night Andrew put together an Easter egg hunt for his game turn. He filled over 100 plastic eggs with little papers with points written on them and then he spread them throughout the yard. The kids had fun picking them all up and then adding up their points. I also talked to the kids about what General Conference is and who our church leaders are, in preparation for conference this week end.
Tuesday morning Neal flew to California for a business trip. The rest of us went to the science museum. We had fun looking at things and showing Grandma our favorite things there. We brought a lunch with us and went out to the car to eat and then went back in for more looking around. We wore everyone out, but had fun. That afternoon at home I decided to make some sweet rolls. I had been thinking about them and thought it would be a fun treat. Mom was so pleased because she said she had been wanting some good home made sweet rolls for a long time. She had bought some from the store but it wasn’t the same and she really appreciated me making them. They turned out good too.
Wednesday we decided to take it easy and stay home. We were visiting and letting the kids play. By lunch time we were ready for something different, the kids were going a bit crazy with all their free time. We went to the library and picked out some books to read and a couple of movies to watch. It was nice to go to the library and the boys enjoyed playing with some of the little games in the children’s area. It was good to get out of the house for a bit.
Thursday morning I felt like a taxi driver. I first took Andrew to his activity for cub scouts. He went to a construction site to finish a requirement for the “Build it” elective in his book. He enjoyed going with the other boys and learning some about building a house. The mom that took them even took them out to eat pizza for lunch before bringing them home.
I took mom to the air port that morning. It was so good for her to come. She told me it was good for her to have time to relax and think about other things than getting her papers and life in order after loosing dad. She enjoyed being with us. I was glad to get a message yesterday afternoon that she made it home safely.
Thursday morning I also took Ruth to a park for a young women activity. They were meeting at a park for a lunch and hike. Ruth enjoyed going. Her leader brought her home.
Neal got home from his trip late last night. We are glad he is back too. Today has been a bit slow for me. I decided to get caught up on some of my weekly projects, like writing letters. Yesterday I was able to get caught up with some mending.
Last Sunday we talked to our bishop about this so I guess it is out in the open. We have found a house to buy! We are in the process of it all and should close in April. The hard part is that it is across a dividing line and it will put it us another ward. The good part is that the kids don’t have to change schools. In fact we will be close enough for all the kids to be able to walk to school, no more buses! It will be some big changes for us, again. I am not looking forward to packing up a house, again. I need to start that project this next week so I can be ready to move it all. We keep a lot of packing materials from our last move, so at least we have the boxes already. This time we will do it ourselves since it is only over a mile away to where we are going. It will be good to get settled and feel like we are going to stay here for while. The house will be good for our family too and give us some more space.
The kids really enjoyed their spring break and I think will be happy to go back to school Monday. School gets out before Memorial Day here and we were realizing this morning that is only seven weeks away, so it will go quickly!
