Jackson Hole

 After we left Rexburg we headed to Jackson Hole, Wyoming before we started our trek home. I have the best memories of visiting here as a kid and it was fun to take my own kids back. They loved it too. So much in fact, Lauren has decided she is going to move there when she's an adult and become a bear trainer...when she's not training orca whales that is. 

 Such a beautiful view!

The must have photo for Jackson Hole! 

 The kids really got into the tourist spirit and insisted on having their pictures taken with all the statues. It was hilarious, I swear I had nothing to do with it! 

 Lauren loved all the stuffed dead animals. We went into one store that probably had 50 different stuffed animals and she thought they were so cool. 

 This bear causes major issue. Ben wanted to sit in it alone and Lauren didn't want to wait her turn so she hopped right up there. 

 See Ben's grumpy face...well he reacted by...

 Pinching her the second before I took the pic. Their faces here are priceless!! 

 Trying to recover but her face is still all red. 

We had lunch at this really cool place that had local organic food and almost all of it was gluten and dairy free. Loving how much easier it is getting to find food we can eat while on vacation! 

Jackson Hole was a big hit, next time we'll stay longer!

End of the Road Trip

 Our last 2 days were spent driving through Montana, Idaho, & Washington. We stopped in Butte for dinner and found a place that served gluten free pizza. They happened to have a "play land" (so it may have been super ghetto...the kids didn't care!) and it was a well needed play break for all of us! 

 Skee Ball- all of our favorite! 

 Had to take a pic of the boys vs the girls pizza...sad:( Funny thing is, they cost about the same. 

They even had a carousel! 

We spent the night in Missoula and then headed home the next morning. We were set to arrive home at 5:30 pm but due to a major traffic delay we didn't arrive until 8pm. The kids were such troopers during our 2.5 hours of sitting still (well we moved a little, 20 miles in 2.5 hours!) and even said they'd do the trip again! Maybe in a few years...I'm not ready for that long of drive yet! 

Last couple weeks

Making chocolate chip cookies with Carsie Poo!

Eating the cookie dough! 

Toothless! 

Bus Stop Attire

Popsicle Time

Who needs pants?!

Natural Mama

Jammie Day at Preschool 

Carsie's 1st ride in Uncle Kevin's car

Ben is better at this game than me and he's proud of it! 

Cinco de Mayo

 We had a couple friends over for Cinco de Mayo (well it was on the 4th actually so I guess it was cuatro de mayo) and had to get a pinata. Kids loved it. Ben wanted to know if we could get one again today because he was in a "birthday party mood". I'm going to try that with gifts and see if it works. "Kevin, can you go buy me lots of presents, I'm in a birthday party mood." You think it'll work? 

Sleeping

 I still can't resist taking pictures of them sleeping, they are so angelic when they are asleep...and then they wake up;) 

Chatting with Lauren

Great video of Miss Lauren, but my favorite part is Ben saying over and over in the background that he has a boyfriend;) 

Chatting with Ben

The other day I was thinking about how fast my kids are growing up and I just wanted to document their cute little voices. 

New Boat!

 Yesterday we got to spend some time on the new boat. It is pretty fabulous! This seat is the kids favorite, mine too! 

 Loving this amazing May sun- it was in the mid 80's- crazy! 

 Ben loves the new boat the most I think! He did not want to leave yesterday. 

 Ben drove the dinghy all around the marina and felt very grown up. He took it so seriously, hardly smiled at all but was in heaven. I could see it in his face. I took so many pictures because I just loved how serious he was. 

 He was very annoyed if Nana tried to touch the motor- he had to be the one steering! 

 Lauren was so nervous with Ben driving and thought he was going way too fast. 

 If you enlarge this picture you can see all the kite surfers- they were all over and so colorful. My dinky little camera didn't capture it well at all, but it was quite a sight!

 Finally- a smile! 

 Lauren loving all the space in the new boat!

 It's huge!

 Our little sunbather...lathered in sunscreen of course. 

 View from the top, the new slip has a beautiful view! 

Playing on the dock! 

Looking forward to lots of fun times on the boat this summer! 

Randoms

 Ben had to wear this sign around the other night so everyone would know he was 4. It was cracking me up because he was so proud of this idea and thought he was genius for coming up with it. He wanted to wear it to preschool the next day... 

 These two switch outfits every single time they play! 

 The kids have been having "art class" with dad. Though Lauren gets mad super fast if she doesn't get her drawing just right and art class sometimes ends in tears. 

 the toothless wonder!

We had fun looking through baby pics the other night. It seems like everyone we know is having a baby so we have had a lot of curiosity surrounding babies around here. Fun to remince. I just can't believe my babies are almost 5 & 7!

Orca "research"

 Lauren asked if she could do some orca research the other day. We got out all her orca books and told her to get started. She spent 45 minutes doing this all on her own- for anyone who knows her well, that in itself is amazing! This girl sure does love her orcas!