Spring Break Memories!

We enjoyed another GREAT spring break.  When Jay and I were in college, vacation time was an important part.  It continues to be as we raise our kids.  We want them to enjoy memories that will help them in life and we love making those memories with them!  

Highlights...pictures...and words...

(I stayed awake for the entire movie!)

WE VISITED IDAHO!  Taralynn and Kory's home is still as beautiful as ever.  We loved the additions in decor since our last visit (especially Kory's framed world map).  It is comfortable and they are great hosts!

SKIING, for the boys!  They skied at Targee, Snowbasin, Solitude and the Canyons.  (Kory just got to ski one day.  He wasn't  on vacation!)  They connected with friends at each place--Ben, Paige, Quinn, the Stewarts, the Arnetts and Dan

TIME TOGETHER, SHOPPING, FOOD, for the girls  I love spending time with my girls.  We visited friends and cousins, shopped for things we needed...and didn't need, and enjoyed time together.  We saw the Carl Bloc art exhibit at BYU(and are ready to travel to Denmark!).  Here's Amy and some of her friends (she has many more!)...fun lunch in Provo...at one of Taralynn's favorites...California Pizza Kitchen!  We enjoyed dinner in Rexburg with some more friends and I forgot to take a picture!  Bummer!

TEMPLE!  We try to include the temple in as many family vacations as possible.  It is a great tradition.  This time we did baptisms in the Idaho Falls temple.  We walked Temple Square after seeing the Joseph Smith movie.   I've learned that some of the things we did as a family when the kids were small, the kids have forgotten...so we are doing them again (like a tour of the Beehive House)!  I must say, that visiting local DI stores also is becoming a tradition of family vacations.  Jay found some "new" skis and the boys each purchased a shirt!

FAMILY, FAMILY and more FAMILY!  It doesn't get much better than family.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner, complete with angel food cake, prepared by Amber,  Kati and Adrianna for Marki's (and Marya's) birthday!  We got spoiled by Amber's Marriott rates and enjoyed soaking our feet in the hot tub after a day of shopping! We were entertained and amazed by Alex!  We celebrated a new job for John!  Marya was in the country!  So many good times.  Thanks Baxter family for everything!

If there is something to climb on...Scott does!

Timing the perfect shot is sometimes hard!

  

This picture will always make me smile!  Boys will be boys!

 LAUGHS, QUARRELS, CRY and then GOOD BYE!  Like any typical family (I hope) there was much laughter, a few sibling quarrels (let's just say Scott packed a ping pong ball!), only once did I cry (only Taralynn knows why!) and then we had to say good bye - to Provo and friends, to snow filled mountains, to extended family and to Taralynn and Kory  (The elevator picture by Scott...they were waving before the doors closed!)

Timing is everything...!

Hopefully these pictures and words somehow relay to you the great time we had together.
Family is central to Heavenly Father's plan.   I believe time together strengthens us in more ways than we know.  I love the line in the Joseph Smith movie when Joseph is describing his upbringing.  He says, "We were taught to trust in the Lord and take care of each other."  I truly hope my children have been taught this too!

Love,
Lori