Track Break January/February 2016

I attempted to put this in order but they are backwards. First pictures are most recent. Oh well. 

Track Break! Our last day of school, technically was Jan 15. But it was a Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday so our firth officially day was after that. 3 week break. In the dead of cold, blustery, white out, freezing out, blue, inversion-ed, winter!  Having coming out of it and looking back. We stayed very busy. I tend to over schedule us but also do not want the kids to just be sitting home and bored while we are off track. So we played. HARD! It was a long break but also fun. I'm grateful we had lots to do and friends to play with. 

Feb 1 : We headed to Classic Fun Center with the Tullis'. We arrived after 10 and stayed til 4. The kids played and played and played. We bought a Mom Pass, it was $7.50 for unlimited fun and a bounce back. They have skating, bounce houses, arcades, and a jungle to climb in. 

I only got pictures roller skating because that is where I was sitting and they weren't as on the move! We had a blast and then ran home for piano lessons, only to jump back in the car and head up to the UofU for a gymnastic's meet. Kami saved us some seats. She even got Lexi a light savor (she thinks she wants a Star Wars birthday party--yet she's never seen Star Wars!!). 

Lexi loved the excitement and watching the girls move. Since we (really all 6 of us were there) hadn't eaten dinner we forked out $30 for 6 hotdogs. YIKES! At least our tickets to get in were free. 

The Utes beat the Wildcats. It was so much fun. Lexi wore the red U on her cheek for several days!

Feb 3:
In fact, when we woke up at 6:30 am to head to the Provo City Temple dedication she remembered her U was still on her cheek. With some rubbing alcohol we got it off. I wanted to go see the TempleNacle while we were off track, mostly because the only times I could get tickets for 6 people was at 7:15, 7:30am! So Mike went to work late and we enjoyed a beautiful tour. I especially loved the history that the showed of the tabernacle. The outside structure stood when it caught fire. So they rebuilt the inside, they found pictures of what it looked like before and redesigned it. I loved the wood work, the 421 stain glass windows, the hinges, the pews, the art work and of course the spirit inside.

After the temple tour, we went to Kneaders for juice and cinnamon rolls then headed home and went to work for a couple hours. We left work and went to the Lego Build we signed up for. Each kid built a mini snow mobile. It didn't take long but was a lot of fun and they got to keep it.

We stayed in the store for a while and Maddy and Jack eventually settled on a new Lego kit with some of their money they had made working this week while cleaning Price Doors.

Haha, this was notes I took of off track adventures. I'm ecstatic we got so much done!

Friday Feb 5 we went back to Classic Fun Center to use our bounce back pass. It was only good for 2 weeks, we stayed and played again for 5+ hours. Great workout for the kids (too bad I didn't join them--but did get some reading done)! 

This time, we brought the wiggle car and Lilly's bike. She loved both and spent lots of time going around and around in circles.

Sat Feb 6: After morning basketball games, and Jack and Mike working on Jack's Pine Wood Derby car we used our gift cards from Christmas and went to see Kung Fu Panda 3. I was bored but the kids loved it. Lilly did keep telling me she was hungry. She has been eating and eating lately!

Feb 8: Harlem Globetrotters at Vivant Arena.

Jack told Mike that the didn't get what he wanted for Christmas. We asked the kids previously and he mentioned he would love Globetrotter tickets. Well, Mike has been working with KSL and was hoping that they would give him some tickets. BUT we were still waiting and at Christmas time just figured the game was in February we had time. SO when we told the kids they were going ( Maddy and Jack that is) they were so so excited. Lexi and Lilly were just as excited to have Katelyn come babysit. They adore her!!

Our seats were great also! This is the team doing roll call and a talent show really. Jack especially loved the Trotters. He loves basketball and he loves comedy. He laughed and laughed all night.

During 1/2 time, they sell souvenirs and then after the game they sign the balls. $25 for a ball with signatures, Mike got sucked in and bought Jack a ball. He was pretty excited!

After the game, this is what the floor looked like. Hundreds of people trying to get 10 peoples autographs! Jack did pretty good, in the time period given he got everyone but TNT's and HackSaw.

While off track, the kids went to the Eye Doctor. Their eyes were dilated but all is well. The Dr said with Jack's eyes, if it were his kid they were exactly where he would want them. A little far sighted. I'm crossing my fingers kids get my eyes instead of Mike's, he got glasses about age 12. So we'll watch them and see.

Lexi and Abby and Ryan and Jack played LOTS while we were off track! Maddy missed her bestie Alli but played with Grace a couple times and just hung out with the girls also or did her own thing. We definitely missed having the Wakley's off track with us. Lexi also went to Peyton's birthday party at the bowling alley. She is dieing to make her invites for her party but I am so torn as to what to do for her party. I still have a month, but she's counting down!

 Jan 27: Mike and Jack snuck up to the U of U Men's basketball game. It was a 9pm POAP game. Jack asked Mike, why he always sits up so high. LOL, because that is where the cheap or free in this case cheap seats are! It was fun for them to watch Jordan Loveridge play for the Utes and they won! Jack and Maddy met Jordan at a Basketball camp a couple years back.

 Jan 29: We played at the Museum of Natural Curiosity at Thanksgiving Point. Grace came along with The Tullis' and we met Bill and Stephanie and Karsyn and Ashlyn also. It was also sweet to see Christina there also. It was like it was meant to be. We've been so much, I don't ever take pictures. BUT did take one to show Grace's mom. so here's the only photo i took!

 We play basketball lots in the winter also. Saturday games and then Tuesday and Thursday night practices. It really makes our evenings full during the week. Both Maddy and jack are improving with every game. Bummer, it's such a short season. Last game is on Saturday. Maddy's team is the Goats. Jack's is the Jazz.

 Kids have played lots in the snow in our yard. here is the family of snow man that they built. Each snowman is named after someone in the family. It was so funny to hear Lilly talk of Mike the snowman out front. Sometimes she does call him Mike. Not as much as she did a couple months back.

Jan 25: After work and piano we headed up to the Galivan Center to use our Groupon and go ice skating. Really I just wanted a distraction (from my phone call earlier in the day) but also a good time and night for us to go! This one loves it! Although, it is hard on Mom and Dad's back, she can't skate at all and relies on us to skate her.

This is definitely an action shot! Jack is always on the move. It was cold but the kids didn't mind, they skated all night. After 2 hours, I was done (really my ankles were) but they could have skated all night long!

Jack also spent lots of time in this position. He doesn't mind sliding on the cold ice. BRRR.

This is how Lilly skates! Fun for us right. Good thing there were 2 of us. And good thing we didn't have any crowds!

Lexi loves to skate also. She is getting much better (and roller skating helped also). She wants skates for her bday. She could easily have roller blades and ice skates but unfortunately we don't get ice skating much except once a year.

While the Zamboni was cleaning the ice, and we were heading home we asked someone to take a group picture. Love this crazy crew. Mike and Lexi did crash, Mike hit his head hard. Poor Lexi cried more than Mike did--she felt so bad for causing the fall.

Jan 17: And last but not least, we enjoyed a quiet Sunday evening dinner with Grandma and Grandpa. They stayed and played games with the kids, played fetch with the doggies. We sure love these two and are so grateful we live close. This month, we celebrate living in Utah for 6 years. Maddy remembers Boise, Jack a little but Lexi was only 10 months old and obviously Lilly was born here. We are so grateful to be so close to family and to live where we do with friends here and there and around the corner in addition to schools we love, a wonderful ward family (new callings for me I'm on the RS activity committee--we'll me and Laurie are the committee)  and friends that are everywhere. We are very blessed. 

Kids went back to school yesterday. They all woke up so excited to go back. I really love the breaks. It was super nice to sleep in for 3 weeks in the winter when it's cold outside and stays dark a little longer. Lilly had preschool in the mid morning but we stayed busy and had a great break. We did great for 3 weeks but we were ready to go back!