Friday, March 30, 2012

Spring Break

South Carolina
This is the first Spring Break I have had since high school (BYU doesn't have spring breaks).  I planned our trip to South Carolina before Sampson told me he would have to stay and study the whole time because you guessed it.....he had a test the week after.  Story of our life :)  I decided to take the girls and go any way.  It took us about 9 hours to get to Myrtle Beach because we had to make a few stops.  Every time the girls lost it we just find a place they could run around.  We stopped at a park in the Smoky Mtns and at Kohl's.  They love looking at toys!  It was quite the ordeal to check in with two small children and one adult.  I would have never got everything up to our room on the 10th floor had it not been for the luggage cart!  After we went straight down to the beach and played in the sand and then went swimming in the many indoor pools the resort had, they even had a lazy river.  The girls loved it! We never made it back to the ocean because the girls were immediately scared of the waves and run in opposite directions, which presents a problem for one parent.  So much for me getting a tan on my beach vacation.



The next day we drove up to Barefoot Landing.  We went to the Alligator Adventure.  It was so sweet.  The first thing we see is about 200 juvenile alligators in their first open exhibit.  It was so sweet.  We hit all the shows (excepting the alligator feeding, they hadn't started that this year yet).  Eva loved the Lemur's.  She kept trying to bounce around like them.  Phoenix loved the reptile show.  She volunteered to hold the snake after the 10 year old boy next to her refused to touch it.  She is so brave.  She loved petting the alligator too!  After we got back we spent the night swimming and playing games in the room and watching a marathon of BONES!!! Best vacation ever :)



The last day we drove down to Magnolia Gardens in Charleston.  The road leading into the Plantation is gorgeous!  I was amazed at how beautiful everything was.  The girls loved the petting zoo especially the enormous pigs we named Houston and Nate :) Then we took a train tour around the entire plantation.  We saw lots of beautiful flowers, alligators, the slave quarters and the plantation house.  I can't even imagine how amazing it would have been to live in that house!  I could have spent the whole day there, but the girls barely made it past lunch. I had a good time though.  I did a lot of driving this week, but it totally worth it!  I love my girlies and a great vacation even though we all missed Sampson a lot.  But I am so grateful for a hardworking husband that gives up so much to be able to provide for us in the future.  It's hard when he is gone all the time, but he never complains and lets me do whatever the heck I want!  I love him for it!! 



Monday, March 19, 2012

That's What I Always Wanted

Phoenix's 3rd Birthday
I can't believe my little baby is 3 years old. She has grown up so fast.  Phoenix picked out Abby Cadabby as the theme for her birthday. She wanted to dress up just like her, it was so cute.  My mom came in town for Phoenix's birthday weekend extravaganza and we had so much fun!! We drove to Gatlinburg and went to the Aquarium and the Dixie stampede.  I can't believe how much the girls enjoyed it.  Eva ate more of my dinner than I did and she stomped her foot and danced the whole time.  It was hilarious. I wished my mom would have told me she is allergic to horses before she had me buy the tickets, oh well, at least she is still alive :) At the house the girls performed their recital dance for my mom.  I can't wait to see them in their costumes doing the dance!  My mom also helped me come up with another routine for my Soul Grooves class.  It was a big hit last Thursday!! We finished the weekend off at Webb's Country Kitchen where the band sang Happy Birthday to Phoenix.  I think my favorite part was when Phoenix opened up her presents and no matter what it was it was "what she always wanted" :) She had such a great birthday and I am so glad my mom got to come up and spend it with us!