Memorial Weekend

For Memorial Day weekend we went camping to Lava Hot springs Idaho. It is just a few hours north of us. We went with Abes sister Kenzee and her family. They had just bought a new motor home so this was there first time out with it. Abes younger brother Andy and his girlfriend also came.

We stayed at the Smiths Trout Haven camp grounds.We really loved it there. They have two trout ponds you can fish from and our camping spots were right by the ponds. We also were next to a field with two very friendly horses.

When we got to the camp grounds the weather was okay but as we started to set up it really started to rain! We were so happy that we have a trailer and did not have to tent it!

Here is our camp site. It was nice having the grass but they had just cut it and the clippings were everywere so with the rain it was hard not to track the grass all over the place.

Here is Zan with Abes sister and her family feeding grass to the horses.

Zander LOVED the horses. He would wake up in the morning and see them out the window and say "puppies!" pretty much every animal is a puppy to him.

No family trip would be complete without the puppies:) Nessie is on the left and Crombie is on the right. Nessie is getting bigger than Crombie! They are both so much fun! They loved getting out and being in a new place. This was Nessies first time taking a road trip and she did great!

They have a little park at the camp grounds with these awesome teeter-taughters so we dragged one back to our site. Everyone had a blast on it and no one got hurt which was a miracle considering the stuff they all tried to do.

I did not participate in the standing and trying to balance. I know my limits:)

Abes dad had to work over the weekend so they were not able to camp but they did drive up for dinner one of the nights. Both of these boys love their Grandpa!

It was a bit chilly but on Saturday it was the nicest day so we went swimming. It got a little to cold at the outdoor pool for the little boys so we took them to the indoor pool which was a blast. They have a climbing wall that comes out of the water. We also went for a walk up and down main street and checked out the shops.

On Monday morning Abes brother and girlfriend were nice enough  to watch Zander so Abe and I could hit the hot springs. It was my first time going to the actual hot springs and they were so nice and relaxing. I am glad we waited to go early on Monday. There were not nearly as many people. We had tried to go a few times but the place was packed.

It was a very fun trip!

The Zoo

Okay it's time to get caught up. We have been busy this Spring.

We went to the Zoo a few weeks back. This was Zanders first time and he really loved all the animals. We went with all of Abes family which was really nice. We all had such a great time. The only bad thing was that Zander had terrible allergies that day. His poor eyes were so watery and puffy. We were able to get some Benadrile in him and luckily he has not had anything that bad since.

First we went to see the baby elephant. I love the elephants they are one of my favorite animals to visit.

Then the giraffes which are my very most favorite animal at the zoo. I just think they are so interesting.

We went on the carousel which was so much fun! Zander loved waving to all the family as he went around. He was able to go on it a few times.

Here is Zan and his cousin Briggs checking out the Tiger

Childcare Update

I am so behind on the blog stuff lately. We went to the Zoo last week and I also have a few projects I want to post about.
We finally got my work schedule figured out. I went back to 4 10's. I now have Mondays off which will work really well with all the summer stuff coming up. We found a great babysitter in West Kaysville for Thursdays and Fridays. It is not as close to the hospital were I work but it's not bad either. Abe's parents live close by so I like knowing they are close if anything every came up. I am relieved to finally have that all figured out. It was really stressing me out! Zanders new sitters both love him and comment on how cute he is with the other kids. My friend Sam who watches him on Tuesdays has a little girl who is three who loves having a friend to play with. The other sitter in Kaysville is licenced with the state to have a childcare center out of her home and watches 6 other kids but has several helpers that work with her. Zander really enjoys having so many other kids to play with. I just miss him like crazy! It never gets easier having to leave him with someone else. At least I feel like he is in a good place that will take great care of him.

No Go

So I had a one on one meeting with my boss today to go over my new schedule and he gave it a no go! I do have a very flexible schedule but he was not a fan of doing 12 hour shifts and working evenings. So we are now on the hunt again for a baby sitter. Blah! Abe and I are both bummed. If you know of anyone in the Ogden area that would love to watch a stinken cute kido Thursdays and Fridays let me know!!!

Changes

That tittle reminds me of the Brady Bunch when Peter is going through his "changes"

Anywho...
So this year as one of my New Years resolution I decided on one word balance.

I'm a busy gal. I work full time and am a full time mother, wife, and homemaker. Oh and I also teach swim lessons once a week and just got a new church calling as the assistant to the person over our Boy Scout program. It is never ending the things that need to get done around the house. Then there is the me time. I feel I never have any to persue the things I love like crafting. I love being creative it gives me a sense of accomplishment to look at something and say I made that. I also want to persue a carrier in photography. I have loved photography all my life. I always asked my mom for different cameras for Christmas and took a class in collage and really loved it, but life gets in the way and I didn't stick with it. Now after having had Zander it has rekindled and I realize that is what I want to become when I grow up. A professional photographer. I wish I had known that ten years ago:) It would have made it so much easier. I love taking pictures and am constantly reading photography blogs and tips on how to work my camera. The hardest part it after sitting all day at  my computer at work then going home and trying to figure out how to do the photo editing and my software. Partly because I want to spend time with my family and because my butt is already numb from work.

So one change I am making towards hopefully creating more balance is re-working my work schedule. Zanders baby sitter is expecting her second child at the end of June.  We have loved Emily, she is so great with Zander and her little boy who is almost three just loves having a buddy to play with during the day. We knew we would need to find a new child care provider so Abe and I have been looking for several weeks. We have had little luck. Either they cost way to much or the days and hours won't work.

We think we finally came up with a solution. I have a friend/co-worker who lives right by us who will be taking Zan once a week and Abes mom will continue to also watch him once a week. So I have two days that are fully covered and I will work longer hours those days. Now comes in the tricky part. Abe works early in the morning and is home by 3pm. So on the other three days of the week I will stay home with Zander and then go into work after Abe gets home. That will make for some later nights but there are so many up sides: One Zander will get more time with mom and dad which will be great. I always feel so guilty having to take him to a sitter. Two, we will be spending a lot less on child care and three, being home during the day will help me be able to more easily persue my photography. While Zan is down for naps I will have the me time I am needing (fingers crossed). Oh and we will be able to meet up with my sisters and other family at Lagoon this summer during the week:)

On the down sides: One, Abe and I won't be able to spend as much time together. However I live super close to work and should be able to run home for dinner. Two, I will have to give up teaching swim lessons which I am really sad about. I have been teaching the same little girl for almost two years and just love her! But something has to go and I think that will be it. Three, my evenings are gone. With my church calling I will have maybe one night during the work week where I will be home before 7pm. For the most part this will work with my work needs but I may need another sitter to cover possibly one day a month.

I am really hoping this will end up working out. Wish me luck!

Easter Fun

Zander had a blast this Easter. It was so much fun seeing him love all his gifts and figure out what an Easter egg hunt was.

Here are a few pictures of him during the day

I don't know why this loaded side ways but I just love this picture to much not to post it. He is so stinken cute!

These are of him Easter morning. He was so excited to see what the Easter Bunny had brought him.

In his basket he got this marshmallow bunny sucker and that is pretty much what he had for breakfast.

We headed over to my parents house for dinner and an Easter egg hunt. It took a bit for Zander to figure out what to do with the eggs. He just wanted to carry them around and not put them in his basket

I think his favorite treats were the fruit snackes

Then after visiting with my side of the family we went over to Abes family were Zander got to have another Easter egg hunt. This time he had a better idea what to do with the eggs and was sooo excited!

I

I had no idea Abes family did this, but they will roll the hard boiled eggs they make down a hill until they crack. Zander and his cousin Briggs thought it was a blast throwing the eggs and watching them roll down the hill. Zander figured out that he could crush the eggs in his hand after they were cracked so he got a little messy

We had a great day with family and remembering what Easter is all about.

Easter Decor and Treats

This Easter I made my own fudge

I remember when I was little and would wake up Easter morning and have my very own fudge egg with my name written on it. I loved it and it would make me feel so special. 

So I decided to try and make my own fudge eggs. I had never made fudge before and was happy with how well it turned out.

I really wanted to make an egg shaped fudge so I saw those trays you put deviled eggs in and thought they would make a great mold.

Just remember to spray the pan. I did on the pink tray but forgot on the blue. I got them out but it wsa not easy were the pink ones just fell right out. I also decided to put some coconut on the bottom but it didn't stick very well. Next time I will have to press it into the fudge more.

To finish them off I melted some white chocolate in a zip lock bag in the microwave, colored it yellow, sniped the corner and drizzled it over the top.

For my Easter decor I took some branches and glued some tissue paper on it and made them look like blossoms. Then I got these glittered eggs at the dollar store. The jar I got from the DI and I LOVE it!

I also grew some wheat grass in jars. I loved how they looked but with out any drainage they started to smell a little sour after a while

Don't you just love Zanders yellow Easter bunny basket I think it's so cute!

Last year Zan got some large plastic Easter eggs from his Grandma and Grandpa Fitch which were blue. I wanted to do something with them and add it to my decor so I got a dictomary from the DI and mode poged it onto the eggs. I had never mode podged before and was happy with how easy it was. I just had to make sure the pieces were small enough on the top and bottom to smooth out over the curves. As I was cutting the paper I saw this elephant and loved it so I went through and found all diffrent kinds of animals.

On the smaller egg I cut out letters for Zanders name and then put a little dog and monkey on it as well. Zanders favorite animal right now is a dog and his nick name around the house is little monkey.