New Orleans Day 1

 After a long day of getting here we are having a lot of fun in New Orleans. Getting through the airport with 2 kids, 2 suitcases, 2 carry-ons and 2 booster seats was no picnic. Plus I did awesome at paying attention and got us to the airport about 3 hours early. I was a little stressed out getting through but once we were on the plane everything went smoothly. Delta had our seats spread all throughout the plane and I was nervous about them giving me issues to change it but we ended up together no problem. We got the very back row of the plane. The kids were super good on the flight. Right after the seatbelt sign went off someone went to the bathroom right behind us and after they went through Chelsea looked at me wide eyed and asked if they went to jump off the plane. I thought that was hilarious. 

Sleeping in

We made it in a little bit early and Brandon was waiting for us. The kids were so very excited to see him. They both went running for him. It was adorable. We went back to the hotel and hung out then tried to sleep. Sleep was pretty elusive. Excited kids and up too late = kids too tired to sleep.

Pretty awesome fountain

I was so afraid this lelly was going to topple over the side!

Flamingos

My big guy photographer. 

Lola!!

<3 Otters <3

Right?

Chattin' it up

With their real family

Big big Bob!

This is seriously a 2 headed snake. It freaks me the eff out. 

I told Brandon "it looks like an artichoke." He said "thats its defense,
look like a vegetable and no one will eat you"

Dancing in the rain

After finally getting to sleep then sleeping in too late (even Zach who NEVER sleeps in) we got up and went to the zoo. The zoo here is pretty fun. Its really big. After about an hour it just started pouring rain. It rained the rest of the time we were there. We just made the best of it.














































They have a HUGE reptile area, we were in there for ages.





















































They have a really neat dino area that we went into. The dinosaurs are animatronic and move around and growl and stuff. Chelsea never could tell if they were real or not. It was pretty adorable. She was so brave touching them. They were surprisingly realistic.

Wet dude

Biggest freaking spider I have ever seen. Brandon took it
outside for the girls working in the gift shop and they gave us
free ponchos for saving their lives. =p

This is my drown rat look. 

Staring contest

High five!

Hi dino!

bravery

they aren't afaid to be graphic. 

Poncho dude

Poncho kidlets

Peacocks don't run away when its pouring. 

White alligator 

kid trap!

The zoo was great, we had a lot of fun. It was a big big day (in Chelseas words) We went swimming after we got back, I have pictures of that but they will have to get their own blog later. =)

Day before Easter

With the dancing piggy

Hello Easter Bunny! 

Waiting for the egg hunt to start

Found some eggs! 

Purple egg...

Its a tree... Can I climb it?

The geese were NOT thrilled to have him there

Waiting for the next egg hunt! 

Psych out?

Eggs in the pool

Getting to the eggs! 

Chelseas one and only egg! 

Zach liked this egg. It had the highest number on it. 

Today we did not 1 but 2 Easter Egg hunts. I found one at Wheeler Farm that I signed the kids up for quite awhile ago. It was an interesting hunt. Usually Wheeler Farm has giant free egg hunts and they are a mad house. You wouldn't catch me there, that kind of crazy gives me anxiety. But this one was $10 a kid (a lot for an egg hunt, right?) They split them up in ages (that part was hard for me. Only 1 of me and 2 kids. Luckily we worked it out ok) The kids went and found empty plastic eggs then headed into the barn and traded for a giant bag of candy and a t-shirt. I wasn't so sure about it all but the kids thought it was super awesome. And thats all that counts! We also could have done a wagon ride but we were a little bit tight on time. They had another hunt to get to!































Their very favorite egg hunt every year is the egg dive. They start asking right after Christmas if we will do the dive again. I found out that the Fairmont Center has been doing one for the past couple of years and is again this year. To be honest, we have only been to Fairmont once. It was when Zach was only a year old. Their playground was so old and he tried to pull some lever thing and it was broken and he fell and cut his head open. And their lifeguards were crazy snotty. So, is a couple blocks away and we never went. But I saw that they redid the playground area and I assumed they had different lifeguards so we gave it a shot. I think it is my favorite dive we have been to. They had it running really smoothly. Zach was in the 3rd heat and ran out there after eggs. I watched him and he would get an egg in sight and run past 8 others to get to it. And for anyone who has never done an egg hunt in a pool, they are hard to grab on to. So he would be chasing 1 egg all over the place past all of the others. He was NOT efficient but he was having a ball. When he got out he said "I only got 4 eggs." I said "YOU GOT 4 EGGS! AWESOME!" and he just shook his head and laughed at me. Then it was Chelseas turn, her age group had to have a parent in the water with them but the parent wasn't allowed to touch any eggs. So I held her bag and figured she didn't need help anyway. I know her, she was going to grab them all. So I asked her right before we got in the water "Are you going to get 15 eggs?" and she said "I'm going to get WAY more then 15!!" So the horn blows and she goes running into the water. I wasn't able to get any pictures of her but it was funny. She goes running past a whole pile of eggs and I'm trying to figure out what she is doing and realize she is just playing in the water! Zero interest in the eggs. I tell her to get some eggs so she gets one near her and hands it to me. Then goes back to playing in the water. It was so awesome. Moms all around us were giggling at her. When we were done I thought she might be upset that she only had 1 egg but she was completely content. Zach said "I guess 4 eggs IS good!"

What I really liked was that they had different prizes. Not just candy (although every single kid got 3 big ole handfuls of candy no matter what). After the hunt you took your eggs into the birthday room, each egg had a number on it and the numbers meant different prizes. It was fun and a bit exciting waiting to see what you got.

We had a ton of fun. Zach says this is the best Easter Eve ever. =)  


I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Easter. I know we will!

Blaze Game

The action 

The Blaze is Utahs Arena Football team. I personally would rather watch arena football then regular football any day.  Ted called and said he had some tickets and asked if I wanted to take the kids for opening night. We had sooo much fun! I got cranky for a minute when the lady in front of us complained about my kids bouncing but we moved seats and had a blast (and the people who took our spot had more kids and younger kids, made me happy, petty but happy)

Its all about the snacks!

Zach was so into the game. It killed me. He watched the score and he cheered for the Blaze. Usually he cheers for both teams if he even pays attention. This was the first time he was really into the competition. It was the highlight of the night watching him get so wound up in it.

Nachos you say? She is IN!

Chelsea liked the dancers of course. When I took her to the bathroom,  excuse me, ONE of the times I took her to the bathroom, she saw one of the dancers and told her "I like your dancing!" and then the dancer had a whole conversation with her about it that I couldn't hear because of the music. It was really sweet. I think it was the highlight for Chelsea.

The game was pretty intense. The Blaze were up quite a bit at the beginning but the Sabercats caught up to them and it was really close the rest of the game. With 13 seconds left the Blaze got ahead by 1 point and thats how it ended.  

Zach wants to go to every game from now on. He told me "its so much more exciting and action-ey then basketball!"  He liked the tackling and when they would kick the ball alllllll the way across the field. 

Cotton candy kid

Nom nom!

So silly!

Got a little sleepy for a bit

Zach was a cheering maniac

She is seriously reading a book! 

Such a close game!!

Chelsea cheering for Mammas team

Zach cheering

Tracy Aviary

Zachs balloon alien 

I was driving past Liberty Park the other day and realized that I really wanted to go to the aviary. We used to go all of the time but we hadn't been in ages. So I made a plan to go. And even better, I stuck with it! 

Chelseas balloon doggy

First the kids and I went to IHOP like a bunny (or in Zachs case, IHOP like a kangaroo). Its one of those really neat places for the kids that feels wildy special because we never go there. I took them after the 4th of July parade last year and they ask to go all of the time now. We went 1 other time since. So this was very special. And they had Lorax kids meals. Spoiler: Zach DOES like green eggs and ham! The balloon animal guy was there and made some pretty special balloons for them.

Cotton Candy!!

Fox face painting

Chicky face painting

After that we headed over to the Aviary. We got pretty lucky, they were having a party.  They had cotton candy, face painting, and some fun crafts. And a REALLY fun sing-a-long bird show. Zach was nervous about getting his face painted, I think he believes he is too old. I had to promise to do mine also if he would do it. It even required a pinky swear. 

Making chickys

In the owl forest playhouse

Who Hoots??

Silly birdies

Singing like a birdy

We had a great time. I remember why I liked it there so much! The great spring weather didn't hurt either. =D

With their crafts

My buddy! Zach said "where is your friend mom?" and he left
the group and came over to us. =D

Parrot in the bird show

Scarf dancing