March 2026

Florida

We took a family trip this month to visit Stan and Jan in Panama City Beach, where they recently moved. Melissa and her kids joined us and we had a fun time with Grandma and Grandpa and cousins.

First full day in Florida Jan treated us to a VIP tour at Gator World in Destin. We got to feed all ages of Alligators (except the full-grown ones, which are sent to a different habitat), hold a baby alligator, and learned all about them.

Benson would live on the beach if he could. This kid loves all things sand and sea. He and Samantha had a great time digging together.

The older kids went ghost crab hunting on the beach once it got dark. They were fairly successful the couple nights they went out, and saved the crabs to show the younger kids the next morning.

Cole found a live jellyfish and had to capture it to show all the siblings and cousins.

Stan and Jan took us to a pirate dinner and show while we were there. Think Medieval Times but pirate themed. They had pirate gymnasts and divers doing all sorts of cool tricks, mermaids, a seal show, some dogs doing tricks, and yummy food. The kids LOVED it.

Lexi's gymnastics team had a travel meet to Panama City Beach so we arranged our family trip this year to be at the same time. Her team took 2nd overall at the Sea Turtle Meet.

Happy Easter!

This year we were finally able to hide the eggs on the back half of our property! We had around 450 eggs hidden, many in tricky spots. Hopefully the critters that live back there didn't take too many of them. A big hunt is one of our favorite traditions. My parents also started a new tradition this year, where they had several different displays around their house that represented the Savior's life, death, and resurrection. They had the kids participate in a small tour around, teaching us about each station. He is risen!

Spring Break

This year we planned to head to Crested Butte for Spring Break. Unfortunately, this winter has been extremely dry and there was hardly any snow. Dave and the kids had fun skiing in the slush for a few days, but by the time we left there was way more mud than snow on the mountain. People were skiing in swim suits it was so warm! Cole tried skiing once more (a few times down the bunny hill and he was done), and Benson tried skiing for the first time (many, many times down the bunny hill and he can't wait to go again). Macy's second time skiing cemented her love for it, and her quick learning and need for speed caused a little frustration for Clara as Macy surpassed her. Overall we had a good time.

 March Happenings

Benson knows I have been hiking occasionally with some friends, and he wanted to go on a Mommy and Benson hike. We went to Ute Valley Park just a ways from our home and he had a blast climbing all the rocks and I soaked in every minute of 5-yr-old Benson.

The kids and I planted a couple hundred crocus, daffodil, and tulip bulbs last fall by our stairs to the chicken coop. They finally started blooming! Good news: the deer have not found my tulips. Bad news: the gophers have found all the flower bulbs and love them.

Dave and I went to The Phantom of the Opera with Mark and Sarajane. Such a fun night.