Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Spring Break in St. George

Just warning you this us a long post with lots of pictures :)

Dar had spring break the week after Easter, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect for us.  With losing our little Nastassia the day before Easter, we decided we really needed to take our planned trip to St. George even more than we needed it before.  I'm SO glad we still decided to go.  It was great therapy for all of us to go be in the sun (although I wish the weather had been warmer for us!) and spend time together as a family and with our BFFs, the McSweeney's.  It was so nice that they were able to come down for the majority of the time we were there too.

While Darwin and I were getting the last of our stuff packed up to leave, Aurora decided to play with the toilet paper.  Awesome.
Once we got to the condo (thanks again, Spencers!! It was GREAT!) Aurora was a little overwhelmed with all of the new things to explore and see.  Her reaction to all the new stuff was pretty hilarious.
 
 
 
We had the first evening there to ourselves, and took advantage of the beautiful weather to eat dinner out on the porch.  It was SO NICE!!!
 
 Messy baby :)
Our Aussies came down the same night we did, but didn't get to the condo until around midnight.  Tuesday was really the only day that was warm enough to go swimming, so that's what we did!  But before we got to the pool, everyone had to check out the big bathtub.  Good times :)
 
The "babies" could only swim in the kiddie pool, but it turned out to be okay.  It's only 2 feet deep, and Aurora LOVED being able to walk around on her own (with Darwin always right behind her), and she LOVED splashing everyone too.  This baby girl LOVES water!  Maybe she is half-fish, as Tracee put it :)
Hanging out in the chilly, shaded kiddie pool in the morning
 Splashing Mr. P
I love this picture!
Doing what she does best in a swimming pool :)
 
 We went back out to the pool after nap time, and it was a lot warmer and sunnier!
 
 
 Rori looking a little water-logged :)
 I couldn't get in the pool, but I got to bask in the sunshine at least!
Dar's best friend from growing up, Bard, and his family live in St. George and we were lucky enough to spend some time with them while we were down there.  My brother and his girlfriend came up from Las Vegas one night too.  It was so nice to see all those people we love but don't get to see often enough.  We miss you guys!!
With Bard and Kerri
 
 The kiddos playing in the tub after lots of swimming in the pool, so we could go into town.
 
 
While waiting for everyone to be ready to go, Aurora and Mr. P thought it was pretty cool that they could see the laundry spinning around in the washing machine.  Great entertainment!
 
We went into town to visit the St. George LDS temple and Visitors Center.  With all the times I've been down to St. George, this was actually the first time I was able to visit the temple.  It's so beautiful, and the evening was perfect!
Us and our Aussies :)
 
 
 My new favorite picture of me and the hubs
 
 We were trying to get another family picture, but Aurora was getting cranky, and this was the only way Darwin could get her to smile for the picture :)
 
Cool night shot Dar got of the temple with Venus shining up by the steeple
Rori and R all tuckered out back at the condo after a long day of fun!
We played at the park for the condo we stayed in...they had really great amenities for everyone.
She would have been perfectly content to play in the sand all day :)
 
Sliding with Uncle Jared
 
 My babes.  Love this picture!
 Us :)
 Aurora got to practice putting sunscreen on herself.  She's pretty awesome.
 
Love the spikey hair!
 
Two of her favorite things: Tracee, and being allowed to play with the electronics
Bard and Kerri introduced us to some new apps, so we spent some time playing our new games.  It was pretty fun for us, although Jared didn't find it very amusing that we were all in the same room, playing games with each other on our phones :)
 
We went back into town one day and the kids got to play at this cool little city center water park thing.  Luckily the sun came out and the wind died down long enough for the kiddies to have a little bit of fun in the water.
 Like I said before, my baby LOVES the water!
 
 Doesn't this pose remind you of that famous Big Foot/Sasquatch photo?
Completely sitting in the chilly water.  Silly girl!
 Dad and baby shadows :)
 At the very end of her fun in the water, Rori got her first big scrapes on her knees. Ouchie!
 We also rode on the St. George Carousal.  Aurora's first merry-go-round ride!
 Jared, P, and R
One of the last things we did was visit the Dinosaur Discovery at Johnson Farm museum in St. George.  It was pretty cool to the rest of us, but it was totally Darwin's forte.  He LOVED it :)


Mud cracks cemented in history
 
This picture shows a skin impression from the dinosaur's footprint.  You can see that it is rough, similar to a dogs paw.
Smoochin' my babs in front of a slab of rock covered in dino footprints
You probably can't tell, but that's a dino butt print, where a dinosaur sat in the mud and it eventually hardened.  There are only 5 prints like this found in the world, and one was in Utah.  How 'bout them apples?
 Tadpole "nests" fossils
Maybe she's going to be a paleontologist when she grows up?
 It really was such a wonderful and much needed, trip.  I'm so glad we were able to go and that the McSweeney's were able to come with us.  We had a blast, and hope we can do another fun vacation soon!  Bring on SUMMER VACATION!!

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