Spring Break 2011

For Spring Break we had a nice take-it-easy week. Theo got the whole week off from work, so we got to just sit around most of the week. It was a nice break. On Friday we had a beach day planned, and we really couldn't have picked a better day! We started off at the gym where Theo and I were able to get our fitness on. (I even coaxed him into taking a Yoga class with me...heehee) Then on the spur of the moment we decided to drive to Dauphin Island and take the ferry across to Gulf Shores. At first arriving at the dock we thought we had made a mistake because there was a line and an estimated wait time of 2 hours! But they had a snack shack with bathrooms that we were able to take advantage of. And also, thanks to our handy dandy DVD player in our Suburban we stayed entertained and hardly a whine escaped our kids lips. We only ended up waiting maybe an hour and a half before we started loading. The first picture is us saying good-bye to Dauphin Island.

The ferry has a deck that you can walk on and watch your ride over. We kept our eyes peeled for some dolphins, but unfortunately didn't see any this time. Oh well! The kids were awesome and only Tobie had to go sit in the car because of feeling sea sick. LOL! So much for his Coast Guard career!

Emma and Hannah loving some sand! That awesome shovel Hannah is holding was taken by our sand neighbors...BOO! How do you not know if you have a giant shovel??? Why would someone pick it up thinking it was theirs? I was really perturbed by the thieving, but at least the kids had fun with what they had and didn't seem to notice.

Look at that beautiful water! It's already warming up to! It was a little chilly when first getting in, but once you were in it was amazing! Love the gulf water....and not a tar ball in sight! =)

Tobie's favorite past time is getting buried in the sand. I made sure I packed him nice and tight so he couldn't move. HAHAHAHA! Good times!

After the beach we went to a famous restaurant in Gulf Shores called Lambert's, Home of the Throwed Rolls! And they do literally throw the rolls at you. You have to catch them, and sometimes you don't. It never fails that one will hit someone on the back of the head, or one is dropped on the floor. But it's all in good fun and the kids love this place.

Miriam having a little too much fun with one of her rolls!

I seriously don't think this picture does it justice, but I told Theo to get a picture of all the food. That table was packed! Along with your meal they also go around to each table with 'fixin's' that you just place on a paper towel while you wait for your real meal to come. That plus the rolls AND your meal equals a TON of food!

It was a great day and a perfect way to end our Spring Break.

Another One Bites the Dust

I've made it a tradition whenever we have a missionary that dies here (dying refers to the missionary coming to the end of their mission) to tease them a bit by making a wedding cake. It's a running joke with missionaries as to how quickly they will get married after their mission. So as a gag I make them a mock wedding cake and they get to keep the topper as a souvenir of their last days of their mission. It's fun for all, and best of all we get to eat cake!

This adorable young man is ending his mission this week. He has been a great missionary and an even better Spanish teacher. See, he is one of the Spanish speaking missionaries in our area that I was lucky enough to go along with the idea of teaching Spanish to the English members of the church so we can bridge that gap between Spanish and English members. So far only two of my sisters and one of their sons has attended, but I really hope it will catch on and the class expands. But to Elder Orgill, Muchas Gracias! Te echaremos de menos!