Spring Break w/Berg's - '13

What a coincidence.  Spring break this year was the same for the Berg's and the Learishes and the UW!  After much debating it was decided that the Berg's would make the trek to WI!!  If it were not for Hailey and Acacia wanting "down time" we would have gone non stop for the entire visit.  As it was, we did stay pretty busy!!

They arrived Saturday evening.  Somehow they managed to travel the many states to get here without GPS!!  I have this vision of them in the van with these large paper map like things, trying to navigate the continent!!  

Sunday we all went to church.  Everyone had a job!  Hailey worked with Acacia in the baby room taking care of the 18 month olds while Maddy and Samantha helped Chris greet and hand out programs before they headed back downstairs to the age appropriate kid room!

All clean and ready for the next group of kids!

All ready for the big rush!

After church we decided to go sledding!  The sledding hill was still perfectly sleddable and it even snowed while we were sledding.  The kids even built a snow fort! 

Snug in their snow fort!

Press play to see the sledding video.

Click here to see all church and sledding pictures!

Nights were a little rough at first.  The sleeping arrangements were not acceptable for all members and Acacia was unwilling to give up her room and sleep any where else.  So, we resorted to the name draw!  They each got a night where they got to decide who would sleep where and with who.  This had to be prefaced with making sure whoever got to decide who slept were had the "big picture" in mind.  This did not always go over 100% either, but in the end there were a lot less tears.

Listening to the rules of decided who sleeps where ...

Monday Julianne and Bill took all the kids to the mall to get bathing suits!  Seems not everyone remembered to bring one!  And what better place to go for a bathing suit than Wisconsin!!  After the mall we all went to see a movie.  Wreck it Ralph and Life of Pi!  $2.50 a piece!!  You know you got a great deal when one drink cost more than the movie ticket!!

Tuesday we loaded everyone into the van and headed to the Kalahari in the WI Dells!  What is the first thing the kids see in the lobby??  Of course!  A baby tiger!!!  For a measly $37 you can pet and get your picture taken with it!!

With the super cute baby tiger ...

Once in the park we were on the hunt for even a vacant chair we could claim as our home base.  We walked 90% of the way around when we saw this single guy leave two tables with 8 chairs!!!!  How TOTALLY lucky is that???  Unheard of!!  Spring break, the place was 100% booked and we found an empty table for 8???  Not to mention I got ROCK STAR parking, which came in handy as we had to sneak our lunch in as we did not wish to pay the $8.75 for one hot dog ....

We divided up into groups, gave instructions on when everyone was to meet back up at our home base and off everyone went!!  We did this all day!!  The lazy river and wave pool were probably the biggest hit but I like all the rides!  With the exception of one ride, the lines were really very reasonable.  

Ready for water fun!

After about 8 hours of water fun, the troops were pretty beat.  Bill found them washed ashore in the wave pool, sleeping ....

Washed ashore the wave pool .... 4 very tired mermaids.

All showered and with the Kalahari mascot.

Click here to see all the Kalahari water park pictures!

Wednesday was laser tag day.  Everyone but Samantha decided to give it a try!  Most everyone got about 4 games in!  The kids got VERY good at it and even had the highest scores for many of the games!

Thursday was roller skating day!  And Berg night to cook!  Had I known what the Berg's could cook I would have let them do it all!  We had some kind of crazy think steaks to die for AND shrimp that were like small lobsters!!!  MMMMMMMMMMM  Soooooo good!!!

Click here to see all the random misc pictures.

Press play to see the "orange peanut" video.

Come Friday, it was time to pack up and head out.  I was very impressed to see them pull out of the driveway around 8a given the state of the packing the night before when everyone went to bed!!  VERY impressed.  From what I have heard, they forgot one sock (not a pair but one) and a mouth guard that lights up.

I headed out the door to work around 10a leaving behind about 5 loads of laundry.  When I got home that night all the beds were stripped, and all the laundry with the sheets and towels was DONE!!!  How totally awesome is that???  I think leaving my two kids home alone is going to pay off!!

It seems pretty quiet now here at the Learish house!  School starts back tomorrow along with soccer and baseball.  Most of the snow has melted now leaving behind lakes of water on the soccer fields and golf course.  Soccer will remain indoors for at least another week.

We had such a GREAT time with our cousins!!  We got to do a LOT of stuff!!  The two older ones are certainly becoming very independent.  Parents are really only needed for transportation purposes.  

Choir Concert '13

At this choir concert Acacia got to introduce the first song (and tell us to silence our cell phones....)  

Looks like a last minute prayer ...

Can't .... stay .... awake.... '13

At least it is not a school night.  I went to go to bed last week end and found this under the desk in the computer room.  I can partially blame his cousin Mitchell for showing Chris how to Skype AND play Mind Craft together!!  Now Chris can interact with his cousin and friends all over without us having to drive him around.  This is touch screen and as you can see, he was still trying to interact when his body finally surrendered to sleep!

Chris' Science Fair '13

This year it was Chris' turn in the science fair.  He decided to prove perpetual motion.  It was a very elaborate set up.  Two different volume sized bins, 10 mouse traps and one catalyst (ping pong ball or a sponge).  With the toss of one ping pong ball all 10 mouse traps usually were set off.  But, if you tossed a sponge in there rarely did one even go off.  Can you tell me why?  Chris can!!

Here is Chris explaining to the judge the fine details of
perpetual motion.

Answering a few questions.

Awesome metal!!  Proud Dad!  They both had a great time!

Vanna White, I mean, Dad .... held up the props while Chris
explained to large gatherings of kids.

over and over 

and over and over

and over again!

Patio at night '13

I just took a few pictures of our patio at night, with the snow and the lights still on the tree.  It's really very pretty!

Another snow day '13

I have actually lost track of the number of snow days this year.  This was at least the 4th.  We got a good foot plus.  I got pretty darn board in the house all day with the kids so I finally decided everyone was going to help clear the snow off the driveway!  First we all shoveled.  It was going pretty good until I realized we also have to do the side walks.  That is when we begged the neighbor to show me how to turn on the snow blower.

Team work!!  Right?

It was still snowing as we cleared the snow.  No sooner did we think we were near the end did we realize there was
another inch or so more!!

We would have been done sooner but after we finished the driveway and sidewalks we had to spend a bit of time getting all the snow out of the garage.  Seems the kids did not realize when they got close to the garage they needed to rotate the direction the snow blower was blowing so that it did not blow into the garage.  There was a good pile all through the garage we had to get out!  :)

The Madrigal '13

The Middle School puts on the play The Madrigal every year and they allow kids from the younger grades to participate as the servers.  Acacia and some friends signed up!  After a few weeks of rehersals it was time for the live performance.  Tickets were $15 a piece as we were "served" a meal.  Auntie Valerie was visiting so she was able to witness Acacia as a maiden servant.

Here she is, servant Acacia.

Not only did they have to serve, they had to sing!

Here we are "Lady Learish", etc. acting up at our table.
This can get one into a bit of trouble with the Queen as a few
had to go on stage a publicly appologize for such aggrejous
behavior as elbows on the table or participating in witchcraft
(use of cell phone).

The court entertained us with song.

This is Acacia and one of her maiden friends.

 

The full cast.  Acacia is front center.

I will not share why there are no photos of Acacia actually serving us anything.  If you want that story you will need to ask me directly .... or better yet, ask Acacia!!

Canada Day '13

Acacia's 6th grade class studied Canada and celebrated with Canada day.  They broke out into groups and each did research on a specific providence.  Acacia and her friends did Manitoba.  Auntie Valerie was visiting so she was able to stop by with me to get a lesson on Manitoba.  We asked questions but no one really knew any answers and we repeatedly asked if we wanted wild rice.  I guess it was more an exercise in bonding with classmates then much of anything else!

Each group had to make part of a tee pee.

Acacia's group made the top of the tee pee.  Apparently, Winnie the Pooh is from Manitoba.

After the demonstrations the orchestra
 played a few songs!