Spring Break Vacation...Day 1

We decided to go to southern California for Spring Break this year. Our plan was to spend time at the beach and at Legoland. We headed down Friday night, later than we had planned, but that's okay, we still made it there before midnight. We stayed with Josh's aunt and uncle because they love to have company and they are awesome hosts. We visited for just a little bit and then we went to bed.

The next morning Vicki informed us that she had bought stuff for an Easter egg hunt, so we headed out to a park close to their house. Vicki bought all of us breakfast, so we enjoyed that and let the kids play on the toys for a little bit before we hid the eggs. I think they had a lot of fun, except Jaedyn didn't like the slide very much...


The kids were able to spend some time with their cousin Raeley...


After we were all done eating breakfast, Vicki and I headed out to "hide" the eggs. Our version of hiding the eggs turned out to be just throwing them all over the grass. Vicki had also bought all the kids a new sand bucket, so that's what they used for their baskets.

And they're off...


Jantzen was so excited about this pink elephant egg. He hasn't let it out of his site since. He's such a funny kid!


Josh tried to help Jaedyn find eggs, but she wasn't really into it. In fact, she was quite the little ornery pants for most of the egg hunt, I'm not really sure why, but she cried a lot!



Josh couldn't even make her happy by sticking out his tongue while making noises...


After all the eggs were found, the kids had to check out all the goodies they got because, let's face it, that's all the kids care about...the candy!





It didn't take Jaedyn long after that to discover that this egg hunting thing wasn't so bad after all. She dug right in to her eggs to see what they had inside...


We let the kids enjoy their eggs for a little bit, then we packed up and headed to the beach. I forgot to pack the kids' beach towels, but again, Vicki had already thought about that. She had bought each one of the kids a new beach towel for them to keep. It was kind of funny how my kids were so excited to get a new beach towel.

Here's our little princess all decked out in her new swim suit, hat, and water shoes...she's such a cutie! She wasn't to sure what she thought about this whole beach thing, so she stayed away from the water for a little while.


Jaron and Jantzen, on the other hand, got right into playing in the sand...


After seeing her brothers playing and having fun, Jaedyn decided to join them...


We didn't let the kids go down to the water until us adults went with them, so when Josh finally said he'd go down they were all excited. I don't think they realized how cold the water was going to be, but as a parent it's fun to see their reactions when they find out. They screamed a little bit, but I know they enjoyed it because they kept going back in...


Josh took Jaedyn in for her first ocean water experience...


You can see here how much she liked it, not at all!


During his play time in the water, Jaron found some sea shells. He was so excited!


Here's Jaron, Jantzen, and Raeley braving the water some more. They just couldn't get enough of the cold, I guess...




Jaedyn was fine by the water as long as Josh was holding her, but if he tried to put her down in it she'd freak out!



Jaron was really enjoying himself. Don't you just love his crab impression?


I did have to get a picture of me in here so I have proof that I was on this family vacation too. I found these super cute sunglasses for Jaedyn at Old Navy and just had to get them because they look a lot like mine. I thought she looked so cute in them. We're just a couple of beach diva's.


The boys had to leave their mark in the sand...I love their pose's.


After some play time in the water, the kids decided to play some more in the sand...



Jaedyn needed a break from everything, so she just chilled out with Vicki and John under the canopy.


After a little rest she went back down by the rest of the kids to attempt to play in the sand, but as soon as she saw the waves she freaked out again. She was really hating the water that day.


The good thing about her just standing there crying was that I could get a picture of her cute little "piggies" that I had just painted for the beach, aren't they so cute? She loves them!


Josh got in on some fun sand time with Jantzen and Jaedyn, they all worked on building sand castles. It was fun watching them all play because Josh was really getting into it and I know the kids loved that.



Here's the sand castle that Jantzen made...


Here's the sand castle that Josh made...


While Josh made sand castles with Jantz and Jaedyn, Jaron and Raeley did their own thing digging for sand crabs. Jaedyn thought this looked like fun, so she joined them.


Here is just a small sample of their catch, they got a whole lot more than this...


I'm not sure what Jaron was trying to make here, but he was obviously having fun...


The kids, including Josh, all had a blast burying Jaron in the sand and Jaron was a good sport to let them do it.


He looks all relaxed here...



Oh look, there's another picture of me!


Josh was brave enough to go farther in the water with the kids, I am a chicken...it was way too cold! He took each one of the boys in and would throw them up as the waves would come. Both the boys screamed like little girls! They secretly loved it, I know they did.


And what's a day at the beach without a signature silly face from Jantzen...


Finally Jaron was pooped and ready to go...


Overall, it was a great day at the beach with the family. Even though Jaedyn hated the water, she seemed to enjoy everything else and I know the boys had a good time. It was fun to have Vicki, John, and Raeley there to enjoy it with us.