Spring Recital '14

The eldest three kiddos did an amazing job at their spring recital last weekend. They worked really hard for many weeks to perfect each of their assigned pieces. We have been so lucky to find the best piano teacher ever. He's a great and fair teacher, but expects a lot from them because he knows what they are capable of, and thus, they rise to those expectations. It's awesome. Great job Ballard kiddos for a terrific afternoon of beautiful music.

March Holidays

Many great holidays have taken place over the last few weeks that we just couldn't allow to pass without celebrating. First, of course, National Pi Day. The pies themselves can probably explain their flavors, but for the record we enjoyed Oreo, Peach, and Key Lime. They were delicious! :) Shortly following Pi Day came St. Patrick's Day. We don't follow to closely with the whole, "wear green or I'll pinch you" deal. Mainly because now it's again most schools policies. Since pinching was nixed we had to come up with the next best way to celebrate, so green dinner and lots of yummy treats was the solution.

Following Disney

It's taken us a few weeks to get back into the swing of things. Luckily we have experienced some beautiful spring days that have given many opportunities to run outside and enjoy lots of great play time with our cousins and friends. We also finally caught the Lego Movie, which of course was awesome. ;) These days as Spring approaches are so wonderful and needed. After weeks of cold weather, there is something so rejuvenating to the spirit as you walk outside and feel the warmth of sunshine and fresh air. I often think how brilliant our Heavenly Father is and how much He loves His children. The seasons are in perfect order and perfectly timed. It's amazing.

Hotel AND Hollywood Studios

We surprised the kiddos this past week with a trip to Florida. They were under the impression we were driving to TN for a few days in order to check on our rental house there. The thought of driving over 20 hours in two days did not excite them. Little did they know we had packed and planned for an entire week at Disney, and for so many reasons, it was one of our favorite vacations yet. First, we had the chance to introduce Azure to the world of Disney. In times past our trips have been shorter and the "baby" has stayed with family or friends. This trip was the Ballard family in it's entirety, and they were all perfect ages to enjoy the magic of Disney. Second, the planets aligned and snow fell from the sky, so instead of the kiddos missing five days of school, they only missed one. Third, not one of us got so much as the sniffles on this trip. Finally, our kids are just awesome. They were happy and positive and fun. We love making these memories with them that will last a life time and beyond.

After checking in we headed straight for Hollywood Studios. One of the kiddos favorite parts of Disney is here where they run free around the set of Honey I Shrunk The Kids. They love it! We also got in the Muppet's Show (which Azure loved) and a very nice worker gave us fast passes for the Toy Story ride (which Haley loved). After enjoying a late lunch at the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater, Steven, Kadyn, and Thatcher had a go at the Tower of Terror. Once Thatchers legs stopped shaking, I grabbed the kiddos some ice cream while Steven and Kadyn enjoyed the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. By that time the parks were closing and we headed to our hotel for bathes and dinner. It was a fantastic first day.

 

 

 

 

 

Animal Kingdom

I can guarantee that anything with the word "animal" in it will for sure be a hit amongst the Ballard children. The Kilimanjaro Safari alone was pretty darn amazing. Elephants, White Rhinos, and Giraffes were just a few of the beautiful animals on their preserve. Mix that in with a petting zoo, amazing rides, a some fantastic shows, and you've got a park that will keep our kiddos busy for hours. Literally! We did run into a few hiccups this day when Haley realized her height deficiency would not work in her favor. She was very sad to have not made the cut this year for "the yeti ride". Things took a quick turn for the better when we rediscovered the dinosaur play ground and dig site. From there it was smooth sailing and smiles all around. They eventually had to kick us out and we headed to Downtown Disney for dinner at Wolfgang Puck.