Lots and Lots of Pictures from Spring Break

I warn you now....I have a ton of pictures to share. 

Andy and I decided to take our kids to Temple Square and the surrounding area for Spring Break.  They've never really been there.

This is how our trip started off...

Ben stole my sunglasses.  We can't get in the car now without him communicating in his own special way that he wants my sunglasses.
And who taught him to put them on his head?
 

We met Grandpa and Grandma Bryan at the Conference Center where they are currently serving as missionaries.
We realized Ben was having a staring seizure as we crossed Temple Square.  It lasted several minutes but all was well afterward.

We received a tour from a very nice man.  He was so attentive to the kids.

I love this picture!  Matt sat down while the rest of us were looking at the Book of Mormon paintings.  Our guide went and sat next to him and chatted for quite a while.

This is a painting folks...not a photograph!  I was floored...especially upon closer examination.

I just had to get a picture of Andy next to one of his favorites...Elder Bednar.

The next several pictures were taken on the roof of the Conference Center.

Josh was a trooper...walking around on his boot for so long.  He eventually ended up in Ben's stroller though.  What a grin!

Ben didn't last long in my arms.  He wanted to WALK!  He stumbled around quite a bit but I found myself enjoying every bit of pulling him up off the ground and steering him in the right direction.  I didn't mind taking our time and taking it slow.  It's a joy to see him walking around.

Matt...who else?

Water is just too much of a temptation :)

After the Conference Center it was lunch time so we crossed Temple Square to the New City Creek Center.

It was quite exciting and extremely impressive.

 Crossing the Skywalk.

 My favorite part was the natural creek running through the middle of everything.

We had lunch in the food court and then spent some time in the Children's Play Area.

Large, soft, plastic dinosaurs are, apparently, the greatest thing.  Our kids could have spent all day there.  

It was fun (and also a little sad) to see the reaction of the other kids as Ben entered the area with his helmet on.  One kid even came up and patted him on the helmet.

Josh enjoyed posing and would ask me to take his picture multiple times.

Right after I took this picture, Matt leaped off the dinosaur neck and knocked into a boy that happened to be running by at the moment.  The other boy was fine but Matt ended up limping for much of the next hour or so until he forgot about it.

Okay...moving on....to the....

Disney Store!

Ben was thrilled with his purchase...a big, squishy Mater!

He kept running it around the edge of his stroller making his version of a car sound.  

I'm such a mean mom.  I made my kids sit and watch as other kids ran around on the splash pad.  I know Matt was just dying!

Back to Temple Square.

In a few of the beds, moss surrounded the flowers instead of grass.  It was beautiful!

Moss...

Mater 'n Moss

 I've always loved the hanging flowers on the wall.

Sorry...we're nearing the end here.

We went to the North Visitor's Center to see the Christus.

 Josh didn't want to leave.  I think he had a nice moment.

As we were leaving Temple Square I asked Andy to take a picture of me and the kids among the tulips.

This picture cracks me up!

So much for getting a nice little picture :)

And that was that.

We headed up to Grandma and Grandpa's house and spent the next day and a half watching movies, eating, talking, playing, eating, relaxing, shopping, and eating.

Even though it was windy, we were still able to enjoy the outdoors.

The kids had fun blowing bubbles, or letting the wind blow them...

 

Ben was jerking around quite a bit while we were out and inevitably face planted quite hard onto one of the flagstones.  He went into a jerk and stare seizure.  He turned a bit grey and afterward quickly fell asleep in my arms for quite a while.  

 Later that evening, after the kids had put on an Easter play he ran around behind the couch and a second later heard seizure breathing.  Ben had a 10 minute tonic clonic that required emergency meds.  It was a scary one.  He was absolutely out of it when it was over.  Such a little rag doll.  We were able to change his diaper and get him in his jammies without waking him.  It wasn't until I tried to give him his regular p.m. meds that he choked and sputtered on them and then threw up that he woke up.  We got him cleaned up and then it didn't take long for him to fall asleep in my arms again and he slept very well the rest of the night.

Today Ben was fine and spent much of his time lining up his "Cars" cars and towing them around behind Mater.  Seriously...it kept him occupied for hours...literally.

Sorry for the forever long post!
Thanks for reading...or at least skimming through the pictures :)