Salt Lake Spring Break with the Wilhoits

Okay folks, it's 96 degrees in Omaha right now, but weather.com tells me that it feels like 105 given all the humidity.  Heaven bless Papa Kay for getting the air conditioning fixed.  And heaven help me if I don't finally finish blogging all the snow pictures before the end of the day.

Callie!  At the beginning of April, Aunt Callie came to visit with Anders and Eila.  Talk about a brave momma.  You should have seen us trying to navigate strollers and car seats and suitcases and backpacks and diaper bags all the way to the rental car.  Even between the two of us, there were hardly enough hands.  At least Eila and Annie were well-entertained with their coloring.

Eager to defend Salt Lake's reputation as having the greatest snow on earth, we headed up Millcreek Canyon for some exploring.  

Anders isn't quite sure what to think.  I don't know which was more disconcerting: the snow or the imposter aunt.  (Don't worry--we became buds in the end.)

 Eila, on the other hand, immediately discovered a knack for making snowballs.

Okay, can we all have a moment of silence here?  This photo documents the very last time our trusty jogging stroller was used.  After fourteen years of love and countless miles of terrain, it was finally retired to the dump since it was too torn up for donation.  So sad.

Let's be honest, the crunchy snow at Millcreek wasn't great.  In search of better precipitation, we headed up Big Cottonwood canyon for another try.  Eila and Eli found a great snow cave.


Anders enjoyed it as well.

This time we brought sleds for some extra fun.


Can't say the icy snow made for soft landings, but it certainly was fast!

Back in the Avenues, Eila enjoyed meeting Spark.

She was less excited about her sleeping accommodations.  In an effort to give Eila her very own room, we got a little too creative.  What can I say?  I wouldn't want to sleep in the shower either, even if I did have a mattress.

All the wee ones were on board with bug hunting.

 I love how Annika likes Eila's glasses so much that she wants to wear her own.


We took our butterfly nets up to Red Butte gardens for some more adventures.

Making friends with a salamander and gila monster.

Our actual April Fools day celebration was pretty pathetic (only Annie ate out of the traditional doggy bowl) so we tricked all the kids by throwing a belated party.

Yummy cinnamon rolls!  Or are they barbecue chicken?

And now for the pièce de résistance: kitty litter cake, complete with tootsie roll turds.  Many thanks to my BFF Heather for the brilliant idea.

Bon appetit!

Playtime at the park.

Little did we know that Eila really knows how to pump!

 Now for some spring flowers at Temple Square.

We kidnapped Talia from school so that she could play hooky with us.

Only the best cousins ride dinosaurs at City Creek.


Now off to the Gateway via Trax.


The teeter totters are my favorite.

Last but not least, playtime at the planetarium.  Anders loved the hands-on exhibits.

Back at home, Annika and Anders began each meal with a classic "Cheers."

All too soon, it was time for Callie, Eila, and Anders to head back to Washington.  How we wish we lived closer!  Before their flight departed, we took a brief excursion to Salt Lake's Children's Museum.

Aunt Callie, Anders, and Eila, thank you for spending your spring break with us.  We always have the best time together.

We can't wait to meet soon in New York!