The Boise Zoo

 We got back from Michigan at 3AM. We changed our flights to come home early, and we are so glad we did. I don't we would have made it home in time to fly to Yosemite on Friday. The weather in Chicago was pretty bad and it caused a lot of weather delays all week. Our flight was scheduled to leave Wed night at 8:30pm, but didn't leave until 11:30 pm. So we didn't get home until 3pm. We took a taxi home and it sure felt good to be in Boise. The girls sure had a great time with Nana & Papa and Grandpa. Nana spoiled them rotten!!! Gretta loved every minute of it. She just loves to be spoiled. They were excited to see us when we got home, but sad their time in Boise was coming to an end.
Thanks Nana & Papa and Grandpa for watching them!!!!

Thursday we went to the Boise Zoo with the girls, Nana and Grandpa.

Friday before we left to Yosemite we went and decorated my Grandmother's grave. I am proud to say that both sets of my Grand parents served in WW II. My Snyder Grandparents are buried in Arlington National Cemetery. 

I can't believe Grandma Gretta would have turned 99 this June! We still miss her.

House Hunting in St. Joseph

 We left the girls with my mom and dad and flew to Michigan for a house hunting tour. Last week Eric called every property management company in the area and also every Realtor looking for a rental house. He literally called 50+ people. He only came up with 1 house that looked like it might work. ONE HOUSE. We  really wanted to rent, but were afraid we weren't going to find anything. As we were waiting in the airport on Thursday for Boise I checked my email. A lady from the St. Joseph ward had emailed me some housing leads she got through her "moms club". It was really nice of her since I hadn't even asked her to do it. We as so grateful she did because we were able to find another two houses to look at. 

Saturday we looked at 25+ house to buy and all but 2 were losers. One of them I have liked for a long time, but it was a more than we wanted to spend, and we also realized that Gretta would be the only LDS kid at the WHOLE entire elementary school. (We are not in Utah any more that is for sure!) I am sure she would have been okay, but it is way more fun to go to school with kids from church than be the only kid at another school. The other one needed a lot of work.  Luckily one of the rentals worked out. The owners have been trying to sell for about 8 months, so have decided to rent it out. It is an almost new house in the same neighborhood as two other families in the ward. We meet the owners on Wednesday and signed a year lease. We now have a place to live!!! Yeah!!!

Plus it is a place I think we will actually really like. The neighborhood has grapevines all around it and rolling hills. We are only 1.3 miles from the elementary school too.

Eric was so excited to have me finally come to his side on the rent vs buy. I guess it took me looking at what the options were and that none of them did I want to put my hard earned money into quite yet. So for a least another year we will be renters. 

While we were in St. Joe's we enjoyed spending some time in downtown. We sure had fun living downtown last summer. 

This years's theme is " Barn Yard gone Wild"

Pin the tail on the donkey

 "Cow Tipping" It is hard to tell but she is on a slant.

"Duck Crossing"

Come visit us soon!!!

Our move in date is June 28th.

Flying to Boise on my Birthday

 We flew to Boise on my birthday. I had to take this picture at the airport because it was so funny to see Eliza  "relaxing" watching the TV at the airport. 

Our flight was a little later, but my mom still managed to throw me a great birthday party! Thanks mom!!!

It is always good to be home on your birthday!

Dinner with Ada

 We went to dinner at the Pierce's with Ada tonight. The dinner was wonderful and the company even better. We will sure miss Ada! It was so much fun to see her in HK last month and then have her come visit this month. 

Ada was a "golden" investigator on my mission and she continues to be a "golden" friend. I am so grateful for her example and also her friendship. I wish her the best as she goes back to Hong Kong and hope we will see her soon.

To bad Eliza and Gretta wouldn't look at the camera!

Bee Ready Preschool

Today was Eliza & Gretta's last day of preschool. Eliza has been going to Bee Ready Preschool all year and Gretta joined her for the month of May. They both LOVED it! Ms Roper is amazing. It has been a positive experience all around. Both girls have learned so much.

It was also fun to attend with some other BYU MBA children.

Thanks Ms Roper for a great year!

Daddy Daughter Day

While I have been working Eric has been enjoying some Daddy Daughter Time. He took the girls to the Dinosaur museum at BYU. 

Fancy Nancy Tea Party

Gretta has been asking forever to a Tea party, so we finally planned one. She invited some of her friends over. We even made invitations. She was so excited to take them around to her friends.

Abby, Lucy, Katie, and Gretta  

It was a great Tea Party!!!

BYU with Ada

 Monday we were so excited to hang out with Ada again. First we went to the BYU bookstore. She had so much fun looking at all of the stuff. She found some treasures to take back to HK too.

 Then we went to Panda Express for lunch. We were going to go to In N Out, but Gretta threw a big fit and wanted to go to Panda. Ada agreed to go to Panda even though it is a far cry from real Chinese food. Gretta ate her whole kids meal and some of my orange chicken too!

 Then Ada and I went on a Campus tour in the golf tour hosted by the Alumni center.

 They didn't actually let us drive the golf cart :(

Then we played in the back yard and had Trevor and Kayla over for dinner. I wish I had gotten a picture of them at dinner. Trevor served with me in HK and Kayla is from HK. They lived in HK after getting married and Trevor in Ada's Bishopric in Tai Po. Trevor just graduated with Eric from the MBA program and they are also headed to Michigan, but the other side of the state. We had a nice dinner.

Gretta's Dance Recital and Birthday Lunch

Gretta has really enjoyed creative dance this year at BYU. Saturday was her dance recital. She was so excited to preform. She did a great job. We are really going to miss BYU Creative Dance next year.

Gretta with Miss Camilla

The whole family came to cheer her on. Darron, Allison, Gretta, Eric, Eliza, Brittany, me.

Then we went to Tucano's to celebrate Allison, Brittany and my birthday. Brittany's birthday is May 17th, Allison's birthday is May 18th, and mine is May 19th.

Isn't that funny that Darron and Allison married girls with birthdays so close to each other. 

We sure had a nice birthday lunch!!!

It was fun to celebrate our birthday's together.

BYU Ducky Derby

Saturday morning we went to the Ducky Derby at BYU. When were first told me about the event I figured that the people who showed up would be mostly families with kids. I guess I forgot that we lived in a college town. The couple behind us in line were on a first date and it was funny to hear their conversation about their families etc. Plus 600 people turned out for the event. We got there right at 10am when it started and had to wait in line for 40 mins to buy our ducks. They actually had to go buy more ducks. 

Once we got our ducks and were assigned to a heat we went to decorate our ducks.

Eliza hiding her duck

Get read, set, go!

Poor Eliza's duck was in last place for a while.

We didn't win, but we sure had fun! Especially because they had J-Dawgs for lunch too. What a great activity.