Mini adventures with billy goats and a troll...

The twigs are both in High School but Hunter only has a 
High School Seminary class. 

All the rest of his classes are at the college 

so the twigs essentially have "Spring Break" on different weeks. 

Karen warned me years ago this would happen.
  (Thanks Karen!  ;)

This year instead of a week long "Spring Break" vacation,

we're having two separate weeks 
of mini "Spring Break" adventures.

Lucky us, 

Scottie & April joined us for the first of our mini adventures!   :)

The twigs were in Seminary on Friday afternoon

so we took off with Scott & April for a picnic and some geocaching

along the shore of The Great Salt Lake.  

Scott & April haven't geocached much but they sure have the knack!

Hucklemucklemoo baby!!

That night we picked up the twigs & their friends 

and the 8 of us headed out for a night hike.

It was beautiful!

In addition to the beautiful view,

 we got another opportunity to carry on our 

tradition of 

"Billy Goats Gruff."

If you look closely, 

you can see the twigs and their friends 

standing on rocks in the creek 

calling out in their most threatening troll voices

"Who's that tripping over my bridge!"

Scott & April love books

and tell the best fairy tales!

Whenever we're hiking with them and happen upon a bridge, 

the reenactment of the goats and troll begins.

Below, was our twigs

first thespians experience with 

 "Billy Goats Gruff."

The video makes us laugh, 
 - such good memories.   :)
Our cute little "baby troll in training" 
wasn't too sure at first but she picked it up quick. 

Our first "Billy Goats Gruff"

 This was the sight of another 

"Billy Goats Gruff"

episode.

"Trip trap trip trap..."

A unique UEA...

Historically, we like to get out of Dodge on UEA weekend and have some hiking fun

but we have big doings coming up so we're pinching pennies. 

That meant hotels were out. 

Instead, we did homework...

(Thanks Melody for the encouragement and insights into Frankenstein!)

...and picked apples...

...and raked leaves and pulled out and tidied the garden.

I LOVE freshly turned dirt!!   :)

We worked on repairing the deck too.

Sheila came for a little visit and is always up for fun so we grabbed the twigs friends 

and played some racquetball - my favorite thing!  :)

We also headed up the mountain for a evening hike to watch the sunset. 

By the time we got there it was a "night hike" but it was so much fun!!! 

Okay, the part where the teenagers ran ahead and hid in the bushes

then leapt out roaring like mountain lions 

so they could make the mom scream wasn't my favorite, 

but the teenagers totally loved it.   ;)

We visited Grandma...

...and the next morning the twigs went with the youth in the Stake 

to clean up flower beds and have a pizza party at temple square.

(Thanks for the cute pic, Leaders!)

Our unique UEA weekend was pretty great after all.   :)