Spring Break and Best of the Brazos

The kids had spring break last week (March 10-14). Russ has limited vacation time each year, and we basically use it all on our big trip each summer, so we didn't have any exciting spring break travel plans.

I didn't want the kids to get too bored during the week, and I didn't want to go crazy as a result of having them all home and getting bored, so we decided to do some local exploration. Each year various businesses in the area are chosen as the "Best of the Brazos" (Brazos is the county we live in). Residents go online and vote fore their favorites in lots of different categories - fast food restaurant, cleaning service, veterinary clinic (which was won by our Bishop this year, by the way), etc. I let the girls each choose one "Best of the Brazos" food category and we visited the winners, 1 each day during their break.

Winner: SPOONS
Category: frozen yogurt

We've actually been to Spoons bunches of times, and we actually visited the week prior to Spring break, but since it won, I thought I'd include it anyway.

McKell is a moocher.

We LOVE Spoons. It's a self-serve frozen yogurt place. They have something like 15 different flavors available at any time. You grab a bowl, fill it up with whatever flavor(s) you like, and add any toppings you want. You pay based on the weight. We love it because it's yummy, but also because they give free yogurt to the kids for every report card that has all A's or all A's and 1 B. Sweet!

MONDAY

Winner: DOUBLE DAVE'S
Category: pizza

Brenna chose pizza, so we went to Double Dave's pizza buffet for lunch. The pizza was OK. Better than Cici's, which is the pizza buffet place the kids usually choose. I did really like one of their dessert pizzas, which was like pizza dough covered in cookie dough and sprinkled with mini chocolate chips. I will probably go back again just to eat that. :)

TUESDAY

Winner: Brazos Valley Pediatric Dentistry
Category: um . . . pediatric dentist, obviously

Surprisings, no one chose to explore the "best dentist", but the kids happened to have appointments Tuesday morning, and the office we visit happened to be the winner, so I thought it would only be appropriate to include it. :) I do really like the office, and the dentist we see there. None of the girls run away when I tell them we're heading to the dentist. They've all had a very positive experience thus far (even Ashlyn, who's had more than her fair share of cavities).

Winner: TASTE OF THE TROPICS

Category: smoothie

After visiting the dentist, we went over to the mall for smoothies, which was Kaylee's choice. We've been to Taste of the Tropics before (and if you've come to visit us, we've probably taken you there). These are the best smoothies we've ever had. We'll probably stay in Bryan, TX forever just because we adore these smoothies. And the prices are awesome, too. 

I wasn't about to give McKell her own cup, and she's not really into sharing with me, so I had to pull out the trusty lollipop to appease her while the girls enjoyed their smoothies.

WEDNESDAY

Winner: KOPPE BRIDGE
Category: hamburger

My pick was for the best hamburger. Russ has eaten at this place for lunch several times with co-workers, but none of the rest of us had been there. Russ always says the food is OK, but nothing too special. After experiencing it myself, I pretty much agree with him. Good burger. Decent fries. Nothing amazing though. Well, Ashlyn may tell a different story. She ordered a kid's basket with chicken fingers. Included was a cup of gravy for dipping the chicken in. Ashlyn dipped her chicken AND her fries in the gravy and ate every crumb of her food.

THURSDAY

Winner: CAKE JUNKIE

Category: cake

Thursday was Russ's dad's birthday, so we sought out the best cake shop in his honor. You can't tell from the picture, but these were jumbo cupcakes. I don't think any of the girls were able to finish theirs. As far as taste, they were good. I did really like mine, which was a banana pudding cupcake. The chocolate ones were fine, but the prices were a little too high for me to justify another visit.

FRIDAY

For our final day of adventuring, we got the very best the Brazos has to offer:

Russ! The girls really enjoy having lunch with Russ at his office. 

Then later in the day we made our final "Best of the Brazos" visit.

Winner: MARBLE SLAB CREAMERY

Category: ice cream

Ashlyn picked ice cream. It was OK. I'd pick Spoons over Marble Slab any day though, as far as frozen treats go. Brenna and Ashlyn both chose a bright blue, cotton candy flavor that really left its mark. 

I decided to let McKell get her own ice cream cone, which she definitely enjoyed.
(And isn't she ADORABLE with those baby pigtails?!)

So, that was the week. It was fun. Russ thinks I spent too much money (he's sort of a tightwad). We also went to the library and the children's museum, and the kids spent a TON of time outside (thank goodness for nice weather!!!) Here are a few more pictures:

Kaylee and Ashlyn playing with the giant chess board at the Children's Museum.

Brenna at the Children's Museum.

So fun to look out the window and see these 2 playing chess out on the front lawn.
(See, they really CAN get along sometimes.)

Brenna and McKell pushing strollers around in the cul-de-sac.
McKell LOVES being outside. Whenever she hears someone open the door she immediately asks, "(out)Side? Side?"

Zoo Day

Since moving here several people have told us that the best zoo in the area is in Waco (about 90 min from us). So, when we saw that the 1st Saturday in March was free of commitments and predicted to be warm, we planned our visit.

It turned out to be a lovely day, and we will absolutely be visiting the Cameron Park Zoo again. Waco isn't an enormous city (like Houston or Dallas) so the zoo wasn't over-crowded, but it still had legitimate zoo animals (zebras, giraffes, elephants, etc.). Including time spent eating lunch, we were there less than 4 hours, but saw the entire zoo.

So, here are bunches of pictures from our fun family day:

Super excited to be on our way!

Once we let McKell out of the stroller, there was no way she was getting back in.
One parent pushed the (empty) stroller and took care of the older girls, while the other parent chased this crazy gal around.

She really got "into" the exhibits.

My Mom always complains that I'm not in any of our pictures, so I asked Kaylee to snap this shot.
Your'e welcome, Mom!

Very fun playground inside the zoo.

Waiting for Dad to bring out the ice cream before heading home.

McKell was VERY upset that she did not get her own ice cream treat.
But after throwing a fit for about 5 minutes she contented herself with eating bits from everyone else's.

McKell was in love with this giraffe. Brenna tried to get on behind her, but McKell kept pushing her away.
Not interested in sharing, and not interested in getting off.

Good times. We love weekends that are free for lots and lots of family time. Friday night was really fun, too. We have been reading more books together as a family during the past few months and we recently finished "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". We had promised the girls that after reading the book we would let them watch the movie. Friday was the day, and they LOVED it.

We now present, for your reading pleasure . . .

Ashlyn Burnett and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

At breakfast my sister hit me for no reason.
I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

On the way to school I fell off my scooter.
I think I'll move to Paris.

At school I broke up with Mia.
I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I could tell because I moved my clip.
At lunch I sat by nobody.
It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

That's what it was, because after school I got in a fight with my sister.
Next week, I said, I'm going to Paris.

At home I had nobody to play with.
I am having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, I told everybody.
No one answered.

There was peas for dinner and I hate peas.
There was Super Why on TV and I hate Super Why.

When I went to bed I bumped my head on the bed.
It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
My Mom says some days are like that, even in Paris.

The End.