Is it Spring?

Somehow it is April, and spring is still struggling to arrive. While the grass and flowers give you a sense of spring, it snowed over the weekend. Today at our playgroup we all showed up full of hope that the weather would prove to be warm, but instead we all froze in our sandals and bear ankles. The poor kids were subjected to our false sense of spring as well. Poor Jacob ran around with pink cheeks and goose bumps, but unwilling of course to put on his sisters pink fleece in the van. Fortunately it did warm up this afternoon and the wind quit blowing. Anna and Brooke stayed out as long as possible enjoying our backyard's natural habitat. Some might think we have weeds growing, but we prefer to call it our flower garden. Anna even picked some for a center peice.

Silky and Pip (squeak)

"I have a pet!" was Anna's joyful song after we brought home our two new hamsters Silky and Pip. I have been feeling so guilty for depriving her of her passion for animals, especially since we gave away her beloved Copper last year. She still sheds tears for her long lost Copper, but soft and cuddly Silky seems to be filling the hole for now.

Mary is equally thrilled with the new additions. She picked out the runt of the litter, hence the name Pip Squeak. They really have turned out to be the best pets for us- a little food, a little poop, and a little cage (not to mention the 2 year life span). Best of all, they want to be left alone and they don't want anything from me. (Well except to be recued on occasion.) So far they have proven to be friendly and docile. So if your kids are pressuring you for a dog, you might consider a teddy bear hamster!

My Red Kitchen

So I have been wanting to paint my kitchen red for several months now. After seeing my sister's red kitchen on my trip to Utah I finally decided to do it. It was a very tense morning as I remained convinced that it would look good despite Moss' and his mother's doubt. Charlotte worked all morning and into the afternoon with me to finish it. When it was all said and done, the common consensus was "I can't believe how good it looks. I would never had believed it." I really do love it and was relieved that it turned out as well as I'd hoped.

Easter Egg Fun

All I can say is that I am glad this only happens one time each year. Some how it just isn't as fun for me as it was when I was a kid.

This is right up Brooke's alley. Eggs, dye, and cups.

In the end we had a lot of beautiful eggs and happy kids.

The Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Every year since we have been here we have had an Easter egg hunt with all our friends. Unfortunately with Easter being so early, it turned out to be rather cold. Of course the kids were undeterred and were anxious to find the hidden treasures that awaited them. You would think that my children had been deprived of candy in their entire lives! Once it came down to only finding the specified number of eggs it all went down hill. Never-the-less, it was a good time with friends and a wonderful memory!

Grandma and Grandpa's house

There are a few things that must be a part of every trip to Grandpa and Grandma's house. On the way home from church before we left I overheard Anna saying to Mary, "Four-wheeler, Jacuzzi, Cousins, Cabin, Horses. And all this time I thought we were going to plain ol' grandma's house." While we didn't get to do everything on the list, we did do a lot.

Fun in the Sun, part II

We spent all day saturday outside in the beautiful weather having a great time with Aunts and Uncles and cousins. We played frisbee, and bocce ball, and flew kites. The kids had a great time just being with everyone.

Fun in the Sun

Sledding Arizona Style

They couldn't get enough. They rolled and rolled, and rolled, and they they all got a bath!

Thank you to Autumn for the delicious ice cream, and bubble gum.
FUN, FUN, AND MORE FUN.

Enlightening Conversation

My sister and I had a good laugh at this conversation. It is amazing what kids catch on to, and understand at such a young age. I am still not sure when Mary picked up on this.

Mary: When you grow up you are going to have to take care of everbody.
Christopher: Yeah, I will have to work like 24 hours a day. Well, maybe 12 or 11.45hrs.
Mary: Well, at least you won't have to go through the pain of giving birth!

Reminiscing...

On our way from Phoenix to my parents home in Southern Utah, we passed by the small town I grew up in. Its population is only about 7,ooo, and the town is 16 sq. miles. The nearest city is about 150 miles away. I loved growing up there. My childhood was bliss, and I thought all families were as happy as mine. I realize now that my parents worked very hard to give me that experience. I grew up in a home that was on the edge of the mesa and faced out over the canyons in the picture. I used to just sit on our front steps and watch the sunset. It is so beautiful, and to drive through there this past week brought back a lot of wonderful memories. Something many don't know about me is that I worked at the local scenic airport fueling the small planes like the one in the picutre. It was a great job, and nice to be outside. I would drive the big fuel truck up, pull off the ladder, put on the big gloves, and fill them up. I did get to go on a few tours over the lake and the Grand Canyon while I worked there.
This is a picture of slot canyon. we always called it the skinny caves. It has become a tourist site now and very regulated, but when we were kids we could just drive out to it and hang out. We would build big bon fires at night and have a great time walking through trying to scare each other. It actually took a lot of skill to avoid taking off your head on the ledges.

This is another scenic sight outside of page a few miles. It is called the horseshoe. If you floated down the river you would end up in the Grand Canyon. You can see why I might like to move back to this part of the country. Despite the lack of greenery, it is so beautiful. Maybe if I fill my house with pictures like this, it will grow on Moss too...

Tribute to Friendship

Autumn and I became "best friends" in the 5th grade. We honestly grew up together. We spent every possible night at each other's homes, and shared everything like sisters. There were times when we would return trash bags full of borrowed clothes. We only lived a few blocks from each other and spent our days and nights roaming the neighborhood and the desert. Growing up in a very small, isolated town meant very creative entertainment. When it would rain we would get on old denim shorts and head out to the edge of the mesa and make waterslides down the cliffs. It was not a pain free experience, but worth the trade off. We both ran cross country, track, and played tennis. High School, in a lot of ways, was bliss for us. I was allowed to take our family boat out on Lake Powell at 17 after passing "the test" with my dad. We would go out as often as possible to ski and swim. We were fortunate to have a great group of girl friends, and we all still stay in touch. Of all the things I am grateful for in my life are the many wonderful friends I have been blessed with, both then and now.

Hiking in Arizona

After a very late flight we got up early to take a hike with family and friends in the White Tank mountains. It was a beautiful day and we were very excited to wear shorts and enjoy the sunny weather. I was just excited that the stress of traveling was over!

It was a sad farewell to Dad as we headed off on our vacation. Mary was not happy that I scheduled a trip that her dad could not go on. I didn't realize that Jacob did not remember his previous experiences on airplanes. So he was very excited and exclaimed,"Mom, this is my first time on an airplane!"

Since our flight left at 8:30pm it was not a full flight, thankfully. After drinks and a snack all the kids passed out. I knew it would be a late night, but well worth the peace of sleeping children on a 3 1/2 hour flight. I was very grateful that it turned out as planned. It potentially could have turned into a nightmare with Brooke. She is not much for sitting still, and with no carseat it would have been a challenge!

Latest Crafts

Well, after being inspired by my very capable friend Lisa, I decided it was time to finish a few crafts that have been on hold for too long. So here are a few of them. Still more to go, but I have made a good start. It has been so fun to get back into it. It seems like I am barely recovering from Christmas, and it is nearly Easter. (Not that the weather would let you think spring was nearing.)