Spring Break

We had a great spring break "stay-cation."  Grandpa Duck and Grandma C came to visit and play for the whole week and we packed in as much fun as possible.  The weather was beautiful with pleasant warm days and just slightly cool evenings, perfect for sitting around a candle lit table in the backyard while the kids played on the lawn.   Shar and I enjoyed the opportunity to make good food for people (adults) who would enjoy it, so we ate really well.  There was lots of good conversation, tickles, laughter, treats and some help with home improvement projects too.  Spending the week with our family was wonderful. It was an idyllic and lovely week!  Here are just a few of the highlights -

Day 1 - Children's Museum of Phoenix

Grandpa enjoyed it as much as the kids :)

Spud and Grandpa

Lettie helping Berry go shopping

A cute not Lou wrote for Grandpa

 Translation: "Dear Grandpa, You are funny because you talk like a duck.  From Lou.  ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Day 2 - Cookout in the backyard

 

Washing feet  before a campout in the backyard

Day 3 - Hike at West Wing Park

Barbeque at Lovells

Family basketball scrimmage

Cousin tea party

The finale of the week was a weekend trip to Tucson.  Not exactly a destination, but we had never been there and since we live in AZ, we thought we should check it out.  We had a great time.  We hiked and swam in Sabino Canyon (the "oasis" of Tucson), ate great mexican food, visited a very fun and magical miniatures museum, and learned a lot at the Sonoran Desert Museum.

The tram ride up Sabino Canyon

Hiking in Sabino

Testing out the water hole

Waters fine!  Jump on in!

Spud and Grandpa

Two peas in a pod

Grandpa duck and Grandma C

The miniature museum

Sonoran Desert Life Museum

Curly trying on bat ears

The end of a lovely week

Fleeting February

Well February has come and gone and what do I have to show for it?  I am officially a year older and...I came up with a few pictures documenting the month.  We have had some big changes in sleeping arrangements.  Spud needed to graduate out of mom and dad's closet, so he moved to playroom for a while.  Now he has taken over Berry's crib and Berry has moved in with the big girls.  We have tried a few configurations and after many weeks we have found something that works...some nights.

Lou slept on a camping pad on the floor for a few weeks

She thought being under the bed might be fun

Finally we "rigged" up a temporary full bed for Curly and Berry

I find the plywood and food buckets very classy

Spud is officially a crawler and now is not content to play happily with his toys.  I can't hide, he always finds me :)  Just this week he has learned to pull himself to standing but doesn't know how to get back down.  It makes him mad!

 

Crawling spud

Cute little standing man

Berry is my kitchen buddy.  It does not matter what I am doing, she grabs the nearest object that can be used as a stool and is right there by my side.  She is chattering away the whole time and sampling whatever it is we are cooking.  She also insists on wearing clothing that falls into two categories - "Dress" or "Swimsuit."  Dresses include any dresses, ballet tutus, princess costumes or slips.  Swimsuits include camisoles that she borrows from her sisters (as all of her swimsuits have been hidden).  She wears them around calling them her swimsuit.  I have given up on her wearing any of the clothes in her drawer.

My sous cheff

Swimsuit

Dress

  We enjoyed a Saturday afternoon hike to a local nature area - West Wing Park.
  

Finally - My birthday.  After last years amazing surprises and celebrations, I have to admit that I thought this birthday might be a little blah, but I am glad I was wrong.  We celebrated on a Sunday and Fisher insisted on cooking the dinner while I relaxed.  He made just what I requested.  The Lovells joined us for ice cream cake and games.  On the day of my birthday I spent a fun morning at the park with friends.  Later, I was surprised by a sweet friend who left a gift on my doorstep that made my day!  It was a great day with many kind words, cards, and phone calls.

 

 

Fisher the Artist

Fisher has decided to take up sculpture and below we have his first attempt at modern art.  Notice the lines and colors and the symbolism.  He is still deciding on just the right name for this piece.  I think he should call it "Hourglass."

I think he has a lot of potential.  Now lets take a look at some of the materials he used in this piece - blue tarp, tall IKEA reading lamp, extension cord, twine, and ficus tree.  Fisher went to great efforts to keep our trees warm when nighttime weather was below freezing for 4 days.  We still aren't sure if it worked as the leaves all turned brown.  Time will tell.  That is how January began. 

The rest of the month was busy with the daily activities - school, homework, tumbling, ballet, piano and basketball. We had Curly's class friend "Mr. Fluffypants" visit for a weekend.  She took him on out outings and recorded his activities in his journal.  She also put a few pictures in.

We and the Lovells took an outing on MLK day.  We visited McCormick park in Scottsdale.  The kids had a lot of fun riding the carousel, playing on the Old West Playground and taking a ride on the miniature train.  After a picnice lunch we headed to Gilbert to visit Lynn and Blynne.  We loaded boxes of delicious grapefruit, oranges, and lemons and have been enjoying them ever since.

Lettie, Lou, and Curly

Lissy, Berry, and me

Riding the Stagecoach

We had a few days of rain.  Rain is a novelty and Berry hasn't seen much of it in her lifetime.  

She thought is was great!

 

Lou began attending full day kindergarten after Christmas which leaves Berry and Spud home having lots of play time together.  Berry loves her brother.  It is sweet to see her lay on the floor with him, tickle him, and hug him.

Berry and Spud having tummy time

Warm Hearts in Cold Idaho

We said our goodbye's to Utah and headed for the LLL Ranch to meet up with the Lovell clan.  There was plenty of snow for sledding and snowmobiling.  The great thing about the ranch is that there is plenty to do outside and many fun games inside the house as well.  Ambie was excited to show off her Christmas gift - adult sized footie pajamas.  It takes a special person to feel confident enough to sport those, and Ambie is just the person to do it.  We love her!

Funny Ambie in her footie jammies

Footie PJ party

Berry ready for her first mountain sled ride!

Curly ready to launch

After a couple days at the Ranch and an exciting drive home that involved pulling a loaded snowmobile trailer back on to the road on -10 degree night, we were happy to be settled at my parents comfortable home in Rexburg.  We enjoyed games and visiting and spent time preparing for Jeniel and Jason's open house.  We were able to visit and have lunch with Great Grandpa Lake one day.

Great Grandpa Lake and Spud

The nieces loved to see their aunt in her beautiful wedding gown.  One morning she let them take turns trying it on.  It also happened that my wedding dress and Shar's wedding dress are stored at mom's, so with those three dresses plus my mom's each girl was able to try on a dress.  Curly is wearing Grandma's, Lettie is in Jeniel's, Lydia is in mine and Gracie is in Shar's.

Trying on wedding dresses

Jason and Jeniel sampling the cider at the Open House

Sisters and Nieces - So nice to be together!