Where have we been?

Well....
No where!

School let out a week and a half ago and we have been busy, busy, busy.  Saying goodbye to teachers and friends who are moving, getting ready for summer fun, and playing outside as much as possible while the weather is still cool  under 100 degrees.  

Curly is a big help!  We love having her home all day.

Curly and her teacher, Mrs Abbott.  Curly wishes she was still in Kindergarten.  She loves her teacher!

 

 

Curly's soccer team.  Fisher helped coach.

Our friend Al (who moved ) and Bubba. 

Backyard picnic with the twins and J (Al's brother).

Please don't...

Curly has been a music class taught by a friend in our Stake.  She and about ten other half day Kindergartners attend class each week and yesterday they held a short, but very sweet recital.  It is hard to believe my little girl is growing up and will be done with Kindergarten in just a few days.

On the Road part two...

After sending Paisley off we enjoyed a few more days in Utah.    JG, K-Rae, and Elyse went with us to Discovery Gateway.  We also had a family Mother's Day dinner at Grandma Woodbury's home.   Ry and Ba invited us to go swimming and have Cinco de Mayo dinner, so Bubba had her first swimming experience. I think she was a fan, she never really complains about anything so it is hard to know.  

Fisher joined us for the final festivities - two graduations.  Fisher's brother Bryce and Bro in law Tim both received Master's degrees and it worked out that we could attend both.   The Lake family has had a college graduate or several every year since I have known them/been part of the family - that is 9 years.  Five of Six of the Lake children have Graduate Degrees and five of six of their in law children have graduate degrees!  I think that is pretty impressive!  After each graduation, we of course had to eat to celebrate.  We wished we could stay and visit with family longer, but had to leave shortly after the Saturday festivities and made him very early Sunday morning.  

Giving the News at Discovery Gateway

We love the cute grocery store.  Aunt JG shopping with Curly

We could have played with these Magformers for hours!
Aunt K-Rae and Lou

Bubba in the pool - Ry was very pleased with his cleverness
in  staging this picture

Ring a Round the Rosie

Bryce and Jenny - the newest U of U MBA
Jenny is due with a girl in June
That will be six grand-daughters in 14 months

IT was impossible to get a picture of the current
five grand daughters all happy at once

 

All the Lake Grand children

We have been on the road.  First stop was a short night in Salt Lake before continuing on to Idaho.  This visit to Idaho was special because my sisters were home to send the baby of the family, Paisley, off on her mission to Rochester, New York.  My aunt Pika and Elyse, Rick and baby Nels were there too.  We had a good time- mostly just enjoying each other's company and the beautiful spring weather.   I always love going home to my mom and dad's.

Sushi Night!  Dinner the night before Paisley left.

K-Rae, , Elyse, Paisley, me, and JG

Paisley with baby Nels and Bubba (I think she needs a new name)

The flower crown that K-Rae made

Ready to deliver May Day baskets - a family tradition that Paisley has continued

Curly and Lou with the baskets they made

Bubba really wants it...

JG reading bedtime stories

Grandpa being eaten by T-Rex at the BYUI geology museum

Paisley and her "friend" the geologist

Dear old dad

Curly and Lou admiring the salt water aquarium

The pillow case we made for Paisley - Sweet dreams

Ready to go for a walk on a Rexburg spring evening.

My mom.  I hope to grow up to be like her

A very funny game of headbandz

Lou kept the trip exciting with her frequent and urgent need for bathroom breaks when we were miles from a rest stop

saying goodbye

We will miss you Sister Lovell!

The Last of the Visitors

Elyse loves the Science Center

Last week we had our last visitors of the season.  This makes us very sad.  It was been a very fun winter full of so much family that it hardly seems that we are far away.  Lainey's cousin Elyse and her baby Nels came for a week! 

Elyse had not been to Phoenix since she was a toddler, so we showed her the town - the Science Center, the Mesa temple, the shopping, the cacti, and the swimming pool.


We attended the Mesa Easter Pageant at the temple with a couple in our ward.  The wife is a new convert to the church and was baptized the day after we attended the pageant.  It was a neat experience in which to participate.

On the Bed of Nails

Elyse and Nels were here for Easter weekend and were good sports to tag along to a few activities.  We had a fun picnic with friends and Easter dinner at Fisher's employers home.

Nels and Bubba really enjoyed each others company. 
Nels worked with Bubba on sitting up and
Bubba encouraged Nels to roll over.  

Bubba helping with the baking

Lou gives Nels tough love

Curly keeping Bubba warm and happy at Easter dinner picnic

Easter Sunday

Elyse was impressed with our Artichokes. 
Fisher looks a little more thrilled than I do

Lou loves strawberries!

At the end of the week, we all (including Elyse and Nels) loaded in the van and drove to Idaho.  Elyse joyfully volunteered to help me make this drive and I am forever indebted to her.  More to come  on the fun we are having, but if you want to see what we have been up to, check it out here.