I can hardly wait!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ9afRgToxE

Just crusin' the neighborhood

Steve borrowed my dad's 4-wheeler the other day to take Stevie for a little ride. Well, not wanting to be left out, all the cousins that were there had to hop on too. Steve was more than happy to oblige!

BEWARE...new post overload!

I have been neglecting my blog lately, so please forgive me! These last few weeks have been CRAZY!

This last weekend was the Arizona All-State music festival in Tucson. I haven't been to one since I was a participant...which was MANY years ago. This year, I had a niece AND a nephew in the choir, so I was just dying to go. I sure was glad I did...it was just AMAZING!! It brought back so many good memories!

I was really needing some "alone" time, so I wasn't planning on taking any of my kids with me. Kirstie had different plans, and I was feeling bad for her being cooped-up in the house for a week with the chicken pox, so I ended up taking her with me.

We went with my parents, and stayed the night in St. David at my older brother Brent's house. Then the next morning we met up with my youngest brother Nathan and his family, at the Reid Park Zoo there in Tucson. To our surprise, it was a free day! I was feeling a little guilty for not having Jennah and Stevie with me too, until I saw the crowd! There was wall-to-wall people!! Despite the crowd, we still had a good time! I think Kirstie was needing some "mommy & me time" too. Now Steve and I just have to figure out a time we can afford to go and take all three!

We ended our weekend with a very fascinating tour of UofA law school (where Nathan is attending), and then going to one of the BEST concerts I've been to!

Love Doves, Ostrich's and Rams..OH MY!

Who would have thought that, right smack dab in the center of town, we'd find a ram and ostrich?

Here's the story...A couple of Sundays ago, after Kirstie and I stayed home from church, I decided I needed to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Not wanting to miss the chance to go on a walk, Jennah and Stevie came with me. We were having a nice walk, enjoying each others company. Then on the way back home Jennah saw a dog that she said had bit her friend. Well, I'm a chicken when it comes to dogs, so we took a big detour. While walking down Main St., Jennah shouted "mommy, I see an ostrich!" Stevie and I couldn't see it, so we decided to go investigate. Turns out she was right, and there was even a ram in there too! I felt so bad that Steve and Kirstie missed out on this experience, that we decided to go for a little walk for FHE the next night. While on our walk, we also saw two "Love Doves" sitting on the telephone wires. We had a great time...I love the FHE's that require NO planning, and we get to have some really good family time!

Who says you have to travel to have fun...just go explore your neighborhood and see what you find!

Daddy's little helper

A while back, a good friend of mine gave Stevie a little pirate ship kit. We've had it in storage for over a year, and the other day - when we was in SERIOUS need of motivation - Steve and I told Stevie that if he got his room cleaned up, that daddy would help him build the pirate ship. Well, he had the job done in less than 5 minutes and was ready for construction! I thought Steve was a very brave man to let Stevie hammer away, while holding the ship in place! The last picture is the finished product...I just LOVE his expression :)

Not so mild after all...

Kirstie came down with the chickenpox a couple of weeks ago, even AFTER being vaccinated. We were told by several friends that because she had the shot, that it would be a mild case. Well...poor Kirstie...no such luck! This picture was taken on day 2. By the end of the 3rd day, she had about twice as many! The worst thing about it was, the only relief she got from the itching, was taking a bath. So, she practically lived in the tub for the 1st 5-6 days. I'm happy to report, that she is now fully over them, just covered in scabs (& sadly, many scars). Lesson learned...shots don't always work!

FACEinHOLE

Steve is going to absolutely HATE this, but I'm just having too much fun playing around on the computer! :D
Create your own FACEinHOLE

Our Easter

We had an eventful & emotional Easter weekend, but I'll post more about it later. For now, this is all I'm going to do.

Here's Jennah and Kirstie in their new Easter dresses. Couldn't get Stevie in the picture, he's just not into taking "formal" shots lately. Must be a boy thing.

Kirstie and Stevie with their "stash"

Jennah and her "stash". Jennah, for some reason I've yet to figure out, woke up Easter morning before 6 A.M. You can see the tiredness (is that a word?) in her face. She was so excited, that not 10 minutes later, she had to wake up her brother and sister. I REALLY did NOT want to be up that early...we didn't need to leave for church until noon!

We went over to my parents house around 8 to say goodbye to family that were visiting, eat breakfast and Easter egg hunt with their cousins.

Getting ready for their Easter egg hunt at Grandma & Grandpa's house Easter morning. It was rather chilly...just look at those red cheeks!

We went to Hobrook to go to Church. Our nephew Allan just returned from his mission, and was giving his report. We got together with the Self's and the Shumway's and had a great time. Stevie found this wig while at Scott & Beth's, and was having a blast "rockin' out"!

Then we went over to Joan Shumway's house to visit with family, eat dinner, and another Easter egg hunt.

Here's Kirstie, Maura, and Jennah head out the door to go hunt eggs! I couldn't get a decent picture of Stevie...he wouldn't hold still long enough.

I asked Kirstie if she wanted me to lift her up so she could get the egg in the windowsill. Of course she said "No mommy...I can get it, I'll just climb up!" Why do I even bother asking? Next year I'll be better prepared, and try harder to focus more on what Easter is REALLY about. It was good to be with so many friends and family!

Spring Break

Our Spring Break was pretty uneventful, until Thursday the 26th, when we were hit with this... I had to work a few hours that afternoon, and Kirstie wanted to come to work with me. I was done with work by 4:30 P.M., and Kirstie insisted on walking home...in the snow!! I have to admit, it was a BLAST!! I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. It was coming down in HUGE flakes, it was like a blizzard! We both had brain-freeze, and were soaking wet from the snow hitting our heads by the time we made it home. I'm sure glad she talked me into it, I wouldn't have wanted to miss that moment.

By Saturday, the snow was completely gone, and it actually felt like spring. I have been wanting to take my family to 5-mile canyon for a while, and Saturday was the perfect day!

Jennah didn't want to go to the canyon at first, she's not much for out-door stuff, and doesn't like getting dirty. Once she got down inside the canyon, she loosened up and had a good time.


Kirstie is a completely different story. She LOVES to climb and get dirty. Steve and I had to reign her in a few times when she tried climbing a little to high, or exploring places that didn't look too safe. (and she LOVES posing for the camera too!)

Stevie is just like Kirstie when it comes to the outdoors. Only difference is, he could have cared less about getting his picture taken. This was the only one I was able to get of him by himself that day, the little stinker!This picture is of one of Kirstie's moments of poor judgement. She was so excited to get out on that big rock, that she didn't think about how she was going to get back. The other rocks were quite small, and didn't make for a good landing spot. So, Steve had to go "rescue" her. Just another anxiety moment for me!

Our two little climbers...they would have gone to the top if Steve and I would have allowed it!

We had to talk Jennah into this one...climbing involved. You can see the nervousness in her expression.

Snowflake's own little "Pride Rock"

I had to put in this picture of some of the hieroglyphs.

All in all, it was a nice, fun, relaxing Spring Break!