A New Mode of Transportation, Rainbows, Pencil Stubs, and Hair

3/1

3/4

3/6

Parent-teacher conferences were last week.

Drew's teacher actually felt like we didn't need to have one. He's doing great.

Sally is doing awesome. So good at reading.

And Owen uses this stub of a pencil in class.

3/9

His hair takes too long to air dry, so blow drying it is.

Calla Lilies by the Beach

A couple weeks ago Justin spied these wild calla lilies growing in our side yard.

Taking out the trash just got a lot more pretty.

Knowing that the lilies are in bloom, I took the family out on a Sunday afternoon to find the ones near Garrapata State Beach we (minus Justin) saw a few years ago with friends.

Took us about an hour to find the right trail, but just before sunset we hit the jackpot.

(the trail is right across from Doud Creek Ranch)

And wah-la!

2/23

Some Feb extras:

 2/10

Choosing cards for Grandpa Lunt's 80th birthday.

He is the best card giver and never forgets a birthday for his entire posterity (which is huge).

Trader Joe's $1 cards are un-crafty me's favorite.

 2/12

George Washington Park.

2/12

Looked over while helping Owen w/homework and saw this.

No broken dishes were involved.

2/28

Photo Booth has been re-discovered.

Grapefruit for Days

The kids were not ready to go home on Friday like planned, so we stayed one more day.

That meant:

I got to go to the temple.

We visited my grandparents.

Got to pick a ton of grapefruits, some tangelos, and Marie gave us some lemons.

The kids stayed w/my grandparents while I ran and met my new nephew, Walter.

2/21 

Love his hair.

Then back to grandparents' house for dinner along with Rachel and Jacob.

2/22

We left first thing Saturday morning and did the trip straight through.

10 1/2 hour drive in 12 1/2 hours.

Kids did good, but it was me that started going crazy towards the end.

Driving is not fun.

The above picture was our halfway break at a park in San Dimas.

So was this:

Super cool, old tree.

2/20

Here's an extra picture that relates to nothing.

Justin was jealous that August got to play Cole's drums and he didn't.

And 8 posts later my AZ trip recap is officially done.

Real Live Minecraft

Yes, Owen is wearing a fanny pack to put his finds in. Thanks Mom!

But really, thanks Mom. And Dad. 

This day was probably the highlight of Owen's week. Possibly mine, too. Even with the "short" hike to the cave being not that short at all. Arizona is pretty! And it took moving away to come to that realization.

Owen and Drew both love Minecraft (as I've mentioned repeatedly lately), but it was Owen who came up with the idea to go mining.

He was really hoping for some gold, but plenty of obsidian was an acceptable substitute.

And the pick axes? Home-made by my dad. 

This may be one step away from LARPing, but so much better than a day full of video games. 

Arizona Science Center

Owen and Drew were not thrilled about the thought of going to this museum.

I miss the days when they had no say it what we did.

But of course they ended up loving it.

And I loved downtown Phoenix.

 In the above pictured game, whoever was the most calm won.

Drew reigned it in and was the winner every time.

Owen took a spin on the sky bike.

 And Sally and Gwen relaxed on a bed of nails.

Then Karen colored and cut (at least 6 inches off) my hair.

Candace and I found some fun stuff at Last Chance while the kids played @ the church during scouts.

And then...more fast food!

Fishy

We met my sister-in-laws Erica, Sara (plus Payten & Grayson), and Bethany (plus Gavin & Drake) for some fishing.

Owen caught SEVEN. Compared to Erica's one and everyone else's zero. Oh Sally, had one bite but it got away.

Bethany and I spent most of the time keeping Auggie and Drake away from the water.

Sally had fun, but that lip was giving her too much trouble. The whole trip. Even had to get her on antibiotics because her whole cheek and even eye were swelling.

Then we had more fast food.

One more (mostly) happy day to our week.

PS Earlier that day we went to the library to get a museum pass. And then the kids chose a bunch of books, most of which never got read. Here, Owen is in the mining section (obsessed with Minecraft).

2/18

After that, my mom and Owen went to visit Sister Dyer and her enormous rock collection. Owen of course loved it.