Cousins

Our kids loved playing with their cousins whom they hadn't seen for a very long time.

 

Here's a cairn we rebuilt while waiting for others.

 

Here are all of the girl cousins

 

The older cousins - sporting their puppets they made the night before

 

Kids and flowers in the park

Here are a couple of photos of our kids in Arches.

 

Here's the Utah State Flower - the sego lily

 

Our flowers:

 

 

Moab - Memorial Day

Over Memorial Day weekend, we traveled to Moab and met my husband's family for a family reunion. Our friend Frank also met us there (he's family to us) and we enjoyed spending a little bit of time with him as well.
We went to Monticello to the temple, and then to the Hole in the Wall where we saw some really cool things which had been welded together - like this jeep. Check out the wheels - they are completely welded together with scissors, tools, etc.

 

 

We love Arches National park and spend a couple of days (minimum) there every year. Following are a few photos from our stay.

 

 

Oh what do you do while your parents race?

 

 

 

 

Since our friends didn't have anyone to watch their kids during the race, they hung out with us. We started out at McDonald's because we needed breakfast. The only McD's was in the local Walmart. As such, we had a blast. We got breakfast and then we had a hula hoop contest, some kids rode bikes, we had pin-wheel spinning contests, had a battle of the light-savers (yes a sword fight), and then went in search of a bed. We ended up finding a semi-empty display table and the kids took a 3 second rest. Then on to more fun. We ended our great time there with a sun glasses modeling show. That's what you get when you ask me to watch your kids. Oh.. and I told the kids they could all buy something. They all walked out of there with mini/travel sewing kits...even the boys. :) (And they were thrilled!)

Finished

 

 

 

Here's my guy after the race, as well as some friends who ran it as well as they were finishing.

He's going for distance...he's going for speed...

 

 

 

 

Well, here are the official photos from the latest race. He decided that he wanted to do a race at 'altitude' which roughly means 9,600+ feet above sea level.
Amazingly, he only finished a few minutes later than he did earlier this year at a lower altitude. I think he's getting better.

Birthdays and art museums

We celebrated our daughter's birthday recently. Here she is that morning.
We apparently had a 'seating' theme going on this year as both of our kids got bean bags for their birthdays.

 

Later that day, I went on a field trip with my daughter and her class. After a 2 hour bus ride (through canyons) to get there we all felt relativly sick. The museum was very interesting. The artist had done a blue collection, inspired by the Australian bird that collects blue things. So, there in the museum was a pile of blue junk including swimming pools, bunkbeds, slides, a range rover, and a drum set and most anything else you could think of...including donations from the kids. While I really appreciate art, there didn't seem to be any real symbolism or meaning other than anything he could find that was blue, or paint blue to add it in. Definitely not my style of art.

 

 

Hanging out at the cabin

We decided to get away and rented a small cabin at a near by lake. We had a great time and really enjoyed getting away as well as the peaceful relaxation we found there together.
Checking out the candy with dad

 

Here are some friends who came up to help us celebrate.

 

She finally got those sparkler candles blown out!

 

Canoeing

Dad and daughter self portrait

 

The girls canoeing

 

The old wagon teeming with new life

 

The view from our cabin

 

Cabin by the lake

The view

 

Playing with Matches

 

In charge of lunch

 

Hanging out in front of the heater

 

Apple blossoms

We spent some time with some friends last night. It is true - we invited ourselves. But it really isn't our fault. A couple of years ago they invited us up to their place to eat under the apple blossoms which were blooming. It was gorgeous, and well - guess what I think about come spring and blossom time?
On top of the blossoms everywhere, they have several animals and live in a unique area on a delightful property...pasture views out the window, a well and a cistern, a waterfall and river across the street. Our children love to visit because our friends are so sweet to them and engage them with the animals. The girls got to help with the chickens, and loved the adventure.
I loved the apple trees which were in full bloom as well as the white lilacs. It didn't matter which way the wind blew -either way was filled with tantalizing aromas. As we walked around the yard, the apple blossoms gently floated from above, scattering a white carpet of blossoms on the fresh springy grasss. It was euphoric. While the following pictures don't do justice - we loved spending time with them and enjoyed their springtime wonderland. Thank you!

 

This was as much of my friend as I could get as she raced to escape the camera!