Easter weekend in its entirety

Easter and Spring Break coincided this year. So we had a nICE long weekend to enjoy together. Even Mitch-darling took off Friday and Monday to spend the time with us.

Easter snuck up on me this year. I did not get around to commemorating the week of Easter like I did last year. I had plans to at least have a Passover meal on Thursday .....but....that didn't happen. We did manage some of the usual things: coloring Easter eggs on Friday with Mike's parents and a big Easter egg hunt with the Sullivan clan on Saturday (after a work project in the morning at the homestead).

The kids scored hydration packs in their baskets this year - (for many hiking adventures to come! )

I was sick on Easter Sunday (I kept getting a feeling of deja vu) - so I stayed home from church.  Thankfully, Mike's mom and dad had us over for Easter dinner - otherwise my family would have been deprived of a fancy Easter meal with me out of it.
Thanks Jacque!

 On Monday I was feeling quite a bit better so we packed up the dudes and got on the train for an afternoon in the city.

We walked through the new City Creek Center - which was only mildly impressive to the kids (mostly they were disappointed that we weren't actually shopping for anything & Jessie was embarrassed to be seen with her family - you know, the typical stuff), ice cream in the food court (where Mike had to intervene when Grace and Tillman got into a fist fight in the play area), a brief scare when we lost Tillman for a few minutes, then a lovely walk through Temple Square, a quick historic tour to our first apartment below Memory Grove in the Avenues, and finally, dinner at the Lion House. 

Tillman was wearing his new Nalgene pack and went through about 2.5 liters of water, sucking on it constantly. Consequently, I think we visited every bathroom in the downtown area. After about the 4th bathroom run, we were really frustrated with him - to which he responded, "I thought you wanted me to drink more water? It's good for me." We told him there was a time and a place for THAT kind of water consumption ...like hiking in Death Valley or something.

That was a fun day. We had a fantastic time with the kids. We were laughing so hard at dinner I think we might have disturbed the other customers.  Sully BEAMED during the entire train ride up and back. Plus the weather was absolutely perfect.

An outstanding weekend.  

Sully's Super Powers

Sully is as boyish a boy as they get - aside from the fact that his current favorite color is pink. We're cool with that.

He's tough and gnarly and loves play fighting and super heroes.

Yesterday Sully was absorbed in a spirited game of super hero - with super heroes of various aptitude. He kept running around yelling HI-YAW!! (chop kicking super hero) and doing Darth Vader hands (you know - when he's doing the deadly Force choke) at people. I caught him in my arms and asked if I could play, and what my super power should be. I said, "Could I have powers to LOVE?"

(Pause while Sully thinks that one through.)
Sully says (with intensity), "OK, y-y-y-you (he stutters) have HEART powers, and I will have HOTDOG powers."

I have no idea what hotdog powers are, but whatever, doesn't matter - because my heart powers kicked in and I kissed him a hundred and fifty times before he wriggled away.

This reminded me that a month or so back he was drawing a picture - totally focused as he always is when he draws. Afterward he pushed it into my face and began to interpret for me:

"Robots are cool!
And them have POWERS!
And them have a beefy arm!"

ha ha ha ha ha.
I HEART 3 year olds (I never got into that trend of saying, "I heart" this and that, instead of "I love".  But in this case...it was appropriate.)

FYI, I have also never written or said LOL - thought you should know.  :)

Sully stops my heart

Sully - earlier today.

Today Sully r-u-n-n-o-f-t for the second time in his young life, nearly stopping my heart. I had gone to take Grace and a friend to tumbling, putting Jessie in charge, Sully was playing with a couple of neighbor girls outside. Apparently he decided he wanted to go with me & took off down the street after me.
Later when I got home Noble met me and explained that a distant neighbor had come to the door with Sully, after having retrieved him from a total stranger who stopped like a good Samaritan and picked him up as he made for the busy intersection at 10600th South (barefoot).

*groan* 

I had an emotional talk with him.
Thank you neighbor and thank you unknown lady who saved my child.
Thank you infinity.

This week

Lots of excitement around here this week.

Wednesday we all went to watch Grace perform with the after school show choir in "Seussical". It was a lot of fun. A few months ago when Grace decided she wanted to do it, I was a little surprised. She usually doesn't like to get up in front of people to perform - AT ALL. So when she asked...I had to go with it. Way to go, Grace!

Also Wednesday, the RS activities committee & I wrapped up another Relief Society Birthday Celebration. Jessie and Grace both came and helped with a white dress fashion show - Grace in her baptism dress and Jessie in my wedding dress. It made me swallow hard to see my daughter wearing my wedding dress. She fits in it better than I do now ... and that means... time is speeding away faster every day. I cried a little to myself.

Speaking of time speeding past, Abner has now graduated past the army crawl to all fours. (a little of his army crawl action a few weeks ago)

He is also doing a lot of standing these days (and sticking his tongue out).

We got some projects started on the house/yard yesterday. Busy bees.

Mitch-darling and I started work on the garden boxes.

Noble started digging a trench in the back yard for a new sprinkler line to the veg. garden.



 

(A googly-eyed) Jessie washed Mike's truck with Sully (taking particular care to wash the special dent).

The Space Donkey - while we worked he preferred to chill in the garage, listening to General Conference.

Today the rest of us got a chance to chill and listen to Conference.

Some of the little people tag-teamed Dad. (There's that tongue again.)

Happy days.

Goblin Valley calling

(I really apologize in advance for how long this post is and the number of pictures. But I'm telling you this was one of the best trips EVER.)

We've been wanting to get out of town for some solitude. Originally, I was trying to plan a trip later in the spring. But as we looked at the calendar we decided sooner was better - so we threw caution to the wind, pulled the kids out of school for the last couple of days of the quarter and ran as fast as we could to Goblin Valley. (Literally. Mike got a speeding ticket on the way there.)

When I looked at reservations I discovered that Goblin Valley has a couple of new yurts. We pounced on that. And we will definitely do that again. As Mike put it - "the best $60 hotel he's ever stayed in". Totally comfortable. The heater (more like a mini fireplace) was wonderful with the nights still chilly.

The weather was PERFECTION. 70 degrees. Sun. Unbeatable hiking weather.

Which was great,

because we went for a new record with the kids. The full 8-mile Bell / Little Wild Horse Canyon loop.

Not only was this the longest hike with the kids to date - but also the most technical. There were plenty of boulder falls, and cracks to scale. There was a lot of hoisting one another up or down the tricky parts, taking the baby packer off and passing it carefully, and keeping a tight grip on Sully. I admit I got a little nervous a few times. But I have to say that Mike and I were speechless watching our kids rise to the challenge. 5 1/2 hours of pretty difficult hiking/climbing & they not only managed the tough parts, but looked forward to them.

Noble was our unofficial route scout. He went ahead and found the easiest way around or through. Jessie was so helpful with the little boys, and made sure everyone made it. Grace and Tillman were an unstoppable team. I just couldn't believe how they got along and worked together. No one got discouraged by the length of the trail. Never bummed to find yet ANOTHER giant boulder or drop-off blocking the route. Other than some saddle soreness from riding on Mike's shoulders and trail fatigue, Sully was a trooper. And Abner! Holy smokes, that kid was amazing. He didn't fuss the entire time. He sat in his packer, making cute sounds, playing with my hair or sleeping. He finally started to cry a little about 200 yards from the car as we came off the trail.

I think this will live as one of those watershed family experiences when everyone felt bonded. Even if the next day the kids couldn't stand to breathe the same air in the car - we could always remember those 5 1/2 hours of blissful togetherness. 

Go family!

In the narrows...

We were totally beat after our epic trek. So to come back to a yurt instead of a tent that night was heaven.

Kickin' it in the Adirondack chairs at the yurt. 

The next day we spent among the hoodoos in the Valley of the Goblins - one of our favorite places in the world.

 

 

My brother, Casey, and his family happened to be coming to Goblin Valley with friends the day we were leaving. So we had lunch with them before heading home. About 10 miles up the road we came across one of Casey's old friends (Steve Wilson - my sibs will recognize the name) and his family broke down. Long story short: after a lot of back and forth, a quick visit to Hanksville and extending Noble's G - Valley vacation by a day - problem solved.

I'd go back tomorrow.

In the Trenches: Wearing Clothes Past their Expiration

For a lot of people there is a certain stage of life (the haggered parent approaching mid-life) when other things become more important than fashion. And suddenly you find yourself wearing stuff like this around.

(I caught Mike in this yesterday.)

 When time and money have their limits and priorities have changed, sometimes keeping on the crest of the fashion wave & shopping for clothes (for yourself) comes in about 3rd to last on your list.
And so... I find myself getting most of my stuff hand-me-down from my sister and others who don't undervalue shopping like I do. I have a few circa 2000 items cycling through my repetoire and a pair of shoes approaching 10 years in my closet. I still wear them. I even still like them. That's saying something.

The point is: personal style is one of those concessions you make. One of the luxuries you shed when the needs of others compete for scarce resources. Not all people put fashion so far down on the list - and that's ok. There are different sacrifices people make. But the next time you see a frumpy girl walking past - be gentle. It might be me. (ha ha ha)

I have thoughts

So - the postings have been sparse. Everyone needs a break. I have just been doing other stuff. Not depressed or in crisis or anything. (I think Noble tried to post something on his blog about 3 times and you may have received a bunch of updates - sorry about that.)

I finally got to watch Julie and Julia. For some reason I had an itch to see that movie. (thanks Beth for bringing it to me on my birthday) -

It was alright. But my favorite line -  "I could have a blog. I have thoughts."

That's hilarious.

Random items of inspiration lately:

* This cUUUUUUmfy memory foam bath mat I gave to Mitch-darling for Valentines day.

* "Dust to Glory" - one of those adventure documentaries that makes you excited about living and all it's possibilities.

*Our commitment to get out of debt in the next 2 years. Some hard, focused work ahead.

*Sully has been throwing down some great quotes of late. Like:

"Robots are cool. And them have POWERS. And them have a beefy arm."

* For FHE last night we pulled out the telescope to look at Venus and Jupiter at dusk. They were about 3 degrees apart in the western sky. Venus was at about 3/4 gibbous. We looked at Jupiter's moons and cloud bands. (As usual - I wanted to hang out forever looking through the telescope while everyone else took a quick look, said, "cool" - and moved on.) Then Mike finished up with this YouTube on the tube.

Amazing.

The Constitutional Returns

With 60+ degrees this weekend, we got an invite from my brother for the first Constitutional of the year.

The Shoreline trail is low and dry - but we still found plenty of snow. We didn't mind much - it was lovely jackets-off weather.

This posted warning put us at ease about our KIDS running up the trail. (Good thing we left the DOG at home.) 

Best cousins - I can't believe that Grace is 8 months the elder.

Welcome back Spring. Welcome back Constitutional.

37 None Too Soon

Lately I've been out to lunch on the blog. Sorry if you were missing it.

The big news this week is... I will turn 37 years old tomorrow! I am excited. I'm not totally sure why, but I have a good feeling about 37. I've been looking forward to it for all of year 36. Maybe that's crazy. I don't know that I will be so enthusiastic about 38 or... (gasp) 40.  But 37?             Bring it on.