Easter and STUFF

My Kiddos. All of them in one house at one time. Temecula, Easter Weekend, April 2009
And the whole Gang.



Fun Stuff--Like DISNEYLAND! YAY! Can you say super fun month? We made three trips to California (well, I did) in less than one month's time, I believe. A very short time, anyway. The last one was posted previously, when it was just a short trip, Mike went Roller Coastering with his brother and nephew. Then we went there, the WHOLE GANG of us for Easter with Damian and Tandy and Family. And they had 16 people all under one roof, and all in beds and comfortable and well-fed. Easter Egg hunts, pool time, Just a really great time. Mike, Eric and I went down on Wednesday before Easter and watched kids that evening while Damian and Tandy went to the temple. Thursday, we had more family there. ALL of my family was there under one roof. It was wonderful. (Add Tandy's mom, Pam, and that's why there were 16 instead of 15). Tandy had to really work hard to orchestrate all those meals. We had cool weather on Saturday, but had a nice inside/outside meal and egg hunt. Katie and Casey and Hayden headed back home after that evening. The rest of us stayed until Sunday. Mike and Nick went home Sunday at noon, as they both had work/school on Monday. Gail, Seth, Caroline and I headed back on Monday. We stopped on the way home to Cedar City in Highland, CA to visit my cousin Janey very briefly. I just went in for a short visit. She's been failing fast, so I'm glad I took the time to do that. We were able to have a conversation, and it was nice to see her. (See Cousin Suz's blog for more information on cousin Janey, and past All Girl's Weekend Photos--she's always been there!)

Time enough to kind of just start to get caught up at work, make an attempt to have book group (failed), then I headed out of town again! April 22, 23, 24 was our annual Utah Library Association conference in SLC. I went up Wednesday and stayed all three days. Experienced "Gilgal Garden," in SLC. That was new and interesting. I didn't take a camera. I had partial responsibility for one of the presentations. That was new (no pictures. ha). We have some folks signed up for the Certificate program I've been helping to re-vamp and resurrect. That's been interesting (and very time consuming). And I went all ga-ga over "local Cedar City Girl became famous" and got to visit with Allyson Braithwaite Condie. How was I supposed to know she is now a published author of YA Mormon fiction? I know her family and she went to school with my kids, ran cross country. So I splurged and bought all three of her Deseret Book published items, she signed them. and they were read within a few days. Fun reads. New genre for me. Cute stuff. You know they are good when I can stay up to read until 2:00 a.m. Unlike scriptures when I might last until about, oh... 10:35 p.m. MAX! ha. (So much for MY spirituality!)

Drove home from SLC (Thanks to Mike's sister, Gayela, for allowing me to stay at her house those two nights!) and I had time to un-pack my business professional clothes from the conference and RE-PACK for yet another weekend of family fun. The other grandma was leaving early on Saturday morning for So. Cal. I mean really early. So I just went to Kanarraville and had a sleep over with Pam at her house so we could get an early start. I did get to visit with Mike for about 15 minutes before leaving. And Pam and I made good time, no traffic to speak of. We got to Temecula and she took off for Camp Pendleton with those guys and I had time to catch a little nap, a shower, and then left with my cousin Suz for the Spring Fling in Yucaipa at Ken and Geri's house. I'd never been there before, so it was really nice of Kirk and Suz to take me along. It was a surprise, and fun to surprise Aunt Maureen and others. What a fun visit. Some cousins took the opportunity to drive over to Janey's house. She's doing more poorly than she was 2 weeks ago when I was there--nearly comatose and not much response. Geri and Ken are wonderful hosts and we had such a fun time visiting and playing. I played UNO with some very competitive folks! ha. And badminton where a volley of four hits is a SMASH and highlight-Thanks Justin and Jill and Gina! They were good sports to let the old lady play.

When I get the ceramic poodle out and give it shower, a new bow, I'll take a picture and post it for any interested cousins. And Tandy, Kate and Gail, would you/could you take a picture of that framed Great Grandma Sorensen music you got for Christmas? And what I put on the back? I'll try to post other pictures, too. Don't know what I can find on the computer right now. Eric downloaded for me, and I always struggle with the picture part of posts.

That was just Saturday! Sunday was Church. That was nice. Pretty soon they won't think of us as visitors any more. But MONDAY---Lexi's 6th birthday!! YAY Disneyland Day. But not until after Kindergarten, treats to share, a dead battery in the van and a MASSIVE traffic jam on the 91. Youch. That was the worst--especially when you are 6, it's your birthday and you have to go potty! But she made it. We all did. Grandmas have found that we are lacking the young mother "baby hauling" muscles. Pam and I were both so stiff and sore after all those long lines and entertaining little ones. Lexi proclaimed it the "Best Birthday EVER!" Sweetie pie! We really did have a great time.

And Tuesday was the drive home with Pam. Another un-eventful drive through the deserts and we just LOVE that! Home at a decent hour and time to face the real world again. I need a vacation to recuperate from my vacation!
Whew!
Easter Weekend. Seth trying on Damian's body armor. Just PART of it, mind you. There's way more stuff he has to carry around.

And here's Nick with more.


Why do you suppose Eric is offering candy to the children? We don't know, but Nick thought it looked sufficiently creepy to take of picture. Strange children.


Avery Sumida (Cousin Suz's gal), Caroline, Lexi. They ALL THREE have a snaggle-tooth on their upper teeth! Danglers, all.



Mike and Hayden. Easter Weekend, 2009

One day we went to Professor Penny Pickle's Children's museum. Here's Braeden in the hot air balloon. This was a REALLY fun place for kids of all ages.


Caroline, Gail and I are inside a KALEIDISCOPE!

Saturday morning, dancing to Disney music in our Jammies! Fun!



Uncle Seth has a captive audience while reading to all the kids.


Busy Easter Cookie Decorators





Or eaters?????



Saturday afternoon egg hunt. Katie and Hayden

Ella

Olivia and Jillian Gardner, Mike's grand-nieces. Archi and Ellen (Gayela's son) lived nearby until this past week. They have since moved back east. They were here for the dinner and egg hunt.


I've never seen a baby keep his sunglasses on, but Hayden does!

The egg hunt was EXHAUSTING! At least, it seemed that way to Nick and Casey, so they needed a rest. Or are they actually cuddling there on the family room floor? You be the judge!! ha!

Hayden's favorite thing? The empty eggs! He played with those for 45 minutes!

Yes, we had to line up, in the garage, in order, to get our food. But it really worked out well. And it was well worth it! See next picture.


The loverly spread on Saturday afternoon for the family feast.


Braeden with Chalk, Seth on a trike.


Some silly backyard fun. We drained the water heater with the hose to fill the wading pool, and NObody expected Damian to jump in--But he did!


And, last but not least, Happy Birthday to the two Tax Day babies, Seth and Katie. Blowing out candles on their birthday brownies. (Their birthdays are on April 15, four years apart.)


Hope you enjoyed the show. Those are just a few of the pictures that I took at Easter. Gail and Tandy have even more that I've not even looked at yet! I guess Disneyland will come later--something to look forward to. It may take me another month or so to get to it--this took over an hour to do...ugh! I hate doing photos on these blog sites, but it's just not as fun without pictures.

Spring Flowers (?)

Ah, it's always fun in the spring time in Cedar City! Flowers abound. Of course, some of them start out looking like some sort of alien growth in my yard. Yikes!



That's really the beginnings of rhubarb in the back yard. Those same few plants you gave me oh-so-many-years-ago, Robert. They just keep coming back. They don't spread or get obnoxious at all, just the same three plants. It freezes well (harvested Rhubarb). I made cobbler from last years' crop just yesterday and we enjoyed it for our Sunday dinner dessert.


And I happened to notice this when I went out to get the paper one very frosty morning. Cute little yellow things. It's the only one that survived from last year. It gives one hope, doesn't it?




Here are some fun shots of kids flying kites in Sunny Southern California. Alexa and cousin Olivia had it down--they were flying and driving at the same time. It is so much fun in their cul-de-sac. And that's just OUR crew--no neighbors. This was Sunday afternoon, the 22nd of March.






A little out of order, but this was the major reason for Mike taking us all to California--to meet up with his brother, Jack, and nephew, Cory. We all met and had dinner together on Saturday night. Jack is at the far end of the table, Cory at the front right.


Then, after we came home from California, Tandy and Kids came, too! Damian is still at a training camp in the desert for another week or two, and since it was spring break for Alexa, they wanted to come to Cedar City and spend time HERE. Well, here and Kanarraville. So they did. I rode with Tandy home to So Utah on Sunday night and we dropped into bed at 3 a.m. YAWN! And then her poor kids ended up being sick most of the week they were here! Poor kids. Poor MOMMY! It was vomiting and diarrhea. But, BEFORE they got sick, Gail and Caroline came from Richfield on Monday and they played and played and played and played! Then they played some more. Here is one rather funny thing they found to do on an evening at Grandma Linda's house. What a patient Grandpa, Uncle Eric and Mommy/Aunt Tandy they have!

The Yurt

The day was so sunny,
The day was so cold.
The day, just last [Presidents' Day] Weekend
This tale did unfold.

We drove up the canyon
On the steep, snowy road
To Cedar Breaks Monument vista,
And from the car we did unload.

We strapped on our snowshoes
Amidst the dazzling, white fluff,
And commenced our short journey
That would make our thighs buff.

We crunched under blue skies
With our flat, holey shoes,
And searched for the Yurt
To rest, and maybe snooze.

The landscape, like diamonds,
More beautiful than a rose
Made our eyes squinty
And we looked like Eskimos.

As the time ticked on by,
My sartorii screaming,
I glimpsed a lovely sight--
A tent chimney steaming!

The ranger at the Yurt
Opened the door in greeting,
Pointed to the stove
Where hot cocoa was steaming.

***************

Thanks to Eric for that much of the poem, Seussical-style. We ran out of steam, so that's all there is. Feel free to contribute your own lines ;-).
Hope you enjoy the photos! We enjoyed our trip. The Yurt is the Winter Ranger Station at Cedar Breaks National Monument. http://www.nps.gov/cebr/yurt.htm
It was my first trek in there for me, but I don't think it will be my last. It was fun. Robert, Sarah and Amanda came with me, so it was just the four of us. And I LOVE icicles on snowy trees! I took way more pictures than what are posted.

Night Snowshoeing

This is the third time in my life that I have gone snowshoeing in the moonlight. The first time was with Katie. Do you recognize the cabin behind us? It's the SUU sheepherder's cabin! That's where Eric and I went on Monday night. I won a free trip with the SUU Outdoor Recreation Center at a party, for me and a guest. I chose Eric. Mike doesn't like cold stuff and he still had achey knees from the two days of the "World of Concrete" Expo in Las Vegas last week (does that sound exciting, or WHAT?!)

There's a picture of the group of us,
one of me kneeling by a tree. Really, the one behind it was much cuter, but once I tipped over, I really couldn't move. I was already the last one getting back to the cars, so we were in a hurry.
It'd be nice to know how to adjust the aperture and lens settings on our camera to take a beautiful picture of the moonlight glistening on the freshly fallen snow that night, but I couldn't even see the knobs on my camera, much less figure out what to do with them. I was lucky to get the shots I did just to prove we were there.
The other pictures are of Eric Making a snow angle. The snow just POOFED up when the kids fell down into it. I missed that on film ,too. Honestly, shooting in the semi-dark is HARD!

But, really and truly, the moon was so bright, we didn't even need the head lamps we all had. Earlier that day, we'd had some very serious snow showers--white-out conditions, actually, for some of the periods. It was intense. I was so disappointed. But by evening, the clouds all cleared away and we had perfect conditions for our outing. Except the road up the canyon was a wee bit icy, and that's why we ended up where we did instead of up at the top in a place called "Chrystal Canyon." THAT one opens out on the very top of the mountains and you can see forever. Next time.
There's a nice scene of snow on the fence by a tree. The snow was much deeper up higher and further out of the trees. There's a group shot, but I have no names. Just Eric on the front right. The picture with me in the group shot is on someone else's camera, but since it was dark and I didn't know any of the kids, who knows? Maybe they'll post some on the SUU outdoors page. I'll send them MY group shot just for kicks. So enjoy figuring out what the pictures are!

Things that go bump in the night

We have this new furnace that works WONDerfully! However, there is something different about it that has caused Gail's imagination to run wild. It seems the chambers in this new furnace are a bit larger than the previous one, so the pressure and the heat expansion causes the walls to "Thunk". We mostly hear the metallic "Thud" when the furnace turns OFF. It's just the metal chamber wall bending back into place when the heat and pressure are off. So this is how Gail's mind works:
When the furnace is running and blowing, there is a lot of air pressure going through there. Then the air pressure goes off. Next, she hears a "Thud." In her mind's eye, she is picturing some small, trapped rodent or a squirrel or something, kept suspended and spinning in the air while the air is blowing, but as soon as the air shuts off-- THUNK! "There goes that small animal again!" What an imagination. Silly girl. So of course, now we ALL think about it each time the furnace goes off. Sometime soon I believe Mike will get down there and screw a supporting metal strip across that wall in the chamber to keep it from thunking with the expansion and contraction. It thunks when it first heats up, too. We just don't hear it because of the noise of the fan. Someday. In the mean time, we just cringe a little, wondering if there really IS some small, trapped creature living in our duct work! ???!!! [not really, but it makes for a fun story] ;-)