A day in Zion

We took a day during Spring break to run up to Zion's. It was a warm day, but the water was cold, and the kids got wet, so the trip was cut short. I think the getting wet is what saved them from the slight sunburn that I ended up with.

Science Fair 2011-12 School Year

The kids said that the teachers said it was fine if they did the project together, but I still felt like each should have his/her own board to display, or J might not get credit! So here are the boards.

The project didn't go as planned, so no second place this year. I'm just glad it's over for another year and both kids have A's in science because they love it, not because mom can freeze water everyway but the right way.

T's:



J's:

Ah, The Power of a Book

...to entertain even those who have not been able to read it.
One of the teachers at Jordan's school has a book called "The Pumpkin Smasher." Jordan shared the story with me. Apparently they make a big to do about it in first grade.
I hope you enjoy the re-telling as much as I did, from my sick bed.

When in the West

I was trying to choose just the good pictures from our trip out west. I got it down to 99... lol.
So, here is our trip to Phoenix/Las Vegas/St. George/Grand Canyon/Wupatki/Sierra Vista/Bisbee.

This first slide show is some of the sights in Arizona including the Grand Canyon and its lookout tower, the forest by Jacob's Lake, the Vermilion Cliffs, a forest of Joshua trees, which was followed by a forest of Saguaro cactus, which was followed by a forest of blooming Yucca. I kept saying "Look kids!" and by the end of the trip I think they were starting to get why I think Arizona is so cool.

This next slide show has selected pictures from Wupatki National Monument and Sunset Crater. I have wanted to go there for years, and I am so glad I got the chance. The ruins are incredible, the volcano is beautiful, the lava flows are startling, and you get a peek at what this area once was thousands of years ago.

This next slide show is Bisbee. Some of these photos won't mean much to people outside my family, but it was a great experience to go back with my kids and make them climb the stairs climbed when I was not much older than they are. There is still something magical about that little arts and mining town full of secret passageways and twisting stairs.

I've saved the best for last. Here are the pictures of the kids, my beautiful and very pregnant sister, her husband, and I, and of my Daddy, whom I love oh so much.

Golf on the Gulf

We went down to Mississippi to visit our friends last month. They are moving to Japan in a few months with the military, so we wanted to get in one last hurrah before they go. (But of course begged them to come up and see us if they can. We are really going to miss them.)

On the 23rd we went to a Mini golf place. We got there before noon, so we got a discount on go-cart rides too. Going out with 11 people always causes confusion.

Little K-man (5) wasn't having focus issues like the rest of us though.

I had planned to sit out, but we needed another grown up to pair with the little ones so I didn't get all the pictures I wanted to get. The big girls got to go a second time though, so I got pictures of that.

K-girl (10, going on 11) had a little trouble.

I was really proud of how well Tali (10) drove.

Little-G (9), well I advised her mother to hold off on letting that one drive a car as long as she can. Over hearing that Little-G argued that she drove really well. Granted, she had no accidents, but wow that girl is fearless!

Then we did the Mini-golf, which was an exercise in taking turns. James took it all very seriously.

Jordi (7) was very helpful with A (4), but she managed to get some fun in too.

Tali wore the shirt and earrings we got for her at Cato. Grandma Long doesn't like it, but I think she looks terrific.

I almost made a hole in one, if it had rolled 4 more inches!

Joe apparently took this when I let him hold the camera because this hole was right under a mister.


After that we went to a pizza buffet everyone likes, some more than others.

Seeing if Little-G would get through all of that was the subject of much interest.

She didn't eat the rice, which was a little too Cajun, even for her spicy tastes, but polished off the rest.

Sigh, I miss them all so much already.

Easter eggs, a week late

Tali didn't get back from her trip with Daddy until late on Easter, so we dyed eggs today. It took the better part of the day. We used wax sticks to resist the paint.

Here are the kids with thier creations.







James only did one egg because he was tired of waiting for the dye. He regretted the choice later, when all the eggs were gone, but was consoled when his sisters "let" him blow thier eggs for them after Mommy made the holes with the dremmel.

Second Place

Talitha's project won second place in her grade.

I shall now spend the next week wondering how bad of a parent I am for doing so much of it for her and if some poor kid who's mom isn't a perfectionist brainiac would have rated better if she'd had to do it all on her own. Sigh.

It's not that I'm not proud of her. I'm proud of the way she keeps thinking of different things for next year. I'm proud that she's finally getting the idea what the process is. I'm proud that she has healthy scientific curiosity.

Hopefully next year she will be able to do the lion share and I'll just be the assistant with the computer and the wallet who won't have to feel guilty at all.