Family Visit, part 1

Kids practicing using their backpacks.

Bike ride around Lake Willastein

I took the kids to The Wonder Place.  I was really hesitant to go again, as the first time I went I did not have a positive experience.  However, we had a really fun time.  Kids really enjoyed it.

 

 

I upgraded my phone.  Kate and Max were super patient while I transferred all my data over.

We went to the Little Rock Zoo and the gator climbed right out of his swampish area to come and see Max and Kate.

My Dad, Mom, and sister Tiffany came to see us this past week.  We had a fantastic time with them here.  We decided to go to Hot Springs (where we avoided the rain), and we were able to see the Tulip Fest.

Tiffany and Max.

I love this candid moment.  Max kept pulling Tiny in closer and closer.

Kate and Tiffany.  She was wanting to see the picture, rather than pose for it.

It was so very scenic.  I was reminded of Anne of Green Gables.  I wanted to give everything a name to fit its beauty.

 

The tulips really were amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

As were the daffodils.

 

March

One of our trees bloomed really early, and it was BEAUTIFUL!  I loved looking out my kitchen window and seeing this:

I had a small gathering to celebrate Lacey's upcoming birth.  Rachel and Joey came with their new bundle of joy, Beckham.

Gary was so sweet with Ansley.  He is showing her how to spin a "helicopter" toy.

The weather was perfect, and the kids played together so well while the adults visited.

We had a BBQ.  Kate and Max enjoyed the selection. Kate is still super flexible, as you can see in this picture.

Holly made some darling things for Lacey.  I am jealous, are you?

I pulled out the playdough this month.  Max has finally figure out how to roll out the dough flat enough to use cookie cutters.  Here he is with an apple.

Kate has been developing her fine motor skills.  She made this smiley face all by herself!

I mixed up some cornstarch sidewalk paint. Max and Kate both really enjoyed choosing what color they could have, and then painting with it.




There is not wrong way to eat an... Oreo!

 

We are going to start camping and backpacking this spring.  We got the kids little camelbak backpacks.  They have loved practicing hiking and walking with them on.

Kate, of course, chose pink.  Max chose blue.

I made Oreo bon-bons for a friend's wedding open house.  I must say, I probably love these a little too much!

Lacey's mom, Asher, and Jackson in the hospital.  I was glad I could visit them while Lacey was still in the hospital.

I was able to get the garden up and running.  I tore out all the weed paper, turned the soil with a shovel, replaced the weed paper, repinned the drip lines, and then planted cool weather crops.

I need to take an updated picture.  This shows the weed paper on, but I have since planted lettuce, spinach, garlic, and peas.  Carrots and onions are shown.

I started tomatoes and bell peppers inside, and then I left this starter tray outside overnight (on a cold night) and I killed them all.  Argh!  Going to have to buy ones that are already started.

 

Memphis

I really love to run, so one warm afternoon (Rob was actually home) I went outside and did a hills workout.  The kids were really sad they couldn't go with me, as they both love to exercise too.  When I got home, I decided to loop around the neighborhood (.4 miles) a couple of times with them.  They ran the entire time and were so proud of themselves.

Before leaving to Memphis, we were able to get our carpets cleaned.  They were SO bad!  We moved almost all the furniture out of the rooms so they could be cleaned thoroughly.  Max and Kate were very curious about the machines, and what the carpet workers were doing.

I love my backyard.  It is flat.  It is fenced in.  AND I can see the kids from the kitchen windows.  I happened to look out one afternoon and saw Max pushing Kate on the teeter-totter.  They were both laughing and having a great time.  I am so glad they are good little friends.  This picture just makes me feel happy.

We were able to go to Memphis in February.  We left on a Friday morning and went straight to Costco.  We miss Costco!  It may sound silly, but it is true.  Some say that Sam's Club is the same thing, but they are very very WRONG.  Night and day difference in attitudes, quality, and overall atmosphere.  After Costco, we went over to Dick's Sporting Goods and shopped around for a few minutes.  We then tried to go and check into the hotel, only to find that Rob had booked it for the previous Sunday!  After a few phone calls, we were able to rectify the situation and head over.  We stayed in a Marriott, and there was an indoor pool.  We went to the pool for an hour before meeting up with our friends, Sam and Lacey (Riley and Asher).

My camera was focused on the line of the comforter, and for some reason Riley isn't in the picture!?

We all changed clothes, picked up a pizza, and went over to the temple.  The kids stayed with a sitter that our friends from Memphis recommended, while the adults went to the temple.  It was really wonderful to go to the temple.  We do not get there frequently enough.  Max and Kate were both really tired.  I kept saying we just needed to get "home" to go to bed, and Kate would cry and cry because she wanted to go to the hotel (which is what I meant)!

Saturday morning, we were up bright and early.  We started off with breakfast at the hotel, and then into the pool.  It was a lot of fun swimming.  I have fond memories of going on vacation and swimming.  It was key to a proper vacation in my family.  We were able to coax the kids out of the pool with the promise that we were going to a "new" zoo!  We have been to the Little Rock Zoo more times than I care to admit, and so the animals are not nearly as exciting as they once were.  The Memphis Zoo was amazing!  We met up with one of Rob's old mission companions, Josh, and his family (Alicia, Josh, Emmett, Melynn, and Tucker).  We had a great group and a full day to wander around the zoo.  The only downside is how cold it was. 

Petting something in the herpatarium.  I cannot recall what animal it is.

 

Posing at the farm.

The bears were a highlight for me.  They were trying to catch fish in the water, but the fish were much quicker than the bears.  We stayed and watched them for about 30 minutes.  It was really fun to cheer them on.

 

The baby giraffe looked like a stuffed animal.  It was neat to see how "tiny" they are when newborn.

Max made a new friend.

Sea Lion show.  Glad we were able to sit down and watch it.

 

The last thing we saw at the zoo were the tigers.  According to Max and Kate, the tigers "lost their colors!"  They were so puzzled as to why there was a white tiger...

...a light orange/tan tiger...

...and an orange and black tiger.  They thought it was a wonder that some tigers can "lose their colors" while others keep theirs.

 

 After leaving the zoo, we stopped at a BBQ place before heading home.  Everyone had a great time.  Kids were exhausted by the end of the trip, and fell asleep within 15 minutes of leaving.  We worried that once we got home (around 7:30), that they would want to wake up and play.  However, our worries were unfounded as they woke up only to tell us they were still so tired and wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep.  We gladly granted their request.  We hope to get back to Memphis again soon.