Rodeo Days

I heard there were a lot of cowboys in town for Rodeo Days.  We did not partake in the festivities.  However, we did take advantage of our days off of school.  Yes, we get 2 days off for Rodeo Days each year.  Maybe next year we'll go to the parade or a rodeo, this year, we went hiking!

Did that surprise you?

Well we did.

And we took friends who had not been hiking locally yet.

Sharp looking group of kids there.

 Often any hand will do, but if it can be of someone special, the more readily it is taken

 Where are you going girls?

Easy does it.

Glad you made it back ladies.

It was again a successful hike and all had fun.  Remember to stop for snacks, water, and check out all that surrounds you.  We found various animal tracks and scat, interesting sticks and rocks, and all of us got too close to a cactus at some point.

We had a full load, even if one turned his head as I snapped the picture.  Our friends fell asleep on the way home, always a welcomed signed from mommas!

BREAKING WEATHER NEWS

Today, on Feb. 27, 2011, the children played in snow!

 Making tracks

 The kids saw this and said, "OH NO! We're snowed in!"  If only we actually got a snowed in snow day!

She's got a snow ball, she's ready!

It was really rather warm and nice out when we woke to the snow.  A high today in the 50s, Monday the 60s and by Tuesday back to our normal sunny 70s. 

Sweetness got. . . .

Big things seem to be happening around here, one event happened at the beginning of February.  To you and me it may not be that big of an event, but for a certain little girl it was HUGE!  In honor of her turning four she got her own library card!

 I did not say, pose for your mug shot.

When Mr Wade asked if she could sign her own name, without hesitation she proclaimed YES!  I was skeptical, she knows how to write all her letters and knows all the letters for her name, but until this moment she had never shown interest in actually writing out her name, in full, straight across.  She would write all the letters in random order around the page.  But we handed her the pen and she did it!  I guess she just needed motivation.

Once she was done, she turned to me with a big grin and said, "I put a 2 for the R".  It was intentional on her part.  It did get crowded at the end, but she squeezed each letter in.

The library actually allows kids of all ages to have their own card.  Sweetness is the only one of our kids who has their own card.  Since we use the library bus, it has limited selection of books.  So I am always adding books, CDs, movies and such on our reserve list.  Each library card can only have 15 items reserved at a time. Now I can reserve 30 items at a time.  Then the first Thursday of the month, we meet the library bus near our home, pick up what we have reserved that is available, maybe pick out an extra book or two, and turn in our books from last month.  Being able to have the books for a month is wonderful!

The Men

Check out my men.

Washing the cars.  Should I suspect they are buttering me up for something?  They did a nice job.  Maybe next time I can sneak the vacuum out for them to accidentally use on the insides.

Spinning

We have dubbed this year, the year of the revolving door.

Except life is rarely this shiney and if it was actually installed at our house the windows would not be clear, due to finger and nose prints. Because that is how we roll around here.

January was filled with love from Grandparents visiting and Chris visited in February.  It is always hard and sad to say good bye, but we know we can't say hello with a big old bear hug without the good bye.

Eric's time not deployed this year is filled with training that is away from home.  Three weeks in Las Vegas doing a grown up version of laser tag in the sky.  While fun, it is crazy hours and LLOOOOONNNNGGG nights.

He has also been selected to go to Aircraft Commander (AC) upgrade this year.  This is a huge honor for him to have been selected at this point.  His squadron only gets 2 slots this year and Eric was selected above a few others who have been flying this plane longer.  While they wanted to send him to the July slot, they needed him more on a deployment during that time and it looks like this fall he will leave for AC schooling.  Once that schooling is done, he'll be up for another turn at deployment.

Since he will be gone over two thirds of this year, we have decided to join him on one of his training trips to Washington.  He and I have a wedding to attend in Seattle the following Saturday of training so it works out well.  It also happens to be during our two week spring break, God really does line things up when we step back and allow it.

I am curious to see just what his number of days not gone will be. I think my prayer is that the one chunk of time we believe he will be home is not filled with a tail swap (rotating out a plane from here to over there with one that needs to be brought home and the sand cleaned out).  I will be taking lots of pictures of events and activities going on around here and doing my best to keep this place updated...it is the easiest way to share pictures and keep him updated as well.  And I will keep to my habit of not giving out lots of specific dates as to when Eric is home or if he is gone, if you want to know that, you'll have to contact me personally.

Now, I'm going to go watch the kiddos play on their sit and spin and think how ironic it is.

Enjoy some sunshine

Many of you got hit with ice and snow again this week after a teaser that spring was in the air.  While we had clouds this weekend, we still have sunshine and thought I'd share a bit with you.  A gift on Monday.

 Where could her thoughts be?

 Learning how to slide down the fire pole.

 Anything you can do . . . 

No he really can't climb this wall but gives 100% when he tries over and over and over.

He actually loves the monkey bars, despite his face in this picture

We are busy playing and enjoying the sunshine and all that surrounds us.  On tap for later this week, more hiking!

Friday Fun

Here is a quick picture from my cell phone, so not the best quality, plus it's an action shot.  Have a fabulously fun Friday!

Chris got a work or two while here, that's for sure!

The Magnificent Saguaro

One thing in Arizona that you can not get anywhere else is the iconic, magnificent Saguaro.

It appears that they may go on forever.

Laying on the ground is the only way to get to a full grown Saguaro into a picture

Sometimes you have to turn the camera to get the full height.

From tall ones, to thick ones.

And anyone who visits, must have the picture taken

And it's a good time for us locals to take more pictures.

Just my size

There is no other cactus like the Saguaro.

Who is Chris?

Chris came and visited us for a week and what a fun, adventurous week it was!  He and Eric went to Tombstone, did serious hiking, and sight seeing around the area.  On Thursday, we all got to go hiking again.  We all became friends at college.  Note the guys are both wearing University of Northern Iowa shirts.

 On our hike, I couldn't resist this picture, melt my heart.

 I love catching these moments!

Chris is CJ's Godfather.  It was great to see them spend some time together.

Sweetness claimed a hold on him as well.

 As we waited for the group to catch up, she wiggled her way between Chris and his fancy camera.  Chris held the camera to ensure it didn't drop, but she got some great shots.  He didn't mind and had great patience with all the kids, all week. ~ Thank you.

I couldn't get a good shot of the 3 to 1 wrestling matches that happened, or the many games of ding dong.  I should have taken pictures of him cutting out the family of monkeys that CJ made --only 12 or 15 of them.  I am sure he is enjoying being home in is his quiet house in his own bed.  However, I know that not only did he enjoy his time here, he will miss having so much activity and noise at times too.  The kids loved having him around, and Eric and I enjoyed catching up with our dear friend.  Now Chris, don't be a stranger!  Come on back anytime!

Oh my oh my

Can it be so?  Can she really be four?

 A new baby, and a big one!  She promptly named him Teekah...but has since call the baby a he and a she and various names.  It will be fun to see what sticks!

 Friends, balloons, apple cake and ice cream cake. All she could every desire.

 Eating on the patio, in short sleeves in February.

Everyone enjoying the treat.

Happy Birthday Sweetness!

She is almost to the 2 week point of not taking her asthma medicine, and knock on wood, she has had no cough, wheezing, shortness of breath or any other concerning symptom show up, We pray that she is done with that.  This morning getting ready for church, while I was brushing her hair she informed me she no longer "twists her hair" because she is four now.  That would be wonderful, she could grow her hair out if she wanted if that is truly the case.