Hotter than blue blazes!

It is hotter than blue blazes here! I can't remember this hot of a summer since Sam and I got married. All of us are hiding out inside trying to avoid the heat.

As usual it is hectic here. We are in the process of trying to landscape our back yard. I am proud to say after 7 years, I finally have a sidewalk. A real, concrete, goes all the way to the back porch SIDEWALK!!! [Do you think I am deprived?] Long have I waited to get a real sidewalk. To those who visit our home, a path to follow. To those who play at our home a real place to ride a bike! To me, yup me...the faint-hearted...less dirt...yay! I can hardly believe it. We poured the concrete on Thursday. It was very hot, very hard, filthy work. I promise to post pictures soon. Along these lines we have been trying to landscape as well. The rock wall in the front is finally finished! It is beautiful. I really love it. We have started the wall in the back and hope to have it completed soon. I will even have a meditation garden where I can do yoga outside with a totally cool rock water fall. Hee hee. I am almost giddy just thinking about it. I have been planting trees like a wild woman. Flowers will come a bit later. And in between all that...

We are getting ready for school. Dr. and dentist appointments out the wazoo! School shopping for shoes and jeans...did I mention this will be the first year that they will be in all day school? Ellie is officially a 1st grader. Kinda freaky! I just ordered bento lunch boxes for the three of them. I have to find a way to feed them food worth eating. School lunch used to be so good. What happened? I am really excited to get back into a 'routine'...if that is what you can call it. LOL!!!

So, back into the heat of life I go.

Spring Break 2007

Spring Break 2007

We went to Zions National Park for spring break this year. It is a beautiful park just a few hours drive from our home. Although the weather turned quite unseasonably cold while we were there, it must have been a hit, because the kids are still asking to go back!

The Pa'rus Trail
We started on the easiest trails which followed the river. They were flat, paved and easy to navigate! And with three kids in tow that is a must. I wanted them to get a feel for following directions and understanding that there is a beginning and end to ALL the trails. This trail head starts right by the visitors center, passes thru some camp areas then winds its way up river for about 2 miles. It has plenty of access to the river which the kids loved.

This is along the Pa'rus trail. There is a squirrel sitting in the hole in the tree. I am surprised it stayed there so still. The girls were squealing in utter joy!!! They had watched it run along the path and climb up in there. The wonder of nature through a child's eye is a marvelous thing indeed. It was a super cute little squirrel!


This is the kids along the trail. Taking a break among the beautiful vistas that surrounded us. It was really amazing to have them pointing things out and the "ooo" and "ahhh" moments. I suppose for me it is a wonderful opportunity to help them see that the world is full of majesty and grandeur, when we take the time to look.



This is the Virgin river. It cuts through the canyon and is what carved the spectacular cliffs. The power of a little water!!

These are Katie's rocks. She loved them soooo much. You have to understand that she collects rocks everywhere we go. She likes rough rocks and smooth stones. All colors, shapes, textures...just rocks to us, and treasure to her. We had a nice long talk about why we have to leave things behind sometimes. She picked a nice home for her rocks, [on top of more rocks] and left them by the river for someone else to enjoy. The ironic thing about the whole deal was, the last day we were there we walked the trail one last time. And Katie found her rocks! They were right where she had left them. So all over again she got to hold and play with her rocks! Lesson learned. If we all took one thing from special places, eventually there would be nothing left. When we leave them there, we can enjoy them again and again!

Riley throwing the largest rocks he can find into the water. He really makes me smile. And again, another picture I have not figured out how to rotate. Enjoy!
And one final picture to tease you about day 2 . Here is Miss Ellie perched on some rocks. She doesn't hike, she runs. Look for a new post soon to follow all about these stairs, and trying to keep up.