Fun Run

On Saturday our school had a 5K/1Mile run. It was good fun, and a GREAT fundraiser (if you need any ideas PTA moms this a a very good one. We raised bank.) The kids and Rob ran the 1 mile and Todd, Courtney and I ran the 5K. Clara particularly enjoyed the free pancakes. She downed quite a few, shivering the entire time. This was my first official 5K but definitely not my last. I was pleased with my results. (Okay I shouldn't gloat, but want to: 1st in age group, 3rd woman, 17th overall. Not bad for a first race, right?) The kids all did well too. Next 5K will be the Freedom Run in Provo on the 4th of July.

First BBQ/Swim of the Year

For awhile we had a streak of great weather.  Of course it didn't last.  But on one of those days my nephew Max called and invited us to come swim and bbq.  It was a great idea.  It was especially fun because Grandmother, Maren and Gavin and co. were in town for Katy's graduation.  It was a nice teaser for summer.

Poetree

Lucy's class had the optional assignment of memorizing 13 poems through the school year.  They were fun and some were quite long.  One of my favorites was The Adventures of Isabel by Ogden Nash.  Lucy was one of six that memorized all thirteen.  When they memorized a poem they got an apple with the title of the poem to put on the tree that decorated the wall.  When they memorized facts about the author they got leaves.  Last week they had a recitation and Lucy got a prize for her hard work.  It was a lot of fun.

Proud of 'Em

Tucker got the part he wanted in his class play:  Paul Revere.

Lucy keeps acing her tests.  32 out of 29 on her River's of the World Test.  

Anders can read.  Really read.  He is plowing through the Magic Treehouse and Boxcar Children Books.

It Was The Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times: Life with a 2 Year Old

Life with a 2 year old is manic. Somehow, a 2 year old can bring out the very worst in a person. I have some dark guilty memories of losing it with these little insane people. They can be so cute and then the next second they transform into a horrid awful monster. Like when you are hurrying out the door and you have finally managed to dress them and you turn your back for one second and the suitable outfit you have picked out (warm enough for winter, etc.) has been stripped off and a black velvet "bootiful" jumper has replaced it. ARGH!

And the tantrums. They are hysterical. Like when the Barbie's dress isn't put on exactly the way Clara envisioned (I still don't quite know how exactly she wants the dresses put on. I'm not aware of multiple options for dressing Barbie). Or when 3 rubber outfits won't fit on Polly Pocket at the same time. It can be so infuriating I guess. And how about how my 2 year old can become so obsessed with, say shoes and clothes? Particularly dresses. She dresses every day in her church dresses. Not play dresses. She wants the "pretty dresses". Going to church is like we are going to a ball. Everyone is getting dressed up. I get many compliments from Clara when I wear a dress. "I like your dress." "You's dress is beautiful, Mom." The most important reason to dress up is so she can dance. Dress=dancing in Clara's world. What is going on in her little head?

Due to busy carpool schedules Clara doesn't nap. This is bad. I have always been hyper protective of naptime, but mostly it just doesn't fit in our busy schedule. She takes cat naps in the car, but it isn't enough. Anyway, Clara, by evening painfully proves she needs a real nap. Like last night while I was attempting to make dinner, she screamed and cried at my feet, snot and tears making the marker she'd colored all over her face smear all over my clothes and anything she came in contact with. Finally she crawled in between the chair and the ottoman, curled up in a ball, and fell asleep. Of course when she woke up she was even more of a monster.

Two year olds are seriously the most mentally unbalanced group of people I've ever met. So funny and trying, yet at the same time, this is a bittersweet time. This is the last time I will experience 2 year old insanity (knock on wood). I will attempt to treasure it and hopefully, for the first and last time in my parenting career, try to be patient.

watching youtube clips of Snow White:

Enjoying a snack of chocolate chips in her 

bootiful dress:

 

Spring Break Day 3: Emerald Pools (the rainy version)

Our last day in Zion was stormy and beautiful. The mist on the mountains was very dramatic and when the sun came out the wet cliffs shimmered. It was so beautiful. Our first hike this day was to the Emerald Pools. We started to get rained on hard by the time we got to the upper pools. The path was muddy, but that just added to the fun. We were chilly and soaked, but we survived. Rob got the fun task of carrying a sleeping Clara most of the hike. When Clara woke up we discovered that she had been holding onto a fistful of m&m's. She thought they were delicious when she got around to eating them. Ick.

Lower Pool

Middle Pool (this is where the water in the above picture comes from)

Upper pool

An ancient pinion

Spring Break Day 3: Canyon Overlook

We have never done this hike and I highly recommend it. The trail is fun and the end view is very dramatic. So dramatic it will make you fear for your childrens life as they scramble on the slickrock near sheer dropoffs. This trail runs above a canyon where Rob, Todd, and Steve went canyoneering a few years ago. I want to do it, although I'm not a natural born adventurer. However, it looks fun. I loved this little hike.

(the slot canyon)

I believe our hike ended at the low point just to the right of the arch.  Quite a drop off! I'm just pleased no one tripped and stumbled.

Now, That Was A Bit of Fun, Wasn't It?

I heard of Lost In Austen, a popular mini-series that hit the air waves of the UK a few years ago and had been waiting patiently to see it myself.  The premise, is that through a crazy portal  Elizabeth Bennett shows up in Amanda Price's London flat.  Amanda, curious, steps through the portal into Longbourne and Elizabeth Bennett locks the portal on Amanda who has joined the Bennett's where the novel Pride and Prejudice begins.  Amanda a devoted Austen fan is living in the world of Pride and Prejudice, but nothing is going according to the novel.  The wrong people are falling in love with the wrong people and, well you get the idea. The US region DVD just came out, and I was going to try and track it down, but found I could watch the episodes for free online.  It was good fun.  Four 45 mn. episodes.  If you are interested in watching just google "watch free episodes Lost in Austen" and you will find all sorts of options.

  Yes it was silly, and somewhat fluffy, but good fun for any of us that heart Pride and Prejudice.  I'd now like a remake of Andrew Davies/Colin Firth P&P with the cast of Lost in Austen.

(I love the Marks and Spencers reference in this clip)

Easter

Hope you all had a lovely Easter with plenty of chocolate, daffodils, feasting, fancy new duds, easter egg hunts, and family.
We did. Due to our Zion trip we didn't get to dye eggs, but we had a fun time hunting for eggs with all the cousins. We had three hunts this year. The 2 year old crew got to scour Grammy and Pop-Pops front yard, the 3-6 crew had Millie's front yard, and the 7 and up kids were in Millie's backyard. It was good fun, the food was delicious, the flowers were beginning to bloom, the grass was greening up, the company was fabulous. It was a nice day.

(This is the boys performing their puppet show

about how the Easter Bunny got his job.)