White water draw

This year to celebrate MLK day and having the day off from school, we went out to White Water Draw to see the Sand Hill Cranes that migrate here for the winter. We invited another family to go with us. The kids had so much fun. They thought this pile of dirt was the best thing ever!

The girls were so happy to have other kids to run around with. The weather was a little cloudy and cool when we first got there but by the afternoon it was sunny and breezy. Turned out to be a great day.

We took two pairs of binoculars and our video camera. Sydney had a great time looking at all the birds.

The wildlife preserve has set up decks and viewing platforms. These made it possible for everyone in our group to view the birds. It was an amazing site. Last year we went in February. We're planning on going again next month. There were cranes there, just not as many as there will be later on in the season. The cranes also chose the furthest field from us to land in, when there's more birds they have no choice but to move in closer.

I even got in on the action and took my turn to look at the birds.

The kids used the sightseeing equipment correctly for the most part. Towards the end I think they got a little bored, then they started looking for tadpoles in the water!

Clay got lots of amazing video. He stood on the other side of the shore to get video of all of us on the deck.

This picture just cracks me up! Is he looking for ants on the deck or what? The kids were so much fun to watch, almost as fun as the cranes!

I thought this was a neat picture. All three girls using binoculars while the boys use the viewing scopes!

I'm pretty sure this is NOT how you use this scope but they had fun.

We had a great time with our friends the Nelson's and their fun kids. I think a camping trip is in the works next. Can't wait!!

Daddy loves his girls. What better way to show your kids you love them then taking them out and exploring nature together. What a fun day.

At the end of the day, after the kids were worn out and tired, we made them sit for a picture. We all got a little sunburned, it could be wind burn too. It was so much fun. I think we may make this an annual trip. When we go back in February maybe the cranes will be closer where I can get a decent picture and post it. If you've never been to see the Sand Hill Cranes and you live in Arizona, you should make the drive. Best time to go is about 10:45AM. At about 11:00 on the dot the birds start flying in and landing from their morning feeding. It's amazing. The sky fills up with thousands of birds, the noise is almost deafening, and their landing formations are amazing. It's an awesome sight to see and it's right here in our back yard!

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Sunday drive

Today after church we decided to take a Sunday drive. The dog loves to be in the truck, what dog doesn't. The girls always ask to ride in the bed of the truck. We of course always say no! It's not safe plus their hair gets tangled like crazy. They were so excited to ride in the back. On the way home we pulled over to see if they all (dog included) wanted to get up front with us. It was a cold day and I thought for sure they were freezing and would want to get up front. They said no, they wanted to stay in the back. They giggled and laughed the whole way, the dog loved having their company, and we spent some quality time as a family. I love Sunday drives!
When we got home I made everyone hot cocoa with mini marshmallows. It was the perfect end to a spiritually uplifting day!

Fingers and kisses!

Last week, on Wednesday, Sydney hurt her finger playing tether ball. The school nurse put a splint on and sent her back to class with a pack of ice. Her hand was very bruised and very sore. She went to the nurse this week to get some Tylenol for a headache and the nurse looked at her still swollen still bruised finger again. She called me at the library and said I should get Sydney an appointment with a doctor. The nurse said she no longer thought it was just a jammed finger. I called yesterday and today we had an appointment. Sydney got her hand Xrayed and come to find out she fractured her pinky finger. Nothing they could do for it but it was nice to know (and see) exactly what was going on. It will be two weeks since the injury on Monday and she's still swollen and all bruised up. The picture above is not her Xray. I found this picture online since we don't have our copies yet. I'm sure this won't be the last time she jams/fractures a finger. She has such long thin fingers, and wanting to play basketball and tether ball and all the other sports she want to, I know it won't be too long before it happens again!

This next part is for journaling purposes. I may have written about it before but it won't hurt to do it again! I hope my kids realize what an awesome guy their Dad is. I hope they marry someone with a lot of the same qualities as him.

Every morning, whether I have a day off or not, I get up with Clay to make his lunch and pack his stuff in the car. Some days I would rather stay in bed, then I think, how sad it must be for him to eat breakfast alone, leave without saying goodbye and I love you to anyone, and to have to drive away from a dark sleeping house. So I drag myself out of bed, make his lunch (sometimes grumpily but it gets done), load the car and watch CNN until he's ready to leave. Most mornings we're running around like crazy, all of us trying to get ready for our day. On the days we don't have school it's usually calmer and more quiet since the girls are still in bed. Everyday I walk Clay out to the car, get my kiss goodbye, he tells me he loves me and I wave as he drives away. He'll usually turn on the light inside the car so I can see him waving back to me. Every once in awhile he'll even blow me kisses as he's pulling out. Awww, just makes me smile thinking about it. He doesn't do that to often, but often enough to make it special. See what I would be missing if I stayed in bed and slept. Girls, I love your Dad!

Just Dance!

Last night I watched some of my friends kids after school. After homework was done it was time to play. Alex got the Wii game Just Dance for her birthday. That's what they did.....

Just Dance!!

After Just Dance, it was time for more video games, dinner, farkle, a movie, popcorn, and dessert! Most weekdays are boring and so routine. Work, homework, dinner, bed. It was fun to shake things up a bit!

Just Dance (and party, and have fun, and be a kid)!

Sydney's Christmas Break Famous Explorer Research Project!

I was not a happy person when I found out Sydney's fifth grade class was assigned yet another research project. This project came at a horrible time of year. Christmas break is for spending time with family! The majority of this project had to be completed at home and over Christmas break no less! The names Sydney had written down as her choices were picked before it was her turn to tell the teacher who she wanted to research. She ended up having a famous explorer picked for her. She wasn't to thrilled. We dug our heels in and completed the project. Sydney volunteered to be one of the first to present her project and received an extra 25 points for doing so.
She did great! She was a little nervous but didn't stumble or stutter over any words. She built a homemade space shuttle, created a treasure box with a solar system and astronauts in it, wrote a report, and did a presentation board. Her famous explorer was a female astronaut. She did amazingly well. I'm just glad it's over!

Great Job Sydney, keep up the good work!

Poor guy

Last Friday Clay hurt his back. He's had scoliosis since he was a kid. As he gets older the littlest thing can make his back act up. He hikes up mountains every day, sometimes I think he forgets he's not a teenager! The last time he hurt his back he was drying off after he got out of the shower. He made one tiny wrong movement and he was out for a week or so. This time he bent over to tie his shoe and out went his back! Poor guy, now because of his back he's walking around here like he IS an old man. Needless to say, we didn't get to go out or do anything fun for his birthday. I feel bad for him but he was in no mood (or condition) to be hittin the town. Good thing he'll take a rain check. I'll need a night out soon.

He had a good birthday with the usual presents, cake and ice cream. Alex got him a board game, Sydney got him some Garbage pail kid cards (yeah, they're back!), I got him a movie and a couple of gift cards. His Dad also sent him a gift card (thanks Jim), he got countless texts and phone calls from friends and family. It turned out to be a goodnight. He spent the night flat on his back while three of the best nurses any dad could have, showered him with gifts and love. What more could a guy ask for on his birthday.

We love you Clay!!

Happy 37th!!

Pictures of the old farts party coming soon!

I love you!!

xoxo

Yes I am!

I am a Mormon. More than that, I am a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am more than a label, I am a child of god. I know my family can be together forever. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and I love him. Yes, YES I am a Mormon.

Smokey

This is my parents not so new cat. They have this cat thanks to me. It looks a lot like my old cat Bonzo but twice as fat. We had some friends that use to live here and they had to move (the house they use to live in burned to the ground in the big fires last summer in Sierra Vista, they moved away about a month before the fires). They couldn't take their cat with them so I offered to take it. My parents weren't too happy when I showed up with a cat for them. My family is allergic and I thought Bonzo (who was still alive at the time) might need a play mate. Well, Bonzo and Smokey didn't get along so Smokey got the boot. He has to sleep in the garage. My parents didn't like him at all at first. He's a tad bit over weight, declawed, and an overly affectionate cat, plus he's a loud meower but they have since changed their mind about Smokey Just about every day, Smokey leaves a special present on the doorstep for my parents. Yep, dead mice (m words Aunt Bev, hide!). Smokey is awesome!! He's fat and has no front claws but man can he catch a mouse. Sometimes he even leaves two or three a day. Now who's the best daughter ever huh Mom. Yeah that's right, me! Good Job Smokey, you rock (so do I because I took you in....well I took you to my Mom's house).

So much for being helpful

What do you get when you combine a bowl..... Full of hummingbird food.........
And a bunch of bees?
We had a hummingbird feeder on our porch out front. The birds have all gone for the winter but the bees have been having a heyday with the leftover food. I didn't want the bees by the front door anymore so I took the feeder down. I thought, well bees need food in the winter too. I decided to pour the extra food we had in the fridge in a bowl and put the bowl by the side of the house. That way the bees still got their food and we didn't have to worry about them being so close to the front door. Good plan. I checked the bowl the next day and the bees were a big happy swarm.

A few days later I checked it again. So much for being helpful! The entire swarm was in the bowl, drowned, and dead! Duh, if they fall in, they can't get out. What was I thinking!! So if there's a honey shortage or your flowers don't bloom because of pollination problems, I apologize in advance. Bees scare me but not enough to kill them all. I feel really bad. I think I'll let them fend for themselves next time. On a side note..... When the feeder was up and full of food, somehow a bee squeezed itself through one of the holes a hummingbird would drink out of. Yeah he drowned too. Not entirely my fault. Bees should learn how to swim or not be so driven by the sent of sweet sugar.
Sorry bees!