Colorado Visitors!

Katy and the boys flew down from Colorado for a visit! Thursday we went to the Sonoran Desert Museum. Katy and I were geared up in more ways than one to take a million pictures - the boys however, had other ideas. Jacob had just walked into the park when he started crying; "It's bright, it's bright!" Where on he grabbed his red blanket and covered his head. This didn't last long before Katy had to confiscate it, because he had run into one person and off the path, I'm sure that he was only inches from a cactus - you can't be anywhere in the desert museum without being a few inches from a cactus.
In the hummingbird aviary we caught some awesome pictures of a mother on her nest. Surprisingly for me this was one of the few pictures I took of the animals or plants. I had Jacob and Evan to entertain me, and let me tell you they are entertaining!

Jacob continued his quest for shade by trying to make a "cave" out of his stroller, the only problem was that Evan thought it great fun to pull from behind.

Plan C was to steal his mother's sunglasses, strange enough he refused to to wear his hat at this point - it took a lot of persuading which met with a lot of crying, but eventually Katy won out and Jacob wore a hat.

The one thing that Jacob was totally entertained by was the stamp book that Katy got him. At random stops along the trail stamp pads and track stamps. We got tracks of bunnies, frogs, and so much more.

We took a short break to get snacks and drinks, while Katy waited in line, I entertained the boys by taking pictures, we had a good time!

Once both boys were in the stroller and fed we moved on again - food makes us all happy! As you can see Katy is an extremely talented mother - taking pictures and holding a bottle at the same time!

What a cutie! Evan is such a happy bubbly slobber machine! Where Jacob wanted to be covered Evan tried to get out! He was always out the side pulling leaves or what ever he could.

By the end of our walk through Evan was asleep and Jacob was in Katy's arms, tired and hot.

We posed for a quick picture as we left.

Back at Katy's parents we found the boys would much rather play in the sand in the shade anyway - it doesn't take much to make kids happy!

Katy told me that when she was little here in Tucson she would sift in the sand for "sand rubies" which are garnets. We found a few in the boys sand box, but they were microscopic so we spent the rest of the afternoon in search of larger "sand rubies." We hit a few parks and a river, all of which Jacob enjoyed, but the funny thing was that the largest garnet we found was in the natural sand outside the kiddie pool sandbox at the house, which we found when we got back from our cross-Tucson search. I am going to continue looking though - Katy has me totally hooked- and when I find a good sized one it will be in the mail to Colorado! Katy and I always have such fun when we get together! Random crazy things can be a blast!

Katy's parents invited me to dinner - which was delicious and very kind of them, but I also got to spend more time with the boys.

We took a few evening pictures around the house - the sunset was really pretty! So was the cactus surrounded by flowers that Jake is posing in front of.

On Sunday Katy brought the boys over to Grandma and Grandpa's were I had my camera ready and got a ton of pictures, here are some of my favorite of Evan and Jacob.

When she got to the house Jake was still asleep - life is good for him when he can get a nap in with his red blanket and box of train cars.

While Jacob sleep we ate dinner and took some pictures of Evan with Grandma...

grandpa and Lego's!

And of course... mommy!

Once Jacob woke up - his memory surprised everyone as he headed strait for the organ and then to the jeep. Jacob in the jeep was the most hilarious thing I have ever seen. Grandma Louise started out by pushing him - but he didn't take long to learn the leavers and gas. What did take long was the constant stops that Jacob made saying, "It's broken, I need money." Then he would get out open the hood look inside and get back in the drivers seat. Sounds about like my life!

Evan enjoyed the ride from the passenger side - but the little monkey would start climbing all around and Jacob would say, "N N needs buckles." Which was completely true - but we didn't have any. As you can see from above Evan was either up, or down - where he found rocks to pop in his mouth. For some reason the boy has an affinity for rocks! He loves them! The sand he didn't worry about but a little rock goes straight to the mouth. You can see Katy trying to fish all the rocks out of the bottom of the jeep.

After about a million "repairs" we went for a walk down by the river to see if the sand there would produce the bigger "sand rubies." We were disappointed and didn't find any, however, that didn't stop Jacob from getting "down and dirty!"

A few more pictures back at the house - kisses and hugs and tears at goodbye (I'm sure that is why Evan is crying while I am holding him!) and Katy and the boys were out the door. Aunt Louise also left (she was down for just one night). It was a really fun week and I am so glad Katy came - now it is my turn to go up to Colorado!

St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Back in Tucson for the rest of my spring break I celebrated St Patrick's Day with Grandma and Grandpa - Isn't it fun that there are so many things to celebrate! Grandpa has been asking for corned beef and cabbage for weeks now, and this week I hope he will get his fill - because Aunt Sue made him some on the 16th and Grandma made more on the 17th - now we have a huge bowl in the refrigerator of left-overs (or unders as Grandpa would say).

Happy Birthday Elise!

Last weekend (March 14-16) I drove home to start my Spring Break! Funny that I left a burning hot Tucson (who apparently skipped spring and thinks it is Summer) and after picking up Rosa we drove up the Rim where it snowed on us and there was snow on the ground (this state apparently has some issues with season). My plan: spend time with the family, get my taxes done at Jon's, see a fleeting glance of Dad before he headed off to the outage at Springerville not to be seen again for weeks, and of utmost importance: celebrate Elise's eleventh birthday!

Elise had a small party with a few friends, pizza, cake and ice cream - all an excellent combination. Her brothers gave her a Nerf gun as a gift - I guess they didn't think that one through! Here Tim demonstrates why Crookstons and Nerf guns aren't a good combination. Jaden takes it full force!

After the big kids left, Melissa and I played Candyland - and despite what it looks like we didn't last five minutes into the game before she started looking for something else to get into - like Kristi says she is in her terrible twos - and since she is almost three she has to live it up while she can.

Elise and I had a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's - we rented High School Musical Three and had hot chocolate and snuggled in blankets. An amazingly good combination! It was fun to be eleven again - just for a night!

We got up and had a leisurely Sunday morning, Elise even let me do her hair in an up-do for church(very sleepover appropriate) She looks so grown up - I can't believe that she is already eleven!

Poor girl didn't feel well! On her birthday! She was still a good sport and enjoyed her day as well as she could.

But never worry - by Sunday night she was feeling a little better. Celebrating her birthday just once more we had cake pancakes! One of my visiting teaching partners told me about them - you just mix up a cake mix like the box tells you and fry it up like a pancake. It was really good! We had jam and cream on it.

My Day OUT!

March 9, 2009
So I have been listening to Rachel plan her day off for a while and the exciting things she was going to do - I knew I wasn't going to work today but I also knew there was no way I was going to be able to do a grand adventure to Utah or California, I also knew that I wanted out - just to be out and somewhere new and different. I thought of going to Mt. Lemmon I have only been up there once and I didn't drive so I didn't explore - but I also thought of the Chiricahua Mountains to the southeast that I have always wanted to visit. So that is were I went. My original plan was to get up really early and take some really great sunrise pictures. However, I have wanted to donate blood for a long time but haven't been able to mesh schedules, but found out yesterday there was a blood drive at the institute today, starting at 8. I still got up really early - but not on purpose. I had everything ready - all my camera batteries charged, a cooler packed full so I didn't have to buy any food, clothes for all types of weather, etc... I left the house with hours to spare before I had to be at the blood drive, so I headed to one of my favorite Tucson spots, Pima Canyon trail head - I wasn't planning on doing but a little of the trail, so I ate a peaceful breakfast and had a nice little walk, listening to the birds and taking not sunrise pictures but post-rain desert pictures, always fun! I headed to the institute, gave away my blood, and headed out.

I stopped on the I10 after Benson where there are big boulders everywhere. I had seen this place a few weeks before when I went with a few friends to Thatcher for the groundbreaking of the new temple, ever since then I had wanted to come take pictures here - the clouds were big and added a nice dynamic to the pictures, with the sun peeking in and out it was fun.

Finally, after about 100 miles I made it to Chiricahua National Monument! The first thing I see is a heard of deer, which pose nicely for a minute while I take some pictures but then runaway.

Once in the park I stop at the visitors center to buy a magnet (of course) and ask the ranger advice for a first-timer. She told me to drive to the top, look around and if I were to do one hike to do Echo Canyon Trail. I did as she said, enjoying the scenery but not the narrow mountain roads.

At Massai Point I took the nature trail where I met some very nice people who took my picture after I took theirs. We chatted a little, then they moved on and I took a few more pictures, waiting for the sun, who every few minutes showed itself. It was incredibly beautiful! Reminds me a lot of Bryce canyon - just different rocks and maybe not so vivid, but still amazing.


It was freezing cold! I started out with a jean jacket but before hiking Echo Canyon I dug out a sweater and gloves from my trunk - am glad I came prepared! The first stop walking down in the canyon is the Grotto. I set up my baby tripod for this picture, it was a fun area.


Again using the tripod I took this picture - the rock formations are so interesting. You can look in all directions and still not see it all. There were fallen rocks, balancing rocks, holes in rocks and so much more. I also walked along a tiny stream with numerous trickling waterfalls, and through green lush woods.


Once out of the canyon - with no larger mishaps than having to fish my lens cap out of a frigid stream - I made the decision to backtrack toward the park entrance, get a few pictures of the more famous rock formations, then head back up to the top for sunset pictures. I saw Pipe Organ, China Boy, and the Sea Captain (my favorite! He really does look like a sea captain).


Back up on top I decided to do the Sugarloaf Mountain Hike and see if that would be better for sunset pictures than Massai point. The hike was just under two miles round trip - but the first half was up - so it wasn't cake! I loved the view from the top so stayed (and froze) taking pictures and eating dinner while I waited for the sun to sink. It was amazing! I was hoping for some more color in the clouds but even without it was still beautiful. But then I had to hurry down the mountain before I lost all light and freaked myself out with every little sound. I whistled to the birds to keep company! Once in the car I headed out - I was hoping to see more wildlife - but learned to "be careful what you hope for" because before I was off the windy mountain roads, I turned a corner and almost ran into a skunk!
The ride back was quick, but I was tired - so I talked to all my sisters - who are in California together without me (so sad), but I am glad they had a good visit together. I made it back to Tucson and gratefully found my way to my bed after a peaceful but strenuous day.

Map of the park.

Romero Pools, Catalina State Park

March 7, 2009

A large group got together to hike Romero Pools, Catalina State Park. I have been to the park quite a few times but only to run or take pictures, never to hike, so I was excited to see what the park had to offer. I was really happy to find that the Romero Pools had deep enough water to jump into from the rocks - some said it was cliff jumping and I was really excited but it wasn't true - they were only rocks - not cliffs. (but still fun!)

We took the Romero Canyon Trail up to the pools, but we didn't go up into the pass.

Danielle and I got split up from the first and last groups and had a great time talking and walking until we weren't sure exactly where everyone was. We waited for the second group. Once that group was up with us Jillie, Tyson and I went exploring. It wasn't deep enough to jump in at this point and to be honest I didn't think I would because it was getting late and though it was a exceptionally nice day - it is still early in March and can get a little chilly. But despite all that there were little waterfalls and large rocks - one of my favorite combinations.

After we finished checking out the lower falls we were told that everyone had met up just a little ways ahead, so we gathered our stuff and found the group.

Only Tom and Johnny were jumping in at this point, but Tyson and I joined them for one jump. I am really glad that I did - it was the reason I came on the trip.

Kami took this great picture - apparently I am too busy plugging my nose and worrying about the cold water coming at me to pose with everyone else. After we jumped in we checked out the falls, but it was too cold in the shaded water for me - so I got out quickly.

Our Group!

We headed out just after this shot, I took a lot of pictures along the way to check them out in my other blog - we got to see the sun set! From the park I had to hightail it to the other side of Tucson - stopping only long enough to change - eating a sandwich in the car so that I could make it to a ballroom dancing showcase with Charlene - a friend I met at a job fair. I knew that it was going to be a tight squeeze and I ended up being 20 minutes late - but I am glad that I went to the hike and the dancing (pictures to be posted in other blog). All-in-all it was a great Saturday!