Homework, Projects and Programs

Sadie turned 15 months.

The 3rd graders put on their program called "Salute to Our Flag"

Sam had to dress as a wolf for his habitat day at school.

Don't you just love that bushy tail!

Maggie won the 3rd grade costume contest.
They dressed as their favorite character from a book they read this year.
Can you guess who she chose?

Maggie played 'Coroner' in her school play, The Wizard of Oz.

She sang her first solo and did an amazing job. She was so confident about singing and practicing early two mornings a week and she got a kick out of the "100% real human hair mustache" (that's what the package said anyways) that she chose to wear.

Very serious and in character.

Can you spot Maggie?

The Lego Party

Okay, so I am a little behind in this blogging thing. The party was a hit with Sam and his friends.

The Birthday Boy!

He wanted brownies, "No cake Mom!" and the marshmallow lego heads.

The party bags included a mystery lego guy, a bookmark and a light stick.

They assembled vintage lego guys I played with as a kid.

The food, lego crackers and pirate booty.

They drew faces on the lego man.

The pinata, it wouldn't be a party without one.

Happy Easter

We got home just in time to unpack, clean the house and get ready for Easter. Traveling is a delight, but it is always nice coming home.

Her favorite decorated egg...

And His.

She found her Easter Basket and the Peeps.

Sunday Morning

Sunday Afternoon.  

Spring Break

We headed south to find some warm weather over the kid's Spring Break. We spent a few relaxing days with my brother Andrew and his wife Autumn down in Moab, Utah and then we headed further south to Sedona, Arizona. There was so much to do and see. The weather was a perfectly sunny 75 with few clouds in the sky.

In Moab, we hiked to the Cowboy Hot Tubs near my brother's home. The water pours through and across the sandstone, smoothing as it goes. We could have stayed there all day and played in the water. The Cottonwood trees had started to get their leaves, one of the first signs of a desert Spring and yet the La Sal Mountains were still covered and capped in snow.

Maggie found a frog in the river and Sadie was amused

The Cowboy Hot Tubs

Maggie is quite the hiker

 We hiked half-way to Corona Arch the next day...Sadie was tired and sick of the baby backpack and Sam had to use the bathroom...with kids and vacation, you just learn to roll with it. Andrew and Autumn are always great hosts and good sports to entertain all weekend. Thanks A and A...we love you!

After Corona Arch

Andrew and Autumn

In Sedona, we took the kids on their first horseback ride...Brian was a good sport to let me go while he stayed with Sadie. Sam was suppose to be 7...he did great pretending...along the trail we heard a rattlesnack. After the ride, we had a cowboy breakfast, biscuits and gravy and the kids practiced their roping skills.

At the ranch.

We saw the ruins after horseback riding, Montezuma's Castle, a 600 year old ruin that had 20 rooms and would have housed a small village. We also saw Montezuma's Well.

Montezuma's Castle, 600 year old ruins

We took the kids to a zoo called Out of Africa. We went on Safari riding a Unamog. We got to feed Keebo and get a few kisses in return. We also saw zebra, and camels, ostriches, antelope etc...as well as the predators, lions, tigers, bears and hyenas. 

Keebo the Giraffe, giving Maggie a wet kiss as he takes the biscuit from her mouth

On Safari riding the Unamog

Sedona, AZ  The Bell Tower

Slide Rock State Park, Sedona, AZ

Maggie, braving the cold water

At the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Kanab, UT

Counting...

He is counting down the days until his birthday...and he is just so excited.

The birthday party theme he chose this year: Legos!

Stay Tuned. It should be fun.

(Created by Sam, one of the many lego creations floating around our house

Spring

The first day of Spring snuck up on me this year, usually I celebrate with bringing out the fresh and the green, the little birds and nests...how can I celebrate Spring when it is still winter and snowing outside. I've been looking back at some of our photos of the Spring and Summer and I am always amazed to see our yard green and alive, the flowers blooming, the trees leafed in splendor...I look outside now and everything looks dry and dead to the point that it will never come back...Spring, when it comes, is really a miracle and oh, how I look forward to its coming!

Reading in the backyard.

Playing Ninja with leftover crete paper from the 4th of July

Sadie, 4 months 2 weeks        Maggie 7 years, 6 months

The Diagnosis

I took Sadie to the doctor this week, Diagnosis: ear infection in both ears, lungs clear. After two weeks of sleepless nights, an off-an-on-again fever and a runny nose that developed into a croupy cough I decided to take her in...she is tough as nails, this little one, and really hadn't been pulling on her ears or complaining. I left the doctor feeling like a horrible mom and wondering why I didn't take her in a week ago. Looking back, I guess it's always easier to see the symptoms, but she is also getting a mouthful of teeth, so it is always hard to tell.

Modeling the Bedhead!

I haven't seen many morning smiles from her lately.

Coming Home

I came home last night from cub scouts to find Brian cuddling a feverish Sadie in his arms. She was asleep, her tummy on his chest, looking peaceful and content. Maggie was reading the 2nd Harry Potter Book to Sam. Dinner was made and waiting to be eaten. If I were to say that Brian was extremely capable, that would be an understatement. He makes our world revolve...he is my constant calm amid the storms of life... he is always there for us.

St. Patrick's Day

We had a fun St. Patricks Day celebration last night to celebrate my Irish heritage. My maiden name is Fitzgerald and somehow long ago, my ancestors came from Ireland, grew potatoes and all claimed a green thumb,... for dinner, my Mom and Dad came over and we shared corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, carrots, Irish Soda bread (it was a lot tastier then I expected and somehow the stinky leprechauns managed to turn it green) and our own pots of gold (a hit with the kids). For dessert we had pudding pie, also turned green by those naughty little leprechauns.

Our very own pots of gold

Our St. Patrick's Day celebration

My Dad and Sam doing some legos

I've been told that I have always had the Luck of the Irish. It may be true. I do feel very lucky and very blessed to have Brian, Maggie, Samuel, Caleb and Sadie as my very own.

In Sam's kindergarten class, those naughty leprechauns got in somehow and made a mess of the room...he was pretty excited about it all. Sam wrote a note about his day.

The note and his artwork

After school Maggie swam and finished the first Harry Potter book. She was so excited and told me
all the details that were different from the movie. She made me laugh. I love seeing her develop a love for reading and books.

Sadie celebrated St. Patrick's Day by getting into everything, including my green dish soap. She crawls from room to room and up the stairs, opening and discovering everything and anything in sight. She is pretty good at getting behind things as well. I do have her to thank that my laundry gets done a little faster these days, as I am always chasing her up the stairs and then rememebering to put the laundry in or take it out.

The naughtiest little leprechaun

Someone Turned 1!

She had a grand birthday and we had a ball watching her enjoy her day. 

Happy 1st Birthday Sadie Jane. We love you to pieces.

Sadie came to us on an early, cold February morning. She brought the warmth and sweetness of heaven with her.

Her birthday dinner and yes, she was thrilled with the balloons.

She was fascinated with her flashing rubber duck

She loved the Winnie The Pooh train and danced to the music.

Her First Birthday Cake!

She dug right in.

Took a few bites and made us laugh

and laugh...