Camping Getaway

So we ditched school and work for family camping with the Hancocks at Lake Ray Roberts. We got to try out our new tent, taste Neal's amazing marshmallows in dark chocolate s'mores, and get gritty playing on playgrounds, testing the lake's waters, running hills, playing Frisbee, and walking and scootering about.

It was chilly the first night and windy.  Before heading to bed a huge ruckus was made in the brush near our tents revealing 2-3 armadillo.  The do not know how to forage quietly.  It's just not in them.

Neal had to restake parts of the tent twice.  Apparently the train rolls through from 2 a.m. on blasting it's horn through a set of intersections, I guess.  Thank goodness for Neal's warmed breakfast burritos to warm the hands and the belly.

Spent most of Friday soaking in the sun at the playgrounds and lake.  Saw swallows nests all over the picnic area. We were sure we saw a large cat's prints down by the lake but the ranger told us they had no reports so it was probably a dog.  White tail deer and armadillo prints were also found. Neal played a mean game of Frisbee with Tyler.  The kids retired earlier that evening leaving the adults time to get in a few card games.

Saturday morning, Anjuli and Keri went for a 4.5 mile run on paved, hilly trail and spotted a few white tailed deer.  It was a little taste of what these two ladies will be doing on the trail run relay they will be doing in fall.

We ended with a nature hike and learned about the invasive and native flora. Saw the old ruins of a cabin home that was used in the late 1800s to mid 1900s.

Our family had a great time and have already scheduled our next camping trip with the Hancocks.  Looking forward to it!

S'more goodnes; photo bomb by B.

Sophie's Bluebonnets

Sophie has the last two or three years has wanted her picture taken with the short lived bluebonnets.  She is our firstborn in Texas.  A few days ago, it all came together and happened.  Our beautiful inside-and-out Sophie--

And none to short on the goofiness...

Easter Weekend

We were happy to celebrate Easter weekend with General Conference this year.  We love when our family gathers to listen to the wisdom of the prophet, apostles, and church leaders.  Before, between, and after sessions of General Conference we celebrated Easter with other family traditions which means food.

The bunny hid the beautiful eggs we dyed in the backyard and hid baskets inside while Keri was out for a run and the kids were returning books to the library. He even left a kit with a recipe of his favorite treat, Bunny Bliss Popcorn in the pantry.

Neal and Rhys also got in some time of their own in the kitchen making homemade marshmallows for our upcoming camping trip.  Keri doesn't even like raw marshmallows but changed her mind when trying out these.

Awesome photo bomb, Sophie!

On Sunday, Keri made something new she'd been wanting to try--Italian Easter Bread with anise seed, dried fruit and topped with beautiful dyed eggs that cooked hard in the oven. It turned out beautiful, dense, and somewhat dry--as goes her journey baking with 100% whole wheat.  But nothing a bit of butter and jam couldn't fix.  Had it with some fruit salad.

It was a nice relaxing weekend with time together, spiritual edification, and a few phone calls to loved ones. We are thankful for the gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  As Elder Holland put it, "Today we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known." Happy Easter!

Easter Visit

Tonight we dyed eggs, watched bible videos about the Last Supper and Christ's experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, and enjoyed a visit from Oma and Opa who provided Easter buckets to Sophie and Rhys. Thank so much!  Then I got to read Bill Peet's The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg which Grandma sent from her Bill Peet collection. Whew! Great night!

In other news, today I mowed the "lawn" to give my kids a fighting chance in the event the Easter bunny comes this weekend. Most eventful mowing yet...in order of least to most concern: 1. the end of a stick flies up and stabs me in the calf leaving a bleeding knot, 2. twice coming within one foot of sucking an adorable young bunny into my mower (the substantial weeds hid it but oh my he was cute), 3. while emptying the bag, hearing several loud blasts (shock and awe?) and over a loud speaker "This is the police. We have a search warrant. Keep your hands where we can see them" repeated 2-3 times, not too distant.  Went inside for a little while after that one.