Life's Simple Pleasures

Going up to the mountains is one of our simple pleasures in life.  It doesn't really matter what we are up there for, we just love it.  One of our favorite spots to stop for awhile is at Johnson's Creek.

The water was pretty cold, but it didn't stop the girls from playing in it.

The girls and dogs enjoying the mountain air

 Up the road a ways, we found snow!  Kay couldn't resist chucking a few snowballs at the girls.

Jill bracing for the blow

Sam dodging the snowball

 We have a lab who is scared of water.  Strange I know.  We've never been able to get him to swim.  Today was the day to change that.  This is the water, aka dry wash reservoir.

This is the floating raft at dry wash, and this was our ticket to making our lab swim. 

The girls got onto the raft and called for Max. He wouldn't go anywhere near the water. So, I got onto the raft and called my "baby". He jumped onto the raft thinking it had to be safe if I was there. Poor little guy didn't know what he had coming at him. The first time Kay stayed on shore holding onto the rope so the raft didn't get away. We went out a ways and Kay started calling Max. He did jump off the raft, but managed to clear the water so far that only one of his paws got wet. Round two: this time we went a little further out, Kay called him, and he was a little more cautious this time. After a minute of coaxing him he decided to make a jump for it. This time he got all four legs and his belly in the water. Round three:  By now he was very hesitant to get back onto the raft, but eventually he did. We went even further out this time, but when Kay called him he wouldn't budge. So, Kay let go of the rope, went and dropped the tail gate on the truck, and started calling for him. This did the trick. Max jumped into the water and was forced to swim to shore. We cheered and yelled for him! We finally tricked our lab into swimming.

Our labs after their adventures in swimming

We've had a birthday

Our Jilly Bean had a birthday this month.  I can't believe how fast my girls are growing up.  These last few years I've really grown to appreciate and understand the advice I always got when my kids where little, which was "Enjoy them while they're little.  They'll be grown before you know it."  At the time I thought it was going to take forever before my kids would turn five, let alone grow up.

 Jill's birthday was split into two days.  Because the day of her birthday also fell on the same day that her older sister was going to the temple with the youth, we let her open one present and had her birthday dinner the day before her actual birthday.  She picked the present from her sisters, and was so excited to find the animagic dog that she had asked for.

On the day of her birthday we had her cake, which was a turtle cheesecake by request, and she opened her other present.

After her birthday song she made her wish and blew out the candles.

She had a friend stay for dinner and cake.  Here you can see her friend covering her ears when Jill opened her present to find a Kindle touch!  She'd been wanting one for a very long time.  I love my Jilly Bean!  I love her excitement and love for life.  I couldn't imagine my life without her, and count my blessings everytime we celebrate her birthday (as well as Sam and Miki's bday)  I love my girls!!

The following Friday Jill had her friend party.  She had 17 girls come to her party and they had a lot of fun.  Here they are doing the conga line during a game of freeze dance.

Next they divided into groups and with a stack of newspapers and rolls of duck tape designed dresses.

Miki is the model for this group

Jill is the model here

Miki's finished dress

Jill's finished dress

Jill opening her presents... she got quite the loot

 After eating banana spits the girls played "chubby bunny".  A game that involves lots of marshmallows, and filling your mouth with them until you can't say chubby bunny anymore.  HaHa!  Love those chubby bunny cheeks, and love you Jilly!!

Eastering Fun

It seems to be tradition to have Easter at our house.  In the years past we used to go out picnicking and hiking.  I think the last year we did that was like 1998, and we went to the San Juan River.  It was a very windy day, but we tried to build a fire so that Kay could cook our dutch oven potatoes.  As luck would have it we managed to catch a bush on fire.  Thank goodness for the nearby water from the river (and of course I was ready with my camera!  I got some great pictures).  Since that time we decided to "picnic" at our house and IF the weather is nice we can go out hiking afterwards.  This year we changed it up a little bit and had a potluck brunch complete with carrot cake pancakes and of course dutch oven potatoes.  After our brunch we had an egg hunt with the cousins.

Jolyn and Kyler

Kenzie and Jill

Kyler, Tylenn, and Miki

Most of the cousins

Miki

Jill

 I happened to look around and I noticed Sam and Miki were wandering around in the orchard.  They looked very intent on something.  When I asked Sam what they were talking about she told me she was just giving her sister some sisterly advice on finding eggs.  She told Miki she needed to walk, not run, to find most of the eggs.  Because you see when you're running you go too fast and you miss them all.

This picture was taken after Sams sisterly advice moment... and notice they are walking :)

Miki, JD and Max

Kids with all their loot

The weather was beautiful this weekend.  So, after the egg hunt we went hiking with Grandma (my mom).  We went out to a spot that Kay knew had petroglphs, but he'd never seen them and wanted to find them.  So away we went.

Jill and Grandma

Sam and Miki

Jill

Jill by some of the writings

Miki by some the writings

Sam studying it all

My mom by some writings

 The petroglyphs were really neat.  This one in particular was very interesting.

 On the way back to the truck.  Kay, Miki, and Sam all picked up walking sticks along the way.

Once we got back to the truck out came the guns.  Everyone but Miki shot, and I was the only one who hit the target.  I managed to get pictures of everyone but Kay shooting.

Sam

Jill and Kay

Don't mess with an armed Granny!

Don't worry, my other eye was open

After a great afternoon of hiking, we went back home, ate some leftovers, and colored Easter eggs.

Kay and Jill

Sam, Miki, Kay, and Jill

Easter morning finally came.  Miki was so excited for the Easter bunny to come.  Here the girls check out what he left.

I love this picture!  In the front my youngest daughter is full of excitement, and in the background my teenager would just like to go back to bed.