Little Ballerina

Ella attended her first ballet class this week and...hi...loved it! She wore her leotard all morning because she was so excited. It's a pretty low-key deal, where they learn a little bit of technique with a lot of "creative movement," and it's perfect for her.
Oh yes, and there's Avery in the background of the picture eating our outdoor plants.

After class each week, they have a little tea party. So cute! They each got a little tiny plate with a fruit snack and pretzel before going home. On the left is her teacher, Miss Annie. Now every day Ella is asking me when she gets to go again..."has it been a week yet???".

On the Home Front

Bryson whipped up this really cool dome for the girls on Sunday out of rolled up newspapers and tape. Not too shab, huh? However, because it so closely resembled playground equipment, it did not have a long life.

Ella made this yesterday for Bryson to hang up at his work. I wrote the letters and then she copied them. My favorites are "S" and "W" :)

Avery ate one of my little basil starts this morning. Dirt, roots, everything. And then she had the nerve to say "MMmmmmmmmmmmmmm."

Gunlock in the AM + Highlights

This weekend I ran a 20-mile race on a course I've been itching to get my feet on for awhile--Veyo to Ivins through Gunlock. And it was everything I hoped it would be. Maybe even a little more beautiful for the major thunderstorm just hours before we started. There was another race running concurrently, but in the opposite direction--the Red Rock Relay--and it was fun to exchange groans with these other runners as we passed them the entire time (I think theirs was a 180-mile relay). We also had a laugh on the way to our start over their "leg exchange" with accompanying ambulance...before we realized we were not the only competitors in the middle of nowhere that morning :)

Looks like I haven't posted in a bit. Here's our fridge enjoying free groceries from Winder Dairy. Bryson was the lucky duck whose name was drawn at the movie in the park a few weeks ago. Organic yumminess!

This was our most recent primary activity, a talent show featuring our superstar kiddos. We had a full lineup of everything from a capella ABCs to break dancing to gymnastics to ballet. An evening of high entertainment, indeed.

Dino museum. No, I don't know who those kids are that are running through the exhibit full speed ahead...

And oh yes, the county fair. Here we are getting in touch with our inner white trash. It turns out our inner white trash LOVES the demolition derby, an event where beater cars compete to the smashtacular demise in a ring of cement barricades. Hold the phone, my parents have a few vehicles to lend to this event.

Lovely evening with the Quarnbergs at the temple grounds. Ella and Tyler were all ready to get married, but we encouraged them to save that for another day.

Bakersfield, Assorted

Getaway weekend is complete: it just took me a week to post it. In said field of bakers, we enjoyed In N Out (which we always go crazy over, like we don't have it right around the corner...haha), drive to la playa with Federico graduate Senora Debbie, Maddy's baptism day, whirlpool party in the dark, and a grand finale post-church Sunday dinner. We love this crowd! Avery would not leave poor Shady alone. She wanted to follow her everywhere and give kisses, hugs, and eat her dog food. And let's be honest...that's not her worst choice ever of things to put in her mouth.

Notes for me: Pacific Ocean = cold. Beach always = great day. But sometimes, great days require a wetsuit.
The Hoyts are brilliant in that they bring an actual shovel to the beach. It brings burying yourself to a whole new level.

Notes for Ella: Whisky Pete's may resemble a temple, but it is not one. Temples do not have flashing lights or roller coasters outside. Nice bathrooms is not the only criterium to make a building into a temple.

Don't mess.

Baptism Day! Miss Maddy and her momma.

Recipe for Heat Stroke (and FUN)

I think I have heat stroke today. Also stairs are a little rough. But it's worth it because this weekend we headed up to Bryce Canyon for the annual half marathon. And this year was even more fun than usual because we camped with the Marcrofts. Here is what you can expect to find on such an adventure...

Inspiration Point, which can also double as a lookout for the local forest fire.

Love it. Hoodoo mania.

My time: 1 hour, 52 minutes. That's not too shab. I think I only ran it a minute faster last time. Note: There is the monster tent making its big debut!

Yay! We finished. Kyndel beat her time by a minute.

Mossy cave hike. Our kids are beat by the end of day 2, it's true.

And last but not least--Dutch oven birthday cobbler. Cooked to perfection with hot rocks.

Avery turned one on Saturday. Wow, time is flying by. I remember last year this time bringing home a sweet little baby girl. And now she is walking, she says mama, dada, and Ewa, she eats almost everything, she claps her hands and waves at passerby, and she says "uh!" when she is inconvenienced in her playing. Happy birthday avee-cakes! You are our fiesty angel.

Good times with the Hoyts! We were luckly to get to see them on both ends of their trip to Orderville. This is us about to explore the lava caves...which gave birth to a boy! (Hayden)
Next time they come through, we are going to need jalapeno pepperjack burgers again. And a dose of Harry Potter never hurts for a fun trip either. Debbie, I will always go coupon shopping with you. Even if I have to get extra doublers from a special file I keep outdoors :)

Grand finale--Christmas in July. Bryson brought home dry ice from work and stuck it in a pitcher with soap on top of the air conditioning unit. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! p.s. Don't tell the HOA!

HELLO! I think I ordered the large tent...and other items of business

Rockin' the fourth. Avery is not afraid of fireworks. Salad bar is the best dinner ever. And 17 miles was meant to be run as a loop through Snow Canyon park. Great day.

I don't know if this was his intention, but when Bryson decided to finally upgrade his two-man backpacking tent to a six-man deal, he also may have provided alternative living arrangements should he lose his job one day. Inside this outdoor recreation mansion, we can fit the pack n play, two air mattresses, and all of our camping chairs. Then there's the front porch which doubles the size of it all. By six men, they meant six lumberjacks I'm guessing. This is half of it set up in our front room. Will it fit in our camping spot at Bryce Canyon next weekend...?


These are bows for my niece Becca's big 6 birthday this week. They are heirloom bows because the flowers are from my grandma's craft table...that is, my grandma that recently passed away.

Growing Up

Our own Ashley Lundquist took these gorgeous pics. Check it.

Remembering Grandma

Last weekend we flew up to St. Louis for an extended weekend to attend the funeral of my grandma, Arline Huber. Although we will miss her, it was a peaceful time to visit with family and remember the many good things she accomplished in her life.

This is a picture of her wedding picture. I'm working on getting a digital copy of the real thing...

The Vasel family home

And this is the back porch I remember--eating Drumsticks ice cream cones and swinging on this swing after dark and catching fireflies. It's a treat to visit a place you haven't been to for awhile; it helps you reconnect with yourself. And what a weird feeling to see a new batch of halfpints filling up the swing...the great-grandkids.

Four generations: Ella, me, Avery, my dad, and my grandpa

The Arch. Bryson and I got to go to the top.

Grant's Farm, also a favorite. We spent many summers visiting my grandparents and coming here.

I think the strongest thing I've learned from my grandmother's life is to be generous. She always gave to her grandchildren above and beyond what you would ever expect. We used to look forward to visiting her every summer for a week at a time without our parents and we'd get spoiled rotten. We'd go swimming, eat at Chuck E Cheese, visit Grant's Farm, get to pick out something fun at the toy store, and go to the movies. I want to be as generous as she was and I hope to have the same kind of relationship with my kids and their kids. Thank you grandma.