Utah!

 These are pictures from our trip to Utah to visit family! I can only estimate how many miles Avery cranked out running around the yard.  She played on the swings and the slide and threw rocks in the irrigation ditch.  We slept in our tent in Grandma's back yard.  Her brother Aaron said the first night: "Mom, Thank you SO MUCH for letting us live here!"  A week was just too short.  We look forward to next summer!

Every time Avery wears this shirt she points out that it has a butterfly and that it is her favorite.   Avery is an aunt now.  (For about 4 months)  But every time we talk about her being an aunt, she indignantly insists that she is NOT an "ANT."  "I am a butterfly!"

This is a case of "bop til you drop."  We had so much fun playing with cousins and running around Grandma's back yard.  A little nap is always a good thing!  Even if you sleep standing up... Her sister Autumn is amused.

Aunt Karen helping Avery with her gingersnap S'more.  MMMMm.

Summertime...and the livin' is easy

gluten free cupcakes! mmmmmm...

 

 Avery got a haircut.  She didn't really want her hair cut, but the ends were really uneven.  She has only ever had a trim and only rarely.  It seemed time to even it up.  Rachel cut it in a cute chin length bob.  Every sister exclaimed as they came home from work or play: "You cut Avery's hair!"  Every one was unhappy with me. They were afraid her curls would  be gone.  By the next day everyone was raving about how cute it was and how much they liked it. It still curls around her face.

 

  We got back early this morning from Zion National Park in Southern Utah.  We camped for a couple of days inside the park.  The first day we hiked up to the narrows.  The kids loved playing in the Virgin River.  They were chased by squirrels and found lots of different colored rocks.  (Which we didn't take home.)

 Avery didn't like hiking as much as she liked playing in the river.  We hiked to weeping rock and she complained that her legs were tired the whole way there and back. (It is a very short hike.)  So we went back to the river where we saw tadpoles, frogs, water striders and minnows. We also went to the nature center for kids and learned about rangers, fire fighters, sedimentary rock and colored pictures of native animals.  At the end of the day we drove to Springdale and got some icecream.  Avery ate a tiny tub of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia icecream all by herself.  She loved sleeping in a tent and playing in the dirt.  Deer walked right into our camp and we caught a crawdad in the stream next to our campsite.  We watched it walk backwards back into the water when we released it and she thought that was so funny.

Looking out over the Colorado River and the Vermillion cliffs before Page, AZ.

Springtime 2012

March.  Look at my pigtails!

 

 This is Avery's favorite dress.  Grandma Joanne gave it to her. It's her "ZEEBA" dress.

When Avery wakes up in the mornings, the first thing out of her mouth is often "Is today Friday?"  On Fridays Brad only works half a day and he spends the afternoon with the kids.  During the cold, windy weeks of spring they found indoor things to do.  One week they went "spyder jumping" at the mall.  Avery surprised us by volunteering to try it.  She loved it!  When I have an errand that takes us anywhere near the mall she pipes up from her carseat:  "Are we going spyder jumping?!"

 

For spring break this year we really wanted to have some family time where we weren't interrupted by all of the distractions that have interfered with our previous "stay-cations."  We found a cabin to rent in the Jemez mountains near our home.  We had a heavenly time.  There was no cell phone signal, limited internet and it snowed!  We built fires in the wood stove, read  The Fellowship of the Rings, put together a James Christensen puzzle of fairy tales, played board games (Avery's favorite is "roundup" a cooperative game of saving lost horses and getting them safely to the corral), and played in the snow.  Avery had a few naps while everyone read and she drank a lot of hot chocolate.

 It is almost April.  There are some nice days. 

This is one of Avery's favorite dresses. What a smile!

Avery playing with her sister Aurora in the park. (With a fistful of glitter and a sparkly hat.) What could be more fun!

It snowed! We love our snow when we get some. Avery loved going out to play in it until it melted. (It lasted a couple of days this time!)

Avery's "Mysterious" look. If we only knew what she was thinking! I think she is thinking how silly we are following her around with a camera :)

October

Our Halloween tradition ~ more fun than trick-or-treating! We went to "El Pinto" as the 101 Dalmations.
We created a little bit of a stir. People were changing tables so they could sit near us.
The family fun rubs off on others!

Avery fell asleep eating. A frozen chimichanga is mysteriously missing from the freezer. (Rachel's secret stash of gluten filled snacks!) Hmmm. It must have taken a lot of energy to gnaw half way through it. Super Delicious!

Avery decorated her cake! It is covered with gummy butterflies. Beautiful!

Avery's 3rd birthday. She loves her doll stroller!