before summer sets in and burns everything to a crisp

Summer time is rushing at us in Arizona. Last Saturday topped off in triple-digit temps. Today, however, we had rain. RAIN! Our yard was blooming all over the place in preparation this morning. Grant and I went out and took some pictures. We finally have had a gardenia open up. The lantana bushes are taking over. The oleander tree is thick with pink. There is fruit on the vines in the garden and on the grape vines growing up along the back of the pool fence. Lots of fruit set on the orange and grapefruit trees. For all the blooms we got on the lemon tree, only one set. It was very perplexing. But Cori fertilized it and we have been diligently deep watering it. It leafed back out and has some new blooms on it. Here's hoping. The mango tree is still pint sized. But considering it nearly died and was reduced to a twig with one emaciated leaf barely clinging to it, we are pretty proud of its progress. 

the mango tree - it will be a glorious sight in about 15 years

the lone lemon

In other fertile news, we welcomed 8 (or so) new little bundles to our fish tank a few months ago. It wasn't a planned addition. The kids took their allowance money to PetCo and came home with three new fish. About a week later, one of the fish was a lot thinner and there were just under a dozen little baby fish flitting around near the surface of the tank water. As it ends up, there are some 3 breeds of fresh water fish that give live birth. We unknowingly bought one that happened to be pregnant. There are two males that were born in the school, and they spend all day agressively pursuing the females in the tank. I'm thinking about giving PetCo a call to see if they would be interested in buying some back from us. At $3 a pop, we could be onto something here. Mama is looking a little portly again these days. And the other breeds of fish in the tank seem to be getting systematically eliminated... Pictured above, the proud mama. Pictured below, one of the brightly-colored scoundrels determined to impregnate the whole tank. 

a good friday

Last Friday, Grace had the day off school and Cori had the day off work for Good Friday. We spent the morning running and weeding. We spent the afternoon mini golfing, stacking wood, and hanging out in the back yard.

things that come with the job

I have never been toilet papering before. Ever. When I was young, my parents both worked with the youth in our Church. Our house got hit weekend after weekend. We spent a lot of time cleaning up toilet paper, or construction paper polka dots that had been adhered to the house and sidewalk with toothpaste, or oreos... My parents told me I could go toilet papering with my friends if I left a note saying I would help clean up the next day. I was a very good girl and I NEVER went.

Despite my inexperience, I know a couple of things about toilet papering. Foremost, I understand that the prank is a teenager's way of saying, "I like you. You're alright." So imagine how flattered we felt when we became the target a couple weekends ago.

We got a text from our friends across the street letting us know what was going down. And shortly after that the doorbell rang. We went outside and were at first surprised, then impressed. They did a pretty bang up job and had left a note saying "Love the YCL's." (Youth Camp Leaders : the 16-18 year old girls at girls' camp.)

We wanted to wake Grace and Grant up so they could see it, but decided to wait until morning. About an hour later, we were heading up to bed and glanced out the window only to find the mess all cleaned up! I was so sad! I hadn't taken any pictures. When I checked my phone before bed, I had an email from the YCL leader apologizing that the doorbell had been rung. Those sweet girls were so worried that they had made trouble for us waking the kids, that they wanted to leave a note saying they would come back and clean it up the next day. But as they talked about their schedules they realized that the best time to clean it up was that night. So they did.

We also found out that our next door neighbor came out and tried to urge them towards a different target. Makes a person feel safe about living in a place when your own friends can't pull off a prank without you knowing. These were pictures the girls and there leaders took that night.


The rest are pictures I snapped with my phone at our camp kickoff a couple of weeks ago. It has been such a lot of work that has been shouldered by a team of wonderful people. We have one more big deadline just a few weeks away. And then the rest of the gils' camp experience will be completed at the ward level. And our presidency will be onto the next big thing. :)

Easter 2012

Oh, I just love Easter week. We did all of our usual things. I'm thinking we will be ready to change a few things up next year, keep the older kiddo's paying attention. We had our Palm Sunday family night reenactment with a couple of other families in the ward. And for the second year in a row, I didn't get any pictures. :( Throughout the rest of the week we read other stories from our Easter book and from the scriptures.

We enjoyed the 4th annual L* family Jerusalem dinner al fresco. I didn't make a full seder plate this time, but we had charoset and maror with our broiled fish and cucumber salad. I love reading through the explanations for all the ritual foods of the passover on this Thursday night every year. And, note to self, take a pass on the goat cheese next year.

We were invited to an Easter egg hunt and brunch with some other families from our ward. Eden got to hit the field first as she was the youngest of the group.

Check out Eden's cheeser. Lately this is what she is giving us when we ask for a smile. This is now my favorite picture of all time.

We spent a lot of the weekend in the pool, but took a break to die some eggs. As usual, Grace went for the gusto.

The night before Easter Sunday, we made Easter story cookies. Though nothing will match the reaction and the teaching moment that happened the first time we made these cookies, I love going through the scriptures and the story that are part of the recipe.

And here they are the next morning, empty little rocky tombs:

Sunday was pretty great. Gracie sang in the choir with me and Cori. Eden was a fussy mess throughout the first two hours of church, but finally settled down in nursery for the third hour. I got to help out in sharing time for their special Easter lesson which was lovely for me. Brett and Tiff brought a cheesecake and shared the rest of the day with us. Now, to renew our efforts to keep this focus until next Easter!

conference weekend

These weekends are such a favorite. I am super grateful for the  FHE lesson Grandma Sandy gave us while we were in UT. She had us write down specific questions for which we were hoping to get answers through the words of our living prophet and apostles. I put my questions in my journal and had them at the front of my mind as we watched and listened. Answers came loud and clear - so much more so for my focus in looking for them specifically. Thanks Grandma Sandy!

For all this, I didn't take any pictures of us watching conference. But I did take pictures of the family festivities that happened around the sessions.

Brett and Tiffany joined us for the weekend, always a treat. On Saturday we took the cover off the pool and lit up the BBQ. Some friends from our ward joined us as well. I am so ready for Summer to get here.

Later on, we took a hike to get a view of the progress being made on the new Temple. The basement is built and the infrastructure is going up. It is all so exciting! And less than three miles from our front door. Can't wait.

The whole group atop one of the 'mountains' in Thunderbird Park.

So much cactus. And its blooming.

Cori set up the backgammon net. And we played games at the park at the end of the street.