Thankful. Very.

Well, lookie here, cyberfolk.  I'm still alive.  I've just been hunkering down, bunker style, tending to the needs of the sweetie and family.  Seriously haven't had time or mental capacity for blogging.  But I'm so root-toootin THANKFUL that I had to share some pics from this holiday weekend.  I love these people.  Sadly, I didn't take a group shot. . .too busy enjoying everybody!  It was truly a beautiful holiday weekend.

 Ummmm. . . .the food was divine.  

May have been the yummiest home made meal I've had all year.  Likely.

We went and visited Grandpa's newly lain headstone in the afternoon that day.  I am so thankful for our heritage and the very good people who've gone before me.  And Mr. Handsome & I made plans to have a giant shared headstone someday (. . .when that far away day of departure finally comes. . .)
It was very romantic, actually!  Seriously, stop teasing me now!

Quick Easter Wrap Up

(A Madison Easter greeting card original, with empty tomb detail)

Our Easter celebrations started Thursday evening with a trip to the temple to watch the Easter Pageant. It was beautiful (and cold) while we ate tuna sandwiches on our metal folding chairs. Our own Easter miracle was that Sophie was well behaved enough to watch the entire production (from my lap while I whispered a steady stream of interpretive dialogue into her curious ears).

Friday we ventured into new egg dying territory with Martha Stewart as our guide.

Saturday was spent enjoying conference and making Easter hair accessories (pictures will be forth coming, but see if you can spot the fruits of our labors (er petals of our labor?) in the crazy family picture.

Sunday, more spiritual enlightenment via conference and Sunday dinner with the in laws.

And for a brief conference roundup report, I'll say that the talks that most spoke directly to me were Elder Bednar's and Elder Hales, mainly where they two overlapped in their parenting council. "Mom, are you in there?" is still ringing in my ears, but in a very good way. I love listening to our leaders.

Spring Break

So I took that mothering plunge--the one I'd been avoiding, even dreading for years--and drove all the way to Utah and back BY MY SELF. That is by my self with six kids in the car! I was nervous about doing this 11 hour drive with no other adults, but I figured it'd be a learning experience. I was just hoping it wouldn't be the type of learning you pay for with a horrific car accident. Yes, concerned about getting sleepy behind the wheel big time. Handsome Husband kindly located a book I wanted to read on the greater Phoenix Library page and downloaded it to my ipod. Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson works almost as good as caffeine (I started sipping my diet coke at 9:00 a.m) to keep my mind awake and alert! (Really you must read both of his books. I am obsessed with them and could write an entire post on my thoughts about this man's astonishing accomplishments).

So here's some pics of the trip. It really was great!

The wedding was beautiful, the spirit strong.

Fiddler at the Hale was great! See how adorable my niece is?

Camp Fancy Nancy was awesome. The highlight of the girl's stay.

Also, we attended a "It's Not Delivery, It's DiGiorno" party. I've been wanting to do one of these ever since I first saw their pizza commercials in the early 1990's, right?

Visiting with my awesome siblings was, well, awesome.

And that turn to Panguitch we missed on the way home? (The kids were duking it out in the back over some "he touched me"/"she's looking at me" infraction. This distraction caused me to miss that turn to Panguitch (again, I might add. . . I did this about 4 years ago driving down with Nancy, remember?). But this time, when I stopped in Cedar City to inquire after the mountain pass I took last time I missed the turn, I learned that Mountain Pass # 14 is closed for the winter! Ai yi yi. After consulting a map in the gas station with the attendant, we chose to head south and drive through Zion's National Park. She did not mention that to use the road through Zion's National Park would cost me $25. Ohhh. So that's why we don't normally drive this way.

After paying my $25 dollar fee, I instructed the kids to look out the windows at this lovely view we just paid big time for (in money and in time. . .my missed turn cost me an extra hour and half!) Luna got out the camera and we took shots while we were driving. There was a super long winding tunnel and gorgeous mountain peaks the likes of which I've never seen before. I even pulled over once to take a picture.

The moral of this spring break review story? Driving to Utah and back with no husband = A true learning experience, just like I'd figured.