Family at CBH

This is Josey running to me when we first saw them
We found it was best to just take the picture without trying to get both girls to look and smile.
Riley loves her Uncle Chad. I think she is showing him that she is three.
All of us with Uncle Doug. The Myerses stayed at the Bent Nail with him.

Right before Emily and Joey had to leave. We were so glad we got to see them this weekend.
I love this picture of Riley.
Right after we got there I took this picture with Josey.
We took this picture with Vance and Aimee on Friday right after we got there. We figured they'd be busy the rest of the weekend (they know a lot of people after directing the camp for 17 years) so I wanted to get a picture with them while they had some time. Aimee ran the kitchen while Vance directed camp, and I was one of her cooks in '01.
Another waterfall shot. There were about 8 or 9 of us that hiked on Sunday afternoon to one of my favorite hikes called BST. It had been a while since any of us had been there and we did a lot of consulting on whether or not the waterfall we arrived at was BST. I didn't think it was and I am going to find it when we go back in July. We had a lot of fun anyway.

Pictures, part 3

This was not my idea. I had a hard time sticking my head through this hole. Me, Sara, and Jessica at the sign.
Sara, Miriam, Rebekah, and me in the barn.

Mirm and me.
Another waterfall picture. This is NOT BST.
Everyone consulting: "Is this BST?"

People at CBH...the Challenge course

Sara swings stupendously while smiling superbly

This is after Chad said "Can you actually look at the camera?" I was holding on for dear life and holding down my lunch.

Waving on the zipline.

They are "acting" like it is hard to pull me up in the swing.

A closer view of Sara swinging.

Nature at CBH

Here are some nature pictures we took at Blue Haven. For some reason I am attracted to taking pictures of water. Chad likes to take upclose pictures of flowers and fungus. We had fun using the plant life to experiment with our new camera this weekend. I thought I would divide the posts into humans and non-humans. Enjoy!

Some pictures that are long overdue

Here are some more pictures from Chad's graduation weekend. The formatting has been somewhat messing up so we'll see if I can actually get from this page to publishing the post successfully. If you're reading this then it worked.

I thought this picture of Josey was very cute and showcases her personality well.



Here's a picture of dad and me just before dad left for the airport. Lady at church: "You look just like your dad."
Me: "Thanks, I hear that a lot."
Lady at church: "Yeah, I can tell where you get your skin from."
(That was a random story that I thought was funny...I had never been told I look like dad because our skin is the same.)



Here are Chad and me by a fountain in "Old Town" (read: lots of tourist shops packed really closely together) Sedona.







Here is Chad showcasing the new Bible I gave him.











Here is Chad's new toy: an electric drumset.






















Here we are at Rich & Joyce's house the night before Chad's graduation. They threw a little potluck for Chad and it was really nice. They have really taken care of us since we moved here over two years ago...such nice Christian people.










Sister abuse.





















The theme of the party was Mexican type food (it was a fiesta!), so Rich got the idea to buy these little Mexican cookies and make them into an "M." He was very proud of himself, so I took this picture before people started eating the cookies.












Sister attack, part II.

Side trip

We took a little side trip into Sycamore canyon on our way back to Prescott from Flagstaff today. Sycamore canyon is even more beautiful than Sedona. We flew by a cliff dwelling, which I got video of also, but I coudn't zoom in so the ruins aren't very visible. This video is of us flying through a cool little formation. Enjoy.

Public Service Announcement

Postage prices go up today. So don't mail that letter with one of those old 39 cent stamps on it, because 41 is the new 39.

In other news, I have two weeks of school left. In case I haven't told you, I have applied to teach summer school which is four days a week through June. Chad is just working and teaching EMS classes for Wizard. Not much else to report.

I hope all you moms out there had a happy Mother's Day! I didn't get to be with my mom but we got to talk on the phone for quite a while, which is always nice. My mom's the best mom.

Herod's tomb

Archeologists think that they may have found Herod's tomb....for what that's worth.

Whew!

We are back. These past 6 days have been busy and fun. Wednesday Barbara, Emily and the girls came in to town to spend a few days with us before Chad's graduation. Thursday while Chad was finishing up his last class, the rest of us went to the zoo. The girls had fun, but neither one of them wanted to walk very much. Then Thursday afternoon Barbara took care of the girls while Chad and I took Emily climbing on a real rock. She did awesome! She climbed two different routes (really fast!) and made it up to the top on both of them. It was really windy that day, and stupid Lesley volunteered to strip the anchor (we had a top rope) and rappel down. The wind picked up quite a bit and I thought I was going to fly off the rock! Of course I was tied in, but it was still scary. I guess you had to be there to get what I'm talking about. So then Thursday night we went to Hugo's, which Chad likes to share with people who come visit us, really because it's another excuse for him to get to eat there. It was good as usual.

Friday was tiring. Other family (Dad & Ginny, Paul & Carolyn) began trickling in throughout the day. We did a little shopping in the morning and that afternoon Chad showed everyone who got in to town around the helicopter. I think it was even more windy out there than it had been the day before, so we didn't stay out there very long. Then we all came home and got ready for the potluck for Chad at the Moores'. It was really nice...I think about 30 people came. It was nice to see some people that we hadn't seen in a while and just get to visit with everyone. I think we were all exhausted by this point, and the graduation hadn't even happened yet.

Saturday morning everyone came over for breakfast and we went to the graduation, which started at 10. It was a really interesting ceremony and I thought it was neat how each graduate was "presented" by a faculty member, and then they each got to say something. It was cool to see all the different things that the graduates were interested in. I think Emily got some video of Chad's part in graduation, so check her blog sometime if you want to see what was said about him and what he said. Another interesting part of the graduation was the invocation which was an African-inspired dance. This ceremony was oh-so-Prescott College, but I really enjoyed it because it was so unique. And of course my heart swelled with pride as my wonderful husband completed this chapter of his life! The graduation took a good part of the day and we spent the rest of the day recovering and, of course, eating.

Sunday after church Chad and I drove over to Sedona to spend some time with Paul and Carolyn, who left a little bit ahead of us to spend a few days there. It was nice to relax by the pool after the busyness of the previous few days. We got back Monday evening and are both back at work today. We were so glad to have so many in the family come into town and it was great to spend time with everyone. But I have to be honest--I think I am getting more rest at work! :)

We'll post pictures soon.

Don't miss us too much, and some grammar stuff

We will be away from the blogging world for a few days, since (as most of you know) Chad is graduating this weekend and we have a plethora of family coming in to town. We will post pictures next week.

Anybody want a grammar tip? Well, a few weeks ago I said I wanted to be Grammar Girl, especially when I found out someone was actually making their living being Grammar Girl. So unfair. Anyway, I've been trying to keep up with some of her podcasts, and they are really good. I mostly do this so I can give my students easy ways to remember things. Here are a couple good ones, if you care.

Who vs. whom: I used to try to explain this using direct and indirect object, but then you have to go back even further and explain direct and indirect object. Plus, that's hard for me to remember too. I've always had a problem with who vs. whom, until I heard this easy way to remember it. If you can answer the question with him, it should be whom. If you answer the question with he, it's who. See an example:

Who(m) is coming to the party?
He is coming to the party, so it should be who. Him is coming to the party doesn't make sense.

Who(m) should we send an invitation to?
We should send an invitation to him, so it's whom. Actually, it's "to whom should we send an invitation" if you are really a stickler about that ending the sentence in a preposition stuff, which I really don't care about.

My students are writing a paper right now about the causes and effects of change in family relationships. They wonder about affect and effect and when to use them, and I tell them this...
The arrow affected the aardvark. The affect that starts with an "a" is an action. So you would never say effected.

This stuff is interesting to me because it always helps to find easy ways to teach usage to high school sophomores. If you have any other tips on tricky words, let me know them so I can pass them along to my grateful students!

Ciao for now...

Hello

Hello everyone,

I am sitting here at work, ready for my relief to show up. Today is my last real day of class (we are having barbecue and volleyball on Thursday, which I am going to try and sneak out of early) I really wrote this blog to give a weather update for everyone who is coming. The weather has been a little warm lately, but absolutely gorgeous...it is a shame I didn't get to fly yesterday. It will be getting even more beautiful when you all arrive. The highs will be in the high 60's to mid 70's and sunny until Friday and Saturday. You will most certainly need a wind breaker on those two days because the forecast is sunny but windy. Saturday will only have a high of 59 degrees. It will be wonderful mountain weather. Cheerio!!

Weigh in

I weighed myself today, on week after the official weigh in and the results are

128.5. One pound more than last week, but.........................I had three large cups of coffe sitting very heavily in my stomach at the time so I think i'm about even.

Final mexican Meal

I ate my final mexican meal of the challenge on Friday. I went to a local place called Alfonsos and ordered the #5. This is a plate that includes a burrito with a fresh made tortilla containing jalapenos and shredded mexican beef (awesome), a cheese enchilada, and healthy portions (or that should probably be unhealthy portions) of rice and refried bean. Delish.

Dos tacos pescados por favor

Yep, that's right. I you can read the title, yesterday's meal was two fish tacos. Now, anyone who knows me in the least bit knows that I DO NOT like fish. But for the sake of vicarious living i HAD to eat. (what commitment). I went back to Hugo's...makers of the perfect burrito. MY fish tacos were piled high with seasoned fish, onions, queso blanco, and that wonderful tomatillo sauce, all on two heated corn tortillas. Muy autentico. The smell was VERY fishy. This made the first bite a hard one to take. A healthy squeeze of lime and away I went. Not too shabby. Very tasty in fact...aside from all the red colored grease that shot out the other end of the taco, which would have got me excited in any other circumstance, but the thought of fish grease turned me a little green. I persevered though, and ate both my fish tacos, savoring the flavor yet wanting to barf at the thought. One of these days I will break the mental block. Hope you enjoyed your authentic fish tacos Denise. By the way, my weigh in isn't until tomorrow, but I don't think I have lost any weight, and I haven't even run all week.

Anniversary

One year ago today, I started this blog. Although it has, at times, taken time away from other things I should be doing, I like to think that it has brought us all closer (albeit in a virtual way). Here's to another year of random pictures and mindless ramblings!

By the way, I noticed that nobody has commented on my blog with all the book names...not even mom! I'm thinking it's being overshadowed by all the pictures and flowery prose in Chad's blog entries. Get your own blog Chad.

Nappytime for little Emily

After Denise scarfed her big burrito yesterday, Emily headed straight away for a long and well deserved nap in a beautiful aspen and ponderosa pine forest. The weather was beautiful and in the mid 70's in the sun. There was a strong breeze blowing to help sing nature's lullaby to a sleepy patron of her forest. The drive up to Emily's little nest was gorgeous and quiet. The only sounds to be heard were those relaxing sounds of snap, crackle and pop of the gravel under her car's tires. This reminds her of the long mountain road leading to Blue Haven and sends her mind to an even happier place. Soon the smell of mountain dust and the vanilla scent of ponderosa fills her nostrils. The stark contrast of brilliant white towering aspens amidst the predominant ponderosa pines is breathtaking. There it is. The perfect spot. Prescott National Forest site #2. Emily pulls her car about 25 yards off the lonely gravel road and parks it strategically so that any passing cars can not see her in slumber. She has looked forward to a nap in the sun, but has forgotten how brutal direct Arizona sunlight can be even on a fair day like this. She finds a wonderful spot in the shade, just out of reach of the sunbeams and makes her pallet of a sleeping pad, bag, and her favorite Tempur-pedic neck pillow and gently falls asleep.

AHHHH. God wakes her up 2 hours later with his symphony of wind whipping through the needles of the pines. She is refreshed.

Este burrito es muy rico

Ayer fui a Hugo's restaurante de comida mexicana. There they have the closest thing I have ever found to heaven on earth: the carne asada wet burrito. This 2 pound gift from the tejano gods is stuffed with copious amounts of succulent carne asada, frijoles refritos ricos (delicious refried beans), cilantro, y cebollas (onions), all covered in their masterful homemade green salsa. They make this salsa by combining all of their fresh ingredients into a large vat and then they mix it all together using a powerdrill with an industrial sized paintmixer attachment on the end. The result is perfection. After the first bite into the tortilla de harina sopping with the green tomatillo sauce you are hooked. This is crack for mexican food lovers. Before you know it your plate is licked clean of the green sauce and you have a wonderful brick in your stomach. What lascivious pleasure!! This meal was the one I have been looking forward to since I have taken on this challenge, and just as I suspected, it did not disappoint. Now forgive me, for now I must go to confession for yesterday's sinfully gluttony.

Yours truly,

El gordito pachuco

I'm bummed

So I just did my daily routine of checking the blogs of all the people I have bookmarked...17 blogs...and not a SINGLE one has updated today! What a bummer! We're usually the ones who don't update for a week or two at a time so I'd say right now we're doing pretty good. Come on people, post to your blog...Even if it's a boring post like this one! You don't know how it makes my day. :)

Comida mexicana es mucho mejor que todas otras comidas del Mundo!!!

Denise's new Challenge

This challenge wasn't posted on the blog, and Denise sort of told to Lesley as a joke, but it intrugued me so I'm taking it on. Denise has asked me to eat a plate of mexican food everyday for a week and not gain weight.

Well....I started on Saturday and have not had a chance to weigh myself until I was at work today.
Here are my stats and meals so far.

127.5 lbs in a short and t-shirt...that is less than the last time I weighed myself (so much for this wieght gain I have been trying to do)

Saturday- Denise (I) went to On the Border and had a several sodas, mucho salsa and chips, and an Ultimate 5 platter (shared with Lesely) which had a crunchy taco, mini chimichangas, quesadillas, empanada, flautas with queso dipping sauce.

Sunday-A stop at Casa Sanchez produced a beautiful feast of Enchiladas Verdes with sour cream and guacamole, mexican rice and refried beans all topped with green chile sauce. the salsa there was AWESOME!!!!

Monday- A FULL plate of leftovers from Monday. After which I had to run to the helicopter for a call. (BARF!!!)

Thats all for now.

Denise's nature walk

We went to the Watson Woods riparian preserve trail near Watson Lake in the Prescott city limits. It is a very flat and leisurely trail. The day was beautiful with the weather being partly cloudy with intermittent times of needed a light jacket to being fine in a t-shirt. The fauna here is not as diverse as some places but it is very accessible and is one of the few places that has some water. Here are some pics of what I found.




I took a field guide so that Denise can develop a deeper relationship to her surroundings by knowing her native plants by name.

















Of course, one must familiarize themsleves with their field guide in order to extract the maximum value.




Me by a Quaking Aspen------
















Whipple Cholla Cactus--the only cactus I saw in the entire area! That fruit that has just began to form will turn into beautful yellow blooms.


Lesley laying on the trunk of a formerly HUGE tree. Even this picture doesn't do justice to the size of it.









This is Denise (use your imagination) indentifying a Box Elder tree's stages of new leaf growth.




























Coyote Willow Gooding Willow