Catching Up

Are you tired of pictures and no words?
I think it's rare that anyone wants words without pictures, but sometimes one gets to wondering if there's a story behind the photos!
FYI, there are.  Lots.  I think the pictures tell enough though, and if you're wondering what else is going on in our lives I'll tell ya:

 We are still with AJ's folks in California.  It's been sunny and Spring-ish, but April arrived with it's trademark sprinkling and cool to nearly-nippy cold weather.
My birthday was yesterday.  31 this year.  30 was good to me so I don't mind stepping into the next age as gracefully as possible.  AJ and I took the Bugs for a drive and a short hike to Bald Rock, then my husband took me to dinner at Johnnie's, at the Hotel Diamond in Chico, of which there are no pictures - we managed to live even without the camera to document ;-)
This weekend AJ is helping my brother move some stuff to Idaho where his family will be our new neighbors.  This is the best of news!  I have missed my family the last two years in Colorado, and can't wait to live close enough to possibly bug each other:-)  In all seriousness, Char and Hannah are our best friends.  It's unlikely we'll grow tired of each other any time soon.

School continues.  Amongst other things we finished reading a "Happy Hollisters" book which I was a hit.  We are now on to "Catch 'em Alive Jack" an autobiography of Jack Abernathy.  I hope it's good - we LOVED reading about his two little boys who crossed the West on horseback alone at the ages of 5 and 9.  Apparently Jack caught a number of wolves by shoving his fist into their open mouths.  Sound like a story for boys?  I hope so.
Carolina is getting so stinkin' persnickity!  If she wasn't so stinkin' cute, it'd be all out war for sure.
She says to me while pointing to Bryce "He a li'l wo-man"
me: "No Carolina.  He's a little man"
her: "No.  He a li'l wo-man"
me: "Boys are a little man, and girls are little women.  You are a little wo-man!"
In halting baby speech she puts me in my place: "No. YOU are  a  stink-y  li'l  WO-man!"

And so I am chastened even if it be a somewhat embelished version of the truth.

As for baby brother, he's recovering from being called a "li'l wo-man"
It hasn't seemed to faze his tiny ego.  He grunts boy-speak and kicks his legs with the passion of one dreaming of joining the ranks, and ASAP!

Things are well with us.
Very well.

My Birthday and a Hike to Bald Rock

 

Promised Pictures: Fort Bragg, Glass Beach, and The California Redwoods

Sweet as Pie

I Have an Entrapreneur!

 

"Soil for 1 Dime A Load,
AND FREE ON SATURDAY"

(Better get your soil now... I expect a long line on Saturday!) 



 

No OneTold Us We'd Have to EARN our Free Ice Cream!

We got to Ben and Jerry's yesterday but when we arrived I heard somebody (who shall remain nameless) ask if it wouldn't 
"just be easier to go somewhere else and BUY our ice cream?"

I told him that person:
Someone's got to teach our children to FIGHT for what's free!"
(or something like that).


So we did.


It's kind of nice that Ben and Jerry only offer free ice cream cones once a year.






























*Little Girlie-Bug Cousins*

Free... FREEEEEE (ice cream)......freeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

Ice Cream cones are a great way to kick off the beginning of Spring, don't you think?
Actually I'll celebrate anything with the right Ice cream, and while Ben and Jerry's hasn't any special place in my heart, free things have!

It just so happens that Ben and Jerry's is offering free ice cream cones today at some locations - Chico being one of them, and several places in the Denver Colorado area and Colorado Springs too. So if you feel like scoring points with the kiddo's and pulling a fast one on the sugar police...
Check this link for a Ben and Jerry's store location near to you!


Ben and Jerry's Free Cone Day

Are you tired of looking at those last few pictures yet?  I'm sorry to say that I have more from that Ocean trip that I'll be imposing on you!

Not yet though.































I can't imagine how, but I managed to forget what a Chico Spring does to me. It's one of the loveliest places to be for Springtime, but when the Walnuts and Oaks bloom... I mean to tell you, I'm about decommissioned.

Woe to Allergies.

In happier news, my little sister Molly and my brother in law Nick are expecting their first little Babe, and the three of them along with dog-baby Calli came for a visit over the weekend.

Despite allergies, there's scarcely a better way to spend the first day of Spring but with a piece of Bidwell Park, and some Ice Tea at the local tea joint.  Follow that with a Big Al's chocolate shake and you have something REALLY special!

  The only thing to top that is to sprinkle in some Char and Hannah, so...

Today we had the privilege to introduce our little 6 month old Bryce to Great Grandma F.

Ode to Springtime!

More Mendocino

Mendocino California

I'm expanding my horizons with Blogger and experimenting with some features I've never used so bear with me.

My beloved husband spirited me away to the Coast last weekend - only the second time overnight without the children... ever!   (unless you count four or so hospital stays.  I don't.)

It was marvelous to enjoy several days of talking his ear off without interruption, and more notably, to enjoy several days of being quiet together... without interruption:-) 

It was nice.
Not necessary perhaps, but appreciated oh so much!