Salt River

Yesterday we took the kids and got out of the city. We didn't have to drive too far, which is nice. The water level is low so there weren't any (obnoxious, loud, drunk) rafters and tubers, which was very nice. I've often heard that the Salt River is dirty and disgusting, and it could just be that we went at just the right time, but it was crystal clear. The weather was warm (mid-90s) but the water felt great. We wandered, crossed the river a few times, splashed, picked up shells, and caught tiny fish. I'd say it was one of our favorite family outings yet. You wouldn't know it by looking at the pictures, but Marnie was in.a.mood when we got there. She did not want to walk around and was full of complaints about the rocks, spiders, and everything else. The instant her toes hit the water-- it was like someone flipped a switch. She laughed and had the time of her life. Britt came away with his pockets full of souvenirs (shells and crawdad pinchers) which he took home and scrubbed with a toothbrush. I (as usual) took 5,000 pictures. Here's a fraction of them.

Her cheeks were probably sore from that perma-smile.

hubba hubba

His tooth is cracking me up. That thing is hanging by a thread...I can't believe he hasn't yanked it yet. 

Floating with a little help from daddy.

She didn't stop giggling the entire time. Even when she slipped and started floating away (we were right there and Britt grabbed her foot to stop her), she just laughed and laughed. She's a little fearless. 

water ballet

Tried to catch crawdads...

and ended up with some adorable baby fish.

Fun, laid-back, cheap, crowd-free, and outdoors: Our favorite kind of family adventure.

during the first month of Spring

We started what will probably turn out to be an Easter tradition: S'meeps! Toasted Peeps in s'mores.  (Thanks for the name, Aunt Nancy.)

Over their Spring Break, Justin's parents and brother came to visit. When they left, they took our kids and dog with them, and Justin & I had a night to ourselves (of course, we went to a concert- Jeff Mangum!). The next day we took the long way to Snowflake and drove through Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, and Flagstaff.

Along the banks of Oak Creek

-my shadow in the crystal clear water-

*smoochie smoochie lovey dovey*

     A few weeks after Easter, we went back to Snowflake to remember Justin's sweet Grandma Ruby and her 85 years of being wonderful. She was one of the best ladies I've ever known, and always made us feel so loved. She adored her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She always had a treat for us, and loved to visit when we came by. She knew our kids loved Nik-L-Nips (the wax bottles with a candy drink inside) and always had a special supply just for them. We will miss her goodness and her warmth. I'm glad we were able to pay her one last visit when we were in Snowflake at Easter.

We were excited to see this little guy when we went for the funeral. It's so nice that he remembers us (thanks to FaceTime chats) and wants to snuggle with Britt and play with Justin. :)

We stopped by Tonto Creek for a little leg-stretch and fresh air on the way to and from Snowflake. It's one of the most beautiful places in Arizona. I think we all could have stayed there for days. 

This has nothing to do with anything, but I wanted to remember it. Marnie finished her own school workbooks a few days ago, and wanted to try Britt's MadLibs book. She was adamant that I not help her, and this is what she came up with on her own. She did this and yelled, "I found a match!"