a hike

desert rain

I was just getting ready to make dinner last night when the kids came running inside and said, "Mom! You have to come see this beautiful rainbow!" So out I went and when I saw how truly magnificent it was, I abandoned our dinner plans and we jumped in the car and drove a few miles down the road for a better view. It doesn't rain very often in this desert but when it does, it's nothing short of glorious -- everything becomes saturated with color and contrast, and we can't bear to stay inside. We walked along a quiet road in Kayenta for awhile, then drove back toward our house and walked along a dirt road that heads toward some horse stables. William didn't stop running the whole time until he realized there were a bunch of big rocks along the side of the road, which he picked up and threw over and over while saying, "Mom! Look at THIS bad boy! Think I can throw it?" He is so hilarious! Millie walked right along with me most of the time, just chatting and appreciating the rain, which felt like a treasure -- one of those moments I want to tuck away and never forget.

I honestly can't think of anything better than an impromptu walk in a surprise rainstorm with my two favorite kids in the world. What a perfect evening.

(I'm still working on the pictures from our California trip, but they'll be up soon!)

Easter

We had such a nice Easter weekend! We colored eggs and had the traditional BBQ and Easter egg hunt at Grandma and Grandpa Johansen's house. William didn't remember the egg hunt from last year, and he was SO excited once he realized what it entailed and what was inside the plastic eggs (money and candy)! He stopped partway through and said, "Mom, I am having SO MUCH fun!!" After it was all said and done, he asked how far away Halloween was (his favorite holiday) and then said, "Can we have Easter again on Halloween?" :) Millie wasn't feeling well -- we've had a tummy bug going around -- but she wasn't about to miss it, and ended up feeling just well enough to have a good time. Who wouldn't have fun running around searching for rainbow-colored eggs filled with all sorts of goodness?

The weather was perfect, and has continued to be since, a fact about which we are all very happy. Hopefully the 90s will hold off a good while, but these days of mid 70s have been perfect. I love this gorgeous spring weather and I adore these two beautiful kids!

William-ism

(said while pointing from feet to tummy to head)

Mom, look! I'm five . . . I'm five minutes long!

:)

dreams

On the way home last night....

Millie: Mom, wouldn't it be nice if we had a cow? Then we could have fresh milk, and fresh cheese... don't you think we have room to build a little stable?

Mom: Well, cows need lots of room to roam and eat grass.

Millie: Oh, I want to milk a cow though! That's my DREAM! It really is!

William: My dream is to fight a dragon.

Millie: Dragons aren't real! Do you mean you want to be a knight?

William: Yes, AND fight a dragon.

Millie: That's my farm dream, is to milk a cow. And my job dream is to be an artist -- which I already am, and a librarian who does story time with the kids, and to own my own restaurant that serves fresh food.

William: And me is going to be an artist who makes dragons!

Millie: And I want to invent gummy-land, where all the rides are made out of gummies (she then went on to describe gummy-land in great detail).

William: And didn't you realize?? I want to go to Lego-land!

Millie: And someday I want to go to London to see the crown jewels, and I want to go watch some of the real Olympics -- but not gymnastics. That's better on TV because it is close up. Maybe swimming. And then we could see the REAL medal ceremony! AND someday I want to find real pirate treasure that they buried when they sailed the seven seas.

William: Me too.

Be still my heart! I love it when they share their dreams with me. :)

talking in his sleep

Overheard last night while William was sleeping:

"Me want to drive some cars and find a digger and make a new road. Yeah."

:)

this summer

We've had a fun summer! But I must say, the heat does tend to bring out the silliness in us.

We've done some fun projects! Lots of painting, of course... the kids LOVE painting and drawing!

The kids have made more blanket forts, secret hideouts and -- ok -- MESSES than I can count. But they've had a blast doing it. :)

We also made these cool "stained glass" buntings, with grated crayons melted between wax paper. I still need to take a picture of the finished project, but we got the idea here. They were so much fun to make! Millie LOVED grating the crayons, and they look so cheerful in our windows.

One evening we went to the park with Grandma, Grandpa, Hailey and the Thayns to fly remote control helicopters, and even though the batteries only lasted a few minutes, the kids had a blast chasing the helicopters all over and trying to guess where they would land.

We've spent lots of time at Grandma Johansen's house...

...and lots of time playing with Ashton and Gavin. We love having family close by and wish we lived close to the Vaughns as well!

It wouldn't be summer without the splash park, and we have spent lots of time there this summer. The kids seem to tolerate the heat better than me, so I don't spent a lot of time in the backyard with them right now -- so the splash park is perfect. I spend some time in the shade and some time in the water, the kids get wet and play towel-superheros to their hearts content, and we all get to be outside. :)

As lovely and cooling as the water is, however, it is still HOT outside. Remember those heat-induced sillies I was telling you about?

Yeah. We've got 'em bad. :)