Celebrating Easter a Week Early

We were going to have a BBQ at the park for our Easter
celebration, but we decided it was too hot.  We stayed home
instead and enjoyed grilled hamburgers and
hot dogs.  It definitely was not the typical Easter meal, but
everyone seemed to enjoy the menu anyway.

We ate on egg-shaped purple paper plates and had
matching purple drinks.  The table looked cute if I do say
so myself.

Here's the group for Easter dinner.  I wish Melanie, Heather, and
their families could have joined us too.

Here I am modeling my new apron that Natalie made me
for Valentine's Day.  I finally got to show it off while I
fixed Easter dinner.

Cali had a lot of fun hunting for all
of her eggs from the Easter bunny.

Jace might be short, but it was amazing to see how
he could stretch to reach all those Easter eggs.

Cali is so sweet and knows just how to pose
for all my photos of her.

Here's the group we had for Easter dinner.  I sure love
all my girls and their families even the ones not
pictured.   Happy Easter family!

Ashton Turns Two

Ashton celebrated his birthday with two Ellsworth cousins.
Steve and I were invited so we tagged along as the kids enjoyed
 playing together and eating pizza, yummy cake and ice cream.

Here's Ashton in Nathan and Tracy's back yard
enjoying a creative game of basketball.

We gave Ashton a ride-along toy.  He kept
calling it a motorcycle.  He was so happy and
that made us happy.

Ashton can say "Buzz Lightyear."  It is so cute
to hear him learn to speak.

Ashton spent quite a bit of time in the front playing
on his new "motorcycle."

Here's another pic of Ashton playing in his aunt and uncle's
back yard on his 2nd birthday.  All of the kids had a great time.

A Weekend in California

Last weekend Steve and I met Julie, Sheldon, Jace, Natalie, Thomas, Cali, and Ashton in California for a three-day adventure in California.  We stayed at The Hilton in Irvine which was very close to Disneyland and Newport Beach.  Julie suggested the trip for all of us because they were going to California anyway for a board test that Sheldon had to take in preparation for his upcoming graduation from optometry school.  We went to Disneyland on Saturday and Sunday and then on Monday while Sheldon was testing the rest of us spent a few hours at the hotel pool before going to Newport Beach for the afternoon.  We had a great time although on Tuesday morning when the alarm went off at 4:15 a.m. I was wondering how wise it was to vacation during a school week.

Adam and Drena Visit From Hawaii

Adam and Drena spent Saturday afternoon with Steve at Mt. Charleston discovering the world of snow!  This is definitely a new thing for our friends from The Islands.

It's pretty surprising how much snow is still left considering
it's almost spring.

They enjoyed touching the snow and feeling the contrast
of the sun beating down on them even though the
"white" stuff felt so cold.

Steve said it was pretty funny watching people notice that Adam
had on a pair of flip flops and shorts while the rest
of the skiiers were dressed in snow gear.

Adam and Drena came for his 40th class reunion.
Somehow I just can't quite wrap my brain around
the idea that our Polynesian friends traveled to Vegas for
a Hawaiian HS reunion.  Odd......

Sunday after church and a nap we headed for the Bellagio
Hotel to look at the spring decorations in the garden.

We weren't disappointed at the hotel.  Everything looked so pretty.
There were tons of beautiful flowers.  There were even
sections of tulips in all colors.  It reminded me of
our travels to Oregon when we visited the tulip festivals. 
Of course, this was on a much, much smaller scale.

Steve and I thought our little grandchildren would have enjoyed
looking at the merry-go-round as well as the ferris wheel.

I loved the purple flowers!

The tulips were sooooo pretty; definitely tulips are my favorite flower.

This picture looked like an aerial view of a garden or field
all made with real flowers.

Adam and Drena are great friends that we enjoyed
spending the weekend with.  They are home now, but
as the Hawaiians say "Vegas is the 8th island."  I have a
feeling they will be back soon.