Beware: Long Post with Lots of Pictures

We have been doing a lot and nothing in the last several weeks. I have just not been motivated to blog these last few weeks but I have finally had complaints about no pictures from Kitty so I have given in and am now trying to catch up.

Chad has been keeping busy at work. He is down to just about two months. His research project is coming along and he is almost done with one of his most difficult rotations. He has made some very good friends in the other residents and we have done some fun things with them. They are all the same age as David and Shelli. None are married or have children. We are the old fuddy duddies but they have been great with our kids. Some of the girls have even babysat. He is applying for jobs in SLC, Prescott and Flagstaff and has had some positive responses to set up interviews. Who knows where we will be going? Sadly, we can't sell our house because of the market but hopefully we will be able to rent it. Anyone need a place to live here in Tucson?

Cole, Grant and I have been keeping busy with daily morning walks, play groups, zoo trips and babysitting swaps. I have also been working for my old boss on an hourly basis helping him with an appeal that his client's ex-wife filed. It has been nice to stay in the game a little and make some extra cash for the family. Generally though, my life is vastly different than it was a year ago. Sometimes good and sometimes not but overall I wouldn't want it any other way. I am sad to be moving from Tucson. I have some really good friends and I will miss them. We have a good life here.

My mom came to visit mid-March for a long weekend. It was fun except for the illness going through my house. Shelli and David came to visit. Shelli got deathly ill, stayed for an extra day and then ended up taking an entire week off of work. Cole also got quite sick and was not his usual smiley self. I was sad because my mom hadn't seent him since he was a newborn. I wanted her to see what a cutie he is. She will get to see him in a few weeks though. We didn't do much except hang out. We took a trip to the zoo right when she arrived. My mom helped, aka did all the work, Shelli sew two dresses.

Grant and Cole are both growing like weeds. I can't believe how big they are. They are so adorable together as you can see from some of these pictures. They play pretty well together. Grant has moments where he gets possessive of a toy or annoyed with Cole's grabbiness but I'm working with him to just give Cole something different if he wants what Cole has. For the most part, Grant couldn't be a better brother. He is so helpful and anxious to be involved.

(Grant and Cole sharing toys)

(Grant eating his oatmeal for breakfast - It's either oatmeal, pancakes or waffles)

We have been to a couple of zoo classes in the last few weeks. Grant loves these classes. We get to see the animals, make some art, listen to some zoo books and touch some cool animals. at one of our first zoo classes, they brought out a chicken named Gladys. They put her on a small table to talk about her. During the little intro she flew off the table and landed on our table right in front of Grant. At our last zoo class, one of the animals they brought out to touch was a small box turtle. Right as it got to Grant, it pooped and peed. Grant has been attacked by a chicken and peed on by a turtle. How much more memorable can class be than that. Grant is really getting into the art projects too. He is great with a glue stick now and loves to do it all by himself. The caterpillar below was entirely his creation. He glued and placed all the foamies. Grant is great about touching most of the animals. He loves the reptiles. He has touched snakes, turtles, lizards, chickens, hedgehogs and who knows what else. I see a future vet.

(Grant with his caterpillar masterpiece at zoo class)

(Grant eating his waffle for breakfast)

(Cole exploring his bucket of toys - he loves to go through this bucket but loves Grant's cars and blocks even more)

(Cole impatiently waiting to be fed - he gave up and started sucking on his fingers (he is an avid finger sucker - no binkies for this boy))

(Another moment waiting for food)

(Cole with Grant's blocks - other people's toys are always more fun)

Grant is still working vigorously to fill up his sticker charts to earn presents. He earned the golf clubs you see below. These golf clubs were a great find. KB Toys was closing. I was purchasing a fire hat and saw these clubs sitting on a shelf all alone. They cost me $1.50. It has a bag, an iron, a drive, a putter, 4 balls, a hole with a flag and a few tees. The clubs have metal shafts and are very sturdy. Grant loves them and so do I.

(He swings)

(He brings the club through)

(He hits)

(He follows through)

(He looks to see where it went)

On Easter weekend, David came down to visit. Saturday turned out to be a very wet, rainy and cold day. Nonetheless, we headed out to the Biosphere 2 (Pop quiz: where is Biosphere 1?) to see what it had to offer and participate in their Earth Day celebration. David and I were skeptical but it turned out to be fun. The Earth Day part was a bit of a bust because many of their displays involved solar power. Not much to show if there is no sun. We were able to tour the Biosphere 2 and learned quite a bit. It's amazing that people lived in there for two years. They continue to use it for plant and climate research.

(Chad in front of Biosphere 2)

(Chad and Cole at the entrance to the south lung - this is a huge chamber that goes up and down to adjust the air pressure to balance the outside and prevent the glass pieces from exploding or imploding - It was amazing)

(David, Chad, Grant and Cole at the beginning of this excursion - let it be known David's wise older sister asked whether he needed a jacket before we left and he declined)

(Grant in the technosphere - he had a great time walking through these giant thing)

(Lindsay and Cole in the rain forest)

(the ocean in the biosphere)

Because were gone so long on Saturday we didn't have the opportunity to dye eggs. We did it on Easter morning. Grant had a fun time dying eggs with Chad. Cole had a good time watching. The Easter bunny brought Grant Hudson Hornet and lots of candy.

(Cole watching Easter egg dying)

(Grant and Chad dying eggs)

(The final product - Grant's pretty good if I do say so myself)

(Grant with his eggs)

(Cole with his xylophone)

(Grant and Cole rocking out)

At the grocery store last week, Grant wanted to get a watermelon. They were way on sale so I agreed. He and Cole loved it. Cole loves to suck the heck out of his pieces. Grant loves to have big pieces still on the rind so that he can mutilate with his knife and fingers. To each his own. Whatever makes them happy.

(Cole enjoying watermelon for the first time)

(Grant showing off his watermelon - notice the knife (maybe he's more like his uncle Brad than we all thought))

(more watermelon eating)

Chad and I have always wanted to get Grant a Power Wheels. We found one Easter weekend at a garage sale just down the street from us. When I bought it the battery still had juice in it and it was running. They told me the battery hadn't been charged in 3 years but since it was still running I thought the battery would still be good. I was wrong. After charging it it wouldn't work at all. I called the company to talk with them about it and it appears I'm going to need a new battery. So for the time being all Grant and his friends can do is sit in. They all still manage to have a good time and fight over it.

(Grant and Nicholas enjoying animal crackers in Grant's Jeep)

Last weekend, we took an overnight camping trip to Parker Canyon Lake. It is aboug 1-1/2 hours away from our home. We have been there twice before. It is beautiful. It was a good family outing but exhausting. Several months ago we bought Grant a child size fishing pole. Sadly though the only one they had at the store was a pink Barbie fishing pole. He loves the thing though. From the second we got to the lake he wanted his pole and wouldn't put it down. He unceasingly said, "I want to go hiking," "I want to go fishing." He didn't grasp that we had to get the tent set up and other things unloaded before we could go. We also have no idea how he learend the word hiking and what it means. That's not a word that either Chad or I use. Once we did get the tent up and other things arranged we took a small hike from our site down to the lake to look around. Grant loved throwing rocks in the water and Chad had him looking around for animals.

We had foil dinners for dinner but before we could get them all the way cooked and out, Grant announced he was tired and ready for bed. He wasn't joking either. We put him to bed and he only woke up once in the middle of the night because he'd gotten out of his sleeping bag and was cold. Cole on the other hand did not do much sleeping at all. It was a long night for mom. I did fulfill my camping love of S'mores. Chad even came up with an awesome way of melting the chocolate so that it was really smooshy and gooshy. I am not going to tell you how many S'mores I ate that night and the next morning. We let Grant roast marshmallows for breakfast because he went to bed so early. He actuaully preferred them unroasted because the fire was so hot.

In the morning, all we heard from Grant was that he wanted to go fishing. He wouldn't eat his breakfast and was impatient while Chad and I did. It was hilarious. We finally headed down to the lake to fish. He lasted a surprisingly long time. He and I both used his pole. He liked looking at and holding the worms and playing by the lake. Chad relaxed by the lake in a camp chair and gave his best effort to catch a fish. He got a nibble that stole his worm but that's about it. We had our fair skinned baby in the shade and he just liked being outside. Finally, the boys had enough so we headed up to camp while Chad fished awhile longer. The boys and I played in the tent and I even got a little reading in. We had some lunch then packed up. This is when Grant lost it. He was so exhausted and hot and tired. There is a great picture of Grant at the end below. I also can't believe how many times Grant peed in the 24 hours we were gone. He truly took full advantage of the ability to pee standing up in a bush. He loved it.

We had a great time. I really enjoy camping and want to go more often. It will be easier too as the boys get older. Grant loved being outdoors and wore himself to the bone running around and playing.

(Cole having a snack and trying to keep the sun out of his eyes by the lake)

(Grant at the end of the camping trip heading to the Jeep - he was done, exhausted and ready for sleep)

(The after effects of a little accidental fall off of a table into the dirt - he survived but he ate a lot of dirt)

(Lindsay relaxing in the tentl - see the beautiful view behind)

(This is Grant shortly after arriving at the lake with his pole and his over excited attitude)

(Cole and Grant enjoying apples during our "hike" to the lake after setting up camp)

(Chad, Cole and Grant enjoying the lake on our evening at the lake)

(Cole loved exploring dirt and sticks on the camping trip)

(Grant was trying to see fish far out in the lake so Chad lifted him up - this is actually the first time he ever let Chad put him on his shoulders)

(Lindsay, Grant and Cole on our "hike")

(Grant and Chad heading out on our "hike" - look at the beautiful lake)

(Grant and Chad peeking out the dog den of our tent - no dogs this trip but Chad and Grant found a way to fill the void)

(Cole helping Chad read the Sunday paper)

Above video is Grant and Cole playing their instruments.

Cole makes the most hilarious noise and looks crazy when he does it. He sounds like a Pteradactyl. The funny thing is this past Sunday Chad and I were walking behind another couple who have a baby boy that is just younger that Cole. All of the sudden, we heard their baby making the exact same noise.