The Changing Guard

Tuesday night was Invention Convention at Isabelle's school.
Here she is showcasing her invention--the Changing Guard. A new baby brother helped inspire her idea!
Supportive sister!

Friends Cassidy and Sydney.

Wildlife World Zoo

Last week we went to the Wildlife Zoo. Tons of fun!

Look close--who is trying to impress whom?
Tigers!
The mammal house had a very pungent odor!
Animal show
Ava is such a good big sister!
Feeding parrots--Isabelle's bird ate every last bit of her apple!
Tommy had fun too!
Feeding giraffes


The only ride Ava wanted to go on was the sky ride. She was so cute--she begged and begged to go on it, and when we finally went, she shyly asked to hold my hand. I loved her cute big eyes as she reached for my hand. We held hands the entire ride. She had an itch half way through, quickly let go to scratch it, then hurriedly grabbed my hand again. One sweaty hand=one happy mom!


Sisters!
Log ride


Aquarium
Isabelle had to touch each and every thing. (Sometimes twice.) Ava, however, touched nothing!


Fun day!

Apparently I need to be more specific!

Two weekends ago, Tom was in Monterey, Mexico working. Before he left town I told him not to get himself killed! (Good parting words, yes?) Anyhow, the evening he was supposed to be flying home I get a call that went a little something like this...

Me: Hello?
Him: Hi honey...I'm in a Mexican prison.

pause

Me: Oooohkay.

Long story short, he threw out the travel card he was given upon entering the country, the same travel card he needed to leave the country again and return to our fair land. (This card is somehow very important--at least it was that day--even if you have your passport.) After being interrogated by airport security in their isolation room, he was again interrogated by local police at the police station in their isolation cell. Long story even shorter, a wonderful local came to his aid and he is now safely home. (Word of advice to all international travelers--DO NOT throw out any documentation given to you! (DUH!))
Apparently, my sage advice of not getting himself killed was not specific enough!

Scary Beautiful

Isabelle and I did mud masks last night. It got a little scary.

And a little silly.

But, then got really pretty.

And really smooth!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Ava and I made freezer jam last week. Yum!

Hiking

Saturday morning we did the waterfall hike in the White Tanks. You really don't appreciate those mountains until you get into them. I grew up in Colorado with huge mountains covered in beautiful tall pine trees. Looking at the White Tanks just seemed boring in comparison, but I was happily surprised with them! We had a great time.

We saw this cool purple guy right after we saw a sign warning of poisonous snakes and spiders. Yikes!




You may have noticed Ava's attire during the hike. She wore long pants and a jacket the entire time, even though it did warm up on us. I know she was getting hot because she was sucking on a water bottle incessantly. I finally asked her if she wanted me to hold her jacket in the backpack for her. She started to take it off, and as she did some kind of insect flew in front of her. Immediately, she put the jacket back on and said no thanks! She sweated it out the entire time because she was afraid of the bugs.

Both girls were actually quite bug-a-phobic. Belle refused to use the bathrooms because there were so many bugs inside and ended up holding it the entire time! Whenever we passed a bush that visibly had critters buzzing about, she paused for a few seconds, right before making a dash past it! It would have been funny if it weren't so annoying!

We've got to get out into nature more often!
For more reasons than just that. It really was beautiful.

Wiped out!