Stargazing on Saturday

Last Saturday Agent J and I went to "Stargazing for Everyone" for a merit badge (go to link, click on general programs, then public programs). It was really, really neat. We decided to go the next weekend with the rest of the family. It is an AWEsome sight to look at the heavens and think of how vast it is and how small we are. Impressive to say the least.
After a 20 minute slide show presentation, 6 telescopes were set up for any and all to look through. Some of these telescopes weigh 200 lbs. I saw the red planet Mars, the rings of Saturn, and the craters on the moon. WOW!

I will say that the man who runs this event, Tony La Conte, does this throughout the year does a great job. He even has a blow up planetarium that he takes to schools and projects constellations on the ceiling and talks about whatever that school or teacher is focusing on. It would be great and I would highly recommend them if you are in the Phoenix area.
We liked this telescope. It is like the one Sir Issac Newton invented - is what we were told. Not any of the computerized star finding gear - but still very cool.
Princess had a great night.
Wildflowers in AZ are beautiful this time of year - even at night.
Me and Sweetie spent most of the night wrapped up and sleeping. I had been before and Sweetie was just plain tired.
RHM was a trooper and loved looking at the planets, stars, and nebulas.
These step stools were at every telescope mostly for balance. Kids did use them to climb, but adults needed them when we bent to look through and NOT hang on the telescope.
That - believe it or not - is Saturn. This picture was taken through the telescope. It was even better in person. SO COOL!

Fish and Game Expo at Ben Avery - simply the best.

Fishing - for blow up fish

Getting ready to shoot!

First time for Princess and RHM

Sweetie got to ride the "train" or the open shuttle. This was the highlight on the day for her.

Alligators.

Snakes.

Archery - 3-D shooting at 5 different targets. SO FUN!

Paintball - target shooting at 3-D fake animals
I look like a geek, but we all had a blast. Thanks to my friend, Jessika who told me all about this event. Best part - IT WAS FREE!

Thursday night

Busy, as usual.

• I picked up the 3:15 pick up at school, because we had a friend come spend the night tonight while her family went to Monster JAM! She is a sweet girl and a dream to have over at our house.

• Then taught 3 piano lessons.
  
• Worked on Princess' team snack shack schedule. Printed copies.
  
  

• RHM and Travis went early to coach pitch baseball game.
  
  

• Princess got a ride to her softball practice.
  
  

• Sweetie, friend "K" and I went to RHM baseball game late.

• Agent J went to work on an astronomy merit badge at 6:30 - rode his bike there, because we were all gone.

• Went to Chick-fil-a for dinner.

• Travis left to go play 2 hours of softball.

• Came home to Princess already showered after her softball practice and working on her homework again. Good girl.

• Gave Sweetie a bath. Quizzed RHM on his poem. Signed a few homework planners. Tucked kids in. Said prayers. And now, I am typing this.

Humph. I didn't even tell you about my day. Just the last 5 hours. Somehow, I feel like I didn't get much done. Just busy.

• OH! Agent J just got home.

Travis will be home soon, too. It is good when we are all back together. I love my family.

As much as we all have BUSY nights, we try hard to focus on what is really important. It isn't the games, the running around like chickens with our heads cut off(hence the Chick-fil-a), the activities, the extra curricular.

Family.

That is all that matters.

I never thought I would...

• squeeze fresh orange juice in the morning.

You see I grew up since 2nd grade in St. Louis and I thought orange juice came from Florida and that's about it. I never saw my mother squeeze orange juice in the morning for my breakfast. So, I guess in all my childhood dreams of my adulthood I never dreamed I would live around citrus trees.

So my mind wanders to my first time in Phoenix and how I ended up here. It was a lay over at the PHX airport. I was on my way to meet Travis' parents and see where Travis grew up. We were just dating. I remember thinking Phoenix is very dirty but had great palm trees. To be fair - the airport has cleaned up quite a bit since then and thank goodness Phoenix has more than an airport. Funny, how this "dirty" city ended up being my home.

Then my mind jumps back to this morning and squeezing delicious orange juice and to my citrus juicer.

My mom bought it for me because we had 2 beautiful lemon trees at our first house here in Phoenix. Funny. I never thought I would end up owning a house with lemon trees. But I did.

I learned a lot from those lemon trees. I learned that lemon juice needs to be diluted to make lemonade. (Don't ever just add sugar to a 1/2 gallon of pure lemon juice! I am puckering at the memory. Pursed lips, baby!) I learned to make friends and borrow Jackie's citrus juicer, until my mom bought me my own. It wasn't much money, but I never could wrap my brain around living where citrus grows. It is a pleasant surprise in my life.

So, we moved from that first house almost 5 years ago to a house that had no citrus. We planted a lemon tree and an orange tree 2 years ago. We are still patiently waiting for these trees to produce.

So back to this morning and fresh squeezed orange juice. One of the greatest blessing about citrus trees is the ability to share and make friends while sharing your citrus. This morning's citrus was a blessing from my dear friend Trevlyn. She offered me this citrus on a day when Sweetie was sick, so I had my boys ride over and pick some up.

Well, let's just say they helped themselves to a bit too much. I just wanted to thank her and many others who have given away their citrus. I love it! And these oranges are going to good use.

Yummy and so refreshing. THANKS!

Spring Break Day 5

Last day. Friday of Spring Break and we had plans to go to the park with friends and then all 4 kids had dentist appointments. It was going to be Sweetie's first appointment, but instead we bonded in the bathroom all day. Travis was a dream and took the older 3 to the dentist for me.

The next day, Saturday, we had plans to go to a Spring Training baseball game as a family. Sweetie was still a little under the weather - so Mom and Sweetie stayed home and bonded again. RHM and Princess got to take a friend to the game, but I sure hate illness interfering with family events. I love it when we are together and create those family memories. I guess we will just have to make memories when we are all feeling better.

Overall, Spring Break is one of my favorite times of year,

even if some of us were a little sick this year.

Can't wait until next year!

Spring Break Day 4

TONTO NATURAL BRIDGE - our favorite place in AZ!

We went with our friends to visit this natural wonder before the park closes. AZ State funding for parks is causing a lot of closures this year, but it looks like local towns and organizations will take over most parks. Too bad. I am happy that Payson will be running this park over the summer. Such a nice place for a hike and a picnic. The kids can just run and have fun. Plus, it is 10 degrees cooler than Phoenix.


Sweetie loved the creek at the base of the natural bridge. She played her for some time.



Love the rainbow that she found. You can barely see it in the picture.

So happy that my honey could take off a day from work and play with us. Princess was missing this day, because she had already made plans to go to the zoo with a friend from school. It is odd looking at these pictures and missing a child. Next time...