Just Another Day in Paradise: May 2014

May started out with our friends the Gerlisky's getting sealed. They are our neighbors, friends, and Rachel's primary teacher.

We are so happy for this beautiful family being sealed together for all eternity in the new Gilbert Arizona Temple. What a beautiful day!

Rachel sure loves her teacher.

Soccer practices by this park are fun. Adam got up on this roundabout toy and quickly was done.

I loved this face! Pure terror.

My little students studiously studying.

Ice Cream Party!

We made concoctions. Adam's dark chocolate syrup and strawberry jam on vanilla actually turned out good. It was like a chocolate dipped strawberry!

Rachel had hot fudge with candy cane. Mmm.

The time came. Little Asher Abegg was ready to make his appearance in the world. We helped watch Ethan and Benton during the hospital stay. They were very excited to go up and meet their new little brother.

What a face!

Now he's happy, because he's about to ride the elevator and see Daddy!

Yay!

Mommy introduces Asher.

Hi Asher.

Sarah and Rachel loving him up.

In heaven.

Ethan meeting Asher. I asked him what's the most important thing he needs to teach him. He replied, "Star Wars." Yes.

The whole family in action.

Playing Rummikub.

So tired. That is why you should go to sleep at night, Benton.

We built forts.

Did some karaoke. The kids were so happy when Mom and Dad finally came home with their new brother, and Grandma!

Mother's Day my family took me shopping for new clothes. Thank you!

Rachel made me beautiful flowers.

Adam got me Lead-bottom, from Planes. He's my favorite. I love breaking into his Vitamin-a-mulch song.

The wonderful family I get to be Mother for.

I sure love my family and love being the Mother of these little angels.

Soccer practice for Adam.

He's made lots of little friends. Most of them attend Emmanuel, a Christian school in Tempe, so I have loved getting to know more good Christian families in the area.

Sarah sleeping.

Mom sleeping. Ty couldn't resist taking these to show us how similar we are.

Cute boy.

Fun real life moment. Mom making soda biscuits for dinner, Adam unloading the dishwasher, Sarah practicing as she paces through the living room.

Rachel setting the table for the missionaries to come to dinner.

Rachel's soccer practice. She was wearing a Tink t-shirt and one boy came after her during a practice drill saying, "I got ya Tink!" Now we say that to her all the time. It was so funny. She loves her coach this year. He is really professional and has taught all the kids so much.

My friend Farrah that I have visit taught for a long time got married! We helped her decorate a little. They were so creative with the materials we had.

Sarah loved the little seashells they sprinkled around the tables.

The last day of soccer season is always a party with free pizza, soda, balloons, trophies, the works! We didn't have time to change after the festivities and had to get straight to the wedding from the park.

The wedding was beautiful. Adam didn't want to come in straight from the game. He said, "I'm all soccery!" So he waited in Dad's Bishop office during the ceremony and joined us for the cake after, when less people would notice his soccery-ness.

Tyler's got Blackfoot Disease! Well, really he just has new shoes that turn his feet black when he wears them for a long time, even through his socks! Adam thought it was a real disease and was worried it would be contagious until I assured him I was joking and that it would wash right off.

We had a plumbing issue. Sarah looked outside when she heard a big gust outside her window and noticed a little stream of water gurgling out of our yard. We went out to investigate and our sprinklers wouldn't turn off. I turned off the water to the house for the day. We called a friend to help and replaced the broken part. We lived through the day without water, then after we fixed it he showed me how I could have just turned off the outside water. We could have showered and everything! It is good that at least now I know a about the other shut-off switch.

Feels good to finish books!

Time for a Trip! We had a trip planned to Flagstaff but a huge forest fire broke out, so we went to Prescott instead. We relaxed in the hotel eating a little dinner of French bread and turkey and cheese on wheat thins.

Exploring the hotel.

Adam was so excited to see this wall and climbed right up.

Then realized he'd have to climb back down.

Montezuma's Castle.

We enjoyed learning about the people from long ago who built this amazing dwelling and how they survived the elements.

Adam and Rachel became Jr. Park Rangers.

Sarah loved the foliage.

The drive was so pretty. Pine tree lined streets with gorgeous blue cloud-streaked skies and nothing but open road with adventures ahead.

Being silly in the car.

Being sleepy in the car.

The Meteor Crater.

We learned all about the man who was convinced this was made by a meteor not a volcano and spent his life trying to prove it, ultimately losing his entire fortune, neglecting his family, and dying penniless. In the end he was right, but what a cost! I couldn't get past how tragic the story was.

This thing was huge, and so windy!

There is a country song about this corner in Winslow Arizona, so went to see it. There is a whole memorial to the singer.

So we got a picture by him.

Then we went to see the old hotel "La Posada."

We girls were in heaven. We felt like we were walking back in time into an Austen book.

This was built in the 1800's as a posh hotel to receive rich visitors who wished to see the Grand Canyon and "wild west." This was the official end of the railroad line. From here travelers would hire stagecoaches to take them further. The train let off right at this scrolly gate.

On the grounds we found this hippo bench. Tyler and I used to joke when I was pregnant that I felt like a hippo.

So of course I had to pose with my kids on the hippo bench and remember pregnant hippo memories.

Inside the hotel we found a beautiful room with balconies overlooking a rose garden and a little stream.

Sarah sat right down and started playing on the old piano. Rachel sat in a chair with a book. The books on the shelves were all our favorites, old classics.

So beautiful.

We stayed too long and became starved. We stopped at Sonic and ate a not very yummy lunch, but at least we were full.

The beautiful scenery was full of unexpected delights.

What a sunset!

So cozy in our little hotel room.

There was a meteor shower that night at midnight and the girls wanted to wake up and see it. So we set an alarm and went to see it. Poor Adam was dragged along, but never even woke up.

In the morning we swam in the pool.

And soaked in the hot tub.

We set off from Prescott and went looking for the lava river tubes.

Goodbye Holiday Inn

Cool monument by McDonald's at lunch.

This is the smoke from the fires surrounding Humphrey's Peak, the tallest peak in Arizona that Tyler climbed last year with the scouts and ruined his knees on.

We drove all over looking for the Lava Caves, but after driving all the way up the mountain learned that we'd have to go to the Flagstaff city welcome center and get directions.

So we did. It is the old train station.

I liked this old advertisement of the Super Chief, the ultra luxury way to travel!

Finally we found the Lava Caves! Directions are essential for this site! We never would have found it, there aren't signs.

It was so chilly inside the cave. It was formed by lava flowing out of the volcano and cooling at different rates, leaving behind a little tube we can hike through and explore.