Monsoon Season in AZ

Ah....the monsoon season has started in AZ.  Nothing like going for a walk with Baby Kakes and getting caught in the rain.  It is a nice break from the heat but.....no longer is it a dry heat!  For AZ we have a lot of humidity.

We spent a week up in Utah (PJ, Amy, Elli, Patrick and Kate - Mary was in Iowa at her Aunts).  Amy and I were working and Patrick was attending the School of Rock Rock Band Boot Camp in Sandy.  He had a blast.  He sang four songs (Ice Cream Man, Burning Down the House, Were Not Going to Take It and You got Another Thing Coming).  He did a great job!  The whole Firth Family was there to watch and that was very nice.

We went boating with our friends (and customers) Steve Wilkinson, his fiance' Lisa, and Dustin and Falesha Cooper.  We went to East Canyon Reservoir.  Nothing like Air Chairing at 6,500 feet!  It was a great night.  Patrick even tried to Air Chair (he had a great 360 wipe out!).  Dustin and I also did a bike ride up to  East Canyon Lake.  Great Ride.  Nice Climbing.

We did some great family stuff at the Firth's, including attending their Ward Ice Cream Social.  Kathryn's Home Made Ice Cream was the hit of the social!  We also went to see Ralph and Kathryn at the Conference Center and got a tour.  Man, that green roof is so cool.  We walked around the Salt Lake City Cemetery.  That was very cool.  Lots of history there.

When we drove home, we were sans Elli.  She is still up in UT having a lot of fun.  She may stay until we go back for our nephew's wedding on the 10th.  I think she goes to her second water park tomorrow. She has also gone to Lagoon (bum!  I want to go to Lagoon).

When we got back from UT, we got the news that a young man we had been working with decided to get baptized.  So on Saturday, Michael Logan Davis got baptized.

We also had Kate's 1 year check up. She has a new nickname  - Big Baby.  She looks like the baby in Toy Story Three!  She is huge - 97 percentile in height and 84 percentile in weight.  She is just a hoot.  She went for a big ride tonight.  She is even starting to dig wearing her helmet I got her.  It has a big pink Mohawk on it!

My Buddy BoBo had surgery today to repair a broken collar bone.  I hope it heals fast, he is doing the WI Ironman with our friend Ken Sherman this fall.  On a sad note, two of my friends (Karen & Joe and John and Monica) both lost a parent last week.  That is tough.

Both Amy and I are keeping our weight off - though both of us would like to take off more.  I am helped by riding every morning with my friend Joe at 5:30 in the morning.  It is nice to be riding, specially when it is not alone.  Joe and I solve all the world's problems on those rides.  I really enjoy them.  Joe and Karen are on vacation this week with Joe's family in Tahoe and boy it is hard to ride without him being there to push me.

Hope all is well.

PJ

Easter Happenings

What a beautiful day in Scottsdale, Arizona.  It is only made better by three things...1) It's Easter, so we are able to relax and think about our Savior. 2) It is General Conference so we are blessed that even though we don't reside in Utah, we are able to watch and hear the leaders of our church give us guidance from the sanctity of our home. 3) All of our children are here with us and being somewhat...peaceful.

So the first session of conference is over and as tradition holds in our family, each of us have taken notes ( I wish to say that the notetaking was because all of the kids were so intent on hearing the words of the prophet, but alas...no.  It is because the prize for passing the quiz this time is $20 each.) and we are now relaxing and enjoying this time.  Each preparing for the second session in their own way.

First there is Patrick who is exhasuted from his morning workout on Wii Fit. So he is kicking back reading his guitar mag, waiting for the right moment to break out into song on his guitar.

Then there is Elli and Mary.  Elli trying to work on her moves as the master hula hooper on the Fit. While Mary so empathetically eats her ice cream.

Our snuggly Kate is as happy as ever that all her family is home just waiting on her every cute move.  She loves the whole "the world is my oyster" concept and as you can see oysters aren't the only thing that she is being fed!

Lastly, my sweetheart PJ.  Worked so hard to make us a wonderful Easter breakfast (better for those who are not perpetually on a diet) and followed by an interesting plate of deviled eggs all while helping Mary with her GC notetaking.  He deserved his General Conference interlude nap.

What a wonderful day. 

Kate Pictures 1/27/10