Toy Story 3!

Last days of Preschool for Tommy

"Stop, stop gingerbread man, you look good enough to eat."

Tommy went to Miss Amy's preschool for almost two years. She did an end of year program each year that was so cute. They performed the gingerbread man story and the three little pigs. They also showed us the things they learned this year like the Pledge of Allegiance. He had such a great experience and is ready for kindergarten now. All of her classes meet at the zoo at the end of the school year to say goodbye. It's kind of sad but a fun way to do it.

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is wonderful. They have this small bird exhibit where you can feed the birds and get pooped on. It's great.

Here's Tommy with his friend Colby.

I love the Rocky Mountain exhibit. It is so amazing to be this close to a grizzly bear. I wonder what he was thinking. "You guys are pretty tough behind this glass, why don't you come over to this side?"

The giraffe habitat is wonderful. It is very fun to feed them crackers. 

Here is our own little habitat in our front yard. I wish I would have taken a picture of the eggs. I just checked on them today and all of this rain hasn't helped them. Their nest was falling out of the tree and one of the babies was on a lower branch. I put him back in and tried to straighten the nest out. Don't worry, that stuff they told us when we were kids about birds not wanting their babies anymore if they smell human on them was just to keep us from touching them. And it worked for me for 30 years. I'm just trying to resist the temptation of putting an umbrella over them.

A trip to Salt Lake and a baseball game

The last week in April, we went out to Salt Lake for a visit. Mike had simulator training so we went with him and stayed for about a week and a half. The kids always have such a great time with their cousins and grandmas. We left a cold and snowy Colorado Springs and arrived in a very warm and green Salt Lake City. It's always so nice to go home.

The Apple Gang

Bumper cars at Hollywood Connection. Tommy plays to win.

Stockton drives surprisingly well for a three-year old.

Roast beef buddies.

Jumping Jacks is a great way to wear the kids out. Of course Mike and I were worn out first.

Aunt Kathy, Garth Brooks and Katie.

"I wasn't doing anything wrong"

Finally a show we can agree on.

This flying stuff is so easy, I can do it with my feet.

And then we went to our first Rockies game. It was a beautiful day. 83 degrees and very sunny. The kids had a great time. Tommy and Katie are looking forward to starting T-ball later this month.

Mike had a great time too.

Oh yeah, Katie is ready for T-ball.

So, Katie's new hobby is taking pictures. Mostly of her feet. If you like this picture, I have 100 more just like it. I found our old digital camera and gave it to her. She's actually pretty good. I really think she will be an artist. Every time I try to take pictures now, she grabs my camera because she wants to do it. It's fun to see the world through Katie's eyes.

Spring Fun

Chef Katie

They don't fit in here quite as well as they used to.  That doesn't stop them from trying though.

Tommy decided this wasn't the real Easter Bunny since he was wearing shoes and also his mouth didn't look like it could move if he wanted to talk.

All dressed up for our lovely Spring weather. What can I say, it didn't snow most of the winter so here it comes now.

"I am smiling! Stop telling me to smile! Grrrrrrr!"

"I'm having so much fun, I didn't even notice I spilled the dye on the table... does that stain?"

Just before we put our snowsuits on to head to church.

Walk with Katie

After we dropped Tommy off at preschool, Katie and I decided to go for a walk in our neighborhood. We played at the park and then continued walking. I learned what an interesting person Katie has become. She did most of the talking and suggested most of the games we should play. We stuck our hands in snow and then made hand prints on the sidewalk. We did interpretive dances while balancing on big rocks in strangers yards. Katie would first demonstrate and then tell me to try. I never got it right on the first try and she would say, "no, watch me" and she would demonstrate the dance again. Then we walked a little further and sat down to play with some rocks that lined the sidewalk. Before today, I just saw those rocks as a smart and waterless alternative to grass on the boulevard. Today, they looked so different. Partly because it snowed and rained yesterday and they were much more colorful, and partly because I was looking at them through Katie's eyes and they were now little animals. We played there for a long time, not worrying what the neighbors were thinking, and then we walked home. As we walked, Katie said, "can I look now?" I looked at her and she had pulled her stocking cap over her face. It was quite funny. I felt like I was seeing my little girl for the first time as a friend I would choose to hang out with.