Random

 Here's a smattering of random moments from the beginning of the year:

We are still doing cousin dinner with Stephen & Claudia every Sunday. I love Annie's static hair on the trampoline.

Artwork by Annie. "AAAAAAA" indeed. 

Aaron did cardboard crafts with the Deacons for a couple of weeks. Elliot was so impressed when he saw their carboard shields and swords that he immediately wanted to make a cardboard sword when they got home. 

We ordered a wardrobe to beef up our guest bedroom in preparation for Breezy to move in with us over the summer. Elliot was legitimately very helpful with the assembly! It ended up being a fun evening with Elliot, Aaron, and me listening to music while assembling the wardrobe. 

Even better- the wardrobe came in a huge box! Elliot turned it into a craft center. He drew pictures of each craft supply so everyone would know where everything belongs to keep it organized. What a champ. 

Stephen came over and gave me a two year grape vine pruning plan. I had to use a multi-colored annotation to capture his vision. Year 1 we ended up getting more grapes than ever before, so I guess he knows what he's talking about!

We have been regulars at the Wednesday afternoon activity time at the library. I invite a couple of Elliot's friends and consider it to be his extracurricular activity. 

Elliot's school had their annual musical performance. It's fun having a kid in the public school for stuff like this!

A gaggle of princesses at the Tucson Festival of Books

We discovered something - a cool plant that we call "pop pops" because they pop when you squeeze them like little bits of bubble wrap. It is actually called Milkvetch. We had a couple fun family walks hunting pop pops. 

My friend Michelle Nelson moved away. Here's our last playdate picture in memorial. 

Having a 8 year old boy is great. 

The kids are still into gathering every pillow in the house to make cozies. 

We hiked Sabino Canyon Dam with the Sevys

For a while there were mushrooms growing in the field down the street. Biking over for some mushroom destruction was a fun activity.

What a love note. Thanks, Elliot. 

Annie made this pet rock named "Scarlet." There was an accompanying bed and other accessories involved. 

Annie also made me this nice name tag and had me pose by some balloons on the stairs. 

Rachel hooked me up with some owl pellets being dropped by a nest of owls at the park near her house!

Here's a picture of the pellet-dropping owl chicks and a bit of mama owl taken by my talented friend Melony! These guys were up in a HUGE tree, and it was hard to get a shot of them through the rustling branches. 

Life is pretty good.