Heavenly Purgatory

Don't believe everything you read. Purgatory is actually quite lovely;)
This weekend, we drove 8 hours up to 9000 feet above sea level to Purgatory Ski Resort, outside of Durango, Colorado. Everything about it was amazing. The Resort was gorgeous and spacious with TONS to do. The scenery was absolutely song-inspiring, (we, for sure all got Rocky Mountain Highs). The weather was PERFECT! And, the company... I can't say enough about the Skidmore family:)

(alpine slide)

 (Durango)

 (view up the mountain, from our balcony)

 (zipline)

(bungee tramp)

 (Four Corners)

Lazy Payson Day

Roadrunner Sports Adventure Run

Sara and I did the FUNNEST run on Thursday! Every 3rd Thursday of the month, Roadrunner Sports Tempe puts on a run that starts at their Tempe Marketplace store and snakes from checkpoint to checkpoint around the area...u get the map and plan out your attack:) Each checkpoint gives u raffle tickets while providing a little fun along the way: a shot of energy tea at the health bar, hopscotch and hoop jumping on the corner of Rio Salado and Rural, a quick pole-spin on the bar at San Felipes and some kettlebell swings at Tempe Crossfit. I barely even noticed that it was 109* on Thursday!

The Countdown 'til Summer

I have decided that the absolute busiest week of the school year is the week before it's over. Here are the highlights: 

Phoebe has loved playing the cello, this year. She was awesome:)

Lila has been with Miss Jenn for 2 1/2 years, now, at EMECEC. This was Miss Jenn's last year teaching and she was so sweet and emotional with Lila. She was truely a blessing.

 I can't tell you how many texts and comments I got after the Awards Ceremony on the last day of school about how amazing Cade is. He came third in Math-O in the Gifted and Talented program (he ranks in the top tier of the nation for math), got Leader of the Pack (all A's, all year), and got student of the month. He's independent, self-motivated, and CRAZY smart. I DO NOT deserve this boy:) Watch out, Jr. High!

He is absolutely horrified by me, though. (I try to explain to him that I'm cool but he's not buying it.)

My crew on their last days of 6th, 4th and 1st grades.

Happy Mother's Day.

I'll never be the mother you were, but I'll never quit trying...

miss you every day.

Teacher Appreciation Week

Our kids' teachers definately need to be appreciated...especially Fia's:) I'm not quite sure I could handle that one all day long!!

Fifi

So grateful this little penguin waddled into my life:)

Easter Week

The weekend of Easter is always crazy with all of the church, community and family activities along with all of the other sports and school events that already pack Spring. That's why I was relieved that we were able to divide this year's events into 2 weekends instead of one.

The weekend before Easter, Las Sendas put on it's annual Easter breakfast and egg hunt which my 2 handsome scouts were able to cook for:)

 

After the breakfast, I raced to home to get this little girl ready to compete:

 

The next weekend, we got together for the Skidmore family dinner and egg hunt. Delish:) And gave me a chance to try my hand at individual cheesecakes.

On Easter morning, the girls came gigling into my room waaay to early and finally succeeded in dragging Casey and I out of bed around 7 (and Cade, shortly after:) He's still too young to act like a teenager!!)

Xterra Black Canyon Half-Marathon

Trail running...there's nothing like it.

It hands you your tail but still leaves you smiling.

Loved every painful second of this race.

The Farewell

It was the easiest thing in the world to get people together to throw a last 'hurrah' for my dear cousin, Summer and her husband, Kam. They truely are two of the kindest, most giving, therefore, most loved people in the world...and they sure know how to have a good time:) We will miss them desperately but wish them the all the best in England. The Queen is lucky to have them.

(Key Largo, 2011)