Skagit Valley Tulips

The valley's tulips are not quite ready to open.

Here's a preview of what the valley looks like now.

Ty has a strong dislike for the flowers since he has to spray them for work and deal with the out-of-town lookee lou's.

Oh Canada! I love my sand

While playing with the magic sand, Zoie enjoyed making Canada. I don't know where she got it from, but her little sand globs were called Canada. We have never been to Canada or talked about it. She also played under the table with the sand before we had to clean it up.

Sunday afternoon

Our playtime on Sunday afternoon was filled with lots of fun.



Can I get this to go so I can mow the yard like dad and Zoie?

She needs the tongue to help her cut the Playdoh. Silly girl!

Two binkies??

The magic sand only lasted on the table for a short while. It is really easy to sweep up. (Her shirt says " I traded my brother for a lollipop")

The Doggie Door

Vance traveled with us because he is under 2 and flies free. Terry watched him while we were at the basketball games. But during the day, the little boy discovered the doggie door. . . and he went in and out and in and out. . . but the dogs never followed him. (The binkie returned . . it was a great comfort tool as we traveled . . . hopefully it will be just as easy to get rid of it as it was the first time around)

More Phoenix pictures

Saturday morning @ Roadrunner Park, about 2 blocks from Terry's house.

NCAA Sweet 16, Phoenix

Vance enjoying the view from the airplane on the flight to Phoenix from Las Vegas. During 3 of the 4 flights on this trip, he fell asleep when it was time to land and twice slept through the landing and the plane departure.

When we got to Aunt Terry's, she had a new Backyardian bike for Vance. It was fun to watch them use teamwork to put the bike together. Vance couldn't wait most the time and was ready to sit on it as soon as the wheels were on.

Thursday night we went to the ASU stadium to watch WKU vs. UCLA. Had WKU been able to rebound and shoot the first half, they might have been able to beat UCLA. Although they were down by 20 at halftime, they rallied back within 4 points. UCLA won and beat Xavier on Saturday night. We also had tickets for this game. It was so much fun to be there in person. We were about 3 rows from the top.

I'm a proud hilltopper! :)

We went to a train park in Scottsdale -- I only knew about it from Chelsea's adventure with Henry. It was great. It had a great playground for Vance and a little train to ride. Here, he is trying to dump out the sand from his shoes.

Tagdja

Here, Vance and Zoie are feeding Tagdja. Notice puppy food is all over the floor.

Late Easter Sunday, we had to have our wonderful dog put down. She is now in the resting place with Shadow, as Zoie knows & understands what has happened. Lots of tears from all of us. She was very old and like other big dogs, her hips, were going out and she could not get up the 2 stairs into the house. Bless her soul and all the great times she spent with our family. She will be missed by all of us, especially Zoie and Vance, who just began to interact with her.
They are helping her drink, and putting food in her waterbowl.

Zoie and Tagdja earlier in March.
Vance learning to play with Tagdja and get loves from her. He will be less impacted on her loss than Zoie.

GO WKU HILLTOPPERS!!!

The Hilltoppers are headed to the Sweet Sixteen and so are WE!!!!! Ty and I are going to the game on Thursday vs. UCLA in Phoenix! With a little bit of luck, they might be able to beat UCLA, #1 seed, and then we can watch them play again on Saturday. We will return home on Sunday morning. Then I will go back to Olympia for state committee work Monday 3/31 through Friday 4/4. GO HILLTOPPERS!!!!

Easter Eggs

Since I have been so busy with my National Board work, the kids dyed easter eggs with Nana on Friday and at Aunt Dutchie's house on Friday night. We will have our first egg hunt Easter morning, then we will all gather around the TV to watch my Western Kentucky Hilltoppers take on the San Diego in the NCAA basketball tournament about noon.

Almost done . . .

Since April 2007, I have been working on my National Board Teaching Certification for Adolescent/Young Adulthood Mathematics (ages 14-18). It is due on March 31. The process of creating a portfolio to demonstrate I am a good teacher has consumed my life, especially during the last month. I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I hope I have said everything they want me to say. I have a big math test on the content in this grade band on June 3. After that, I have to wait until late November to find out if I pass. I really hope so, even though the national passing rate is 30%.

I will posted more once my "box" is sent!

Spring Time = Outside Play Time!

1. Zoie takes a ride on Buster . . what a crazy horse! This was a gift we picked up in Oregon last summer. He has been residing on the fence until last week when we hung him up and went for a ride.




Vance is trying to go up the slide . . and he made it.
Vance is looking for the dog.

Dirt . . . yeah!

The end of YMCA soccer

After 8 weeks, Zoie is done playing Bitty Soccer with the YMCA. Now, she is playing T-Ball until May.

I want a cookie!

Ty and Zoie made cookies . . Obviously Vance wanted one and there was no one around to get him, so he decided to serve himself. (Notice he has spatulas in BOTH hands). He did get a cookie .. or 2.

Sibling Love

More New bed pictures!

Zoie's bed. The ladder is stored under the bed since the beds are not stacked up.

Sharing a Room & New Beds

Zoie and Vance now share a room. At 16 months, Vance decided he didn't need a pacifier and at 17 months, I decided he didn't need a crib. So I bought them twin bunk beds. It was an adventure with the 2 of them in the furniture store. Even though I have a suburban, it was fun to see the truck stacked to the top with 3 large boxes and a mattress. Zoie sat in Vance's carseat in the front passenger seat as we drove home. Then I thought I might need a bed rail for Vance's bed, so we continued to the consignment store and bought a rail and Little Tikes stove. I don't know how I got that thing in there -- Zoie and I were laughing so hard. Last stop was to Papa Murphy's for pizza. Surprising I didn't back into someone's car. I couldn't see!

A New Haircut!

Despite crying the whole time, Vance finally got a much needed haircut. Here he is studying the stethoscope. A new type of doctor -- one that comes to work in pajamas.

It is that season again! Ty brought home some pretty daffodils for me and Zoie.