Finally....snow!!!

We said our goodbyes to Stan before he deployed for 3 months. It was hard because we haven't had a long deployment for several years. We really miss him, but we have settled into a good routine & life has to go on. Our weekends are full (over-full sometimes!) with baseball and Cub Scouts and playdates. Blake has tennis during the week and Wade has multi-cultural club. Poor Kathryn doesn't have anything right now, but lots of Mommy time! I am busy with Bible Study, hiking, scrapbooking, volunteering at the school, and now I'm on the board for the American Women's Club. And I thought I was going to be bored! The snow was perfect for building a snowman...alas, it melted by the afternoon!
Kathryn making a little, tiny snowman...
We got snow in April after having no snow all winter! We woke up to the white snow in the morning not really expecting it. The kids were just thrilled to play in the snow, and it gave us something to do to keep from being sad about Daddy leaving. This is our "garden".

Part II of our Easter Holiday

Kathryn & Judson had a joint birthday party at Judd & Wendy's house. It was a beach theme, and it was fun that Kathryn could share her birthday with both families in 2 different states!
Lots of cousins to celebrate with!!
Uncle Joe entertained the kids (who were jumping on Grandma & Grandpa's bed!) with a few silly songs. It's always fun, craziness there!
There are 16 Lawrie cousins all under the age of 11 (and that's just the first cousins!).

Kathryn & cousins, Josie, Maya & Addison in their matching jammies.
Stan & brother Joe with little Addie. Joe & Stephanie had a chef come into their house to make all of us an amazing Chinese meal. It was a fun time!

Stan's immediate family with their spouses.
Saying goodbye to Aunt Toni, who lives in Florida. We used to see her every week when we lived there, and we really miss her! We had a great time visiting family & friends! It was wonderful and thank you all.

Part I of our Easter Holiday

Our first trip back to the U.S. in almost 2 years was during the Easter Holidays in March. We arrived in Phoenix, and the next morning all of my family drove down to vacation at a beach house in Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point), Mexico.
We stopped to take photos of the desert in bloom at the Organ Pipe Cactus Nat'l Monument. Our children had a hard time keeping their eyes open in the bright sunlight. They just aren't used to the sun anymore! Here are our 3 kids with some of their cousins.
My sisters Melanie and Lisa and I. My other sister, Becky and I on the beach.
The courtyard of the casita that we stayed in owned by my sister's in-laws. It was wonderful!
The view of the house from the beach.

The kids found eggs hid by the Easter Bunny on Easter morning.
All 12 cousins on my side of the family (plus one boyfriend!).

Kathryn on the porch overlooking the beach at sunset.

The kids dug in the sand for hours, making massive holes, castles, and villages.

Kathryn & Anthony showing off their temporary henna tattoos that they got on the beach.