Tea Party with Grandma

J was quite excited when Grandma came over with all the fixings of a tea party, including hats.

The hat didn't stay on long, but it is necessary for the experience.

Grandma even brought a tablecloth to put the thrifted tea set on. J was even able to keep the pieces!

"That's the tea." While J does indeed like tea, Grandma brought yummy lemonade.

And what would tea time be without biscuits?

J is a total champ at pouring and impressed all with her delicacy and lack of drips and splashes.

I foresee the tea set getting plenty of use in the next few years. My dad let us play with a real teaset as girls since it was just one of his theater props. Add in the hat collection and all my friends were amazed at the quality of things my parents let us play with. I'm so happy J gets to have some of the same experiences I remember so fondly. Thanks Madre Dos!

Tortilla Flat

Right by Canyon Lake there is a town with the population of 6 called Tortilla Flat. Feel free to google it and the the one building. It is a really fun little place to stop. My cousin Matt and I had been unsuccessfully trying to hangout and we both actually committed to going, with neither flaking. I think that alone makes it a sort of epic trip. He found some lovely ladies to come with him. While waiting for them, Husband and I did what you are supposed to do when bored in a tourist trap, take pictures of ourselves. I don't mind if it is cliche because we really don't have enough pictures with the two of us in them

Apparently it doesn't work as well when you are staring into the sun.
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The prickly pear gelato did not disappoint at all. The mannequin being hung does give it a slightly macabre flavor.

The ambience is bolstered by our dear friend Mabel.

Matt, here is the new profile picture as requested.

I didn't notice the ladies were wearing matching shades of blue, but apparently the photo-bomber knew and wore the appropriate color of shorts.

It was a really fun little adventure and I appreciate someone choosing a destination. Shout out to Donnie for watching the kiddos so we could savor it. 

Money

Husband: Bye J, I have to go to work

J: Why? Why do you have to go to work?

Husband: Because I have to earn money

J: Money for all of us?

Husband: Yes for all of us

J: M can't have money. He chokes.


Can you tell we've had conversations about leaving change where a one-year-old can find it?

Riverview Splash Pad

We went to Riverview park's new splash pad. I though M would be scared and freaked out, but nope, he waddled right into the thick of it, falling on the concrete every couple steps. Learning how to walk is hard work! He doesn't have any pictures because I was busy trying to keep him upright and spash pads are the definition of death for smartphones.  I was glad I wore a swim suit even though I was the only mom to do so. I guess some kids come when you call them? I hear some don't like to be too far away from their parents. I wonder what that's like.

"Look mom! I made paw prints!"

The noodles spout water at surprise intervals

Happy Mother's Day

It's only 3 days late. Oh well. My sweet husband made me fancy stuffed french toast for breakfast and indulged my current obsession with expensive work out clothes. I plan on doing an entire analysis on whether or not Lucy, Athleta, Lululemon, and Fabletics are better than my Danskin from walmart or if it is mostly hype. But more on that later.

For now, a little video interview from J about her Grammy Maidename



And one for Madre Dos

Here is J's answers from the interview her primary teachers gave her about me.

She really likes eggs

Red beard

I know the majority of M's pictures are of him in a high chair, but he just looks so comical. We ate our pasta outside at J's request so afterwards I just hosed him off along with the high chair. I just called it his evening bath.

Reminds me of this little girl and her black beard.

Celebrate Mesa

J referred to it as the tea party festival, which I think is some bastardization of a Strawberry Shortcake event. It was on a very busy Saturday for us, but we rallied our energy and went for an hour. Mostly because of that resolution to do more full family adventures. It helped me have the little extra push to get out of the house, when we would have really enjoyed staying home wasting time on the internet and being annoyed with our kids. J loved it and it ended up being a perfect little outing. I love how the city hosts these events for free, even if there wasn't a hot air balloon like last year

She spent most the time in this open air bounce house.

 We rode the little train together and took awkward selfies.

This one has a bit of Miles so it gets published even though we look goofy. But hooray for pictures with Husband in them!

A church was doing face painting and J chose a butterfly. I hope she wasn't expecting the amazingess that was at her birthday party. She seemed content with what she had.

They also gave her a little yellow mustache :)

We had a great time and it might just become a yearly tradition.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum

So it's just plants and flowers and stuff, right?

This is one of those places that just doesn't describe well. It is one of my places. Sacred space sounds too reverent, special place too juvenile, and meaningful place doesn't have the right ring to it, but no matter what you call it, Boyce Thompson Arboretum is one of mine. I had a season pass there when I was a new mom and it always helped me take a break from the bleak depression that haunted most of my minutes. I still remember the recharge I got when my colicky baby girl took a nap while I read a book on a shady bench in the rose garden. It was a little moment of peace I could retreat back to when I needed it.

The desert isn't always beautiful but this place is green, and flowering, and bright. It has enough elevation change and rock hoodoos to feel like you have hiked somewhere. On top of the high trail you get the change in air quality I associate with being on top of a mountain. It cleanses and inspires and gives perspective.

There is always a new little something to discover, whether it is a flower you haven't ever seen or little hidden sculpture tucked away in a corner. While the Desert Botanical Gardens feels open and very much a desert, the arboretum is cultivated on a different scale. There are tall eucalyptus trees giving you shade and bushes and shrubs to make you feel like you are the only ones in the place. Birds are every where, some in the brightest reds and yellows you would never expect in a place with less of 9 inches of rain a year.

And the arboretum in the spring! It's beautiful! Here are a few of the pics I snapped on the most recent trip with my sister.

This is the aptly named rainbow garden.

This fountain was the highlight of the outing and they were all temporarily soaked. It is still Arizona so they were dry in about 5 minutes.

We found this statue in a new location but the girls remembered this picture from the scrapbook and tried to recreate it even though they are 2 years older and a couple feet taller.

These blossoms are the size of dinner plates and were stunning! I've never seen a cactus blossom so large. The petals are the width of a quarter.

A week before and these irises must have been prolific. They were in so many colors, my favorite being the wine colored ones off to the right.

Here are the boys riding in style

The humming bird garden is always full of humming birds (go figure) and has the most amazing scent.

 These armarylis blossoms were the size of J's head, but the photo's perspective is off.

We spent most of our time in the children's garden because, seriously, we had 5 kids between us. The animal sculptures were a real hit since they were just asking to be ridden. M even had a short conversation with this javelina. I always laugh at that word because I can't help but imagine how someone would pronounce it would didn't grow up in Arizona. Java-lie-na?

I made a little video of our adventure so Grammy and PopPop can feel like they went with us. Enjoy!

Kenzie's bday

For Grammy who wasn't able to be there

Neighborhood Egg Hunt

This year we finally remembered a basket!

Our friend Ava had a  much better basket

 Ours was quickly filled to capacity

 Penny was there too

Husband had the day off and came along too.

M didn't really get the collecting idea and just fixated on one egg.
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 He still had a great time though!