Definitions of Chelsie:part deux

This was an outstanding gift shop..dare I say better than the Met's.

I love tile..I want to do my pool in these blues.

From the top of 30 Rock

I thought I could see Stuart Little out on this pond in Central Park.

Inception?! Ready for it to fold up.

Oh yeah..this was my #1 favorite place..Purl SoHo.

The Clarkes went to New York the week before us and Chelsie wrote up darling entries on their adventures there. Kerriann and I were so excited to read them and jot down all of the things we wanted to do now. That is why I titled this entry part deux, because it is practically everything that Chelsie did. Why mess with perfection?! Chelsie KNOWS New York. Two items we didn't get to do..frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity and going to a Yankee game. But we couldn't really do that without Harrison. Another trip. Oh, and we will go back!!

We got wonderful seats to "Wicked" and " How to Succeed in Business without really Trying." Super fantastic to see our Harry Potter on Broadway. As Kerriann said, "I grew up with him." He was great in the part.

It was so hot on our day in SoHo that we had to duck into Old Navy and get t-shitrs for Kerriann and Kevin. Oooooh, we go to New York and end up shopping at Old Navy!! Then the very next day it decides to pour rain and since we had already had our double decker bus tickets purchased, we sat on the top ( well all the seats downstairs were taken ) in cheap little rain ponchos they gave us. We were absolutely soaked!! But dang it, we SAW New York City.

The food is Amazing there. It is like pineapple that I will only eat in Hawaii - now I can only eat bagels and chocolate almond croissants in New York ( which is probably a good thing!!) Kerriann found us the Very Best Thai food I have ever inhaled. you see this was Kerrriann's trip. She wrote up the "to do" list and called all the shots. It was a lot more shopping than Kevin had invisioned!! But he was a trooper. the Forever 21 store was 5

signs of spring

Someday I AM going to the Holi Festival in India. Until then , I practice in Spanish Fork. I went with my little goats. Kevin opted for a morning on the tread mill. We arrived early as thousands of people go. And for good reason..it is awesome. Of course ,there was snow on the ground here..that doesn't happen in India. The crowd soon trampled it down into mud. Luckily the colored chalk made it look happy and spring-like. These pictures are off google as ours did not turn out so well. I noticed pretty early on that the crowd was made up of very young people. Much to my children's credit, the did not shun me. Oh, wait..there was a 50-ish woman with her hair blowing in the wind, dancing with abandon to the strains of an indian sutar..I didn't join her ( although -yes- it looked like fun.) So, it was the hippie,me and 8,000 high school and college students.Reminiscent of last years float down the salt river with a mostly ASU crowd. Hmmmm..well,it is a fun and messy welcome to spring.

Such a cool picture !! Ok, my other rite-of-spring-passage is more age appropriate. I know spring is coming when I smell the bonfires of last years dead branches and leaves, and the smoke trickles into our house. I just Love that. So with burn permit in hand, I drag whatever lucky child is near to help me move the trampoline out of its pit. The ideal bonfire spot !! Then with much joy and frolicking I pick up around the yard and toss it into the fire. It is either a latent urge left over from some farming posterity, or pyromania. Probably the latter. But man, it feels Good !! You just can't start spring or a garden without a good burn first. My children can attest to how excited I get when the town hall issues me my permit for the year. This might be my last one if they read this blog. But can anyone out there relate to this?! Happy Spring to you ( it is suppose to snow the next 3 days..grrrr.)

cabo san lucas 2011

this is a beautiful coastline and beach

lots of fun cacti down there

except this one that looked like a snake and I could Never have it in my cactus landscape.

we couldn't resist getting the nacho libre mask for Harr

this is where we had breakfast every morning..with a lovely breeze floating through

whale watching was thrilling/relaxing at the same time.check out that BLUE water.

cute

Harrison got behind the backdrop before he knew what it was.I really liked Denver.

we did a little bit of shopping..I was out numbered on this trip..but the flags were festive.

the daily commute

As I pull my camera out to take pictures of our commute to the boy's school, Desmond surprises me...he has been napping in my fern. bad kitty. but too cute to scold.

typical..I put these on backwards. this is the salt lake valley as we crest the mountain. sometimes during the inversion we can't even see any houses let alone hills or sky. gross. but this was a clear day.from here to their school is 15-20 minutes more.probably faster for kevin.

hello moroni !! we spy him every day on the drive atop the draper temple.

the wasatch front

the snow is picturesque..it is the fog that freaks me out. I imagine the drop off is just inches away..and I am probably right.

I am much happier with this commute over-say-the freeway. It takes 32 minutes from our house to Waterford School. If they forget their lunch-well- I Don't drive it back over to them.

Here is our destination. And yes, it is worth that drive everyday. What a great experience they are having there.

And then I turn around and drive home.

happy valentines..love deb ballentine

oh sweet, Dallin and Brianna

we have celebrated at Heaps Brick Oven for years now

Kerriann made her own little valentine message to carry around

the kids always pose at the barber chair ( that you cannot see for some reason) and Denver traditionally never smiles. Spock never does either..ok.

and they shape their pizzas into a heart..worth the drive, I guess.

We missed our Worton and Bowen families !!

Hook 'em Horns !!

They say Texas should be it's own country. Then Austin is it's own little world. I love it. But you knew that.

Kevin had business in Houston, so he proposed that I come along and we would week-end in Austin. What a guy ! Equal kudos go to Kerriann who remained at home and took care of things..especially when there is nothing that she would rather do than go to Austin as well.Wouldn't she make a darling little longhorn?!!

If Kevin said ," we need to move down to Austin"..I would be ready to go in 24 hours. Pulling the Wortons and Bowens along in our wake. We live as a tribe..you know.

But for now, I will take what I can get..and a 3 day week-end in Texas was divine.

You have to love a state that..

grows pecans and scrub oak ( you just can't get enough of em)

has rain boots shaped like cowboy boots

has the Greatest accent ever ( yeah, I can speak fluently in it in less than 10 minutes AND

keep it up a whole week-end..lucky Kevin)

they call their main cow trail through town,"Capital of Texas Highway"..just darling

the flagship store of Whole Foods is right there..but you knew that too.

they like to use the word "waterloo"..well, who doesn't?!

My only disappointment..never saw a dang armadillo. I need to go back.

Woot! Woot!

Congratulations Kerriann!!!

Who knows if she will end up going there..but it did her good to hear that she made it. Always a lovely feeling to have options ahead of you, nice choices and having the freedom to design your own future. I am so excited for her ! Wait..yeah, I am also feeling envious of her.