Sand Dunes

 

The Thursday during spring break was spent at Bruneau Sand Dunes.

 

The kids and I went with some of Ryan's family, minus Ryan because he had to work. =/ It was kind of a last minute idea. It seems they plan to go to the dunes every spring break, but most of the time it's too cold and/or rainy and we don't end up going. This time the weather was perfect.

 

I'll let the following brown and blue pictures illustrate our sunny, sandy afternoon.

Cora and Malory

 



Jane, Ethan, Royce, and Oliver (plus a cape)

 

 



 



Royce (age 4) getting resourceful with his shoes

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Some dude walking his dog along the summit. I was relieved not to discover any prizes at the conclusion of our climb.

 

It's a lot of work getting to the top, but we somehow made it.

 



I love that Oliver decided to lie flat on his back. =) 

Cora, Bethany, Alondra, Malory, Addie, Jackie, Haley, Jane

 

 



We all had a pretty good time. Some of the other family members didn't make the climb for various reasons (mostly toddler reasons), but beforehand we all ate a nice meal of hamburgers, potato salad, and fruit salad in the picnic area.

 

 

As we were getting ready to head back home, Cora was taking some pictures in the car. Check out Oliver's evil expression as he bites into that apple!

 



Hoppy Easter

 

I'm getting kind of behind on my normal posts. So here's Easter.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

The day before Easter, the kids dyed some eggies.

 

 

Cousin Ethan happened to be over that day.

 



 

Oliver has recently reinstated his daily cape-wearing.

Cora's cute egg faces.

 



 

 

Prior to the egg decorating, Cora and I spent a fair portion of the day making royal icing flowers that would end up on my Easter cake. I wanted to try something new this year, and that thing was to attempt piping flowers. I watched a bunch of instructional videos and gave it a shot. Frosting is trickier than one would think. I think I'll try the buttercream kind next time. The royal icing turned out to not be very forgiving.

 

I was mad at myself for once again not leaving myself enough time to decorate my cake as carefully as I'd hoped. I knew I should have stayed up half the night rather than leave it until after church to put together. But I couldn't because I needed to make more frosting in order to work on the cake, and I couldn't do that after everyone went to bed, knowing that the electric mixer would make a major racket and likely wake the family.

 

I guess I was just glad I'd baked the cake the day before and premade most of the flowers.

 

I originally wanted to have one of the peeps flying a kite, but the clock was ticking faster than my slothful hands could keep up with.

 

 

Don't ask me how I messed up the sky on the right side. I honestly don't know why I let that slide.

 

Maybe it wasn't like that until the sugar sun's hot rays warped it.

 

 

 



I knew at least a week in advance that I wanted to add some daffodils to this year's creation. Because they're my very favorite flower. I practically drive off the road every time I see a lovely cluster of them in someone's landscaping. They are everywhere! Seriously, my heart turns a happy shade of yellow whenever I notice some.

 

 

We went to Easter dinner at my parents' house.

 

Then the big kids hid eggs in the backyard for the littles to find.

 

We'll let Jane be little for a while longer. =) Can't believe she'll be 10 this summer. =/

 



Paislie, Lillia, and Ella

 

 

Oliver found a shark egg!

 



The eggs they make these days are so cute!

 

 

Maisie and Ruby

 

 

The big kids; Ethan, Cora, and Isaac

It was a nice time as usual, then we went home and I took a picture of the first daffodil to appear in our yard this season.

 

And it bloomed on Easter, just for me.  =)



The Awkward Years

 

Sick of the "Shannon as a kid" pictures yet?  Good news. Only two more (short) posts of them.

 

It'd be a shame to leave these bangs out of the kid pix mix...

 



My stepsister Chelsie introduced us to this sweet styling technique (two curls up, one curl down). And of course I had to get a perm like her, too.  I was just explaining to Jane the other day what a perm is. =)  I think I'm about 12 here.

 

 

Sometimes you have to choose between fashionable and comfy. Other times those two worlds seamlessly collide...

 



 Concerned that the blousy, pleated stretch pants weren't trendy enough on their own, I tossed a matching sweatshirt around me to complete this flawless ensemble.
Not sure if the pose is a joke or not... ;)

 

I know for certain this one wasn't...

 

And neither were the stonewashed jeans. They were all kinds of serious.
(The above pic was taken at Grandma and Grandpa McCaleb's house in Phoenix.)

 

The last few are from when I was 10 or 11.
There was nothing written on the back of the snapshots. =(
 



Me with Frodo (aka Scooter). He was such a cute kitty.

It's impossible to tell by looking at the picture, but I'm wearing a little ceramic teddy bear pin with my name on it.

 



Failed attempt at getting both pets in one shot. When my mom married Brad (25 years ago!) his Old English Sheepdog also came to live with us. I've never been a "dog person", but Lizzy was sweet.

 

 



I remember begging my mom for this denim skirt/vest combo from Shopko. I can't recall what I did to ultimately deserve this treasure of an acid-washed fashion set, but it was obviously well worth my efforts.