Havasupai 2006

I want to post these pictures of our trip to Havasupai in 2006 for a few reasons

• I did not have a blog then
• it is beautiful there

• Steve took awesome pictures

• to show you how similar Max and Noah look

(I thought for sure Noah only had a pacifier until 6 months old but this picture proofs me wrong. Well, I am glad to say we already got rid of Max's.)

• to remind myself of what I looked like when Noah was 8 months old (No more excuses!!)

• to let you know that backpacking with one kid is fun, with two under 4 it is (almost) impossible (I think we will still try this summer and let you know how it goes)

• I am sick and in bed with not much to do
  
• I LOVE cliff jumping
  

• I like reminiscing

Kindergarten Stein

Noah geht hier seit Oktober zweimal die Woche morgens zu Preschool*. Es gefällt ihm sehr gut, aber heute beim Mittagessen haben wir uns über den Kindergarten in Stein unterhalten, wo Oma als Kindergärtnerin arbeitet.

Unsere Unterhaltung verlief in etwa so:

Noah: "Schade, dass es im Kindergarten kein Sand gibt, so wie im Park."
Sarah: "Bei Oma im Kindergarten gibt Sand."
Noah: "Ja, echt viel. Und sie haben die Kipper mit den echt vielen Rädern."
Sarah: "Wenn wir im Dezember nach Deutschland gehen, kannst Du mit Oma in den Kindergarten gehen. Kannst Du Dich erinnern, es gibt da auch Laufräder, Dreiräder und Hänger?"


Noah: "Ja, cool. Und Fabi hat mich im Hänger gezogen. Dieses Mal werde ich Fabi ziehen."
Sarah: "Fabi ist vielleicht schon in der Schule und wird nicht da sein."
Noah; "Warum?"
Sarah: "Weil er älter ist als Du und wenn Kinder 6 Jahre sind, dann gehen sie in die Schule."
Noah: "Ich bin älter dän** Fabi."
Sarah: "Nee, Fabi ist älter."
Noah: "Nein, ich bin stärker dän er."

(Noah denkt überhaupt, dass er der Stärkste ist. Natürlich nur, bis er mir helfen soll. Dann ist er plötzlich ganz müde.)


Noah: "Und sie haben den Hügel, wo man drüber rennen kann."
Sarah: "Ja, mit der steilen Rutsche."
Noah: "Ich will JETZT in den Kindergarten mit Oma."
Sarah: "Da müssen wir leider bis Dezember warten."

5 Minuten später

Noah: "Und sie haben einen Traktor. Können wir JETZT zu Oma nach Deutschland gehen? BITTE. Max, da muss man ganz lang im Flugzeug sitzen."


Wie ihr sehen könnt, freuen wir uns schon riesig auf unseren Besuch im Dezember. Ist zwar noch eine Weile, aber wir können es nicht abwarten.

Frohe Ostern!
Geniesst euren Feiertag. Ihr habt doch sicher mindestens einen, oder?


* Es gibt auch das Wort "kindergarten" in Englisch, aber hier ist "kindergarten" so was wie erste Klasse. Von 3 bis 4 Jahren geht man zur "preschool" und mit 5 in den "kindergarten". Ich weiss, erst klauen sie unser Wort und dann können sie es nicht mal richtig benutzen...

** dän = than = als
Ich bin mir nicht sicher, warum, aber Noah hat wohl beschlossen, dass "dän" Deutsch ist. Er sagt so gut wie nie "als".

Treasure

I was sitting at the playground today with not much to do. I was playing with my soft shell and rediscovered its little chest pocket. I thought:

"Mmhh. I wonder if, a while ago, I put a little treasure in there. I should open it."

I was thinking 'treasure' as in 'five M&Ms' or 'a couple of Jelly Beans'. I guess I was hungry, so candy was on my mind.

I open the zipper, reach in, and what do I find? A much bigger treasure than expected!


Yep. My wedding ring was hiding in there for the last year or so. At least. I can't remember.

I was pretty sure that I took it off one day at church. Sitting makes my fingers swell, especially when I am pregnant, and so I usually take it off at church and put it in a safe place. I am also pretty sure I have looked in that soft shell like 10 times since. But never in that hidden pocket, I guess.

I was never too worried about it. Never did some big search or anything. Just looked in a few places. I knew it would show up some day. In the meanwhile, my finger has been enjoying its freedom. I am not a big fan of any kind of jewelry. The only thing I wear is my indispensable watch. Gotta know what time it is.

I am really glad I have my ring back. I think it is beautiful and perfect for me. But now I have to actually wear it. Maybe I just won't tell Karl I found it and put it in some other safe place. One I can remember.

Jackson

It was about time. Except for a little trip to Logan in January, we have been stuck in Provo for way too long. Winter camping with two little guys just does not sound appealing. To me. Maybe it does to Karl. He is free to take them on a winter camping trip anytime...

Anyway, Becky Ellis' super nice sister let us stay in her (second) house in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for a long weekend. So we invited Karl's sister, Brenda, her husband, John, and their kids, Sam and Toby. We love to go on trips with them.


Highlights of the trip included:

• Playing with Sam and Toby. Noah just absolutely adores them.
  
• Cross-country skiing. Skating on a nicely groomed trail in a beautiful canyon for free. While the boys were with Brenda. It does not get much better than that.
  
• Sleeping in a red bunk bed on the top. Noah loved it.
  
• Downhill skiing. Noah's very first time and my first time in more than 4 years. I've been wanting to do this all winter. What little adventurous boy does not love to cruise down a hill? Noah thought it was awesome. So did I.
  
• Swimming at the rec center and playing on the aqua climbing wall. So fun. The leisure pool was a nice 90 degree. Max decided to get in and enjoyed his first pool swim very much. We can't wait for summer.
  
• Running on trails and seeing Moose. Brenda is one of my favorite running partners.

Not so fun:

• The long drive.
  
• Tubing. They claimed Noah was too little and would not let him go down. Funny thing is: we went tubing the week before at Snowbasin and he loved it.
  
• Having to leave.
  
• Not getting the camera out of the bag until it was time to go home. Oops.