sharing the love

A week and a half ago we welcomed spring with lots of enthusiasm. Since then Evan has been quite confused since the tulips are poking out of the ground and yet we have had rain, snow, wind, sunshine, and 70s all in the same week. Yesterday was the latter three of the list so we set off on a morning hike with two of the other teachers at St. Paul's and the Pastor and Missus from Abiding Word. We hiked Boulder Hill south of Rapid on Hwy 16. This was our third trip up the hill but each time it's been with different friends or family so it's never the same hike. If I were to make a list of things we'll miss about living here days like yesterday would certainly be on the list. We'll just have to enjoy them while we still have them. :)

One - Evan and Pastor Wilcox became fast friends.

Two - Me: "Hans what to you see?"

Hans: "Just hills."

Three - Nathan and Lydia looking to the east. Can you see Rapid City?

Four - Hi-ho hi-ho, down the hill we go.

Egg Hunt

On Easter, after church the kids hurried out of church clothes while Nathan and Jordan hurried to hide eggs. Then the hunt was on! The boys have gotten to find eggs at school a time or two with Nathan's class but it was a first for Lydia. Gleeful doesn't begin to describe her reaction to the candy and hidden treasure. The boys thought it was great that they had new "treasure bags" to hold the found eggs (thanks again Auntie Kristi).

Picture 1: The boys "guiding" Lydia to an egg.

Picture 2: "Eeeeeeeeeeeeegg!"

Picture 3: Evan counting his loot.

Picture 4: Hans on the hunt.

Easter Fun

So far our Easter vacation has been wonderful. Here are some reasons why.

-Nathan has six straight days off of school!

-We each have had a morning to sleep in. Glorious!

-We had our dear friends the Smiths over for dinner on Maundy Thursday.

-Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services were not only beautiful but deeply meaningful.

-Jordan is here for three days. Yeah for family!

-Aunt Kristi and Uncle Matthew sent fun presents. Thank you!! :) (Pictures 1 & 2 are airplane assembly.)

-We are having turkey for dinner tomorrow but I baked it today and the house smells sooooo good.

-Nathan has had the opportunity to keep studying for his FAA test he plans to take early this week.

-We colored eggs this afternoon.

-Nathan and Jordan are going to hide 24 eggs for the kids tomorrow.

-A card party with the faculty tomorrow evening promises loads of laughs.

-Most importantly, JESUS IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!

SPRING!!

On Thursday, the first day of spring, we taught the kids how to stand up eggs. We still had some brown eggs from my parents' visit so those are the ones that did the honor of standing tall.

HAPPY SPRING TO ALL!

Sunshine and Visitors

These show quite a change from the last pictures I posted. Right after last weeks' snow the weather took a turn for the warmer. The last week has been wonderfully spring-like.

On Saturday my parents and Grandma came to visit. These pictures were actually taken on Monday when the grandparents watched the kids while I subbed for Nathan who had a princpal's meeting in Sioux Falls. The day started off with the making of homemade donuts with Grandpa. Then they were off to Canyon Lake Park (CLP). Kites had been bought the night before and it was a perfect day to fly them. CLP is also home to ducks, geese, and a few swans so they took a turn sharing some popcorn with the friendly fowl. After a picnic lunch of McDonalds treats the group headed off to our favorite ice cream shop, Armadillos. When I got home from school we had a pizza party supper and delectable dessert Great Grandma made. All in all it was an awesome few days and the kids will be begging for Grandma, Grandpa, and Great Grandma to return for quite awhile. Love you all.

Then they got snow....

This picture is from last week already. On Tuesday it snowed about three inches which all melted on Wednesday. Then Wednesday it snowed another three inches which stuck around to be enjoyed by the boys on Thursday aftetnoon. When I stuck my head out the patio door to snap a quick picture this is the pose they gave me. Brotherly love I guess.

a dream come true

This morning Nathan took these pictures while out flying with his good friend Kim (married to the Denise I'm always mentioning :) He's had the opportunity to be in the air with Kim a few times and hopes to start working on some official training with a flight instructor soon.

1: If you look between the braces for the airplane wing you can see a little bump on the horizon. That is Devil's Tower Nat'l Monument over in eastern WY.

2: To the left of the wing brace you can see the shadow of the airplane on the snow, the upper left corner shows the runway and taxiway.

If you want to view the pictures larger you can click on them and be able to see more of the details.

Have a great day.

Wishing for Snow

The snow here is sporadic and short-lived but that doesn't make it any less fun. Yesterday was beautiful and I made the remark that the snow would disappear again. The kids wanted the chance to play in what little was left. In the picture of Hans you can see how we just have a patch that is in the shade all day. Today it is 50+ so it's sweatshirt and bike riding weather. We'll see if the possibility of snow that's being forecast for Monday actually turns into anything.

Seven Smiths Climbing and Caching

Over President's Day weekend we had company! "Uncle Matthew and Aunt Kristi" came to see us all. Saturday we took advantage of the 49 degree day (gotta love the "tropical" Black Hills) and went on a few short hikes in Rapid to find a handfull of geocaches. Saturday evening Matthew headed south to Colorado to find Jordan, the mountains, and the ski slopes. They skied on Sunday while here Kristi and I spent some time shopping and hanging out just the two of us. Monday Matthew came back and we enjoyed lunch out before they hit the long road home. Like all weekends with family, it went to quickly but was wonderful. We love you guys! :)

Picture 1: Hiking partners Aunt Kristi and Lyd taking a break on the trail.

Picture 2: Evan and Aunt Kristi uncovering one of the caches.

Picture 3: More hiking buddies, this time Hans and Uncle Matthew on the trail.

Picture 4: Matthew & Hans, Kristi & Lyd, Nathan & Evan heading back to the van.

Rob the Builder

Our good friend, Rob, is launching his own business and going to be working as a handyman/contractor. His wife, Robin, planned a surprise party for him so a bunch of friends could have the chance to wish him well with this adventure. Robin asked that I bring dessert so this is what I came up with for the party. It got a lot of laughs and was taken apart sort of like a gingerbread house. :)

More Sheepdog Trials

What is being displayed in the picture?

a. my friend Denise

b. a couple of happy fans

c. Hans' new picture face

d. buds

e. two people close to my heart

f. all of the above

The Stock Show, Mutton Bustin', and Sheep Dog Trials

The last weekend in January through the first weekend in February is the Black Hills Stock Show. It's the biggest thing in Rapid City every year with the exception of the Sturgis motercycle rally. For a week ranchers and other interested people come from all over the region to check out the latest and greatest in ranching. There are lots of fun things to do over that week from rodeo, to bull riding, to sheep dog trials, to sales/shows of cows, bulls, steers, and horses, an animal nursery, to mutton bustin', to a giant trade show, to the Cowboy Bar, to....

This year the kids, my friend Denise, and I decided to check out the sheepdog trials. The first event has nothing to do with dogs but more the sheep. Kids from ages four to seven took turns trying out mutton bustin' (riding a sheep like it was a buckin' bull). I had thought about seeing if Evan would want to try it but hadn't followed up on the thought and gotten him registered. He loved watching it and can't wait to try it. Since the rodeo in August he has decided he's going to be a cowboy when he growns up and now he wants to practice by riding sheep. It's a "kid rodoe" according to him. All three of the kids thought it was just great to watch. The second picture shows one contenstent about Evan's age and size. We might just have to find some mutton bustin' in WI or come back for a visit next year about this time.

For Denise and I the highlight of the night was the actual timed trials. They were amazing. These dogs are highly intelligent and highly trained. They have to start in the chalk cricle on one end of the arena (pic. #4) while the sheep are released from the pen at the other end. They then race to the sheep and, following voice or whistle commands from their trainer, get the sheep to make a figure 8 around the barrels (pic. #3). Next they have to get the sheep to pass through the funnel gate and go into the pen that the trainer closes. The fastest time we saw that night was 1:18. By the end of the night the kids were getting restless but it was fun and I'm glad we took th time to go when we had the chance.

In the Gym

After years of hoping, planning, dreaming, saving, working, volunteering, and finishing St. Paul's now has a gym! A week and a half ago we hosted the first home games ever to be play at St. Paul's. It was great fun.

Things to note in the pictures.

1: The ref in the background graduted from St. Paul's and has since then sent his three kids. He has been dreaming of playing in the gym since he was a student. He got to officiate the first game and his son got to play in it. It was a great day for them both.

2: We don't have a scoreboard and one isn't really in the budget but Nathan found a free one online that can be projected onto the wall. Can't beat that.

3: Jon in another one that has been dreaming of the gym for years. While taking his turn officiatinging he enjoyed showing off his three point skill druing quarter breaks.

Grandpa Pants

This is the third Christmas my Mom has made the kids pajama pants. This year all of the grandkids and my Dad got matching pairs. Here are all seven pairs of "Grandpa Pants" being sported by their owners. :)