Spring Family Week

It's been very nice and sunny and warm here lately.
Not hot yet, but warm and toasty.

For about three months now, I have been running again
Have I mentioned this already?
It has been one of the best things in my life lately;
I'm getting a lot of joy from it.

I feel centered and calm right away in the morning now
after a good run.

I started out with a 2-mile out-and-back walk/run,
and now I'm running three miles (well, the first and last bit
are my warm-up and cool-down walks) 4-5 days a week.
Since I was sick for so long,
I am amazed that my body can do this!

About two months after I restarted running,
I added back a weight-training routine into my schedule.
I try to do a full-body weight program twice a week.
I don't enjoy that as much as I enjoy running and yoga,
but I want to be strong and firm, so I envision that and DO IT.
It is a blessing to have the strength to do physically challenging things!

An even better thing is that my brother, Mark, his wife, Jillian,
and their precious daughters, Cora & Esme, came to Arizona to visit.

Here is Esme, all chilly from being in the pool.

And Cora snuggling Grandpa.

I love these people more than I can say.

I have just the best family.

We did lots of fun things.

Cora getting Grandma snuggles.

Esme and Cora playing checkers at Cracker Barrel

(fun fact: I was a server at Cracker Barrel

in Woodbury, Minnesota, for a couple of years after college!)

The sunsets were beautiful.

My parents had this letter from Cora on their fridge and it

is the sweetest thing.  The preciousness!

"Dear Granda

I ma lrnen a

lot in scool. Ihop you

are haven fun. I mis

you and I bet you mis me.

Ima vare icksidi to cam.

Haw mene tims haw you

sen crise and Grae?

hane you

seni ene

cite citis

love G&G"

Oh, my heart!!!

Here's the translation:

"Dear Grandma,

I am learning a lot in school.

I hope you are having fun.

I miss you and I bet you miss me.

I am very excited to come.

How many times have you seen Christie and Greg?

Have you seen any cute kitties?

Love, G & G (which I think means she loves her

Grandma and Grandpa).

The girls also gather flowers.

The girls, Grandpa, and Auntie Christie love animals
and love watching the riparian creatures.

While waiting for food, Cora and Esme worked on sticker art.

The pizza this night had LOTS of cheese!
Everyone enjoyed stretching it out.

Aftewards, we went to Creamistry for ice cream!

They have gluten-free options and vegan options - yay!

The next day, Mark, Jillian, Cora, and Esme came over
to our house to see where we live (the girls can't really remember
from previous years) and try to pet the cats.

Allistair did pretty well, but no one else was interested.

Mark & Jillian came over later that evening after the girls

were in bed for dinner and a movie.

I made doughnuts!

And I made cookies!

Mark reached under the cooling racks and licked up the chocolate
drippings.

I made spaghetti.

I had chickpea pasta with veggies and a salad.

Plus some of Jillian's fruit salad - mmmm!

Mark and Jillian are THE CUTEST!

They did end up getting some good snuggles.
Allistair likes Uncle Markie.
I wonder if Mark smells like me because we're related?

Claude accepted some cuddles from Auntie Jillian.

We watched "Ant Man and The Wasp" and we liked it!


The next day . . .
A HIKE
in Lost Dutchman State Park
with five people I dearly love.




Here we are!




Look!  There is Four Peaks

Look at this sweetness (insert heart eyes).

Teamwork to help Cora safely rock climb.

The desert was very green

and there were LOTS of flowers.

Poppies:

Globe mallow:

With Mark & Cora:

With Esme & Mark:

Here's a little friend!

Thank you for coming to spend time with us!
We love you!

We miss you already!