Presidents Day Bike Ride

(Waiting up for my dear husband and son who are in a manhole in the middle of a busy street in Las Vegas doing some night work. Always a worry till they are safely home. Thank goodness they don't have to work in the dark very often.)

Didn't get this post done in a timely manner, but better late than never.

President's Day was cloudy and threatened morning rain, but we decided to go for a quick bike ride anyway...


We drove to the trailhead by Lake Mead and started through the railroad tunnels that were used by trains carrying supplies to build and later maintain Hoover Dam.


Jeff took a little detour and found a ranger working on a new part of the trail. The girls followed him up. It was steep!


Two or three years ago when we hiked this trail, it only went to the end of the last tunnel. Now it goes all the way past the tunnels to the power lines from the dam...


and all the way to the top of a pedestrian path that leads down to...


...the parking garage by the dam. Can you believe this old, unfit woman rode her bike all the way down AND most of the way back up that far?! I couldn't! (I only walked up it two short steep parts!)

It sprinkled a little on the way back up and POURED down rain that afternoon, so we were glad we went before lunch!


Aren't these old tunnels cool? Look at that shoring on top. (Is that shoring?) (Jeff, Amy, and Maddie.)

A fun morning!

"Cute Girls on the Block"

Or it could be " 'Not-So-Desperate' Sixth & Seventh-Graders", 0r maybe "Little Girls in the Small Town," or "Boulder City 89005," or "Nice Girls," or "Confessions of Teen-Age Sweet Girls," or even "13 Candles" or "Never Been Kissed." Whatever lame movie/TV show/girl band twist I convolutedly try to come up with...these girls look to me like the nice version of a beautiful advertising poster. Don't you agree??


Maddie's friend, Savannah, had a photo shoot for her 13th birthday party and as you can see, our photographer friend, Jessica did a great job capturing their personalities!


I think they are all just gorgeous. And it's not just because I know how beautiful they are inside too, either!

Maddie

Julie


Becca


Kennedy

Annabelle


Happy birthday, Savannah!

Valentine Dance

Last night was the youth Valentine dance at church.


Amy did Maddie's hair and make-up.



Maddie danced three times and said the dance was awesome!

Tyler, the Toothless

This is how Tyler looked Wednesday morning.


This is how Tyler looked Wednesday afternoon!


He lost his first tooth.

Unfortunately, it had to be pulled by the dentist, after extensive silver and cap work just a year or so ago.

The curse of having a dad and grandpa with soft enamel...

We just call him "Hillbilly Tyler." (We think he's adorable.)

So Am I Crazy?

So maybe I HAVE had it in the Christmas trunk for thirteen years.

So maybe it IS constructed of an old pair of nylons, a wire coat hanger, and poster board.

So maybe it is STARTING to deteriorate.

So maybe it is getting wrinkled and BEDRAGGLED.

Could YOU throw this treasure away???


Especially when THIS is inscribed on the back???


I don't think so...

Duly Chastised

My sweet granddaughter has notified me that I haven't posted in quite a while. So I thought I would let you all know how much I LOVE HER!

As you can see, she is extremely cute. I may be prejudiced (I know, I know) but I think this is one of the cutest faces I know.

Not only is she cute, though. She has an extremely large and kind heart. She is two years younger than the "big girls" and three-eight years older than her little cousins, but she will play with/entertain ANY of them. Tyler has long said that "Little Ally" is his favorite. (Although I happen to know he has a soft spot for the other "big cousin" in this photo also... AND the little one too, come to think of it...)

She is a good worker too. She is willing to babysit, and according to her flier she would be a good one because she would "feed them, play with them, watch them at all times, and..make sure they have fun and have a good time!"


I love this girl.