February Highlights 2015

Highlights from February 2015 included:

1. Family night at Ava and Curtis's house with some of the extended Adams Family while Alex and Lee were in town.  Darcie was smitten with Grandma Elaine and vice versa.

I love reading to children before bed to get them simmered down and ready for soft slumbers.  We read probably 4 of the pigeon books and the kids were cracking up at his antics.

2. A long overdue dinner with the Gonzalez family in St. George.  We kept them up way too late, but had such a great time catching up.  Their children get cuter every time we visit.  I loved how sweet and soft Eden and Ezra were with Darcie.  I think it was after this night that Burke asked why I always dressed Darcie in that outfit.  He asked, "Em, I know that little girl has drawers full of clothes - why is she always in that one?"  Because I wanted to eat her up every time she wore those heart patterned leggins. That's why.  But he did have a point. :)

3. Burke playing playdough with Daphne.  She was obsessed with playdough for several weeks and I still think it's the first thing she grabs during free play time at Preschool.

4. In February, Burke spent a few days driving around Southern Utah delivering patronage checks to many of Western Ag's borrowers.  The girls and I got to join him on two of the trips and it was soooo nice to spend the day together as a family, driving around and meeting so many of the farmers that he gets to work with.  Every last one was so kind and welcoming.  The above photo was taken at about 8 AM on our first stop at a farm in Hurricane (or was it Laverkin?) one of the days.

5. Burke has just one borrower in Mesquite, so we planned our trip so that our last visit would be in Mesquite and then we could stay to visit with our neighbors on Clark Street.  It happened to be Hudson's 6th birthday, so we joined the Hughes family for a celebratory dinner at the delectable Los Lupes and had a lovely time catching up with Shane and Shannon.  However, before heading to dinner, we had the absolute best time talking out on the street with the Holts, the Hughes, the Gaults, Mathew Boyd (Mary and Randy were out of town), Shea Jenson and even Deborah Baker who rode by on a bike.  It felt just like old times and I was floating on a cloud to have a chance to visit with all those wonderful people again.  It made me miss our idyllic old street so bad.  I wish I could transplant them all around me here in Enoch.

6. My mother-in-law, Marie, is a violinist in the Orchestra of Southern Utah and we had a chance to hear her play at their annual Children's Jubilee Concert.  The Jubilee is neat because it's in the afternoon and their is no age limit.  They shorten their program so the children can pay attention better.  Before and after the program there are hands-on musical and science displays in the lobby and basement of the Heritage Center.  Daphne was a little antsy during the flautist solo piece (Marie is directly to the left of the purple-clad flute player above), but she was completely mesmerized during an impressive piece written by a local Cedar City composer (Jacob Lee) about the life of Casey Jones, the railroad conductor who was so prompt that people in towns across the country set their clocks by his whistle and who was later killed in a train collision, but was able to save all the other people aboard his train.  In his piece, "Casey Jones Overture" you could hear the tick-tock of the clock, the chugga-chugga of the train and the tragic wreck of his final ride.

7. Several awesome snow storms resulted in tunnels, snow angels, our family in snowmen form, etc.

8. Burke got a little 8-inch dutch oven and was dying to try it out along with some pressure cooker ribs that Dave Dickerson introduced him to at the scout campout.  Both were diiiiiivine.

9. From January through February, I watched Aubrey (Mike and LeeAnn's youngest) one day a week while LeeAnn taught a 3 hour nursing course in Cedar.  I usually had her about 4 hours and Daphne was so sad when the 7 weeks were up.  She still asks if Aubrey is coming to play.  For 3 of the weeks I also had LeeAnn bring Hallie and Luke down for the day to give Nellie a rest with new baby Blake.  It was a bit exhausting caring for 5 under 5 and to keep everybody happy, but it was a good time.  I love building relationships with my nieces and nephews and giving Daphne plenty of cousin time to strengthen those friendships as well.  

10. Every year during calving season at the farm, Mike and LeeAnn usually end up with a few calves at their house to have the girls bottle feed if a mama cow ends up with twins.  This little guy was so pretty and docile.  Daphne couldn't get enough of stroking his soft brown head.