february and march goings-on

>>> Owen turned 8 and was baptized. I can't believe he is getting so old. Turning 8 also means cub scouts and he is pretty thrilled about future pine wood derbies and campouts.

>>> The Gilbert Temple cultural celebration was fantastic! 12,000 youth performed their hearts out and it was beyond impressive. These photos are from a "dry-run." The actual performance was accompanied by complete and constant rain. There was no cover. No umbrella. No place to hide. The rain saturated everything: the ground, their hair, their clothes, their instruments, and their costumes! My kids came home entirely drenched. And they loved every minute of it. (Mostly.) Watch clips here.

>>> Molly played the ukulele for one of the songs. It was my favorite.

[Making cultural celebration costumes for the Babylonian Fire Dance.]

>>> The following day was clear and bright for the official temple dedication. 

>>> We recently realized that Grace is four inches taller than Jonah! They are only two months apart, and have always been about the same height. Until last week, I guess. 

It was crazy to see how much Grace has grown without me even noticing. She is only two inches shy of Molly.

Owen is catching up quickly too. I had a hard time finding him a suit for his baptism. The one I bought is on the brink of high-water status, and I already let the hem out as far as it will go. Stop growing, children!

>>> Maybe it's insensitive of me to post pictures of our southwest spring, given the horrible winter that's raging across the country. But it really is lovely here and before I know it, the fire-breathing dragon-of-a-summer will enter the picture.

I have to enjoy it while I can.

it might as well be spring

I just bought this water pitcher at Target and it seemed only right to fill it with something pretty. Tulips, the grocery store's official announcement of spring, seemed fitting. 

We had a few chilly days with rain last week and it was heaven! That's the kind of spring I love. As always, I am wishing spring would linger a long, long time. But, as always, summer is right around the corner: 92 degrees* by Thursday and in the pool by Friday.

*If that was a summer temp, I'd be rejoicing. It just doesn't work for March, even in the desert.

think alfred hitchcock

we've had company for about 2 weeks.  

she's cute, but really loud.  

and quite territorial.  

she acts like she owns the place.

she definitely does not like her picture taken.

her presence is thrilling, and at the same time, annoying, and sometimes scary.

she's a bird.

she has built her nest on top of our front door wreath.

and there's a little blue egg inside.

we looked.everytime we open the door, she darts away.  watching from somewhere close because as soon as the door closes, she is right back in the nest.  it's sweet, right?  it's new life.  i do like watching her through the window and wondering when we'll see her baby.  but i'll admit i am a little spooked by the whole thing.

i am very nervous that one day she is going to fly into our house in her haste to get away.  i cannot handle a bird in my house.  last night we got home late from a family birthday party.  as we approached the door, she became agitated and hovered frantically around the doorway.  mark went in quickly and the rest of us entered through the garage.  i get why she's territorial: it's her baby, for heaven's sake.  i get it.  but what happens when her egg hatches?  will the constant opening and closing of the door knock her cute baby out of the nest?  i am slightly paranoid about this situation.  maybe this is why we don't have pets.

on a nature-related tangent:  here are a few shots of the front yard.  i planted these marigolds last weekend.  i have not appreciated marigolds until recent years.  i used to think of them as pretty weeds.  now i really like their simplicity and bright color.  i hope they are hearty.  the purple flowers are called blue marguerite.

beautiful early springs almost make summers bearable here.