A Fish Lake Hike!

We had a perfect day with Angie and the boys, Justin and Jake, today. Martin, me, Kristi, Angie, and all the kids headed out to Fish Lake for a nice long 4 mile walk. We brought the bikes for the kids and they had a really fun time riding the trail together. The weather is finally beginning to warm up (a little!), so it was wonderful to be outdoors again.
Jakey and Sofia posing for a quick pic.....

Rock climbing along the way....

There they go!

Us girls....

After the hike, we headed back to our house and had a nice bbq while the kids continued to play the rest of the afternoon. Such a wonderful Sunday....we love our friends!

The Pink Ladies -- soccer superstars!

Our Sweet Pink Ladies (4 and 5 yr olds)

Front row L to R: Jamie, Sammie Jo, Allie

Back row L to R: Kiki, Addy, Sofia, AnnaBelle, and Coach Michelle

Super-Star Sofia and Coach Michelle

Sofia loves her Saturday morning soccer games and has shown us that she sure has a competitive streak in her! She is very focused and serious when playing and is always striving towards scoring as many goals as she can. She is aware of where the ball is at all times and does not hesitate to get herself into the action of playing defense and offense. She runs and runs and runs her little heart out! She is so fun to watch! We are so proud of our sweet soccer-lovin' Sofia!

Soccer picture time -- Sofia is always picture-ready!



L to R: Kiki, Annabelle, Sofia, Jamie and Addy
Sofia is so happy to have 2 of her best buddies from Montessory Central on her team, Addy and Jamie -- they are such cute friends!

We've really had such a cold Spring and one of the parents brought this tent to keep the kids warm. Go Pink Ladies!

The Maroon Baboons! Another Season Undefeated!

Front row sitting L to R: Belin, Peyton, Keeley, Issabella

Center row L to R: Anna, McKenna, Madison

Back row L to R: Asst Coach Brandon, Avery, Audriana and Coach Mike

Grandma and her soccer-lovin' girls! Thanks for braving the cold, windy, and sometimes wet weather, Mom! : )


Coach Mike, Anna, and Audriana -- what a trio!


Awww...my baby is getting big. She's 8 now....has been playing since she was 4!

Audriana's team is made up of such a great group of girls!

Happy Easter everyone!

What an absolutely wonderful day we had! Spring has finally arrived and we enjoyed temps today into the mid-60's! Lots of sunshine and no wind, rain, snow, or sleet! Before the girls went to bed last night, they put their Easter baskets just outside their bedroom door. They were expecting the Easter Bunny to come and fill those baskets -- and you know what? He didn't dissappoint! They woke up at the crack of dawn (Sofia at 5:20am and Audriana soon after) and checked the baskets - they were thrilled to see that the Easter Bunny brought them the movies Tangled and Yogi Bear, plus some gum, a chocolate bunny, and some Flarb. They may have woken up so early because they heard me in the kitchen -- I woke up at 5 so I could finish my potato salad for mom's brunch, plus get breakfast made, girls dressed, hair done, myself showered and ready, kitchen cleaned up, and everyone in the car by 7:30. Whew...it was quite a morning, but I did it! Martin left a few minutes before us and headed out to mom and Jays to help them prepare for the kids to have a big Easter Egg hunt (more on that later). The girls and I left to go and pick up Aunt Kristi...and wouldn't you know it, but the Easter Bunny had left the girls each a real sketch pad and colored pencils at her house! Our girls are soooo lucky! We left Kristi's house by 8:15 and drove out to St. Mary's to meet mom. Mass started at 9am and Jay and Martin joined us soon after we got there. All the kids in church looked so adorable, but I think our girls looked the best!

The Easter Bunny must have gotten their email that the girls sent -- requesting Tangled and Yogi Bear! Thank you Easter Bunny!!!

Hello sweet Alfaro family!

The girls with Grandma (above) and with Aunt Kristi (below)
After Church, we stopped by Mom's to take a few pictures before the girls changed into their "hunting" clothes.

Lisa, Scott, Ryan, Noah, Micah and the girls.
The Sandbergs drove in from Ephrata to celebrate with us today! They are the best!!!

Audriana and Ryan -- true friends, heart and soul.

They love climbing trees.....

The Easter Bunny hid their eggs up at John and LaNae's house this year! What a great idea -- they have such a big yard, with lots of trees and forest for them to run and seek out all the eggs! The little kids had their own area to look for eggs (the front yard) and Ryan and Audriana had their own area to find eggs (the side yard forest!). The Easter Bunny must have had a ball hiding all those eggs up there! The kids LOVED it!

Hunting eggs.....very serious business.....

Micah (above) and Noah (below)

Sofia, Noah and Micah did an excellent job hunting for eggs today!

My beautiful Sofia

Sofia and Grandma

The grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa

After the hunt, we all headed back down to Grandma and Grandpa's house to feast -- we were all starving by the time we got there! Jay, Martin and Scott walked with the kids over to the elementary school to play soccer and basketball (the weather was too good not to be outside) while Mom, Kristi, Lisa and I got things ready at the house. We even had a few minutes to sit and chat before they all came back -- that was heaven! We had ham, rolls, jello, green bean casserole, potato salad, fruit, veggies, and cinammon rolls! Scott made his famous cheescake with fruit topping for dessert, which was so good!

One of the funniest things that happened today was watching Sofia and Noah do the 3-legged race in the backyard. It was hysterical....the pictures tell the story. : )

It looks like they have this thing figured out.....it's easy!

We are doing great......


Almost to the finish line.....

.....woops!

Happy Easter to all!

Ice Cream Sundae Party at Sunday School!

The tradition continues that the kids get an Ice Cream "Sundae" party on our last Sunday School day of the season -- it will not be back until Fall. Seems odd.....why don't we have Sunday School during Spring and Summer? I guess with Bloomsday, Easter, Mother's Day, then sumer time schedules, they give the kids (and parents) some time off from coming. I've really enjoyed going each Sunday with the girls -- I know I have really learned a lot and strengthened my faith so much! The girls really do enjoy it, too. Audriana making her sundae.... All the kids.....Audriana, Sofia, Gabe and Saphire, Amy, Mark, Mathew and Sara (Bassett?), Derek and Kevin (Chaves).

Suzanne and her youngest, Sara...plus just 2 weeks to go until another little baby girl joins their family! Congrats Suzanne!

Suzanne taught Sofia so much about God and Jesus! Thank you Suzanne for your wonderful sweet and quiet nature -- the kids loved being with you each Sunday morning.

Here is Miss Karra (today is also her 18 bday) and some of her Sunday School kids.

There were some mornings where I would drop off the girls at 9, then head over to Starbucks to meet Denise for an hour of coffee and girlfriend talk! I loved (and truly cherished) those moments and will miss them now that we are done with Sunday school for a while. We will have to make time and find a way to continue our guilty coffee pleasure!

Silly Sofia.....

Sofia had a fun playdate at Addy's house today and they had a lot of fun creating and playing together. She made a broom out of a large wrapping paper cardboard tube and a pine branch (and quite a lot of tape!). She also had Addy's dad, Todd, cut out a pair of glasses with a funny nose for her to wear. Very funny...very silly....very Sofia.

Sunday morning breakfast......

Chocolate Chip Pancakes!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes -- A first for us!

Hurray for Spring and Hurray for Saturday Soccer!