A little Girl Time & a little Boy Time

What a wild and crazy week it has been for the Nutt House.  Talking with Kara earlier today she could not believe it was only a week ago we were at a dance competition, this week has been so nutt-y.  Of course, around here, nutt-y is a good thing. 

Tuesday brought Kara’s long awaited 1^st grade field trip and my opportunity to co-chaperone a lively group of six 1^st graders.  For the field trip, we explored the Natural History Museum, a place the Nutt House is fondly familiar with.  Observing Kara as she interacted more with her school friends was such a delight.  The way they’d play with and talk with each other filled me with joy.  Of course, witnessing the struggles of three 7-year olds work through the dynamic of there being three friends and not leaving someone out wasn’t the easiest.  I wanted to rush over to the girls, sit them down and explain they could all interact equally together and no one needed to be or feel left out, but alas, this is one of those life lessons that I can offer some sideline assistance on but need to allow Kara and her friends to figure out by themselves.    Overall, the girls had a great time together and even shared a bench with each other on the bus ride back to the school.  Surprisingly, when we arrived back to the school Kara did not want to be checked out from school early, instead she went back to class to spend the last hour with her friends and classmates.  Actually, when I think about the reasoning behind why she may want to have stayed at school it isn’t all that surprising.  Our little Fancy Nancy is growing up all too quickly; the iconic pastime of chatting with friends on the phone has started at the Nutt House.  Kara started talking with one of her friends on the phone but quickly escalated into the 21^st century replacing the phone call with Face Timing.  For the life of me I cannot figure out what a couple of seven year olds could talk about for over two hours after seeing each other all day at school, but it can and does happen around here now. 

Field Trip Bus Ride!

Fossil touching station, Kara later mentioned in a school paper that
 this was her favorite part of the field trip.

Learning about Native American pottery

Panning for gold

Kara sweetly shared most of the gold that she
had found

Friends!

Lunch at the park before heading back to school

Three friends on the bus ride back

It may be blurry but it sill captures the
fun she felt while talking on the phone

The other major highlight for lil’ miss for the week was accompanying me on a surprise girl’s weekend trip to Salt Lake to attend my cousin’s baby shower and surprise my mom.  Kara was beyond elated when she found out she’d get to go with and had a blast the entire time.  Of course, traveling to Salt Lake for a weekend meant there was a plane flight.  As soon as the boys dropped us off at the airport, Kara giddily started asking questions and looking around, soaking everything in.  There was some minor disappointment on Kara’s behalf though when she realized that the snow that had fallen the morning we flew in had all melted away because the temperature was not cold enough for it to stick. 

All ready to go

So may overpriced snack choices

Now boarding

Not just reading but studying the
safety card

She loved the flight - with the movie, drink, and cookies

Once we arrived in Salt Lake, Aunt Roxane picked us up along with Allison who was also flying in for the baby shower and just like us, kept it a surprise from my mom.  Boy was mom/grandma surprised when we arrived at Aunt Roxane’s house.  Aunt Roxane had gone in first through the garage and we had quietly entered in the front door.  After receiving an okay we crept into the kitchen where they were gathered around talking and I put my hands over my mom’s eyes and after removing them she turned around to see who was there and…  well… let’s just say she was surprised and even let a cuss word slip right before recognizing that Kara was there as well.  The element of surprise worked and my mom was thrilled to have all of her daughters there in Salt Lake for the weekend.  We spent the remainder of Friday evening chatting and getting settled in at Alicia’s before the real fun started Saturday.  Saturday brought Jeana’s baby shower and on the way there, we spotted a field where a group of antelope were grazing.  Kara eagerly exclaimed that grandpa owed her money for having seen them and even called him up, sharing her good news where her statement was confirmed and grandpa had grandma pay Kara a dollar for finding the antelope.   Kara was excited to see there was a small patch of snow on the ground at a park by Jeana’s place, so as we left the baby shower we made it a point to stop so us Phoenix gals could see the snow and play in it.  The snow play lasted for just a brief minute before the cold overtook us and we were jetting back to the warmth of Alicia’s car. 

Stylin' in our shades!

SNOW!!!

Preparing to make a snowball

After the baby shower, we took grandma back to Alicia’s place to rest up before dinner and since we are not a group to stay idle for long we got back in the car and scurried down to Thanksgiving Point to spend some time moseying through the Ashton Garden’s and taking in the tulip festival that was going on.  What a great use of our time!  The gardens were beautiful and the tulips and daffodils, absolutely enchanting! To help us maneuver through the crowds and increase our levels of enjoyment Allison rented a golf cart that soon had us laughing as we sauntered our way along the paths.  To her credit, Allison did a fantastic job at darting around and between crowds, parking so we could get out getting better views of some of the areas and backing up when we got going again.  Of course, our sisterly code won’t allow me to ever tell her how good she did, instead, I appropriately pointed out how many times I thought she was going to kill me on the golf cart.  In all seriousness though, I adore both of my sisters and the close friendships we share.  I look up to both of them more than I can ever adequately express and love them fiercely and forever.  The time with them feeds my soul as it allows me to bring a side of myself out that is needed but doesn’t have a place in my everyday life.  Anyway, sharing the breathtaking gardens with my sisters and daughter… a better day couldn’t have been had!  Of course, in true fashion, we not only viewed the gardens but found many a photo op in them as well. 

So may pretty flowers for this beautiful girl

Kara found many a place she wanted her photo taken at

and I loved the chance to have my picture taken with her

It is important to not only make time to
stop and smell the roses but all flowers too
*even when your nose is stuffed up thanks
to allergies

This beautiful budding tree had the most beautiful
scripture attached on the plaque

This is where it got serious

Stunning beauty under the waterfall

She loves her Aunts and they love her

She really wanted a picture with the goose that you can
kind of see in the background

This area just looked magical

And tiny dancer picks dancing moves
as poses for pictures

Entrance to the Secret Garden

The daffodils were spectacular
and there were more varieties than I
knew existed

Sisters at the Secret Garden enterance

LOVE

Another place this beauty wanted her photo taken at
I will always call Kara beautiful because she is.
My challenge as her mom is to help her see own beauty
and to recognize and appreciate that beauty and
most importantly, to understand that true beauty
comes from the inside.  Not the out

So many spectacular tulips

I adore the Light of the World statues
This one of Mary with Jesus is a favorite

So many hearts for this picture

Feeding the koi

This one just brings me happiness

While this one brings me smiles

We all made it alive!

Kara got to select some fresh tulips to
be picked and taken back as gifts

Love this and love them

Such big shoes!

After we were done at the gardens we went back to get grandma and headed out for a large family dinner with Aunt Roxane, Jeana & her family, Eric, and even Matthew showed up!  It was quite the full table – full of food, full of laughter, and full of love!  Once dinner was done we picked up our nightly treat (having done the same the night before because… girls weekend… treats are a must, right?!) and headed back to Alicia’s to visit and relax for the evening.  This morning brought our last few hours in Utah.  We started off the day pampering lil’ miss with Alicia doing her hair while Allison and I applied press on nails so Kara could experience fake nails.  As was expected, the nails didn’t last long, but still, she loved them, which was all that was needed.  Before heading off to the airport we girls treated grandma to an early Mother’s Day breakfast that was made even more special as Matthew and Caleb joined us.  While the breakfast was good, I know it was the opportunity to have all four of her kids in the same place at the same time that meant the world to mom and that is the Mother’s Day gift she will treasure in her heart of hearts.

Kara showing Grandma her new nails

Lil' Nutt here - kicked and flung limbs over me
all night and was a serious bed hog!
At least she slept in to help make up for staying up so late

A little Kara style decorating of
Aunt Alicia's place before leaving

Pampering Time

All glammed out

Breakfast for Mother's Day with the fam

After breakfast, it was time to head to the airport where we waited for our flight to bring us girlies back home to Brent and Kaden who had some fun of their own while the girls were away.

Adios SLC!

This week brought the one-year anniversary celebration of Gracie Barra Jiu Jitsu in Ahwatukee.  This meant that throughout the week there were visiting professors who aided Professor in teaching Jiu Jitsu.  The celebrations were kicked up on Saturday with a special Jiu Jitsu class taught by some award winning coaches and one of the best children’s Jiu Jitsu Professors that Gracie Barra has.  Following the special class there was a picnic at the park to wrap up the celebration activities.  When Kaden found out he couldn’t go to Utah but instead could have a boys weekend with Brent and could go to Jiu Jitsu every day this week, attend the picnic and do other “boy” activities Kaden didn’t skip a beat when he confirmed he was okay with the plan.  Along with the Jiu Jitsu, Brent took Kaden to pick out a variety of root beer sodas to try out.  Last count I heard Friday night was that they had already tried four different sodas!  The boys enjoyed a couple late nights of their own, Friday night staying up late to watch Star Wars, The Last Jedi.  Saturday night they brought Harrison Ford back into the mix with some Indiana Jones viewing.  Thankfully, Brent warned Kaden up front that Indiana Jones always wins and covered his eyes towards the end to help with any potential nerves that may come up.  Brent also rocked the boy’s weekend thing, taking Kaden to an old school arcade where Kaden fell in love with Super Mario Brothers and others.  As if that wasn’t enough, Brent also helped Kaden finish building the Lego Ninjago play set that Kaden’s been working on for a good couple of weeks now and Kaden had some serious Ninjago playtime made available to him. 

Working on the Ninjago set

Getting some tips from his favorite coach

Kaden woke Brent up Saturday morning ready to play
Trouble...  kind of fitting game for Kaden, dontcha think?

The Saturday Jiu Jitsu class group

They are all Champions!

Group hug for the special instructors,
Professor Romulo Barral and his daughters

Jiu Jitsu picnic at the park

I love how he can barely reach

He loved it though, really getting into it,
getting the hang of it & word is... he didn't want to leave

One of the visiting Professor's let the kids "fly"

After arriving back home I asked Kaden what his favorite part of the weekend was and he emphatically said it was going to the arcade.  I think it’s safe to say that Kaden had as much fun with Brent as Kara did with Grandma, her Aunts, and myself.  As if you couldn’t tell, the Nutt House had a tremendously terrific week and we look forward to what this next week will hold in store!