Sunshine 'N Smiles

The sensation of warm, soft rays peering from heaven after a long and dreary winter: glorious!

It's Spring! It's Winter! It's Spring! It's Winter! The tulips are blooming! The tulips are freezing! It's December! It's April! Oh, wait...it's only March.

March in Utah is like a bipolar union of fire and ice. You never know what you are going to get; sometimes, you get a little of both in the very same day. It seems as if a moment of warmth forces a frenzy of outdoor activity...everyone is firing up the grills and netting the trampolines. Mother Nature watches with amusement as we get a sweet taste of 50 degree honey. Just when we are singing her praises, she cools our jets and halts all our fun with biting snow showers and artic blasts of wind. Aside from her twisted sense of humor, I really do love and appreciate Mother Nature and the gifts she so generously bestows upon us winter weary Utahns, but I can't help but be frustrated by her tempting, taunting, carrot dangling retractions. Indian Giver!

March 20th happened to be one of those beautiful, sunny days. Thaus and I had made plans to visit our fabulously funny and ferociously giddy friends, Paul and Angela. They have two boys close in age to Xavier, and ample supplies of macaroni and cheese on hand. Yeah, you all know where this party is heading...

The Barkers have really cool kid toys. I am thankful for friends who can not only capture the attention of a two-year old, but also capture the attention of a thirty-six year old. While the boys were busy making castles in the sand, the girls were free to dish in the kitchen while sharing essential potty training tips and tricks.


I love the look on X's face. Working in the sand is serious bidness!


Let's hear it for teamwork!

I find it fitting and the best compliment you can pay a friend when your toddler has a massive freak-out and breakdown upon leaving her home. It must feel good to know your skills of entertainment are billed with those enjoying rock star status. Xavier was having so much fun conducting the trains and moving them forward and backward through the elaborate system of tracks. Powers of conduction are second nature to him since he is so good at conducting his own screaming symphony. It took Thaus awhile to actually get Xavier strapped in his car seat (due to all the back wrenching and kicking), which left me the pleasure of an elongated goodbye with four-year old D. He repeated his sweet words of parting combined with approximately 900 consecutive hand waves. I was pumped up like royalty on a parade float. I only felt badly about not having any candy to throw at him. He should have received a prize for all that flattery.



Thanks, Paul and Angela, for hosting an unforgettable evening of freestyle toddler olympics (The long distance running medal definitely goes to Lieutenant). I no longer need basketball brackets and NCAA tournaments to get me through the month of March. The real March Madness is at the Barkers!