Good Weekend.

We started off a wonderful weekend of game playing, of course! We had to play one more time before our game playing friends, the Pippins, have a baby on Friday. They came to our house for a change and we played Puerto Rico, Alhambra and Ticket To Ride. We had good snacks and fun with friends.
We have been having trouble with our van stalling randomly. We had taken it to the shop to get worked on. I took it to a guy way out in the middle of nowhere, but he came with a good recommendation. He was good and didnt want to charge us for things he did not think were wrong (like the guys at Grease Monkey did). The only problem was that he didnt have the sense of urgency that we did. You see, the van is the only vehicle that holds our whole family. While Nolan can take his motorcycle and I can take both girls in our tiny truck, we cant all fit in one. So Saturday morning we drove out to the shop to get the van, with Nolan in the bed of the truck. He did great on a drizzly cold morning!
After getting our splendid vehicle, we drove to the Adams County Fairgrounds. A good friend of mine from college lives in a town called Parshall, Co. Parshall is past Winter Park and about 3 or so hours from our house. We have seen them at least once the last couple of summers. They had come down to the fairgrounds to auction off some horses for the ranch they work at. So we met them at the auction. They had to be there ALL DAY with a 3 year old girl and an 8 month old boy. I dont think I would be that brave. They did seem happy that Abilene had a playmate for a while. The girls dug in the dirt (with shovels and pails we never leave home without) and had fun around the horses. They got to pet some miniature horses and loved it. We hear that Abilene actually went home with a horse of her own!
We then continued on to Denver. Nolan went to Korea on his mission. When we lived in Austin we had a lot of choices of Korean restaurants and stores that were not too far from our house. Now we have to go to south Denver to a giant Korean market. We love this place and only go about once a year. The last time we went I was about two weeks from my due date and so sick I had to spend the whole time in the van! So we loaded up on all the good stuff we love like Bulgoki meat and BBQ sauce, kim (seaweed crackers?), curry packets, rice, mondu (like pot stickers), etc. Then we ate some side dishes before we left. While we were waiting for our food, the only other customer in the deli part came over and asked if Nolan's name was Nolan and if he grew up in Washington. It turns out to be a friend of Nolan's from high school! He said he totally recognized Nolan and said he recognized his characteristics. Now that has Nolan wondering those characteristics were that were so recognizable!!! Haha.
After the Korean store we made a quick stop at Krispy Kreme and then dropped Nolan off at his truck. He went off to a dinner in Denver and to hear the IEEE USA President talk about the future of engineering. I love my husband, but another one of those lectures just might put me into a permanent coma! Just Kidding. They are all just so smart! I had a really nice dinner with my brother Bob and the girls. Then we headed home and Nolan showed up not long after.
I told Nolan that in one day I got to have a Gyros for lunch, Korean food, Krispy Kreme and a sub sandwich for dinner. It was like the day of all my favorite foods :).

Easter Fun

We had a pretty fun and uneventful Easter. My parents came up the night before to spend the night. My dad has been the Easter bunny every year since we moved back to Colorado. It has been at my grandma Dolly's house before, but decided to move it here from now on. We usually had all big holidays at my grandma's house, but the last meal she did was just too much for her. She has been talking for years about handing the torch to someone else and I think it has finally and subtly happened. So, my dad hid 75 plastic eggs inside the house on Saturday night.
We told Lexa to come get us up the next morning instead of just going downstairs. Well, about 6:50 am she peeks in our door and says, "Mom, I went downstairs and was looking for eggs. I'm sorry but I accidentally opened one." How do you accidentally open an egg? She has had limitations on her morning freedom until we can trust her again. She is being pretty good about it and slowly gaining privileges back. Anyway, back to Easter morn. We brought Lexa and Clara down. Clara found maybe one or two eggs and was happy. According to our count, there may be about 2-3 eggs still hidden in the house somewhere. Church was from 1-4. The girls were absolutely adorable in their Easter dresses from Grandma Wright. There are pictures up on Facebook (if your not my friend there, please go ahead and send me a request!!). After church my grandma came up and we had our Easter dinner. Before church Nolan figured out how to work the feature on our stove that delays the cooking and starts it a few hours later. The biggest advantage to having dinner at my house, besides all the kids toys being here, is that I get to pick the menu. I realized it was all my favorites and nothing I didnt like. We had ham, potato salad, frog eye salad, 24 hour salad, rolls, green bean casserole. It was great.

Oh Spring, Where Art Thou???

I think this is the time of year when I begin to wonder: will the snow ever melt? will the wind ever stop trying to blow my house down? will we ever wear shorts again????? I have serious doubts to all these questions right now!
On the up side, Nolan got to stay on a project at work that he was very excited about! When he is excited about a project and the people he is working with, he puts his all into it and does a great job. Way to go Nolie Polie!!

Clara is sick

Clara has been sick this weekend, but a really nice kind of sick. She has a fever and no energy. She is still drinking, eating, etc. but she just wants to sit on my lap and stare. She isnt throwing up, coughing, sneezing. I wish every sickness could be this easy.

Random

I keep wanting to post something new, but feel like there is nothing of much report here in the home front. Richard and Marilyn came to Colorado this week. Went to the aquarium, did a little bit of shopping and grandpa did a lot of jumping on the trampoline. They came to hear Nolan wonderful singing! His Colorado Mormon Chorale had a concert in which they sang a 40 min requiem. It was very beautiful. It was performed at a beautiful Central Pres. church in downtown Denver. We then hopped on 16th St Mall bus and ate at the Cheesecake Factory. Lexa slept through the dinner, poor girl! Then she had to use the bathroom and the closest place to our parking spot was the bus station! A little scary at 11 pm. Marilyn left us on Wednesday morning. One of Richards physical therapist wants to open an office in western Colorado, so Richard went exploring to see what would work best. He took Nolan with him. They left Wednesday night and will come back sometime on Monday. My father is in Nepal and you can read about that at www.healthanded4nepal.org. He will be coming home on Monday as well. Lexa has Spring Break next week. Richard will be here on Tuesday and we will probably take him to the Denver Museum of Natural History. Should be awesome!
Other than that, we just keep growing and learning. Lexa amazes us every day. She is a great big sister, always helping Clara. Yesterday she even took her on the trampoline all by herself and was pretty soft with her. Clara continues to frustrate me and delight me. She is so cute and pretty. I love dressing her up! We finally got her some real shoes. She is immitating a lot of sounds and actions. She will be talking in no time, and running! She loves to play and run away from Lexa and I.
We miss Nolan and I plan on getting some projects done!

Lexa Must Be Sleep Walking.

Tonight, as we were hanging out and watching tv, my father-in-law asked if Lexa was supposed to be up. He saw her walk into our bedroom. I went to see what was up because she usually doesnt do that. She was standing in my room with one sock on and looking for her other one (she hates!! sleeping in socks). She asked me where her other sock was. I helped her find it and put it on, then she asked where her underwear was at! She lifted her nightgown and her underwear was gone! We looked in both bathrooms and couldnt find it. I finally found it in her bed. Luckily the bed was not wet. She swears she went to the bathroom and washed her hands and went back to bed. I was laughing so hard!! she is so funny.

Clara LeaAnn Wright

This day last year I was laying in a hospital bed watching my 9 lb baby sleep. Today she can do so much! We tried for 2 1/2 years to have another baby and are very thankful to be blessed with her in our family! I posted pics on my facebook page.