Easter Sunday.

Cute Elna also gave a primary talk this day and did so so well!

Back to Oregon!

Our last night in CA and these girls were feeling it.  The hype of packing and the “lasts” and the excitement of seeing their daddy.  We will miss my parents!

The drive back to Oregon was rougher for Georgia than the way there was.  So I drove a lot faster.  It took us 10 hours to get to CA, and only 9 hours to get home.  That’s how long it takes to drive without kids (i.e. nursing breaks, potty breaks, throw-up breaks, and gas…all of which happened in that 9 hour drive home)  I took this picture of Georgia towards the end of the trip home—when she had completely taken apart her carseat canopy…and I just didn’t care.  Lot’s of crying had happened by that point.

The papers taped on the dash board are Elna’s talk that she gave the day after we got home.  She did such a great job on her primary talk—her third one.  It was about how prophets can guide us and see things that we can’t see.  We memorized it on the way home—a  great car trip activity!

HOME with our favorite guy!

This was a couple days after we got home, when Brian came home from work.  Clear skies, a warm day, and Brian home before 6 p.m. and running with the girls in a field of dandelions—now that’s what I call a good day!  He went back to work right after dinner, of course, but we will take what we can get!

We sure like him!

I don’t remember what he’s doing in the picture on the right, but I love it, so I’m keeping it!  He’s the best!

Good to be home!

California girls trip—jumpy house.

This bouncy house warehouse was the best!  We went twice while were there.

Lot’s of blurry, happy pictures!

The warehouse has a bunch of bouncy features, but the girls spent 95% of their time on this big slide.  I was so happy (but a little surprised) that Hattie tried it early on and loved it so much.

California girls trip—Easter dresses.

My parents gave these darling bright springy dresses to our girls on the Sunday that we were there.

Ringing in the first day of Spring in their pretty dresses.

This picture makes me so happy.  We had the best time!

Thank you for the beautiful Easter dresses, Mom and Papa!  And for a wonderful time while we were in Fairfield!

3 year-old Hattie.

This girl is everything good—she is kind and good and sparkly.  She has a special kind of energy and brightness that really shines through in these pictures.

Wearing her favorite outfit, holding her favorite baby doll (Maggie), and wearing a purse—always.

How old are you?  It took her a couple tries, but she got it.

Three!

California girls trip—Hattie’s birthday.

She’s THREE!  What an amazing little girl!  She is funny, generous, thoughtful, witty, and just so full of light and love!  Happy birthday Harriet Joanne!

I loved celebrating this little 3 year old today!  I can’t even stand it, how fast she is growing!

She wanted to go to the Jelly Belly factory for her special day.

I love so many things about this picture—first, that she asked me to take a picture of just her on her birthday, the pigtails that she also requested, and then the very coordinated outfit.  She is just too cute!

Hattie looks pretty pleased!

Skyping with dad while she opened her gifts.

Birthday cupcakes.

Her birthday gifts.  She was so excited and grateful!  But it was the saddest saddest thing I’ve seen in a long time, when Elna realized she wasn’t going to get gifts too.  She cried true, sad, big tears for a very long time. 

We are so blessed to have Miss Harriet in our family!  She brings us so much joy!

Calfornia girls trip—Tilden.

A couple of days after we got to California, we spent a day in Tilden Park, which is right next door to my Grandpa’s house in Kensington, CA.  So, of course we stopped by to see him.

Grandpa Clark.  His house is like a museum—so many pieces of art on the wall, many sculptures, and lots and lots of souvenirs and collections from his travels with my Grandma when she was alive.  Both he and my grandma are/were artists (painters and sculptors)  There is always so much to look at!

Hattie is making herself at home and eating a cookie.  He always has some sort of store-bought treat in his oven for us to eat.

My grandpa built their home.  It’s on a hillside, so when you walk in the front door, you go directly up a very long flight of stairs.  There are a few levels in their home.  I didn’t go very many time as a kid, but when I did, I always remember counting their steps.  Also, you can see here a very small fraction of their art.  I was surprised to learn last time I visited Grandpa, that he is still painting and framing art—often.

After Grandpa’s, we went to Tilden park.  First to feed the animals.  Last time Elna wasn’t brave enough, but this time she loved it!!

Hattie had no interest in feeding the animals.

And then we headed over to the merry-go-round:

 

They were a little disappointed that the small train was closed, but the got over it after a few rides on the merry-go-round.  So fun!