This week

Here's the happenings of the week.

-It was a winter zoo day this week! We went over to our friend's, the Mellos, house for a yummy lunch then off to the zoo. Lots of animals were in where it's warm, and it was about 30 degrees out, but the kids were so excited to be outside that we stayed happily walking around for over an hour. It makes me REALLY excited for summer. I miss being outside, and I know that Dorothy does too. I think we'll get a zoo membership this summer-- it's bikeable distance and they have a petting zoo, so I think Dorothy and I could go often in the summer and love it.

-My family (Mom, Scott, Katie, and Lachelle, Nick and kids) was here last weekend. My Mom got to stay an extra day longer than everybody else and we loved every minute of it. We ate great food, and they were good to put up with our burnt pizza and spacious(?) living room. They all came to watch my step sister Katie's track race at Notre Dame. She did really well and it was so fun to watch! She PRed in the 1300 meter (correction- the 3000 meter) race at 9 minutes 49 seconds. As much as I appreciate how cool that is, it seemed like some cruel torture-endurance game. Things are much less exciting now that they've gone.

-I fell down some icy stairs while holding Dorothy on Friday. I have some pretty, colorful bruises to show for it, and Dorothy wasn't hurt at all, but it scared me half to death. I very nearly dropped her.

-Dallin went on a camp out with the scouts Friday night. He had fun. So much fun that he decided to bring home a souvenir: food poisoning. We thought he was all better this morning and well enough to teach his lesson to the YM at church, but apparently not. So, our Valentines festivities will include snuggling up on the couch with a bucket between us, eating saltines, drinking tea, and watching the new romance flick "Bright Star" about the English poet John Keats (which, actually, I am super excited to see because it looks good and Dallin's excited because it's about an English poet). Love is in the air, folks.

Happy Valentine's day, dear family and friends!



The whole crowd after Katie's race. Dorothy and I are both clearly having trouble with where we're supposed to look. Dorothy and Lola both dutifully and responsibly held these signs during the race.


Keyton beating Katie with her coach waiting to give him five. Give Katie a break Keyton, you're fast and she's tired from beating her PR.


After the race we took the fam on a mini tour of campus. Here's Dorothy and Lola with noses to the window on one of the top floors in the library looking out over Notre Dame. I can't take credit, this shot was all Lachelle's idea.


This is the face we get lately when we ask Dorothy to smile. I don't think I want to train her out of it.


Tired family. What a nice Grandpa.



"Gramma Caffy" just got elevated to the status of super-cool. She made cookies, let Dorothy snitch the dough, played dress-ups and read Fancy Nancy.