Week in Sedona

Jerome
We thought Jerome was a ghost town, but to our surprise, we found that it was full of shops! We decided to have fun with it anyway....

Our favorite shop was NELLIE BLY-- The Kaleidoscope Shop. This store is full of interesting, very unique, and extremely expensive kaleidoscopes and glass art. In other words, it is not the place for busy little bodies.... and if you have children with you, the shop keeper will watch you like a hawk. Jeff took Ella and Kate out right away, and Maya and Aubree very cautiously enjoyed the sights.

You can't hit this kind of shopping town with out stopping for a scoop of icecream.

We spent some time at the town park... something the kids always enjoy.

Submarine Rock

Jeff took the big girls on a hike to submarine rock, while I stayed with the little ones that needed naps. When they got back, Aubree ran into the house, spun around and said "That was the best hike that I have ever been on! Oh it was so fun! At the top, the wind was blowing through my hair and you could see everything!"

This big chicken was in front of a collector's shop, along the main road that goes through Sedona. Every time we passed it, Jeff said "Who wants to take a picture with a big chicken?" But we never actually stopped. On the way back from the hike, Jeff secretly stopped with Aubree and Maya and took a pictue. Later on, when I was looking through the pictures..... Surprise! There was that big chicken!

Daddies Gone
Jeff had to head back to the valley for business on Wednesday, so we had a relaxing day of swimming, movies, tea parties, and games.


When the cones on the "kiddie feature" filled up, they'd tip over and spill all the water into the pool below. Aubree was playing games with it, but never actually got close enough to have it spill out on her head. That's my cautious girl!

Ok, so I used the term "Tea Party" quite loosley. It was actually a chocolate milk and oreo cookie party but I didn't hear any complaints about that!

Ella and Kate heckling the golfers below.

I peeked in on the girls and Aubree and Ella were all "snuggled up". What sweet sisters. They were still worn out, even after a slow-paced relaxing day. We've been keeping them busy this week=).

A Week in Sedona

More to come from our week in Sedona....

Boynton Canyon Trail

I stayed back with the nappers(Ella and Kate), while Jeff took the "big girls" up the Boynton Canyon trail. They hiked to see a number of small Sinaguan Indian ruins, most were built 100-300 ft up in an alcove on the side of a rock.

King of the mountain. I guess that makes me the queen, right?

One-little, Two-little indians.

Submarine Rock

Maya and Aubree went on this hike earlier in the week with Jeff, so we let them be the "leaders" and show us the way. They were so excited that they ran (or galloped) most the way there.

The girls found a rock that they labeled as a bench, and sat on it for a break from the hike.

Fellow hikers awarded Jeff with the "Father of the Year Award" for taking a bunch of little girls hiking and at times, carying two of them. I second it!

This looks more dangerous than it is, but we did have Maya come down and take a less steep route. She is usually very fearful, but she was having so much fun that she forgot to be scared.

Jeff and Kate enjoying the view on submarine rock.

Aubree was proud to conquer Submarine Rock for a sencond time. She is a great little hiker.

Last Day at the Creek
We spent our last day of vacation at our favorite spot on Oak Creek. Fishing and exploring entertained the whole family for hours.

Daddy-daughter fishing... Aubree caught three fish this time!

"I love fishing. You put that line in the water and you don't know what's on the other end. Your imagination is under there." ~Robert Altman

Unfortunately..... "All the romance of trout fishing exists in the mind of the angler and is in no way shared by the fish." Harold F. Blaisdell

When the girls found these painted rocks near the creek bed, they thought that they had discovered a great treasure! It also inspired them to make their own. They picked out some rocks, took them home, and colored them in a similar fassion.

Maya teaching Kate to walk.

Maya and Ella discovered a "ship" and they were busy rowing along to get away from the pirates.

Ella is such a cute and expressive little girl!

The Monson girls.

Aubree and Maya's Kitchen

Aubree and Maya opened up a back yard gourmet kitchen and created some beautiful dishes to enjoy and serve to their guests....

This one's Aubree's specialty dish

Maya's colorful creation.... yum!

"Children find everything in nothing; men find nothing in everything." ~Giacomo Leopardi, Zibaldone Scelto

Maya at work on her fire pit. Her secret: Sprinkle the petals delicately.

There is nothing like laying around in the grass with your sisters and creating masterpieces with the elements around you. What better entertainment could a child have?

And then Kate arrives.....

Backyard Girls

Now that it has finally cooled down, the girls can usually be found in the backyard. Kate especially enjoys exploring the outdoors and doesn't mind getting dirty.

Aubree and Kate are next to one of our vegetable garden boxes. The plant nearest to Kate is a jalepeno plant. She currently has the habbit of putting everything in her mouth... Becareful with that one sweetie! It might suprise you!

Aubree showing that she is 7 1/2-years-old with her fingers.

It's My BiRthDaY!!

I had an enjoyable birthday this year. Jeff took me to get a pedicure at a nearby spa, then we went out to eat at a local (non-chain) restaurant called Boca 7. Boca 7 is a delightful vietmanese restaurant that offers fresh, delicate, flavorful, exotic, and nutritions entrees. We had a 7 coarse beef meal. For one of the coarses, we cooked our own beef at the table in a portable "hot pot" of simmering sweet vinegar, then assembled it into fresh vegetable and herb-filled spring rolls. It was light, different and refreshing for a change! Even down to the fresh-cucumber flavored water! Yum!



Sunday evening we had my Grandma Lela and Hal over for dinner and had a little celebration with the family.

And...
My brother Aaron surprised me at my door with a birthday gift.... a fig tree and and peach tree! What a great brother! I was so excited! Luckily we had just enough spots left in the yard for those last two trees! Thanks Aaron! We will enjoy them for years to come!

Rochelle's Baby Shower

Celebrating Rochelle and Lyla! And aparently Lyla felt like she was missing out.... she was born by emergency c-sec a few hours after the party! Rochelle's a trooper!

Little Lyla spent a few weeks in the NICU and I was lucky enough to get to hold her. I would have stayed there all day if I didn't have 4 monkeys of my own to get home to!