Some More Shots

 One day after day care school, Gayle took the girls to the Cache Valley Mall for some entertainment.  McKel is excited to finally be driving, but Avril seems a bit bored.

One afternoon, when the weather started getting a bit nicer, Alicia, Gayle, and I took the girls to see the goats down the street.  They live behind a neighbor's house. There is also a pen for a couple of chickens, and there are cats around too.  Here are the two goats.

 Gayle is the photographer (using her phone).  You can see her shadow as she shoots McKel playing in the still cold garden, and the rest of us watching.

 Avril admires the goat statue in the garden.

We walked on down to the park not far from Jared's house to play on the jungle gym and slides.  Jared came over to visit his nieces awhile too.  You can see that in the shade there was still a lot of snow.  The girls had a great time.

Early March, 2012

 I took March 2nd off to spend the day with Gayle on her birthday.  We enjoyed eating out and going to a movie later.  The next day, Saturday, there was some fresh snow, so Alicia took the girls tobogganing at Old Main Hill.  Here the girls are in a parking area near  Old Main hill.

 Sitting on the toboggan (and McKel ready to eat more snow).

 The cool temperature really made McKel's cheeks redden up.  It's great to have snow clothes!

 Avril is growing up so fast.  She loves to have fun in the snow.

 Earlier today, Saturday, March 10th, Alicia ran a 5K at Skyview in Smithfield.  It was called Spencer's Sprint, for a young boy who had a heart transplant.  It was a fund-raiser for the family.  The weather was clear and sunny, but it started around 9:00 a.m. so it was still pretty crisp.  Later in the day she got a road bike so she can ride with Trish in a cancer ride later in the summer.  This same afternoon Alicia and I rode up the Logan Canyon so she could do a 25 mile training ride.  We got about 9 miles up and my tire started going seriously flat.  So we turned around and eventually Gayle had to meet me just below the trail head to the Stokes' Nature Center with a pump.  Ali then went on to finish about 25 miles and I tried to go a bit farther as well, but didn't get a full 25 miles in before the tire went low again.  I was on a mountain bike, by the way.

 Ali at the end of her 5K.  Her iPhone goes everywhere she does.  In fact Gayle texted her and she responded while she was running!  It is also an iPod, of course, so she listens to music when she runs or cycles.

 A shot to show the finish line area and some of the crowd.

 And this shows the snowy Wellsville Mountains and the pretty day.

You should always replenish your nutrients with something healthy after a race!

February 2012 Highlights

 Alicia entertained folks at The Legacy House, where dad Parkinson now stays, earlier this month.  That's his walker against the wall on the right, and he's in his red sweat outfit in the background at the dinner table.

 Here's dad Parkinson at dinner with a friend.  Dad remains his jovial self.

 Dad took over from Alicia and really worked up the crowd!

 Avril and McKel with papa, all in a great mood.

 Gayle's Valentine's Day flowers.

 Mom Parkinson holding her Valentine's Day flowers.

 Arleen got her hair trimmed this month.  Look how long and full it was.

 About to get the scissors treatment.

 After the haircut.

 That much less to have to comb and braid.  This is going to Locks of Love for cancer patients.

 And Avril had her 3rd birthday this month.  Due to scheduling, we held her birthday party two days early.  Her birthday is February 24th but these shots are from the 22nd.  Note the Monsters Inc. cupcakes that her mom made, complete with a single eye in each forehead. 

 The frosting is the yummiest part, even when you're supposed to be putting it on!  Here Avril took her turn decorating the rest of the plain cupcakes the next day.

Avril is very intent on doing a good job.

 Avril is a big sister and sometimes even helps McKel.  McKel is doing a taste test on the frosting.

 We held her birthday dinner at the Fun Park in Logan, where we had pizza.  Here's Avril opening Ina's gift.  The rest were opened up at Nana and Papa's house.

 Ina and Avril.

 Ali and McKel.

 McKel loves doing new stuff.  Here she's showing her excitement.  See where she scratched herself (next to her nose) earlier in the week.

 We had the whole family there, including Bryan, Jared, and Alicia in this photo with Ina.

 Adrian, Arleen, and Brittney showing their happy faces along with papa and McKel.

 Gayle posed with Avril just outside the giant padded jungle gym.

 Avril loves cheese, and thus loves the pizza topping - not so much the whole pizza.  But she did eat a lot of the whole thing this night.

 We pretty much took up all the Fun Park's eating area with Avril's party group.

 Two cousins just before entering the jungle gym.

 McKel had to check it out too.

 After returning home we had the celebratory cake, mini style (cupcakes).  Avril blew out the 3 candles one at a time.

 Celebrating blowing out the candles.  Avril proceeded to open her presents and a fun time was had by all.

 A shot the night before I cut off the sides of my beard.

 Front view of the graying papa.  Note that I still wear my St. George Marathon shirt after all these years!

The next morning I quickly cut off the sides and left a goatee.  This shot is from a few days later (today, in fact) as we were about to leave for church.  Gayle said just removing that much took 5 years off my appearance!

 Avril loves her presents, and here is coloring in her new coloring book.

 And McKel loves any attention she gets.  Here she's checking out puzzles with her auntie Arleen.

2012 Off To a Busy Start!

My sister, Patricia, held a house-warming at her and Kelly's new residence in SLC.  Gayle and I could not attend, but Alicia and Jared made it down.  Here is Alicia holding one of the triplets.

 Olivia and Brandon had a good time.

 Robert and Tracine got in on the triplet tending action as well.

 Jessica and Tanner made it over to share their smiling faces.

 Kelly's mom, Kathy Rose, and her friend.

 Kristen and Courtney.

 Mark and his wife mugging with Kelly for the camera.

 Rob and Carly helped finish some dessert off.

 Julie and Jared, cousins and friends.

 Jared enjoying practicing his parenting skills.

 We had a dinner get together for my birthday this month.  Here are Adrian, Arleen, and Brittney.

 The "haystacks" were great!

 McKel and Avril always are happy to have a family gathering.

 The two bearded guys sat side-by-side.

 Avril assisted in the candle blowing work.

Also this month, my dear dad started residing at The Legacy House, just down from Logan Regional Hospital.  Gayle decorated his room and I did the labor (moving furniture, etc.).

 Patricia brought up the triplets during the month to visit their grandpa at The Legacy House.

 I thought I'd throw in some random shots of the girls being girls at home.  Here's McKel grinning in the TV room.

 Avril loves books.  Here she's sitting on the banana chair and thumbing through one of her collection.

 McKel looks like she'll be going down the same literary path as Avril.  Her attention span is a lot shorter, though.

 Both girls, warm inside while it's winter outside.

The other big news this month is that Avril had surgery.  Out came the tonsils and adenoid tissue.  In went ear tubes (not in the foregoing order).

Papa looks like he's falling asleep post Avril's surgery in the recovery area,while Avril seems pretty alert after coming out of anesthesia.  We got to watch the whole thing on closed-circuit TV and have it recorded on disk for future enjoyment and posterity. (January 25th)