Yosemite with Papa

Most of you are probably saying to yourselves, "Geez, how many times do the Watkins' go to Yosemite per year?" For all of those people asking this question, I have an answer: I have lost count. I can enter park boundaries in a little over two hours, which makes it really accessible. It's really hard not to go as often as we do, with it being so close and the array of activities and things to see. Today was a special occasion though. My father, known to Madie as Papa, was in town for the weekend and I just had to show him the park. He had never been before, so Madie and I played "Park Ranger' and off we went.

At the base of Bridal Veil Falls. It was a brisk 44 when we arrived in the morning.

Bridal Veil.

Madie found Frosty the Snowman while we were there. This guy is everywhere!

El Cap.

Madie checked out a book about Tunnels from the library last week. Tunnels have been on the forefront of her mind since.

Where there are rocks to throw and a body of water, there is a happy Madie.

Found some Mule deer. I was within ten feet of these guys while taking this picture, they didn't even care.

Lower Yosemite Falls.

Read the sign on the left.

I spy...something big and brown that weighs 200 lbs...

Clouds were moving in, couldn't resist.

Madie loved being held by her Papa.

She fell asleep watching Pooh Bear on the way home. What a trip!

Things Madie Says

When she is suffering from malplaced panties: "My bum is very stuck!"


When she wants to pull a 'prank' on Mum/Dad: I get up from my seat and she runs over shouting, "I'm taking Mumma's seeeeaat!"

When she is giving some good advice: Madie: "Mumma, do you have a green shirt?"
Mumma: "No, I don't Madie. My shirt is blue."
Madie (said on a rising inflection): "Well, you shouuuuld!"

When she's feeling rebellious: Mike: "Are you my buddha?"
Madie: "No! I'm not Dadda's buddha tonight!"

When she's eating something messy, like peanut butter: "I'm a peanut butter monster!"

After she's been playing hard: "Look! My hair is silly!"

What she's determined, through perfect logic, Nutella must really be called: "Chocolate butter."

When she's aching for a good Star Trek marathon: "Make your Klingon face!"

When Mike gets home: Madie answers the door. "Come in! How was work?"

When she's putting on her bike helmet: "I'm going to work!"

And, the newest phrase she's learned (from Papa): "I have personality. Mumma has personality too."

And just as a side-note, right now she's in the kitchen helping Mike make a marinade for some chicken. She's suggesting the addition of jelly beans. And why wouldn't she? Jelly beans are delicious.

Alcatraz

Madie was so excited for the boat ride to the island!

She went for her first boat ride in Monterey on a little sailboat a month ago. She still talks about the yellow vest she wore.

Alcatraz went from being a fort to protect San Francisco in the 1860's, to high-profile prison, to National Park.

And what a lovely model she is. City skyline and Bay Bridge in the background.

Alcatraz Lighthouse.

Shower anyone?

Madie wasn't sure about going into the cell at first...

They had some beautiful gardens around the island.

Vintage.

Souvenirs from the gift shop. Mal wants to hang these somewhere in our home. They are straight from the Alcatraz Rules and Regulations book. 

Perfect day to visit The City.

Happy Easter

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 The Easter bunny comes on Saturday in the Watkins' home. As does our wards annual Easter egg hunt. Last year, Madie wasn't exactly prepared for the hunt. She was only 18 months or so, and was pretty much content eating as she went along and collected eggs. This year, the wheels were turning. She was slightly more motivated and actually got more candy than we were hoping for. She also got a couple of chocolate bunnies in a cage (so humane). At first she was so insistent on playing with them as toys. It wasn't until Mal asked for Madie's permission to nibble off one of the bunnies tails that Madie realized these weren't just toys. So Madie began gnawing on the chocolate bunnies ears, tail, feet, etc. If you
couldn't tell from the pictures, candy makes her
a happy girl!

Kite Flying

At park group a couple of weeks ago, one of Madie's friends brought a kite. Naturally, Madie was fascinated. It's been pretty windy lately, and I've actually been thinking it may be a good time to introduce kites to her. We took it out between Sunday sessions of General Conference, and decided to throw in a picnic as well. Toward the end we let Madie take the helm and she was running her little heart out to keep that thing in the air! It was so fun to watch. Next stop, Crissy Fields near the Golden Gate Bridge. Very windy there!

This is where she begins to take off

Sleepy

Right now I've got a little boy totally passed out on my lap--this is after I got him up from his nap, mind you--and a little girl wrapped in a blanket asleep next to me on the couch. All three of us have been fighting colds; I think Kaleb might have brought them to us as a present from his preschool-going sister. I don't know for sure though. One thing I do know is that the four nights in a row of little sleep for Madie definitely weakened her immune system to the point where she probably could have caught anything.

This is the second nap of the day for each of them, which never happens. Kaleb was in a horrible mood all morning and when I tried to put him on the couch to watch a movie with Madie (which he doesn't have the attention-span for, but he wants to do whatever she does--initially anyway) so I could lay down for a few minutes, he threw a huge fit. I said, "Fine! Be on the floor if you want!" and moved him down there. He cried on the floor for a few minutes then calmed down but didn't move. He just watched me getting Madie situated and the movie going, etc. After ten minutes he was totally out. He slept for maybe half an hour. I did get to doze lightly for about thirty minutes myself near the end of the movie while Kaleb toddled around. When I woke up the movie was just about over and Madie had passed out too. I figured she might, she was so sleepy-looking right from the moment she first got up this morning. She slept about an hour while Kaleb and I ate lunch.

This cold doesn't seem particularly bad, just very energy-draining. I just hope it passes quickly. One thing I've found that seems to help with the congestion is a little lemon oil on the bridge of our noses. They still run, but I used some last night and was able to breathe through my nose all night long; what a blessing! That's got to be my least-favorite part of a cold, the congestion.