You know you live in the desert when...

 Yeah...This was the temperature my car was registering when I got into it this afternoon. Why oh why do we live here?? The thing that is really hard is that I still think like a Welsh girl. The kids are back in school, which to me translates to wearing jeans and sweeping up leaves. I am wearing jeans today because I am sick to death of Summer clothes so am rebelling... Gotta cool down at some point, right?

Woke up to this UFB (Unidentified Flying Bug) on the outside (thank goodness) of my bathroom window the other day. Ick... Pretty sure they don't have these in Wales.

Back to School

 Ellie went back to school a couple of weeks ago. She was pretty ready after the summer holidays but isn't quite so sure now that we're back into the routine of getting up early, wearing a school uniform and doing homework every night. She has a great teacher, Mrs. Winder and is excited and happy to go to class every day. We pulled her out of karate after 4 years because she wanted a break and was just tired of doing it. Instead, she's doing Hip Hop and Jazz and so far is loving it :) I love it too, because the studio if 5 minutes from the house and right next to Costco. Super convenient! Can't believe Ellie is in 5th grade already. I already have to Google things if she needs help with her homework. Methinks I am in trouble :)

Best Zoo Ever!!!

 We spent the morning at Roos-'n-More zoo in Moapa, Nevada (yes, that Moapa-the one in the middle of nowhere between here and Las Vegas. It was the best zoo ever. It's just a small place run by 2 vets and a bunch of volunteers. It's only open on select days of each month and on the morning we went there were about 50 or so visitors. It's totally hands on. They bring all the animals out and you get to hold them and pet them. It was sooooo cool. Cannot wait to go back. Anyone want to go with us ? :)

This toucan loved Rod's wedding band.

We got to feed carrots to the camel.

  

We got to hold a baby kangaroo!!! So dang cool!!! She was about 8 months old and kept licking her arms because it helped cool her down. Poor Mia was the last one to hold it and by then it was sick of us, so wouldn't stay still. She just got a scratch on her arm. Poor Mia...

A SNAKE!!! When we asked if the snake bit, we were informed that everything with a mouth can bite. Hmmm... thanks for the reassurance. I had never touched a snake before. Very weird. This snake eats 3 mice a week. Ewww...

This owl is a little confused on the time of day. Seems like it should be sleeping...

South American raccoon

 Rod loved the birds and they loved him back. They just hopped right onto his hand. Ellie was a lot more excited about holding the animals than Mia was. I think the kangaroo freaked her out...

"It's cute Dad, but I'm still not touching it!"

Had to put this photo in because she looks so cute with her bazillion freckles :)

Lemur

Crazy little monkey. Glad this one was in its cage...

2011 Sherman Family Reunion

Liah, Mia and Lucy painting picture frames

Lucy, Porter, Mia, Elise, Liah and Amy getting ready to play. The kids had a blast with the games Amy had prepared :)

Porter with his stick :)

Mia with her bubble blower

Liah and Lucy chase their bubbles

Elise

Mia trying to figure our how she can get all the candy out of the pinata with one blow

Mia, Liah and Porter in the sack race .

We went to Pine Lake Reservoir for the 2011 Sherman family reunion and had so much fun. The girls would spend every minute with their cousins if they could. We played and ate and played and ate some more. I have noooooo decent photos. I will blame this on the fact that I had just worked 70 hours and was sleep deprived and took 2 days to wake up. And then my camera died. I need to get some decent photos from the rest of the Sherm clan. Still, we had a lot of fun. Amy coordinated everything and was AWESOME!!!

Bryce Canyon

 We hiked down to the Queen's Garden at Bryce Canyon. It was a lot of fun and not too hot or too difficult. The only problem with hiking down into a canyon is that you have to, at some point, hike out of it... Still, it was fun :)

I look like an owl...or a fly... Either one, it ain't a good look...

Mia checks out a Prairie Dog and wonders if she can take one home. Run Prairie Dog, Run!!!

So dang cute. And most likely rabid...

Our Tipi

When we booked the campground at Ruby's Inn, we found out that we could stay in a tipi for not much more money. Heck yeah!!! It was huge inside and the coolness factor made it worth it. However, they do not tell you how FREAKIN' COLD IT IS!!! We about froze to death. We all ended up in the same bed. I put on every but of clothing I had with me plus some of Rod's and finally got a little bit warm. Methinks the Indians built fires in there for a reason. Didn't think the staff at Ruby's Inn would have much appreciated us making a fire though :)

ATV Demons

Funny Girl

Lookin' Goooood...

Rod begged and begged to go on an ATV ride. I finally relented in a quest to stop the nagging :) and we outfitted ourselves in giant helmets and cute goggles and hopped on the 4-person ATV. And it was FUN!!! We followed a trail for about an hour and got to see antelope and deer. The view at the end was incredible. Mia LOVED every minute of it. She held on for dear life and tried to get Rod to go faster (hmmmm.... wonder who she takes after?). Ellie and I were happy to just trundle along :)

Speed Demon in the making..

Rod in his element and lovin' life...

Panguitch Balloon Festival 2011

We made it to the Main Street event where they light up all the balloons. It was just as much fun as last year. Panguitch is an anomaly. You expect it to be all old-town Mormon-ville, but really it's full of tattooed guys in wife beaters drinking "water" out of 64-oz jugs and pushing strollers. They had a band playing heavy metal music and about 12 balloons lit up along the street. We had a blast.
We planned on spending the night but as we were walking around, it was getting colder and colder and the thought of spending another night in the tipi was more than we could stand.... So at 10:30 p.m. we packed up our stuff at the campsite, threw it all in the back of the truck and drove home to toasty hot St. George to sleep in our air-conditioned beds :)

Dance Recital #2

Mia had her second dance recital in May. She got to wear the same costume (amazing it still fit the gigantor child, but it did!) I was just grateful I didn't have to buy another expensive dress! The recital was LONG!!! A starving Troy and Janae and patient, tired kids were there too (thanks, guys) and the show went on and on and on and on and on ... Finally Mia got to dance and was cute as can be :)

Our Garden!!! :)

 Dad wanted to see photos of the finished yard. When he was here, the wall wasn't quite finished and we basically had a whole lot or dirt in the backyard ("go play in the mud, kids!"). But since then we have put in edging and a lawn and more trees, even mulch around all the plants to make it oh fer pretty. We're having fun putting it all together, although since it's hit 100 degrees, we pretty much have to be done by 9 a.m. :)

Ellie is 10!!! Oh, where does the time go?

Jo and Taylee. Jo was AWESOME!! She came over and painted nails. She was definitely the cool Mom at this party :)

Check out the giant choco cake. Like mother like daughter... We munched on this cake for days :)

Ellie opening presents on her actual Birthday. She waited until she got done with school to come home and open presents. Note the Eiffel Tower shirt. Ellie has a tiny obsession with Paris right now. 

We had a great time at Ellie's 10th birthday party. She had friends over and they played "Just Dance" on the Wii, ate chocolate cake and watched a movie that we projected on the side of the house outside. The weather was perfect and to top off a great night, Washington City was having their fireworks for Cotton Days, and we could see them perfectly from the house :)