Smile and Sleep

WWME Picnic

Unfortunately, I had a business trip and missed the Marriage Encounter Picnic at Encanto Park, but Bobbins and the kids made it out for a good time.

 

 

Feeling Blue? - Nah!

Trying On Easter Dresses

Overnight Hike in the Sup's

Kevin, Jacopone, and I recently ventured out into the Superstition Wilderness.  The plan was to climb to the top of Weaver's Needle, then camp nearby.  We didn't bring any climbing gear, however, because of the weight, which prevented us from reaching the top.  We had enough weight with water.  The first photos are from Fremont Saddle, looking at the Needle.

 

These next photos are at the bottom, then up, the "crack" in the Needle.

 

 

We got pretty far up the crack before realizing we couldn't make it all the way up.  From here we headed back down the trail to the valley below, then turned right, following that creek run farther in to our campsite.  We knew the trail would meet up with another, just not how far.  As it turned out, not too far, thankfully, esp. for Kevin.


These next photos are on the ledge on the way down from the crack.

 

About an hour before it got dark we settled on a camp site, one that already had a fire pit and some ground cleared.  Jacopone dragged over a huge tree while Kevin and I started the fire with some standard brush. Kevin and Jacopone enjoyed a chili/Top Ramen combination, while I subsided on Clif bars.

 My sleeping bag was too thin so I didn't sleep at all, but K and J slept like babies.  In the morning we ate a little chow, broke camp, and headed out.  We ended up missing the easy route back but still had a nice hike out.  We saw a good-sized, bright-orange-spotted Gila monster and a number of other cool sights, including future camping spots with ample water.  By the time we got home Sun. afternoon, we were pretty pooped.

 






 

Flower Child

New Table

Last year I found an old table in an foreclosed house and brought it home to rebuild.  I stripped the old wood off and got a real nice piece of plywood from my grandmother's old entertainment center in Bullhead.  All I had to do was sand it down and re-finish it.  I also re-painted the black steel base.  It's quite a heavy, but solid, coffee table.  Doesn't go with our house but thankfully it's going to a good home at Jacopone's.

 

 

2014 Garden

Back at it, counting on the basil plant to keep chugging, hoping the kale works out again, interested in what lemon grass will do against mosquitoes, and hoping the melons and flowers come into bloom.  This year I built a shade to protect them from the sun, which I'll put up in May.  Maybe that'll help with longevity.

 

 

US-Mexico Match

At the casino fundraiser, my bid won 4 tickets to the US-Mexico friendly match on 2 April at Univ. of Phx Stadium (where the AZ Cardinals play out in Glendale).  Zeus wasn't able to go, so a couple buddies from work joined Jacopone and I in our awesome seats on the 35 yard line only 17 rows up.  The fan base was about 80% for Mexico, unfortunately, but there was a rowdy group for the U.S., probably half of them just to antagonize the Mexican supporters.  The US jumped out to a 2-0 ("dos a cero") lead by halftime, but the Mexicans got an easy goal on a set piece, which fired up the crowd, and another to tie.  We got robbed in the 80th minute on a bad on-side call, then didn't get a penalty kick in the box when we should've.  Still, a good time (if very late night).

 

4 More St. Pat's Photos

 

MM's been saying she wants to take dance and/or ballet this summer, and she certainly showed how much she loves to boogie and cut a rug at this party.

St. Patty's Block Party

Like last year, we ventured over to Bobbins' friend's Mary's sister's house for the St. Patty's block party.  Lots of good Guinness, music, and friends again.  Our slow internet messed up the order of the photos below, so it starts from the end of night and works backward. By the end, JoJo was tired and the music was too loud, so she crawled in Mary's stroller for a respite.  The photos of MM and Jonah are them about to start a race through a bounce house.