Seven Springs, Spring Snow!

I have come to almost rely on the fact that there will a final whopper of a spring storm before the summer heat sets in. Winter wears off and the temperature starts to climb, but then comes one last cold, stormy, wintery day. Thank the heavens! Usually in March, but occasionally in April. This years was in March and it left a mark on the desert that few Phoenicians can ignore. White capped mountains and cactus.
This year when the storm rolled in on a Friday night we of course woke up Saturday morning and piled in the car. We were first off to have lunch with Grandma and Papa, then on a family adventure to find some snow. We ended up in the Seven Springs area with Getman and Josh. It was fun. There was enough snow on the ground for all the kids to have a snowball fight and for Abi to realize nature was almost touching her... we all know what that now means. The sad, but coolest thing was the recovery mission we accidentally stumbled upon. I took a few pictures before I realized exactly what was going on, then I felt bad. Apparently the night before there was a small aircraft that crashed in the mountains. We got to "our spot" just as the helicopter carrying the wreckage came over the ridge in front of us. Crazy. ...

The helicopter made probably 4 trips back and forth loading wreckage onto the flatbed that was waiting in clearing there. We saw engines, wings, the whole plane get gently placed on the trailer and then they just drove off. After looking into it apparently it was a plane from a flight school here in the valley. There were 4 people on board. Sad, but we won't dwell on the morbid. We have desert snow to play with!

Emi and Squish, before she realized nature was all around her.

...and after. In tears on the way to the safety of the car.

A final farewell.

Emily noticed on our way in that all the cars on their way out had little snowmen decorating their hoods. So that meant she just had to make us one too. She named him, I forget what it was but he survived almost the whole way home!

Girl Scout Backyard Campout!

We hosted the Daisy Backyard Campout at our house for Emi's Girl Scout troop this year. All 14 girl scouts came and got their crazy, I don't have any parents here, on. Thank heavens for the troop leaders and Devon the big girl Girl Scout that came to run the show. No girls allowed in the house! Their rules, not mine. Poor things too. As it happens it was a freezing cold day and there was a big storm headed our way. I borrowed heaters from Papa and put all the blankets and beach towels I could find out, but it was to no avail. I forget that little people have no thermostat. They were so excited to be there I don't think they cared it was freezing. The adults, now that was a different story!

A little prep work by the "men" of the house and a curious chicken or two before the girls arrived.

Can you see what I mean? These girls are so truly not campers. A few were properly dressed, but most were not and one even came in a party dress with knee high black boots...

Thanks to the boys hard work the girls had a beautiful campfire to roast hotdogs and marshmallows on. They learned a couple new songs and I borrowed Grandma Bette's fabulous hot chocolate makers to keep them toasty warm. Those hot chocolate makers really are fabulous. Remember Squishy put them to the test around Christmas? Well, they've still got it. Those suckers cranked out a ridiculous amount of hot chocolate without any trouble at all.

So I suppose these campers are ready for the real deal now...Girl Scout Camp here we come!