Summer 2011

Ward Family -- Midway, UT 2011

Will and cousin Jane Hawkins

The girls got a kick out of Will's faux-hawk

Grandpa Ward introducing Will to the wonders of capri-sun after our Mt. Timpanogas hike

Girls' afternoon tea with all of the girls in anticipation for Miffy's departure to study at Cambridge for the summer.

The girls and Lucy Hawkins on Temple Square

With Aunt Katie riding the Trax around Salt Lake

In the park with Aunt Katie

Emily with Claire Southwick. We were overjoyed and surprised when we were able to connect with our dear friends, the Southwicks, at the Intermountain Suzuki Institute. Emily and Claire were babies together in Boston and have been pen pals at times since. This was our first time seeing each other in 4 years!

Kristen and I with our two little violinists.

Will snoozing with Grandpa McLaughlin during Abby's final recital

Jane and Aunt Miffy enjoying the delights of Hires

Riding the train at Hoagle Zoo with Auntie Em, Lucy, and Jane Hawkins

Grammie and some of the girls.

Ready for a fireworks extravaganza -- compliments of Grandpa Ward. It was quite a show!

Beautiful Midway, where we had a wonderful Ward Family reunion.

Jane reading stories with Grandpa McLaughlin

A nighttime picture at the base of Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. As we were driving through Moab, we decided on the spur of the moment to hike to the arch. Fortunately, there was a good moon out since we were sans flashlights and all wearing flip-flops.

The older girls went on a date with Mommy and Daddy to the Taming of the Shrew ballet

Mark, Uncles Dave and Matt, and the Oldroyd boys had a "ball" searching for lost golf balls on the golf course in Midway

We all enjoyed a special lunch with sweet Grammie Virginia

Will having some cousin bonding time with Cannon Ward

Emily and Grandpa roasting marshmallows

Jane and Cannon loved playing and wrestling together

Mom and Dad gave us such a special gift -- an afternoon of childcare so that we could all go to the temple toegether. We had such fun being all together and having lunch afterward together at the Dodo

Abby at Deer Creek Reservoir

Jane playing in the sand

With Grammie

on the beach in Galveston

Dinner with Dolls at Chik-fil-A -- anything to stay out of the heat and add a little variety to the hot days!

Jane begins ballet!

End of School

Abby and her friend Calla were chosen to sing in the school's variety show. They were so cute singing "Oh, You Beautiful Doll!"

Mark and Emily at her end-of-the-year picnic

At Abby's end-of-year school picnic

Emily and her friend Sophie singing "I Won't Grow Up" for the school variety show.

Abby's dance recital

April and May

Birthday Boy! Our sweet blue-eyed boy is one! William being completely oblivious to the magnitude of the occasion made it through the day in his normal, pleasant, mellow way until it was cake time. Then, after a few tentative dabs with his forefinger, he dug in with a gusto. Before . . .

Ready for the big W . . .

After!

Birthday bliss!

I love Mother's Day!! This year I was speaking to a friend who said she hates the holiday because it reminds her of all her weaknesses and shortcomings as a mother. Since I all too diligently remind myself of mine every other day of the year, I look forward to a reprieve from such feelings on Mother's Day. Aside from spending time with my family and enjoying being pampered for the day, for me it is all about the tenderly homemade, eagerly-presented little Mother's Day momentos from my little chicks that I slip into my scrapbook and save forever. I remember the first one I ever received when Emily was three and brought home an egg carton corsage from preschool -- how proudly I wore it to church that Sunday! And this year, little Jane gave me this lovely green ("Since green is your favorite color, Mommy!") tissue paper corsage. I loved it and loved spending the morning with Jane at her preschool's Mother's Day Tea!

Can I say how much I love this girl?! Jane got ahold of the camera and snapped this shot of Emily cleaning the kitchen. And she was cleaning it as a surprise. Emily is so wonderfully capable and willing to help out around the house. I can usually count on her to tackle an assignment right away and do it well and quickly. She often rallies the girls (who tend to be a little more sluggish in the cleaning department, although they have many other stellar qualities, of course :)) and gets them involved by making it fun.

Trouble . . .

And more trouble!

William is a BUSY boy these days! Quiet, but deadly (to the cleanliness of the house, that is). He is insatiably curious about what is in every cabinet and behind every door. He always wants to be exploring. He's also so very boy (very different from girl, I'm discovering). He loves throwing things, and batting things with his hands, and loves balls. I guess I can't necessarily plan on a future with him sitting still at the table for an hour coloring quietly in his coloring book. His favorite person in the world is Daddy! Even if I am holding him when Mark is in the room, he starts to cry and leans forward to clutch Daddy as if there was no joy in life without him. Mark, of course, can't get enough of this and they are big-time buddies. I am especially grateful for this bond when William happens to wake up in the middle of the night and I can nudge Mark and mumble, "You know he really wants you . . ."

Bathtime -- Will loves it and will just sit and splash and splash and splash.

Church Easter egg hunt.

No one was out and about on our street, the mosquitoes were swarming (Will was attacked 14 times in the space of the three mintutes it took us to snap these) -- so I didn't make it into the family Easter photo, but we had to get one of Mark sporting his new seersucker suit (he's been wanting one for years).