Finn's First Day of Kindergarten!

Crazy that today is Finn's first day of school!  We're super excited for him.  He's been looking forward to this day all summer, and definitely seemed excited (and maybe a bit overwhelmed).  He'll be in full day K-g with Mrs. Thies and has already made a friend, Koa, who happens to live three streets away. 

Great Basin National Park

 A few photos from our recent trip to Great Basin National Park.  We talked about going here for years - and finally made it with Stefan, Jess, Greta, and Graham.  

Lehman Creek in the early morning.

Finn warming up in the morning smoke and fog

Bristlecone Pine near Wheeler Peak

Exploring Lehman Cave

Finn and Greta in Lehman Cave

Lunch on a playa on the way home

The kids and I had a busy weekend while Chris continued his long hours of field work.

• Friday: Finn and Nana - Natural History Museum Friday 
• Saturday: Living Traditions Festival w/Nana Saturday - Mongolian dance performances and mufti-cultural food samplings
• Sunday: A morning in the backyard/garden and Living Traditions Festival in the afternoon - Japanese drums, Native American dance and even more new food flavors savored. Grand Finale - Solar Eclipse viewed from start to finish from our front yard.



Finn prepared to view the solar eclipse



Not quite the full ring of fire view from out our front door but still "cool". 

• Tuesday, Wednesday - Home with a sick Finn 

Although I am falling terribly behind by not being at work it is really nice to have a few quiet days at home with the kids.  I just wish it was under healthier circumstances.

Hugs for a sick Finn

Making her sick brother laugh

May 2012

 Rounding the bend:
One week left of pre-school and only three more weeks of being four ("and three-quarters").  Finn spends most of his time at home outside whether it is racing up and down the sidewalk on his bike or pretending to play "ship" in the backyard with neighbors.

            

Nola continues to scoot at high speeds and is now pulling up on everything vertical.  She loves to play outside.  Water provides endless entertainment.

Winter...Meh

Definitely getting ready to transition into Spring. More photos at the Late Winter Google Web Album, including a priceless video of Finn and a $1 thrift-store treasure.


Nola enjoying the sun.


Nola loves Finn - no matter how many times he yells something crazy in her face or steals her toys!

Farm duties like collecting eggs in a snowstorm are best left to the younger generation.


Finn settling in for a long conversation with Nana.

Helmet head...thanks to Finn. She didn't seem to mind.

Finn, Chip, Ruby and Owen enjoying some time outside at Sugarhouse Park.

Nola checking the back cassette for me.

Sundry Winter Photos

Now that my foot is nearly healed from the neuroma surgery, Finn has his own ski gear bin, and Nola fits her hand-me-down Patagonia "sport suits," we are starting to complain about the lack of wintery winteryness. And we're not the only ones (Winter...You There??). But in true DuRoss fashion, we've been loading up on snacks, and making the most of it:

Finn test driving his remote control car, which Mom and Dad, and NOT Santa, so smarty gave him for Christmas!

Enjoying the last few hours of 2011. This photo makes me laugh - I can picture it as another DuRoss classic - the sepia, weathered, and torn, "Wanted Dead or Alive" poster.

Finn and our amputee snow man. Notice the leaves in the snow. This was taken Jan. 7th. Seriously.

Finn sledding on mostly grass. He didn't seem to mind.

Nola wondering why she is wearing a snow suit if there's no snow.

Stefan, Jess, Greta, Graham, and Cooper helping us find snow in the Uinta's.

Here is the sundry part. Great, but random photo of Nola by E.

Finn's first day on skis, or actually on "click-in" skis as he reminded me. He did great, and is excited to go every weekend (thanks E and Nola in advance!).

Finn eyeing that line down Mt. Superior. Actually eyeing the lodge, but someday...

9 Months

Salt Lake Christmas

Christmas came and went in a snowless, foggy haze of coughs and runny noses for all four of us.... but it was still memorable to have our first Christmas at home in Salt Lake City.

We shared Christmas eve with our neighbors (Scott, Shannon, Farah and Gunner) complete with prime rib, popovers, roasted vegetables, wild rice soup and strawberry, rhubarb creme brulee. Santa even dropped a few early gifts off in a bag on the front stoop for the kids.

Christmas morning started quietly at our house with Finn methodically riffling through his stocking. Once all the contents were fully assessed we settled in at the kitchen table for parfaits prepared by Chris (yogurt, granola, raspberries and whipped cream).
What a treat!










We unwrapped gifts from beneath the tree. Finn was sweet helping Nola open her first gifts and was overjoyed with what his packages contained. As much as he complained in the weeks leading up to Christmas that, "surprises were hard" and he didn't really like surprises, I think he would agree now that the wait was worth it. Lunch was a treat too. My crazy foodie antics must be rubbing off on Chris. Not only did he plan for these amazing sandwiches but he even paused to photograph them before we ate. (Baguette with sopressa, fontina cheese, shredded fennel, spring greens, and a sauce of mayo, capers, paprika and grainy Dijon mustard)
And isn't this the same person who usually gives me grief for taking photos when we should be eating the food? I love it!

To round out the night, Audrey came down the mountain with Ruby and Owen to join us for Christmas dinner. Chip was working.

Did we really not take any pictures of this? Ruby and Owen thoroughly enjoyed following their big cousin Finn between rooms and doing laps around the kitchen/living room loop. Good times!