Susie's Leaning Tower of Chocolate for 2012 March

I am halfway done with the Couch to 5K training program. (ETA: I'm actually a week farther along than I thought - week 5 out of 9. yay!) I'm doing it on the elliptical, so maybe that's cheating, but it's better than nothing. I was actually sore for the first time this week, but it might have had more to do with the giant snowball Maggie and I pushed across the backyard, or shoveling 6 inches of snow off the driveway.

Anyway, I fit into some of my regular-sized pants now, so I can do laundry less often. Which means, my fitness program is successful.

We had a family birthday party for Maggie and Hannah tonight. As we headed home Maggie said, "I'm so happy! I got Legos just like I wanted." It doesn't take much to please her. Though, she did get some pretty awesome Lego sets (Lego Friends Olivia's House and Olivia's Inventor's Workshop). She is super excited for her birthday. She gets a mini party at school, a dinosaur party at home, and then on her birthday, a special date with Daddy to see Toy Story 3 Disney on Ice. I haven't actually told her she's going to Disney on Ice, though I showed her the flier. She's going to love it.

We decided back in September to move to California. Actually, we decided in 2007 when we left California that we'd only be in Utah about 5 years - though moving back to California wasn't necessarily the plan. The career opportunities here weren't viable, even at the time. This move's been in the cards. And the time has come. Or will come, this summer. Here are just a few of the reasons I'm looking forward to this move.

5. Disneyland. Like you didn't see that coming. When my baby boy wakes up in the morning and says "Small world today!" I want to be able to say, "ok!"

4. The weather. This winter's been so mild, so this isn't a complaint, but I shoveled 6 inches of snow off my driveway this morning. Nuff said. We love going for walks, and doing things outside, so it's frustrating when several months of the year that's not possible.

3. Downsizing. Since coming home from India, our house has felt too large. We have too much stuff. We're not "herded". We have more money. More money isn't a bad thing, but I look forward to a challenging budget in California, along with other simplifying changes that will come.

2. It's not Utah. Sorry, Utah. You've got some things going for you, but I don't want to raise my kids here. The goal was to be out before Maggie started school. Check.

1. My husband works there. It's a long commute. The good news is, once we move, his commute will be shorter than it would be if he lived and worked in Utah!

Happy Birthday to the silliest of silly girls! We had a great dinosaur party yesterday. Now she is off at Disney on Ice with her Daddy, the most exciting part of which was that she got to ride in the blue car! Let's celebrate with a round-up of the latest Maggie Quotes.

3/1: "On my next birthday that's a Lego birthday I'm going to order (invite) James to my party cause he love Legos. After that is my Princess birthday." (Since then, she's decided on a Superhero birthday for her 7th.)

3/1: Maggie thinks she's doing me a "flavor" by getting herself and Dalton a treat...

3/2: "Dalton's birthday is Draper what?"

3/3: Maggie just threatened to clobber me.

3/5: "Your tummy look a little big."

3/6 "Mommy, after lunch I want to play chores."

3/7: (at the bank) Don't forget to tell them two lollipops for your two kids!

3/7: When I get up can I be a mommy just like you?
Yes. When you're a mommy, I'll be a grandma.
I don't think so that's a good idea. How about two mommies?

3/7 M: Oh yeah, yeah yeah, I'm on a diet!
Dad: Do you know what "diet" means?
M: It means you don't eat so much food you're on a diet!

3/9: "Good. But I wonder if there's anymore presents." (There weren't. And she was mad. Sheesh.)

I can't help it. She's just so funny. More Maggie quotes.

3/10: A girl's heart is pink and a boy's heart is red.

3/10: Grandma: We're going to change time tonight. Did you know that?
Maggie: No, but I know a lot of things. I know a lot about dinosaurs.

3/10: When I'm right I will be really smart.

3/10: Trying to make friends at the park: "Hi, I'm nice! Wait for me, I'm nice!"

3/11: M is trying to hide the fact that she is playing with a Cinderella doll (in her "Barbie Lego" house).

3/15: Our family's not big enough in our house.

3/16: Are you getting all the seaweeds out so the ladybugs will be safe? There won't be any scary spots?

We left a day early for our trip to Arches to take advantage of today's awesome weather. It was around 70 with a nice breeze/howling wind (depending on where we were). We carried the kids on the hike to Delicate Arch (3 miles). As we rounded the corner to the view, Dalton started chanting in my ear, "Edna Mode. Edna Mode." He loves E! We had a snack at Delicate. It was pretty windy up there.

Next we went to Sand Dune Arch and played, and finally hiked 1 mile to Landscape Arch. We decided to go up a bit (hah!) further to Partition Arch. Climbing up the sand fins with the kids was fun. I love that view though, and the kids liked that one, too. Maggie was a great sport and walked the whole way back down to Landscape. Climbing on the "red mountain" was the part she'd been waiting for.

The 1 mile back to the parking lot from Landscape was horribly windy right in our faces. We were carrying the kids (sans packs) and practically running to get out of it.

We hiked about 6 miles today and are definitely feeling it. We wanted to do as much as possible today because it's supposed to rain. Rain + slick rock = scary. Rain + red sand = clay. (Been there, done that.) So we just have a few little hikes and the visitor's center for tomorrow. We're also going to Dead Horse Point State Park. Yay!

On Sunday we went to Arches again. It was threatening rain, so we quickly visited the Windows, and then went to Double Arch. We were practically running so we could enjoy some time up in the shelter. It sprinkled a couple times, but we made it back to the car before the rain really began. We got some cute pictures of the kids, too.

We next stopped at the visitors' center where Maggie did the Junior Ranger program. I think this is her third one, and she actually did everything this time, including the writing.

After that, we drove to Dead Horse Point State Park. I'd never heard of this park before, but it's pretty awesome for a State Park. It's a peninsula of a plateau, with a 30 yard wide neck. You can walk all along the rim and look down on nearly 100 miles of scenery and the Colorado River (2000 feet below). Unfortunately, it was cold, which we weren't prepared for. The kids were good sports, though, and no one fell off the cliff. There were some awesome views.

Today we lazed around (We all slept for TWELVE hours last night!) and then headed home. We stopped in Price on our way to visit the Prehistoric Museum of the College of Eastern Utah. Sorry, BYU; CEU's dinosaur museum is much better. They didn't have much by way of mounted skeletons (the main diorama was dismantled) but they had lots of bones, and a really great hands-on area for kids. There were coloring pages, puzzles, stuffed animals, puppets, and two digging areas. They also had phosphorescent rocks, a tipi, and lots of interesting displays on the Fremont Indians. Highly recommended if you're in the area.

Here's a quote from me for a change. Driving through Moab.

Is that the hotel we canceled? But they have grass! Oh wait. That's not a selling point for me anymore.