Morning tutoring

The best ending to a 9 hour drive :)

They are playing an imagination game in the pool right now!

The kids are finally asleep, and I have finished with my reunion work (it is now 12:42 am). Today was a good first day -- not great, but good. The kids did very well in the car, despite a couple difficult technical issues.

Most of the day was spent with the children either listening to an audio book, playing games on the nooks, or in Roxie's case, writing more stories (she hasn't gotten past chapter one at home, so I can't wait to see what 9 hours a day in the car does for her productivity!), but I had plenty of time to listen to tunes and take it all in.

First weird observation was that one of the messages in the state of Nevada on the over the highway digital display signs said, "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving". How colloquial of the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Another weird observation I had was that many of the towns along the 80 in Nevada (past Winnamucca) enblazon their town initial onto their gorgeous background mountainsides. That seemed so weird to me -- is it town pride? High school prank?

Finally, the last weird thing we saw was the M/M racing car being pulled over Donner Pass. It was encased in a trailer with a window so you could see the race car (which of course looked exactly like the peanut version of the candy), and the guy who was pulling the race car behind an equally tantalizing, candy-coated decoated truck, was hauling ass! He kept up with me for so long, I had to wonder if the actual race car driver was behind the wheel of that rig!

Jess captured some shots (thank goodness because Quinn thought it was Lightening McQueen and we will need to revisit this moment throughout the trip upon demand, daily) but I can't figure out how to upload them from our SLR because I am using a chrome book (no local storage). Will post those pictures soon. More from the road and our adventure tomorrow.

Finally at the hotel

Swim children swim!

Roxie and Quinn snuggling in their sleep

Babies snuggling in their sleep

30 minutes later - a migration

Handsome fella in a laundry basket

Just looking for a snuggly place :)

Egg Decorating

We decorated with Jake, Eli, Anna and Maxine. We need double or triple the extras next year for breakage. We did a sllight variation on George's childhood tradition of the Halleujah Egg.

We had the kids pick out their favorite egg.

I created nests and stands (out of spray painted
glass votives and candlesticks) for the honored eggs.

Annual Easter basket creation

We started with white baskets from Michael's

Roxie's basket

Phoebe's basket

Jessica's basket

Jessica's basket - After glitter and a glittered flower

Rosie's basket with glittered flowers

Roxie's basket is the most embellished :)

Phoebe has less flowers and they aren't glittered

Quinn loved the glitter - this looks bluer than it is - it is really purple

Glad this done - next boil the eggs :)

Look at these two cuties! Adorbs!

Here we are at Max's in Palo Alto. Three day weekend, Monday night dinner...they were so happy!

Happy New Year from Team Baggott

We feel deep gratitude for all the wonderful times we have had in 2010! 

Jessica, 9 yrs
Roxie, 6 yrs
Phoebe , 8 yrs

 This post is sent wrapped in wishes for you — 
an abundance of love, mountains of laughter, 
and more grateful moments than ever before in 2011.

Quinn, 2 yrs

These gorgeous shots were taken by Ryan Flynn Photography at Erin and Dan Baggott's wedding in July, at Deception Pass State Park in Washington.