"Uh-uh" Captured!

We finally caught one of Claire's "words" on camera. This is her, "Trying to bribe me with baby toys? No way! Give me the electronics!" expression. I call her Nods Bods when she gets like this. She's pretty close to getting locomotion down and I'll snap that when we get there.

Aunt Awesome

Hannah's first grade class had a "Dress as your favorite musician" day today; so of course she went as John Fogerty from Credence Clearwater Revival! The shirt was once Grandpa Bob's and the wig was from the infamous Belle Halloween costume. Hannah is also wearing a badge that identifies her as Fogerty (just as she wore a "Johnny Cash Fan" badge last year). Hannah had me cut her "hair" this morning and she took a little plastic guitar to school. Aside from the age, gender, lifestyle and general proportions---she looked just like him! Claire was thrilled. She loves Hannah's flamboyant projects like this. It's fun to be a family of hams.

Rockhounds

Here is a shot of Claire and I as we hiked Pass Creek Gorge in the Challis National Forest last weekend. Claire is really good at finding agates--they are shiny and green! Daddy found some great chrinoid fossils as well as ancient seabed life and Hooma found some huge quartz shafts. Hannah mostly danced up and down the hillsides, but she took time out to locate some nice jasper specimens. It was a great Spring day--warm and fresh with enough cloud cover to shade the pale princesses among our bunch.

New Trick: The Littlest Motorboat

She does this pretty much constantly, but especially likes to use it at top volume during Church...

Happy First Easter

Claire had a great Easter. She was interested in the enthusiasm of the other kids and was delighted with her haul from the Bunny. She was in enough of a holiday mood to agree to keep lacy tights on all though church! On Saturday, Claire and Daddy picked out an awesome hiking pack so that she can come along more easily on adventures. We are building a canopy for it (since there's just no way she'll keep a hat on for long) and then we'll be off on day trips through Yellowstone, the Tetons and Challis National as well as many more!

Spring has Sprung

Here's a jolly baby in a new cow coat enjoying the now warm and wondrous world!

Claire is Hooma's biggest tiny cheerleader. You can follow her progress at http://amyschmutz.blogspot.com/

Miracle

Thanks for your prayers! We've come through Hooma's surgery and things look like they're on the mend---truly a miracle from God. We are feeling extremely grateful tonight. Hooray for smart oncologists!