The Clifford Family: April 2010

Sunshine, snow and missing teeth

From 60 degree weather to inches of snow on the deck, we just can't seem to get spring started around here. This is what it looked like on our deck this morning. Fingers crossed for sunshine this weekend!

It finally happened, we have a child with no front teeth! Ella lost her other front tooth on Wednesday at school. We still have NO IDEA where the other tooth is... it fell out around Christmas and no sign of a big tooth coming. Hope it's in there!

Another toothless shot

Happy Birthday Sutter!

Last weekend was Sutter's birthday and the Shropshires threw a great birthday party at their house. We were lucky enough to have a gorgeous day despite the schizophrenic weather we have been having lately. These pictures uploaded backward, so we will start at the end. Here is Micah enjoying his ice cream sandwich from Sutter's "cutie" birthday cake. The kid asked for pizza and ice cream sandwiches and he got it!

Sutter blowing out the candles

Trying out the new fishing rod, I have a feeling that Micah, Cody and Sutter are going to log a lot of hours on the river together!

Ella soaking up the sunshine and her Popsicle

Thanks for a great time Shropshires!!!

Black Thumb

As part of my birthday present this year, Cliff took me to the nursery to start our summer planting. I have decided since I have no school and no job this summer that I should be able to keep a plant alive. I mean, I have had these kids for 6 years now and they seem to be growing, shouldn't I be able to take care of a tomato plant? So we got some tomatoes, jalapenos and a variety of seeds to start on our new project. They are all planted (we are using containers due to the short growing season in Truckee, we can wheel them in at night to be protected)

Here are the kids with our fine bounty

Our baby tomatoes purple cherokee, caspian pink, goliath, sweet cherry and tangerine

Tasty jalapenos, we will keep you posted!!!

The bull rider

Spring is trying to break through and the ski season is winding down. Every year around this time the world famous Chamois has its pass holder appreciation party. We dragged the kids out to the crazy event this year for bull riding and a pig roast. Ella is always one to ride the bull, here she goes

going

gone

She was actually up there for a while, she made us proud. No injuries this time, she took it like a champ!

Proud beer drinking parents.... Happy spring!

The Birthday Girl

Friday was my birthday and my sweet husband planned an amazing birthday party for me. It was filled with great friends and was the best time I have had in a long time!! Oh did I mention that there were also 20 children there??? I guess that is what happens when all of your friends have at least 2 kids. So we blocked off the street, locked the doors to the house and let them have their lord of the flies existence outside all night. Don't worry, we fed them!!

Here are SOME of them roasting marshmallows outside

Katie, Lisa, Tasha and I with our well done pizza frisbee

I am so lucky to have such great friends and family!! So much fun!

Where's Dad?

Dad is off in the desert (http://www.redbull.com/cs/Satellite/en_INT/Event/Red-Bull-Ronnie-Renner-Freeride-Tour-Glamis-Flats-021242828793914) just another lazy weekend around here!

Happy Saturday! Love Ella and Micah xoxo

In the Kitchen

We have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen. On Easter we had some friends over to join us for some yummy brunch, I would have pictures, but we were too busy eating, drinking and enjoying ourselves to take any! I did want to let you all know that I have a new favorite frittata recipe that I made on Easter, Asparagus and Goat Cheese frittata. Here is a link to the recipe I used : http://www.thegourmetfoodieblog.com/info/seasonal_eating/mothers-day-brunch-asparagus-goat-cheese-fritatta/ I would advise finishing it in the oven instead of trying to flip it (it got kind of interesting!). I LOVE this recipe!!

On another kitchen note, my dad went to see an author speak and got the kids a copy of her adorable book "Boy Dumplings" http://www.yingc.com/ it is about a ghost who wants to make dumplings out of a little boy. In the back is a recipe for "non-boy" dumplings and we decided that we should try it

Here are the kids hard a work, they loved making them. Micah kept saying "oh yeah, I'm gonna freestyle this one!"

We call these our "freestyle" dumplings, not sure if they look right, but we did it!

The tasty seal of approval! The kids loved the dumplings, next time I told them we should make them with boy!

Yum!!

Easter

It was a snowy Easter again this year. There were some bright spots! Aunite Vicki, Uncle John and Cousin Alex sent us these amazing caramel apples. Thery are from http://www.mrsprindables.com/ and we are still working on getting through them.

Micah's had a cute little chick on it

Ella's had a cute little bunny
The Easter bunny went all over our house and hid things in places he never has before. I think that bunny keeps getting goofier every year! Here are the kids looking for eggs around the house:

Micah found his basket

Ella found hers!

Easter is over, bring on the spring!!!!!

Neighborhood Watch

A zen moment, brought to you by Guyute (11), Copper (11 months) and Yoda (3)

It isn't always chaos in our house!

Crazy Eggs

5 kids, 60 hardboiled eggs, dyes, paints, glitter, stickers and a big ole mess!! Ella, Micah, Summer, Deegan and Talon had a blast dying up some Easter eggs last night. We now have a house full of brightly colored eggs and fingers. Here are some highlights from the chaos:
Ella and her egg