One of the few things we miss about work is the "spring breaks" we took. So in keeping with those good memories, we created some new memories of our travels to Minnesota, Florida and back to California. Keep us informed by clicking on the email link Larry and Glorine.
	OK, it is not spring but what a blast to play with the kids on the snow and ice on Prior Lake. Here Larry is pulling Clara on a snow sled.	He is no longer "baby Chase!" He is a little bruiser and now has a scar to prove it. Four months makes a big difference when the kids are so young.
	Here is Larry and Clara taking in a ride at the Nickelodeon Park at the Mall of America. The event was a treat for kids who raised money that went to a charity called "Change for Kids."	One of Clara and Chase's favorite treats are chocolate brownies. Here they are helping Grandma make the dough.
	And about 20 minutes later they were all baked and ready to eat. But before Clara would eat one, it had to be cut in the shape of a heart. So out came the cookie cutters. It is nice to see the kids come up with their own rituals.	One of the nice things about the Twin Cities is all the inside things to do. Here we are at the Children's Science Museum in downtown St. Paul. Chase was pretty intrigued with the dinosaurs.
	Bus Ride Anyone?? As you can see, he loves big things, ya think??	Another evening we got to watch Clara practice ballet. She was the youngest and the smallest girl in the class, but that did not stop her. She loves it.
	We went from the fidget cold of Minnesota to the fidget cold of Florida. Here we are with friends Scott and Joy from Kentucky who snowbird there. They are into basketball, as you can see we are watching two games at the same time.	The cool weather did not stop us from enjoying an evening out celebrating St. Patrick's day in Dunedin, home of the Irish near Tampa Bay.
	We also went to Naples to visit friends Rich and Nancy, who split their time between Naples and the Twin Cities. They took us on a boat ride out in the Gulf of Mexico, which is where the picture above was also taken. We dined out at a blues bar and ran into this parrot who enjoys the snowbirds. We also captured this wonderful sunset over the Gulf.	Here is a fun video clip of several dolphins swimming in Naples Bay. Click on picture to play.
	We stopped along a highway to visit the Manatees, Florida�s state marine mammal, which is a large aquatic relative of the elephant. We captured a video clip of one coming up for air. They are 10-12 feet long, weight up to 1,800 lbs. and live 50-60 years in the wild. Click on picture to play.	We also got to visit with some colleagues Larry met while working at Boise State. They are Ron and Dori, who live near Tampa Bay and work with colleges to boost enrollments. Larry hired them as consultants and their relationship grew into a friendship.
	After our Florida vacation, we spent more time in Minnesota. We don't know what it is about books and kids, but all of our grand kids just love being read to. Here is Grandma reading a book that Denise gave us when Clara was a little baby. They both are enjoying the story.	Another adventure was the Jackson Street Roundhouse in downtown St. Paul. It is located in a restored roundhouse and has a collection of vintage trains and railroad memorabilia. It was a treat for all.
	Another day trip took us to Minneopa State Park. Minneopa is an Indian term for "water that falls twice." It is a tributary that runs into the Minnesota River. The bridge and the other out buildings were built back during the Great Depression. I told Clara that it is like "The Stimulus bill" that was past last year to help get us out of the recent economic downturn. Click on the first picture to play a video clip of the falls.	This is the Minnesota River overflowing its banks and engulfed this campground along Highway 169 outside of Mankato. Don't think it will be used for a while!! All that snow we saw when we first arrived in Minnesota had to go somewhere.
	Our last week of March was spent back in California with Carmen and her family. And Glorine can not believe how much baby Hunter has grown since we left.	Brrrrrrrr - bath time!
	Ahhh - that is so much better.	Can you believe it--Dakota starts kindergarten this fall. She is a bit young, but here she is writing. Larry was in high school before he got that skill down.
	Sierra is little Miss "Mismatch." She likes to get herself dressed and it doesn't matter if anything goes together. In fact she could have four outfits on before noon. She has the most infectious smile.	This is too much simulation!
	Here we are at Palm Desert, CA. Mike is attending a conference and we get to enjoy the sun, pool and all the amenities this great resort hotel had to offer. All those swim lessons paid off for the girls. And mommy gets to relax in the shade.	On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, we spent the day at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. No pictures were allowed of the museums collections, so Larry took a few of the buildings, grounds and sights beyond. The museum boasts itself as one of the most visited museums in the United States. This outing brought our California visit to a close. Now it is on to picking up our new home on wheels.

March's web page includes March 1 through March 31.