Yesterday, we had the opportunity to see the "Body Worlds" exhibit in Salt Lake. I had some people question my judgement on taking my kids. My thought? How could I not take them? I didn't want them to miss this opportunity to see their bodies like they never have before. Beforehand, we talked about what they would see (yes, real bodies...some with "privates" showing). Sarah's only concern was, "What will happen when they are resurrected?" We met my mom and dad and Jeff and Alice. I have to say the exhibit met almost every expectation I had. I thought I'd be a little more blown away (I don't know how), but that being said, it was still very much worth it. Sarah had a little harder time than I thought. Surprisingly, what bothered her the most was the darkness (everything surrounded in black w/ very little lighting), the quiet (only the sound of a heartbeat played along w/ every one's whispers) and she didn't really like the specimens that showed only blood vessels(really nothing more than floating, painted vessels still in the shape of the body). I don't think having eaten Crown Burger right before helped either (while I wasn't at all nauseous, it sat pretty heavy on my stomach...it was a bit warm in there, too). Photos were not allowed, but you can see a great slide show and family guide at the site http://theleonardo.org/bodyworlds/index.php

Some of the highlights were:
-The baby portion. Tiny embryos and fetus'. I never fully realized how developed a 9 week fetus was...amazing. It was hard to see the 23-32 week babies (I have to say baby not fetus). How anyone could believe in abortion is beyond me.
-Seeing diseased organs and bodies. Black smokers lung, brain tumor, severe arthritis, artificial hips still in the body, deformed spine...all amazing and so enlightening.
-The huge camel...soo cool!
-Andrew and Josh got to hold a human heart. Notice their faces in the photo...I absolutely loved their looks of wonder. We also got to play around w/ a microscopic camera...so cool to see your skin so close. You could even see the small flaws in my diamond!
-We couldn't help but think about who these people were. What was there life like? What did they look like? We happily speculated about one body in particular; we concluded she was old and that her body had probably never been able to stretch and move as they had her displayed. I can't help but think she thinks its pretty cool, too.
-Loved the little Leonardo-esque notebooks. (Rachel...totally seems like a little touch you would have done and I wondered if you'd suggested it to your dad! lol) The kids took notes and sketched pictures of what they saw.

A few thoughts about the exhibit. It was very quiet...almost reverent. I had the feeling that everyone there felt only awe and respect for A) the people who donated their bodies and B) the miraculous body itself.

While this gave me a look at the body I've never had before and increased my wonder for it's complexity, I couldn't help but feel a great sense of awe for our spirits. Looking at these bodies was incredible...our bodies are amazing and beautiful, but I feel that it is truly our spirits that make our bodies amazing and beautiful...it's our spirits that bring these bodies to life. I'm sure you're thinking, "duh," but it really is incredible to think of how they work together. I gained a greater appreciation for the body, but it also increased my testimony our spirits...our soul. I really hope if you have the chance to see this you will go. Let me know what you thought...I'd love to hear others insights and feelings.

Things are a changin'

Well, yea, a lot has changed....homes, jobs and a spouse and yet our friendship always stays the same. With things pulling us in different directions and not enough time, our friendship doesn't change! On Saturday, we had the chance to go to a movie together and even got to hang out long enough for Chad to wash her car! ;) WE saw "Ghost Town." Loooved it...laugh so hard we cried. Other than a few unnecessarily strong words (stops me from giving it a full recommendation), I loved it...really loved it! Love you friend...movie again this Saturday??!!! :)

So, I'm not the coolest mom on the block when it comes to letting my kids do things such as lemonade stands. I think my kids have asked to do this for, oh six years or so. Guess I'm just not much of an entrepreneur. With their off-track time and the warm days coming to an end and having the witness of friends, I finally caved. (I couldn't look like a completely lame mom in front of their friends, now could I?!) I made a big batch of chocolate chip cookies, they priced them and made the signs. Turns out we live on a great corner for business...they sold every cookie...except the ones they ate. One guy even bought ten cookies! It was so funny watching them wave people down with their signs. It was great spying on them through the front widow as they ran their little business. They had a ball and it wasn't as annoying an activity as I thought it would be! They were so pleased with the money they made and I'm sure they'll be begging me to do it again soon.

A very special preview

Last weekend my dear friend, Andrea Madsen was in town. Andrea's brother-in-law is the construction manager for the Oquirrah Mountain Temple and we got to have a private tour and sneak peek! I was soo excited...what an opportunity! It may be hard to tell what is what in the dark construction photos, but I thought it would be fun to share anyway. A few thoughts I had while going through:
-Love the two staircases that will face eachother on the main floor (like Bounitful and Timpanogas)
-Since this is a "smaller" temple, I love how intimate it will feel
-The views are just incredible. I almost wish there was a way to keep the windows clear...they framed the outside view like a painting!
-As we were on the third floor, I looked up through the skylights (so cool there are skylights...love the beautiful natural light) to see Moroni just above us. So cool! More windows I wished could stay clear...that really was neat to look up and see that.
-Amazing the attention given to the quality of construction. It was pointed out to ust that the wood moulding around the doors in just one room of the baptistry had taken 2 weeks to put together.
I believe the temple is scheduled for completetion in the Spring of '09 and I can't wait. Our stake is in charge of the open house so I'm sure there will be lots of opportunities to help out.

I feel like life has been pulling me away from the blog. I'm not sure that last week was any busier than any other week, but somehow time flies by and everyday is filled with something. Just thought I'd share a few photos from last week.

As my kids were soaking up the last bit of summer in the backyard, I peeked out the kitchen window and found Jenna and Sarah going to town with the hose and the sidewalk chalk. As soon as I opened the back door, Sarah excitedly pronounced they had created a nebula. I love that girl and the creativity that pops out.

Laundry and junk. Does it ever go away? Of course that is a totally stupid question to ask. It is the bain of my existence. However, I am working really hard on accepting it and trying to enjoy the process of doing. Yea, sounds stupid, huh?
But, it's never going away...I'm just grateful I'm here to do it and that I have people to do it for. As for the junk, I filled several bags from the playroom and kids rooms (shhh...don't tell them). That always feels good. I have MS do a pick up about every other month...I am always amazed that I can find something (make that a lot of somethings, to donate) each time. Funny story. Last month I tried to be up front w/ the kids about the throwing out/donating things. I thought we could all be mature about it. As soon as I asked them to find some toys they could "share" they got really stressed and tearful. They tried to put on brave faces as they handed me a few things to part with. I think I will stick to doing the purging when they're not home!

The remainder of the week was filled with baseball, soccer, Stake temple day, a scout camp out, piano, gymnastics and stake conference. Friday we did some testing with Sarah regarding some concerns and issues we've been having with her eyes and ability to process things. I will post more on that later. After conference on Sunday, we enjoyed the rest of the Sabbath in "nature" ;) with Megan and Cameron. We had a little picnic lunch up American Fork canyon. It was beautiful and the kids loved it...especially throwing rocks in the river!

Ohh, now I know what sucked up all my extra time. One small thing I forgot to mention. I read the first two books of the Twilight series in, oh about 2 1/2 days. Yes, I know, I'm about 2 yrs behind the curve on this one. Loved the first one, found the second one depressing and now I just feel exhausted by their relationship and am slowing down on the third one (only 1/2 through). I think Bella is pretty miserable despite being so in love! lol I'm not a full blown fan, but it feels good to be reading again. I'm sure this bit of trite news will be received w/ shock and laughter by those who read these books long ago and with disappointment and laughter by those who think they are a waste (uh um...Ryan). Either way, I am enjoying the books!

This is seriously funny I'm posting this.

No really, it's laughable. I had mentioned before that I learned how to make a photo canvas in Photoshop (thank you Teresa!). I've had several of you ask me how this is done. Let me emphasize it is the ONE and ONLY thing I know how to do in PS. My directions, I'm sure are totally not savvy as far as explanations and terminology go. Hopefully, they make enough sense for some of you to muttle your way through and have some success. My PS abilities are totally untapped...I'm looking forward to learning so much more. I'm really the last one that should be giving out PS directions, but here you go...don't laugh.

-file
-open
Go to your files where your photos are uploaded to (mine are in my Kodak file). Select photos you want to use. You can select multiple photos by holding down the "Ctrl" button.
-Crop (this icon looks like square w/ the left upper and lower right corners extended beyond the square with a diagonal line through it...it's the third button down on the left of the tool bar (there should be a tool bar on the left)
You will need to crop the photos to size to fit them on your new "canvas." After you select the "crop" button, a tool bar w/ dimensions should come up along the top. You will have to play w/ what sizes you want. For any of the canvas' you've seen on my blog, I usually crop about 2-3 inches for width and height. (this will give you a square crop, if you want a rectangular crop adjust for that. Set resolution to 300. Now click on one of the photos to be cropped. You will see the crop icon. Click and drag it across the photo. You can move and adjust it. Hit enter when you want to save the crop. Repeat for the rest of the photos. Now you've cropped your photos you need to open new file for the canvas, go to:
-file
-new
Set the dimensions for the new canvas. Just add up the size of the photos you've cropped. For example, 3 photos @ 3 in X 2 in I'd create a canvas 9 in x 2 in. (adding a bit more if you want some room for white borders). Set resolution to 300. The new canvas will pop up. Now, go back to the tool bar on the left and select "move" button. This is the top right button my tool bar. It has a left pointing arrow w/ a compass looking arrows next to it. Move photos to canvas. If you need to adjust a photo after you've already moved onto another photo click on the "layer" of the photo you want to move. ("layers" are shown on the bottom right)
-text
You can add text to your canvas by clicking on the "T" on the left tool bar. You can adjust font, color and size
-file
-save
Name and save your file. Save it as a JPEG


G O O D * L U C K

So my friend, Greg, issued a challenge to have lunch somewhere different. (you can read about it here) Now he currently lives in Switzerland....and I live in Utah. Hmm....you tell me which one is more exciting. But, that's just the point of his challenge. Take advantage of what you have where you are. So this morning as I was getting ready go to my local Holiday gas station to get my "freshie" (a fresh soda from the fountain) I thought of Greg's challenge and I decided to indulge his request.

Jenna and I drove to Chick-fil-a, grabbed some lunch and headed to the park. Yea, I know, it's not the Alps, but, it is the Wasatch Mountains. (see....it's all how you look at it, eh?) So there we were, just the two of us enjoying this almost-fall-day, at the park, surrounded by the beautiful mountains of Utah.

As I'm sitting there, I realize that my days as a mom-at-the-park-with-little-ones is limited. In other words, my kids are getting big and I'm getting old (and big). I observed a young mom there with two little boys. What? Wasn't that just me with Josh and Andrew? I swear it was.

Jenna and I just hung out for bit. Climbing, playing, swinging. She loved it all. It totally cracked me up when she curiously looked at the "Vita Course" signs on the track and began imitating the moves. My favorite moment was when we were swinging side by side and Jenna happily says, "We together mom." Yea, we were together on the swing, but my heart swelled a bit at the thought that we were together. So in that moment, I enjoy that I'm at the park, with Jenna and not at home eating our typical lunch of Top Ramen. So thank you Greg for issuing the "lunch break challenge" and I in turn, challenge YOU to make your lunch special.

**LOL I just noticed I spelled "Chick-fil-a" wrong...and I'm not going back through Photoshop to fix it. Sorry!

A little extra room in the nest today...

I know I'm still a ways off from truly having an empty nest, but today I'm getting a melancholy glimpse into how it might feel. Yes, I'm looking forward to 2 1/2 hours all to myself, but just for today I'm a little sad to see my baby take this step. Today is Jenna's first day at preschool. She will have "Miss Amee," the same wonderful teacher that Sarah had. This morning, I pulled out one of Sarah's pink backpacks, but she said, "That's not my backpack!" I know, I'm a sucker and she's my baby so off to Target we went for her to pick out her very own backpack. (it doesn't take much to get me to Target) I can tell she is excited...she's been ready to go since 9:30 this morning...school starts at 12:30! She's watched all the others head off to school and I know she is thrilled that it's finally her turn. I had to chuckle, when I took her to the front porch of the traditional first-day-of-school photo she knew exactly what to do. As we were driving in the car, she knew she was going to school and instinctively started singing her ABC's. Between her small size and the large size of the backpack, she had to carefully crawl do the steps to keep her balance. Sadly, it will be no time at all before her size catches up with her backpack. As soon as we got inside she began to explore and had no problem telling me goodbye!

Viva Las Time-Away-From-Kids!

Yes, this is unusual, very unusual. And, I will take unusual because I'm sure it won't be back for awhile. Chad and I took a quick trip to Vegas with some friends from our neighborhood, April and Wade. I've been through Vegas and around Vegas, but I've never directly experienced the downtown "Strip" in its current form. We found a great deal (sit through a time share presentation) that offered 2 nights at a resort (an interesting place to sleep) and some tickets and coupons for local food and entertainment (buffets and shows that no one goes to and at times you wouldn't go). Before we arrived we found out we had actually been bumped from the the resort to a Hilton down the road (which I thought was actually more clean and quiet). April and Wade were still at the resort so we had access to all the amenities. Kind of funny they expect us to be interested in buying a property we don't even get to stay at, huh?! Since I already sound like I'm on a negative rant, let me quickly say that aside from the sales presentation we had a wonderful weekend.

Our first night there, we had reservations at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill at Caesar's Palace. We knew this would be a splurge and mmmm....was it worth it! We couldn't resist tasting each others dishes. I had a Mahi with mango, Chad had Salmon with a black bean sauce, April had a Halibut with a red chili sauce and Wade had Pork Tenderloin. Wow. They were all so tasty. I think April's was actually my favorite...the red sauce was such an unexpected yet delicious combination with the halibut. (sorry, I'm not a "foodie" so my descriptions are not great) After dinner we walked around "the strip" a bit. We watched the fountains at the Bellagio. Wow. That was an amazing site. They were all synchronized to music and shot so high into the air. The water pressure was so intense that is almost sounded like fireworks going off. Also, so beautiful at night with all the lights. Definitely one the trip highlights.

The next day began with sleeping in and relaxing by the pool with a book. Then it was off to the time share presentation. I will spare you the details. Lets just say I'm still undecided as to if 90 minutes of being very uncomfortable is worth the good deal on the accommodations. Luckily, the cringe moments with the salesmen quickly became a memory with a massage. Ahhh. We then headed to Isla at Treasure Island for dinner. I had the most delicious shrimp tacos. After dinner we walked "the Strip" some more. This time we headed over to the Wynn. This was another highlight of the trip. The way it was decorated was just amazing. The floral tiles and carpet were so colorful and vibrant. There were also these amazing Asian-type lanterns that moved up and down. It was a really fun place to walk around. We then went through the Palazzo. Another beautifully decorated casino. These both seemed to be a step up from Caesar's and Treasure Island.

Our last day began with sleeping in (I have to include that because it never happens at home!). After checking out, we headed to the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. (These were the only worth while tickets given to us from the time share presentation) As if all the casinos weren't big enough, this place just seemed even bigger! As we walked through the game floor, we noticed they had a "House of Blues." What a trip this place was. The decor seemed like it was inspired by some one's acid trip in the 70's. Almost everything was done with bottle caps, license plates and other random bits of metal. So cool to look at. This was another trip highlight. We then headed to the M&M store to get some goodies for the kids.

Seriously, Vegas is crazy. Talk about sensory overload. I was astounded by the sheer size of everything and how they fit so much into one building. I was struck by each casino's ability to offer something unique and fabulous. It was also interesting to observe how deceitfully well everything is planned out. There was no straight shot from point A to B....you are hypnotically led where the casinos want you to go (you can't even cross a street with going up escalators, over bridges and through casinos). Everything is cleverly crafted to benefit the casino and satisfy the worldy appetites and passions of man. I was slightly surprised that we didn't see too much overt filth. I'm certainly not ready to call Vegas family friendly, but we didn't see or experience some of the shocking things you hear about (gone were the hoards of nasty fliers being passed out and all over the ground). I am so grateful that Chad and I had the opportunity to get away (again!) and we had a wonderful time with the Morden's.

Destination: London 2012

Okay, maybe not!

But Sarah was sure excited to start gymnastics!

She's been asking for some time now and we finally got her signed up. So far her favorite thing to do is vault (ie. jump) into the pit of foam cubes. I'm not a good judge of gymnastics, so I'm not sure if she's a "natural" or not, but I do know I'm impressed with her enthusiasm and guts...she hasn't been afraid to try anything yet.

Let's hope the excitement doesn't wear off too soon!

Esprit, Osh Kosh and Tony Hawk

We've been getting ready for today for sometime now. Still, it's caused me to reflect and feel a number of emotions. I've actually held it together very well...it's seems so strange that this day has arrived for Josh. After all, didn't I just have my first day of 7th grade? As Josh planned his "first day of school outfit" I instantly remember carefully planning my "first day of school outift." Josh wore his cool Tony Hawk t-shirt, plaid shorts and black converse. I wore a blue Esprit ensemble, complete w/ the matching vest (and the top button all buttoned up). Remember how cool Esprit was? Josh took his schedule to his room last night; I'm sure to review and memorize where and when all his classes were. I remember having the same anxiety.

Then, I quickly get over how fast it's all gone for me and I focus on how quickly it is going for Josh. (This is where I start to get a bit emotional) Seriously, it was just yesterday I was able to shop for him at Carter's, Baby Gap and Osh Kosh. You will notice the book in the above photo. This book was purchased at the Osh Kosh store in Castle Rock. I remember thinking how cute it was that Josh was starting school and there was a perfect little book to go along with his new beginning. I can't help but notice how big his belt was on his first day of kindergarten photo...so cute flapping out like that. Now, his feet are bigger than mine. Wasn't he just obsessed with Hot Wheels and dinosaurs? Now, it's music, games and sports. I feel anxious, worried, down right freaked out and excited for what lies ahead for him. The day has come, I hope my seat belt is tightened and we are all ready for this ride: jr. high, pimples, arm pit hair, girls, grades, peer pressure and before I blink an eye he will be gone.

Ahhh...a little quiet

Getting away: one thing that Chad and I are definitely not good at (it's been over 4 yrs since we had time away "senza" kids).
You'd think with my parents condo set in the beautiful Huntsville/Eden area, only an hour away and FREE we would be much better at sneaking away. We are working on that and this weekend we gave it a good start!
Our good friends, Mary and Dorick Fletcher joined us for a quick, quiet weekend away. The boys played golf, the girls went on a hike. We sat at the pool, read (yes, I actually read a book), watched movies and ate too many Lindt truffles to count.
A few side notes to the weekend: we do NOT recommend Grey Cliff Lodge for dinner (canned fruit cocktail...really) and I ran into Sam Adams on the hiking trail. Whoa. That was an interesting blast from the past.
I guess we've been holding out for that dream vacation that seems to never happen and we are slowly figuring out we can do a small, quick getaway (ie: cheap and close to home) to refresh ourselves! Coincidentally, we even have another quick trip planned for this weekend...hmmm, I could get used to this! :)

You know when you shouldn't laugh....

...but you just can't help yourself??

I guess I'm immature, naive and yes, uneducated when it comes to

"Olympic Walking."

But, Chad and I just couldn't help chuckling. Wow, there's a whole lot of hip swaying, knee knocking, foot rolling fun going on in that there sport.

What about the new trampoline event? ( I just thought trampolines were for playing "Charlie's Angels" and "Don't crack the egg" on when you were 10yrs old)
Or the ping pong (oh, I mean table tennis).

I'll admit we had a little smirk of disbelief on our face while at the same time we were trying to earnestly appreciate their talent and efforts in training for their chosen, nontraditional sport. All the while, I can't help but think, "Really, people train for that?" I don't mean that as smug as it may sound....I honestly just didn't realize there were serious training programs for such events. I guess it's just not something I think about until the Olympics roll around every couple of years.

So let me eat my words.

As I sat on my fat rear end chuckling at the women speed walkers, it took me about 2 1/2 seconds to realize they looked 1000x better than I ever could with my weak exercise regimen. Seriously, they had flat tummy's and legs that I was very envious of. (Oh and yes, I am a little more educated in this sport now. Did you know one foot must be touching the ground at all times?)

And without a doubt, those guys playing ping pong (um, I mean table tennis) are in great shape to do what they do.

As are the girls playing "Don't crack the egg."

I love the Olympics, don't you? :)

Congratulations Tammi and Shep!

On Saturday, we had the honor of attending the wedding of Chad's sister, Tammi to Shep Bailey. What a beautiful ceremony it was. They were married in the Newport Beach temple. Have you seen this temple? It's amazing. It's very small and intimate...gorgeous details. We are just thrilled for the both of them...what an awesome couple. They celebrated that night with a beautiful garden reception and dinner at the Marriott. The flowers, the food, the view and of course the people were incredible. What a fun night celebrating Tammi and Shep. Congratulations....we love you both!

It was a whirlwind trip, but we did manage to squeeze in some fun. We stayed with Rick and Suzanne in San Diego. What a beautiful place to live. While we were there, we played lots of Rock Star/Band (is that what's it's called?), went to the beach (loooved it), visited La Jolla (beautiful!) and saw the San Diego temple (beautiful, too!). Sarah and Gabrielle even got to have pedicures done with the moms...they loved that and thought they were so grown up. The cousins had such a wonderful time hanging out. Although we don't get to see the Medeiros cousins as often as we'd like, the kids have no problem picking up right where they left off!

$200 and 2 months of my life...

...made a big difference in my kitchen. In case you're wondering, I used roughly40 cans of spray paint and primer.

BEFORE................................and AFTER
(please don't tell me you liked it better before) ;)









I'm almost done; I still need to decorate (accessories in window), make some sort of window treatment, stain island & table and redo stools. Sounds like a lot, but after doing those cabinets it seems very doable! lol I could have done it in a lot less time, but I between kids, summer and school, I just did a section at a time. Soooooooooo glad to be done. What do you think? I'm thinking the kitchen looks/feels bigger. It's not perfect, but it's the best I could do....and it's done!

Locker practice and the all-important yearbook photo

Last week Josh had Jr. High registration. Mind you, we were two days late. Remember when I said I hated being "responsible mommy?" This is exactly why. I digress. Upon arrival Josh received his locker assignment. We headed down the long hallways in search of his locker. When we finally found it, he practiced a couple times. Lockers can be a bit overwhelming at first...especially that combination. ;) Next, it was off to get the infamous yearbook photo. (I still remember my carefully planned blue Espirit outfit I wore for my 7th grade photo) Then we headed to the gym where we had to prove Josh received his new immunizations and pay school fees before he was handed his schedule. After looking over his classes he immediately started calling friends to see if they had any classes together. Today we did a bit of school shopping together...he really wanted some cool plaid shorts to go with his new converse shoes. It was cute to see him get excited about his new clothes and new school year!

Enjoying Thanksgiving Point

Thank you

Omniture!!

Excitement vs. Comfort

When your body is young, excitement always wins over comfort. Perfect example, Jenna sleeping in a laundry basket...two nights in a row. I'm thinking I'd be pretty sore, but for her, it's exactly the excitement she needed in her little life right now. When I got home late the other night, Chad was laughing as I walked in the door. He said, "Go check out Jenna." There she was, curled up. Snug as a bug in a laundry basket. When we tried to move her she was insistent to stay put. I reluctantly indulged her cries and figured if she was uncomfortable enough she'd move. Apparently she liked it enough to do again the next night!

Warm night, friends and JT....perfect!

Seriously, could you ask for much more? What a beautiful night to enjoy a little James Taylor under the stars. Connie shared her tickets with Shelly, Mary and I...thank you, thank you! Seems like the older I get, the less often I get to do things like this. James sounded as smooth as ever (does his voice ever change? He did look a little skinny, though). He seemed to have a more comprehensive band than when I have seen him in the past. He recorded an album of cover tunes recently and did several of those numbers (didn't love those as much). I'd have to say the highlight of the night was "Steamroller." Dang, that was awesome. There were some great keyboard, horn and guitar solos. And nothing makes you smile more than to see JT up there doing his goofy faces and dance moves...love it. I must say we had some pretty great moves ourselves! ;) Of course everyone goes crazy when Arnold breaks into his solo on "Shower the People." "Mexico" was another crowd favorite. I loved hearing "Carolina in My Mind" and "Your Smiling Face." I would liked to have heard "Sun on the Moon," "Traffic Jam," or "Chili Dog," but loved it all just the same! :)

This is free? Really?!

This is what we heard from the kids throughout the night as we attended Chad's company wide party. We have never been part of a company that does nice little things for their empolyees, so the kids were a little surprised at all the great things the company did that night. This year's theme was "Carnivale" and they went all out. An entire park at Thanksgiving Point reserved jsut for the company. It was filled with all sorts of activities and treats that were all free! We had a great time riding the ferris wheel. The kids loved the Tornado...Chad and I passed on that. Jenna loved the little cow train. They also had all sorts of bouncy, blow-up toys. In addition to the rides, they had all sorts of activities: family photos, face painting, caricatures and tons of games with prizes. One of the best things were all the consession stands set up throughout the park. Snow cones, cotton candy, soda, popcorn, churros, candy...all free! The kids just couldn't believe it...so fun to see their surprise as they could get whatever they wanted. Dinner was served as well. The evening ended with a live band and fireworks. We also got free passes for the dinosaur museum, farm and gardens to use anytime this week. I'm thinking we like Chad's job! :)

65 yrs YOUNG!

This month my mom celebrated her 65th birthday! Pretty cool, huh? We had a great time planning some surprises for her. On her actual birthday (the 16th), we had a little girls day out with the sisters and some of her friends. We surprised her by all meeting to see "Good Things Utah." It was fun to be in the audience and see behind the scenes a bit. Then, we went to the Lion House for lunch. I think my mom thought that was the end of the celebration since she was surprised by all her friends coming. We had a couple more tricks up our sleeves. We set up a fake night for dinner, but really had a weekend surprise planned for Park City. My dad told her an elaborate story about meeting some guy in Park City who was going to show them a vintage plane (I know mom was thrilled about that). However, we were all waiting at a restaurant to catch her off guard. While at dinner we surprised her with a scrapbook with photos and letters from each of us. We also surprised her by renting a wonderful house for the weekend. The next day she was even more surprised when her sister flew in from CA. I don't think we could have come up with more than we did...she loved it all. We had a great time hanging out, playing games, eating, going to the Alpine slide and even doing a Pioneer Day presentation to celebrate the 24th. Happy Birthday mom....we love you! I also need to give a birthday shout out to my dad who celebrated yesterday...and happy anniversary to mom and dad yesterday, too!

The best thing about Utah in July...Part III

I got to spend the day yesterday with my dear old davis high friend, Teresa. She is visiting from Iowa. What a wonderful way to end the month! We started with a private photoshop tutorial. I had her teach me one small thing to begin with. I've been given an assignment to create a canvas with mulitple photos (see my next post!). We'll see how I do. Photoshop is one thing I'd love to learn and use. We headed to Rumbi for lunch. Mmm....love their Mahi! Taipan was next on our list. We had a great time just walking around and getting lots of ideas for gifts and home. We had a great time talking food, design, fashion, church, friends...what a fabulous day!

It was the most wonderful of surprises when my dear friend, Kathy called me and told me she was in town. She asked if I had time to see her. Are you kidding?! Of course, I had time! Jackie didn't want to miss the chance to see her either and ran over as soon as I told her. So, so glad she called me...love you, Kath!

What a wonderful month making great memories with friends and family! I missed seeing a few of you this time around, but hopefully we can get together soon!

Back to school (already!) and scout camp...

Today was a busy day.

We started early by getting Josh off to scout camp. Up until now, he's only done overnight camps, but this week he will be gone for SIX days! Kinda weird sending your child away for that long. I still can't believe all these little milestones that keep coming and going so fast. I gave him a lecture about keeping his whistle/compass with him at all times. Seems like there are always a few boy scouts that get lost each year and it's not going to be him! I have one goal for camp this week: come home with as many merit badges as possible. Since I'm such a capable scout mom (um, yea), I am relying heavily on good leaders and other moms that have already braved their way through scoutland. Oh the joys.

Next, Andrew and Sarah got all spruced up for their first day of school. Wait. Didn't we just end the school year? Oh yea, we did. So it goes with year round school. I felt a little mixed about school starting today. Looking forward to a routine and more food around the house (all they do when they are home is eat!). However, I'm not so excited about having to be "responsible mommy." You know, actually signing papers, paying attention to projects, reading minutes etc. Ugh. We took our traditional stand-by-the-front-door-on-the-first-day-of-school photos. Note Andrew's new shoes...he was especially excited. Note Sarah's absence of her glasses...mom, not so excited(they are currently lost). Here's to a new school year whether I'm ready or not!

Lately, I've been loving age three

*warning: frequent use of the word cute in this post*
Ask me this question about 6 weeks ago and I would have told you 3 was the new 2. I was about ready to sell Jenna to the gypsies. However, we've experienced a really nice change the last couple weeks and I'm hoping this new and improved Jenna is here to stay. I could be wrong, but I'm thinking a big part of it is the achievement of being potty trained. It's almost like she could feel the tension before and acted out. Now that she doesn't feel that I'm uptight about it, she's relaxed as well. Mind you, she's certainly not perfectly behaved, but we haven't had any lotion, shampoo, make-up encounters lately (see old posts for reference).
She is just exuding cuteness. I find myself clenching my teeth and squeezing her cute panty-clad bottom and excessively kissing her cheeks and neck! I am I the only one that does that? Sometimes don't you just have to grit your teeth over the cuteness of something?!
She is so expressive right now. I was just feeding the kids lunch and apparently I set Jenna's cup of juice down a little too hard. Jenna exclaimed, "Mom, don't spank it!" Note to moms...don't spank your child's cup of juice! lol She not only expresses herself through words, but loves to dance and sing. I just crack up watching her sing and move to songs on tv and in movies...shaking her hips twisting her hands. One recent favorite is performing the "Augustus Gloop" song from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." She especially loves the part where Oompa Loompas are swimming and singing in the chocolate river...she lays right down on the floor and imitates the movements.
Jenna has also gotten much more involved with the older kids. She wants to be doing what they are doing. Often yelling out, "Kids! Come on...," or "Hey guys!" This photo is a perfect example. She had to play "Rock Band" with all the cousins. Don't you love how she totally has the drum pose down? She is also a big Guitar Hero (or i-tar as she says) fan. The other day we were adjusting the radio in the car and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" came on. She immediately started singing the lyrics. Yesterday, she was playing "I Spy" on the computer with her cousin Davis. As we were looking for clues, we came across a bearded knight. Jenna confidently stated, "Mom, that's not Jesus."
I love being with her, playing with her and mostly just watching her right now. Maybe it's because I'm trying to hang onto any bit of baby that is left in her, but I also think it's the big girl that is coming out in her. It's just wonderful to see her cute little self blossom. Ahhh, such a fun age!

Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy anniversary!

(sung in my best Mike Myers as the father on "So I Married An Axe Murderer.")

Today Chad and I celebrated our 14th anniversary! I wanted to make some joke about it feeling so much longer, but really it hasn't. Time has flown by (except at the movie tonight). ;) Chad and I still love hanging out together...he is my best friend and I am so grateful we are a team.

Chad gets major kudos in the husband gift giving department. A couple weeks ago, I saw a lady w/ a super cute purse and I asked her where she got it. I haven't thought about it again until....I opened up the same purse this morning! How great is he that he totally took note of that. He always listens and observes so well when he's planning something for me. He is so sweet about it. He loves surprising and spoiling me (and I love it, too!) Thank you Chad! :)

Chad made reservations at Epic, a great restaurant in Fort Union. They have the most delicious flat bread; we had one with dried cranberry English cheddar, grilled chicken and a parsley aioli. The salads are just as delicious. We tried one with grilled poblano chili, mango and a white basalmic vinaigrette. For our entrees, Chad had a shrimp pasta dish with a ginger soy and pineapple sauce. I tried the marlin with a 3 olive and tomato sauce. Are you hungry yet? We've eaten here once before and liked it even better the second time around. Mmmmm!!

We then headed to the movie. We were looking forward to seeing Batman, BUT we had to get some dessert first. We went to Marble Slab to get our favorite ice cream. For any Coldstone fans our there, Marble Slab is much better. More choices, better ice cream. The ice cream is so good, I don't even get the mix-ins! By far, my favorite is the the coconut.

It was such a wonderful night. 5 consecutive hours together, uninterrupted by kids and responsibilities; I can't think of anything better. Thank you Chad!! Happy Anniversary...I look forward to infinity more with you!