Stating the Obvious

As you can tell, I had a new header and template made for my blog. I LOVE it! It's so much better then my old one. I wish I could take credit for it, but I'm not that creative or technically savvy. Anyway, the person who designed it is Kristen with KMH Scraphic Designs, and she only charges $25 for the custom header and new template. What a steal! Here's her blog info in case you're interested in updating your own blog: http://kmhscraphicdesigns.blogspot.com/.

PS She also did my friend's blog if you want to see it here.

Weekend in Utah

Well, I just spent the day unpacking from yet another trip. Ugh! I love to travel, and this summer has been a lot of fun, but I think I have been gone more than I've been home in the last few months. I almost forget what it's like to just have my normal day-to-day life here in Vegas. I'm so ready to be home for a while that I actually talked Jeff into postponing our trip to Hawaii that we had planned for September. (I know, I'm kind of regretting that now, because a vacation without the kids does sound pretty nice!)

Anyway, we just went up to Utah for a really quick trip this weekend. We arrived around 2:00am Friday night (I guess technically it was Saturday morning!), and the kids were WIRED! Lexi was jumping all over the bed, dancing, singing, and laughing, and Jackson was squealing and making all sorts of noise. We kept trying to calm them down so they wouldn't wake up my sister and her family in the next room.


Saturday we slept in a bit and then went up to Wildwood to see my grandparents. We had a great time visiting. Grandma took Jackson on the swing at the park. I hope I'm still riding swings when I am 88! Then grandma watched Jackson while Jeff and I took Lexi tubing down the Provo River for the first time. We weren't sure how she would do, but she LOVED it. She rode on Jeff's lap, but she would stick her hands and feet in the water, and then she started leaning back and dunking her whole head in the river. It was so funny.

That night we went to Grandma & Grandpa Pope's for Grandpa's huge 85th birthday party. They had a really nice dinner outside in their garden, and there were over 300 people there. Now that's a party! It was a beautiful night.

It was really fun to see a bunch of family and friends there. I also ran into Brother Flake and his wife. They were my teachers for the spring term that I spent at the BYU Jerusalem center, and I love them! Brother Flake loves babies and held Jackson all during dinner for me, which was so nice!

Sunday we went to church and had dinner with my family, and then we got home around 11:30 last night. Today I've done nothing but clean, grocery shop, unpack, do laundry, sort mail, etc., and I'm exhausted! Good thing I have a whole two weeks before our next trip! :)

Tagged

I know, I'm way over due for a new post! This last month has been crazy (I feel like I'm always saying that). I've been gone more than I've been home, so I have a lot of catching up to do before we leave again in a few days...

Anyway, Leslie tagged me, so here you go:

1. What is the best thing you cooked last week? homemade chocolate chip cookies. I modified Jane's recipe just a little, and they are to die for!

2. If money, time and babysitting were no object where would you go and with who? I've always wanted to go to Tahiti. I would go with Jeff, of course, and a group of family or friends - couples only - no kids.

3. When was the last time you cried? I'm trying to think...oh, it was two weeks ago in Utah. Jane and I were watching some chick flick and we both got choked up at one part...and then we immediately burst out laughing at ourselves.

4. What is the most played song on your ipod right now? I can't find it or I would check, but it would be something from my work out play list. Probably "Stay" by No Motiv.

5. Is there something on T.V. this week that you are more excited about than the So You Think You Can Dance Finale? Well, we decided to get rid of TV in our house months ago, so I'm totally out of what's on, but Friday night while I was babysitting/housesitting for my cousin we all gathered and watched the premier of High School Musical II on the Disney Channel. And let me just say.... "You are the music in me....nanana, yea)!" haha

Okay, I tag Jane and Lindsay

Five Years!!

Jeff and I just celebrated our five year anniversary. I can't believe it's been five years since our dramatic/traumatic wedding that almost never happened! :) It's funny to me that I can look back on that day and honestly say that it was both the worst/most miserable and the best/happiest day of my life. (Well, it's funny now!) Fortunately it started awful and ended happy and not the other way around! Note: it helps to decide whether you are going to get married before you actually show up to the ceremony, lol!



On our anniversary I was thinking how fast the time has gone and how much our lives have changed. So, two moves, one law degree (Jeff's), one very short accounting carrer (mine), and two kids later...here we are!

Timpview High School Reunion

Last weekend was my 10 year high school reunion. I wasn't sure what it was going to be like, but I had so much fun and was really happy I went. It was great to see what my classmates were up to and to catch up with my friends.

4th of July

I was in Provo with the kids for the fourth of July. We went to the parade in the morning. It was HOT, but fun.

Then we went up to Wildwood for the rest of the day. I got to go tubing down the Provo river with some of my family, which is one of my favorite things to do. Then I spent the rest of the afternoon chasing Lexi around the cabin and in and out of the river and visiting with family.

Jackson was very entertained by Grandpa Paxman!

Q and Jackson with Uncle Isaac.

Family Vacation

Well, I'm really behind on my blog, so I'm going to keep this short. We spent the last week of June at a beach house in California with my family - all thirty-six of us! We split up into three houses along the same street in San Juan Capistrano, and we had a blast. I think we all agreed it was the best and most fun family vacation we had been on. Here are some of the highlights...

1. Lexi turned two! We got to celebrate her birthday with Jeff's family...And then again with my family the next day. Good thing two year olds don't care if you re-use the same cake!
2. New family photo! Our last one was almost eight years ago, and I think our family has doubled in size since then.
3. Family bonding time. We had a full week of hanging out and having fun together. It was so fun to have the kids get to know their aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents better. Here Jackson is taking a nap with uncle Jon Jon.

And I loved hanging out with my sisters and sisters-in-law.

4. Spending the day at Sea world. When the Shamu show first started, Lexi was scared and started crying, but a few minutes into it I guess she decided to change her attitude, and she spent the rest of the show clapping and saying, "Wow! Wow!"

5. Surfing!! I hadn't surfed in a few years, and I forgot how much I love it. Uncle Whitney taught a bunch of the family how to surf, and this is my niece, Whitney, standing on her first wave.