Utah Highlights Week Two

On Tuesday we got to spend time with Wade and Shirley before they went to New York and we drove them to the airport. It is so hard not living by grandparents!

On Wednesday we started the day with a fabulous cousin party at Nan's house. There were six cousins (including me) and 19 kids! The kids ran and played and had so much fun and the moms laughed and told embarrassing stories (I will post mine, I can't believe I haven't yet). It was just like old times when we were young and all running around together in Panguitch!

In the evening we went to my parents' house for dinner and a swim. I got to see more cousins (John and Jim) and just hang out. It makes me realize once again how much I miss being able to hang out with family!

On Thursday Josh and Abby took us to the zoo. The while alligator was awesome and we had a great time! I can't believe I won't see Josh for over two years!

That night I met Dave's friends (well, after 14 years, they are my friends too---I actually love these guys) for dinner.

Friday I met Martha, my dear teacher friend from FJH my first four years of teaching. We taught right next to each other and both taught 8th grade English. We loved to collaborate on things and I also love to just talk to her. She has two grandkids that she takes care of, so she brought the girl my girls' age, and it was fun!

Saturday we got to take a trip to Sam's Club with Granddad to buy snorkels and then spent the entire day swimming with D and Eric and Joshy. Amelia is swimming the entire length of the pool and back! Mikayla wants her floaties off, but she still needs a lot of help. They also made really cool crafts with Nana. Later we went to D's neighbor's house for a BBQ (See, I didn't forget Utah Lingo).

Monday I headed to Lucky Candice's new house, which is spectacular. It was great to see her. We figured out today that we have been friends since 1996 in U of U married student housing and then ended up neighbors in WX...crazy!

BTW, Amelia took this photo, and I'm not sure why it's blurry. I am also not sure why I seem so tall...the picture of Martha and me is funny too....oh well!

I cannot wait to see my dear husband tomorrow, but I've loved every minute here in Utah.

Utah Highlights Week One, One More to Go!

Okay, it is so fun to hang out in the pool! It is relaxing and keeps the kids so entertained. I also have forgotten how nice it is to have family around and have some help with the kids. Mom is so sweet to the girls and is definitely the only one who will indulge them in a nighttime hot tub swim! She is also the best at playing Barbies and kitchen. It is so foreign to me to have a break in the day where someone else is watching and playing with the kids and I can take a nap (gasp!) or read a book (Ahhhhh!). I am totally taking advantage of it!

This photo kind of got in the wrong spot, and I can't seem to move it, but this was one of the prized times we had with Shirley. They left for New York today, so we tried to spend a lot of time with them before we had to go. She is the sweetest grandma in the world!

We had so much fun driving down to Red Canyon to see my grandparents. We went to Ruby's Inn in Bryce Canyon for Father's Day dinner and stayed in Panguitch. The next day we spent the entire day at the store. The girls loved seeing their Great-Grandparents, and I loved seeing them too, and of course, SHOPPING! On the way home, Mom took the long way through all the tiny Utah towns and we ate at "Mom's Cafe" in a no-stoplight town where Mom used to eat when they would drive home from Provo. It was seriously so much fun!
I miss my Little D so much. D and Amelia will never lose that bond. Eric tortured the kids and D made up for it by letting them do a fabulous makeover and having a sleepover! D, Joshy and I also played cards and talked and laughed, and I was the camp-champ!


Josh was on his senior trip when we first got here, so we picked him up at the airport on Saturday and then HE READ HIS MISSION CALL. It was seriously too cool for words. He will be serving in Sacramento, CA and leaves on August 8 (other little sis's birthday). It was so fun to watch him open his call. Also as a side note, I can't believe he bought the little girls bracelets in Mexico while on his trip. That was seriously so cute. Josh and I also went out to lunch and for ice cream today and had great talks. I love his friend Abby and the girls do too, they even picked her out a necklace at the store, and came home to new Barbie clothes from Josh and Abby!


Okay, look very carefully in the "empty" red chair. Do you see it? It is a dead fish in a bag...

And here is the prized catch...."Goldie." Mikayla would not get rid of it. She carried it from the lake with Grandpa to Nana's house, where Granddad put it in a baggy with water. The next thing I know, they are planning a birthday party for him and wanting to keep it forever....gross.

And here is Grandpa! He was so fun fishing with the girls. We went up to Silver Lake and hiked and had a wonderful picnic and then went fishing. It was really the girls' first time and I can't believe Mikayla caught one!

Grandma Marsh and I walked with the girls around the entire lake. We saw a moose, a mom duck with 8 babies that she almost had separated by a bridge and SNOW! It was one of the best days I've had in a long time.

We had a wonderful lunch with Wade and Shirley (actually a couple of those)! We did lots of yard work today in the front of Nana's house today. Amelia might be the best 5-year-old-yard- girl around. We went to D and Eric's house, we drove by our old WX house, and more.

I also have to mention that Cherry Hill with the cousins was fabulous, but I don't have photos. We are also having a big cousin bash tomorrow at Nan's and then continuing in the evening here at my parents' pool.

We've had action-packed days every day, but these are just the highlights of the first week...so much more to come!

Davey

I cannot believe I am not going to see my Davey for two weeks. Seriously, that is so rough, not to mention that it's over Father's Day. Anyway, it's 3:40AM, and I'm leaving in just a little bit. I've been awake because I am what I refer to as a "nervous flyer." I have spent the last week being a grouch. I worry and have bad dreams and think about everything that can go wrong for a week leading up to my trip. Usually I'm a pretty laid back person, but NOT when it comes to flying. So anyway, this is just an example of why I love my Davey....

Yesterday the girls and I met Dave for lunch in Alpharetta near his office. I had a few things I needed to get done, but I thought since we were down there I could run to Old Navy and return Amelia's shorts and then run next door to Target and buy the girls a toy for the airplane. Well, we did just that, but then as we were leaving Target, I realized I had no keys. I lost them. We went back and forth between the stores and traced our steps. I was getting panicked. I still had dinner unmade for the neighbor, packing to do and no way to drive home. I called Dave and he just said, "Okay, I'll be right there." Seriously, I would have been like, "YOU WHAT?????? HOW DO YOU LOSE CAR KEYS????? YOU WANT ME TO LEAVE THE OFFICE, DRIVE DOWN AND GIVE YOU MY KEY?????" He was flying out on business at 6 last night, so I know it was a total pain. Okay, so my hero saved the day. But, there's more:

So, I'm driving home, and we are saying a prayer thanking God that we were okay (remember, I still had the traveling nerves and was quite frantic and had passed it on to the girls). Then, I call Marla to tell her how she helped me by telling me just the day before about her sermon at church Sunday on peace in stressful situations. I did remember that and turned it into an "adventure" for the kids (slushies and popcorn fed to the birds while sitting on the bench waiting for Dave). Marla then asked what else I had on my key chain (This is the same Marla that is probably now awake ready to drive me to the airport and then work all day...I love her). It then dawned on me that MY GYM PASS with MY NAME is on my key chain. I became frantic. I mean really, anyone would now have about everything they need to get in my house or my cars...and we're going out of town. I then called Dave in a complete panic, but once again, without even raising his voice, he told me to get home, keep calling Old Navy and Target and then call a locksmith to see about changing the locks that night. I can't explain it. He just never gets mad at me...even in all my craziness, he keeps me grounded.

I got home (after about three more prayers) and guess what???? The manager found my keys at Old Navy. They were safe and sound.

So, that's just one of the reasons why I love my Davey. He completes me. Ya, I know that saying is a little corny, but that's how it is. He is the most patient man I've ever known. He loves me competely and I love him. I will miss him way too much!

I Hope

I hope:
That I can get all packed
That my dear friend is not too upset that she has to drive us to the airport at 4AM
That I don't forget anything
That my kids don't get sick
That my house can stay somewhat clean today so I don't leave a messy house
That there is no traffic going in to Atlanta
That I can manage 3 suitcases, 2 carseats and 2 kids
That I don't miss Dave too much
BECAUSE TOMORROW WE LEAVE FOR UTAH!

I can't wait to see my family...I know you are reading this even though you never comment!

Saturday Morning

I love Saturdays when everyone sleeps in, and I get time to myself. The house is a disaster from an unplanned neighbor bash last night. I need to wrap a birthday gift for a party at 11:30. I need to shower. I need to start yard work. However, I've just been sitting here at the computer reading random people's blogs. Is it weird to read blogs of people that you don't know? I mean, I have a hard enough time keeping up with friends' blogs, but it's really interesting to read strangers' blogs. Then it makes me wonder who the heck reads mine. It is very easy to find my blog because of my unusual name, so anyone could stumble across it. I wish there was a way to keep track of people that stop by. Anyway, I digress, I've never taken the time to read strangers' blogs, but it was fun and I can see how it could become addicting.

I love summer. It is so nice to look at my planner each day and see NOTHING on my "Things to do" list. Yesterday we woke up and I had the whole day ahead of me. The house was clean, we had no plans and I just let the girls choose wherever they wanted to go (children's museum). Anyway, I was too busy during the school year and this has been a nice break.

I need a friend to come along and offer to take my kids for a little while Monday so I can get everything ready for Utah. It is very hard to pack when they are tearing things apart. I also need to make dinner for a neighbor who had a baby a month ago and even though it's the night before I leave, I can't let more time go by or the baby will be one by the time I get over there.

I hate weeding, but I love mowing, edging and using the leaf blower. I have a friend who thinks that weeding is therapeutic (spelling?). She pulls out the weeds and feels cleansed. I just feel dirty...and they just grow back.

Yesterday there was something that happened that was a little weird....when we were leaving the Children's Museum we noticed a bird had done his business all over the side of the car (I mean, it was a lot of business). What was really not that big of a deal (after all, it's a '98 Subaru that doesn't impress too many people anyway) kind of turned into one. I just told the girls that we would go to a car wash after lunch. Amelia was horrified. She didn't even want to go to lunch OR stop at Old Navy (to return her shorts and get NEW ONES). She was so worried about the poop on the car. She was worried that people would see the poop. She was worried that people would laugh at the poop. I mean seriously, I was incredulous. Who cares about poop on your car? We would get it off eventually. Well, Amelia cared. Dave thought it was funny. She does kind of have a clean thing in her little brain, but I was more worried that she was so concerned with what people thought. Is this a nature or nurture thing? I swear I don't worry too much about what people think of me (just look at my car) but now I'm worried that I've done something to make her be so concerned about what other people think.

By the way, I am raising good girls and it makes me proud. They take such good care of each other. Amelia is always helping Mikayla. They teach each other and play and entertain each other every minute of every day. I watch how they interact and listen to what they say to each other when they don't know that I'm listening, and they are so cute....most of the time, just not when I'm on the phone :)

This post turned into a journal entry....now it's 10:00 and I am JUST hearing the family stirring. The house is still a disaster, but I'll still worry about it later.

I can't wait to go to Utah Tuesday. I am not looking forward to traveling. It's hard to drive the hour (with no traffic) to the airport and sit there for two hours just in case there is traffic. It's hard to juggle luggage and carseats and kids alone. It's a long flight BUT we have no layover for the first time. AND, does it really matter when the end result is that we will see our family?????

Sun

I love the sun. I love to be hot, and yes, even to sweat. I love to wake up in the morning and wait for the sun. I love the evenings when the sky is pink and beautiful, but then I get sad when the sun is gone. I love to be outside, sometimes being active and sometimes just sitting and basking in the sun's warmth. I am not myself in the winter, or when it is cloudy. Summer makes me a better person, seriously.