UTAH!!!
The day Justin finished his exams we headed out on our way to Utah. Kind of a surprise trip, but I am finding I LOVE spontaneity and I LOVE going. Anywhere. Change of scenery I guess. Another way I am just like my mom. My mom and dad were coming up from California so we thought we'd meet them there and enjoy the good ol' USA!
Anyway, the trip from Edmonton to Provo, Utah takes about 17 hours. The kids did pretty good. THANK GOODNESS FOR DVD PLAYERS!!!!!!! Really. Lifesaver. They...WE were all SO happy to get out of the car. This was the first thing they went to...the guinea pigs! They LOVE them!! They can enjoy them there. :)
Kara and Kate hang out with their cousins Samara and Kea. I really wish we lived closer. :(
It was so cute watching them feed the guinea pigs. Carrots, lettuce, fingers...oops, only twice.
See. I told you she loved them!
We went to TUCANOS!! Mmmmm. I love that place. Tucanos has a buffet and I've decided that buffets are the way to go when you go out to eat with kiddos. You can get small amounts of a lot of different foods right away. Kids don't have to wait to eat their delicious buns, corn, mandarin oranges, fruit, or meat.
Kate wanted to eat the lemon, so I let her. Ha!!
Cousins outside of Tucanos!
Me and my kiddos. Zach's even peeking in there in the back. :)
Papa and MerMer (mom mom's name is Mary...this is how they tell the grandma's apart...) drove late into the night and came and saw us on Friday morning. Papa and Kara doing a hat trick.
Cousins outside of Tucanos!
Me and my kiddos. Zach's even peeking in there in the back. :)
Papa and MerMer (mom mom's name is Mary...this is how they tell the grandma's apart...) drove late into the night and came and saw us on Friday morning. Papa and Kara doing a hat trick.
Mom got an awesome deal on Web-kins and brought one up for all of the kids. They loved them. Zach named his Zebra "black and white stripes." Original. I know. :)
Later that day we headed out to Salem Pond to spend some time with the Crippen Cousins. They went fishing and actually caught something...but it got away.
Playing with the (hopefully) hook-less tackle.
That night all of the adults got to go on a date! We went to delicious Carabba's and then to Riverwoods to walk around. The problem with vacationing is that we take pictures, but it isn't always with my camera. It is just whoever has theirs takes it, but I guess not EVERY moment needs to be documented. :) This picture was taken at the Provo Beach resort. We did arcade games, walked around, and did some surfing. Professional. I know. :)
The next day we went to a big park and had a picnic with the Crippens. Zach LOVES cantaloupe. I didn't know he snagged the whole thing. Stinker. 
See?! I told you! 
Kara got lost in Grandpa's hat.
Cookie eyes. Why not?
All the rave.
Oh Kate.
There was this cute old barn there at the park, so we took a picture at it. That's all the rave too, right?
Afterward we went to Utah Lake to my sister's paddling club. They paddle in an outrigger.
The kids had a lot of fun with the hose and pool. And we all got sunburned. Whoops.
MOTHER'S DAY MORNING!!!!
The next day we went to a big park and had a picnic with the Crippens. Zach LOVES cantaloupe. I didn't know he snagged the whole thing. Stinker. See?! I told you! Kara got lost in Grandpa's hat.
Cookie eyes. Why not?
All the rave.
Oh Kate.
There was this cute old barn there at the park, so we took a picture at it. That's all the rave too, right?
Afterward we went to Utah Lake to my sister's paddling club. They paddle in an outrigger.
The kids had a lot of fun with the hose and pool. And we all got sunburned. Whoops.
MOTHER'S DAY MORNING!!!!Our men made us delicious fluffy white pancakes, turkey bacon, and a smoothie. YUMMERS!!
The Sunburned Mama and all her gifts. I love them. Life is crazy and busy and hard, but it is so fun and funny, and full of life and noise.
Mother's Day 2011
They gave me this awesome cookbook I've wanted for a while. "Our Best Bites," a blog I pretend to follow, put it out. I've tried some of their recipes and they are great. I am really excited to make each page a meal on my monthly menu...which is a Mother's day resolution I've made. It'll start after we move... :) So will the eating healthy again...but wait. Their breads and treats look delicious too! Oh dear.
My Mamasita relaxing on Mother's Day at our mini-spa. I love her. She really does make life so fun and just makes things happen. I really, really, really, wish I lived closer to her. I miss her a lot. She taught me a lot and still does. It has been so fun to become friends with her and not just being her daughter. Justin always says, "you are just like your mom." And I say, THANK YOU! And I mean it. I LOVE YOU MOMMY!!!
A bad quality picture of a good quality moment! :) This was from some one's camera. Like I said, it is whatever camera is around. I'm going to make sure mine is always around next time. I loved feeling this tiny long fingered hands rubbing my legs and feet. I used to do that to my mom. Now I know why she loved it so much! I LOVE YOU KIDDIES!
Such a cute picture of Kara and Uncle Cody!
The next night we had a sleep over at Chris and Sherelda's house. We all stayed up late. The kids were too excited to sleep and the parents too talkative! Chris had just gotten an iPod and was reminiscing on old high school music...Erasure, Richard Marx, Brian Adams, Depeche Mode...It was great! Earlier that day I got to go help at his club volleyball practice. That was a lot of fun too! It made me excited to someday be a coach and sneak in my own play time!
Zach and Tyler
Silly Boys
The girls in their MerMer pjs with their cousin Aubree. They are 5 months apart. Aubree has 6 older brothers! She is definitely the pink princess of the family! So cute.
I loved this one of these two!
Von trapps?
BYU Duck Pond!!! This was a walk down memory lane for Justin and I. I LOVE BYU. I hope all of my kids go there. It was an amazing experience and a beautiful campus.
There were THE CUTEST ducklings. One of the cutest kinds of baby animals. Duckings.
Along the hill ascending to the BYU campus they have totally redone the walking paths and waterway. It is beautiful. The trees were just beginning to blossom and the tulips were out. My favorite! I love tulips and daffodils! I LOVE SPRING! SUN! Non-SNOW!!!! Weeeeeeeeeee!!!
Kara helping Pap see rainbows the whole way! :)
Pretty, eh?!
Zach taking a dip.
Kate's turn!!
The Sunburned Mama and all her gifts. I love them. Life is crazy and busy and hard, but it is so fun and funny, and full of life and noise.
Mother's Day 2011
They gave me this awesome cookbook I've wanted for a while. "Our Best Bites," a blog I pretend to follow, put it out. I've tried some of their recipes and they are great. I am really excited to make each page a meal on my monthly menu...which is a Mother's day resolution I've made. It'll start after we move... :) So will the eating healthy again...but wait. Their breads and treats look delicious too! Oh dear.
My Mamasita relaxing on Mother's Day at our mini-spa. I love her. She really does make life so fun and just makes things happen. I really, really, really, wish I lived closer to her. I miss her a lot. She taught me a lot and still does. It has been so fun to become friends with her and not just being her daughter. Justin always says, "you are just like your mom." And I say, THANK YOU! And I mean it. I LOVE YOU MOMMY!!!
A bad quality picture of a good quality moment! :) This was from some one's camera. Like I said, it is whatever camera is around. I'm going to make sure mine is always around next time. I loved feeling this tiny long fingered hands rubbing my legs and feet. I used to do that to my mom. Now I know why she loved it so much! I LOVE YOU KIDDIES!
Such a cute picture of Kara and Uncle Cody!
The next night we had a sleep over at Chris and Sherelda's house. We all stayed up late. The kids were too excited to sleep and the parents too talkative! Chris had just gotten an iPod and was reminiscing on old high school music...Erasure, Richard Marx, Brian Adams, Depeche Mode...It was great! Earlier that day I got to go help at his club volleyball practice. That was a lot of fun too! It made me excited to someday be a coach and sneak in my own play time!
Zach and Tyler
Silly Boys
The girls in their MerMer pjs with their cousin Aubree. They are 5 months apart. Aubree has 6 older brothers! She is definitely the pink princess of the family! So cute.
I loved this one of these two!
Von trapps?
BYU Duck Pond!!! This was a walk down memory lane for Justin and I. I LOVE BYU. I hope all of my kids go there. It was an amazing experience and a beautiful campus. There were THE CUTEST ducklings. One of the cutest kinds of baby animals. Duckings.
Along the hill ascending to the BYU campus they have totally redone the walking paths and waterway. It is beautiful. The trees were just beginning to blossom and the tulips were out. My favorite! I love tulips and daffodils! I LOVE SPRING! SUN! Non-SNOW!!!! Weeeeeeeeeee!!!
Kara helping Pap see rainbows the whole way! :)
Pretty, eh?!
Zach taking a dip.
Kate's turn!! (Please don't drop her...)
TULIPS!!! Justin and I took pictures here the day before I had Zachary and there were tons of beautiful tulips just like this! I love them.
We attempted to take a family picture by the pretty flowers. These days getting more than 3 people to look and smile at the same time is a miracle.
Maybe force will work? Nope, still only 3 looking...
So we just dropped a kid and that still didn't work.
Oh, life.
TULIPS!!! Justin and I took pictures here the day before I had Zachary and there were tons of beautiful tulips just like this! I love them.
We attempted to take a family picture by the pretty flowers. These days getting more than 3 people to look and smile at the same time is a miracle.
Maybe force will work? Nope, still only 3 looking...
So we just dropped a kid and that still didn't work.
Oh, life. It's great. :)
What a handfull! Uncle Cody's da bomb.
Just look at the camera and smile!! Why is this so hard??
Cody took us shooting! It freaks me out that he has a gun and I tell him that, but we had fun!!!
We had a little get together with a few of Justin's mission friends. The Bischoff's, Robert Lewis, Jason Frandsen, the Dibbs, and President and Sister Overton were able to make it. It was a lot of fun to see them again and catch up. Especially for Justin. Yay for Melbourne, Australia Mission!
What a handfull! Uncle Cody's da bomb.
Just look at the camera and smile!! Why is this so hard??
Cody took us shooting! It freaks me out that he has a gun and I tell him that, but we had fun!!!
We had a little get together with a few of Justin's mission friends. The Bischoff's, Robert Lewis, Jason Frandsen, the Dibbs, and President and Sister Overton were able to make it. It was a lot of fun to see them again and catch up. Especially for Justin. Yay for Melbourne, Australia Mission!
