9 years ago....

I was 24 and I had Jonah on Sept. 18th at 1:10 in the morning. I remember being excited but scared about not knowing much about babies. I had only been married for a little over a year and was still experiencing the newness of it. We lived in a little yellow house that was split into 5 apartments. It was a one bedroom apt. with a swamp cooler that I remember turning on and being sprawled onto our bed waiting for the cool air to get to our room so we could sleep comfortably. We still had our little Geo Prism and it was our only car. It was a great car.

Life was so simple and great. It still is great, but not as simple.

Jonah just turned 9 last week. He had a good birthday. We didn't do much but he got the one present he was dying to have. Lucky boy! I love him. He is a good boy and Jake and I really wanted him to have it.

I can't believe he is 9 though. When people tell you that your baby will grow up so fast you won't even believe it.........they are telling the truth!

Here is the happy birthday boy!

I promise this is the only picture without a helmet. Jake and I are pretty strict when it comes down to the noggin.

DANG IT !!!

I just ate WAY too many Doritos while talking to my sister on the phone.

Why did I buy them? So I could put a small amount in my kids lunches every now and then because I hardly buy them and thought it would be a treat.

Now I know why I stopped buying them! Can't just have one. Isn't that a different companies slogan?

Well, at least I'm swimming tonight. :)

I will refrain next time I walk past the bag on the counter.

Contemplating Dad.

Well, my Dad would have turned 59 on Sunday the 14th of September. It's crazy to think it has been 4 years since I lost him to a heart attack. It's crazy to think about those who do not have the knowledge we have and if I hadn't, I wonder where I would be today. I love what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaches us about what happens after we die. It is a comfort to know that I will see my Dad again. I'm glad I had him for 29 years of my life before he had to go. I do wish that my children knew him more. Jonah and Gavin were pretty young. Jonah remember's him as the "tickle monster" who would show him the "scarey door" (their garage door sounded like a monster when it would open). Gavin, I don't think remembers very much as he was not quite 2 when he passed. I'm sure Breck knew him in Heaven but probably won't remember that until after her life on this earth.

I feel for everyone who has lost a loved one. It isn't easy to do. Sometimes is sucks really bad. Sometimes it is hard not to be mad or jealous when you hear someone say,"My Mom or Dad had cancer and now they are ok." or "My Dad had a heart attack but is still alive." I know it sounds sick. It is just true sometimes. I just feel it isn't fair sometimes, that's all.

On a happier note, he was a fabulous Dad who was really funny and smart.

I found some pictures of him and me together recently. I had to take a picture of the pictures so I could upload them. I didn't have a digital camera back then. I don't think they were invented yet. (It was 10 years ago!!)

Well, those were my feelings today:)

Here is my Dad in our boat we had many years ago at Table Rock Lake. I loved it when he wore his hat backwards. (it was so it wouldn't fly off into the water)

This is my and Dad at my Provo reception for Jake's family and friends.

This was at my CA reception in our backyard.

Amazing Grace

Wow. I had not been to the Utah State Capital building for many years. Recently, my friend Wendy invited me and the kids to go on a tour of the amazing place. Her Dad used to be a House Representative and now is a Lobbyist for Tooele County. He told us to come up at a certain time and we met him there and got a tour. It is so beautiful inside and out. It reminds me of the temple in that the landscaping is beautifully done, and it is super clean and fancy inside. I know it is different than the temple, but there is a spirit you feel in it too. More of a patriotic spirit, if you will.
Anyway, here are some pictures I took of the day.

This is inside looking up into the dome. Georgous! Fancy!

This room was called the Gold Room, I wonder why?

Here we are in front of one of the Security guards. Heehee!

"Oh, say can you see the coolest flag of all waving?"

This is in the middle of all of the buildings around the Capital building.

I absolutely love this one. I think it shows how huge the building really is. Love the blue skies that day!

If I had graduated in 1994?

Okay. I graduated High School in 1992 and my hair looked nothing like this. I did have a hairspray, fake nails, and flanel shirt phase. Not all at once though. This is some website that allows you to download a pic of your face and put it with different yearbook photos from 1950-2000. It is hilarious to experiment with. This was the totally dudical raddist one I found. Has anyone seen the movie "Say Anything"? I would so fit into that movie, don't you think?

The site is http://www.yearbookyourself.com/ : have fun!

Oh, here is one I did with Jake's face. Hubba hubba!

~~~~~Our lovely living planet~~~~~~

Growing up in CA, I saw many cool aquariums. I have always been fascinated by marine life.
On Labor Day, we went to the Living Planet Aquarium here in Sandy. It was pretty cool and pretty crowded too. We went to it a long time ago when it was at the Gateway. I remember feeling ripped off because of the price we paid and the size of the tiny exhibit. Well, they are still trying to collect money so they can build a humongous aquarium somewhere in Salt Lake City. I saw the sketches of it and it looks like it would be really neat when it happens. I'm sure it costs aaaaaalooooooot of money to build. I still think it is pretty pricey to go, but on the first Monday of every month from 5-7pm it is family night. This means half price. We got in for $14 instead of $28. Ages 2 and under are free. It is a little bit bigger than it was at the Gateway. The kids loved it. You can touch Sting Ray's and they have sharks.

Back To Schoooooooooooooooool

Well, I love my boys. I do. A lot.

I am happy that school has started though. I love the structure everyday and that I have a little more free time. It's strange to have two gone for a large chunk of the day. They are loving school and their teachers. I don't feel bad that they leave for a little while.

Now I need to find some fun things for Breck and I to do during the week. I thought about getting another 6 month pass to Discovery Gateway because she loved going there.

We did have to hit up Lagoon before it shut down to just weekends too. I love the expression on Breck's face. It was sheer joy riding "Bulgy the Whale". (Whoever is in charge of naming the rides needs to be fired.)

I'm excited for Fall weather too. I love to put on jeans and a sweater. Then, when winter comes, I'm ready for Spring/Summer again. :) I love 3 seasons and not the 4th.

I just took a few pics today of the kids. I think they are pretty cute kids. I'm not biased AT ALL either.

Baby Brother

I have always wanted to do a post on my little brother Jay. He is serving an LDS mission in Montevideo, Uruguay. He comes home this November and I am so excited to see him. He is doing such a great job as a missionary there. I read his letters every week and laugh, cry, or whatever. He tells good stories. He is a great influence on the people he is serving. He is awesome!
I'm the oldest of 6 kids. 3 girls, 3 boys. Jay was the last one to come 6 years after my sister, Melinda.
He was still a Senior in High School when my Dad passed away. I worried that he would be messed up.
You know, sometimes kids go off the deep end when they lose a parent or loved one. I know many that have. Not Jay. He is so strong and I'm so proud of him. I miss him. However, when he gets back, he will be coming up to Utah to go to BYU. I can't wait!
Here are some cute pics he sent with his last letter.

Jay with a goat or something.

Jay with one of his companions. Jay is the taller one.

I think this is Jay with a previous comp. who got injured pretty bad when doing a service project.

Watcher in the Woods or City or Wherever.....

If you haven't seen this, you might get a kick out of it. Jake and I had a good and hearty laugh. It is true that Google is huge. I thought this was cleverly done. I love it when things are made fun of, unless it is to be cruel, of course. This is the funniest of the segments.( there are 4) Hopefully, you are familiar with GoogleMaps.

The ABC's of Me.

WOW! I'm on a blogging spree lately.
Here are some facts about me done in a different way.
A is for Age: 33
B is for Burger of choice: In-n-Out
C is for the Car I drive: Blue Mazda MPV
D is for your Dog's name: Don't have one, probably never will.
E is for Essential item you use everyday: Arbonne chapstick. (I hate dry lips!)
F is for Favorite TV show at the moment: Olympics right at this moment, but I can't wait for the Office and LOST to come back.
G is for favorite Game: Nertz (spell check please?)
H is for Home state: I will always say California, although I have lived in Utah for 12 years now.
I is for Instruments you play: I used to play piano and violin.
J is for favorite Juice: Ruby Red Grapefruit
K is for whose bum you would like to Kick: this is random, nobody at the moment. Sometimes, my kids, but in a loving way:)
L is for Last restaraunt you ate at: Red Robin
M is for your favorite Muppet: who made these question's up? I guess Grover. He is super.
N is for Number of piercing's at one time: Haha! 4 total in my ears.
O is for Overnight hospital stays: 3, One for each baby.
P is for People you were with today: Just my kids and hubby, so 4.
Q is for what you do with your Quiet time: blog, surf internet, watch olympics lately, and today I will go read my Camera manual. (I have a lot to learn)
R is for biggest Regret: I wish I hadn't been mad at my Dad over the phone at our last conversation before he died. Okay, I know this one is really serious but true. I don't beat myself up about it though. He knows I loved him so much.
S is for Status: Happily Married
T is for the Time you woke up today: I wake up many times during the night, but officially got out of bed to start my day at 8:36am.
U is for what's Unique about you: I have a large oval-shaped birth mark under my right arm.
V is for a Vegetable you love: Cucumbers in vinegar......mmmmmmmm.
W is for Worst habit: Sometimes I bite my nails.
X is for X-Rays you have had: Not too many, but can't remember exactly. Last one was a few weeks ago at a Chiropractor's office.
Y is for Yummy food you have eaten today: Cereal and fruit for breakfast, haven't had lunch yet. Z is for Zodiac sign: Scorpio

Okay, is that more than what you wanted to know about me?
I tag everyone who would like to waste time like I just did doing this. Hahahaha!

A FoRcE tO bE REckoNeD WiTh

My mind has been blown! I have had so much fun watching the machine of a man, Michael Phelps, win 8 gold medals. It is crazy to me how well he swims.

I love the Olympics! I love the feeling of proudness I get being a part of this great country we live in. Summer Olympics is my favorite! I love almost every event that happens in Summer Olympics. I hate that Nastia got silver on uneven bars. Obviously, should have been gold. We will probably find out that the Chinese girl who won is only 14 too. She is good but had many more mistakes.

I could go on and on about that.

Phelps is crazy fast and has brought my blood pressure way up many times this past week watching him swim. He is a fish. I'll bet if we looked harder, we would see gills on his sides:)

Go USA!

I'm awaiting the Final's for Kerri Walsh and Misty May-T.

Okay, I just had to post about it all! I'm done.

I hope you are all watching!!!

Binky No More!

Well, she did it! Breck has survived the "taking away of the binky"! I initially did it as an experiment. She asked for "my binky", as she does almost all day long. I got one off the kitchen counter and cut the rubber part that goes in her mouth. I just took about a couple of centimeters off. She happily put it in her mouth and I watched. She kept playing with it with her tongue but had a strange look on her face. After about 15 seconds, she took it out and stared at it. Then she handed it to me. I said, "Should we put it in the trash?" She said yes. After a minute or two, she wanted it again. I handed her the same one(washed off, of course). She would say, "NO!" and swat it away. This lasted a few days of giving her the same "broken" one and now she is my big girl! It has been a couple of weeks now. We had a minor set back when Jake let her get on the kitchen counter to get a cup out of the cupboard and she found the binky stash that I forgot to throw away. I looked up and it was happily in her mouth. OH NO! I took it quickly out and took them straight to the outside trash. She was upset for about a minute but then we distracted her.

I'm so glad it's gone! The only thing that makes me sad is that this means she is growing up. :(

Before, yes, it was a big problem! Haha.

After. I love that we can see her pretty little lips and smile more often now. :)

Good Practice.

Well, today I went with a good friend to take some pictures of her kiddos. They are super darling children, but wow, it is hard to get those little people to stand still together. Whoever specializes in children must be very patient and creative. I don't know if I'm there at all.

Here are a few of what I got today. I don't have a lens that lets me get too far away yet. I had to be pretty close to get a good shot.

Here are some of my favorites:

Little Bode was waiting for his Mom to come out of this church so I got a cute relection shot.

Bode, Lucas, and Alanna.
Cute and happy kids.
Lucas has electric blue eyes. Adorable!

Love it.

~~~~~~~~H2O~~~~~~~~~

I started the Master's Swim Team last week at the Rec. Center near by. I was a little nervous to go. The first night I had butterflies on the way there. Oh man, I thought I'd be way out of my league or that it would be way too much for me.

Well, I absolutely love it! I have always loved to swim but never swam competitively growing up. I swam, I was a lifeguard for about 7 years or so but that was it. I know the strokes pretty well but never swam for exercise.

I love it! It kicks my butt too! It is a great workout and I'm excited to get into shape this way. The coaches I've met so far are great. Today we focused only on the details of the back stroke. It was cool. This is the stroke where you get the most water up your nose. I got plenty. If for some reason I'm sitting around and "drippage"(don't think it's a word) occurs from my nose, this is why.

If anyone is into swimming and wants to do it for exercise, let me know. I would love to go with people. I go Tuesday(night), Thursday(night), and Saturday mornings so far. It is $35/month for non-members of the rec. center. I think you just pay as you go each month. I started with one to see if I liked it. I hope to keep going and improve my technique and move up to the "fast lane".
(Not me in the picture. I just liked it.)

July Funtime

I need to figure out how to do a slide show so you don't have to scroll down to see a bunch of pics. Mabye next time:)

This year for the 24th of July(but on the 23rd), we went to the Bountiful City parade. If you haven't done this yet, do it next year. You do, however, have to show up to Main St. at a very early time that morning to lay down your blankets or chairs to save your spot or you might not get one. Our friends were kind enough to get up and do it for us! It is a great little parade. Almost every float or group of people going by throw candy at the kids. They, of course, loved this. They would run out into the road and collect and keep a pile. It is almost like Halloween, sort of. Okay, not Halloween, but enough candy for the evening. Jake wanted to try to get a picture with random mascots that went by. He started this halfway through the parade so he only got a couple. It was fun to get him to run out and pose with them though. Later that night was the fireworks show at Mueller Park Jr. High. We went to our friends house near there and got a fantastic view of the show. I love fireworks!

We had some good friends come into town for a week and we got to see them a couple of times. They are in Med. school and are in between sessions so they came to Utah(they are both from Bountiful/Woods Cross) to see family and friends. Since they are locals, they took us to a really fun park up in the hills of Bountiful. North Canyon Park. We will be going there frequently. As a family, our favorite thing to do on Sunday nights is go to parks and hang out when it's cooler weather. Anyone want to go? :0)

It was a fun week that ended with fireworks and my sister Melinda coming to visit. I don't have any more visitors coming for a while now.......boohoo!



Our good friends, Craig and Janalyn.
The boys!! Rockwell, Gavin, Jonah, and Noah.
Me and Janalyn at the parade.
Jake and random "gumby cookie" as I called it.
Everybody loves the Frosty!

24th Fireworks show!!
24th! I think these turned out pretty cool with the new camera.

My youngest sister, Melinda.

Me and the Babe.

COME BACK MOM!!

It is always fun to have my Mom come visit us here in Utah. She is so busy at home. When we go visit her she is always on her way out the door to work or school or a rehearsal or something. I'm glad she is busy, but it is too busy sometimes. When she comes to Utah she can't leave for work or school or rehearsals. hahahaha (my evil laugh). I love that we have her full undivided attention.(sorry Robyn and Melinda) It's not her fault she is so busy though. I love her and I'm glad she came up to spend time with us and her grandchildren. It is always fun to have her here. Whilst she was here, we went swimming, shopping, on a pretty drive, and to temple square. We had a nice time.

I love you Mom.

"They" say I'm a Spoon.

Well, I always laugh when I or people say, "They say......." Do you know what I mean? For example: "They say that if you shave your head or chest hair(men, of course) or between your eyebrows, it will grow back thicker." or "They say that if you swallow chewing gum takes 7 years to get through our digestive system." or "They say that everbody has a twin somewhere in the world." or "They say the average person swallows 8 spider's per year." What the....!!! No we don't!!! How would they even know that? Who are they?
Well, I took another quiz. What type of Utensil am I? Excuse me? Utensil? What is next?
Any good "they say" comments that you have heard?

You Are a Spoon

You are a well rounded, balanced person. You are friendly and welcoming. You get along with everyone. You are easy going and laid back. You don't have any hang ups. Non judgmental and accepting, you are a comfort to people around you.

What Utensil Are You?

Bragging and Birthdays!!

Okay. I realized I had missed a few important things that have happened in June and July.


First, Jake ran the Wasatch Back which is a relay race from Logan to Park City, Ut. It was hard, he got sore, and still has two dead toenails from it. :) I'm so proud of him for running it and I wanted to brag about it for him! There were quite a few people in our ward that ran it too. We were thinking maybe a couple's team for next year and I will do it. Crazy, huh? It is.


We'll see. I'm not promising anything right now.

That is the Ragnar Relay Motto! It is 100% true.
Jake with a few of his teammates. There were 12 total.

Also, Jake had a birthday. He is now my age. Haha. I'm 8 months older than him. I know, I know, it's sick! I totally robbed the cradle.






Last but not least, today is Gavin's 6th birthday. Happy Birthday! It has been a fun day. We took Gavin and a few of his friends to see "Horton Hears a Who!" I loved it! It was just the right amount of funny and cute. It's at the dollar theatre if anyone wonders.

6 already?!!!

The Birthday Gang. Jonah, Alanna, Gavin, Marshal, Match, and Collette.