SF Zoo

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the SF Zoo. Ellie definitely enjoyed the trip. Besides a little issue with some cotton candy, we had a great day. None of us had ever been to the SF Zoo before and I can't honestly remember the last time I had been to any zoo. (Man we really need to have a baby so we can go do these fun things again!) We were a little nervous to visit the tigers but we made it out okay.

The Beach

On Friday we were able to go to the beach for the afternoon. It was really fun. The weather was a bit chilly for my taste so I did not get into the water like some people. The scenery was beautiful though and it was a nice way to spend the afternoon.

Baby Blessing

We went to San Francisco this past weekend for the blessing of our new nephew Benjamin. It was such a great trip and such a great opportunity for us. We are so glad to be part of such a great family and so happy that we were able to be there to support Mike and Maile and also to be there to see Benjamin (and Ellie too!)

Here are some pictures of that precious baby. He is so good. You hardly heard a peep out of him the entire weekend. Seriously!

Autumn Test

Since we are talking fall right now I took this quiz just to see what it had to say. It was pretty accurate I guess. Try it for yourself and see what you think! Your Autumn Test Results

You are a dynamic, vibrant person. You aren't afraid to pursue your passions. When you are happiest, you are calm. You appreciate tradition and family. You enjoy feeling cozy. You embrace change. You love change. You see change as a rebirth. You find novelty to be the most comforting thing in the world. You love anything that's new or unusual. Your ideal day is spent in contemplation. You enjoy a quiet day where you can take time to think and day dream. You tend to live in the moment. You enjoy whatever is going on, and you don't obsess over the past or future.

The Autumn Test

Changing Seasons

Today is the first day of FALL! You wouldn't really know it around here but I can always pretend. I would love to live in a place where there are actually seasons... Oh to dream! But we get HOT and then all of a sudden it is freezing... That is what usually happens around here. So the few weeks (and I mean few) that we actually have nice weather are wonderful. It is still in the high, high 90s right now and that doesn't seem like Fall to me. But if they tell me it is Fall I am going to believe them and going to start acting like it is. That means the decorations are going to start showing up around my house and soup will start being cooked and the before you know it Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas will soon be here!

WEEKEND WRAP-UP

We really had a nice weekend. Got some rest, got a few things done and were able to just relax and get ready for the busy week ahead of us and the trip we are trying to prepare for....

* Had a great talk with Lina from Sweden who lives in the UK!
* Went to a Celebrate Life party for our friends, who lost a loved one
* Had dinner with friends
* Washed the cars (okay Dan did)
* Did some organizing and cleaning in the house
* Made our Halloween cards
* Watched the Steelers lose their first game (we are still in mourning)
* Watched our Primary Program at church
* Did some work that I hadn't finished on Friday (oops!)

We are now ready for the week and hopefully ready to head out of town on Thursday night! YEAH!!!

ARRR you ready for today???

Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day... Don't believe me? Take a look HERE and see for yourself....

It is just another fun day to celebrate and and get a little crazy... but not too crazy. I have put on my favorite pirate loving T-shirt and am ready to celebrate the day. Don't know how much talking like a pirate I will do, but at least I am showing my support with wearing my shirt that says "I love Pirates"... that works for me!

Friends

Yesterday I had the chance to sit down with a friend of mine that I haven't actually talked to in a while and it was great. I see this person all the time but never really "talk" to her. I decided it was time that we actually sat down and talked, and it was great.

I am so blessed to have so many great friends in my life. A lot of my friends are people that I don't see on a regular basis. Some of them are people who live far away, or who I don't talk to that often but they are some of the most important people in my life and I am so lucky to have them in my life. I am so thankful for the relationships that I do have with them and to know that I can call on them no matter what and that no matter how much time has passed we can always pick up right where we have left off.

That is what I love about this whole blogging thing and the computer. I have been able to re-connect with some of these friends that I speak of because of blogging and the computer. I am now able to be in contact with people from my past and see how they are and tell them about me and my family. It is wonderful. I have also been able to make new friends on here as well. It is a great connector.

I think that I am blabbing but I also think that many can relate to what I am saying (I hope!). I love my friends and I feel lucky to have so many. I wish many of them were closer, but I am thankful for the times that we have to spend together and cherish the memories that we make.

WEEKEND WRAP-UP: Marvin and Maria

We had visitors in town this weekend and had an unexpected change in plans....

Marvin and Maria arrived from LA late on Thursday night. We made our way out to a late night dinner to start our weekend off right. After a long night.... heading to bed at 5:30am..... Marvin noticed that his eye was really hurting. He didn't get much sleep and woke up early to go to get some eye drops. We had planned on going out to the lake on Friday but plans quickly changed. He ended up at the eye doctor and found out that he had a viral infection in his eye. He was now taking 3 different eye drops 9 times a day.... wow! No jet skis for us.

We decided to just hit the outlets instead. Maria and I were okay with this change in plans. We shopped the day away and then went to Buca Di Beppo's for dinner on Friday.

Saturday we had to go back to the eye doctor for Marvin to be checked again. His eye was pretty swollen in the morning but they said the infection looked better but that he had a pretty bad abrasion on it. Nothing to serious would be in the plans for today. We headed home to hang out. The boys watched hours, and hours of football while us girls soaked up some summer sun in the backyard. For dinner we had Claim Jumper. Maria and I then decided we wanted to see a movie so we went to watch "The Women"... the boys did not join us!

We had a great weekend. Not quite what we planned but still tons of fun and great to see them and enjoy our time together. Marvin felt bad that he "ruined" the trip but it didn't matter to us. The lake will be there next time and we can always try it again when they come back to visit us again.

Grab some Popcorn!

Okay... so Kami, over at the Biggie Blog, had a fun idea. Her family usually gets together and has a movie night, showing clips of their favorite movies, and she decided it would be fun to do it over the "blogosphere". I wanted to play along and so here are some of my favs!

1. The Notebook: This is one of my all-time favorite movies... I loved this mix of scenes with the music of Chris Daughtry... Great combo!

2. DIRTY DANCING: Another great movie. I love the feeling of a care-free summer and all of the great songs and dancing of course. And I love a happy ending too.

3. BETTER OFF DEAD: A great little 80's comedy. The whole movie is hilarious and I love it so much that I can't stand to part with my VHS of it... yes, I said VHS.

Measuring a Year!!!

Wow... A whole year of blogging has gone by. I seriously can't believe that. My friend Kirsten got me started and I thought "okay sure, I will give it a try. I don't know what I will say or what I will write about but she seems excited about it so I will try it out". A year later here I am and love it. So how do I measure my life and my last year?

365 days

190 posts

12 long months

2 birthdays later (Dan 28, Me 27)

1 anniversary (6 years all together)

1 new nephew (born 7/22/08)

1 missed grandma (passed away 12/1/07)

1 year of waiting for our adoption

2 dance shows completed (Christmas and Spring)

2 visits from out of the country (Lina and Hanna)

2 jet skis purchased ( Hours of fun)

1 new work truck purchased (Dan's in heaven)

1 new air conditioner purchased (necessity)

1 new water heater purchased (necessity)

1 amazing anniversary trip to Brianhead (6 years)

531 pages in the Book of Mormon (the Hinckley Challenge)

7 days of no Television (Turn-off Week)

1 new garage door opener (necessity)

10 years out of high school (are we really THAT old?)

1 jump from a plane (Dan and Marvin)

16 days of pride (watching the Olympics)

7 days of stamping (Stampin' Up Convention)

3 days of adoption (FSA National Convention)

2 of the happiest people in the world.

This has been a long year. One of ups and down. Challenges- financially, spiritually, and emotionally, but at the end of it all we could not really ask for more. We are excited about the future and look forward to adding more to our list next year. We are not sure how it is going to fit into our already filled lives but we are excited to see it happen. We are blessed and live a great life!

**click on something and re-live the year with us!**

Remembering...

So I don't want to be depressing today and don't want to talk all about 7 years ago and that horrible day, but I can't let 9/11/08 go by and not take a moment to reflect and remember. You just can't help it.

I think all of us can remember exactly where we were when we saw, or heard, that the towers had fallen. SHOCK! I remember watching and just not knowing what it really meant and what was to come. Who would have thought that 7 years later our world would be the way it is... still.

I have to be completely honest and say that I don't really think I was very patriotic before Sept. 11th. I wasn't anti-American by any means, but I didn't really think about it one way or another. Well, that has changed for sure. I love my country and I am proud to be an American. I am also proud of something else. I am proud of my dad. He is a Vietnam Veteran and I am proud of that. I am proud of him and the service he gave for this, his, country. I never really thought of it before and didn't really care much about it. I knew he was in the Army and that he went to Vietnam but that was it. Now sometimes we go places and they ask for all of the Veterans to stand and my dad does.... wow, the pride I have when he stands is amazing. I love my dad and appreciate what he did. I appreciate all of the people who have served, are serving, and will serve for us and our country. Thank you!

SPT - Because of Bloggers Week 2

(me with one of my books from the Travel Swap)


This weeks challenge from Lelly for the SPT has to do with Entertainment and Parties.... well I don't really do a whole lot of either. But I have certainly learned a lot about both since becoming a "blogger". Some of these ladies out there have such talent!

What I have been able to do is participate in some swaps and "be entertained" and that totally counts to me! I have been able to participate in the "Travel Swap" hosted by Kelly over at According to Kelly, and have also done some book swaps. I also joined the book club hosted by Holly at Marathon Bird which was fun and a great way to meet some fellow bloggers.

In the world of parties though, one lady who I think is fabulous and has some really great ideas that I might steal if I every get around to really wanting to throw a big, all out party, is Marleen at Merry Marleen. Take a look and see what I am talking about. I wish I was invited to one of her parties. Any of them really!

Weekend Wrap-Up

This weekend really was calm for us and we were glad. We are back onto the schedule of every other weekend having something major to do. We are glad that our lives are busy and full but sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming. Last weekend we had our family in town, so this weekend we had nothing to do.

Dan had a scout training session that he attended all day on Saturday. It was pretty repetitive since he has been a scout his whole life but he was glad he was able to go and now has the card proving he went and doesn't have to do it again for a long time. He will go to an over-nighter in April and then be done for sure. He will miss the overnight camp-out with the boys at the end of the month because we will be out of town but at least he got the training done.

While he was at the training, I was able to spend that time doing some time scrapbooking. YEAH! I feel like I never really have the time to do that. I am always working on stuff that my mom and I have to do for classes and things but never have a chance to work on my own stuff so it was nice to be able to just do some of my own things.

Sunday was spent at church and then just relaxing at home. I wasn't able to watch the game but I am excited that football season has officially begun once again and the Steelers are off to a great start with a win against Texas!! Go BIG BEN!

We should have spent some of the weekend cleaning and getting ready for this weekend since we are going to have visitors coming but we didn't. We will just do it during the week and hope for the best!

A Song for All Mothers

I have heard this song before but never seen anyone sing it and have never heard Marie Osmond sing it that is for sure. I knew that she had adopted children in her family and I knew that she made dolls but to see this all together is really special.

*Pause the sidebar music and take a listen for yourself.

The Heat is On!

Well the joys of being a home owner have once again graced us! Our water heater decided to start leaking on Thursday night. We went to the store and were told that of course they could deliver and install a new one for us over the weekend with inflated HOLIDAY prices and we in turn said "no thank-you". It was leaking but not that bad, plus we had guests coming and did not want to sit around waiting for the repair guy to show up (late probably). So Tuesday morning was the scheduled time of the service.

Tuesday morning came and the guy showed up with our new water heater and the information that he was not going to be able to install it for us. He proceeded to tell us that there was a pipe that he "felt" might have asbestos so he could not do it. WHAT! Our house is not that old there is no way we have asbestos. So basically we just paid him to bring out our water heater and that was all. So then Dan had to spend the rest of the evening on Tuesday changing out pipes and installing our new water heater. Fabulous. Good thing he is a handy guy.

September SPT - Week 1

These challenges that Lelly gives us are really fun. This month she has challenged us to explore all of the ways that our lives have been touched and inspired by other bloggers. This week it is through home decor/table elements.... This is right up my alley. I love to look around the blogosphere and find inspiration. I am not always as crafty as I would like to be in my home decor and am always looking for great ideas and there are TONS out there.



I have found lots of fun ideas over at TIP JUNKIE, and over here at 6th Street Design School and also here at The Nesting Place. Thanks ladies for all your great ideas and help. Keep them coming. Maybe one day I will have the strength to actually put these things into action in my house. For now this is as far as I have gotten.

I tried out the vinyl letter and love it actually. I just don't have enough empty wall space, but can't wait to put some up in the future nursery!

This big bold red wall was a stretch for me. I have learned to love it. My husband really likes it. I think it accents the fireplace night, now if I could only get rid of those candle holders!

What a Weekend

FRIDAY: We picked up Amy and Steve at the airport on Friday night and the craziness started right then! We love when they come to visit. We headed straight to get something to eat since we were all starving. We went to El Jefe's for some Mexican food. After having some full belly's we headed home to get settled in.... We talked and laughed and caught up and then Amy was hungry again. It is nice to be able to blame it on Amy since she is pregnant! We made a late night run to IHOP.

SATURDAY: After a late night we didn't get up too early! We did however get up and go to the Temple. It was Steve and Amy's first trip to the Las Vegas Temple and they approved. We left from there to pick up some sandwiches and head home to plan out the rest of the day. Well.... we decided to check out the mall for a minute and then head up a double feature at the movie theater. So we watched Dark Knight and IMMEDIATELY following we watched the Mummy. It was quite an experience I must say. I am always reminded why I don't frequent the movies on Saturday nights. People can be so rude sometimes!

On our way home we were surprised when we saw flashing lights behind us.... We pulled over and the cop walked up with his flashlight in hand. He asked the back seat passengers to show their hands (Amy and Steve) and they did so. He then proceeded to question the driver (Dan). He asked what we were doing and where we were coming from. He asked where we were going, to which we replied home and gave our address. He then said that Dan was straddling the yellow line and that he was out looking for drunk drivers but that Dan was clearly NOT drunk and that he smelled no alcohol. He said that we needed to be careful and head home safely. All could have been done there but Dan decided that he wanted to throw in his two cents so he said.."No officer the only thing I may have had too much off was Coke!" Now this may have been funny at any other time but telling an officer that you have had too much Coke was not a smart thing. The officer just looked at him and walked away but Steve, Amy and I all could not believe that Dan had said that. He didn't quite understand what he had said wrong and we were all laughing like crazy. We told him that Soda would have been a more appropriate choice of words! We drove home and decided we would make no more midnights runs for the evening.

SUNDAY: We went to our three hour block of church, followed by some lovely enchiladas and then a lot of lounging around with laughter and game playing. Not 24 rounds of Scattergories, but quite a few.

MONDAY: Monday morning was met with what else - SOME LABOR- it was Labor Day after all. We have been dying to get rid of the furniture that was filling up our back room (one day to become our nursery) and it just so happened that the people who were going to take the furniture decided to move this weekend. So we took a two trucks full of the furniture over to their new house and we now have an empty room in our house and are so excited. Thanks Steve for helping out with that situation even though you were here on vacation. We then went to Raising Canes (or Flaming Razors as we like to call it) for some lunch. We then went to Best Busy for some action on the Wii and almost left with one in hand, but used our better judgement and did not purchase one. After some decision making we headed out to the lake to just see how busy it really was on this holiday weekend. We soaked our feet and enjoyed some sun for a little while before heading up to the dock to feed the enormous fish.

Our weekend had come to an end. So with a quick bite to eat at Johnny Rocket's and a good-bye at the airport Steve and Amy were on their way back to Tucson. We probably won't see them again until they have a new member of their family (Preston). We hope they had a great time here because we sure did. We know it wasn't St. George or anything but it was still fun!