little j's famous curls...

    ARE GONE!!!

                   ...but thankfully not for good!! I call them famous because we could not go anywhere in public, not even for five minutes without people making comments about how awesome his hair was... 

we got used to it, just giggle because it's the fifth time you've heard it that day, and just say thank you.

So yes, pretty sure most of you have seen little j's new haircut by now, but let me tell you, it took all of these two weeks to get used to it. I do love it, but I do really miss his curls at the same time. I guess the good part is that I know his curls will grow back, and it is inevitable, he'll probably always have them when his hair is a little longer :) We've gotten a lot of mixed reviews, mostly good, but it's okay, I feel the same way as most of you! It makes him seem so much more grown up and like a little man now. I've also had to teach myself how to style little boys hair, it sure is funny watching Josh and me in the bathroom trying to make it look right, haha :)

Seriously, he just melts my heart

every.single.day.

Wy-oming!?

Yeah... So we go on A LOT of trips... we know. It is something that we LOVE to do together, and we were determined when we had children we would not be the family to never leave the house just because we had kids... So, more often than not, you will find us on the road, going here and going there and pretty much anywhere, any time we get the chance. I've been having a lot of 3-4 day weekends at work and my first thought is always "oh, where to go". I am so glad my husband is just as, if not more spontaneous than I am and that we can just pack up for a night or an entire weekend and just GO!! I love it. 

Anyway, so this time, it was kind of a last minute trip to Wyoming... we went back and forth about where to go. I was hinting a little more towards Park City since the Sundance Film Festival was going on and I thought it'd be a good weekend to go hang out in that lovely little place and Josh wanted to go up north to see family. We LOVE our Wyoming family {Josh's oldest brother Dan, his wife Cindy and their FIVE awesome kiddos} so I gave in, and we went....

Yeah, Wyoming in January. It really was a fight for me, the last time I had to drive there back in October, I was by myself since Josh and Jaxon drove up with my in-laws earlier to catch my nephews 8th birthday party, and it did not go very well- I seriously almost DIED... like I totally took a wrong turn, didn't have cell phone service, was on a muddy dirt back-road with potholes everywhere, on the side of a mountain, with a big cliff that fell off into some sort of body of water, it was 1am AND snowing. I seriously said a hundred prayers that night. It was THE absolute WORST conditions I could have been in, and most of you know, I'm a pretty tough cookie, but OH, not that night. I really was thinking about my funeral and who would be there, and how "they" would even find me wherever I was to drive off the road.... and so, the prayers and pleading and promises worked and I ended up safely there around 2am. I SWORE up and down I would NOT be making that drive until next June when I KNEW the roads would be clear... 

but nonetheless, here we were driving to Wyoming!

Here are the ONLY pictures I took on the trip... Ahem, yes... the roads were supposed to be clear, there was no snow in the forecast and seriously... this is just my luck!!! What made it even more fun is my brother in law and his family coming back with us, driving in their suburban and, uh, they peeled out a few times going up the mountain just past Bear Lake... so we had to turn around and go a different way so they didn't end up off the road like we saw THREE other cars!! Since my car was still being fixed we drove our rental Jeep which was four wheel drive, thankfully, the husband drove the entire way, and thankfully he is really, really, really good about driving in the snow... so we made it home, but it took us FOUR hours instead of two... nonetheless, it was a short trip with some good memories and fun times!!

ps: did you know they're building a Temple in Star Valley, WY?

The site is yet to be determined but we're super excited we have family up that way when it comes time to dedication and attending another new temple :)

Seattle- Anniversary Weekend

A few months ago we realized Josh was supposed to go to Seattle for his Air Force Reserve Duty on our anniversary weekend.... So, at first, he said he wasn't going to go... but then we'd lose that paycheck, so I came up with this brilliant idea to take a mini family trip to Seattle and have it pretty much pay for itself... and so I finally talked the husband into it and it ended up being a pretty spontaneous decision. 

We had a good time but I felt like it was the fastest trip of my life. I guess when you're driving 11 hours to go somewhere for 3 1/2 days then it DOES feel like a LONG, but quick trip! 

Regardless, I am so glad we went. 

It was raining. Can you believe that, raining in SEATTLE!? Really? 

Well we weren't surprised-not one bit. But, I have to say, there is just something so AWESOME about that Seattle rain, that light drizzle and EVERYONE is still out like it's the nicest day of the year.

I will ALWAYS and FOREVER love this city,

and no matter what, Seattle will always hold a little piece of my heart...

I will always try to make trips back there to feel the love 

I have for that city and all the memories we made while living there. 

We drove ALL NIGHT Thursday night, got to our hotel around 11am, got ready and then headed into the city... It was the only day we were going to be able to spend time up there with daylight, so even being so tired, we just made it happen. We went to our favorite shops, let Jaxon see the flying fishies, picked up some must have mini donuts, bought a couple souvenirs, walked by the waterfront and started freezing our butts off so it was time to head out...

____________________________________________________

 That night, we made last minute plans with one of my VERY BEST friends that I grew up with in Murrieta {CA} who's been living in Seattle for the last couple years {which was AWESOME to live so close while we lived there}... Anyway, so we ended up going to Southcenter Mall in Tukwila {which is one of the very best malls I've ever been to} I got some great deals at Victoria's Secret and then we met up with Rachael, Dane and their three kiddos. I got to meet baby #3 and hold her, she is so cute and SO tiny!! Can't believe she's already had three kiddos in three years!!! So happy for her, and they just have the cutest family. I did not take ANY pictures of us together, lame, but I did get one of three of the kiddos together.

Jaxon, Kaylee & Ethan. Love these kiddos!

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Saturday afternoon we went to visit Josh while he worked and got to take him out to one of his favorite Terriaki restaurants for lunch... We also spent some time by some of the aircraft and let Jaxon see all the airplanes- he LOVED it. It was so neat to have him understand "this is where daddy works" and "daddy works on the airplanes"- he for sure did not understand that a year ago when we moved away and we never go to Seattle with him, so it was neat to watch little j comprehend all of that :)

 

He LOVED being able to play on the airplanes and be so close to them!!

We sat out by the flight line for a little bit to take some pretty pictures of Mt. Rainier {one of my very favorite, if not my favorite mountain in the WORLD} It is just so overwhelmingly beautiful beyond words. 

NO pictures can do it justice!! 

We also got to see one of the jets take off. Jaxon got SO excited!

 On our way out of Washington this was the Sunset- it was GORGEOUS!! 

I was driving {which is very rare} so I made Josh take this picture as I was going 75mph... 

It still turned out pretty good!

The trip was WAY TOO SHORT, but still a nice getaway, and great to see some of my old friends and reminisce all the wonderful memories we had there!

Happy 3rd Anniversary to US {January 9th}

Feels like yesterday and FOREVER all at the same time...

I have an AMAZING husband, and I rarely give him credit {publicly}... but I seriously couldn't have found a better man to be MY HUSBAND!! I sure to love him and look forward to the many, many years ahead, memories to be made and road trips I know we'll take :)

Makes me so happy to know we are together forever!

Bear Lake- Happy 2012

For New Years weekend we were invited by our friends, Derek and Sara to their family cabin in Bear Lake {just barely north of the Utah/Idaho}... We were so excited to go and had so much fun! All of Josh's high school buddies and the wives are all friends so it's so nice to be able to get together when we can!

We enjoyed our time together visiting, playing games, four wheeling, watching football {mostly for the boys}, the kids playing, running around and keeping the house loud, eating delicious food, playing in the snow, and keeping warm next to the wood burning fireplace. It was a GREAT weekend! 

Our view from the Cabin was BREATHTAKING!!!

  Jaxon all bundled up and ready to go four-wheeling with the boys!

 He LOVES the four-wheeler

Pretty sure it's one of his all time favorite things to do, he could go for HOURS!!

 It was SO cold and windy our first day there, Jaxon could NOT keep his eyes open for a picture! haha

Derek and little Eli ready for their ride!

 The boys riding up the hills by the cabin... they had a fun time! Probably a good thing they had the babies with them, kept them a little safer I'm sure!!

 We saw these deer from the front window of the cabin, just lingering around. The kids loved it!

 Jaxon, Campbell, Eli, Amanie, Harlie, Averie and Mason

The 7 kiddos from the four high school buddies- and MORE ON THEIR WAY :)

 Little Eli is a DOLL. Just love this little boy, he gives me my baby fix just when I need it :)

The kids playing in the snow!

 Okay, so I am NEVER awake for the sunrise, but the first morning of the year, which was Sunday, January 1st, we woke up pretty early {even after staying up til the wee hours of the morning celebrating the new year} and I saw this sunrise from the front windows and I HAD to run and grab the camera... So I took these from the front porch and it really was this absolutely gorgeous!!! Awe, seriously, this is the life, huh!?

 Thank you so much Derek and Sara for the invite, we will be happy to keep you company at the cabin ANYTIME :)

Christmas 2011 ;)

 Super long, super over-due Christmas post... hey, I was three months behind and now I'm only one, so we're getting better here. My sister Hilarie, her husband Brent and their two kiddos Ryan (6) and Lacy (4), came all the way from Temecula, California to spend Christmas with us. Let me just tell you, it was SO AWESOME to have ALL of us {her little family and the three of us} completely free of all other obligations, work, school, etc... for an entire 8 eight days! Although, Josh and I were off school and work for 2+ weeks and it was AMAZING! 

We had such a great time together, with very little plans, and just enjoying each others company! The first day we met them in Salt Lake City to see Temple Square, Christmas lights and have dinner. I was the photographer for their stay, hence the reason I'm behind the camera in most shots :)

 On Christmas Eve morning we were invited by Josh's cousin to ride horses around their property... they have 7 horses and live up in the little town of Preston, Idaho {which is about 25min North of our house}. We had a great time and the kiddos loved every second of it. I think I was pretty nervous since it'd been so long since I'd ridden a horse! Hilarie and I had a great time laughing and giggling the whole time!

 

Christmas Eve we had our traditional TACO FEAST for dinner, opened Christmas Eve jammies, put reindeer feed in the front yard and set out cookies and milk for Santa... it's so great having the excitement of little children around for Christmas because they really believe. I loved it!

 Here we are Christmas morning... it's a lot harder to enjoy it behind the camera but I took a few pictures of the kids opening and playing with their gifts... our family room was covered in toys and clothes and wrapping paper galore... The kids were all so excited, although I'm sure Jaxon could have even slept longer- he does NOT like getting woken up, but once he figured out the drill he was pretty excited about all his new toys!

little j. got an orange in his stocking and decided to start eating it right then and there... 

until he realized the peel wasn't so satisfying. haha

Lacy and Ryan got a Wii for Christmas- they were thrilled and couldn't play it enough while they were here!

Christmas afternoon- the kiddos all dressed up for Church! 

 My brother made perfect timing and was able to call us on Skype right when we got home from Church... we were able to talk to him for over an hour. It was SO AWESOME! He is doing so well in Mississippi, and the people there are NOT making him go hungry by any means!! He is learning and growing so much and we just love his weekly letters!

Since we didn't have a REAL White Christmas- I'm sure by now, everyone has heard about the very little snow Utah has gotten this winter, we had to drive up the Logan Canyon to find some snow for the kids to play in... so we went to the Church Camp at Camp Lomia which is only about a half hour from home.. it was gorgeous up there, COLD and we all had a great time playing in the snow !

 Ryan, Lacy & Jaxon

 Thanks Hil and family for coming up to stay with us for an entire week... we had SO MUCH FUN and can't wait to see you again!! Hopefully this summer after baby #3 comes!? {yes, my sister is due with baby #3, a GIRL in June and I CANNOT wait to have have another niece!!!!!!!!!} I LOVE that my family is growing so much!!