Girl's Night Out! Our Favorite Things!

Last year, we started a new tradition--copied from a cousin's blog (thanks Tyler!). It's like Oprah's Favorite Things show, where she picks her favorite things and then gives one to everyone. Last year, I just brought my favorite things--(see that post HERE) but this year we decided to do it where everyone brought a favorite thing for everyone else. I LOVED it! I was like a kid at Christmas waiting to see what the next person brought! We did it around Valentines Day, since that way we were sure to get something for Valentines! I loved that the things everyone brought were so different, and I loved ALL of them! I LOVED just being together with the beautiful, amazing, creative, & talented women that are in my family! I especially LOVED having Sue there, and Kristy there--it was great to ALL be together! You are all so awesome, and you make me want to be better when I am with you! Thanks so much for such a fun night and for sharing some of your favorite things with us! What a GREAT tradition! Here are some of our favorite things this year:







This isn't actually the necklace I gave--I didn't buy one for me, but I tried to recreate this necklace (my favorite) with a string of pearls, with a flower pin attached. You can buy both at Icing--or the pearls at Downeast Basics, and I think they turned out pretty cute and you can change out the flowers to different colors--or just wear the beads alone!

They're FINALLY Home!...

On Friday we went to the airport to welcome Bob and Sue HOME! We have missed these guys SO much! 18 months was a long time to have them gone--Jack was barely 6 months old when they left! We were all SO excited! Imagine how the security guards LOVED our huge group at the airport. With 36 children in tow--all under age 15 we were quite the scene! The security people were freaking out while we were waiting for them to come off the plane since the kids were all standing right by the DO NOT ENTER sign. It was actually pretty funny to watch them. When we finally saw Bob and Sue, it was a loud, crazy, melee of people trying to get to them to get a hug. We were all overcome with emotion & there were some tears shed. I am so grateful to have them home--it's not the same here without them. I am grateful to have such a wonderful family, and for their example and their faith. They are truly amazing, and have such an amazing love for their family, and for their Savior. Welcome Home Grandma and Grandpa! We missed you SO much!
Here are some of the MANY pictures I took on Friday:






After the airport we went to the park and had Barro's Pizza--which Grandma had requested! There's no better pizza than Barro's Pizza here in the valley! LOVE IT! Thanks for a great afternoon! We had a blast!




We are SO happy to have Grandma and Grandpa back home with us--we LOVE YOU! Now, you aren't allowed to leave again--for a LONG, LONG, LONG, time! HA!

Bored to Sleep...

Let's face it, sometimes I do this during Scripture study too! Poor little guy was just pooped! Isn't he adorable? Love this boy!

Valentine's Day FHE...

Abby did another great lesson for FHE this week, and we read a story out of the Friend about love. Then she had everyone draw names for a Secret Valentine, who we are supposed to do service for this next two weeks until we give them a special gift for Valentine's Day. We ended the night by making hearts, and writing on them what we LOVE about all of the members of our family. We heart attacked our pantry door and the magnet board, since I didn't want to put tape on my new appliances, or cabinets...lame, I know--but c'mon, can't we keep things new for a little while?? It was so much fun to see what everyone wrote, especially the siblings, since we're not really sure that they actually do LOVE each other most of the time! I was glad to see that they could find nice things to say about one another! Good job Abby! Happy Valentines Day!

At the Zoo...

This week we tagged along with some cousins when their preschool visited the zoo. They got a great group price of $5.50 per person, and we couldn't pass up that great deal! Ashlie and Jack had tons of fun with their cousins, and we got to cover some of the things we didn't do last time, like ride on the train, and go to the petting zoo. Is it just me, or do those evil goats freak you out? Their eyes are like sooo creepy, I can hardly stand to look at them. Jack thought they were pretty freaky too, he kept his distance. Smart boy! Thanks guys for a great time!

Pics from Lake Tahoe!

Okay, so Todd was reading my last blog, and was commenting that maybe I was being just a little dramatic. (He complained about that when we were actually skiing down the mountain too, I can't imagine why?) Ummm...if you've ever read my blog before--or you know me at all, you can probably guess that my last post was a LOT dramatic, as are all of my other posts. Sorry honey, but I tend to try to put into words how I actually feel--and sometimes that can come off as a little dramatic when you are as obnoxious as I am. That being said, I made it sound like it was a horrible time--which wasn't true at all. I enjoyed being with Todd, and was so grateful for his patience with me. I loved being with my sister and brother in laws--and hardly quit laughing the entire trip, they are SO fun to be with! I was proud of myself for never crashing getting off the lift--which was what did me in the last ski trip, and we were getting off the lift with 6 people--so that was amazing! I DID rock the bunny hill--did I mention that? It was just the skiing that threw me for a loop--I had higher expectations of myself, and thought it would be easier, and I would be better than I was that's all! Anyways, it was an awesome trip, and I loved every minute of it-- (except when I was crashing recklessly down the mountain toward my ultimate death--dramatic?? NO)!
These are some pics of our day at Heavenly:
Here we are on the gondola ride up:
Katie & Shaun


Kari & Kohn


Todd & I


The view from the gondola was AMAZING! Lake Tahoe is absolutely one of the most beautiful places I've ever been!



Todd and I & Katie & Shaun at the top of the mountain--SO ready to go DOWN! I just didn't know how many times I would go DOWN!!




Lunchtime--one of the best parts of my day! I could finally relax--and let my heartrate go back to normal, and take a much needed potty break! (Yes Todd--it's me being dramatic again)!


Todd and I were trying to get a good picture--but who's the retard that kept sticking his big head in our picture? Rude... HA!



FINALLY...


After lunch, the girls relaxed and talked, while the boys got in as many runs as they could. Todd was so happy to let go and fly down the mountain since he had been inching his way down all day with me! We had a great time!



That night we had the best dinner at the Chart House! The next day, the girls shopped and went to a chick flick while the boys skied. They were the first ones on that gondola in the morning, and the last ones down the mountain that afternoon. They didn't even stop to eat! Maybe someday I'll love skiing that much! After much, much, much more practice! Next year...
Love you guys! Thanks for an AWESOME vacation! Now--back to life... Why is it that when you take a relaxing vacation away from your kids you feel like a truck hit you on the day you get back into life? Maybe it's just me...(being dramatic again...)! HA HA~

Not so Heavenly...

This past weekend we have been HERE: Heavenly Ski Resort in Lake Tahoe! The view from the mountain was absolutely breathtaking! The weather was perfect, and man, did I look fabulous in my new ski outfit! The only problem? I am NOT a skier. I thought I could do it--I thought if I just took a few runs down the bunny hill, that my natural athleticism would kick in, and I would ski just fine. This was only my second time to ski in my life. Last time was two years ago, I was 7 months pregnant with Jack, and chubby and round, but I thought I would do okay--how hard could skiing be? Well, I did great on the bunny hill, and headed with Abby and Todd up the mountain. I did okay on my first run down a green run, then when we were getting off the lift a second time and Abby skied into me and I totally wiped out. I hit my head and blacked out, and the ski patrol brought me down the mountain. That was the end of skiing on that trip! I didn't want to risk the pregnancy doing something stupid!

This time I thought it would be different--I wasn't pregnant, in fact I am probably in better shape than I have ever been. We have been working out, I am a great weight, and I am stronger than ever. I was right about the bunny hill, I totally rocked it! I thought I was a natural! Todd decided that we could just skip the green runs, and go right up to the blue, since we are with Todd's sisters and their husbands, and they all know what they're doing. I thought--okay, I can do this. There are very few times in my life that I have been as SCARED--as in pee my pants scared, as I was when I saw the steep runs I had to go down. The first run, I just said, okay--here we go, and pushed off full speed down the mountain. I had my first major wipeout right next to a "scenic picture" area, where there were tons of skiers taking pictures. I gave them a real scenic picture alright! Let's just say, I kept trying, but I didn't get much better! Todd was amazing, and patient, and VERY sweet considering that I was almost in tears every time we would come to another run, and I complained pretty much the entire time, because I could NOT figure out how the heck people ski down no problem. I tried to pretend I knew what I was doing, but anytime I gained any speed, I would end up out of control and wipeout. Around lunchtime--I was mentally just DONE! The girls just sat for an hour and talked while the boys went on a few more runs, then I had to conquer one more run to get down to the gondola to go back to the hotel. My goal? Just get down that blasted mountain without falling again. I was going to snake it--slowly... Ummm....it's pretty bad when your last run is even worse than your first! There were TONS of other skiers, since it was the last run, so I wiped out not once, not twice, but THREE times! I think Todd was trying to stay back and pretend he didn't know me by this time! Poor guy...how embarrassing! I love him so much--he didn't say one negative thing to me the whole time!

Needless to say, my favorite part of the day was that gondola ride back DOWN the mountain! The next best part was taking off those ski boots and walking on my own two feet, (which I am VERY good at) back to the hotel room. Then, a very nice dinner at the Chart House was the best! It might be awhile before I get the nerve up to put those skis back on again! I actually had nightmares last night about skiing! I'm not a very good sport when I am TERRIBLE at something! I think my 5 year old was better at skiing than I was today! What a humbling day! Today, Todd is out having a great time by himself, actually skiing at a normal pace, and I'm sure he's not missing me! I am sitting here blogging--and very much in my comfort zone! HA! Pictures come later...and NO--he didn't take a picture of me wiping out--that would be embarrassing!