Discovery Gateway

Jaime and I took the 5 kids to the Discovery Gateway children's museum in Salt Lake. That place is so much fun. The kids had a blast. They played in the ball machine area for a while, Calvin loved the construction site and he got to operate the crane, the girls loved the little house, they all went grocery shopping, and played in the barn. We got the kids hot dogs on a stick for lunch and then we headed back for more fun. There were all sorts of building toys, a stage and costumes, and a helicopter upstairs. We topped the day of by going to the class "The science of cookies" where the kids learned about how cookies are made and then they had to do a scientific evaluation by eating a cookie. It was a wonderful day.

Lily did this on our way to the museum!

Calvin got to dress up as the mailman and deliver mail to all the places in the museum. He was happy to be just like Grandpa for a minute.

7 years and counting

On August 6th Jon and I celebrated our 7 year wedding anniversary. We took the kids to my parents for Friday night and we spent some quality time together. We went to our favorite restaurant Carrabba's , we got the Sirloin Marsala and the Italian chicken pizza with pine nuts. It was delicious. Then we headed to the Scerra to see the play "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor dreamcoat." It was a Vegas setting play and it wasn't our favorite. It was okay entertainment but not the best we have been too. We then rented the movie, New in Town, it was okay as well but it did have some funny lines. The next morning we went to a yummy little bakery in town called Flour Girls and Dough Boys. We got cranberry turkey and ham breakfast sandwiches and a big fat sticky bun to share. That place is soooo good. That night we took the kids to Jon's 10 year high school reunion. It was a family picnic at the park. Jon had fun visiting with some friends he hadn't seen in a while. It was a great couple of days.

Seven years can really fly by. I can still remembering our wedding day like it was yesterday. To me it was the most perfect day. I remember kneeling across the altar from Jon and the spirit that was there. We smiled so much that day that both of our jaws hurt. There have been a lot of ups and downs and sideways, I can say I think we have seen every which way. But no matter which way life sends us we always get through it. We love each other and we love our kids and the life we have built together. In 7 years we have gone from two people just starting out, not really knowing what we were going to do or be, To 4 people who love and support each other. We still don't know where life will take us because we have realized we are not always in control. But we do know that we will do it together. I love you Jon.
7 years at a glance:
-1 apartment
-2 houses
-2 bachelors degrees
-1 real estate license
-1 retired mechanic
-1 water treatment operator
-2 kids
-31 cars
-0 pets (hopefully to stay that way)
-1000's of memories

Coming out of the temple on our wedding day after our wonderful sealing.

I tried on my wedding dress for Jon and the kids last month. Calvin really wanted me to put on the princess dress. So I pulled it out and worried that it wouldn't zip up, but it did! Yay, it still fits. Calvin loved it, he told me I was the prettiest princess ever, he is so cute.

Alicia and Colby's wedding

Jennifer and Diane.

Kayla and Calvin.

Lily had to play with everyone's sunglasses. I believe these are Domi's.

Jon's sister Alicia got married to a great guy, Colby Hassard, on Aug. 1, 2009. The week of the wedding we had a lot of fun with family. Jon's cousin Kayla came to Utah for the wedding, she is going to BYU Idaho and her family lives in Missouri, so she stayed with us a few days. She was a lot of fun and the kids called her "Jon's cousin". Jon's aunt Diane and cousin Jennifer came in from California even though they had a very hard week with the passing and funeral of Jon's uncle Louie. We were so happy they could come and visit with us. We had a fun BBQ and game night with them.

The reception was the night before the wedding. It was held at the American Fork Amphitheater. They had eggrolls and fortune cookies for the refreshments. It was a great evening.

The wedding breakfast was at Kneaders. We had yummy french toast. They were married Saturday afternoon in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. The sealing was beautiful. The sealer gave some of the best wedding advice I have ever heard. One cute thing he said was, when you say I love you give a reason why and don't give the same reason twice. The sealer is suppose to be on reason 21,000 or something with his wife and he just said, "I am a little behind."

Congratulations Colby and Alicia! We wish you a wonderful life together.

Palisades

We had so much fun at Palisades this year. We went on the paddle boats, swam all over the lake, jumped off of the dock, hit some golf balls at the driving range, went on bike rides, played at the park and just had a wonderful time.













We left a little early so that we could go to Jon's family reunion up Santaquin canyon. We had a good time visiting with the cousins and we went fishing with Josh and Marybeth and their kids at Payson lakes. This was Calvin and Lily's first time fishing. All of the kids caught a couple of fish. We had like ten fish in fifteen minutes. It was so crazy. Calvin kept wanting to put the fish back and it made him so sad that they were bleeding. When we asked him if he liked fishing he said he did not like fishing because it was so sad and mean to hurt all of those fish.

The kids were so tired after a long weekend.

Overcoming fears

This year has been a year for me to overcome some of my fears. And even though they might seem like small feats to some, these were very big accomplishments for me.

First, I have pretty much been able to get comfortable with the fact that Jon has to work graveyards. I have always been afraid of the dark and when Jon told me he would be working graves I freaked out. But I have come a long way, I can fall to sleep at night without freaking out and I rarely have to call people to soothe me anymore.

Second, we went to Disneyland for my first time ever and I told myself that I would go on every ride that I could. I am pretty afraid of fast rides like roller coasters but I went on every ride that we could make it to. I have to say I love all of them except for one. Space mountain made me very sick with how dark it was, I got off the ride and wanted to puke. It was so fun to overcome this fear with Calvin right next to me, he was so cute and excited for every ride that it made me excited.

Third, water! We went to Palisades and I actually jumped off of the dock for the first time in 10 years! Going under water scares me and I don't really know how to swim but I did it! Yay. And I have not been on a water slide since I was a baby. My dad took me on one when I was a year old or something and he thinks that is why I am scared of water. When we went to the Lindon pool I decided that I was going to do it. And I did!

I know you are all probably thinking, that I am a wuss. But I am proud of myself, so hooray!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

We went to that Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house a few weeks ago with my Grandma, Coach, Nancy and uncle Mark. It is a beautiful temple and the kids loved going inside. They both love going to any temple for weddings, or open houses, they can feel the spirit there and they know that it is a special place. Jon and I also love to go to the temple and try to go as often as possible. I have personally found that the temple is my place for peace, comfort, safety and inspiration. I have had many special experiences in the temples and I hold them very dear to my heart. I feel very fortunate to live so close to these beautiful sacred buildings.

Kenny concert

After months of waiting, on July 23rd it was finally time for the Kenny Chesney concert. Jon and I rode up to the Real stadium with Josh and BreAnna. We met my parents and Maryann and Randy there. It was scorching hot outside, so for the first couple of performers we just sat and tried to stay cool. Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert were okay, I didn't know a lot of there songs. I was so sad that Sugarland got sick and couldn't perform, I love all of there music. When Kenny came out, the party really started. Everyone stood up and started dancing and singing. Even Jon had a blast. I love all of Kenny's music, I have all of his CD's and this was the 4th Kenny Chesney concert I have been to.

The Kenny look a like that was sitting close to us.

Miranda Lambert
Lady Antebellum

Lily says:

Shake your boooooty!

I stinky Lily bug , peeeuewww.

Calby, Calby where are you?

Lily loves the cucumbers from our garden.