Utah in July

We were so excited about this trip to Utah because we were celebrating and participating in a wedding for Marcie and Grant Dexter!  The kids and I headed to Utah early in order to make sure we didn't miss it.  The direct flight there was totally full and looking worse and worse for the week .  I decided to go hang out at the airport anyway and hope for a miracle.  i bought Happy meals and had all sorts of plans for an FHE in the airport, unfortunately (or VERY fortunately) we made it on the first flight we tried for!  Jackson sat alone and I got to sit with the girls.  It was a great flight.  I tried to help my mom and sister plan more of the wedding.  We were thrilled when all the cousins finally came to town and our daddy made the final flight of the day (despite the odds being stacked against him).  The boys all went golfing together for a bachelor party on Thursday morning and all the girls started prepping wedding food and reception decor.  

The wedding dinner was Thursday night and Grants parents did an amazing job with it!  We enjoyed reminicing about Marcie and learning more about Grant.  I was 14 when MArcie was born and I was detemined to make her my own little baby.  I stayed up all night with her (or tried to) and stretched her legs everyday (so she could do the splits that I never could) and had her sleep in my bed with me to train me to be able to someday sleep with a husband.  I remember her bringing me so much joy every day I came home from High school.  My best memory was when I was home from college after a painful break up and was crying and Marcie was cuddling with me.  My mom called her upstairs and she went running up, explained to my mom thatI needed her and she came back down to be my comforter.  She is an amazing girl and I m so happy for her.

Friday morning we went to the temple and witnessed an amazing sealing.  They are both spiritual powerhouses, committed to God and His work.  I love their selfless service and love for everyone.

My aunts and uncles are so supportive of such a large family.  I love their love and concern for each of us.

At the reception the little girls looked fantastic.  It was such a great time to catch up with Tooele, Lehi and family friends through the ages.  I love that kind of a party!  My parents ( and their fantastic ward friends) did an amazing job of setting up the reception.

My sisters were so much fun.  I love being around them and their families.  

The day after the wedding party we through a birthday party for Jackson.  We have never had a cousin party so it was so fun to have our family around.  I also invited friends from our Orem ward, Lehi ward and even a friend from Texas who was in town.   Despite the cold temperatures, the kids had fun on the slide.  

Jackson with Ilse and Nora

Nixons, Morins and Dayton.

My best friends, Sandra, Stacey, Adrienne.  Love these ladies and the friends they are to me.

We had a fireworks show that night (apparently Texas doesn't allow street fireworks!)

I met my college roommate Amanda at the BYU wilk and met her husband and all 4 kids.  We've come along was but she is still the most amazing and inspirational person.  

Sandra and I took the kids to the Bean Museum

And hiking bridal veil.  I can't get enough of the mountains in Utah.  I feel like I took them for granted when I lived her before.  Now they are so majestic and amazing.

We also met my missionary companion up tibble fork lake, before it rained us out.

We also enjoyed chick fila's cow day

and Grandma Louines birthday party.  This is why I miss Utah, there is always so many family events and get togethers.  I miss having a place where we belong with family who we've known all our lives.

Entertaining ourselves at the airport

Utah in June

Our only trips planned for the summer were many trips to Utah.  I'm not mad about this at all!  Utah is SO beautiful in the summer, temperate with gorgeous and cool evenings.  I couldn't get enough of the mountains and scenery, not to mention friends and family in abundance.  

Our first trip to Utah I went out alone to go to my little sister Marcie's bridal shower.  

On Thursday we met the Bluncks at the museum of Natural curiosity.  The kids loved each other and played so well.  It was nice they stuck with their 'buddy'.  I'm glad they can still be friends even if we only see them once a year.

Marcie's shower was so great!  Kacey, Kim, Melinda and Carly were there.  It was fun to be with sisters and give Marcie advice and shower her with stuff and hear her story more and more.  I'm so excited for her.  Grant seems like an amazing guy!

It was a quick weekend trip and Jackson, Mariah and I came home Saturday night (with help from Marcie's fiance's friend thank goodness ... we didn't land until 2 am!)  I was telling my mom how scared I was for this summer.  Jackson and Hallie tend to fight a lot and it is draining for me to help them navigate these fights.  So my mom said she would keep Hallie for the week (since I was coming up the next weekend).  It was a LONG time to be without my girl!  But I think as a middle child she thrived with the extra attention and individual love from both grandma and grandpa.  We had a great week in Texas.  Jackson had art camp every morning and we did school and piano and I got to give Jackson enough attention he was happy... but he missed Hallie miserably.  She is his go-to for playing anything.   We went to eat with Dave for his birthday lunch.  Then I went to Olive Garden for dinner with him.  We stopped by home depot (our favorite way to end our date) for a new rug for the living room floor. 

Dave was planning on taking the kids back up to Utah on Saturday while I prepared for Girls camp.  I was going to have a weekend alone.  I was mostly looking forward to having lots of time to catch up on projects I hadn't been able to do.  Last minute on Friday night a flight opened up with some seats and Saturday was looking worse.   We had just finished swimming and weren't planning on going until Saturday.  But Dave wanted to see his family, so we made a mad rush to pack and leave.  As I was helping my kids pack and rush to the car, I realized that I didn't really want to spend 3 full days alone and I missed Hallie, so I quickly packed a weekend bag for me.  On the way to the airport I was still going back and forth on whether I should go or not.  I kept hoping the flight would drop seats and it would make the decision for me, but more seats opened up, so I decided to go for it.  I am so glad I went because we had a fabulous weekend.  We spent time at the Harper's house.  I went to the Draper temple and picked up Hallie from Lehi.  

I came back to Texas on Sunday night with enough time to pack and prepare for girls camp.  I spent nearly the whole day on Monday deep cleaning and de-cluttering.  It is so rewarding to clean without kids making a mess as you are cleaning!  Monday night I spent time with Mori and Adrienne, my good friends in Texas.  It was a perfect day alone.  I couldn't go to sleep though, so I stayed up way too late.  

I went to girls camp as a stake leader of the 4th year girls.  I don't work with the youth in my ward and I am new in the stake, so no one knew me.  I felt a little lost, until I decided to stick with our ward and get to know the girls.  It rained for the first 2 days.  It was muddy and miserable.  We did get to zip line and that was fun!  I did it with Abby Hickson (she is the stake young women's president and she is my age).   

Finally, the tropical storm Bill pass by and the weather cleared up (although the ground was muddy the whole time).  We got to canoe, fish, do archery and enjoy our last day.  It was a different experience from my camp days, but I'm so glad we had cabins.  

As I checked flights Thursday night I was really discouraged because we weren't going to be able to get out of Dallas.  I was scared I would never get back to pick my kids up and felt guilty for my length of time gone.  I got home from camp at 12 and cleaned up a bit.  I was so tired, but really wanted to make it to phoenix to do a birthday date with all of our old friends.  The flights were full, full, full, but since I wanted to go enough Dave and I headed to the airport.  The flight was slightly delayed, so we sat in anticipation.  Luckily, that meant that some people changed planes and we were able to get seats!  So unbelievable!  We rented a car and went to a birthday dinner (FREE MEAL) at Rubios.  We met up with friends from our M

esa ward and went to Jesterz, an improv group ( I got in free since my bday was the next week and Dave got in half price for Fathers day!) .  It was hilarious.  I haven't laughed that hard in a while!  It was so fun to be with Stacey and Lacey and Heather and Jessie, Cheska, Megan and Cecilia.

 I miss my girls there.  We went to eat after.  We were going to crash on someone's couch for a cheap trip (since I was planning on leaving early in the morning) but decided to get a hotel and enjoy being together as a couple without kids.  I was stressed about getting up early for a flight so I decided to just wait until later in the day and take a flight with Dave.  Dave was suppose to go back to TX, but his flight filled up so he came to Utah with me and spent Fathers day with us.  It was SO nice to spend time together.  We woke up late, worked out together, I went swimming in the blistering AZ heat.  We walked through our rental home there and it seems they are taking really good care of it!  We shopped a bit, grabbed lunch and headed to the airport.  We missed the first flight we tried for (only needed 1 more seat!) but made the next flight easily (and got to sit in the lounge area while we waited, thanks American Airlines!)

We got to Utah in time to put the kids down and head out shopping at Kohls to find some fathers day gifts for Dave (he didn't pack church clothes since he didn't think he'd be out of town.  We got such a good deal (you know I love deals!)  He got 11 pairs of socks, a white shirt, slacks, a tie and a belt for $60.  PLUS, $10 Kohls cash to spend next week.  I love a good deal.  

We made Daddy a good breakfast and tried to treat him right.  He left early for a flight, only to find out it was delayed 4 hours!  We wished we would've checked so he could hang out longer with us. 

I was planning on following right behind Dave in a day or two, but flight were full and traveling alone with 3 kids, I wanted a direct flight... so we stayed nearly all week.  We filled everyday with fun activities

Monday we hiked with my mom's activity day girls to a waterfall.  

I'm so glad I carried Mariah.  Then we met my Ahlstrom cousins at Chuckie Cheese for pizza and arcade games.  We went to Sandra's to play for the rest of the afternoon. Then for FHE we made s'mores up the canyon.   

Tuesday, I went to the beautiful, new Payson temple with Marcie.    I met up with my mission companion for a few minutes before Marcie's 2nd bridal shower where I got to catch up with our old friends and ward from when we lived in Lehi. 

Wednesday was my birthday.  Jackson and I went to Denny's for my free grand slam (I wanted his meal more). 

 We met up with the Blunck's again at the highland splash pad (no pics)

Then we went to Cafe Rio for lunch with Sandra and the movie Cinderella.  Mariah fell asleep in my arms which is very rare and I cherished the moment.  

We went to grandma Louines and the kids LOVED the swing in her yard.  I had such a great time making them happy.  It wasn't an exciting moment, but it was one where I stopped and lived in the moment and fully enjoyed myself and my kids.  

 I went to another shower for my little sister and caught up with all my friends from the Lehi ward.    Dave sent me a text every hour telling me he loved me and then something specific he loved about me.  I was in heaven!  Such a great guy!

Thursday I was ready to go home,  and we finally made a flight home.  Landing in Texas it was overcast, but extremely hot.  The house was boiling (Dave turns off AC when we aren't home) and the kids were crazy (lots of night staying up late).  The house was a disaster immediately despite my deep clean last week.  I missed Utah! 

Hallie turns 4

Hallie's birthday is always hard because there is so much planning that goes into Christmas and New years, that I just want to coast after that.  But Jan 6th is her special day, so when preschool was cancelled this year, I decided to plan a quick party for her.  I only had 1 day to plan, but it was perfect for the girls and Hallie was all smiles.  

She's been asking me for a dance party for a while now, so we decided to put them together and dance the day away with friends.  She loved her picture on the invitation.She helped me make pink cupcakes, pink jigglers and pink lemonade.  she loved making plans for her party. 

We had ribbon wands, dance tu-tus and party hats as dress ups and then the girls made a butterfly mask with glitter and jewels.  The party was very simply and quickly decorated with pink everything and cupcakes, popcorn and fruit snacks and pink lemonade for a snack. 

We played pin the dress on the dancer; dance, dance TWIRL, musical chairs, and lots of dance instruction from Youtube and free dancing to our favorite songs.  

We feel so lucky to have many girls around us who are Hallie's age and we are excited to be better friends with them throughout the years.  Jane, Shelby, Kaydree, Paisley, Jules and Hattie came to celebrate. 

 Hallie felt so happy about all the girly presents she got from her friends and was even more pleased to send her friends home with a bag of their own a long with a flower.

Jackson was devastated to miss the party so when he got home we did it all again, along with treats and dancing and celebrating. 

 McDonalds was the dinner of choice for Miss Hallie so that was really exciting.  She also wanted pizza so we ate Little Caesars on the way to the playland.

Hallie is sweet and shy, but can be fiesty and stubborn.  She loves soft hugs and touches.  she loves to say 'I love you' and hear anything good about herself.  She loves all things girly.  She sways in princess dressed with headbands, bracelets, earrings, high heels, etc.  She is a good sister.  She loves screens (tv, tablet, phones) and candy (although she has decided that chocolate is not her favorite.)

12 on the 12th July

Jacksons Birthday!! From Left to Right
1. Jackson officially turned 6 today.  We had a birthday party before we left Mesa, so it was a bit anti climatic, but we tried to make it fun while still trying to accomplish a lot of unpacking on our first Saturday in our new home. He got a magicians costume, a Magic treehouse book, Spot it Jr Game, a soccer outfit and a lego set. 
2. I got a new vacuum for my birthday and bought it used it for the first time today.  It really sucked and I love it!
3.  Hallie got me a jewelry organizer.  It is the first time I can see my jewelry and maybe I will wear them more frequently.
4.The guest room closet is being used as a storage closet.  There are no storage closets in the house and I am wondering what we will do once we get another kid... cross that bridge when we get to it I guess.
5.  We set up the kids room and it feel good to have at least one room with matching furniture, bedding and a bit of decor.  I love the colors.
6. We went through boses in the garage and I am so hesitant to throw away old memorable things.  I took a picture so I could 'have' this forever.  I remember making it with my best friend in High School, Kristen
7. Dave is a really hard worker.  Even in the blazing heat and humidity, he organized the garage and the boxes so we could make sure we werent missing any inside boxes.
8. Hallie 'ran into' this kid and we kept calling for Hallie and this kid would respond.  Turns out his name is Ali and he thought we were talking to him.
9.  Jackson chose McDonalds for his birthday meal, mostly because they give out beenie babies in the happy meal and he is obsessed with collecting them.  He was thrilled to get another one and to play with Hallie with them.
10. Mariah toddling around and being cute.  I love watching her.
11.  Getting some sonic at happy hour.  Moving into a new house means not being prepared with meals and food so we've had to go out a lot more.
12.  Jackson with his new beenie baby (called beenie boos by him).  He loves playing these with Hallie.  He is a good brother.