Merry Christmas

We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

pumpkin carving

A couple weeks before halloween James and Jill invited us over for pumpkin carving and to make carmel apples. We always have a good time and this night was no exception. Our pumpkins didn't even make it to halloween before their faces were sunken in and they looked much scarier than our faces look in this photo. The apple were delicious and they too didn't last till halloween ... actually they didn't even last till the next day.

update ...

Update ... update ... update ... that is what I'm about to attempt. The past few months have flown by and I can't remember everything that has gone on in out exciting lives but I will do my best.

At the beginning of October I flew up to Washington to visit my mom, dad and sister for a few days. Brad drove south to do some much needed male bonding with his good friends. I had a great time and we were able to see a lot and do a lot thanks to good weather. The first day I was there my mom and I were able to go to the Portland Temple and go through a session. Kelsey {sister} waited for us outside and then humored me while I took some photos of her. We had a good time on our girls day out ... minus the driving home. Oregon doesn't have the best road signs but we made it ... eventually.

There is an old train bridge in Washougal {where my parents live} and since my dad shares in my joy of taking photographs we left my mom and sister home to go have some fun.

Later that day we went to visit a couple waterfalls on the Oregon side of the Columbia River. This was probably the neatest one of the two. This was featured in the movie 'Twilight' but we didn't see any vampires ... but we still had a good time.

The next day we packed up early and drove to the coast. On the agenda was Canon Beach and Astoria. When I was younger we had this movie on a beta tape called 'Goonies'. Haystack rock is shown here but what was more exciting to see was the sun. This was my parents  sixth trip to the beach and never once has it been sunny. I guess I'm good luck. 

This is a tower that sits up on the hill in Astoria. The plan was to climb the stairs to the top and see an amazing view ... however, the tower was closed because the stairs were being replaced. We settled for creative photos on the ground instead. We also drove by the famous 'Goonies' house but didn't take any photos.

Oh yes one more stop on our journey ... it's an old ship wreck. Yup that's about it an old ship wreck.

And while I was doing all of that Brad was doing all of this ...

They call it 'hunting' but I'm not so sure they even shot their guns. They did go fishing and race little motorcycles. There were also some entertaining videos involved and I will post some if I can it to work.

World of Speed video

Here it is ... enjoy

I love my job

I love my job ... and I think I'll be hurting tomorrow. Today's adventure took me west and I mean as far west as you can go in Utah without being in Nevada. I went to shoot video of the World Speedway at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Since I was 'media' then I got to wear this fancy orange hat that was way too big while I was out on the track. This was for two reasons.

1. so I didn't get hit and ...

2. so the officials would know I wasn't a spectator and wouldn't waste their time stopping me

Lucky for me I didn't have to where it in the pit {not a fancy place but where all the fancy cars where resting their engines} so I didn't look ridiculous the whole day.

Because I was out on the white salt all day I put sun screen on everywhere but my arms ... so I'm starting to feel a little warmth in them and I'm hoping I'll wake up in the morning and they will be tan. Unfortunately I'm thinking they might be a little sore. However it was worth it to not be in the office all day and to see something that was ... well, interesting.

Tomorrow I will be in the office all day putting together a video so all of you can see what was so interesting. One guy described it as the 'funnest thing you can do with your clothes on' ... and I'll leave it at that. 

groovy disco party

Momma Molly {brad's mom} turned the big five-0 this year so we decided to celebrate with a groovy disco party. She didn't want a party and she really didn't want a black and white party so we surprised her and had fun with color from the good old days. Well I'm not sure how good they were since I wasn't around but we sure had fun dressing up. I  found our vintage outfits at DI {deseret industries}. We ate, played games, watched the birthday girl open presents and just enjoyed each others company.

I always feel bad for those people that don't get along with their mother in-laws because mine is fabulous. So happy birthday momma molly ... we hope you had a good time celebrating because we sure did!!

three year old for a day

After running last Saturday we headed to Salt Lake with Elizabeth. Her birthday was a few weeks ago and instead of a present we decided to take her to Build -a- Bear for the afternoon. Rich and Ginny were more than happy to let us take her.

We rode the FrontRunner train from Farmington to Salt Lake. She was pretty excited about it and just sat and looked out the window for about five minutes. Once she realized there were no restraints she got a bit wiggly but the ride was only twenty-five minutes so it wasn't too bad.

Once we got to Salt Lake we had to walk a few blocks to the Gateway where we met up with Layne and Manda. Build -a- Bear was our first stop. As we were walking past the restaurants there was some music playing and she let go of our hands and started dancing. She amused us and the lucky  people that were dining on the patio for a few minutes and then we were on our way.

We let Elizabeth choose which animal she wanted to stuff and she chose an elephant. It takes a certain person to be able to work at a place like Build -a- Bear and the teenager that helped Elizabeth was certainly it. I think he was even a little over the top for her but she pushed on the pedal and filled her elephant full of stuffing and even put it a silky red heart. The next step was choosing some clothes and she chose an Ariel outfit. We weren't surprised because that has been her favorite lately, but it definitely made for an interesting elephant.

Once ariel elephant was all boxed up we headed to the California Pizza Kitchen for some dinner and then onto the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for desert.

Since Layne and Manda drove down we all drove back to Farmington with them rather than taking the train. Having a three year old for a day wasn't as difficult as we were thinking it might be. Elizabeth was very well behaved and kept us laughing. Not to say that we weren't tired after our adventure because she certainly doesn't slow down. We had a lot of fun and might even be tempted to do it again.  

Brad's first

This morning we went and joined our stake for a 5k run. It was Brad's first and my second. I was quite impressed by the formality of it all. We got official numbers, south ogden police was at different intersections making sure no crazy drivers ran anyone over, we had official timers and a good looking finish line. Afterwards we got breakfast and the best part is that it was all free. Brad was a little undecided last night about wether or not he was going to do it but he did awesome. He finished in twenty five minutes.

There was a pretty big turn out. The plan was to run with our friends James and Jill, however James was quite excited and took off leaving us behind and Brad did the same so it ended up being Jill and myself. After finishing James came back so that he could pass the finish line  with Jill and Brad just took a really awful photo of me that I will not be posting.  

labor day

Well our labor day was spent laboring. My used to be craft/misc. storage room will soon be the new office. There weren't any closet doors to hide all my 'stuff' so Brad had to bring the closet in a bit so that the new doors will fit. Gotta love old houses where nothing is standard size.

I got the job of repainting the room yellow, which is the color I painted it four years ago. However there were a few patches that needed to be touched up and the new paint is slightly darker so the whole room gets a do over. I had an enjoyable time, minus the moments spent shaking up on the ladder. I hate ladders so I got a few laughs from Brad's side of the room as he was watching me.

That night we headed to Layne and Manda's for dinner and then it was back to work on Tuesday.

guitar hero

This summer we've taken advantage of our grill and patio and have had many barbecues. Last night we had what might be the last one of the summer. We had some friends over {Layne+Manda, James+Jill, Craig+Taryn} and had a good time. We grilled some hamburgers and enjoyed the outdoors until it got dark and then we came inside to play Wii. Craig was kind enough to bring it over when he found out that Brad and myself had never played guitar hero. I must say I can see what all the hype is about. It's pretty addicting. We also played a little mario cart as well.

We've done things with James and Jill but this was the first time we've had Craig and Taryn over. They have been in our ward for over a year now and so it was fun to get to know them better. I'm sure we'll be inviting them over more. 

go green

Lately I've been seeing these reusable bags being sold at grocery stores.  I had thought about trying them out many times. About a month ago while shopping at Harmons I couldn't resist when I saw that their bags were the same color as my kitchen so I bought five. The best part is that they give you back five cents for each bag you use when you do your shopping. I've also used these as Maceys as well. So if your not so good at the recycling thing {like me} and you want to go green then I think this is an easy way to start. I just keep some at home by the door and some in the car. 

Oh, did I mention they are only one $ dollar?

pancakes

Last night our neighbors dog was kind enough to wake us up at four o' clock in the morning. Also, Brad's allergies have started up and he hasn't been sleeping very well so once he woke up he was awake for the day. Since he was awake ... I was awake. I decided that we needed a good breakfast if we were both going to be starting the day so early. I made some delicious buttermilk pancakes {from scratch, not a box ... I know you can be impressed because I kind of was}. 

For those that know me I rarely eat maple syrup on my pancakes. If I do then the syrup needs to be homemade, but as you can see I opted for my usual toppings this morning ... peanut butter and jam. My grandma Erickson introduced this to me when I was young and I've enjoyed it ever since. So now I'm off to bed a little earlier tonight and hopefully the neighbors dog is not so kind.

recipe for MAPLE SYRUP

1 cup water

2 cup sugar

bring to a boil and then add

1 tsp. mapleline

Saturday apart

This past weekend we spent our Saturday apart. 

Our cousin Elizabeth celebrated her third birthday. Family came down from Idaho and we started the party off at Hill Air Force Base Museum. I had never been so it was fun to see. Manda and Brad both had to work so I picked up Layne and we met everyone there. Some of the family thought it was funny and weird that we showed up together but it didn't bother me. As for Layne ... I talked his ear off {I'm pretty famous for that} so I think that if he chooses to drive himself next time that it will be because I talk to much and not that it was weird.

 After an hour and a half we headed off to Rich and Ginny's to continue the party. We ate hamburgers and cupcakes and just enjoyed everyone's company.

Elizabeth was entertaining as always and enjoyed her 'princesses' party.

Elizabeth digging into her Ariel cake

So while I was partying poor Brad got stuck at work in Salt Lake. However, he did get to be part of a large project on I-215 that was quite exciting {at least for those in the construction world}. The interstate was closed down while a new bridge was being placed. Brad was there to install the gas line under the new bridge. He had a long week so hopefully he can take an extra day off on Friday and have a long weekend. He definitely deserves it.

Moving the bridge on I-215 8-23-08

a night owl to an early bird

As I mentioned before this past month went by way too fast. The week after my birthday I changed from a night owl to an early bird. That's right I was finally able to switch shifts to the day shift. This has been a great change at work that has given me more opportunities to go out and shoot video as well as edit some fun projects. It's a little different only concentrating on one task at a time but I'm enjoying it. Since things changed at work things also changed at home. Brad and I have had to get used to being around each other  and actually seeing each other every night. The first week was a little rough but we have adjusted quite well. 

At the beginning of August I headed south to meet up with some girls from the good old K-5 (Kolob 5th ward). Meili was one of my first friends when my family first moved into our Springville home in 1987. We spent many hours between our houses coming up with all kinds of things to entertain us. We put on dance shows, created a 'house' out of grass clippings one summer, and had many sleep overs. When I was a freshman at Utah State, Meili was often my ride to and from home.

I hadn't seen most of these girls since my wedding, four years ago, and I hadn't seen Becca and Abish since Becca's wedding seven years ago. Everyone still looked the same and we had a fun time talking about the good old times in the neighborhood.

Last weekend was a weekend of firsts. It started out with my first hot air balloon ride at the Eden Balloon Festival on Friday. One of the perks my new position has given me. It was pretty amazing to be up so high in a little basket with two other people and very little wiggle room. The video I made from this adventure is posted below

Then on Saturday we decided to ride the FrontRunner train to Salt Lake for dinner and some shopping. It took one hour to get down there, then we had to walk about three blocks to the Gateway. That wasn't so bad, but it took a little longer to get home and so we decided that for three hours in Salt Lake it would be more cost effective to drive one car with all four of us and pay for parking. Not only would it be cheaper but it would also take less time. However, for a one time outing it was fun.

Tonight we headed to another Raptors game here in Ogden. We went to one about a month ago with our friends Jill and James and had a good time. This time we went with Manda and Layne. It was free and the view wasn't bad either. We stood on the picnic roof deck on the edge of outfield that gave us a great view of everything. Unfortunately the Raptors lost but we had a good time and hope to catch a few more gaames before the season is over.

flying by

This past month sure went flying by ... speaking of flying, here is where my new 'day job' took me last Friday ...

More news and photos to come.

5K Run {July 12}

Today I actually saw the sunrise. It's been a long while since that has happened. I made a goal to do a 5K Run in Farmington on my birthday so that required getting up at 5:30. Rich was kind enough to join me bright and early and Brad even rolled out of bed to support me.

I lost Rich on the first hill but I had my iPod and enjoyed the the next three miles. Well I should say I survived the next three miles and finished. I was expecting it to be worse than it was so I think there is a good chance I will be running one again. My ankles are a little sore, which is weird, but everything else seems to be feeling fine.

So if anyone wants to join me on one let me know.

Lagoon {July 7}

My family must not of had enough of each other yet because we all met up at Lagoon for some more fun. Brad had to work and so my cousin Mallory from Nebraska was my ride buddy. It was her first time at an amusement park and she did great. She went on every rollercoaster and even tried a few things I wouldn't. I was quite impressed. She even drove the bumper cars like a pro.

Once we got there everyone went in their seperate groups and then after lunch we all met up at the Rattlesnake Rapids. I rode it twice and only my shorts got wet. My cousin Marcus wasn't so lucky ... he got the worst of it but luckily it was a million degrees outside so it didn't take long to dry off.

50th Anniversary {July 4}

My grandparents have been married for fifty wonderful years so on the Fourth of July our family got together for a big 50th Anniversary bash. This fabulous party has been in the making for months now and is large reason why my blogging has gotten so behind.

My parents as well as one of my mom's sisters and one of her brothers live outside of Utah. They were all able to come and the majority of my cousins were able to make it as well.

We started off with the annual breakfast cooked by my grandparents. As always it was tasty and then I took photos of every one's families {you can see them here} in the Burton family t-shirts that were made up for us all.

After a water fight and some games it was time for lunch. We kept it simple and just added a few personalized touches to a few things like water bottles and cookies for desert.

Games resumed after lunch. My grandparents backyard is perfect for everyone to gather because they have space for everyone of different ages to do things. There was volleyball, horse shoes, a trampoline, a slide n' slide, kickball, swings, a playhouse, sandbox and a zip line.

My mom and I spent some time setting everything up for the dinner that evening. We really wanted to let my grandparents know how much they are appreciated and wanted to make this day special. Dinner went well once the wind died down and stopped reeking havoc on our decorations and everyone had a good time.

Back in February I started a book project for my grandparents. I gave all my aunts and uncles a couple pages for their family. I created the book online and so that everyone could login and create their pages. This ended up turning out really well and my grandparents loved it. Some families wrote a note to them, some just put photos of their children with grandma and grandpa, but the best part was that everyone was able to contribute and create a book that will always be treasured.

A simplified version of my grandparents wedding cake was made and so we all had a wonderful time watching them cut the cake, feed it to each other and then the highlight of the evening was watching my grandpa kiss my grandma like they were twenty again.

Funny comment from the day: After dinner there was dancing to music that my grandpa had chosen for my grandma and Brad wouldn't dance with my so I asked my five year old cousin Gabe. He was more than happy and then our converstation went like this ...

Gabe: "why doesn't Brad want to dance with you?"

Me: "I don't know"

He thought about that for a few minutes then ...

Gabe: "I think I know why"

Me: "Why?"

Gabe: "I think he wants to dance with someone else"

Me: "Oh?"

Gabe: "Yeah, I think he has two girlfriends"

It took everything I had not to start laughing because he was so serious about it. I just hope he was counting me as one of the two girlfriends.

To see the decorations go HERE

To see more photos go HERE

softball {June 27}

We've been playing softball for the last month or so but tonight {friday, June 27} was two of the best games we've played. Our ward actually had enough players to make a team thanks to Rich and Layne joining us. We usually join up with other wards so we were quite thrilled. Once our first game was over the majority of us stayed to play with another ward that was lacking a few players. I was the only girl on the team but it was probably the best game I've had as far as hitting goes. Brad hit a home run and I made it on base everytime.

After the games we headed to Layne and Manda's for some much anticipated Italian Sodas. They were delicious and worth the wait. I wish I had a photo ... maybe next time.

Family Reunion {June 21}

Momma Molly {Brad's mom} was in town last night {June 20} and so we had get together at Layne and Manda's. We had to eat and run so that we could make it to our softball game but everyone {Grandma R, Ginny, Rich, Elizabeth, Molly, Layne, Manda} was kind enough to come and watch us. Elizabeth recently got a pink mit and loves playing 'batter batter baseball'. I still haven't made Italian Sodas but I do have all the stuff ... maybe next week.

Then on Saturday we got up early and went to Idaho for the Williams Reunion. Layne and Manda were kind enough to take us so we didn't have to drive. The reunion was at a place calleld Hooper Springs. This is a natural spring but Brad was the only one daring enough to actually drink the water. I remember stopping here when I was younger ... I'm not sure that I drank the water then either.

We saw a lot of relatives and enjoyed visiting with some of Brad's cousins. Brad was definitely a hit on the swings. 'Underdogs' was the specialty of the day and he was giving them out to a couple of his second cousins up until we left. The day ended up lasting longer than we had planned but overall was fun.

Father's Day {June 15}

For Father's Day we went to Logan to spend the afternoon with Scott {Brad's dad}. We had an enjoyable time relaxing outside and getting some sun for the first time in months. Even though it was Father's Day, Scott grilled some delicious steaks and Glenda made some wonderful salads to go along with them. It was a nice relaxing day until I ruined it by having to go to work. Hopefully working on the weekends won't last too much longer.

a read only post

A lack of things going on is not the reason for my lack of updating. We've been busy the past few weeks but I haven't taken any photos so this will be a read only post. Here's what we've been up to ...
three weeks ago
We discovered a delicious restaurant here in Ogden called 'the Warehouse'
{that's about all I can remember from that long ago}

two weeks ago
We started playing coed softball with our ward, then some friends in our ward invited us over for Italian sodas ... I've been wanting to make them ever since
I enjoyed some time at the batting cages {after the first game I decided I needed to freshen up on my skills}
Then my whole back was sore for three days after the batting cages
Layne and Manda {brother and sister} arrived from Nebraska and moved into their house less than a block from ours ... we were quite excited about this
We spent some time in Orem with our friends and had a good time with lots of laughs

one week ago
We helped Layne and Manda paint their new home and move in a fridge {I should say Brad helped with the fridge part, I wasn't there thankfully}
We enjoyed some Mongolian BBQ and bowling with our new found friends

this week
I watched Elizabeth and we had a good time as always
I tried my hand at making sweet pork and we had our family over for a fine fresh Mexican dinner
We've found ourselves at work everyday {not so fun, but part of life}
And we will be playing softball again, having a good weekend, and possibly making Italian sodas

'the truck'

Here is 'the truck' that we went on that nice trek for. I've said it before but it was definitely worth the trip. Brad is happy with it so therefore I am happy with it {except for the loudness factor, but at least I'll hear him when he comes home}

catchup with photos

This is called playing catchup with photos ...

I got to watch Elizabeth again and was entertained the whole time. It's kind of nice because I get to just enjoy and laugh at all the funniness that comes out of her.

And Brad went rock climbing for the first time with some guys in our ward. He had a lot of fun and was quite sore the following day.

four years

Today is our anniversary ... four years and it definitely seems like a lot more {in a good way}. I {kera} get the pleasure of working but we celebrated last weekend with food and a shopping trip.

I just have to say that Brad is a fabulous husband that always goes above and beyond. He is the greatest for many reasons ...

he does the laundry {I can count on both hands how many times I've done it}

he does the dishes, vaccuums, and cleans the bathroom

he makes sure our yard is always mowed and looks nice

he washes the cars

he is a very hard worker and is good at what he does

he is always supporting me in whatever 'project' I've taken on

he is encouraging and only thinks I'm a little crazy

These are just a few of the many things that make him so great. We haven't had a perfect four years but it has been a wonderful four years.

Here is our wedding video ... Brad is going to shake his head at me when he sees that I posted this but I love to watch it so I thought I would share ... enjoy!

day of leisure

Today Kella and I were supposed to head south to Provo and Springville so I could attend my last appointment for my leg and she could go to lunch with her friends. We didn't leave in time for my appointment so I rescheduled and we opted for a day of leisure at the Gateway instead.

We did some birthday shopping for Brooklynn, played in the water and then I introduced Kella and Brooklynn to sushi at Happy Sumo. On our way back to the car I was holding Brooklynn and as we walked passed the water she wanted to get down really bad ... I think she is going to love swimming this summer.

update

So there is a great need for an update. We, as in Brad and I, have been fairly busy these past couple of weeks. Then there is Me that yet to make it home from work before two {in the morning} for the past couple of weeks. So here is some much needed details on previous statements...

The week of April 19-26 we had two visitors from out of town. Our brother and sister {Layne and Manda} from Nebraska, at least that is the address of their current home, but not for long. They will be moving to South Ogden at the end of May. We are really excited about this. We were able to celebrate Manda's birthday while they were here and spent a day in Salt Lake. Well the boys went to the Outdoor Expo and the girls went to Ikea. After each group had their feel of gender appropriate activities we all went to dinner at Taifoon {yummy!} and then to Ben and Jerry's for some desert. Once again we are really excited for Layne and Manda to move here. The best part is that the home they bought is just around the corner ... literally.
Now the reasoning behind all of my late nights. There has just been a lot to do and it doesn't seem like it will slow down anytime soon. I seem to be the dumping ground for things that didn't get done during the day. I did get a new boss this past week so going to days is looking like it might become a reality.

trek for a truck

While the weather was a bit cold here in Utah we headed to Arizona the first weekend of April {the fourth and fifth}. Brad was looking for a welding truck and found one in Flagstaff that was all set up so he wouldn't have to modify anything. I know Flagstaff seems like quite the trek for a truck but it was well worth it. The truck will be perfect for what he needs. Here is how our little journey played out ...

FRIDAY - Brad's Brithday

We flew out at 6:40 a.m. ... acutally I should say that we should have flown out at 6:40 but we missed our flight by about five minutes. We aren't morning people so we should have known better than to book a flight that early. This wasn't a good start to our trip but we managed to get on the 8:40 flight. Once in Phoenix we rented a car and started our two hour drive north to Flagstaff. Despite our delay in the early hours of the day we were still able to make it to Flagstaff by noon to see the truck.

As I mentioned before the truck was just what Brad has been looking for so we grabbed a bite to eat, drove through the town and then headed south towards Gilbert {south-east of Phoenix}.

Brad's great aunt Ann lives in Paridise Valley and we noticed it was on our route so we decided to stop. I've met her several times here in Utah but it was fun to visit her in her element at her beautiful home.

Once we arrived in at Mike and Natalie's {my uncle and aunt} we were welcomed very warmly by an excited little boy named Gabe {cousin} and a grown up Megan {other cousin}. Brad and warned me not to tell them about his birthday so I assured him I wouldn't. As we were headed to dinner they gave us a few options and told Brad that it was his birthday dinner so he could choose. He gave me a dirty look at which point I once again assured him I didn't say anything. Natalie let him know that they have a little thing called the 'family calendar' that has everyone's birthday in it so his look of anger only lasted a few seconds.

We had a fabulous dinner at Carraba's {yummy Italian}. I got the pleasure of sitting by the birthday boy {brad} and the funny boy {gabe}. Gabe kept me laughing throughout most of dinner. At one point he turned to me and asked "are you enjoying your dinner?" At which point I had to swallow my giggle and reply "yes, thank you it's very good" because this five year old was waiting for a serious answer.

The laughter continued in the car and at the Eralie's home as we sang happy birthday to brad and ate some delicious chocolate ice cream cake from Cold Stone. After cake and some more visiting we all went to bed. This was a very long day but we enjoyed every bit of ... except the missing our flight part.

SATURDAY

We woke up early in order to be ready to go to Gabe's basketball game at 7:30. This was really fun to see. Natalie was the coach and was out on the court with the kids to try and herd them from one side to the next. They {the kids} weren't allowed to to take the ball or foul each other. They could put both arms in the air, double-dribble and travel {if it was kept to a minimun}. No one was focused on who was winning ... in fact I think both teams won. Good sportsmanship and having fun was the emphesis which I thought was great and it made watching the game very entertaining. We were able to watch the first session of General Conference before we headed to the airport and then home just in time for Brad to attend the Preisthood session.

We had a wonderful time visiting with Mike, Nat, Megan and Gabe. I'm happy to claim them as family and look forward to seeing them in July.

It was a short trip but that just means we will need to go again and spend some more time.

Arizona

I know it has been a while. We had a lot of fun last weekend in Arizona but I haven't had the chance to download the photos yet. We flew down on Friday (brad's birthday) and then came back on Saturday. So it was a short trip but we definitely enjoyed ourselves and the weather.

I will write more about a truck, dinner, cake, a boy named Gabe and a girl named Megan this weekend.

As far as this week goes ... lets just say coming back to work after having five glorious days off is really hard.

digital scrapbooking

For those of you out there who are interested in digital scrapbooking here is a great blog. There are a lot of great tips and instructions to get you started. Just go here or click on the picture below.

he might find himself in a dress

Today I had the chance to watch my cousin Elizabeth while Ginny {her mom} went to the doctors. We had fun. She brought George but he stayed at the house while we went to the park and then we had some fun painting {see photos of that here}.

After Ginny got back and shared the news that she is having a boy we went to Wendy's for lunch. While at lunch Ginny pulled out the ultrasound picture to show me and Elizabeth took it and said 'my baby sister'. Once he comes out he might find himself in a dress from time to time if Elizabeth has her way. She is so funny and always a joy to be around.

four serious bowlers

My sister {kella} and I get together about once a week to work on a project or just go to lunch. However, our husbands rarely get to see each other so we decided to go to dinner and bowling last night. We ate some very delicious BBQ at Goodwood and then because we are four serious bowlers we played three games at a bowlin alley by our house. We really weren't that serious or that good but we all had a great time. The bowling alley wasn't anything fancy like FatCats but was a little more old school like Regal Lanes in Provo {back when I was kid}. By the end of the third game we were ready to call it a night but I think we will be doing it again ... hopefully soon.

ready for a change

I have been growing my hair out for the last year and a half. It was the longest it has been since seventh grade and was driving me crazy. I decided that I was ready for a change, so on Tuesday I had it cut and colored. I only cut a few inches and now I wish I had cut a few more. I finally have my bangs back and a lot more layers. It's not too different, but different enough. Maybe my summertime look will be litte more dramatic.

Maddox for lunch

My mom has been in town since last Wednesday so her sisters {my aunts} and her mom {my grandma} met us at Maddox for lunch. I got up early to get in my morning run/walk and was almost ready when Kella and my mom came to pick me up {I say almost because I'm never completely ready when she comes}. We were only five minutes late, which was pretty good for me. Not all of my aunts were able to make it but it was fun to see the few that did. We all enjoyed the delicious rolls and rasberry butter while we talked and laughed at the children {Brooklynn and Alliyah}. I had a fabulous time. I've always been close with my aunts and grandma but since I've been married it doesn't seem like I see them much. Life just gets busy so it was nice to spend some time with them outside of a family party. When I got home I still had most the afternoon when I got home so make some chicken salad and enjoy the nice weather that's been around the last few days.

St. Patrick's Day

Here is how my St. Patrick's Day went...
I woke up and went to a mandatory meeting at work with our editor. My boss resigned on Friday so I get my old boss back for a few months until they hire someone. This can be good or bad for me, I haven't decided which one yet.

I then headed to Costco to do a little bulk shopping.
After getting home I changed and went for a run. I want to run a 5K every month this summer so I've started training. I'm not much of a runner now but hopefully that will change.

Once I showered I decided I didn't want to do my hair right away so I went for braids and a hat instead. I don't even remember the last time my hair was braided ... probably when I was seven.

Next was a trip to Macey's for some more groceries.

Once the groceries were put away I made myself a snack.






Then I made a salad to take to dinner. We went to some friends for FHE.
Here are our friends the Abbotts. They were kind enough to invite us to their home. We had so much fun and definitely want to do it again.
They taught us a new game called POUNCE that we played with ROOK cards. We finally headed home and to bed around 10:30, but not after a tour of their creepy basement ... thanks for the fun night!