Lake Powell 2012

The end of June was my first ever trip to Lake Powell. Actually, I think I went when I was a kid, but don't really remember it. I've heard everyone talk about how they go to Lake Powell every year and how much they love it, blah, blah, blah. Or so I thought anyway. I was not prepared for just how much I would love it! Some of Keith's friends growing up invited us to go with them. Their parents have a time share on a houseboat and they happened to invite us to join them. I was excited to go, but honestly, until I got there, I had no idea how great it would be. I really and truly loved it. By far one of my very favorite vacations ever and I feel really privileged to have been invited. It was really nice to stay on a houseboat and just spend the entire day out on the water. Not to mention I could totally live in a swimsuit every day! That is the life! The kids loved it...swimming, dirt, boat rides, tubing, eating...what didn't they love. I was worried about them not wanting to keep their life jackets on the whole time, but they didn't complain at all! They were fairly good the whole time as well. They were a little done by the end of the week, but Gavin still asks me all the time if we can call Renee and see if she'll take us to Lake Powell again LOL. Thanks so much for a fun trip Glade and Renee! We loved it!

Ann and Liam...I've never seen a kid love the water more than Liam did.  Seriously.

We took a drive through this canyon...absolutely breathtaking!

He's loving this!

He fell asleep every time he got on the boat :)

"Look, Mom! The moon!"

He is such a cheeser

We hiked to see some Indian ruins...way cool!

A little hike we took just above where the houseboat was.

I love this picture

Love this one too :)

Happened to catch this after a little rainstorm

Quite possibly one of my favorite pictures ever!

Is this hot or what?!?!

Gavin's Preschool Graduation

Our cute little firstborn graduated preschool! I know I already blogged about him starting Kindergarten, but in the interest of catching up...here was the end of preschool! This year Keith kept asking him if he was going to sing the songs because the previous year he just kind of sat there! This year he did not disappoint and was so cute up there perform. He mostly just kept waving to us, which was of course so stinkin cute. He got to sit by his little friend McKayla, who from day 1 of preschool the first year was infatuated with Gavin. It did not stop for the whole 2 years of school :) She is so cute and Gavin thought she was great too. They have even talked a couple of times on the phone since school was out. Ah...young love! We're so proud of sweet Gavin! He really enjoyed this preschool and his teachers Ms. Karrie and Ms. Kaylie. It was interesting to me to see how his social skills really improved the first year and then how much he learned the 2nd year. My favorite part was when Ms. Karrie asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up. I thought for sure he would say a police officer like he usually says, but he said he wanted to be a scuba diver! And if that wasn't funny enough, when McKayla got up right after him she said she wanted to be a scuba diver! Her mom was laughing so hard because she knows she only did it because Gavin said it. I would say we're looking forward to Kindergarten, but we're already there and loving it :) Way to go, Gavin!

I have a cuter picture of him and McKayla, but it's on my other computer.  I'll update soon.

New Bedroom

We've lived in our house a lot longer than I ever thought we would. We really like it here. That's not to say I'll be staying here forever because I desperately want a new house. We need something bigger...we have way too much crap! Anyway, slowly but surely we are making some new updates since things are starting to look "lived in". I redid my bathroom (I don't think I ever posted any shots of that?) and my next plan was wanting to redo the kitchen, but we ended up getting new bedroom furniture. The best part is the king sized bed. I've ALWAYS wanted one. Keith is so wiggly and let's face it, neither one of us is tiny. It is pure HEAVEN to have such a big bed. I wasn't sure it and all of the other furniture would fit in our room, and it is a little bit of a squeeze, but I'm so pleased with how it turned out. We painted as well. That was kind of a joke. We walked into Home Depot to look at paint I immediately found what I wanted. Keith hemmed and hawed over different ones until he eventually decided he wanted to try these other samples. So we got his choices and mine, put his up on the wall and I said no. He wasn't thrilled with my choice either, but begrudgingly did what I wanted. I absolutely LOVE it. It's so calm and soothing in my room now. It's just the perfect color. I had something specific in mind for the bedding (which we did find before the paint by the way) and surprisingly found something similar to what I wanted at Sams Club of all places! So it's beautiful and it was an awesome deal. This may be the lamest post ever, but my bedroom makes me so happy...I love having something so nice. Now just waiting until I can afford new for the rest of the house LOL

This is where it's a bit of a squeeze to get into the master bath, but it works :)

We have these on both sides and we now have lamps for them as well.

I love it!!!

Girls Trip to Vegas!

I've never really gotten to go on a girls trip before. I won't lie...it was awesome! I only had to worry about me and no one else.  Who knew what that was actually like!  It sounds selfish to say that I'm sure, but it was a really, really nice break that I needed.  My sweet neighbor Jeri invited me and some other friends.  We had such a great time!  We just spent a lot of time giggling, laying out, shopping, going to dinner and we went to see a Cirque show.  And we laughed...a lot!  It was great to have a weekend getaway.  Things I don't want to forget: 

• We didn't even get 40 minutes away and Jeri got a speeding ticket!
• I remember talking a lot about chocolate....
• Freemont Street.  Never been there before.  It was quite the experience.  Not great for me and my anxiety LOL
• Jeri not using any sun screen and me loading up on the 70 SPF :)
• Jeri and the waterslide...it went through a shark tank and she kept trying to stop and wave at us through this part.  She got plowed into by someone else.  Quite possibly the funniest moment ever!  For us anyway, maybe not her :)

Thanks for inviting me, Jer!  It was so cute when I came home too.  Gavin had made me a welcome home sign and there were flowers waiting for me.  Do you think they missed me?  I know Keith did, obviously since I relived him of children duties!

Bree and Jeri....2 of my VERY favorite people :)

Me and Jeri

Took this for Keith...he love Pawn Stars!

I've been to Vegas a couple of times, but never actually been to THE sign.

This was on our way there when we stopped for lunch.  Can you tell that we were excited for the sun?!?!

Jeri and Jera

One night at dinner. 

Gavin's 5th birthday!

And now on to April :) This year Gavin turned 5 and requested a Super Mario Bros birthday!  He was also POSITIVE that we were going to Chuck E. Cheese for his birthday celebration.  I hate Chuck E. Cheese.  It's gross.  However, I learned it's most the just the ghetto one in Orem that's gross.  I'd never been to the one in Sandy and was happy that it was MUCH cleaner :)  We met K and her son Earick there for some fun as well as Britt, Kenna and Pais.  Afterwards we headed back home for cake and ice cream with Carol and Cecil and Mom and Al.  Chelsea and Myah came as well and Gavin felt very spoiled and loved by all!  He was so excited and just kept saying, "I can't believe I'm really 5!" 

Birthday's mean I make them a special cake of their request so in keeping with the Mario theme, we did an old school Mario scene on the cake.  Gavin loved it and that made me happy.  I hate spending all of that time on a cake for the recipient to not be thrilled :)  

Not going to lie...I was pretty proud of this Mario :)

So happy with my sweet 5 year old!  He is the most creative, imaginative kid I know.  He is always playing some kind of pretend and is so clever.  He absorbs information like a sponge and says the most hilarious things ever!  He always keeps us on our toes and he is always quick to say he loves you.  He talks NON STOP (which I seem to remember hearing on my report cards LOL).  He is so cute when he forgets what he is trying to say.  He will be trying to get my attention and when I finally turn to him and he can't remember he just says, "I love you mom.  You're pretty."  That's great for the self-esteem :)  He love hugs and I hope he always stays that way.  Gavin is excellent at drawing and love to write his name and Max's name on everything.  He does not love going to primary (LOL) but is always happy afterwards.  He love to help me in the kitchen.  Anytime I'm making a cake he decides that it's some stuffed animals birthday and he must suddenly make them a cake with whatever I can spare.  He picks on his brother to no end, but can also be sweet with him and will usually refer to him as "Bud" when talking to him.  Gavin LOVES his dad and wants to do everything he is doing.  When Gavin talks about when he is grown up he never says, "When I am older, or bigger" he says, "When I'm a dad...".  He is a joy to spend time with each and every day and I'm so proud of the wonderful boy he is already and is becoming.  I love you, Gavin.  More than words can say.  You'll always be my sweet, wonderful first born.