Jack Attack

Jack started playing with Miles' play phone and went into his room. Then I heard his entire one-sided conversation, but I didn't know who he was talking to. Then he came into my room to report...


Me: "Jack, who did you call on the phone?"


Jack: "Jesus and Heavenly Father...I asked them to send my brother and sister."


Me: "But you already have a brother; Miles is your brother."


Jack: "But I want another one." (He didn't say it like he didn't want Miles for a brother anymore...just that he wanted another one as well.)


Normally Jack declines our request to say the prayer, but when I asked him to pray for lunch and then Britton asked him to pray for dinner, he was happy to oblige. He, of course, took the opportunity to pray for this brother and sister. Oh boy! What will we tell him when/if it doesn't happen?!?!

Mexico!!

Britton and his law school buddies started planning a "Graduation" trip in like their second semester.  Well, graduation finally came and went, and so naturally the graduation trip followed.  It ended up being just us three couples...we left the kiddos at home and had fun relaxing and hanging out as adults.


On the balcony of our condo overlooking the marina (and pool).

Our first of two trips to Fajita Repulic (the restaurant).  The food was DELICIOUS!!  Mmm, I'm getting hungry just thinking about those steak fajitas, LOL!

The expensive mariachi band at Pipis.

Our trip into town.

Our flip-flops getting cozy during our sand volleyball tournament.

On the day-long boat trip that didn't turn out to be what we thought it would be.

We went 4-wheeling through the country and into a jungle.  It was pretty awesome.  I bet you're wondering what the bandanas are for?  We had to wear them over our nose and mouth so we wouldn't catch any of the mud/water in the face as we flew through the mud puddles.  We were covered from head to toe in muck by the time we got home...the only part of my outfit that survived the trash can is my shirt.  (Hope you don't mind I stole these pics - thank you Sarah!)

Our second trip to Fajita Republic...seriously, my mouth is watering!

Our last night we ate at an Italian restaurant - nice that we aren't even looking in the same direction, huh?  lol!

We had so much fun, but I was so happy to be back home with our boys...I got a little camera happy about it.

Brought presents of course!

I think we left for Mexico the day after Miles got this car (a month late) for his birthday, so that is all they really wanted to play with when we got home.



Birthdays and Baths

Britton decided that he didn't want to celibrate his birthday this year until well after the Bar was over since the first day of the Bar was his birthday.  And what a celibration it was!  Hahahaha...just kidding.  Check out this award winning cake his wife made, awesome, huh?!?  I tried to make a yellow cake version of a chocolate pound cake recipe I have that uses a devil's food cake mix.  As you can see, it didn't turn out, but Britton wouldn't let me make him another cake, so this is what we ate, LOL!

Miles all fresh and clean from the tub :)

And poor Miles finally got his birthday present a month late...but it was well worth the wait, 'cause he has loved this little car to death!

In other July news...

Jack loves to "hide"...especially when Britton comes home from work or meetings; Jack will hear the door being unlocked and run to find a place to hide and wait for "Daddy" to find him.  One day he ran to hide from me and when I went to find him, I walked past the desk in our hallway.  That's when I heard the snickering, so I looked under the desk and found Jack peeking out from behind the dirty clothes basket.  It was probably one of those "you had to be there" moments, but it totally cracked me up!

My mom came out to help after my sister's surgery.  Jack and Miles just loved getting to spend some time with their Nana (although Jack insists on calling her Grandma).  We were able to visit the Discovery museum with the cousins and they all had a blast!  Somehow I only got like 2 pictures and of course this was the best one, hahahaha!

Jack really doesn't take naps every day any more, but I still have him take "quiet time" when Miles is napping.  Jack is so good to play quietly by himself in his room for however long Miles sleeps.  One day I heard him playing and having a great time, quietly of course.  Then I realized that I hadn't heard him in a while and peeking in his door.  I almost started to freak out when I didn't see him in the room, but thought I should check "everywhere" before I let the panic loose.  I checked the closet and then on the other side of the bed and this is what I find.  Could you imagine falling asleep in this position?!?!?!  I can't!  I was worried he was going to get a cramp or something so I moved him into the bed AFTER I took a picture naturally!

This is my attempt at a "tooth" shot.  I kept making Miles laugh so I could get a good shot of his second tooth coming in.

I LOVE this video!  Miles had been learning to "say" so many things through his own kind of sign language and I was lucky enough to catch them all on camera.  I still can't believe that he actually did them all instead of getting distracted by the camera being in view.



Our neighbors invited me and Jack over to light some fireworks on the 24th of July.  I don't remember where Britton was...probably studying for the Bar.  After I put Miles down for bed and it was all dark outside we walked the few feet to their house.  Jack has been SUPER scared of fireworks and the like in the past, so I was surprised when he seemed to be enjoying himself; he especially like the sparklers.  Thank you Kerra and Richard for having us over!

Sparkler Fun!

Miles' First Birthday

Of course Miles is some months older than 1 year now, but we sure had a lot of fun celebrating his first birthday.  We reserved a pavilion at a little park in town and it was perfect.  There was even a fence around the playground with only one entrance/exit which was my favorite part of all.  We had hot dogs and chips and watermelon and a veggie tray and of course cupcakes!!  It was fun to get together to eat and let the kids play on the playground and celebrate MILES!  :)

::Sigh::  My handsome little dude ;)

Miles loved his cake even if he didn't go hog wild the second I put it in front of him.  He kind of worked up to it gradually, poking at it tentatively at first...



...and ending with it coating his hands and face, hahaha.



One of my all-time LOVES...

...is GIRLS CAMP!!!  I was so blessed to be able to attend girls camp when I was younger through the Young Women program.  I'm thinking that I attended every year except one and it immediately became one of my favoritest (I know that's not a word ;) things ever.  One summer while away at college I was even able to work as a (Girl Scout) Camp Counselor.  Hands down, one of the most incredible summers of my young life!  I can't tell you any specific thing that makes me love it, I can only tell you how completely full of happiness and joy I am when I have been "camping" in a (structured) group of girls.  It is a place I have always felt I can let down my barriers and be silly and try new things and just be ME and not worry about what everyone thinks of the real, weirdo me.  The majority of my "lifelong" friendships having been made at girls camp, and the most fantastic experiences have stemmed from those friendships.  :)

This past January I was called as the camp director for the Young Women program in our ward and all I can say is how humbled and honored I felt to be a part of it all.  My only hope was to try and give our awesome young women a taste of that love I feel for girls camp.  It was such a fun camp for me...even though I felt like a chicken running around without a head, I just hope the girls enjoyed it too!

And now for a trip down memory lane!  There are hardly any from early on, but I wanted to post some favorite pics from my camping days.  Most of these are scanned in, so they don't look all that great.

YW Girls Camp 1995 - On trial at Kangaroo Court (standing, on right).

YW Girls Camp 1996 - Hangin' in the cabin (middle).

YW Girls Camp 1997 - Fires & Cooking Certification leaders (on far left).

Silver Sage Girl Scout Camp, Summer of 1999

Our little group hiked from the camp all the way down to the Shoup Store for some homemade milkshakes, mmm! (down in front)

Making friends as soon as I got to camp :)

Me and Delia laughing it up, like always! (big-mouth)

From top:  Kat, Tawanda, Autumn, Hershey, Giggles, Spaz, & Delia - If you couldn't guess, these are "camp names"...did you catch mine?  LOL!  (second from bottom)

Rare campfire performance. (on left)

On our trip across Idaho to Camp Pittenger in McCall, Giggles and I stopped to join a group of bridge jumpers. :P

Me and River on the dock at Camp Pittenger.  (on right)

Funny-looking lifeguard, hahaha!

Delia and I all rigged-up to ride that zip-line.  (on right)

Me...so dang scared my legs and arms were involuntarily shaking so hard you could see it from the ground.  Half-way up, I was SOOO close to backing out, but then I thought of all the campers that had already gone before me...especially the ones who were also scared out of their wits.  I just couldn't let them down after I had been their biggest encourager.  Ughh, took me 3 tries before I actually jumped off the platform, but holy cow, what a rush!!!

Cliff jumping with some local friends...sorry, you care barely see me blurring half-way down.

Me as Pumba and my co-lifeguard as Timon singing "Hakunah Matata".  (on right)

A camper's dad took me and a couple counselor friends flying in his "stunt" plane.  We had to take turns because there was only 2 seats, but it was pretty amazing...I even got to "drive" and do a barrel roll!



YW Girls Camp 2010

Me and my amazing co-camp director!

Me & YW president...love that tiny baby bump!

Six...yeah, 6 cream puffs in my mouth during an impromptu big mouth contest.  I think I got to 7 before I had to spit them all out, lol!

"...BUTT OUT!!  A jellyfish, a jellyfish, a jellyfish fish..."

My incredible 4-legged-race team :)

We seriously almost won!  SOOO close, but who messed it up?  Yup, you guessed it - ME!  I tried to stick my arm out like Lightning McQueen did with his tongue in Cars, but all I managed was to make us trip :(  But it was still hilariously fun!!

Doughnut eating contest...mmm, doughnuts, yumm!

And last but not least...me after being attacked during the pie throwing contest.  That't right, I didn't get a pie thrown at me, I got attacked with the dang thing!  ROFL!!