Geocaching

Every year the city holds a Geocaching contest during Pony Express Days. Our friends invited us to this years event and we had a blast. The kids have found a new passion in geocaching and treat it as one big treasure hunt.

The next day after the event, they hold a drawing for all those who completed the hunt. Our family made out pretty well and out of six in the family, four of us won something. We are now the proud owners of an Eagle Mountain t-shirt, a water bottle, a coupon for a free haircut and a $30 gift certificate to Bajio! Yumm :)

This is a yearly tradition we look forward to every June.

Tour Guide

In the past, Clint has given a tour of the Salt Lake City Cemetery and has shown others where 12 of our past prophets have been buried. He was asked by our ward's mutual group to give the youth this same tour. I was fortunate enough (thanks Dulcie) to tag along and see Clint in his new role as tour guide.

It really was special to walk around the cemetery and come along the headstones of our prophets who have since passed. At each headstone Clint would tell a story about the prophet or ask the youth if they had a special story to share about the prophet. I was touched to hear the testimonies of others and their tender feelings towards our past leaders.

Towards the end we came upon a headstone and as I read the inscription I immediately got tears in my eyes. It was President Hinckley's headstone. Oh how I loved him and loved to hear him speak. I am so grateful I was able to be there that night and to see, hear and feel of the greatness of those who have gone before us and have helped to pave the way.

Thanks for the wonderful tour Clint!

Memorial Day

Monday Clint actually had the day off and was "home!" It was so nice to have him around and without any distractions.

We spent the morning shopping for flowers and for lunch invited some friends over for a bar-b-que. We all had some good laughs mainly at Russ' expense. :)

Later that afternoon the city had a free carnival for families and we headed over to that to enjoy some games, prizes and popcorn.

That evening we headed over to our friends house for dinner, smores' and some more good laughs. Thanks Sarah for the bike ride and entertainment; I wish I had a picture of you on your bike!

In all it was a wonderful Memorial Day spent with good friends and family.

Weekend in Review

This last weekend was the Father/Son's camp out in which Blake has been counting down the days for over a month now. Despite the rain and cold, both Clint and Blake had a wonderful time. Clint even tried his hand at dutch oven cooking for the first time and made a yummy ham and potato dish. While the boys were out playing, myself and the girls had a nice evening as well. We rented "The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" (Macy's choice), ate pizza and painted our toenails. After the movie we sat around talking and the girls asked questions about when they were babies. They love to hear stories of when they were little. It was a relaxing evening and I loved having a night in with my girls.
Saturday, Abby had her first dance recital. She loved performing and getting all dressed up in her costume. Her good friends, Lincoln and Avery, came to cheer her on and Abby loved that! Watching her dance reminded me of when I would perform in the Nutcracker every year. We love you Abby!

16 Candles x Two

It's my birthday today and I am one year older and hopefully one year wiser too. I have always felt that birthdays kind of lose their magic as you get older. You know as kids, there is this special feeling associated with your birthday and the whole day just feels like Christmas morning, but as you get older the magic fades a bit with each passing year. Well, this year has been different. I have been so blessed with wonderful friends who have really made this birthday one to remember.

Makeovers at Nordstroms, dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, treats and cards dropped off at my house, birthday dinner brought 'over and one on the way for tomorrow night, a yummy birthday cake, and just very kind thoughts extended towards me. This really has been a special day, and I have truly felt loved. Thank you!

Mother's Day

I hope all of the wonderful ladies out there had a fabulous Mother's Day. Mine started out with Clint filling his quota on cooking once a year, breakfast on Mother's Day. It was yummy and even better that I didn't have to make it.

The kids all had handmade gifts for me, which they were all really proud of. Especially Blake. He made a sunhat complete with flowers, and he was just thrilled to hand it over to me. I had told Clint earlier that all I wanted for Mother's Day was for him to clean my van. It was in need of some desperate help. At times I feel I live in that van and it looked like it too. I think Clint told me he found 15 socks hidden around the seats. I told you it needed a good cleaning!

I am so lucky to be surrounded my a loving mother and wonderful mother-in-law. I love you both and am so grateful for the examples you are to me.

I love being a mother. I love the hugs and sweet kisses my kids give me. I love their excitement in life and their pure joy in the little things. I had to add the picture at the top. It is of Blake as a baby and it reminds me of the greatest things in life!

Check

I can check one more thing off my list of "Things I Have Never Done." Try sushi. Yes, that is correct. I did it, I tried sushi and can I just say it is not something I would ever purposely order from a menu, but it also wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

Some friends of ours invited us to to dinner and the restaurant of choice was a Japanese Sushi Bar, Koi. So glad they introduced us to such unique food, in my opinion. And lucky for me, tucked in the very corner of the menu I saw they offered rice bowls. My dinner was delicious!

Thanks Russ and Dulcie for some Japanese culture. We had a great time.