Let Me Introduce......

Alright everyone, I have someone special to introduce you too...He showed up at my house on Halloween in all his polyester glory, I actually almost wet my pants, but here he is......Introducing.......Leisure Suit Larry.



Yes ladies, please do not be jealous but that moustache is real (enhanced by some cosmetics)



He also brought with him a cute little vampire and jedi knight, when did my house become a home for lunatics? Oh, right it kind of always was.

Bryce Canyon and Back

A couple of weeks ago here in Utah it was UEA weekend. Which pretty much means that the kids and my mom had school and work off. So we decided to run away down South to a place called Mammoth Creek. It is about halfway between Zion's Canyon and Bryce Canyon. The weather was perfect and we had a great time.



The cabin that I wish we had rented, I mean seriously who has a gated cabin, crazy right.



Th cabin we really did rent. It was great and sat right on two different rivers, it was beautiful.







We Spent a day in Bryce Canyon, just hanging around.




And then the next day at Panguitch Lake.



So, see the big, beautiful lake? Well my husband decided that this spot made the best fishing spot, go figure.



He must have been right, here is the proof. Gross huh? I am not really a fish person but the kids had fun trying it out and it was a great getaway.

WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TOO??

So Mervyn's and Linen and Things have both just announced that they are closing their doors, for good. I know the banks are failing people, but I really start to sweat when the shopping starts to fail.



Although I bet there are going to be some killer sales.

Conversations with Carter

Carter: Hey Dad

Troy: Yes, Carter

Carter: uhmm you kind of look like my balloon

Troy: Thanks, Carter

Toilet Papered, REALLY???

So my lovely before mentioned soccer team, decided one day to toilet paper my house because I missed a game. If you go on my friend Jill's blog you can actually see pictures of the crime in action. Now I want to point out that this is a team of mature ladies, most of them who have children, oh the shame. But it was actually funny, and took me back a couple of years.

A BIT OF A FLASHBACK, HUMOR ME

I went out with some of my friends last week to BLISS (I mean the Cheesecake Factory) I swear I have yet to eat anything bad there. Anyway we were there celebrating our 30th birthdays (but I would like to point out that mine is not for another 10 months, the other's are just plain old).




So I decided that since we are getting so old and I have known these ladies for over 15 years it would be fun to post some pictures of us from the old days.


From Tijuana to New York City, we had fun together, these days will always be remembered fondly.



We laughed, we cried, we fought, we loved, you guys are my best friends. I would not have had it any other way.



And now with our 30th birthdays near, I look forward to 30 more with you guys.



Alright I am done with the sentimental cheese, but man sometimes I wish those days could have lasted forever.

It's Raining, It's Pouring.....

So last Saturday I assumed that my soccer game was canceled because it had been raining all morning. Just as I was getting out of the shower, I got the call, the game was still on.

So because we are a little crazy we played a game in the rain and mud. It was so much fun. I play with a group of amazing, and fun ladies and we had a great time. After the game ended we decided to get a little bit more muddy and these pictures are the aftermath of that. Sadly to admit about 98% of the mud came from after the game had ended when a mud fight became the new game. What a great group of friends I have here.

Mamma Mia

I went to see Mamma Mia with some of my friends and we had such a good time that we decided to go back to the sing-a-long version (did you all know they had one?). Well if that wasen't crazy enough we decided to dress up just for fun. Now let me remind you that we are all adults weeelll over the age of 18, but for some reason that didn't cross our minds. So we assembled our outfits, which was almost even more fun, and went to the movie. I was not quite sure how people would react, but we didn't care, we were going to have fun. Somehow, we got the whole theatre into the mood with some snazzy dancing and singing, and sparkly pants. It was a great night out, probably the most fun I have had in a while, so since I am nice I will share some of our pictures.

Aaaarrrggghhh

So my last post has a cute little slide show with a song, well my blog has songs, and I cannot figure how to turn one or the other off. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. I feel like my head is going to explode!!!!

My baby is 4

Ok, so I am not really good about keeping up with my blog but I am going to try to do a better job of it. So since my last post about two years ago a lot of things have happened. In August my baby turned 4, that is just crazy the time has flown. Carter came into this world weighing 10lbs. 13 oz. he was a big baby, luckily for me he was a C-section. He is such an awesome little man, we are really lucky to have him. These last 4 years have bben great. Ok, ok I will stop being sappy, but I am his mom.

A Day With the Fishes

So since my kids seem to get so bored in the summer I decided to take them to the Living Planet Aquarium on Monday. We have never been there before and to be honest I did not have the greatest expectations. Ok I know that sounds negative but I have been to some really great aquariums in Oregon, California, New York, and Florida and was not sure what Utah would have to offer since we are not really known for our sea life. But I was pleasently suprised we had a great time, and although it is not huge we spent a couple of hours there. My mom came and met us so we made a day of it, it was a really fun outing. Guess I should not be so quick to judge, another life lesson to myself.

My athletic ability (or lack there of) is showing

Ok, so yesterday was a gorgeous day here in Utah, we love to be in the mountains so Troy and I decided to take the kids up the Provo River Trail. The plan was to start at the base of the canyon and make it all the way up to Bridal Veil Falls. B was on her bike, C was in the running stroller, and Troy and I were running. Oh and we had Rocco with us too. Well about halfway up I realized that there was no way that I was going to be able to make it all of the way up plus turn around and get back to the car, which would have been about 13 miles. So I decided to take C. and Rocco and turn around and go back to the car and then go meet Troy and B. at the waterfall, so that is what we did. The sad thing is that first off they beat me there, and second is that my 7 year old made it the whole way. Wow what a depressing example of my athletic ability.

I whish I were a child sometimes

What would it be like to fall asleep anywhere?


The Stairs?????


The bathtub, really??

Two red heads, couple crazy guys, and Beckham

So we have been able to go to a couple of Real games this season, and they have all been so much fun, but the best so far was with the LA Galaxy. We went with Keith and Amanda, Peener, and Burton. We started out the evening going to the Pie, yep that is what I said the PIE. I have not been there in about ten years. For those of you who are not from around Utah, or must have your head in the sand, the Pie is a basement pizza place up by the U of U campus. It is one of those places where you can write your name on the wall, listen to great music, be lucky if you find a seat, and has the best pizza on this side of the Rockies.






After our dinner at the Pie, we headed up to watch the game (that is code for watch David Beckham). It was a really good game, I was suprised that LA kind of played a little dirty at times, but the Real guys were awesome. We were cheering for Real, and we were up by two goals when David Beckham showed why he is worth 250 million dollars. He made two goals just a couple of minutes apart, that wew truly amazing. One was in normal game play, and the other was off a penalty kick. They were beautiful, and he bent it just like Beckham. Game ended in a tie, but was a great game.

Wow, It's been a while

Ok, so we left the face of the earth a while, or so it seems. I have not posted anything new for a couple of months. So I am going to do a quick review of the time since I last posted. I promise it is nothing too exciting.

First off we were able to go to Texas for Spring Break and visit with family down there. A couple of things that I learned on that trip, Texas has cockroaches, wear sunscreen when your in the Gulf of Mexico, Matt is completely technologically retarded, and if you see these two, and know who they are then the picture says it all.



Ok, so soon after we got back my sweet daughter, and the most mature person that is in our house, finished frist grade. And she was so sad because she loves school, but we are so proud of her.


A week later she had her last dance recital doing balllet, because this summer she has decided to take up Ballroom dancing.



So for Memorial day we were able to spend some time down in Southern Utah at "The Ranch" it is this beautiful area that backs Zion's canyon and it about 20 miles north of Kanab. The kids had a great time, they played with all of the other kids, hiked, had bonfires, and found tadpoles. Which by the way have now turned into frogs, we have three of them (GRRrrr). It was so much fun, and a great way to spend time with the family down there. We already miss it.

New Strader BABY

Wow, I really have not posted for a while. But I was reading some of my friends blogs and I guess there are some congrats are in order.....Lynsey Strader said something about being pregnant.....NO WAY....Bling, you better let the whole family know.

And to answer your question, no I am not pregnant. Troy and I are done, but we are so happy for Ben and Lyn....

One Reason the U.S. will never leave Iraq

I know I have posted this before but this video is really funny, it makes me feel better about my own jumpin jacks.

OK, seriously

So I woke up this morning and guess what? It is snowing......
Alright people it's not that I don't like the snow, but it is the middle of March. And remember our first snow this season was the end of September (granted it was brief, but still). So here we are in the middle of March with snow, hope the Easter bunny has a snowboard.

No Dancing No Seat Belts

So I think that life has finally got back to normal enough for me to start posting some pics and stories from our family vacation. We had a great time and were gone for nine days so it was a great getaway. The theme of our vacation seemed to be No Dancing No Seat Belts, because every ride that we got on there would be this sign, and my sweet Carter interpreted it a different way. So everytime we got on a ride "Look mom, no dancing, no seat belts" was heard. We tried to explain but he would not beleive us, so as I start posting remember no dancing, no seat belts, oh and keep your hands in the ride at all times.

I am also posting my favorite picture from our vacation it really sums up the fun that we had.

And the WINNER for parents of the year.......

Goes to us........ I bet you guys didn't realize we were the best parents of the year... Well I will give you a great example. On our recent vacation (I will blog about that later) we convinced our sweet, trusting daughter to pose for a picture for us at a water area in Legoland. She was already a little wet so we thought we would help her out a little. That is her next to the pole, and if you look in the next picture you can still kind of make her out in the waterfall. It was so funny, Troy and I were laughing so hard (see best parents ever) and poor Bailey was soaked. Oh the joys of being able to torture your children.