Celebration!

After returning home from my short trip to Reno, I had a couple of days to get the house ready for my cousin and his new wife.  A couple of months ago, they married while on a weekend vacation in Texas.  My cousin totally surprised his finance by doing this.  So, that meant no reception, wedding cake, flowers, pictures, and gifts.  So, while they were here, my Mom, my aunt, my grandma and I threw them a "celebration" in their honor!  Cory bbq-ed up some of his delicious ribs, I cooked up some red potatoes from our garden and presto-a wonderful backyard dinner!  Then came the flowers, cake, pictures, and gifts!  A friend of mine put together a beautiful sunflower cake with just a couple of days notice, I cut some sunflowers from the backyard for table arrangements, and my aunt charged up two cameras for pictures!  The couple was surprised with the little party!

The cute couple!

Katie, Kelli, Tim and Mak with the couple

All the adults-my Mom, an uncle (long story ), bride, me, my grandma, Cory, groom and my aunt

Cake and flowers!

Yummy food!
 

My cousin and Kelli had this thing going with her bear.  She teased him the entire weekend with that thing, so he finally got it, undressed it, and dressed it his way! 

Surprise Birthday!

I had the opportunity recently to fly to Reno and surprise my Dad for his birthday!  I wish I had my camera when I walked through the door and made him go speechless!.  See, I texted him earlier in the day the following:  Happy Birthday!  Busy getting ready for church.  Will talk to you later:)  I didn't lie, just didn't tell the whole truth.  I was busy getting the kids ready for church and I would talk to him later-in person!  It was great-totally unexpected.  My sister and her husband had a bbq in their backyard-ribs, fresh salad and a peach cobbler.  It was so yummy!  The next day, I spent most of the day with my Dad.  My sister got my Dad's boss to give him the day off.  Another unexpected surprise!  We had lunch, then drove around the Reno area, checking out the numerous houses that I lived in before moving to Utah.  And that night, we went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  Great couple of days, but good to be back home with the kids and hubby!

House in Reno that I lived in until I was in 3rd grade

I lived in this house until I moved to Utah before the 8th grade.  It was not the ugly mint color you see.



This is the lot next to the house in the above picture.  When we lived there, we would ride our 3-wheelers through the sage brush until it was too dark to see or too cold to hang on any longer.  Now, it is a seperate lot with a modular home on it :(

My nephew, Jaxson, and I at dinner.  Such a cutie with big, blue eyes and blond hair!

Me, my Dad, Jaxson, and my sister, Jessica!

 

Labor Day!

And Labor it was!  At least for me in the morning.  I was up before the sun to run in the Temple to Temple Steeplechase.  It's a 5 mile run from the Oquirrh Mountain Temple to the Jordan River Temple to raise money for the church's Temple Patron Fund.  You can read more about it here.  I know, SUPER CRAZY considering that I am still training for a 5k (3.2 miles) and ran 5 miles!!

Just keep running, just keep running!  At least I am smiling :)

My running buddy, Stacey, and I at the Jordan River Temple-57min, 25 sec after we started.

 The second half of the day was spent with our friends, Brad & Kelli Bishop and their 5 kids.  We went to Deer Creek Reservoir for an afternoon of boating.  Then, they fed us dinner at their house.  Yummy steak BBQ with all the fixin's!

 

Fall colors in Provo Canyon

Waiting to get in the park.  It was a busy day on  the water!

Bishop and Wright kids!

Two more on the boat!

It was a great end to a busy, hot summer!  Now on to school, fall, and football!

Back to School-Part 2

Tim went back to school today!  8th grade!!  WOW!  I remember starting my 8th grade year-probably because we moved to Utah and it was my first year in a new school.  Oh, the memory of that first day too!  Anyway, back to Tim.  What a different start to this year than last year.  He actually walked to school where last year I drove him and had to unload his wheel chair and figure out where to put his crutches.  He wasn't feeling good last year cuz he was just coming off a chemo treatment.  What a trooper!

Tim-8th grade
 

Tim-7th grade

16 years!

Sixteen years ago, on a hot summer moringing in St. George, UT, Cory and I were sealed in the St. George Temple!  Cory and I were looking at our wedding album last night!  A couple things came to our attention:  we were so young, as was everyone in attendance that day, our photographer had no clue what he was doing, my hair went flat as soon as we came out of the temple, and boy were we young!  But what a ride we've had.  College, four kids, 10 apartments/houses, numerous job changes, trips, medical trials have challenged us and brought us together.  Wouldn't have it any other way:)  Love u more BABE!