I LOVE the beach!!!

Seriously, I love the beach. As soon as I get out of the car and smell the ocean air I am instantly transformed. I love the warm sand, I love the sound of the waves crashing, and I love, love the smell. I love my kids playing and exploring; at the beach the possibilities are endless, whether it be playing in the water, collecting shells, finding crabs, seaweed mounds, sand castles, surfing, rock climbing, kite flying, bike riding, boogie boarding, bamboo, and bonfires. Every year we ask our kids what vacation they want (anything in the world) and every year they say beach camping. This may change with age, but for now I am going to enjoy my favorite people at my favorite place.

Memory Lane...

These are my best friends and room mates at BYU minus 3. We had the opportunity to get together in June because we were all in Utah at once, but we are spread out from coast to coast! These girls provided me with more laughs,experiences and friendship than I could ever describe and I love to relive the stories! I am so grateful for our friendship and am in awe to realize what amazing people they have become ( that includes you too Mindy and Lisa).

Lori was nice enough to host us and look at all these kids we have produced and Amber's husband and 2 kids are missing!!!

Okay so Marja I loved hiding in your bed before you got into it, and hiding outside your and Angies window on the second floor! Angie I loved disco skating with you and your sweet outfits, Lori...driving your jetta, going to Peter Breinholdt and not knowing a SINGLE song until they did Landslide, Amber... you're crazy and the best dancer I,ve ever known!!! Mindy you still look like two different rats and Lisa you have the funniest daughters and blog ever!!!

Penny's blessing

Livi lovin a new cousin
All 7 grandkids
The whole fam minus Andrew and Joe...we missed you guys!
The beautiful new family

4th of July

We spent the 4th of July in a darling town outside of SF called Clayton (where Jessica's husband is from). The kids were in a parade, Livi loved it the most.
We swam at Dave's parents house and were treated like royalty with great food, all you can eat mini popsicles for the kids and red white and blue layered jello (that takes time).
It was a late night after the fireworks show so the kids needed some treats from the vending machine at our hotel.
All the cousins on my side together!!! Yeah!!!
Caroline and Sydney-who was thrilled to be in a parade and sang America the Beautiful the WHOLE parade route!
Everyone getting geared up for the parade. We had a fun day and are so grateful to be Americans and live in this great country and enjoy the freedoms we do.

San Fran!!!

We went to San Francisco with my parents to visit my sisters and see Penny get blessed. Here is almost the whole gang eating my personal favorite, Boudin chili bread bowls...YUM!
The kids loved chasing the birds at Fishermans warf. I don't think San Francisco is ever warm because I have been there twice (both times in the summer) and you always need a sweatshirt. The weather was gorgeous, just cool.
Watching the seals at Pier 39.
The Golden Gate Bridge was freezing cold and windy but awesome none the less.
My sister Jessica with her husband Dave; who was our travel guide and did a great job seeing how we had to navigate 4 cars, 8 kids, 10 adults and a dog around a very big city!!! We also drove down Lombard street, and saw the more scenic side of SF. Thanks again Dave and Jess!

Highlights of my day...

rubbing lotion all over Jillian's adorable chubby body after her bath and watching Caroline dance to the music at the GAP where she thought no one was watching her!

Park City

Every year we try to go on a new vacation that we have never done before. This year we rented a condo in Park City and did all of the things that tons of people who visit Utah do but we never have. The kids loved playing in the fields behind the condo.
Exploring and building...
Riding the Alpine slides was awesome, they are so fast and Rigdon was old enough to drive his own!!! Me and Livi were partners, and Rangi and Caroline. We all also did the alpine roller coaster which is like doing the luge in the olympics...it was intense fast!

Future Uncle Danny brought up the peddle boat which was so much fun!

Here is a timer picture of all of us on a hike, the scenery was beautiful, and the kids love to play and hike together. We also rode bikes, took lift rides and just relaxed with the kids as our only priority ( which is hard to do at home sometimes). This is why a family vacation with just our kids is so important to us.

Cheese Connossoirs

If you heard my rap you know I love cheese, and there are so many out there that it is fun to try new cheeses. Hence the reason for this post, we decided to let our kids each choose a cheese for our picnic. The lighting was great so I also took advantage with some pics of the kids.
Rigdon was way too into building a bridge to stop for pictures, It was such a cool place I had to let him.
Caroline is kind of a crazy woman so I thought this picture was fitting.
Jillian is the cutest, happiest, chubbiest baby I know. I'm not biased or anything!
Sweet Livi
And the moment you've all been waiting for... what cheeses did the kids choose? Livi's fine taste is apparent in this picture, she chose Kraft singles! Sick, I NEVER buy those so in her defense she did try a new cheese!!! Caroline chose pepperjack, she liked the "sprinkles". Rigdon has the most sophisticated taste because he chose brie (which I love so I was stoked). Needless to say we had to re-do the cheese party on my birthday when the kids were in bed and we had some more exotic choices!

Why I love Utah

I love Utah because there is a temple in every direction. This trip we had the opportunity to visit the new Oquirrh mountain temple before it is dedicated. The kids were in awe over the beautiful interior and it was neat to tell them that this is where families are sealed together for time and all eternity, because families are that important to our Heavenly Father.
I love Utah because the kids catch things like snakes, and explore, and discover ancient treasures in grandpa's backyard, and light fireworks to an 8 year old boys content.
Most of all I love Utah because that is where the BEST dad and husband was raised and became the great person he is.

mutton bustin, wild cow milkin...

Need I say more? This is serious!
Future Rodeo queens
Getting ready for cash cow, an event where hundreds of kids chase a cow with money stuck all over its body...Rigdon ran his guts out for a DOLLAR ( that was given to him by some older and faster kid who had some pity).
This is livi holdin on for dear life to her sheep, she actually held on until she was under the sheep!
The Bold and Gold, gettin a little more golden in age and a little less golden in buckles!!! They seriously are crowd favorites and have been so close the past two years! For an account of the rodeo from Rangi's perspective (which is quite entertaining, visit his blog).

random vacation moments...

Well let's start with my 188 mile relay race...this is my face after finishing my last leg, all 12.8 miles. I was so proud that I finished and happy to be done with RUNNING! It was a lot of fun and pushed me to my limits, now if I can just keep running!
This is me at the very start of my first leg, looking and feeling a little too cocky!
Rigdon on his first time actually driving a motorcycle, he loved it!!! We had an awesome dinner at Rangi's best friends house but our kids liked the motorcycle more than the food.
Jillie meets Millie...
The kids have a blast swimming and playing with the chicks at Aunt Sarah's house.

31 and still full of flavor...

Okay so I stole that line, but I feel totally justified because she stole herself from me by moving to San Clemente!!! ( I am still suffering the effects with a small hole in my heart, and also that is what I get for breaking my one best friend rule that I have lived by my whole life...I am now down to one LOCAL best friend... you know who you are DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT MOVING!!!) Anyway sorry for the detour, BUT I celebrated the big 31st birthday in Utah, and all my wildest dreams were fulfilled.  We had an exotic cheese tasting party complete with wine glasses and grape juice to cleanse the pallet in between cheeses; AND I received a coveted birthday rap, by my talented red head rappin' sister in law.  I also got made the best tasting chocolate cake in the world by my mother in law! It was a great birthday and you can listen to my birthday rap on Rangi's blog, www.rangismart.blogspot.com  

P.S. Sarah I have no idea how we got our rap names but I am sure yours has no connotations to your runnin' machine figure.