California Trip

We had the best trip to California! We did so many fun things, and we loved spending so much time with Grandma Trish, Grandpa Mike, Aunt Brooke and Uncle Eric! We just got back 2 days ago, but we miss them already!

We spent a lot of time in Grandpa & Grandma's pool.

We went down to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was so awesome! I hadn't been there since I was 10. Mason was interested in everything he saw. His favorite thing to look at were the sharks. Ellie & Mason got to touch starfish, and the otters were pretty cute!

Every trip to California is not complete unless we visit Pixieland. Fun, fun!

Haircut

I cut my hair.

I think it looks even better in person!

3rd of July fun

We had a fun 3rd of July this year. We watched the fireworks from the golf course by Grandma Nancy and Papa Steve's house in Bountiful. They do them on the 3rd rather than the 4th (not exactly sure why). The food at the barbecue was yummy and the fireworks were awesome. Mason and Ellie loved everything about the day, especially staying up until 11:30 that night!

The whole gang waiting for the show to start.

Aunt Brittany, Uncle Cameron, Cade and Connor, Grandma Nancy, Papa Steve, Dave, Lisa, Mason and Ellie

Ellie eating dinner. She sat at this table and ate for an hour.

There was some good food! There were lots of cheetos.

Mason....being Mason.

Mason....being Mason again. This time while waiting for the fireworks.

Ellie playing with Daddy.

Our family

More Cousins!

We are so excited to have a new cousin. Aunt Brittany had her second baby,Connor, last week and he is a little cutie. While Aunt Brittany and Uncle Cameron were in the hospital, cousin Cade got to come stay at our house. Mason and Ellie had so much fun! 

Showing Cade all their toys!

Mason, Ellie and Cade

Cade loved the froggy chair.

New baby Connor!

Cousins

Mason and Ellie got to play with their cousins last week. They had such a great time. Here are some pictures of the fun.

 

Mason loves Jackson. He followed him around everywhere and now he wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up, because that is what Jackson is going to be (notice the container of dinosaurs in Jackson's hand).

Slip n slide at Grandma and Papa's house.

Chloe, Jackson and Mason

Ellie loves Lexie ("yexie"). 

Pretty girls...Claire and Ellie. 

Sprinkler Fun

We have been enjoying the nice weather and the fun of being outside. We pulled out the sprinkler the other day and let Mason and Ellie play. They had a great time. 

Mason insisted that I take a picture 

of him jumping through the sprinkler.

Ellie loved wearing her swimsuit.

Cheese!

Playing with buckets

Ellie drying off on her towel.

Happy Easter!

        

Mason and Ellie examining their baskets

        

Mason and Ellie with cousin Cade

Ellie and Mason with Aunt Erin

Grandpa Mike

Grandpa Mike came to visit last weekend. We love it when he comes!!!!

Grandpa showing Mason how to build a card house. I believe it is an exact replica of the floor plan of our house (to scale of course).

I know you didn't want me taking this picture, Grandpa, but I love how it shows your total commitment to playing with the kids.

Grandpa, Mason and Ellie

Grandpa and Mason

This is a common look from Mason. I believe here it was his "Say cheese" face.

Grandpa and Ellie

Grandpa brought "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" for the kids to play. Ellie loved the blindfold and decided riding her bike while she couldn't see was a fun adventure.

Saying Goodnight

Mason and Ellie have a nightly routine where they give each other a hug and a kiss before bedtime. It is the sweetest thing for a mother to see. 

Sometimes it goes a little too far and Ellie ends up in tears. 

But it shows how much they love each other, and it makes me smile everytime I see it.

My Eights Tag...

These are my 8 favorite TV shows
1. Chuck

2. Lie to Me
3. Food Network

4. HGTV
5. Jon and Kate Plus Eight :)
6. American Idol

7. What Not to Wear
8. The Office

8 Things I did Yesterday
1. Played outside in the nice weather

2. Talked to our good friends, the Finches, on Skype

3. Went to the library

4. Ate enchiladas for dinner

5. Went running

6. Did laundry

7. Stopped by the post office

8. Read a book

Things I am looking forward to
1. My dad coming to visit

2. The summer time

3. Visiting CA in July

4. New carpet upstairs
5. Financial stability
6. The housing market turning around

7. Visiting our friends in AZ 

8. Swimming in a pool

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Cafe Rio

2. Olive Garden

3. Los Panchos

4. Sam Hawk

5. In n out

6. China Hill

7. Chevy's (flautas)

8. Rubios

8 Things on my wish list

1. I wish Utah had a tropical climate

2. I wish my children had a mute button (only sometimes)

3. I wish I had more patience

4. I wish I could eat whatever I wanted and it wouldn't affect my weight

5. I wish I was a little bit taller

6. I wish I was a baller

7. I wish I had a girl with a phone I would call her...

8. I wish for world peace

Ellie Speaks

Ellie surprised me today. We were getting ready to go do some errands this morning and I told her we needed to get ready to go. She looked up at me and said, "Shoes on. Jacket too." I was totally shocked. This is the first time she has put more than 2 words together at once. It was pretty neat, because I felt like I was having a real conversation with her.