newport beach

the last few days we've had a mini-vaca....russ and i came down to newport beach and kelly, jeff and kids joined us...we've been staying at the beautiful pelican hill resort...we weren't able to go to italy, so this is the closest we could come...the resort and villas are fashioned after beautiful italian villas...they have a gorgeous circular pool which is the largest in the world...at the villa pool, they have a pool that's a quarter the size, but still huge...the kids have been swimming every day...even charlie loves the water...gavin and owen went to the kids club on saturday and loved it...we went to the 'kids' club for adults...the spa...it was fantastic...on friday night we had dinner at the hotel, saturday jeff suggested this fun jamacaiian restaurant...the owner, eva, took great care of us...it was delicious..on sunday night adam and ashley met us and we ate at the grill at the golf course..on monday we had delicious indian food...and topped off the week with 'despicable me'....it's been a fun few days...i could stay here looking at the ocean for alot longer...

yummmm

start off with a few bunches of bananas....slice, put into
food dehydrator...cook about 18 hours...and......



you get delicous dried bananas!!!! not like those gross banana
chips...these are a little chewy and really addictive!!!

domestic goddess

last night i made strawberry jam....in the process i found out that my two youngest children (who aren't that young) don't remember that i did this...guess i've been 'off the domestic' wagon for toooooooo long...it made me think...as the kids got older, i stopped doing things that i did alot when they were little...probably the biggest one would be cooking!  i guess i figure...why cook, when half the time no one is home?  i used to do alot of things, i guess because i was home all day with young children and i had to keep busy or i'd probably kill them!  not really, but, you know what i mean....let's see...what did i used to do....cook, bake, can fruits, make jams, dry foods, sew, make crafts, paint, decorate and refurbish furniture, read, try to garden or at least keep the flowers from dying... i used to drive, drive, drive, it seems like i wouldl get home and then a child would call and i'm ready to be picked up!  loved it when cell phones came around!! saved me alot of trips, back and forth....i love to decorate and make things for my house...then, i'd clean, clean and a little more cleaning...so, that's a bit of what i used to do you guys (k and r), then, we'd go to the park, the beach, the tennis club, or friends for you guys to play and have fun......back in the day that's what we'd do...i felt like we had family night--all day and night..we were always together...and i loved it...sooo...what did you other moms do?  what don't your kids remember?  i swear, kerry doesn't remember half the places we've been or done...sometimes i wonder 'why did i do this?'...i'm finding mine don't remember much...so, i'll just  have to keep reminding them! that will keep me busy...

jam

start with these
clean 'em up nice
end with this!!! yummmm!

celebrations

(bearded guy was in the video they had to watch)

birthday presents
4th of july


the last few weeks have been really busy...we celebrated russ' birthday at the sky diving company, waiting until the sky cleared....it didn't, so then we came back last friday and they were able to celebrate russ and kristen's b-days by doing the big sky dive!! they loved it and want to go again...a couple of days later we celebrated kelly's birthday with the family....and then to top it off...it was the 4th! we had a really fun barbecue with my family, the meru's, the lefevre's, the pollocks, seek and his fiancee bree, aaron...and even our old neighbors wes and lisa showed up...it's always fun to get together, to watch the fireworks, see the kids run around...it's fun to see everyone grow up, but still love to be together...it's a great sight!

Free Hugs in Sondrio, Italy

love this!! we all need hugs!!!

russ and kelly

guess what we're celebrating this weekend?  that's right...russ and kelly's birthdays!  russ turns 25!!! tomorrow...and kelly is turning 32 on sunday!  when did my kids get older than me?  haha...well, i'll show you pics from the big days a bit later...this is the start of our birthdays in summer...we go until aug 5th...ending with kerry's...so happy birthday to you both...love you soooooo much...

playtime

i think i forgot how to be a mother of small children...i was given the opportunity this week...and wow, i'm tired tonight...kelly and jeff's kids came to visit...and did we have fun...they are such fun to be with, but, i've forgotten about all the work involved...i had little charlie sleeping with me all week...she sure like s to snuggle...snuggle me right out of bed!  between her and sophie, i didn't stand a chance...sophie felt she had to sleep on the other side of charlie, i guess to protect her...but, i had to keep her paws off of charlie...we swam and swam and swam...those boys love to swim and are fishes...gavin was learning to dive...his belly flops didn't sound so great, but up he'd come and try again...owen wasn't into the diving but he loves to be in the pool...we saw 'toystory' also, they loved it and so did i...gavin is also 'in love' with russ' friend kristen...i think he would follow her anywhere...he was trying to get her to have a picnic with him...told her that her hair is pretty, wanted a kiss!  what a cute thing to watch and kris is a great sport...all the babies love her..they jumped on the tramp, watched movies, played with kerry and russ, and just kept really busy....so they went home this afternoon...the house is so quiet after having them here...it was a fun few days...and my hat's off to you kel...you do a great job, day after day...be glad you're young and can keep up...

Good Things to Come

these little messages are always great...they give you something to think about..just click and watch!

Good Things to Come

youth conference!!

it's been pretty crazy in the last week...was up in utah for a big wedding, then zipped home on thursday for youth conference...it turned out great..the kids loved it...on friday 8 am we all met at the church, assigned families and took off for malibu where we met with the fulcrum people...they have a camp that teaches problem solving, team building, group communication...at the camp they have a ropes course which includes a jacobs ladder, faith leap, high wire crossing, rock walls...they also played games on the ground...it was fun time for everyone...at the end of the day we had dinner at the park...they changed, came back to the church for  a talent show and dance...we were all beat by the end of the day...i was working at making food for the conference so that kept us really busy...saturday we had classes, a service project in the afternoon, a big dinner, then a testimony meeting...everyone seemed to have a great time...after cleaning up, we crashed!! i could hardly walk on sunday...my feet hurt pretty bad...but, luckily i've recovered...it was well worth it!

more fun

a great day!  slc...laying out with some (not all) of my besties....lunch with them....pick up russell (barely)....dinner with some of my favorite family.....and more favs...our close friends... the whole reason we're up here...to celebrate a great wedding...can't wait...

flag day is june's day

today is my mom's birthday...i wish she was here for me to give her a big hug...but, instead i'll just say a few things that she taught me...mom was a giver, always working hard helping others...she would make delicious dinners ( i think that's why tom married me, hoping i would cook like her) and then she would be jumping up and down serving everyone...i had to cure tom of 'that' idea immediately...she was artistic...she loved to sew clothes and would make the most beautiful dresses for all of us...she was a painter, she liked crafts, she made a beautiful home...inside and out...it was warm and gracious and lovely to look at...she was willing to do just about anything...from killing spiders to going golfing with dad to shopping with the girls...mom was alot of fun to be with...she was a great listener...i could call her with all of my problems and she always had great advice...she was always beautiful with a gorgeous big smile...i'm so lucky to have her for my mom...i just hope that i can take after a few of her many wonderful ways!

what was lost, then was found

we had a little drama today...russ took the dogs, sadie and sophie out for a run...
they went to the top of the mountain...on the way back, russ was in front and the dogs
were behind...sophie showed up, but sadie didn't....so, he ran back to look for her...but, he never did find her...
when he got home and told us we then went looking...kerry and her friends hiked back up the trail, a runner
saw her but she was gone...russ and i drove over to the end of the trail where i dropped him off and he started looking again...i drove to another trailhead...everyone looked and looked...russ ran 15 miles looking for her...so about 5 pm i went to the store and was starting to think that sadie was gone...it was very sad...driving up the street from the store i was on the phone when halfway up the street, THERE was sadie! walking up the street with her tongue dragging!  i was soooo happy...she hasn't moved since!  so, thanks to all those who searched for her...i'm glad she knew how to get home...who knows where she went...she came home the opposite way of leaving...i'm glad she made it back...

summer

summer time, summer time....my favorite time of year!  it started for me back in april when we went to africa...but, for our neck of the woods it's starting this week with the end of school...so what's your plans for summer?  i have weddings, youth conference, holidays, birthdays,concerts, movies, weddings, birthdays, weddings, did i mention birthdays?  we have 6 birthdays in 6 weeks...that's just the family...then there are friends and extended family birthdays...so, that alone keeps me busy...then there are fun things like the beach, the pool, laying out in the sun...you get my drift...visits from the grandkids...pool parties...park days, i love summer and just barbecuing with friends.4th of july with the fireworks....just having a wonderful time...can't wait...and it usually goes way too fast...have a great summer! what's your favorite thing in summer?

home away from home

ker and i just got back from 9 days in utah....it was a fun time...so fun in fact, i stayed an extra 3 days....we went up for memorial weekend...to see dave as he returned from his mission...heard him speak...he was great...we had a fun time with friends and family...i was able to see most of my favs up there...that's why i needed so many days...too many people i want to be with.....the weather got better every day..the flowers are in bloom, the mountains are green, it's beautiful! it's fun to hang out and have no commitments....is that why i like to travel?  no place that  i "have" to be?  anyway, it sure is fun and hard to come home...although, as we drove along the coast, stopped at neptunes net...it wasn't too bad!!