Summer 2011

Some pics before the blog....... The traditional lunch with Tom. Here he is with his fiery hot red head and my BFF Amber, and baby Jacob!

Going on a train ride in Colorado at the Bar D chuckwagon in Durango 7/29

My pretty girls! Lauren was introduced to "bieber fever," while we were in farmington. Pains me to even admit it.

Jacob got Kayley hugs all the time! He was a good sport. She just thought he might as well get use to it because girls are going to want to hug him alot!

7/2011 Lauren, Kayley and Thomas getting ready to watch a play. Very cool by the way. How have I lived in Farmington my whole life and not know this place existed? This was "Josephs coat of many Technicolors."

My Beautiful mom. Seriously an angel on earth.

My daddy. I think he really likes having critters around.

San Diego Harbor- Sarah, MJ, Lauren, Thomas, Quade and Ben. 6/2011 Below is Thomas and Mark and Kayley. Sorry I can't help myself, but Mark is so Handsome! (lookey there I kept it G-rated)

Well I have just gotten home from a month long vacation. I first went with my family and in laws to BEAUUUTIFUL San Diego. This is my new favorite vacation spot to see the ocean. So freeing and humbling to stand on the beach. The Ocean has the capability to be kind or harsh in a matter of seconds. I thought I might explode from the fun of boogey boarding with my husband (no that's not what "they're calling it these days," we were really boogey boarding.) And then in the same second, HUGE waves came crashing down and I thought I may have a panic attack right then and there of being drifted out to sea. Ok so I am being a little over dramatic, but in my defense...sharks are real! It was so fun. We went to Legoland, Seaworld, toured historical ships, rode a harbor cruise around the, well the harbor. By far my best moment though was the ocean with my family, I don't think that will ever get old. If I lived by the sea I would be found with a good book and a nice tan.
Upon return from the great state of California, I was home for 3 days, had enough time to pack for a three week excursion to....brace yourself......my hometown! Not nearly as exciting as the ocean, however no matter how old I get,no matter how many kids I have; THERE WILL BE NO PLACE LIKE HOME. I honestly would go home over going to....Europe, or Hawaii. (Maybe.)
I love walking into the front door of the same home I started kindergarten in. The same home that use to have a huge man-made tree house in the back yard that my brothers would throw all my barbies out of. Thankfully that is torn down (the heart attack I would have if my kids tried jumping out of it) and now my parents yard has become my mothers sacred garden spot. (Not so sacred she won't let my kids decorate it with painted rocks though) This is the same house I would sneak out of and just sit on the sidewalk down the street feeling like such a rebel. The same house that two of our dogs are buried in the back. The same house that I got to paint my room in grass green with light mint green splats and Elvis posters. (what was I thinking?) The same house that my best friend would come over and we would stay up late talking in my room, (Her-hoping my brother would stay and keep talking. Me- just waiting for Tom to leave! Just kidding bro. I am so glad you married the girl with two red braids. I like to think I helped ;))
So I love sharing this same home with my kids. They know going to farmington equals happiness. That is how I remember home....happiness.
It was so fun to catch up with old friends, it was fun to stay up late on the back porch with mom and dad. It was fun to go on a ride-a-long with my big brother Jake in his cop car. (If you know me at all, you know that I like to solve suspicious activity. YES ,I very well may end up being that lady in a mu mu with rollers in her hair,calling the Poe-Poe.) It was fun to bathe my baby girl with my worth the wait nephew, Jacob. (This kid makes you feel like to him, you are the most important person in the world) It was fun to go to church and realize that no matter where you go to church, its the same spirit. It was just simple fun to be home.
It was not fun being that gone that long from my husband. And from my home. My home, that I want to equal happiness for my kids. SO that when they are married with kids of their own, they know, as I do, that THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME.