Other Summer Happenings

We finally got around to getting a crib; I liked watching Steven put it together :)

Reference to my current state? No...just a Steven doodle, on my leg. 

                 The Super Moon

     Friend's wedding at a nifty location.

Babysat the nieces. We made stuff out of clay, read books, and met friends at Wheeler Farm.

                 Cute little man

               Random giant plane

Zombie McKell- she loves getting into grammy's makeup. 

Museum of natural curiosity, with a decent monte cristo.

There's this dark tunnel thing that the girls would only go through with my mom. It was so funny watching on the camera outside as Debbie came around the corner on all fours with McKell on her back! 

Big Parker and mini Parker sleep alike

           Resting after a busy day

This has no significance I just really want a puppy....

Cicily's birthday at the Cheesecake Factory. She liked her gift :)

           Swimming with Packer Man

Not quite summer, but I love this cute picture and can't believe she's in first grade! 

Pretty sunsets from summer thunderstorms. 

This picture is significant for a few reasons. The night it was taken was the first time we've been able to do a session since early February. It may have been possible sooner but I was hesitant to try. First I was too nauseated to sit that long, then I just either had to eat or use the little girls room every ten minutes, now I get fun hot flashes... I finally stopped feeling sick, and the other stuff became more controllable, so I decided to finally try it. We've been doing other temple work, but it was so nice to do a session again. 

Secondly, my younger brother and his wife have been working so hard to take their family to the temple. They both got their recommends to do baptisms and the females on my side did a girls trip for Beth's first time since she was a youth. We got to do family names too which made it that much more special. 

We've had a pretty great summer :)

Cedar City

It's no secret that I have a borderline unhealthy love of Cedar City, so any time we get to go back I kind of giggle like a child, until we leave and then I want to cry... 

SUU! My favorite campus of all time! (But I really haven't been to many so that's not saying much)

It's just so pretty :) it was nice to see a Cedar City morning again. We ate at all the places we wanted, and got to walk around campus. 

The reason we came, The Shakespeare Festival!

We drove up Friday afternoon in time to see Comedy of Errors, and stayed long enough to see the matinee of Twelfth Night on Saturday. 

Both plays were hilarious and very we'll done, as usual. We were so tempted to stay one more night for one more play. 

Tarts!! Yes, I bought four in one night :) 

We also got to have lunch with some of my all time favorite coworkers (ones who couldn't make are still my favorite too).

It's these wonderful ladies and people like them that fuel my obsession with this place.

Steven asked me which I would be more excited to go to, Cedar City or Disneyland. He was a little shocked when I actually hesitated! Of course I'd be more excited for Disneyland, but I get almost as excited for Cedar too. 

I was thinking about it while we were there. I spent five of some of my favorite years there. It was the first place I'd ever lived that wasn't the house I grew up in. The first time I'd really been 'on my own.' It's where I learned to really manage my money; first by myself and then as a married couple. I made new friends from all over. I fell in love with my major, and more in love with southern Utah. I graduated college here! I learned so much those first two years on my own, and then so much more as a married couple.

 Our first three years of marriage were spent in Cedar City. The list of things we learned would go for miles, but mostly we learned how to rely on each other and become our own family. We made amazing friends and had many adventures. Those first three years were so amazing for so many reasons, and the location played a big part. 

My favorite job was also there. It wasn't perfect, but at the time it was what I needed. My super stressful job before it, and my not-so-fantastic job after it really made me love working at GPA. As mentioned, a huge part of that was the people. It was a crazy but fun atmosphere that I don't think I could ever recreate. 

Not sure why I felt I had to explain my obsession with Cedar City, but there you go :) 

I really could go on and on, but for now we shall close this Ode to Cedar (at least until the next time we stop by:) 

RSL

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned how much I like Steven's job and the occasional surprise perks that come with it... Like free tickets to the RSL v Tijuana friendly, plus getting to be on the sidelines during warm-ups. Oh and.....

         .....This kind of happened too! 

Yeah that's only the coolest most talented mls keeper, Mr. Nick Rimando!

I'll back up a bit

During half time at this game some kids from Granite were going to be recognized for their participation in this financial literacy program. The guy in charge of that program set everything up and asked Steven to come document it. He's also the one who got mr. Rimando's attention and asked for pictures; which we found out after that we weren't supposed to do...oops. Technically Steven and I didn't instigate this, but we reaped the benefits anyway :)

Anywho, Rimando was really nice! And it was neat to be on the field watching the team warm up. 

     This was the half time recognition

It was also pouring with rain! But our seats were just under the awning and we were kept nice and dry :)

I really am grateful for Stevens job, mostly for supporting us and allowing us to pay all of our bills and for the professional growth and skill honing for Steven, but these random fun things that occasionally come along are pretty awesome too :)

Boating with the Youth

      The fearless young men's leader :) 

At the beginning of August our youth do a boating day at Pineview resevoir; we both work with the youth so we got to go too :)

                  Love these girls!

There was a bit of wind but mostly the weather was great, and it's such a pretty area.

                    Boating is tiring

               My boating babe :)

Festus enjoyed it too, he mostly slept to the rocking of the boat and bounced on my bladder when he was awake. 

It's so fun working with our awesome young men and women. 

Camping!

A few weeks ago we went camping with my family in the uintahs. I love camping, but we haven't been in a while. We just went for a night but it was a lot of fun!

This funny stinker was up bright and early trying to get into everyone's tents, especially grammie's :) 

                Early morning view

             (The red dot is Steven)

I loved waking up cold in my blankets in the tent when everything else is completely quiet outside (until McKell wakes up:). It's so peaceful. And it's nice to know you survived the night :) 

              Creeper in the brush

I think everyone got a view of this in their own tent :) 

                     Wakey wakey!

We did some fichin' at mirror lake. It's such a pretty lake. It was crowded but we were still able to find a good spot.

Jayse is mad that no one let him fish... 

My mom, Parker, and I all caught little fish

          There's my pretty fishy :)

McKell really wanted to touch it, but whenever it moved it scared her :)

                       Flying Fish!

We ended the day with dinner and horseshoes. My parents and Wesley stayed another night, but the rest of us had to get back. We missed Cloie, Packer, Katie and Jameson, but still had a blast.