Utah

Here's a video of right before we left, and while we were out West!

After spending some time with Jess' family we drove down to PG to hang out with mine!

The first night we were there it was the 24th so we had a bbq with mom and B.J. and Kara, did some fireworks with the boys, and after they were in bed climbed the roof to see the rest in the valley.

Monday morning, we all got ready and went hiking up the mountain by my parents house. Scott and my dad took us all repelling/beleying once we got up to a waterfall. So so fun! The boys were all sorts of excited (but maybe probably mostly me...maybe :) We got them all set to go. (Cute right?--look at those little helmets!)

Kade started getting a little nervous. Jess pulled him off to the side and said some words of wisdom..and courage and all that good stuff, and Kade was ready to go!

If you watched the video, you heard how the boys were feeling before going and how Kade felt after--I loved those parts!

AHHH! Awesome--he did so so great!

Luke got suited up next.

He got down most of the worst of it by himself (with grandpa hooked up next to him on a parallel rope) and right when it was about to be just a ride down to the bottom he got super nervous. So he climbed back up. He did so so good though. I can't wait for him to try again next time!

This was right before Jess went....he's pretty cute I think!

I went after that! I got to go in-between 2 waterfalls. It was AWESOME! I love that my dad and Scott had all this gear! So fun!

That night we all headed up to Gavin's family birthday party. It was fun to all hang out and see Jared's side of the family! The next day we saw Toy Story 3 (good, but I really think Despicable Me was funnier) We spent the night at the Holmbergs one of the nights--and stayed up way too late talking-they're fun. Then we went to sleep--which is when we found out that mom and dad's air mattress does indeed have a gigantic hole in it..leaving you sleeping on the floor around 2:00--ha ha--good times.



Here's a picture of dad while eating some Pina Colada Cake--BEST CAKE EVER!!! Notice how he's eating it like they do on t.v. mmmmm...(it really is that good)

We went to good ole P.G. pool a couple of times and LOVED it!

Here's Christy with the boys!

Mom and Rhett
Christy and Luke going down the waterslide! We even got to go to Seven Peaks AGAIN! and loved it the second time all over again! Kaden tried all the rides that he was big enough for (and was bummed he couldn't go on the bigger rides) and Luke, after being so so scared to go on one called Flash Flood (almost to tears) said he would ride it later. Later that day--he decided it was time, and marched right up there with no problem and loved it. We learned a lesson in waiting for it to be the right time for Luke.


ANYWAY--When we got to PG pool and it had a big waterslide as well, he was so excited and would have spent the whole time doing that if we would have let him. ("again, again, again!")

Dad and Rhett

We love playing croquet in our family. For Dad's birthday we all played in the backyard. Sometimes while you wait..you think of new things to do with your mallets right? Well, we were trying to see who could balance it the longest on one finger. (this may have been staged for the picture though...in our real contest mallets were flying everywhere--we couldn't so much stand this close...)



Jess meanwhile...was watching the kids...and saving them all from certain destruction..due to mallets and falling children...

While we were there we met up with the Bush family at Gateway Mall and the kids played in the water fountains there! It was short but so good to see them again!

Lucas, lucas, lucas. I'm actually unsure of the whole story for this picture. We just looked outside..and found him dressed in nothing but his undies and a white shirt..used as shorts..sliding down the slide. I love that kid!

Here's dad playing soccer with the boys...and I'll tell you what, that's a pretty darn good high kick for a 58 year old man!

Me and Jess with B.J. and Kara--they're so cute!

Being in the military you make friends and then get spread around the country again...it's so so crazy that 2 of my best friends I've made out here (and have since moved to Vegas and Virginia), were actually in Utah while I was as well! And Tiff was having a baby! YAY!!! So we got to go up and visit her in the hospital. I love her!

Jess giving Scott a backyard haircut...he was really excited....it turned out real nice!

Luke loved this spot in the yard where a hammock was set up..he would just go out and swing all sorts of relaxed for a long time. It was cute.

Rhett's perfect blessing day--My new sister!-and some random things

Rhett's blessing day was a perfect day for us! Jess' family drove down Sunday morning and came to church with us to my parents ward. Afterwards we were able to bless Garrett at my parents home.

This picture reminds me how thankful I am for the priesthood. I'm grateful to my Father in Heaven that has blessed us with His power here on earth. I LOVE the Plan of Happiness and how everything is set up perfectly-to help us make it back to live with Him. Jess and I both, have been blessed to have a noble and righteous holders of the priesthood in our homes growing up, and I've been blessed to marry an incredible man who honors his priesthood by treating me with kindness, respect and love. (and he's hilarious to boot!) What a life!

(I'm pretty sure they called each other up to coordinate their outfits ahead of time--and they looked dashing!)

Afterwards we all ate such great yummy food. And everyone laughed and hung out and it was such a great feeling to have so many of the people we loved together in one room (we missed you Brysons, Andersons and Wares!!!)

I know I can't even come close to articulating how great that day was--but it really was just a gift! The love that Jess and I felt, and the happiness and joy was incredible! I went to bed with such a huge sense of gratitude. I'm so thankful for the gospel!

Here's most of my family:



Here's a pic of Jess' family (plus my nephew Gavin from my side of the family--we love him :)

I think Luke took this picture? Here's Jess and his mom

Classy Jess, classy.

Me and Andrea told Aubrey we'd give her a dollar each if she ate this knife full of butter...she totally did it. Here she is waiting to get it down--She's cool like that!

B.J.'S ALL GROWN UP AND MARRIED!

Aren't they adorable? My little brother B.J. got married to a beautiful and amazing girl that we all love. Kara is so great and fun and I'm so glad she's in our family! It's crazy how much she just fits perfectly.

ANYWAY...

They're wedding date was while Jess was gone in Jordan....so I had the kids...and I wanted to go soooooo badly. An awesome friend of mine (thanks Cindy!) watch Kade and Lucas, and another friend of mine gave me one of her buddy passes to get to Utah. It looked like it was going to be easy breezy...until I flew to Atlanta and found that I had gone from 9th on standby to 27th! (there was a storm somewhere...crazy airport diversions...stuff...) It was a long wait and lots of nerves were split by Jess who was texting me the entire time worrying and Rhett and me.. but we made it and it was so worth it. I was so glad I was able to go! The ceremony was perfect, and I flew home the next morning! Love you B.J. and Kara!!!

Here's B.J. and Kara at the wedding luncheon!

Here's Dad and Rhett at the reception. Rhett's middle name is Reed--named after my dad because he's amazing! I love them!

Me and Scott took like 5 pictures to get this one. We were laughing (hence the scrunched up nose there) Anyway--he's a hoot!!

I was really taken care of sooooooooo well while Jess was gone. Thanks to ALL MY FRIENDS who did so much!!! One of my friend's husband volunteered to watch the boys while we went to a womans conference. Thanks so much Tyler. Here's some pictures he took while we were gone.

Water goes in....

water goes out...


ha ha! I love it!

Here are just some random pictures that I liked from the summer...playing catch-up blog is pretty fun huh? So...here we go:

Rhett

Veges from our garden--mmmm

Okay--now for real...these are the BEST MUFFINS ever!!! We got the recipe from America's Test Kitchen and they are amazing! For real though..mmmmm

What is better then a tramp, or a slip n' slide in the summer? A tramp with a slip n'slide ON IT! You'd think anyway right? It didn't really work out so well...but it was fun thought!

This one was funny though. The boys wanted to sleep on the tramp--that's fun so we said okay. They read with the lanterns and loved it..until they came in at 2:00 in the morning soaking wet. Not from rain---but because of the humidity in the summer out here. HA HA! Who knew! (well, I'm sure we could have thought about it longer, but now we know for sure--don't sleep in the open in Georgia in the middle of the summer.)

For those of you who don't know, the boys are performing the "our garden rocks" dance. (it was pretty spectacular for awhile there....) I've never had better tomatoes! It's died since then (turns out if you leave it for 3 weeks in the middle of summer in August..it dies..go fig!



Kade graduated from Kindergarten. He's so great! This was his teacher Mrs. Copeland--she was amazing. We all loved her like crazy!!!

Jess out of the country/Swagger Waggon

(Okay...for real, how can you not love this man?)

First things first..there's a link at the bottom of this blog about our new van--THE SWAGGER WAGGON--watch it! IT's HILARIOUS!!!

Next...so much has happened and the just of everything is...I don't really have time to blog right now. Jess is in Jordan on a short 6 week TDY (Love you baby!). Life is crazy here but we've been taken care of so so well. I'm so insanely blessed. Our Father's plan for us here on earth is just so perfect. LOVE IT! Anyway--having good days and less good days but getting by just fine and can't wait for Jess to get back.

In the mean time Luke turned 4 (hopefully Jess will blog this one for me..on account of he will write it with the right...shall we say--'umpf'?) my mom came to help me with the kids after Jess left, and Jess' mom came after that! Getting used to 3 little ones is INSANE, but an adventure I love.

Here are a few pics of the recent events.

Who's seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? AWESOME! Here's Jess in Petra last weekend.

For Lukes birthday we had 11-3 year olds....and then later we added swords..it was nuts! (more on this later!) But he LOVED it and that's what it's all about right? (right?)

My mom and Luke watching a show...I think this pic is just precious!

Here's Jess' mom right before she left. These amazing moms SAVED me. THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Rhett is 6 weeks old today! Woo woo! He is getting sooooooo big sooooooooo fast.
(and not to mention sooooo cute!)






So...we bought a van awhile back...a Toyota Sienna. We love it, it's spacious, runs awesomely well, looks nice, and it's silver--woo woo! ANYWAY, my friend posted this music video about Sienna's "The Swagger Waggon and I died laughing! LOVE IT! So..watch it and laugh...cause it's so great!