pool time

I've been deprived of the pool this summer.

Luckily my sis invited us to a free pool party at the Scera.

Water spraying every which way is a boys dream.

Needless to say my nephews weren't the only ones enjoying the splash pad.

is this picture not the epitome of summer?

all wrinkly and shivering...it was time to get out

Hearing the squeals from these little ones just made my heart happy.

p.s. We are all ready for school (mostly just the World Cup 2018).

Thanks for the hook ups Elder Wulfenstein!

living the disney dream

Disneyland will always have a special place in my heart.

2 years old and I had my first visit to this magical place.

From that point on, you could say I was addicted.

Not only have I been able to visit here often, but I was able to LIVE at Disneyland! 

(okay so maybe I didn't actually live there but some days it sure felt like it)

For almost half a year I lived, breathed, ate, and dreamed Disneyland.

  The 2011 group of Disney College Program interns. Can you find me?

 Lived with 4 awesome girls! We took advantage of our passes daily.

In that short span of my internship, 34 of my family members were able to visit me. Okay so most of them probably weren't there just because of me but lets be honest I'd visit whoever if they worked at Disneyland.

Riding Indiana Jones with my 70 year old grandparents will be a memory I can never forget.

Since working there I have been able to visit many more times including a day of our honeymoon.

I love that place.

 Enjoy.

Oh HB, what good memories I have there. Even with my pioneer-esque culottes and apron.

 Who wouldn't want to eat at Carnation Cafe with this guy?

People often ask if the magic ever left because of working there.

My answer to them...

Absolutely not! If anything it has only increased the magic for me.

Happy 59 years to this place 

full of magic, dreams, and happiness.

Disneyland isn't just a vacation anymore. It's home.

p.s. watch this amazing video...do it. now.

Disneyland Tilt Shift Video

32 years and eternity to go

 Just look at this picture, can't you just feel how happy they are together?!

My parents. Today they celebrate 32 years together.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays he comes home to eat lunch with her.

To this day, she still watches at the window as he leaves to work.

Happy Anniversary to these love birds!

P.S. Enjoy this quote by President Benson talking about marriage.

doughnuts for breakfast

This morning, Tanner came back inside shortly after leaving for a meeting to tell me someone smashed a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts on my car.

All I could think was...

It wasn't even just a box of regular glazed...it was the variety pack.

Is this a thing?

Too bad I couldn't get to my car in time before the mess had been cleaned up.

Just a little remnant of red, white, & blue sprinkles sitting on the hood of my car.

To whomever decided to waste a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts... best of luck.

independence day

Red, white and blue...

Best holiday of the year.

2 years ago, my roommates of Park Place #11 camped out for the Freedom Days parade.

It was great stayin up eatin creamies and playing cards. 

our tent 2012

Our friends live in a house right on Center Street and they invited us over to spend the night and to save a place for the parade the next morning. I had remembered enjoying it and thought Tanner should experience it as well. Little did I know, this will not be a family tradition.

The night started off great. 

We ate some pizza, strolled around the bazaars, lit a bunch of sparklers and laid down under the stars.

Only problem was we didn't actually lay down for bed until around 1am .

(mistake #1 - going to bed waaay past your usual bedtime)

You'd figure people would quiet down and get some rest...well they didn't.

(mistake #2 - thinking we'd actually get a couple hours of sleep)

4am rolls around and the squatters come out. People were hovering over any empty piece of grass ready to claim as much space as possible to ensure a good seat for the parade. 

(mistake #3 - you couldn't actually save any spots until 5am so we had to be ready to pounce on a spot, thus getting up for an hour)

6am some lady with a microphone and large speakers thought it was a good idea to blast some music and have an air guitar competition.

(mistake #3 - tried to get a little bit more of sleep in before the parade started)

By that point it was no use trying to get some sleep. Instead tried to be positive about not getting ANY sleep. Took a couple pictures of people trying to sleep.

squirly eyes

enjoyed watching the hot air balloons

Was it fun making memories? Yes of course. I would just prefer getting actual sleep. Next year if we are in Provo, we can just run the 5k instead.

After a bbq at my in-laws, we enjoyed a win for RSL.

Topped the night off with an after game firework show in the stadium.

The fun didn't stop on the 5th of July. 

My sister invited us over to watch their neighborhood "Cul de Sac of Fire."

I can't think of a better title for this event because it literally speaks for itself.

Before the show they had a dunk tank, chalk art competition, and a bike parade (this little guy got his training wheels off just this week so he could ride in the parade).

Okay can you all please just take a second to appreciate this plate. I couldn't help but sneak a picture of this kid's plate of nothing but dessert. A kids dream.

Of course they shot off a bunch of plastic parachuters. This little guy tried so hard to catch one...

I always try to take pictures of the fireworks and then just end up deleting all of them because they never look as good as they do in person. Sometimes you just got to put your phone away and enjoy. 

the aftermath

Through out the show, you'd get pegged by the debree from the fireworks.

It sounded like it was raining with all the ash and chunks that flew down.

Chunks bigger than quarters were flyin. Yikes! Luckily no injuries to report. Just a bunch of ash in my hair.

Happy Independence Day America!

"The Declaration of Independence to which these great men affixed their signatures is much more than a political document. It constitutes a spiritual manifesto—revelation, if you will—declaring not for this nation only, but for all nations, the source of man’s rights." 

–Ezra Taft Benson