The 5k Race!

In order to run this



I think I'm going to need these!



The big day is October 2nd. Wish me luck!

My favorite day of the week!

I was recently asked "What is your favorite day of the week". In my younger years, I would probably very quickly reply "Friday, because it starts off the weekend!!". But I have to say, after truly pondering this question, that Sunday is my favorite day of the week. This is an observation I have recently discovered and something I visibly notice as compared to every other day of the week. Why you ask? Pure and simple, I am my happiest on Sunday. I love everything about it. It puts me in such a good mood and gives me time to reflect.

I look forward to going to church every Sunday and be greeted by my lovely Miamaid class girls in YW and realize, week by week, how much they really teach me instead of the other way around. Funny how that happens. They truly amaze me with their insight and knowledge. I love being 1st counselor in the YW program. My calling is the best and I absolutely LOVE being their leader. It rocks!

Sunday is also the one day that we are all together without any other prior engagements or obligations to be anywhere or do anything. Strictly family time (minus the occasional sibling arguments that ensue...not too fond of that!). But, it gives us a chance to spend time with each other.... and reconnect. That's the best!

What's YOUR favorite day of the week?!

Chocolate and strawberry....mmmmm!

We decided to celebrate Todd's 39th birthday inspired by the "Winnie the Pooh" ride at DisneyWorld! At the end of the ride in the very last room is where Pooh and all his friends have a birthday party celebration and the cake is a strawberry cake with chocolate frosting. Todd looked at me and said "I've never had that kind of cake before, I wonder if it's any good". Well, that just planted the seed and I HAD to make it for his birthday. Was it good? Well, lets just say I made it on Thursday and by Friday, the whole cake was gone!....ummm...yeah, it was GOOD!!

Make-up!

I was asked what is in my makeup bag and being the lover of makeup that I am...I am delighted to dish!



Loreal true color match foundation
Smashbox mineral powder (I can't live without this stuff!)
Loreal HIP dual shimmer shadow
Elf duo eye shadow - Purple - I just discovered this stuff and it is the bomb!
Elf duo eye shadow - Gold
Elf duo eye shadow - Green
Elf duo eye shadow - Smokey eye
Kubuki brush
Makeup sponge
Almay mascara
Revlon Color Stay liquid liner - black brown
Eyebrow brush/comb
Eyeshadow brush
Eyeshadow contour brush (2)
Revlon creme shadow
Loreal eye shadow - Rose fields
Revlon ColorStay mineral finishing powder bronzer - Sunkiss
Physicians Formula shimmer strip bronzer - Malibu strip







And for the eyeshadow dummy and by dummy, I mean ME... I found this Elf eye shadow smoky eye book for $5.00! Nope, not a typo...it was only $5.00!! It comes complete with a how to diagram, 12 colors, eye shadow applicator and eye-liner. This is one happy girl! :)

So, what's in your makeup bag?!

Vacation!

We recently returned (as recent as Monday!) from our 2-week vacation to Utah. We had SO much fun! I thought I would blog about some of the highlights.



**Bridal Veil Falls - Love this place! The kids and cousins hiked all the way to the top and played in the waterfall. It's a nice cool place to go during the hot summer time.

**I got to visit with all my brothers and sisters and all their kids. It is truly a rare thing that we are all together in one place at the same time. Trying to get us 5 kids together is hard to schedule and not always feasible, so it is kind of a once in 3 years kind of deal, so my parents got a neighbor to come over and take a picture of all of us. I don't have the pictures ready to post yet, because I have yet to locate them and Todd has to do some "touching up" to them, but I will post them when we get the final product. I could really kick myself for not posting a picture of all of our shoes laying in the entry way of my parents' house...it really was a site to behold! I heard mom say something to the effect of "Now that's the sign of a home full of love". She loved having us all over and cried when we all left one by one.





**Hike to Mt. Timpanogos. We hiked 1 1/2 miles to the top and then toured the cave inside. My legs sure got a workout that day, let me tell ya! It was a cool 45 degrees in the cave and we were able to stand right underneath a fault line. It was pretty amazing!





**We toured The Beehive House aka Brigham Young's old house. I always love revisiting that house and like to imagine how life was like back in those times. It's complete with a store and everything...love it! Afterwards, we went next door to enjoy some Lion House desserts....yum!!







**Todd and I really wanted to go to the Salt Lake City Temple. Of all the times we've been to Utah, we've never actually gone through the temple itself, so we took the opportunity to go and see the same temple that my parents got married in, and it was quite the experience! The inside was so beautiful and ornate, it was literally breathtaking.....so much so that it made me tear up just walking through and taking it all in. My sister, Kami and her husband, Ian, and my parents were able to come with us as well! I was so happy to have them all there together.



**Seeing a midnight showing of "Eclipse" with my sister! This was cool, because I knew I was going to be missing out on a "Girls Night" here in Florida where they would all be going to see Eclipse...I was SERIOUSLY bummed, so it meant alot to me that I got to go with my sister, (and that she was willing to go that late....thanks Kam!), who was leaving the very next day to travel back home. I'm not sure I will ever do "opening night" again....sheesh! There is always some annoying teenagers sitting in the theatre that just ruins it for everyone else. These girls kept laughing...LOUD...at the most awkward moments and it was NOT COOL!! Anyhow...the line was forever long. It was pretty comical to see all the people and the lengths they would go to, to dress up for the event. We stood next to a guy who dressed up like Jacob, black tank top, denim shorts shredded at the bottom complete with a inked tribal tattoo on his arm! My experience, however, was not ruined. I REALLY enjoyed the movie!





*Logan Fireworks show. Because no one does the 4th of July like Utah! It was neat to see all the fireworks we don't really get to see here in Florida.

*Family Reunion. Every 4th of July, my Aunt Maria and Uncle Warren have a big BBQ shin dig at their house in Logan, and all of our extended family comes to join in the celebration. I think we counted 56 people this year! It's nuts! I haven't been to one in 10 years and it was really neat to re-connect with family I haven't seen in so long.

So, a fun time was had by all. It made me appreciate how good I have it, how grateful I am to be an American and enjoy the freedoms we enjoy, and what a wonderful family I come from. This girl is truly blessed! I can't wait to do it again!

Seriously?!

So my best friend comes to visit from Tennessee to stay with us for about a week and a half with her 3 kids. How is it, that in all that time, I didn't manage to take ONE picture of us together? Who does that? Oh...that's right.. ME!! I'm so mad at myself. I guess we're going to have to do it all over again...which is fine by me! I guess it's the time we spent together that was more valuable to me, like taking our kids and heading out to the beach, and let me tell ya, between watching 5 kids and our stupid beach umbrella that kept falling down, it was definitely trying, but it was worth it and we had tons of fun soaking up the sun and chatting it up like two school girls! Another highlight was staying up late and watching old 80's movies...who doesn't love Molly Ringwald!! Yes, next time....PICTURES!!!

Jepson's 9th Birthday!

On April 19th, my baby boy officially turned 9 and he couldn't be happier! I'm just now getting around to blogging about it and posting the pictures because.....well, that's just how I roll:)

The theme for his birthday was "How To Train a Dragon" since we saw the movie in 3D together as a family 1 week prior, and he was obsessed with "Night Fury" aka "Toothless" the dragon. It was a really cute movie, but I was reminded how old I am while watching the movie and getting motion sick...seriously?! I'm becoming my mother.

Anyways, Jepson is just a fun loving, energetic little boy who literally makes me laugh on an every day basis. It makes me sad to think this will be his last "single digit" birthday....*sigh*. Why do they have to grow up so fast?!


"Toothless" the dragon cake. It was a big hit!


He got a big boy watch.


This kid LOVES taking pictures and videos so he got a pretty sweet camera...I may have to borrow it!


And a birthday wouldn't be complete without a gift card to GameStop for the video-game lover that he is.

Funny moments

Jepson, our 9-year-old, struck up a conversation with us a few days ago and it was one of those funny little moments I just had to blog about. I have to write these things down so I don't forget, since the kids are getting older and I want to remember these things when I'm old and gray.

We were discussing our family values and our religion. We live by a set of rules that maybe most people don't adhere to. This is how the conversation went down:

JEPSON: We don't drink coffee do we mom?

ME: No, honey. Some people drink coffee, but we don't. Just like, some people smoke, but we don't. Some people swear, but we don't.

JEPSON: Yeah, just like some people are RICH, but we're not!

Todd and I were laughing SO hard! That kid kills me, I tell ya. He is so candid and funny all at the same time. Gotta love it!

Time Out For Women!

In February, I was able to go to a Time Out For Women conference in Orlando with some friends and we had a blast! It was a much needed break for us busy moms and gave us a chance to be spiritually uplifted and re-energize. We were all so excited to have a girls weekend together. Nice hotel, good food and good friends....yes please!! Thanks for a wonderful weekend ladies!




Dinner out with the girls at TGI Fridays...we ate WAY too much, but oh was it worth it!



More dinner fun with the girls.



We just HAD to get a picture of our super cute totes in front of the stage. Seriously, how cute are those totes??!!



The woman in this picture was an AMAZING speaker. She was so inspirational that the poor woman barely got a lunch break because so many people wanted a picture with her. She was awesome!

Recap

Wow...where did the last 3 months go?! I have a lot to catch up on, but for now...I'll just recap!

January 4th: My baby girl turned 10! Seriously, 10! I can't be old enough to have a 10-year-old...ugh!

January 14th: My parents and kid brother came to visit me. This visit included my very first trip to IKEA. Wow, could I spend all day in that store or what! And who can resist those swedish meatballs...YUM! A good time was had by all. I seriously miss my family and it sucks to be so far away from them, but I'm hoping some changes will get us over to the West Coast soon!

February: Ummm...I'm sure a lot of fun stuff ensued this month, but I'm having a brain fart. I do remember we tried to take the kids to a chocolatier store for Valentines day and NONE existed. We went to 3 different places and they all went out of business. That was a bummer, because how fun would it have been to get in on all that chocolate sweetness!

March 17th: St. Patty's Day!! The only holiday that I truly feel like I can own up to. The red hair, green eyes... I love celebrating my Irish/Scottish roots! Below is a picture of Todd's special "Shamrock Pancakes". He is the best! The kids thought it was pretty cool too.



I have been doing lots of painting and updating to the house. Todd actually asked me if I was "nesting"...lol! I will post some pictures and update you when I get my projects done. Hopefully, it won't take me 3 months!