You might call me crazy but I miss this.....

 SNOW!!!

Our Thanksgiving in the SNOW

We went to Utah for Thanksgiving this year.  We had planned to leave saturday before Thanksgiving, but instead we left Friday night.  We were all loaded and ready to go by the time the girls got out of school.  We were on the road by 2:30.  We made out 1st stop in Primm to eat dinner (just 3 hours down the road)  Then it was back on the road.  We ended up stopping for the night in Cedar City, UT.  We had planned to take the girls to Cove Fort Saturday morning..... well when we got up it was FREEZING outside!  I think it was 38 degrees with a strong wind, which equals COLD!  and Cove Fort is all outside.  So we ended up driving by SLOWLY checking out in the warmth of the Expedition and then moving on.

We made it to Lehi, UT to our hotel by early afternoon.  We unloaded our suitcases and then headed over to my sisters' house.  With our 4 girls it made for 12 kids and by the time everyone was home from work and all there was 6 adults.  What a house full, but I LOVED every minute of it!  I SOOOO miss being in Utah surrounded by FAMILY.  And this was the 1st time my husband had made the trek to Utah with the girls and me.  We visited as the kids played.  Most of the kids (my nieces and nephews) haven't ever really played or been around my Marine.  What a great time we all had together!

 (this is the "Dora Coma")

 We had reserved our hotel suite for a week.  (man did that time go by quik!)  We have always stayed with my sisters' before.... but it was nice this time to actually have a place for "US" to be away and on "vacation".  We spent all our days with family....playing, eating and having fun!  



Sunday was church with the family and then we had gone back to our hotel for naptime! yes EVERYONE of us took a nap and it was SO quiet. we woke up to this.

 SNOW!

(I love this picture. The green grass with the SNOW covered mountains)

We then were gonna head over to my sisters for dinner but got a text and said they had just gotten up.... WHAT? at 630pm?  There was NO way we were gonna eat before 8 then. I got a little frustrated but they said come over at 7pm.  So we did. And much to my surprise they had planned a SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY for me! 

Lots of family and some friends had come to SURPRISE me. (and my marine was just as shocked as me, he wasn't let in on the secret!)  What a great time we had visiting and eating.  I even got a big birthday cake... YUMMY! with LOTS of frosting!  My sisters are amazing!  I have never had a surprise birthday party before.

 Monday was Cabela's.... yummy Fudge and hours of checking out cool stuff!  My marine LOVED it and so did the girls.  Monday night I made dinner for the whole clan.  It was a hit!

It was SOOOO cold come tuesday.  Tuesday night we got stuck in the middle of a "blizzard".  We had left 3 of the girls with my sister for a sleepover with their cousins AND a night for mommy and daddy to celebrate my Birthday, which was Wednesday, Nov 24th. 

My birthday was a great one.  Really quiet and didn't do much.  I did go to lunch at OLIVE GARDEN with my sisters.  It was FABULOUS!  I was glad to get to spend some time just with my sisters. I sure am lucky to have them be my sisters and my best friends.  

they gave me some TOTALLY cool gifts! 

We went to my aunts for Thanksgiving. What a blast that was.  LOTS of fun.. food.... laughs and playing in the snow for the kids.  Oh! and visits to the horses with daddy. Delaney LOVED the horses and being in the freezing cold!  That isn't what daddy wanted but he was AMAZING and played along. 

 

(I got LOTS of use out of my new camera on thanksgiving... here are just SOME of them)

What an AWESOME trip we had!  We can't wait to go again

Time to get back to the Real World!

what an Awesome summer we have had!  It sure has gone by FAST!!!!  It seems like just yesterday school was ending, Haylee graduated from 6th grade and we began our summer fun.  

We spent the 1st month and a half in Simi Valley with my parents and brother.  Then me and the girls made ANOTHER trip to Utah to visit with 2 of my sisters, 1 brother in law and 8 cousins.  YUP!  12 kids and 4 adults in (basically) 1 house.  (I say basically because my 2 sisters live in a house that is an upstairs 3 bedroom house, with a downstairs 3 bedroom house)

What a blast that was!  The trip was originally supposed to be 5 days and ended up being 10 days.  We had many adventures while in Utah (I will be posting pictures soon)  We went swimming, went to Salt Lake City and went to visit cousins.... (we have LOTS of cousins in Utah) While I was there I even "schooled" my sister Jeanne on coupon shopping.  We had a few chances to put my teachings to the test and she did AWESOME!  We even went grocery shopping the night before I left.  We hit 3 stores.  We left at about 10pm and finally returned home at around 215am.  LUCKILY Wally World is open 24 hours.  It was so much fun hanging out with my sister.  She is my buddy and I already miss her tons :(

Also while in Utah I found my DREAM HOME!  I know many of my "fans" aka double coupon day followers where SHOCKED to find out that I was NOT coming home for this past Double coupon day.  BUT there was a GOOD reason for it

this house is AWESOME!  I know I shouldn't get my hopes up but I would LOVE to have it for my own.....  here are a few other pictures of Inside :)

the HUGE pantry in the kitchen!

the view in the backyard

the HUGE walk in closet in the master bedroom

the master bathroom... yup!  Its HUGE

this is the 2nd bath upstairs for the kids

oh! and this is the master bedroom.... well part of it.  I couldnt fit in the whole thing... Its HUGE!!!

This house has 5 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths.  It is over 2900 sqft and a beautiful view from the backyard.  

We all fell in love with it the 1st time we saw it.  I even went so far as to put in an offer!  Now its the waiting game.....

So that is why we haven't been home.  Too many other FUN things to do.... but now it's time to get back to reality!  School starts in 10 days YIKES

And away we go....

Just a 4 short weeks after returning from Utah, our sweet little cousin Tiffany Searle, 9 yrs old, passed away.  So we made another trek up to Utah. 

This time it was a quick couple of days... but it was so worth every minute of being there.

The girls and I were joined this trip by Uncle David.... he and Tiff had a very special relationship... He understood how it was to not have your body work they way you wished it would. 

These first few pictures were taken by David as I drove...

The colors were amazing!  I just love the GREEN :)

The girls were amazing!  They were so good.  The actually only fought a couple of times.

And this is how Syd spent most of the drive.... ASLEEP!

Delaney fanagled (however you spell that word) her way outta the buckle.... she was just ready to be DONE!

We loved the 80 mph speed limit!

The snow on the mountains... yes i know its June and there is still snow!

and of course the "Y" for BYU! 

We got up to American Fork, UT on sunday night. Monday was Memorial Day. It was also the viewing for little Tiffany.

what a sweet special little spirit she was. Nothing ever got her down. She was never without a smile.

Tuesday was the funeral.  The day started out beautiful. Just a couple of clouds in the sky.  As we came out of the church after the funeral to head to the burial, it started to sprinkle, and then to rain. Valerie, Tiffany's mom said, Ya know Tiff is getting the last laugh.  She is looking down on us standing out here in the rain and laughing.

The strength of these two!  They are such great examples.... they never gave up in trying to find a cure for their little girl.

I dont know why But I absolutely LOVE this picture.  I snapped it as they were standing there at the casket.  

many people said They shouldnt have to make caskets that small

Two of my favorite guys.  David (my bro) and my cousin Scott (Tiffany's dad)

Nic, Tiffany and Brittany Searle  taken shortly before Tiffany passed away.

How lucky we were to be there and even more to know her.  Til we meet again little Tiff!

The trip of course went by way too fast.  We are blessed to have such wonderful family. We will be up there again in Utah before we know it!