4th of July

We had such a fun 4th of July. We got to spend it with my sister Melissa, her fiance Shawn, my cousin Sara, and her boyfriend Brandon whom were all waiting for when we got back from Star Valley. They had nicely staked us out a prime location in front of Davis High for the Kaysville parade in the morning. We love the Kaysville parade, and Mady could hardly sleep the night before because she was so excited. York's parents met us there too, and we all had tons of fun. The girls loved watching all of the floats go by and racing to pick up as much candy as they possibly could! Afterwards, we headed back home for a much needed naptime:)

The girls with Mel and Shawn

Sophie

The girls with Grandma and Grandpa

Our beautiful daughters

Me and the girls waiting for the parade to start

My Mads

Discussing their goods

Excited about their ice cream "tickets"

So sweet

In action

Soph in her new shades from Sara

Love this happy baby

Soph and Jack sharing a moment...or a snack

York's parents took our girls to fireworks in Kaysville that night, and then Mady got to have a campout sleepover with Grandma and Aiden that night...so fun! I had a sitter come to stay with Jack after I put him to bed, and then me York, Mel, Shawn, Sara, and Brandon went to a Real Salt Lake game. Although I was a tiny bit sad that we missed watching fireworks with Mady and Soph, it was a really fun adults night out.

Sara is Assistant Athletic Director at Lynn University in Florida, and one of her former students, Jean Alexandre, plays for RSL. She has been out the past 3 summers to visit us and catch a few of his games. He always hooks us up with great seats, and Lion's Den passes to hang out with the players and their families after the game. That night he also gave us a tour of their locker room and press room, and we had a little too much fun with that;). The fireworks after the game we all agreed were pretty lame (and we've seen good fireworks there before!), but all in all it was a happy 4th, and fun to spend it with company!

Me, Sara, and T-Rex;)

Take two

Fireworks!

In the Lion's Den

Ok, this was fun:)

The whole gang

Star Valley

Last weekend we headed up to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming for a weekend with York's extended family. His grandparents live there in the summer and its always a great time catching up with them and the rest of the fam.

The kiddos with Great-Grandma and Grandpa

Sitting by the fire-pit at the grandparent's place

Family pic at lunch counter

Floating the Snake River is also a tradition, however this year a lot of us stayed behind because of its extra cold and extra raging conditions. We did get to watch the excitement as they came through lunch counter...and here is a picture of the crazies;)

After watching them survive lunch counter, we headed to Jackson Hole for lunch and shopping.

The girls loved posing by all of the animal statues

Strolling through Jackson

Me and the kids:)

Mady and sleepy Jack

On Saturday we drove to Yellowstone. The girls loved seeing Old Faithful, and all the deer, antelope, and buffalo roaming about. The highlight of our day though, was seeing a grizzly bear - up close and personal! Crazy to think we saw one when there are only 150 in the whole park...not to mention York's many years of visiting there and never seeing one. Also crazy that after we got home we found out that a hiker was killed by mama grizzly protecting her cubs. So sad, and now I can't believe we dared get so close for a picture.

Grizzly Bear!

Sweet Sophie...it was a long day in the car!

Sophie and Grandpa in Yellowstone

A visit from Shelley and Justin

Our good friends Shelley and Justin came out to visit last weekend and we had such a great time! Shelley and I are friends from Mizzou and I am so thankful for the friendship that we have maintained even with all the distance between us. I love her to death, and also love that her husband Justin and York are great buds too. Lucky for us, they usually visit once a year in the winter around Sundance time, but this was there first Utah summer experience. Coming from Missouri, they loved the hot but not humid weather, and we spent most of the weekend doing stuff outside.

They got in late Thursday evening, and we spent the night out by the fire pit (that wasn't working, dang it! I swear that thing only breaks when we have guests!) with drinks and snacks just catching up. Friday the boys went skiing (yes-snow) at Snowbird, then played golf - just to say they could! Shelley and I spent the morning at the pool with the kids and the afternoon at Nordstrom. That evening we were back at the pool for my niece's birthday party, came home, put the kiddos to bed, and back out to the non-working fire pit we went. On Saturday we played 9 holes of golf, had dinner at Mandarin, and then out for drinks and late night pizza in downtown SLC. Sunday we had lunch at Taggert's Grill and enjoyed the beautiful weather and scenery there. It was definitely a full weekend, but FUN!

Justin on the ski lift at Snowbird

Shelley and I after 9 holes of golf at Oakridge

On the patio at the Green Pig

The boys in downtown SLC

Shelley and Justin:)

At Cheers

Lunch at Taggarts Grill

Father's Day Weekend

We had such a fun Father's Day weekend! On Saturday morning we went to the zoo, then Jack and I got to golf 9 holes with York, Ty, Sue, and Brit. Unfortuneltly, rain on Sunday kept us from taking the kids golfing, but York got to play for a bit, and we spent the afternoon/evening at his parents.

York is such a great husband and dad, we are so blessed to have him in our lives. He loves our kids more than anything, and they adore him. He is such a fun, loving husband, I can't imagine sharing my life with anyone else! Thanks for everything you do for us, we love you babe!

Here are a few pics from the weekend...

Happy Father's Day also to both of our dad's whom we both look up to and love very much!

Introducing the newest member of our family...

After months and months of begging for a pet, Mady and Sophie are now the proud owners of Softy Quiet Sharp Claws...or wait, maybe its Good Boy Paul-either way, it's their first pet! And mine. So, Softy-Quiet (or Paul) is our guinea pig...both literally and figuratively. (And, it's a good thing I didn't have a say in naming him, or initially it would have been "great another thing to clean up poop and pee after-Y").

The girls are having so much fun with him and spend a lot of time huddled around his cage in Mady's room. As I work on my "pet phobia" he pretty much stays in his cage unless York is home. I have to say, it has created major bonding time with the girls and their daddy. With York supervising, they love to hand feed him treats (fruits and veggies), take him outside to play, and they both get lots of holding him on their laps time before bed. Mady and Sophie are so good with him, it amazes me. So, even though I've never been a pet person, seeing how excited and happy they are, how could I not be supportive?!

Mady asks me everyday "Mommy are you used to pets yet?" I'm really trying, and any reservations I had in the beginning are (slowly) fading away. And even though I have yet to hold (or even pet) Softy Quiet Sharp Claws/Good Boy Paul, I'm sure that in no time I'll be the one cuddling him on the couch when all the kids are sleeping, or toting him around town with me in one of those "pet purse" things;)

Videos of Mady and Soph holding their pet: