President's Club 2014

Shayne was an over-achiever this past year and was invited to 2014's "President's Club" in Bermuda.  So proud of this guy and his hard work!!  We left our kids in the care of family and left for our dream all-paid for vacation in a place we never imagined we would go - Bermuda!  We also tacked on a couple extra days in NYC, since we had a lay-over there and it was an easy extension when booking our flights!

Bermuda Itinerary included:

Jet-ski's

Sailing

Scuba Diving

Beach

more beach

pool time

food too

little bit of shopping

but mostly, beach time

Here is the view from our room

A view from ferry as we went to the shopping area.

 Me, steering a sailboat.  I guess I was driving it - but technically the wind was doing the work.  But I did steer it for a while.  It was a race between 3 boats (this was a group team-building activity).  I don't think my steering skills reflected in the last place position we held strong.

Our friends, Curtis & Becca

Eating gourmet mac-n-cheese, in a goblet. This is fine dining!  ha ha

The beaches were incredible - most beautiful beaches we have ever seen.  The sand was really pink, and SOOOOOO soft.  It really is paradise.

We found a little crab and Shayne managed to get him to grasp onto his sandal, but when he picked up the shoe - the crab did not stick with the claw.... ewwww!

Here are some pics from Scuba Diving.  Our friend, Todd, had a fancy underwater camera, but unfortunately it still wasn't optimal water conditions for photo-taking.  It had been a year since our last dive and I started to freak out at the start of the first dive, but once I calmed myself down and convinced myself that I had done this before and loved it - everything was great!  I did love it.   Our first dive was a shipwreck - that isn't Shayne on the toilet, but he did strike that same pose as we explored the boat.  The 2nd dive had even less aquatic life, but it felt like a scuba obstacle course through coral - we both loved it.  Very different than what we had anticipated, but loved the dive experience in Bermuda!

We found a little light-house adventure and that's our hotel in the background (tall building).

One night, we were given special gifts - the ladies all picked out custom made jewelry and the men were treated to authentic Bermuda shorts and socks.  Yes, the men wear this sort of attire - it was completely normal there!  

The men sported their new look for the final meal together...

This is my favorite pic, to help remember what relaxation looks like.

Now off to NYC!  Shayne's co-worker, Curtis, and his wife, Becca, joined us in the Big Apple.

I convinced everyone to see Mama Mia!  It wasn't all that I hoped it would be (bummer), it was good, but not amazing.  Oh well.  I'm still grateful I got to see it.

Found the best "Falafel" street vendor - the line was HUGE but quick and slick.  It was also very yummy.

We rented bikes and rode through Central Park - loved that!

An unexpected highlight was this Magic show at the Waldorf Hotel, it was AWESOME.  AMAZING. FANTASTIC.  INCREDIBLE.  IMPOSSIBLE!!!!

The magician is holding his magical tea-pot which poured out drinks as ordered - spontaneously.  It was impossible.  And I'd go again in a heart-beat.  I highly recommend this show if you go to NYC.

We visited the Ground Zero area briefly.  The rain and fog definitely added to the somber setting. 

My college roommie, Wendy, saw my posts on FB as we were sight-seeing and informed me she lived close to NYC!  She met up with us on our last day and it was a blast to catch up with her.  She was our tour-guide for a few hours and showed us how to get on the free Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty (not actually going to Ellis Island) and helped us figure out the train system to get to the airport in punctual time .  I just love this girl.  She has four boys like me and life just can't be boring when she's around.  Seeing her was an unexpected treat.

NYC was a bustling and busy place - it felt like a sprint race.   Every minute was busy and fast paced.  The whole NYC experience was great but, definitely not the relaxation that Bermuda offered us!  The whole trip was fan-tabulous and obviously couldn't have happened without family helping us at home.  A huge hug and thank you to Nana & Papa, Aunt Devri & Uncle Brian, and especially Grandma & Grandpa for holding the fort down all week long!!  And thank YOU Shayne for winning this amazing week and sharing it with me.  (I think you should do it again next year!  hint hint)

giggles under the fence

We have a neighbor friend who is just a bit younger than Skyler.  I was in the kitchen and heard giggling - non-stop giggling....  this is what I found outside.  The boys were talking and giggling and it was stinkin' cute.

12 YEARS OLD!!!

I remember this little boy fitting on my shoulder.  I remember the night before I had Cole and I was tucking Hunter into bed and as I kissed him, I was worried that my love would feel divided with another child in our family.  I remember him going into Kindergarten that first day, and I was thrilled and at the same time I cried as soon as he didn't see me anymore.  I can't remember loving him more than I do today - he's such a wonderful young man.  I'm scared of him growing up and deciding it's not cool to hug mom in public, or deciding to not talk with me anymore.  He knows those fears and continues to comfort me and hug me and have great discussions with me.

He had a great birthday party at a local trampoline place - I didn't take pix of those boys going crazy - literally jumping all over the place - but it was a great party.  

And for his birthday he got his very own desk - which he LOVES.

I thought I had taken a picture of him in his new suit for church - but I can't find it.  I had better take another one.  He's so handsome and so happy to have a suit.  He was ordained to a Deacon and now passes the sacrament in church - which nearly brought tears to his mother's eyes that first Sunday too.  

Hunter's favorites:

Color: Yellow

To do: draw, Legos, or play Destiny on X-Box

Ambition: Be a computer animator is first choice out of a list of 7 careers

Song: Knights of Cydonia by Muse

Food: Mommy's potato soup

Best friends: Carter, Liam, Chans

Favorite sport: swimming

Best part of turning 12; the Priesthood

Adventures in Oregon

***WARNING*** 

**LOTS OF PICTURES!!**

We decided to take a family vacation to visit Aunt Alisa and Uncle Jared in Oregon!  We met in Bend first.  We had fun at The High Desert Museum - which wasn't a museum at all.  We saw a show about flying predators, a small town with people dressed in period clothing, and more demonstrations about desert animals.

Why are they cleaning without complaining here?!?!

This is what Skye and Ethan looked like the whole trip - super, duper adorable together.  Skyler reminds me daily that Ethan is his cousin and he wants to go to his house today.  Too bad it's so far!!

We visited Smith Rock - a state park.  It was a beautiful area, but the playground was the highlight for the kids.

On our last day in the Bend area, we finally figured out why people rave about Bend.  It just took us a couple days to find it for ourselves.  We ended up at a little lake - perfectly serene in the mountains with a trail going around it.  The kids found a ba-jillion little frogs and spent a lot of time catching them.  Skyler just wouldn't let them go!

In route to our cousins' house, we stopped at Crater Lake.  It was beautiful.  But sadly, it was dusk, so we didn't get the true-blue effect of this amazing place.  Guess we'll just have to go back.

We then went to Alisa/Jared's home, only to hang out for a day then go venturing out towards the coast!  

The Oregon coast is just a few hours away...  and we were there on the most perfect day ever.  We could have stayed there longer - but we wanted to see the Redwood Forest too.

(that's a seaweed jump-rope)

En-route to the Oregon coast, we passed through this marvel of nature...  once again, we could have been there for hours, but nightfall was soon upon us!

I'd like to plant one of these in my front yard!

Now about our actual visit to Alisa's home - it's the dream spot - acres of property, lots of trees, and just a great place to live.  Highlights included a big bike ride (with a goat chasing us), the yummiest pie in the world (Marionberry Pie) with ice cream, showing Alisa how to use her homegrown veggies to make Ratatouille, and simply passing time hanging out and being together.  The kids set up a table to sell bracelets and acorns and pine-cones.  Did I mention that there was no shortage of pine-cones or acorns in this lush and beautiful area?  And it was a lonely road where people rush by at very fast speeds?  Lucky them, they still managed to earn a few dollars from generous neighbors and a couple passerby's.

We went to the favorite local spot to have a real soda known as a "phosphate".   They had all sorts of fun names for the different drinks such as Toxic Waste and Blue Fungus plus they served them in tall soda glasses with a straw - the kids loved it.

 We also had to try rafting down the famous Rogue River.  We got a raft for each family and it proved to be fun for all - except little Eli... he HATED it.  Honestly, he really hated it.  And that made the trip especially long for the mommy holding a crying infant while slowly floating down the river.  

It was such a fantastic trip, we loved, loved, LOVED it!  The best part was having time with the cousins.  Everyone got along so well - parents and kids!  I don't know how we got so much adventure in during such a quick trip.  A huge shout out to Alisa and Jared for doing the planning - everything was awesome.  We just showed up and that made the vacation even more relaxing.  LOVE YOU all so much, and I don't blame Skyler for constantly begging to go to Ethan's house!  We just might be in your driveway in the morning.