Tess, want a puppy?

Our friends' American Bulldog just had puppies last night! So cute! We are thinking about getting one...well, I'm still thinking about it. Brad is sold on the idea and Tess would love a dog! Any time she sees dogs she squirms to the ground and chases them. She also barks when she sees any animal, even fish in a tank. Dogs are great for kids! This breed is especially mellow and good with kids. They are also fiercely loyal and protective of their families. I've just never had a big dog. Stay tuned to see if my heart rules my head!

A Weekend with the Girls

August 16-19, 2007-- Fun times hanging out with my high school girlfriends this weekend. We've been talking about taking a trip like this and a few of us finally did. We stayed at Jill's parents' vacation home in St. George. It was beautiful...and good thing because we were there most of the trip just talking. We stayed up every night until 4 a.m. and then slept in until 11 or 12. We'd get up and the chatting would begin again. We even forgot to eat a lot of the time. I wondered when our conversation topics would be exhausted, but we made it home without a lull or moment of silence. We also saw "Cinderella" at the gorgeous Tuacahn Redrock Ampitheater where we caught a case of the giggles! Good times! We did some shopping, naturally, and had the best pedicures of our lives! If you were there you'd be laughing right now, it was just a good thing that our toes were painted all the same color. But, none of that mattered because we all just enjoyed being together. I love knowing I have friends that I could not see for 5 years or more and after only minutes it'd feel like we were right back to being best buds. I'm so lucky to have had such great girlfriends growing up. I am truly blessed to still have these great women in my life that I adore and admire. Can't wait until next year... here we come Newport Beach!!!

Things I Miss

1. Brad's motorcycle/cruisin' up the canyon
2. My sweet Grandma Butterfield
3. German food/cake/ice cream...you name it, I miss German food!
4. School
5. Stomps
6. Punky Brewster...kidding!

To Be or Not to Be

This is the camera I am looking to get, the Nikon D80. Any suggestions or comments? I am so excited to start this new hobby, but wow, it's sure expensive!

Family Dinner

August 12,2007-- My whole family went up the canyon for Sunday dinner. The Talbots made it as well as Hank and his girlfriend, Whitney. We had a delicious meal and had fun watching the kids play in the creek. Tabitha, the wild child, fell in. Bless her little heart, she was trying to swim upstream. It made for some good laughs! I love having our family together!

Day Out With Grama and Grampa!

August 10, 2007-- Grama and Grampa had a great idea to take the grandkids to Gardner Village for pony rides, a petting zoo, and lots of dessert at the bakery. Sugar overload! The kids loved it! They especially love being with their grandparents who are their best friends. I'm so grateful that they love Tess so much and spend so much time with her!

Growing Up

...way too fast! Tess is changing and learning every day! She loves to climb stairs, eat whatever we're having for dinner, climb on the dishwasher, unload drawers and cupboards, eat ice cream cones, and terrorize her pet guinea pig (Mo). Her latest accomplishment is that she stands all alone--"Big Girl"! She stink bugs all around the lawn because she hates crawling in the grass. She also says a lot of words: Mama, Dada, Tess, Hi, ku-ku, dog ("gog"), and she barks. I also swear that I heard her say "water" and heard her speaking Spanish with her toy remote control. She's doing something new every day and its a blast to watch her change and grow! We love her so much!

Pioneer Day

We spent the day just relaxing. The highlight of the day was dinner at the Red Iguana (best Mexican food in the valley) and a walk around Temple Square with our friends the Francos.

Future Rodeo Queen

Here is our sweet little cowgirl at the Days of '47 Rodeo! Matti bought her this hat, which she pulls off pretty well. We had a great time watching the bull riding with the Smiths. Yee-haw!

Hogle Zoo

June 21, 2007-- Tess took her first trip to the zoo and we all tagged along to see her reaction--Grandma Jan, Grandpa Jim, Grandma Claudia, Aunt JaNae, and Mommy and Daddy. She was awestruck most of the time and then she was just plum-tuckered out from the heat like the rest of us. I can't wait until she can make all the animal sounds and enjoy them more! We had a great time, though, seeing the new exhibits and watching the bird show. Tess gave the bird a dollar, but she was more interested in the dollar than the bird. Hmmm...must get that from her dad! I'm sure we'll see many more days at the Hogle Zoo!

Happy 4th of July!

We really celebrated the 4th! On the 3rd we went with my parents and the Lees to the Utah Symphony in the Park. The kids loved marching to the patriotic tunes and eating cotton candy! On the 4th, we went to a swim party with Brad's family where Tess splashed all the water out the splash pool and ate all of Nana's ice cream bar. Then, we headed to the Lee's local festivities with a BBQ and fireworks on the street. The girls still had their "Lady Liberty" crowns on for the day. "Delirium" was the craziest firework you can purchase legally, but we got to see a spectacular show of fireworks by all the neighbors who love to break the law in celebration of our free county! He, he! We had a great holiday and are so grateful to live in this free nation where we are afforded so many wonderful blessings!

Camping with the Romney Clan

June 30, 2007
We went camping with my family to celebrate my parents' 30th wedding anniversary. It was so much fun! Tess and the other kiddos loved playing in the creek with Grandma and Grandpa! They are the best! It was fun to see the difference in how little boys and girls camp. Triston's kids seemed like they were born and raised in the mountains...oh wait, they were. Even though, the girls were a little less rough and tumble, they had fun taking walks with Grandma, playing kickball and softball, roasting hot dogs, picking flowers, and playing in the ice cold creek. They all loved getting dirty, including Tess! There's no place I'd rather be than enjoying the wild mountains on a summer day!