Hogle Zoo 4/14/2012

Today I took the kids to the zoo! Dusty was helping Jason hang some sheet rock, so it was just me and the kids all day.  We haven't been in a couple years and I thought it would be a fun time.  It was a little overcast, but that was perfect.  Not to hot.  It rained for like 5 minutes, but besides that the weather was awesome!  The kids really enjoyed themselves, which was fun to watch.  They oooed and awwed with every animal we saw.  They are really big animal lovers.  The funniest part of the day was when we saw the monkeys and gorillas.  They decided that they were their brothers and sister because me and Dusty call them monkeys all the time.  They would walk up to each window and say hi brother or hi sister.  It was adorable.  I had a great time with them.  Here are some pics of our fun time.

When it decided to rain hard, we decided that was the time to ride the carousel  :)

Ryan next to "big brother"

Jordyn next to "big brother"

Valentines day and Lady A!!!!

When I heard that lady antebellum was coming in concert I had to get tickets!  I have never been to a concert ( I know right! I can't believe it either) and I thought this would be a great one to go to.  They were coming on valentines day too, so that made it even better.  Me and Dusty could have our date all planned :)  Valentines day came and so did Dustys sickness  :(  He couldn't even get out of bed.  Poor guy!  He really wanted to go with me, but I told him no way! I called my sister, Shelly, and she was more than willing to take his place :)  DUH!!  It was the awesomest concert ever!!   Thompson Square and Darius Rucker opened for them. The husband in Thompson Square gave his wife flowers on stage, it was soooo cute!!  Darius Rucker sang some of his old Hooty and the Blowfish songs, it was awesome!  But Lady A was the BEST!!!! They sang all my favorite songs and for their oncore the sang I NEED YOU NOW!! Best best concert ever!!!  I really wish Dusty could have been there because they sang all these love songs and people were dancing and cuddling and I just had my sister.............Um yeah not doing that with her  :)  But I still had fun and was glad my sister could come with me!  My voice was totally gone by the time it was all over and done with from screaming! I loved it, loved it, loved it!!!  So excited to go to another concert! I am hooked!

The stage!

Waiting for the show to start!

Thompson Square!! He gave his wife flowers for valentines!

Darius Rucker!

Lady Antebellum!!! They came up from under the stage!!

They had the entire band come to the front of the stage to be in the middle of the audience!!

The G!!!

So as you may not of noticed, this year we haven't really experienced a winter.  I think we got enough snow to make a snowman once and it was gone the next day.  Well today was an especially nice day and it's a Saturday, so me and Dusty decided that we wanted to hike to the G!  Now some of you may not know, but that isn't the easiest of hikes for a person.  It is mostly a really steep grade up.  I did it all last year almost dying by the end, but I did it!!! This year was my first time and it was sooooo much easier than the very last time I did it last year.  Don't get me wrong, I was still gasping for air at the end, but it just seemed easier to me.  I guess my almost 100 pound weight loss could have something to do with it huh??  I am so excited for spring and summer this year! Camping and hiking and biking here we come.  And look out cause you will not defeat me this year!! I will kick you square in the ass!!!  I just want to thank my family and friends (especially you ww girls who inspire me all the time) for supporting me and helping me to achieve things that I never knew I wanted.  I LOVE MY LIFE!!!

Merry Christmas---just a little late :)

I know this is a little late, but better late than never right?  We spent Christmas at home this year.  Just our little family hanging out.  Me and Dusty woke up before the kids.  This happens almost every year.  We have not had a early xmas yet.  Its been really nice.  I know it won't last forever, so we cherish it!!  Here are a couple of pictures of what the kids got.  Jordyn got a password journal and a real fun game called Headbands and Ryan got a couple board games to play with his dad like Chess and Checkers and Battleship.  They had fun playing those together on Christmas morning.  Good Xmas this year! Me and Dusty got the best present of all I think though.  We were able to pay off our house and his school loans this year!  Dusty cashed in some stocks from work and it payed off our house and school loans, plus a couple little things like new carpet!!!  We are so fortunate in our lives. We thank God everyday for all the wonderful people and things that he has blessed us to have.

Sugar cookies and Gingerbread houses!!!

Kids are out of school and Christmas is around the corner so why not make some cookies and gingerbread houses right???  I had a blast with the kids making these it was was so much fun!  The gingerbread houses were funnest.  Seeing the kids come up with some fun ideas on their own was so fun to watch.  Good Times!!!

Temple Square 2011

Every year we go up to the temple to look at all the pretty lights.  This year was no different  :)  We went out to dinner than caught Trax to go to the temple.  The kids enjoyed swinging on the handrails in the trax train on the way up.  On the way back it was standing room only, so they couldn't do it then.  It was so pretty and decorated.  I love looking at the lights there.  It was a great evening with my sisters and our kids.  Loved it!!! Here are some of the many pics we took  :)

BOSTON!!!!!

My super awesome sister Kim flew me and my other sister Michelle out to Boston for the weekend of the 3rd for another girls trip.  We have been so fortunate to be able to take girls trips together a couple times, and I thoroughly enjoy them.  It is sister time and there is nothing better than that  :)  The first night we went to Salem to see all the cool witch trial stuff and see a lighthouse.  Its gets dark there at 4 and everything, I mean EVERYTHING closes at 4.  It was really weird  :)  Seeing and hearing all about the Salem witch trials was really cool. Then we went to a local brewery and has some yummy food and some yummy beer.  The next day we went around Boston looking at all the historic sights and freaking awesome architecture.  I love Boston!! The buildings are just so cool and it is full of so much history that we couldn't cram it all in to our little trip.  We went on a trolley tour and on a walking tour and still didn't get to see all we wanted to. The next day we hurried and went and saw some more lighthouses before we flew out.  They are pretty cool, but mostly seen from the water, so guess we will have to go another time when the boat rides are open.  :)   I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to have these special times with my sisters.  Hopefully someday I will be able to plan and pay for one of these trips too! LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!!!! Hey guess what??? I LOVED IT!!!

Salem witch trial museum

Trinity church

Cool lighthouse in Salem

Battle of bunker hill memorial

I was obsessed with the fire escapes.  Don't ask me why!  I really wanted to go and climb on them

Same lighthouse, but cooler picture

Can't have serious pictures all the time!!

Our tour guide Tim!  He was pretty cute and I loved the Boston accent!!!

Really tired after flying and exploring all day, so hey lets have a drink!!

The oldest running Tavern! Of course we had to see what it was all about too ;)

Super cool buildings!

Love the architecture!

The old and the new!

Our Trolley that we took a tour on!