SALSA!

Every year since I can remember at the end of the summer and into fall my mom would start canning. We always had a big garden growing up and so there was always lots to do. Growing up I usually didn't like to help my mom much but now I think it is great! It is great to not have to buy store bought products, it helps with food storage and they usually taste better too. I also think that is a great skill to know. Unfortunately it is being lost in the hustle and bustle of our busy world. Since we haven't been able to have our own garden and my mom is gracious enough to share I get to enjoy this canning season with her. Last week while Todd was working late my mom called and said it was time to make some SALSA! Me and Belle headed over to her house for the evening to help. We used to use the old fashion hand grinder but we have resorted to using a electric blender (which makes things a lot faster). Of course Isabelle wanted to help so my mom pulled out my old apron that I used when I was little and put it on her and pulled up a chair to the counter. She was so excited to be our big helper and wanted to do everything. She had everything figured out and was helping me blend the peppers, onions, and tomatoes together. After a little while of doing this she all of sudden looked up at me with her big beautiful eyes and they were all red and watery. It was the onions! She had this confused look on her face. She didn't know why her eyes were crying and she didn't like the burning. So grandpa went and washed her hands and then took her outside to get some fresh air. It was so fun to have Belle there helping and it brought back lots of memories of me helping my mom when I was little. I am so glad that I can pass this tradition on to her. After a big mess and lots of tomatoes we had a big batch of homemade salsa! I love the smell of my mom's house after an evening of making salsa. Ever since Isabelle has been feeding her babies pretend salsa and has been making salsa in her own little kitchen. I am not sure if she really knows what salsa is or if she really likes it but she sure liked helping!




This is just one of the many many things that my mom has taught me and I am so grateful to her! We are off to a great canning season. Salsa done but we still have peaches and applesauce!

Another GREAT Weekend!

We love summer time when every weekend is filled with something FUN! This last weekend we headed back to southern Utah to Todd's family cabin with his parents. Every time I drive through the great state of Utah I am reminded of how lucky we are to live in this beautiful land. We have everything from the majestic Wasatch mountains to the vibrant red rocks of Zion National Park. We love being outside and enjoying our Heavenly Fathers creations.

Todd's parents are great and they spoil us every time we are with them. We decided to go to the Tuacahn Theatre and see Les Miserables while we were close to St. George. This is one of Todd's and his mom's favorite musicals and so I was very excited to see it. We left Belle with grandpa and had a great evening (even though it felt like it was over 100 degrees during the show). The play was great and I really enjoyed it. The only bad part was we had to drive back to the cabin after the show and we didn't get home till after 2AM. Thanks a ton Penny for a great night!

Isabelle always loves going to the cabin and like usual she had a great time and never wants to come inside. Dad, grandma and grandpa went on some fun mountain bike rides while Belle and I went for a walk and saw a HUGE lizard with a blue tail. Since dad and grandma and grandpa took their bikes Isabelle had to take hers.She thought she was pretty cool although she couldn't even make it up the drive way's little hill. She rode it all around with Baby Jenny in the back. We went four wheeling, swimming, watched the Olympics and just relaxed. What a great Weekend!




Isabelle loves getting her pictures taken so I decided to do a little photo shoot with her with all the beautiful scenery. She is such a girl and loves to get dressed up and poses herself. We also had Todd's dad take a few family pictures of us. Here are a few of my favorites.

Family Campout!

I am very lucky to have a great extended family. We are all very close and we all live relatively near each other. Every month we get together and have a big family night, we have lots of fun parties and every summer since I can remember we go on a big family vacation. Todd says that every time we get together we are going to a "family reunion", I don't see it that way. I am very grateful for my wonderful grandparents who have taught us how important families are.

This year we headed down to southern Utah to Todd's family cabin at Zionponderosa Resort. His cabin boarders Zion National Park. There were about 60 of us going down for a fun three days. We had lots of fun things planned: four-wheeling, hiking, swimming, playing in the dirt, lizard catching, repelling, rock painting, staying up late and lots more. Unfortanatley, because of some thunder clouds and a chance of flash floods we weren't able to go on the fun hike that we had planned that ended in Zion narrows. Instead we went on a different hike and had a fun time. Todd took some of my cousins on a hike that constisted of 10 repelles the longest one being over 100 feet. They had a great time too. We spent one day swimming and a lot of the time riding the four-wheelers. We even got my grandparents on the four-wheelers. It is not every day you see a 84 year old grandpa on the back of a ATV. After a tiring, hot but fun three days we all headed home. As usual the kids had a blast and didn't want to come home but as always there will be more fun family times. Todd was a great sport and made everyone have a great time. Like I said before I am so grateful for a wonderful family that I have and for the great heritage that my grandparents have made for us.



Sorry, I am having issues with arranging my pictures and I don't have the patience to deal with it right now:) More pictures will be coming shortly.

Memory Lane!

Everyone else is doing this so I thought why not. Have fun!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I or you and Todd had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! If we're only blogging friends, write about a post that is the most memorable for you.

2. Next, if you feel so inclined, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll be sure to write one about you...!

3. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

WE ARE HAVING ........

I went and had my ultrasound yesterday and the verdict is, its a ....


GIRL!!!!!!

Almost 100% sure that we will be having another little girl running around our house. We are very excited, especially Belle. Me and Todd are happy that everything looked good and healthy. Todd is going to be outnumbered, but he is good with girls and all of our drama:) Now we are thinking of names, so if anyone has any suggestions we would love to hear them.

With this pregnancy, everything has gone so well that it hasn't really hit me that we are going to have another child. I am very lucky and don't get sick and so it hasn't really seemed like I am pregnant. Now that my pants aren't fitting anymore and I am feeling this little girl kick it seems more real. But when we went into the ultrasound and saw that there really is something inside of me growing, it hit me. We are going to have another child! I have so many different emotions right now, I am SO happy and excited but then I am SO scared and worried. I am hoping that this one will be a little easier because I know what to expect but there is always the unexpected that gets me a little nervous. I know that everything will be great and I am so happy and feel so blessed to be able to bring another little child into this world.

Happy 4th of July!

We also had a great holiday weekend. Todd was able to have 4 days off in a row and so we took advantage of it. This is what our weekend consisted of:

- Camping with my family up Diamond Fork Canyon :8 adults, 12 kids under the age of 12 and 4 tents.
- Riding bikes around the campground
- Going swimming at the Spanish Fork swimming pool
- The great Provo parade
- Enjoying the HOT sun
- Four wheeling with grandpa
- Floating down the river
- Great dutch oven dinner
- Smore's by the fire
- Trying out Todd's new fishing pole at Strawberry Reservoir with Britni and Jason and not having the best of luck
- Being stuck in bad traffic in Provo Canyon while a brush fire was extinguished
- Coming home and taking a hot shower!

Over all we had a great weekend spent with great family! Isabelle loves to go camping and she had a blast with all of her cousins. She didn't want to come home. Here are some fun pictures of our fun weekend!



I also wanted to express how grateful I am to live in this wonderful Country. I think a lot of times I take our freedoms for granted. I forget how lucky we are to live in this beautiful land. I love this holiday and the patriotism it brings to everyone around. I love being able to stand up and put my hand over my heart when a flag passes by. I love that there are brave people who are fighting and sacrificing so that I can live my life the way I want. I wish that we could have this sense of patriotism all year round. I was raised with very patriotic families and was taught how important it is to show our respect to our country. I only hope that I can instill those same lessons into my children.

Little Cheerleader!

Todd's little sister is a varsity cheerleader at her high school. Every summer they do a fundraiser where they do a mini cheer camp. They have little girls from ages 3-12 come for three days and learn cheers and a dance, then they perform for the parents.

This year Isabelle was old enough to go for the fun. We went down and stayed with my in laws for three days and Isabelle learn how to be a cheerleader. She LOVES to dance but she is her own person and doesn't like to be told what to do. All week I told her she was going to be just like Carol but she had to follow the big girls and do whatever they did. She was very excited but I was a little nervous about how she would do. There were about 30 girls her age so it was a little distracting to her but she had a blast. We would come home and practice her 30 sec. song to Little Mermaids, Kiss the Girl, and she actually was doing pretty good. The night of her performance she wore her hair and shirt just like Carol's and she was excited. It was her time to go on and during her cheers all she did was stick her tongue out and watched the audience. During her dance she did do a little better as she was watching me do the actions down in the front. Over all she was a darling little cheerleader and she did pretty good. She was so proud of herself and couldn't wait to show daddy and her other grandma and grandpa. Once fall comes we are going to put her in a dance class and I think it will be very good for her and I think she will do better with a smaller class. I just can't believe how old she is getting...time goes by to fast!