My Fam (and the last Utah update)

We are sure missing Utah. My kids ask me all the time if we can go again. They also like to pretend that they are their cousins, Sophie and Demi. Evan likes to reminisce about all the fun things he did with his cousins and Aunt Jillian. They talk endlessly about everyone there and what they did with them. We are already ready for another Utah trip!

Here is the whole crew... except for Alison who was away in Mexico. Joel, why is this the only picture I have of you? Shannon... I think the only pictures I got of you were these. 

Oh wait a sec... I have this one...

(Hehehe...)

We didn't have a whole lot planned while we were there, but that's the way I like it. We enjoyed just seeing everyone and letting the kids play all day long. 

We were also lucky to see practically everyone on my Mom's side of the family. My cousin Rachel planned a BBQ with the whole family. It was so fun to see everyone and have the chance to visit with them. 

Highlights from our trip...

Evan says that he liked to:

Play "animal in trouble" with Jillian, Sophie, Demi and Makiah

Help grandma with the garden

Read the princess book with Jillian and Grandma

Sleep in Jillian's room

Build forts with Jillian

Ride in the truck with Grandpa and Carly

Play in the backyard with the dogs, Carly and Talulah

Hold the bird, Maisy

Flying on 4 airplanes

Swing on the swing set 

Makiah says that she liked to:

Sleep in Jillian's room or in mom's big bed

Play "animal in trouble"

Catch the birds and hold them and put them high in the sky to fly

Eat cupcakes with Bethany

Sit on Grandma Fowler's lap, "she was really nice to me"

Look for deer at Grandma Fowler's house

Play at the park  

Dance with Sophie and Demi and play at their house

Swimming with Sophie, Demi, Evan, and Jillian. 

Playing on Joel's iPad

Dressing up in the ballerina dress at Grandma's house (Why don't I have a picture of this?)

Here are a few more random pictures... oh we miss our family!

Looking for deer...

Dance outfits with Sophie and Demi...

Bethany... Just because this picture is blog worthy...

Swimming on one of the only *really* warm days...

Playing on the iPad with Joel (I guess I did have another picture of you)...

And sitting with Grandma Fowler...

Ahhh. Good times, good times. Until next year everyone! We miss you.

Backtrack.

When I went to Utah last August I had one thing that I HAD to do while I was there. And this is it (only 7 months late). I got married just over 5 years ago now and my sister Shannon is coming on her 5 year anniversary this month. Neither of us got our bridal portraits done. Why you ask? I honestly don't know. Something about being in front of the camera alone... too much money... not enough time. I don't know, but it never got done. Until last August. I am so GLAD that we did this. Reasons.... 1. I actually still fit into my dress and I am not sure how long that will last. 2. I almost kinda sorta look like I did when I got married. 3. Photographs are so very important to me. More important than I thought they were 5 years ago. 

So. We pulled out the dresses. Did our hair and makeup. Found our amazingly wonderful skilled little sister, and got to work. Bethany is the one we owe this too. She is the one with the photography skills. She took all these photos and more and I couldn't love them more. 

Oh yes. One more thing. Shannon, you are stunning. Absolutely stunning. 

Oh... that was only a handful... I might have to show you some more. And we have some not so posed, fun ones as well :) 

Day dreaming

Dear Summer,

You are very much missed by just about anyone stuck here in Winter. Please come back to us. Soon. I don't think we can wait much longer. 

Yours Truly,

Jessica

Okay that was cheesy. But really. Who isn't ready for summer? I have to admit, I actually made it through January this year with out hating winter too much. But February has been cruel. First the crazy storm and tons of snow... and now 50 degree wonderfulness that we all know won't last long enough (okay I shouldn't complain... we were lucky to get the nice weather this week). Anyway, my point to this post... I am done with crazy weather and all I really want to do is pull out my shorts and flip-flops :) Who's with me? 

To go along with my summer dreamin' we made homemade ice cream tonight. We made it with the last of our frozen peaches. We might as well have a funeral, because this marks the end of all our fruit that we picked last summer. Every last strawberry, blueberry and peach is gone :( May cannot come soon enough!

I will try to get through this spring fever... I might just have to take advantage of my time indoors, curled up with a nice book... before these relaxed winter days are gone and we are crazy-busy again... though I don't mind crazy-busy as long as I can wear shorts and flip-flops!

Quiet time

Dear Grandma and Grandpa Johnson,

       Thank you so much for the Christmas present you sent us. We love getting packages in the mail! Christmas time is so exciting when we have packages arriving... we get so excited and we love seeing the presents under the tree. It was so fun to talk to you on the webcam on Christmas, we were especially excited to open the gift you sent to us while we talked to you. We absolutely love it! We love taking our quiet book to church with us. It gives us something fun to do so mom and dad can listen in church. Makiah loves the baby Jesus page and Evan loves the finger puppets. It is fun to learn about the scripture stories on each page. We are so grateful that you would take the time to make us such a wonderful gift. We will love it forever! Mom told us that she had the same book when she was little. It is fun to share this book with her. Thank you! We are so excited for Grandma to come visit us next week, we are counting down the days!

Love,

Evan and Makiah

P.S. These pictures are some of my favorites. Ever. I love them so much. Also, I still have more from Christmas to post, I am just waiting on some pictures... stay tuned.

The Tree.

I have so many childhood memories that I love. Especially the ones from Christmas time. Setting up the tree was always a big deal. My mom has so many Christmas decorations that we would set up at the same time. I remember especially having to wait for Mom to put the lights on the tree. Now I know why it always took so long ;) At least my mom could get them up in one night... I on the other hand I took awhile longer :)

All of my siblings and myself have an ornament that my Grandma Fowler gave to each of us on our first Christmas. My Mom continued this tradition by giving all of her grandchildren an ornament of their own. My kids ADORE their ornaments :) Evan's is a reindeer and Makiah's is a Precious Moments girl holding a lamb (which is fitting, Makiah loves animals). Makiah kept saying that her "baby" (ornament) was sad, probably because of the shape of the eyes that Precious Moments have. She kept hanging it up and then holding it again, she really loves it. 

My Mom would take a photo of each of her kids hanging up their ornaments and stockings each year. Since I am photo crazy I am trying to do the same. We still need to figure out the stockings though... we just have candlesticks holding them up so it is hard for the kids to hang them themselves. Dallas' Mom made our stockings and I LOVE them so much! 

I know I look like I just woke up and maybe went running or something.... but at least we got a picture of Dallas and I, right? Evan took this photo, he even told us where to sit and everything. He gets it from me :)

Ahhh, we finally got the tree decorated. It is so nice to be able to sit and listen to Christmas music and look at the lights. I love this time of year!!

Pumpkins

Last year when we went to the pumpkin patch it was sooo cold. We bundled up in our coats, gloves and hats to stay warm. This year I decided that we should go while it was still warm. We went yesterday and it was a hot day! Definitely a different experience :) We still had fun though.... we went on a wagon ride and picked out pumpkins, saw the animals at the petting zoo, played in the bounce house, played with tractors and toys, and the kids went on a little barrel train ride. We stayed a little too long though... the kids were a little grumpy on the way home :)

This picture goes out to my little brother Joel.... are you reading Joel?? Alison, are you reading? You should go get your husband... he will appreciate this one :) Joel used to pull me around in a tractor just like this one :) Now look who's doing the pulling? I love it! I should go find a photo of me and my brother....

Oh yeay!! Here it is, I found it :) Me and Joel... cruising  in the tractor :) I am thinking that Joel was about Evan's age if not a little older...

 These pictures make me so happy... good times!