Random in Vegas . . . . . . . .

Sometimes I do a post that can only be described as random, but this time I got fancy and labeled it "Random IN Vegas."

The Bellagio has a conservatory that really is beautiful and fun to go see. The kids love it. They change it every season. I must say that Vegas does have some pretty good family stuff. A lot MORE stuff is geared towards LESS family-oriented things, but I digress. We made this trip with some friends and the kids had a blast.

Isn't it beautiful? Vegas really does have some original beauty . . .

And Vegas also has this . . . . It's really all about diversity and the unexpected.

One Saturday we also made a trip to Circus Circus. We thought it would be great. Well, it was hot, Ava went on one ride, and that was about it. Therefore, I have 2 pictures to document the excitement.

We have a very small lawn. In comparison to other yards down here though, it is really quite lush. It's a small job. You'll notice that Randy didn't even bother to take his work clothes off before this 3 minute endeavor. It's really not a 3 person job, but don't tell my kids that.

The first picture is a good example of what happens when you give a 1 year old a chocolate ice cream bar. The 2nd picture is what happens when a 4 year old goes to sleep in a tent with Curious George: A cozy sleeping spot with a monkey on your head.

And that is what you get when I decide to blog at 1:00 am. :)

Road Trip . . . . .

These kids . . . . . .

Happen to really like these People . . . . . .

Thus the reason for our last trip to Utah. It was a marathon trip too. We were there for almost 2 weeks. We were able to attend my cousin Braden's missionary farewell, play/work my dad's charity golf tournament, visit Fish Lake, and go to the Cougar's Home Opener. (I've got to be honest - the game was the main reason it was such a long trip).

In these top two pictures you'll notice Kai has a ponytail. My mom thought it was pretty funny. Randy didn't. To be fair, we thought it was less girly and more Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. What do you think? Kai also took matters into his own hands when it came to entertaining himself. We have his own bat, ball, and tee at home, but since Grandma Annie's house doesn't have one, he improvised with a vase, spoon, and practice golf ball. Genius. If I do say so myself.

Ava was, once again, in heaven when she found Abby to play with. Plus, this night was extra special because not only did she have Abby, but she also had corn on the cob. It just happened to be Mini Cheer while we were there so Ava joined in on the fun and became a little cheerleader for a week. She loved it. I loved it too because she was completely entertained for 1 1/2 hours every day we were there. Bliss.

We bleed blue. We're Cougar Fans. We love Bronco. We love Lavell Edwards stadium. This game was fun and exciting. The 2 quarterback system kept it pretty entertaining. BYU tends to get us all excited in the 1st game, then bring us back down a little in the 2nd game. We're hoping the 3rd game puts us on the upswing again. :)

My Kids + Playground + Grandma and Grandpa = Pure Joy

Ava managed to find the ONE muddy spot in the entire park and step right in it. For her, the initial reaction was devastation (pretty normal), but luckily she eventually found it funny. I love the top picture because it captures my kids so well. Ava: Always ready for a picture. Kai: NEVER ready for a picture and always moving.

Before you have kids, it's hard to imagine how your life will completely revolve around them. Life is filled with sippy cups, blow-up pools, playgrounds, and vacations to Grandma and Grandpa's. I love it.

Back to School, Back to School . . . . . . . . .

To prove to my daddy that I'm not a fool. Yep, I just quoted Billy Madison and I'm not even going to apologize for it. :)

I LOVE this time of year. We are headed into fall which is my FAVORITE season. It's nice to get a routine going now that the lazy days of summer are behind us. Ava started her new dance class yesterday and she couldn't be more excited. Of course Kai had to get in on the picture. Apparently I wasn't as worried about what he looked like as I was about Ava. Nice onesie and Spongebob crocs little man.



I told Ava to do a dance pose and this is what I got. Not sure which dance teacher taught her that pose . . . She's especially excited because she gets to go with her friend Taylor. Aren't they the cutest little girls ever?


Today was her first day back at preschool! She couldn't wait. Now she's going to be asking me every morning and night until next Monday if it's a school day. I can't believe she's getting so big! She is such a social butterfly and looks forward to anything that has to do with other kids and adventure.


She's 4 now. (Just ask her. She tells me on a daily basis). Apparently that means she is much older and is WAY more independent. She wants to do everything that big people do. That includes putting PB&J on her own toast. It makes the mornings go quite a bit slower and teaches me patience, but she is so proud of her accomplishments! She has the same darling teacher she had last year. She loves Mrs. "Hutchison"!


2 times a week I get to spend some one on one time with my little man. I'm excited about it, but he was super sad when I dropped Ava off at dancing and preschool. He misses her already, poor kid!

To Post or Not to Post . . . . . .

I guess I'll post. I was recently perusing one of my friends blogs. It is a mix of politics, religion, and humor. A far cry from my blog filled with cute pictures of my kids, which I personally love. :) It is quite entertaining. Anyway, this particular post talked about different things, but the main point was that there are a lot of Utah Mormons that make other Utah Mormons look like idiots. I read through the entire thing thinking to myself, "Amen Fish!", "Absolutely", and "Love This". I went on to read the comments and was immediately offended, or more accurately, confused. Let me try to explain. This author is referencing certain comments made by Utah Mormons that are ludicrous. These include, ""I like Barak Hussein Obama because he is hastening the return of my Savior." Another one was "I dislike Barak Obama because he is a Gadianton robber." Do me a favor and go read the post itself. It will all make a lot more sense.

Anyway, if you're in my line of thinking, these comments, whether you like Obama or not, are ridiculous and make us all look misinformed and backwoods. In a comment, someone agreed with everything the author said and then added her own examples of what makes us all look bad. One of them was, "If my son was gay, I wouldn't let his boyfriend come into my house." Okay, I totally get why that sentence was referenced. The other one was, "I love being a stay-at-home mom! Nothing in this world is worth sacrificing my time with my children." Huh? How, on this dear Earth, can that comment be compared to the above comment about Gadianton Robbers?

I'm sorry. I wasn't going to say anything or make a deal out of it, but this is bugging me. I haven't been able to get it off of my mind the last couple of days. Why does that comment make Mormons look bad? I am a Stay-At-Home Mom. I love being one. I don't work, but I have plenty of friends and acquaintances that do. It works for their families. Me staying at home is definitely a sacrifice, but I feel lucky to do it and wouldn't change it for a minute. The point is, it works for MY family. I don't look down on or think badly of anybody in a different situation that works for THEIR family. I am not looking for a Working Mom/Stay-At-Home Mom debate. So my question to anybody who is reading this is, am I being super sensitive? Have I looked too far into this? Did I miss something in this statement that would explain why it is so appalling? Does me being a Stay-At-Home-Mom and loving it make other Mormons look bad? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

I'm in love . . . . .

With these pictures that Lacey Nielson took of our family. Kai had just turned 1, Ava had just turned 4, and we were in need of some new family pics. I really like having updated pictures of the family because the kids grow SOOOO fast! Lacey did such a great job capturing my kids and how they really are. Except in these pictures they're clean. :) Enjoy! I know I have!

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