Lexi Lou...

We had the chance to go hang out with Cody & Lexi and my mom...this little girl just lights up a room...and likes to put on a good show!!  We had a blast chasing her, singing and dancing, and tickling her til she was hysterically laughing!

Jodi's Birthday!!

Jodi had a birthday!! We sure do love Jodi and we are always excited for a chance to go out and have fun with our family!  Dinner was delicious and it was only the 3rd time we ate at Chili's in a 7 day period!  Promise we don't go that often all the time...just occasionally!

Wendover!

We were supposed to be spending the night in Elko but we were so darn tired that we stopped here around 10:30 Friday night.  We went in reserved a room and the soft ring of slot machines, bright neon lights and the stumbling drunk people coming from the casino just called my name...we just had to go play.  I have only gambled $1 in my entire life.  We took our bags to our room then headed down to the CASINO for some late dinner (FYI: the steak and eggs does NOT look like the picture) and then we proceeded to gamble away and entire $10...combined.  We each put up $5 and we both got $0 in return.  We are big spenders we know.  I did get up to $36 dollars off of my $5 and later learned that you are supposed to cash out if you get the much...oh well, live & learn!

We did make it to Elko the next morning just in time for Zac's baptism and had the chance to hang out with the family!  That night we went out to dinner with Cammie & Kyle, Jeff & Brenda, and Troy & Sheila.  We went to the CASINO where the food DOES look like the picture! Once again we gambled and lost...but oh well it was only $7 lost for that night! We were supposed to go home that night but plans changed once again and we spent the night in Elko and headed home on Sunday.  It was a pretty fun spontaneous weekend!  I guarantee I am not going to become a gambling junkie but I do want to go to Vegas sometime soon!  On our way home Sunday the spontaneity continued with delivering potatoes to family in Salt Lake and then we went to Joe's Crabshack for some delicious steampots with my dad, Jess & Kip & Briele!

Greek Food Festival

We went to the Greek Food Festival before heading out of town for the weekend and it was DELICIOUS! I want to be Greek. You think that's a weird comment, but its true.  Also, I want to paint my entire house Greek Blue..which Ray says isn't a color...but you all are thinking of the exact color I am talking about so really I think it is.  Someday I will go to Greece, and someday Raymond will not think I am crazy...until then...the Greek Food Festival will have to be enough!

Briele...

I got to hang out with this sweet girl...she is SO much FUN...and SO into EVERYTHING!

Pirate Party

Most of you don't know but September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.  For those of you that do know, ARRGH!

Spencer & Tiffany had an awesome Pirate Party for everyone. It was really fun and I think Raymond and I make pretty awesome pirates.  We had to talk like a pirate the whole night or get our pirate card taken away, we played cannon ball volleyball (they had little water balloons that looked like cannons), went on a hunt for hidden treasure, walked the plank and had more sword fights than I had ever imagined I would in a lifetime.  Great party guys!  

By the way our pirate names are Cornelius and Gwendalyn from the Isle of Awesome...yes, we picked them out all by ourselves!

I think we surprised everyone when we showed up to movie night in full pirate attire!  Thurston's & Blake know we are a little off but Horspool's are still trying to decide if we are "hang out" worthy...we will just have to wait and see!

Dutch Oven @ Whipple's

We invited a bunch of couples from our ward to come over for dinner...so GLAD we did!  We had a great night!  It was rainy rainy rainy and we were certain we would end up just squishing in the sunroom and carport even though Raymond had built a perfectly large table for us but no...we visited and hung out squished in the sunroom and carport and then just as we were ready to dish up dinner...the rain stopped, the clouds disappeared and we were all able to gather around the table!  It was perfect!  The table was 12x8 feet...which by the way they don't make tablecloths that big and if you ask the guy at Bed Bath & Beyond just looks at you funny...and we were all able to fit around it.  Randy & Cassidy (the best right next door neighbors) had tons of chairs so we all were comfortable and I think my table centerpieces were pretty cute yet very simple and they provided the perfect amount of lighting.  It was a good chance to get to meet lots of people in the ward that are right around our same age!  We ended up having 19 adults and 6 kids/babies.  We were so happy that everyone made an effort to come.  We had delicious BBQ chicken and dutch oven potatoes!  The guest list included Horspool's, Torrey's, Thurston's, Anna, Whetton's, S.Whipple's, Kimber's, Harris's, Schmucker's and of course me & Ray!

Dinosaur Park

I wanted to take the little girlies to the Treehouse Museum but they were closed for cleaning so a friend suggested the Dinosaur Park.  Jodi and I had never been but thought it would be pretty fun.  It started out a little rough though.

Madi, Halli and Lexi were...TERRIFIED!  We were walking

through the museum and saw the giant dinosaurs, bones and all, and could hear the sound track of dinosaurs and it was some scary crud!! We ended carrying the little littler gals and hurrying through the museum!  When we got to the far side there was a little excavation room you could look into where they would clean up the bones. Lexi was standing on a bench looking in the room with all sorts of cool tools and bones and she said in her most excited voice and her face just lit up... "THEY HAVE TOWELS!!"  It was so funny!! She is such a goof!  As soon as we walked out of the museum you see a giant T.Rex eating another dinosaur with blood and guts exposed and ROARING sounds straight above you.  We were definitely regretting the trip to the Dino Park.  We started walking on the trails, pointed out all the "good" guys and the "bad" guys and once we got all 3 girls to firmly believe that the dinosaurs were dead, they started enjoying it!  In fact, they ended up LOVING it! And, we even found a little dinosaur in each of them!

Grandpa showed up and then it was a real blast.  They decided they could like dinosaurs even if they were picking out which ones had "pretty nails" and "look at their crown" and "oh its sparkly!"...yeah they are very much girly!  We went in a little cave that had bones in the walls and they didn't even care...they just loved the sparkles!

Below was one of the dinos with a CROWN!  And my Dad found a GIRLFRIEND!!

We even ended up finding dino to kiss...but he didn't turn into a prince...oh well, better luck next time!

We then had dinner at our house and watched Tangled and built a fort in the sunroom.  It was a great day!  I sure do love these girls!

Apparently running through the gutter and mardi gras masks are the SHIZZLE!  I am glad these girls always find fun things to do at my house!!

Busy Day...

We had a very busy Saturday!  We headed down to the State fair to hang out with Steve & Jodi and Madi & Hali.  It was so much fun, the state fair is always so interesting!  The people, the food, the entertainment!  Raymond & I took Madi & Halli on a giant yellow slide, which they were pretty nervous for but by the end they were clapping and laughing and smiling even though Madi admitted it "tickled" her belly!  It was so fun!  Steve treated us like VIP with front row parking, free tickets, and even a golf cart to pick us up and take us into his booth! We found some interesting things to buy, we even got some Tangled Lamps to buy!! I am so excited to light them off with the girls!  

After the State Fair we headed to Peach Days and had a good time wandering around there.  We got some more of our Wild Bill's Seasonings which are just delicious! Then we headed up to Garland to go to Linsey Christensen's wedding reception.  It was so GORGEOUS!  It was all very vintage, pearls and lace. I loved it, Linsey's dress was amazing and the whole thing was just wonderful. Best of all, we got to spend the night hanging out with Stacie & Tyson before they head back to KC in the morning.  It was so fun, I just love weddings!

We had the greatest night having dinner with our very best friends.  So happy that we could enjoy El Parrel with Stacie, Tyson, Addy & Kasen.  They are just the cutest family!  I was so nice and got them each a ring pop, then after Kasen's face was blue and blue was dripping clear down the front of him, I got worried that he would be blue for the wedding tomorrow.  But don't panic, he came clean!  It was such a great night, I love that Addy calls me "Nicole Winn" and Ray is more of a "Waymond" in a sweet little teasing voice.  We sure do have great friends.

We had a booth at Tomato Days in Hooper, good 'ol Hooper.  It was bigger than you would think but not as big as we would have hoped.  Oh well, it was still pretty fun and there is a lady there that makes AMAZING donuts!  They were addictive!!  The Comcast man next to us would agree, we were pretty good buddies with our booth neighbors.  We did spend 8 hours sitting next to them!!  After that we hit up Sizzlers and then had our traditional movie night with Thurston's!!

**We changed our layout a bit this time, it worked better in some aspects but no so much in others..live and learn!

Garland...

We had the chance to spend the day in Garland.  It was pretty fun being home for a bit.  We did some yard work, moved a few things around and hung out with some pretty cool people.  It was Dayne's birthday so we enjoyed some yummy burgers and cake.  There were 2 little gals that were really into the cake, infact they couldn't wait to dig in!  They even helped make some homemade ice cream which was delicious!  Thanks for a great day mom!

Heber Valley

We went up to the Heber Valley Camp to spend the night with some of the Whipple's.  It was my first time coming here and it was pretty cool.  We had fun little cabins to stay in and a nice bowery to cook in.  We were able to do a high adventure course while we were there and I am proud to say all 12 of us made it, even us old folks.  We shimmied up a pole, across and tight rope, and down a zip line.  It was SO much fun!  Then we headed over to tackle "Daniel & the Lion's Den", or a wall that we had to toss everyone over, including us big kids, and yes, once again we all made it!  It was so much fun, and I just love camping!  Even if it is in a cabin (don't tell Raymond).  

After we left the camp we figured we were right next to Midway so we headed over to Swiss Days.  We had always wanted to go to it, and finally we had the chance.  Turns out, its just a fair.  Well an extremely expensive fair, with fewer rides and food options.  We got a couple Swiss Chicken Sandwiches and they were ok, nothing amazing.  Oh well, so goes the fair.  We headed home and had made good time so we even headed to the Drive In movies.  It was a last minute decision but I was sure glad we made it.  We watched Rise of the Planet of The Apes and Harry Potter.  Planet of the Apes is somewhat disturbing, and Harry Potter doesn't make sense for the first but unless you have seen the last one but still they were both pretty good.  It was even better because I was snuggling with my hubby and chewing down some Bajio. Totally busy weekend, but truly wonderful!

Guess What We Got...

Yeah, your jealous.  If your passing by, are thirsty, have 2 quarters and an undying desire for Root Beer, then stop by.  You may ask why Root Beer, well that is all it will currently dispense. Even though the Root Beer is completely disconnected.  Oh well, it shall be fixed soon.  I hope.

**Thanks to Dad for helping us move it, and thanks to Jess for joining us for some delicious Chili's

State Survey & A Promotion

State Survey came to Alpine this week, it was nerve wracking, stressful and exhausting!  But we survived and we even did well!  And the best thing that happened was I got a promotion.  I am officially the Assistant Director of Nursing, ADON!  I am so very excited, very nervous and exhausted just thinking about it, but still excited never the less.  I have been so slammed with work already that I am weary just at the thought of the months to come.  Oh well, ready or not, here it comes!! Yay!!