30 ThInGs To Do wHiLe 30

My cute sister in law gave me the idea to come up with 30 goals or accomplishments to do while I am 30. (this was designed to get my mind of turning 30 since I am still sad about it) Some of the things are things I haven't done and always have wanted to...or just things that I just want to do! I will update this in a year from my bday on Mar. 1st and see if I did them all! Here goes!

1. Run Ragnar
2. Take a trip with high school friends to Vegas
3. Ride Wicked at Lagoon
4. See my younger brother be a dad
5. Sew a rag quilt for Aaron
6. Sew a rag quilt for Cole
7. Sew a rag quilt for Annelise
8. Where toe socks
9. Attend a political rally or take place in political process
10. Plant a vegetable or fruit I have never planted
11. Incorporate a new vegetable or fruit for dinner once a month in the summer
12. Shoot a gun
13. Pull off an amazing prank
14. Drive 100 mph
15. Read Hunger Games
16. Attend a movie premier
17. Volunteer at Annelise’s school
18. Complete a major house project
19. Go to Ikea and walk the whole store
20. Make enchiladas that are actually good
21. Go camping (tent style)
22. Shop at Costco with all 3 kids!(Amy, you know how hard this one is for me)
23. Visit my Grandma and do a family history interview with her
24. Write a missionary
25. Teach the kids to do a flip on the tramp
26. Go to Roy pool in the summer and not loose Aaron
27. See Cole walk
28. Have Aaron potty trained (wish me luck…it has been a nightmare so far)
29. Teach Annelise to ride a bike
30. Celebrate my 31st bday

this is me at dinner at Texas Roadhouse...where they make you sit on a saddle for a nice and humiliating bday!

HeAlTh CaRe

I am not sure what to say other than I am so sad to see our country change for the worst when the health care bill congress just passed and that Obama signed today. We are on our way to becoming a socialistic country and this was one huge step. What a sad day Sunday was. I hope that the democrats face some consequences come November elections. They just have no regard for what most of America wants! 73% of Americans polled were against the health care bill, yet is still passed with absolutely no GOP support and missing some Democatic support as well! Nancy Pelosi just forced this down our throats and I am sure she did the same for many of the democrats she convinced to vote for it! Can you tell how I feel about the bill?

DiNnEr PaRtY

Last weekend Josh and I were invited to a progressive dinner. We ate at 3 different house and had lots of fun!

St. pAtTy'S dAy

Our leprechaun left a suprise in the morning...and had taken a drink out of annelise's cup and turned it green!
aaron fell asleep on the couch after school with his box of cereal and look what happened! He was so excited when he woke up!

We then fed our leprachaun a green and clover themed dinner so he'd come back and see us again!

SuNdAy DrEsS

the kids actually all coordinated so I thought I might as well snap a pic of them!

CoLeRs...

I just love to post pics of this cute little boy! He has improved in his movement and talking. He still cannot walk yet, but it getting much much closer and verbalizes alot. He is such a little sweet boy...I hope he has this cute little mellow personality for good!If I have the dishwasher open for even a second this is where I will find him!
Lets Eat! He always has to be holding a utensil in each hand when he eats!

DiSnEy On iCe

josh would like to enforce the rule to only go to disney on ice every 5 years...but I just can't wait that long! So, we took the kids (except Cole) this year. (I will try to only indulge once every year and a half or so...at best) :)
annelise really was excited to be there...just not excited to take the picture!

oUr TrIp tO CaNcUn MeXicO

Nuestro vacacion con los Menloves fue muy divertido! Me encanta Mexico y espero que vivir en Mexico! Pues..ahora en ingles...

The highlights of our trip...

being with josh

being with the menloves


the beach...(one of my most favorite things in the world!)
did I mention I LOVE the beach?

body surfing
I LOVED the ruins...the history behind them and the beauty they still hold...



chichen itza...it is one of the new seven wonders of the world...and I can see why! It was amazing! (dates all the way back to 100 BC) and I loved our guide who enlightened us to all the connections to El Libro de Mormon and history of the ruins there

our guia, Lemuel (of Lds tours)

swimming in cenotes or sinkholes (there are over 8000 of them in the yucatan penisula & can be anywhere from 90 miles wide and 200 feet deep. One of the ones we swam in was 150 deep! I was nervous to jump in! (josh obviously wasn't since he did flips off the edge and our guide called him loco!)
the rain...I actually like it! But it did rain most the days we were there...

repelling, canoeing, & zip lining

Coba ruins (there were only 9 buildings uncovered from the jungle...but the city Coba has over 6000 ruins)
playa del carmen...shopping on a quaint street that lines the beach...

ek balam...my favorite ruins we visited
climbing ruins

practicing my rusty spanish...

getting tan...

snorkeling...(my pictures are still on my underwater camera)

our hotel

the mayan and mexican people...and the remote village we got permission to visit

goofin off...


And now for the lowlights...

The Menlove's little boy had a terrible accident soon after we got in Mexico. I don't want to go into the details...but it is a parents' worst nightmare. And it also was so hard to watch your friends go through. Camren is ok...but it has and was a constant stress for the parents to deal with the effects. He is a sweet little boy and has dealt with the trial very well. I am so impressed with the family and I love them and hope that all turns out well.

being away our kids...

the rain...(I know I said I loved it but it also was a damper)


the heat...can you tell we were sweating? nasty huh?

montezuma's revenge...(no need for explanation)...

and lastly, having to leave this place...

fEliZ cUmPleAnOs a Mi

Thanks mom for the surprise when we got home from our trip for my bday!
And I am not sharing how old I am today...because I am going to try to pretend it isn't happening! But thanks for ALL the calls and texts! And thanks for lunch Josh!

bE MiNe?

Happy Valentine's Day!