2013 - 5 weeks in UTAH - Re-cap

I really did try to cut out as much as possible,

but all of these pictures and moments are my favorites.

These are many of the experiences

 and happy times we had over the summer.

Super sad and bummed K was not with us for more than a few short moments,

but the Christensen side of the family did it up right 

with camping, boating, and floating the river.

Thank you!

Starting on the 8th of July, we spent the following 5 weeks staying 

with my parents, and cousins in the Kaysville area.

Lots of tennis was played.

 It was so much fun seeing the smallest of the cousies personalities 

blossom and grow.

These two, Elsie and Seerie, are quite the entertainers.

 We ran in a family 5K at the Nephi Stampede.

I was so proud of our kids.

At one point M thought she could not go on,

there was no way she could push further.

That is.....

until she noticed that her 2nd cousin twice removed (j/k)

was creeping up to pass her at the finish.

McCauley came alive!

She pulled a fast one, dug into her unknown reserves 

and left me (quite honestly) eating her dust.

I could not have been more delighted.

She promptly threw up at the finish,
 and I think I may have shed a tear or two.

Avery, and the other cousins were awesome as well.

We even had a few of our group take home some cash prizes.

 We hit the rodeo, I LOVE the flag part the most.

Don't you?

We practiced head stands, played Yatzee 

(I have NO Luck with that game!),

 The kids hiked the mountains in their sox?! and we all enjoyed 

the fresh air together.

 My favorite part of our Utah trips is spending time with my

family and siblings.

Chuck is my youngest sib.

He is a cool cat.  Great with the grandkids...

and guess what?  

Ethan just passed him in height  Booyaa!! 

(and I birthed him!!)

Chuck recently met a new lady friend.  I have noticed that he 

speaks/writes differently about her.

I can tell he respects and admires her, and really likes this girl.

I have a good feeling about this one.

A really good feeling : )

Don't blow it Chuckie!

Ker comes next.

Loved our workout time together.

She is a beauty, a great mom, and a very talented stylist. 

(Thank you for making my hair amazing!  I get so many compliments : )

The funnest (it's a word to me) thing this trip was that we got to drive to Vegas together.

She was headed down to do hair, and I was attending Choffy Conference.

It worked out perfect.

 I was so happy for the extra time we 

had by ourselves to chit chat, listen to music, 

and survive her AGGRESSIVE driving.

She is not a driver to trifle with, 

take your 3 seconds to Get OUT of the fast lane,

or she will pass you on the inside sucka.

I began the trip by suggesting that she may want to consider 

slowing down a little.  

She kindly asked me not to mention the police, 

she didn't want me to bring them forward.

She said she just believes in her heart that she will be able 

to slip by them with out being noticed, or that she will see them before 

they see her.

So that was that.

It did not come up again.

We were invisible for the remainder of the trip.

Aim is my look alike.

It is always a great compliment for me to hear.....

(Except for that one time when the Kura Door receptionist asked 

if I was her MOM!!  Little brat.)

She is a rabid athlete, and competitor Extraordinaire.

She likes to push herself.

I LOVE this about her.

She is either completely IN or OUT.

I don't know her to have much of a middle ground....

at least when it comes to fitness and eating.

She has not always been so FIT and Active.

It is a GINORMOUS thrill to go home and be constantly

encouraged and haggled into attending Cross Fit daily.

Or to swim laps,

and look like tiny cap headed, goggle eyed freaks together.

I love that

she suggests popping out a four person plank "just for fun",

or is able throw down a 8.5 mile run when we feel like it.

She is always up for practicing our headstands and wall push ups,

anywhere and everywhere,

 and I don't feel like a total Geek.....because I am not alone in

my weirdness.

She is such a good teacher, mother, wife, sewer, and example.

She holds a squat to empty the dishwasher...who does that?

SHE IS A BLOOD DONOR!

I will admit, graciously, 

that I did beat her at filling my blood bag faster.....

I won't lie, 

it felt good to be better at that one sis.

I truly believe she can do ANYTHING she sets her mind to.

My sister HB is next.

She resides in Park City with her hubby Trav.

She is a true business lady.

She is SMART.

This trip she called me out of the blue and asked if I'd like to come

help her decorate her new office.....

WOOD EYE?

Of course.....I dropped everyone else on their rears and took off

to meet her.

She was not quite ready to take off for shopping, so

I had the rare privilege of watching her in action at her work.

Making calls, assisting associates, indulging in office smack, 

mingling with the owners and big wigs.

She did not get ruffled once.

I did witness her getting a little tough on the phone, but

ultra professional.

You won't be taking her for a ride.

She knows her stuff.

I discovered that she is a hard core doodler.

I thought she was taking some fairly serious notes while on 

several phone calls,

turns our she was making eye balls, squares, and stuff.

I was surprised when I took a look at her paper.

She is an accepting, FUNNY, and a truly enjoyable person to be around.

I am super proud of you HB....

....plus she is my blog partner!! 

She is an excellent writer, love her insights.   

 Jas is my oldest sibling.

He is a caracter.

These photos prove it.

He is one of my very favorite reasons for visiting Utah.

Jason lets me come along with him on his motorcycle rides

in the mountains.

I could go for days.

I LOVE being on a motorcycle out in the open.

The countryside is beautiful.

The wind feels good.

The fresh air.

I can look 180 degrees, every direction is 

on display and FREE for the taking.

Kev is dead set against cycles.... : ( I hope one day to win him over.

Thank you for the rides J!

All of my sibling have wonderful spouses, but Mel is my bread

and butter out on our trips.

She is my reading buddy, 

(what part are you on in Tess of the D'urbervilles???)

We hang for hours while letting the kids rope swing,

we car pool to EFY, hang at Cherry Hills and people gawk,

(we always intend to read, I always have my book in my hand, 

but I doubt I have ever read a full page there)

we have a lot of time to 

catch up, and I am really happy for that.

I am so glad you are back into running!!!  You are killing it!

Jason married the perfect lady for him.

They have a great time biking, and going on huge 

motorcycle trips all over (totally jealous!!).

You are as good as they come.

 Dad was Awesome as usual.

I get up very early, even while on vacation.....

some how he always beats me.

He reads, and studies in the wee hours of the morning.

He is constantly in the yard, when I think of my dad,

this is where I will picture him.

He restrung Ryker's broken racket in time for his next days match.

He supported the boys, and cousin Abbey

 at ALL of their tennis tournaments. 

He played with them daily whenever they had a whim.

They will never forget those times, I know it.

He came, and was involved with our activities.

He rope swung, he tubed, he floated with the kids.....

which is more than I can say for myself.

I wasn't going to set foot in that infested pond water....

The best memory was when Amy, Mel and I were able to 

attend the temple.

My dad is a temple worker, one of the other workers was 

able to time it right for my sister and I to be able to go to the veil

with my dad as our helper.

It was so good.

Thanks for the food, shelter, time, and love on our visit dad.

My mom is wonderful.

Sometimes I think she forgets her worth and value 

in our family.

She is the Queen Bee, and our hive revolves around her.

I bet she thinks I am joking around,

but I'm not.

She is generous to a fault, she loves making her kids happy.

She always makes more than enough food,

and it is always butter laden and amazing.

She has a jam packed, overflowing fridge at all times.

She makes a point to be at everyone's beck and call....

to the point of her own exhaustion and frustration at times.

She taught Ethan how to peel his first potato (we always eat the skins). 

Her home is welcoming, comfortable, and open.

It feels good to be there.

I loved our evening talks about nothing and everything.

Thanks mom.

One of the most exciting and fun things we did as sisters, Mel included,

was to make over our moms laundry room.

We made our plans, and did our secret shopping.

Everybody scrounged around their homes for items to add to the final look.

We did it all in an afternoon while my parents were serving at the temple.

Unfortunately,

we are lame, no BEFORE Shots, but I will just say it was basically white,

with a brown cupboard.  

It turned out so beautiful.

I would love to do something similar next trip.

Love, love, loved our workouts and practicing my fancy head stand 

control....still a work in progress.

But now that I am home, when will I do it?

Will I do it?

With who?

Mel asked me why I was even doing it at all.

I just want to.  It is something I have always wanted to master.

but why?

Cuz I haven't, but I know I can .....that's why!

So much fun.

......lots to miss.

 .....until next time.

  ----- stay tuned for video----