10 Things...

...I loved about Lake Powell this year:

1. Tag-team tube wars
2. Tye's scoring system for them (i.e. "transfer bonuses" and "self-sacrifice bonuses")
3. Breakfast burritos and bruschetta
4. Lightning storms over Antelope mountain each evening
5. Random, drunk, "swingers" neighbors joining our campfire
6. Perfectly glassy, early morning waterskiing water
7. Michael Buble's new CD frequently playing in the background
8. Exploring West Canyon slowly and safely and Captain Sherm saying "We are going slow but if you think you can swim faster you are welcome to get out and try."
9. Team crossword puzzle solving
10. Gorgeous views everywhere I looked and great company all around.

The one thing I didn't love...missing my sweet kids and wondering how they were doing each day: if they were napping well, eating well, playing nicely together, and if Bentley had finally pooped after 2 days of holding it in. Yes--these are the woes of a parent!

Click here for Heid's LP 07 slideshow and here for Bobbi's version in prose.

Playtime

Joseph and I are heading out of town for 4 days at the end of the week sans our kids. We are excited for some grown up time and for laid back mornings, and afternoons, and evenings...but we are feeling sad to leave our sweet mushers and so we've been packing in activities with them to make up for our time away!

On Saturday we had a late breakfast at McDonalds while the kids climbed around on the play gym inside. After naps, we took Bentley bowling for the first time. He was so cute in his little toddler bowling shoes and he loved the cool lights and watching his bowling ball slowly make it down the lane to hit a few pins. Cares "kept score" and was quite content to sit and eat snacks while we played.

From the bowling alley we headed straight up Little Cottonwood canyon and met John and Krista at Alta for dinner and a little evening hike. Joe and I loved watching the thermostat as we drove up the canyon. It started at 101 (yikes!) and hit 83 once we reached the parking lot--much better! The mountains were stunningly green and filled with wildflowers and plants taller then Bentley at times. We loved the scenery, and company, and when we headed down the canyon around 8:00 pm--it was 76 up there. Why did we leave?

Yesterday we had dinner with our friends the Schanzes whom we met while living in Phoenix. They now live up in North Salt Lake and invited us up for barbecued steak and salmon as well as fresh pesto and spaghetti--delicious. They are expecting twins in about a month and Joseph can't wait to design some crazy onesies for their baby girls.

Today we had our carpets cleaned and so we were up and out of the house by 8:30 this morning. When were delighted to end up at Cec's house and while Cares napped, the "big" kids played in the new splash pool. This afternoon we hung out at Grandma Bobbi's house (with no Grandma around since she is already in Lake Powell--this fact really bothered Bentley and he asked if she would be home soon and see him when he woke up from his nap--cute!) This is when we got to meet baby Savannah and visit with her cute mommy Katherine. Thanks for coming over Kath--and congrats again on your little one--she is beautiful and it is always fun to see you!

For FHE, Joseph took the kids to the park while I had some "maintenance" done at the spa (all having to do with hot wax and hair removal...I had an awesome time but luckily it was all very efficient). I met my little family at the park to see Cares bravely push herself down each and every slide, feet first while laying on her tummy--she loves it! And she just looks so little and dainty to be trotting around a playground but she is learning to be like her brother and it is amusing and delightful to watch them and play with them.

Saving Money

I don't understand why my husband doesn't get it. It seems fairly simple. If I buy something at the regular, retail price then I am spending money. But if I buy it on sale, and can clearly see the huge savings, then I am saving money. Seems simple enough, right?! Well, according to my logic (skewed as it may be) I saved TONS of money today! It was the annual Nordstrom Anniversary sale and I met my mom and sister at the crack of dawn in order to find the cutest clothes in the right sizes and for the right price.


We met for lunch at Paradise Bakery after all of our hard work at the sale (we had been on our feet for over 4 hours...). Can I just say that I love that place? Cec and I missed it so much when we moved up here from Phoenix and now they are springing up all over the Salt Lake valley--yay!


Of course we had to get the kids in on the action after we sent the babysitters home by getting them to try on all of their new clothes. Bentley wasn't very excited about the idea and as soon I put pants or long-sleeves on him he just begged for his shorts or t-shirt back on (boo Bentley--that's no fun!) The little Horsley trio ruled the runway though and looked awesome in their new outfits. Caroline let me dress her up easily enough but she was so busy and always moving around (she had just woken up from a long morning nap) that it was hard to grab a great photograph. But boy did her little one-year-old body look absolutely adorable in her stylish toddler clothes!


What a long day--I have been up and going since 6:00 am. I am worn out and ready to go to bed. Is it wrong that I feel like I need continue checking out the sale online and making sure there isn't anything I missed? Or at the very least, see if there's any more money I should be saving??

Irresponsible or Irresistable?

We had so much fun last night. Joseph took me on an unexpected date night during which we had dinner at Tepanyaki, did some shopping at old navy, and then went to see Michael Buble. I loved it! His voice is just so rich and so powerful that it resonated everywhere. And his songs are either old classics or popular new ones--all of which are so easy to sing along to and super easy on the ears. I guess MB is pretty easy on the eyes too :) He seems like such a normal, regular guy who happens to be an amazing singer and one witty, charming performer.

My favorite songs of his are "Home" and "Everything" both of which he sang last night. But in the packed theater of 6,000 fans cheering him on, I also loved "Save the Last Dance," "Feelin' Good," and "New Day." Actually, all of his songs were incredible--he was right on with every note and every key change (plus, he hit the low notes well while pulling out tons of sassy moves and facial expressions--too fun!) Heidi captured the essence of his performance perfectly in her review of his show in Reno last week (which is quoted on MB's website right now--awesome!!)

I think I fell in love with Michael Buble's music because my husband sings his songs around me so often. Last fall, Joseph had MB's self-titled album playing in his car for several days in a row. He'd come home from work, pick up his tiny, adoring fans (namely Cares and Beans) and dance around with them singing "Moondance" or "Come Fly Away." They'd squeal with laughter wearing huge smiles on their faces, and I got to relish in the sound of Joe's amazing voice, mixed with delightful laughs and coos, filling our home. He also sang "Fever" to Caroline during some of her fussy evenings as a newborn--funny song for a lullaby but when Joseph sang it slowly, the rich melody sounded very soothing. His singing almost always calmed her down and she'd just stare up at him as he sang and rocked her. I love music that can do that!

check out my live shots of Michael--I have some video too but I'm not sure how to post it. Plus, it's just not the same to see him move without his music to back it up!

Cool Canyon

I think we drove for 20 minutes last night. A mere 20 minute drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon and we had relief. I honestly think it was 30 degrees cooler up there and it felt amazing. Joe and I spent the evening hanging out with all the SLC LeBaron siblings. We set-up camp chairs near the river at the Donut Falls trail-head and sat down for Cafe Rio dinner in the gorgeous mountain air. Around 8:30, we were all a little too chilled to stay put and we drove back to the heat of the city. After the heat of the day today, I am eager to head into the mountains again. But next time, I'll bring a warmer sweatshirt, wear pants instead of shorts, and bring my tiny munchkins along so they can throw rocks into the river and splash in the water.

Great Gift

I have been meaning to post a picture of Caroline in this adorable shirt for quite a while. Today I am finally getting around to it! Aunt Luci made the smocked shirt and the matching doll for Cares' birthday in May. Cousins Sisi and Tillie have similar tops and dolls so next time I need a photo of all 3 of them while they're matching. Thanks again Luci!

Dust and Mud, Spurs and a Latigo

Garth Brooks' song "Rodeo" (quoted in this entry's title) has always perfectly defined the event. I think I have been to the Oakley Rodeo at least a dozen times and I will keep going whenever I get the chance (last year I had a 6 week old baby so I didn't quite hit the stadium with the rest of the fam). Here are the staples (for good and bad :) which make the Oakley event a yearly classic:

1) driving down windy Weber Canyon in the cool mountain air 2) walking through horse manuer on the way to the stadium (or trying to avoid it :) 3) noticing the rodeo queens' amazingly bright and sparkly clothes and perfectly coiffed hair (does it even move as they ride around on their horses?) 4) Stetsons, Wranglers and Justins everywhere you look (not to be called by their generic names i.e cowboy hats, skin-tight jeans, and __kickers) 5) watching with a rush of adrenaline when a cowboy tries to hang on to a buckin' bronco or beastly bull 6) the clapping hands and wild smile of little kids as they watch and cheer in earnest 7) listening to, and even laughing at, the rodeo clown's jokes--they are just too classic (and usually crude--a dynamite duo!) 8) watching the fireworks boom overhead and feeling silly but patriotic for tearing up during the accompaniment (especially if they play "Proud to be an American")

We slept up at the cabin after the rodeo last night and Joe and I taught mom, dad, Cec and Marsh how to play a new game called "hot dice." (I thought it was way fun but maybe that has something to do with me winning??) This morning we fixed ourselves some delicious peach french toast and then spent a few more hours at the cabin cleaning up, packing up, reading, wrangling our own little cowboy Beans and cowgirl Maddie on the buckin' horse upstairs, napping (mostly Dad amidst the chaos of 5 grandkids playing right by him!), Ski-balling, and ATVing (it could be a word...). We had one minor incident when Cares climbed onto the kids' picnic table last night, popped a goldfish in her mouth and then tumbled over and landed right on her back. She was a little banged up but the fall made her choke on the cracker and then she decidedly threw-up to dislodge the thing. Hmmm, she has now thrown up 3 times in about 2 weeks. I am not a fan but I am getting good at cleaning her up!

4th of July

I think the pictures pretty much say it all--we had a fabulous 4th eating yummy food, relaxing in the shade while Bentley taunted and teased the 3 little girls, watching fireworks, and hanging out together. Happy 4th to you all!!

Backyard Babies

This is how we beat the heat yesterday, got tons of wiggles out and watered some dead spots in our lawn: