Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Joni and Maile!!!

I can't believe it's already been a year since the twins became the newest addition to the family. I love these girls A LOT. I enjoy spending time with them on Thursdays and seeing their distinct personalities develop as they get older.

Here is the latest video of the girls singing with Mark a few weeks ago. They're both happy and content sitting with Mark and singing along. Maile's more into it than Joni but they're both having fun.

Watch for Maile to drop the wireless mouse she is holding (it's an old one they play with when they come over). As soon as she drops it she stops singing. She looks for it for awhile and then you'll see her look right at the camera (right at me), with this face that says "can you pick that up for me?"

Big Shoes To Fill

I love spending time with my nieces and nephews. It's so refreshing to see the world from their perspective. I love how excited they get about the littlest thing, and how much they enjoy being showered with attention from Mark and me.

Here are a few pictures of Noa and Zoei at our house a few weeks ago. We were just hanging out (I think we had just finished dinner) and Noa came in wearing a pair of Mark's size 21 Nike shoes. Zoei thought it was hilarious and joined in on the fun.

It's amazing how much these small and simple moments seem to make life complete.

Zoei bending down to adjust the shoes...

Everyone smile at the camera!

Here is Noa posing with his Thomas the train. The little bit of food on his cheek is so cute!!

August Happenings

We had quite a few family events that happened in August and I wanted to post a few pictures from each of the celebrations.

On August 10th, we celebrated Jeanne's 21st birthday with a family dinner. Here's the birthday posing with her flowers.

Here's mom with Siosefa getting the food ready for the event.

About a week or so later we got together for a family dinner and ate the trout that was caught by Alan's family when they went to Fish Lake in their boat. The fish was SO YUMMY, and it was nice to eat fresh corn and tomatoes etc. from mom's garden.

Here are Maile and Joni waiting for dinner to start. Joni's hair is SO CUTE. It was in baby pigtails but she pulled them out so she just had two pieces of hair sticking up on each side of her head.

We actually ate outside in a tent that Riley and Tina put up. Zoei's smile is SO FUNNY in this picture. Here she is posing with Joni, Noa, and Maile.

At the end of the month, we celebrated Grandpa's 82nd birthday with the extended family. There was pizza provided and more corn from mom's house.

Here is a picture of Grandpa blowing out the candles on the cake. Notice that there are actually no real candles on the cake...Grandpa is just doing this for effect.

Here is Maile at the party just before I started to feed her and Joni some cake and ice cream. That's one nice thing about being an aunt. I can feed them all kinds of sugar and then send them home with mom and dad.

Bold Political Move??

This year there are a few city council seats and the mayor's office that are being decided in the election. Because I care what happens in my town, I vote in both the primary election and the general election in November.

I try to read up on the candidates and vote based on the issues. A few days ago I was driving up north State St in Provo and saw this campaign sign. I had seen quite a few signs for this particular candidate, but had not paid attention to what it said, mostly because I had already decided to vote for someone else in the mayoral race.

I couldn't believe someone would want to put their sign on a lot with a vacant house that looked like it could have been condemned. Notice the near hole in the roof, the boarded up windows and the dying grass...

As I took a closer look at the sign I laughed out loud and grabbed my camera to take picture.

This location definitely shouts "Prosperous Provo," don't you think? Only time will tell if this bold political move paid off...

Hike to Timp Cave

Last Monday Mark and I hiked to Timpanogos Cave with some friends. The sites were beautiful but I about killed myself getting to the top and back. Okay...I didn't literally almost die, but I thought I wanted to a few times.

Mark was a great help to me. My health has been slowly improving and this was the most strenuous thing I have done since my diagnosis. I felt so powerful once I reached the top and the views were breath taking. All in all, I was glad we went. I know it bonded us closer together and was just another step I took in feeling better and beating my cancer diagnosis!!

After this hike, getting pregnant should be a piece of cake for me.....right?

Here is the sign in front of the ranger station (or whatever its called).
Mark looking happy at the 1/4 way marker

I loved the beautiful views we saw both up and down the trail

Still smiling at the 3/4 way sign. Only a little way left to go...

This is a friendly chipmunk that literally posed for this picture. You can almost see his smile...he was looking right at the camera too!

Mark was SO HAPPY he made it to the top.

I was another story. I was exhausted and this was my best attempt at a smile...

Inside the cave. This is the "Heart of Timpanogos"

Outside the cave posing with Andrea, Alex, Maile, and Isaac.

I love the background in this picture. We took this as we were beginning our hike back to the bottom.

Poor Mark!! The cave was a hard walk for him. He had to crawl at one point in time to get through and seemed to be bending and contorting his body the while time.

Born to Shop

Here is Maile playing with a mini shopping cart while I was babysitting the twins. Joni was still asleep and it was so cute to watch Maile walk around the kitchen with her little basket. She and I both loved every minute of it!!

Family Reunion Highlights Day 3

Top 10 Memories From Today:

1. Being the first ones (from our extended family) in the chapel. We usually run late and Mark was fairly surprised we were actually EARLY to church.

2. Writing and mailing a postcard to Mark's family. I didn't realize until after I mailed it and we got back to Provo that I was 10 cents short. I didn't put a return address so I guess it's the thought that counts.

3. Getting back to the house right before a HUGE thunderstorm hit. I couldn't believe how loud the thunder was!

4. Following Alan's family back to Provo.

5. Stopping at our favorite pizza place where we had terrible service, but the food was great!

6. Letting Zoei and Noa pick out a treat at the gas station when we stopped to fill up. Noa picked out bug juice and Zoei picked out a package containing candy necklaces and bracelets

7. Having Zoei and Noa ride home with us from Panguitch to Provo. We actually had to pull over to put Noa's seat belt on and ended up taking away some of the candy and Noa's Thomas the Train because the kids were fighting over it.

8. Mark, Alan, and Talya enjoyed the leftover pizza on the way home. (Actually it was a whole pizza that they forgot to cook, and then gave to us right as we were leaving. We were of course were still charged full price.)

9. Giving the kids sugar in the car and then regretting it when they got hyper. They were both excited to see a train off of the freeway. Noa was making the cutest train noises!

10. Sleeping in my own bed that night. I hated the pillows in the hotel and was glad to return home to mine. I am pretty particular about pillows. I sleep with 2 and have several "old" pillows in the spare bedroom. I buy new pillows twice a year.

Here are some pictures of the scenery we saw on the way home:

I wish the camera captured how red this hill was.

This building is some random museum/petting zoo. I have always wanted to check it out. Maybe I'll save that for next time.

Alan's silver car is the one in front of us. Here we are going under the first arch in the road.

Here's the second arch.

I love the how beautiful this area is!!

Beat It!!!

Here is Noa after the fireworks show in Escalante rocking out to his FAVORITE song. I loved how he was jamming his head and started screaming when he heard the words. This was taken at night so the video is kind of dark.

Family Reunion Highlights Day 2

Top 10 Memories From Today:

1. Mark and I were so tired we actually slept through the 5am cannons that go off around town (and always right in front of the motel where we stay).

2. The breakfast was DELICIOUS and we finished early enough to put some chair along out favorite spot on the route (under the trees near the flower boxes).

3. Getting sprayed by the fire truck this year, even though I was no where close to the middle of the street.

4. Going with a bunch of family members to see Great-Grandpa and Grandma Griffin's grave site along with other ancestors in the cemetery.

5. Going to the old dump (which is no longer there) where Karly found an old tea cup

6. Having lunch with Mark and Colton where we had a great discussion about life, our family, our missions, etc.

7. Noticing the water does not taste good in Escalante, as usual. The soda at the restaurant tasted weird, and I hated the after taste in the water. Good thing we brought a lot of bottled water this year!!

8. Sitting around the yard talking about nothing with family members and enjoying every minute of it.

9. Keeping up with tradition of rolling up to the high school/gas station 5 minutes before the fireworks started. Luckily the people from the town haven't picked up on our little trick and no one was in our parking spot

10. Watching YouTube videos with a bunch of cousins in our room (the motel actually had free WiFi this year which is a big deal in the town!!)

Alan had fun riding this pink bike around the parade route with Talya.

My cousin Colton with Sefa. Girls, if you know anyone he's single. He's an RM, speaks fluent Spanish, is a gentleman, and comes from a great family!!

The annual Smokey the Bear picture. The kids were not happy about it this year. I think Alan was literally saying "take the picture!"

This is one of the favorite parts of the parade for the kids. The best part of the parade is, of course, the candy being thrown from the floats.

Mark hanging out in our room.

Getting ready to eat in the backyard.

After dinner sitting in the front of the yard enjoying each other's company. Here is Grandma, Mike, and his daughter Lydia.

Karly helping the kids with sparklers (in case you're wondering, that's an ice cream cone in her mouth).

Notice Mark's big green chair. He loves this chair and didn't complain about being uncomfortable at all this year. The chair holds 1,000 pounds and is sturdy, yet comfortable.

Zoei playing with the sparklers.

Loved the fireworks show this year. Some of the fireworks were so big, and we were so close, I was sure a fire was going to start (that's the dispatcher in me thinking that).

Family Reunion Highlights Day 1

Top Ten Memories From Today:

1. Mark and I waking up at 3:00am and not being able to sleep (we are entrenched in our sleep habits of going to bed at 2:30am and waking up at 11am)

2. Packing up everything and leaving the house at 4:30 so we could make it to Fish Lake by 7am (we didn't get there until 8am)

3. Remembering why I hated camping or anything like it. I HATED using the port-a-potty's by the marina.

4. Having the twins cry the WHOLE time we were out on the boat. They were not very happy about the situation.

5. Fish lake was a BEAUTIFUL place to be. They have a whole little community there with a little store, hotels, cabins, summer houses, 2 restaurants, and even have church services on Sunday.

6. Eating lunch with Mom and Neil at the lodge with a gorgeous view of the lake. The bacon mushroom burgers were delicious (especially since we had only eaten junk food since waking up).

7. Listen to Michael Jackson #1's album over Boulder mountain. I love that music!!

8. Getting to the hotel, checking in and getting a much needed rest before the family dinner at Calf Creek (which is such a BEAUTIFUL place to be)

9. Eating pulled pork burritos beans and rice with the family and catching up with family members I had not talked to in a LONG time.

10. Mark was traumatized from last year and politely declined the invitation to go rabbit hunting. A bunch of my cousins and uncles were going. ("Hunting" consisted of sitting in a back of a truck, using a huge spotlight and shooting at rabbits while four wheel driving in the brush)

Several of my cousins hiked to the top of the mountain/hill that was closest to the dinner site.

Love this picture of Mark. He's in his Akubra hat waiting for a fish to bite.

Maile smiling for the camera. This was before she got really cranky.

Riley, Tina, Joni, Summer (Riley's sister) and Mom at the front of the boat.

Nice fish Riley. He threw the perch back but we did end up catching 2 nice rainbow trout.

What a picturesque lake.

Mom was driving the boat for the second half of the trip (after we dropped Riley's family off).

Another view of the lake.