That One Time When...

Every time Matt reads one of my posts, the following conversation takes place:

Me: "Do you like it!?"
Matt: "It's great! It's all pictures..."

And then I talk about how there are different kinds of blogs and how this one is more like a documentary about what we do since I've given up trying to be a super awesome journal keeper. Plus, a picture says a thousand words. Boo ya.

BUT, then again, there are a lot of thoughts and memories and other things going on in my head that maybe I should document as well. Mostly so that my mother-in-law will continue to think I'm funny. But really more so that I don't forget everything because I have a terrible memory (except for random facts like you can't pump your own gas in New Jersey and bull sharks can survive in salt or fresh water). So, I've decided to writing some posts called "That One Time When." Please enjoy this first, and actually quite recent time when Amy learned her lesson.

That One Time When Amy Learned Her Lesson
My sister, Amy, loves to wear poser shirts (and I say this with love). She has her Star Wars shirt, her Jurassic Park shirt, her AC/DC shirt, and you get the idea. We always ask her to name at least 3 AC/DC songs when she wears the AC/DC shirt, and she has yet to come through.

Well, as Amy and I walked into WINCO a few weeks ago to do some grocery shopping to start our new diet (this one will work!), we passed some BYU t-shirts hanging on the left-hand side of the isle and the following conversation occurred:

Amy: "Ohhh those are nice shirts."
Me: "No, Amy." Knowing her love of impulse buys.
Amy: "I know, I know. I would feel weird wearing that anyway because I didn't go to BYU here in Provo."
Me: "But you feel ok wearing that?" As I point to the Star Trek shirt she had on.
Amy: "I like Star Trek, ok! You don't have to be the world's number one fan to wear a shirt about something. You and Matt need to learn that lesson." (Because Matt and I are always the first to call her out on the poser shirts).

Famous last words.

Similar shirt

As we're leaving the meat department heading into the cold stuff to buy eggs and Greek yogurt, we are approached excitedly by a tall, kind-of-chubby-but-not-fat man wearing a Superman shirt with the sleeves cut off. He had scraggly hair and looked like he may be in his early thirties-- think: your typical gamer.

Superman: "Hey, I love your shirt!"
Amy: "Oh, thanks." Thinking it was a nice compliment and that was the end of that.

But it wasn't the end, it was just the beginning.

Superman: "Are you excited for the third movie to come out?!"
Amy: "Yeah!"...with a little hesitation that I know means, "I had no idea there was a third movie coming out."
In my head: "Ohh this is SO good..."

Superman: "Have you been on the website recently? To get tickets to enter for the prize?!"
Me: "Yeah, Amy, have you been on the website??" Dripping with sarcasm.
Amy: Entering slight panic mode while suppressing an oncoming laugh attack after sending me a "don't you dare" look, "Oh, no. I haven't."
Superman: "Well, you can go on the website and be entered to win a spot on the Enterprise as an extra crew member for the movie!!!" With all the enthusiasm of a life-long, die-hard Trekkie. "There's a link on the website to get the tickets to enter. I've already got about 30!"

Amy is just staring at Superman nodding, mustering all self control to not look in my direction. If she would have, she would have seen the biggest grin/sneer as I enjoyed every minute this.

Superman: "Well, I really hope I win. I would love to be in the movie! Can you imagine being a crew member of the (official numbers here I can't remember) S. S. Enterprise! It would be so awesome!"
Amy: "Yeah, for sure! We will watch for you!"

Superman turns to walk away and says, "Be sure to get your tickets!", and I totally lose it.

Me: "You better get on and get your tickets! I CANNOT WAIT to tell Matt about this..."

Then Amy hid from Superman for the rest of the shopping trip while we laughed about how awesome and hilarious that whole encounter was.

And the moral of the story is: You may not have to be the world's largest fan to wear a shirt, but you better be prepared to defend it... and know if a third movie is coming out.

New Family Pictures

We had our very talented friend, Louise (find more of her stuff here!), take maternity shots of us a week before Adam was born, and we loved them! So, naturally, we asked her to take some more pictures when Adam was a few weeks old. We loved these, too...

Here are some of our favorites!

Southern Utah Vacation

About a year ago I started to see advertisements announcing that Beauty and the Beast would be one of the plays featured at Tuacahn this summer. Beauty and the Beast is my all-time favorite movie, and I was thrilled!! Then I found out that you can't bring babies to Tuacahn performances, and since St. George/Tuacahn is about four hours from where we live, well... that was kind of out of the question and sadly, I had to put this summer bucket list item on the back burner.

One day when I was up at my mom's house, we started talking about the play and how I really wanted to go. Then she said that she and my dad would go down with us and watch Adam while Matt and I went to the play. What!? I have the best parents in the whole world.

We drove down to St. George on Tuesday, went out to eat at Denny's because I never pass up a chance to have breakfast for dinner, and then Matt and I headed off to Tuacahn!

I had never been to a play at Tuacahn, but Matt had seen Les Mis there a few years ago. The whole place is spectacular! It's an outdoor theater backed into a canyon. The red rocks of St. George are a beautiful backdrop and provide a means for a lot of creative play features like fountains, fireworks, etc.

Beauty and the Beast was awesome, except I didn't really like Belle or the Beast. Belle was a little too "high school drama queen" for me and the Beast was just weird. Too sporadic and yeah... didn't like him. BUT all the other characters were hilarious, the music was spot-on, and the costumes were amazing!! I highly recommend it if you're ever in Southern Utah.

We went to Smith's afterwards to get some ice cream because everything else was closed. The only reason I'm including this is because I got a pint of Ben and Jerry's Salted Caramel Core (blonde brownie chunks with salted caramel and sweet cream ice cream)-- all I can say is I'd never known true happiness until I tried this stuff.

The next morning we went to Snow Canyon and did some hiking and a little bit of rock climbing. Surprisingly, and very lucky for us, the weather was really nice! Kind of overcast and windy! Yay! That afternoon we ate at the Bear Paw--another breakfast all day place that is SO GOOD. I recommend the Aussie Smoothie. Delish.

Ha this face

My dad and Matt had to get back to work on Thursday, so they dropped my mom, Adam, and me off in Beaver to stay the rest of the week. We had a blast canning peaches (and eating lots of them), making peach jam, and just enjoying each other's company.





On Thursday night, my mom, Adam, Grandma, Aunt JoAnn, and I headed up the canyon to camp overnight. We had a great time talking by the fire and spending time in the mountains. Unfortunately, they kept talking about bears, so I was paranoid all night long-- even had bear dreams! Those aren't quite as bad as my shark attach dreams, but they're pretty close.

We decided to go on a hike Friday afternoon along this trail that usually has a few raspberries growing. Well, this year the critters must not have gotten the memo because there were MILLIONS of berries-- totally untouched! We started to pick and eat as we hiked, and then decided to pick and keep them for jam because there were so many! We ended up picking about six cups of mini raspberries that made delicious jam. So fun!

View from our campsite

Matt came back down on Friday night to help do some handy-man stuff around my grandparent's house. He put in new faucets in the bathroom, and then he and I re-tarred the leaky roof on Saturday morning. That was fun. But we kept finding tar on each other throughout the day. Matt would randomly find a new spot on my legs and I found some behind his ear.

So, there's the rundown!

Utah Summers

I love Utah summers.  I grew up in Virginia, dreading everything about summer except that there was no school.  Summers were hot, humid, and buggy aka sweaty, frizzy-haired, and itchy.  Now don't get me wrong, Virginia is absolutely gorgeous during the summer, but I preferred to enjoy the greenery looking out my house or car windows, or from the middle of our swimming pool.

Utah on the other hand, is not as green, but is beautiful in it's own mountainy, deserty way.  I just love that there is pretty much zero humidity, and I don't get 50 mosquito bites on one leg after sitting by a body of water for more than five minutes.  There are so many outdoor activities to do!  Hiking, camping, rock climbing, etc. and all within a few minutes from where we live!  It's the best!

A few weeks ago we went rock climbing with my Dad.  Matt and I have gotten into rock climbing over the last year or so.  It's a great hobby that we both love and can do at our own speed.  We finally gave up running together because I prefer a slow and steady wins the race (or comes in last, whatever) pace/exercise to check it off the list, where Matt likes to really push himself and get better and better (probably the better of the two haha).  Needless to say, we don't really run together anymore. So, climbing is perfect for us!  It's a great workout where we can push ourselves at our own pace!  Perfect combination!

 I actually climbed too, but no one took pictures of me haha

Arizona

Every year, Matt's dad and his nine siblings, along with all of their kids and their kids, hold a reunion down in Arizona.  For the past two years that we've attended, it's been in Eagar, a tiny town in Round Valley that I am really starting to love.

When most people think of Arizona (and this was totally me before I started dating Matt), they think of the scorching sun, cacti forests, sweltering heat, swimming pools, you see the picture.  I had no intention of ever liking the state because the one thing that makes me cranky faster than anything in the world is being hot.

BUT, luckily for me, Matt is from northeastern Arizona, Snowflake (I know, right?) to be exact.  And this area of Arizona is actually quite beautiful.  There are actual trees, cool nights, even snow during the winters, and don't even get me started on the gorgeous sunsets.

Anyway, I was really looking forward to this year's reunion, and it did not disappoint!

 Most of the festivities were held out on Ellis's property, like playing corn hole, shooting, the zip line (which has now been cut down after being the culprit to two broken arms), etc.  Many people camped here, but I snagged us a room at the house my in-laws own in Eagar.  I wasn't too keen on camping with Adam haha.

  

We ate delicious food-- biscuits and gravy was my personal favorite :)

 And check out those legs...

Getting in some good Grandpa time.  Actually, Adam was quite the celebrity.  I felt like I had 20 babysitters because everyone wanted a turn with him.  He loved it.

Monsoon season + an awesome truck = intense mudding.

And it's not a vacation without a nap, right?  And naps with babies are the best.

Adam was such a champ on the 9-turned 12+ hour drive down and back.  He would eat, play, sleep, and then start all over again for the entire ride!

 And we got to stop and see my grandparents on the way down, which is always a treat. 

I am so grateful for the families that I am apart of, and that we live close enough to see them fairly often!

Thank you Bloomfields and Arizona for a great reunion!