Getting Settled

Well we did it!!! We finally moved into our own house here in Utah. It is a little rough around the edges but we are slowly and surely putting our little touches into it and it feels like home! I love the floorplan and I love the yard, so the little things like ugly paint colors and railings can change with time. Hank started school this week so he leaves at 7:30a.m. and gets home at 10:00p.m. so needless to say all projects will be put on hold for longs weekends and Christmas Break! Now that we have our computer set up I can be a lot more regular on this blog unlike this summer where I completely neglected it, but don't we all. We are too busy having fun outside, blogging is for cold winters.

Here are a few pics of some projects we have been working on!

P.S. To all my Calgary peeps, I miss you like crazy! Please come visit! I have red back doors and a swing in my playroom, come on I know it is tempting!



VIP

Saturday night my dad surprised me with VIP tickets to Tim McGraw! Sometimes through his work he can get tickets to concerts like this so all month I kept asking him and and at the last minute he pulled through. We went early and got VIP parking, the best part because you get out so fast, and then had dinner and sat in the suites. It was already a great view but then good ol Timmy surprised us by coming up on platform and singing two songs where he was literally less than ten feet away, it was awesome!

Good food, family, and Tim McGraw in his tight jeans with that amazing voice... It doesn't get much better than that!

Mountain Running: my new favorite hobby!

My whole life my father has been a major mountain runner! He ran the Wasatch 100 (100 miles through the mountains all by yourself) many times while I was growing up and continues to mountain run almost every day even though he claims he is too old and fat. While I was living in Canada my sisters also got into mountain running. My sister Whitney even trained and ran the Wasatch 100 as well (I know they are all crazy, we need medication).

Right when I moved back my dad and sisters mentioned that they were doing a mountain run relay race and wanted me to do it with them. I was a little hesistant seeing as how I had never run up and down mountains in my life, sure I had hiked and run on the road but never mountain run, but how was I to pass up a fun filled weekend with my dad and sisters, so I said I was in!!!

The relay race consisted of 6 team members who run a total of 140 miles. Besides a little dehydration and car sickness that reminded me way too much of being pregnant, it was one of my favorite races ever. I can't wait until next year.

 Me, Dad, Whit after my dad finished his last leg

Gorgeous views and some of the team members!

Last night my sisters and our friend Emily decided to escape away for a moonlight run up in Brighton, it was the perfect temperature, the most beautiful scenery and good company. The last 1/2 mile it became a torrential downpour on us. I couldn't ask for a better night! 

From the very first training run with my dad and sister Bekah I was hooked. You really can't describe how amazing it is until you do it. The mountins are steep but the views you take in and the smells of nature make it so worth it. I will not claim myself a real mountain runner yet and I will NEVER run the Wasatch 100, but I hope to continue to do much more mountain running, it is my new favorite hobby!

Piggies!

My little girl is growing up way too fast!!!

Never Ending Party!!!

The great thing about July in Utah is you get two holidays...the 4th of July and the 24th of July(Pioneer Day). In addition to those holidays I have a birthday, Hank has a birthday, and just to name a few more...my mom, cousin Annie, brother Judd, brother in law Jarom, Grandpa, and neice Kate also have birthdays! So to say it has been a non stop party might be an understatment.

This past weekend we celebrated Pioneer Day and it was an absolute blast! We started out Friday evening by going to the Bountiful Parade. This is a parade I grew up going to and being in with my dance company, as a cheerleader and also with my high school drill team. I was so excited to take Blakely to it and didn't know how she would react. To my excitement she LOVED it. She waved her little flag and clapped the whole time. She pointed out the horses and princesses. The only drawback would be the 105 degree weather. Literally we were sweating from every pore. My shirt was soaking wet with sweat ( I know you didn't need to know that).

After the parade we headed to the carnival where we took Blakely on the swings. Every kid was in heaven on the swings...we had to wait in line and the whole time Blakely kept saying my turn my turn. She could hardly wait. So of course I put her on and she screams the whole time. Everyone was laughing like that poor kid!!!

We put B to bed and went to the firework show (a plus of living with your parents, you can put the kid to bed and take off)

Saturday we headed down to my sister Adriens brand new beautiful home for a bbq and their neighborhood fireworks. I thought she meant little fireworks on the ground. To my surprise it was a full blown show set to music and a slideshow. This was Blakely's first firework show so I didn't know if she would freak out but she seemed to love it!!!

 She is girly but loves her balls!

 Who knew my child is obsessed with popcorn

 Adrien and Elle

The girls at fireworks

We finished off the celebration today with a family dinner at the cabin. It was hectic and fun all at the same time!

We're ALIVE!!!

I thought I would do a little post to let you all know we are alive and well in good old Bountiful UT!!! Since we have arrived things have been Hot, crazy and busy!!! Since I now have an IPHONE (can you tell how excited I am, beyond excited!!!!) I have taken a few pics on that! Our camera is in some box in a storage shed so that is the best you get! Here are a few things we have been up to!
-Playing with cousins
-Running the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay with my 3 sisters!
-Looking for houses
-Soaking in the heat (splash parks, fountains, and swimming pools)
-Bear Lake with the whole dam fam!!!

We haven't stopped for one second and I am basically still living out of boxes in my parents house because who has time to unpack when there is summer fun to be had! We may or may not have found a house but I will keep you posted!
The last couple days it has really hit me that I live in UT, before it felt like I was on vacation. I miss you all in Calgary and wish I could transport you here to play with me everyday. But I will say this feels like home, and we made the right decision. Blakely is in heaven!!! She loves her Papa and Suzy and can't get enough of all the action!!!

 Who needs clothes when its summer!

 Cousin Love!

 Her two favorite things, backpacks and her bottle!

SISTERS!!!

They Came

They Played

They Conquered

Two of my sisters (Whitney and Bekah) came up for a way too short three days to see Canada before I left and to help me pack up. Let's just say without them coming I would probably be freaking out right now, but they were so much help and did 90% of my packing. Even packed up my kitchen and sent Hank and I on a date to the movies (something we haven't done since Blakely was 5 weeks old and could sleep through movies)

The second they left I wanted to bawl my eyes out. Here are a few pics of us partying in Banff!

 So funny, doesn't it look like she is a celebrity..."No Pictures please"

Exact same hair....if mine were down you would see those same ripples in the back!

 Ater all the rain the river was insane...I have never seen it like that!

 Once again the love of backpack. She got mad when at dinner I tried to take her out!

 Sisterly love!