Big B 33

Happy birthday Brant! You are a great friend, a wonderful son, and an amazing dad!

Happy 33rd

What a lucky guy how about 3 celebrations! We were traveling back on his birthday. We stopped in Monroe (the night before), Kanab & then arrived back home late that night!
In Monroe, Brant was able to go golfing with his good friend Brady, enjoy boiled meat (a smith tradition). Brant said it was the best meat he'd ever had J. And no birthday with the smiths would be complete without a special cake (Michelle you are the best).

This tradition with Smith's began 6 years ago, when we wrecked on a motorcycle on Brant's 27^th birthday. After we finished up at the hospital we celebrated with a special cake and Brant's favorite Cream Soda from Brady's special glasses! The glasses have faded but Brant you don't look a day over 26!

Scars have faded too!

And thank you Smith's for the garden goods! When we arrived in Kanab Brant's mom was ready to celebrate her baby turning 33. She made lunch for us with a spread from the Garden and sent us home with garden goodness as well. Grandma even had these cute kiss cupcakes for us too!

You better feel pretty loved Brant.When we finally returned home that night, the kids could not wait to give dad his birthday gifts!

Hope you still had a great birthday with all that travel, thanks for being such a good sport!

 

Bear Lake Bonanza

I really missed this guy!

When I told Heath we were going to the Heath family reunion, he said "For Me?" He was very excited. After being away from Brant for so long the kids were so excited and I thought I might cry happy tears when I saw him, we missed him too much! The kids just clung to him and I'm sure he felt very loved! Here they are checking out the stars on the balcony of our condo.

Next the Heath Family festivities; the lake, games, food, family and fun!!!!
Here we are enjoying the Lake:
I think the kids enjoyed it more than the rest of us. It was too cold for me and I spent most of the day trying to warm back up!

We didn't rent wave runners, but heres our wave jumper! 

Bay Watch Returns?

 

We always enjoy eachother! 

I know, she hates this picture but it's funny and I love it! 

Hannah found a frog!

Beach Beauties Steph & Aud! 

We had a blast playing games:
We tried out some minute to win it games!

Ria's Oreo attempt, Dustin was awesome at this game!

Chad totally cheats :)

Heath & Hannah shake your thing!

Some Basketball was played as well, no pictures of that it must have been after the photographer left! We played, speed, lightning, knock out, fish and probably some other ones too! J

Heath is so excited to play basketball this year, he has been practicing!

A little volleyball: (nice picts Rianne did Natalie must have taught you well)

My big block, nice try Brant :)

Nice Pass Brant, go get it Tyson!  

Food and Family:

Heath siblings Mary, Sally, John (skip me) Nancy

I was very disappointed that I didn't get to spend as much time with Nancy & Larry as I had hoped, but I'm glad I did get to see them.

 It was good grub and great company!

Ribs have been a Heath family tradition for quite a while now. My cousin Trent has a culinary gift!

Chad enjoying Trent's talents

1st I love the shirt & this kid.  My cousin Brandy's boy, Sam

I couldn't spend most of my trip enjoying my long lost friends and not allow Ria the same privilege. Because we were so close to Wyoming Ria's friend, Alison met us half way and the girls had a wonderful time playing and I enjoyed my visit with Jodi too!

Alison & Ria

Wish we could have visited with more of our Wyoming friends! I am also so glad that Natalie made so many sacrifices to spend extra time with me; I enjoyed it so much and love the pictures too! Is my trip really over? 

Idaho arrival

I had not been home in over a year. It was an interesting stay for sure. It sure is tough to watch your parents get old. I didn't capture a single picture of my dad L I tried to catch my dad giving Heath underdogs on the swing which was a highlight for the kids but he wouldn't let me. Here is Heath waiting for an underdog.

I also had every intention of taking pictures of my mom and I making bagels (which turned out so good and they looked good too!) Lucky for me Natalie, took this picture of Red hot Sally!

 Natalie came up and we were able to do a session in the Idaho Falls Temple.

 Then my sister and mom brought the kids up and we went to this cool ice cream place, even my mom's diabetic ice cream was good.

Me, Mom and Goose
 I also twisted Natalie's arm to stay and go to church with me, which was one of the best meetings I'd been to in a while!  Check us out in our matching dresses and jewelry.

My mom and I had an amazing late night chat, she is always to insightful! She always has to reassure me; that someday the shoe will fit. She has inspired my faith I will "step in, the light will come". It was great to hear what she has gained from her callings! And even my grandma is helping me with my Chad like little boy. He does have so much to give! It is always good to hear she is proud of me. My mom talked to me about trial of faith, trial of charity and trial of hope. She said she looked out her kitchen window and thought "I have not weeded back there for a couple of years and now that spot is just hopeless". With that thought she went to work taking small handfuls, it is getting better.   I guess everybody needs a place where they can go for hope when things seem hopeless. This kid gives me hope!

 My mom has a lot on her plate right now, things I wish I could fix but she has peace and hope, keep the faith mom. Mom for every moment when I'm where you've been; I'm sorry and Thank you! Ahh, Mom you are the best!
OK both my kids in Hopes garden

I was able to get together with my Riverton girls except Stephanie. (I missed her earlier this summerL). We all grew up in the same neighborhood and have all stayed in touch, thanks to Brooke.  We have been friends for a very long time:

Me (sporting the nice mushroom cut) JaLane and Brooke enjoying some watermelon. Now check us hot mamas out!

 Brooke, Me, Tamra, JaLane, Emily

Here is one at the same house crazy huh Brooke's (I'm guessing 5^th) birthday. Brooke, Tam, and me (on the table with some sweet pants on!)
It was so good to catch up even if it wasn't for very long. Long enough for us to trash Brooke's house.

 Here is some 2^nd generation Riverton pals checking out Brooke's horses!

I did once again over stay my welcome; Brooke's house just sucks me in! and I can't get enough of her little butt skootin' man!  I did visit Tamra in Idaho Falls too! It was so great to visit Thanks for putting that together for me girls, I sure do miss you!

By the end we were really missing Brant and couldn't wait to see him in Bear Lake for my mom's side of the family, Heath reunion!  

Round 2

I just had to stay in North Ogden with my best friend—we were roommates in college and she is lovingly referred to as "My Natalie"

She couldn't get off of work every day so we made the most of the time we did have.  I went to Costco with Natalie's sister and I saw this man staring at me and then I realized it was Annie's (one of my girls, I coached) husband Chris. Crazy small world, I didn't even realize they were back in Ogden! I'm so glad he recognized me so we all could do lunch and catch up!  Here is Ria waiting for our Lunch date.

I love the fact that Annie is coaching, she is a good one too, because she learned from the best. :) This is a perfect road trip picture of my baby boy!

My kids hung out with Joanna's kids and played more Wii. My time with Natalie consisted of mostly shopping, she is a champ! She bought me a dress and helped me with jewelry selection and many other purchases. I also went to water aerobics and didn't die, which is saying something because I was nervous! Natalie and I talked, laughed, talked, cried and talked. I can talk to Natalie about Anything and everything and we did! Do you think déjà vu is just little heavenly reminders that you are where you are suppose to be? Just a thought. She is amazing I don't know how she does all she does but someday I want to be as cool as her! And cook as good too! (I think I ate my weight in tarts) She is too good to me and my kids and I felt right at home. No matter how much time we spend together it is never enough.  I made her join in on my trip, I'm so glad because she took some great pictures and she is great company too! Next stop Blackfoot, ID. 

 

1st stop

When you are traveling alone with 2 kids and your destination is 12 hours away, apprehensive is the only way to describe what I was feeling. Let me preface my trip with the fact that the week prior my kids spent with Grandma & Grandpa Brown in Kanab. I had intentions to get a lot accomplished but with the flooding I only got in one good day of project work. Needless to say it was not the break I was looking for.  I thought that some space was just what I needed to rejuvenate myself. Little did I know what I needed was them stuck in the car with me for days on end! Really, I truly needed to enjoy them, not being the mom with "pick this up" and "knock that off" and it was wonderful. Rianne and I talked about all kinds of things while Heath slept. She is so smart and remembers EVERYTHING! When Heath was awake he was cracking me up with what he saw out the window and all his "what if" questions, like "What if there was a gold fish cracker so long that we could share it mom?" It also helped that they got along so well there was no "He's touching me" etc. and by the time we got to my parents in Idaho there were only 2 wrappers on the floor (Heath's side). They put thier travel toys back in their bags when they finished playing. I think they only watched 3 DVD's round trip! I also had some really good books to listen to! Who would have thought, the break I was looking for was me in a 12 hour car ride with the kids.
The other thing that helped was how we broke up the trip!
When we left Rianne had made some Tuna Sandwiches for lunch. They tasted so good, when I complimented her she said "well I did mix it with love"J

1^st stop Monroe, UT
Well, technically we stopped at Grandma Brown's first for something to eat. (Best Pit Stop on HWY 89)
Monroe is home to our Twin Family the Smith's. Consisting of Brady, Michelle, Sienna (who is 4 months older than Rianne) and Kinin (who is 10 days older than Heath, lucky for us he is also 2 sizes bigger!). Brady is a friendly pharmacist, who also enjoyed sanding wood for craft projects, which he loved more than he'll admit. Okay he was glad to see us go, knowing when we returned we would bring back a friend for him.J Michelle can cure any aliment and is a creative genius! I was also able to swing over to visit with my roommate from college Tonia Jorgenson, (No picture but believe me she looks great!) I am so grateful for blogs as a way of keeping tabs on what people are doing. It is so great to be able to pick up where we left off and enjoy the visit, and have an added bonus of her adorable kids and Reese's. It was so great to see you Tonia, hope I can make the trip up for your special day coming soon, J and keep me posted!
Michelle is the juice tiger; here we are enjoying our Green Drink!

If you look carefully the pantry I covet is exposed! It looks like a regular cupboard but opens to pure pantry/supplement heaven! We made some cute crafts too, with Brady's scraps from working on finishing their basement. You wouldn't know it had been nearly a year since our girls have played together, it was a total giggle fest and I think they stayed up later than us, and that was way too late! Sienna had a Christmas present for Rianne to open

(matching pearl necklaces inside oysters). The boys entertained themselves; with what would become a theme of our trip and give me even more to covet…the Wii.

Their cat which had been missing for two weeks was found and returned while we were there, see you are blessed when you take in the needy and clothe the nakedJ. Thanks you guys are awesome.  And its off for round 2 in North Ogden!