{Jamie}

One of my dearest, bestest friends came to visit for 4 days! As expected, we had so much fun!

 Shopping

 Talking for endless hours!

 She was here on Father's Day and got to hear me talk in church.

An of course we had an Oregon girls lunch in her honor!

Jamie, I miss you already. Come visit soon and bring the whole family!

{Baking}

The nice thing about hosting, you get to choose the menu!

Lately we had visitors from Oregon so I had to use my old talent of baking to show them I still have it!

 The BEST EVER banana cake with cream cheese frosting!

Chocolate mayonnaise cake ( I DID NOT TELL THE CONSUMERS) with the BEST ever Cake Boss fudge frosting! Honestly, a recipe I've had for like 8 years but never made because of the mayonnaise ingredient. In fact, Maisey didn't know and is freaking out now!!!

{Random}

 The Blaisedales were in town and so we had another OR friend dinner! Man, if we could have picked anywhere to live, we picked the perfect spot for visitors.

 The biggest watermelon I've ever seen.

 Once a year we go to a movie. This year it might be 2 because the kids really want to see Despicable Me part 2.

 

{Babies}

Maisey LOVES babies!

We have had lots of baby visitors lately and Maisey has shown me how good she is with them.

 Oregon baby visitor

Babies who play-and hit :)

 Maisey entertaining the baby guest in our car.

Maisey entertaining the neighbor baby on moving day,

{Seven Peaks Provo}

At least weekly we go to the water park in Provo or SLC (amongst other local pools).

 

 The Boomerang

 Right view of the front of the little kid pool.

 Left view of the front of the little kid pool.

 Wave Pool.

 

 My FAVORITE pool. It has hot waterfalls that spill into it from the 3 hot tubs above.

 

 

 Baby pool.

A very crowded place.

And the pictures I included are only half the park and half the fun!

{Ryley}

 I think he really looks like his daddy here from a picture I have when Chad was a toddler (not so much at 5).

 Sporting a shirt from uncle Chase's first band (it was Maisey's when she was little).

Team pictures missing a couple teammates.

 Girls do typically mature before boys.

Throwing rocks in the lake.

{Double Digits- Almost}

On Thursday June 13th Maisey will be hitting the double digits!

DISCLAIMER: I do know she looks old, I did something I NEVER do- I gave in on the heels (knowing they made her look older), and I'm okay (we're okay with the decision).

She may be 10 but certainly acts 15-still. And, I still think it's from dance; being around older girls all the time and being responsible for yourself while you're there.

She is mature, responsible (when we're not looking), talented, intelligent, compassionate, likable, strong-willed, cuddly, and outspoken.

She has enriched my life beyond words with her determined personality and I thank her for all the inspiration and lessons she has taught me in the last decade.

 She is mostly patient with her sweet brother.

 Jumbo cupcakes

 The terrible dye.

 At least I got a couple pics before I got distracted.

 Maisey and her daily playmate. We love this thoughtful neighbor.  

Getting their dance on.

Not pictured: karaoke and flicks (honoring all of Hollywood tonight).

 The director Dad

 Maisey and her friend who says she can't smile with teeth again and again.

Ready for the next year of life!

Stay tuned for her real birthday next week; after all, birthdays aren't birthdays unless they last a week!

{Life Lately}

The weather here has been beautiful. It's always beautiful- from the 3 times it snowed to the 3 time it rained, and all the other beautiful sunny days!

With sun comes water- for us anyway.

That certainly hasn't changed from Oregon life. We lived in the water there and we intend to here.

Here us a fun new pool across the street from my office. It is perfect for Ryley.

The pirate ship is split in half and made into slides on those sides.

My favorite part, the ground rubber rather than cement.

Here is the lazy river. We love to drift through lazy rivers.

Maisey brought some friends.

Dumping buckets.

Maisey and her friend make chocolate marshmallow cookies.

We've been eating tons of snow cones!

My business cards came.

This I-pad mini allows me to sleep at night thanks to the wonderful nature sounds on it that drown out my husbands terribly loud snoring. He no longer gets kicked out of our bed once a week by a half asleep woman.

This was Ry's first game about the time he said, "Mom, I'm done with t-ball." Too much waiting at this age. Luckily, he forgot within 30 seconds and loved the whole the game.

First time up to bat.

His coaches wife made these chocolate covered Rice Krispy treats... That is right up my alley for creativity!

This picture... Well, I could write a whole book on it. It is a sick game where the player airbrushes the acne off the woman, waxes her eyebrows, and applies make-up. Maisey may not get me now when I react to something like this, but she will someday. This is exactly the way young girls today receive messages of perfection, leading them to develop self-concepts.

We spent 6 hours at Seven Peaks Water Park Saturday. It was AMAZING. I love water and sun together and I realized I'd rather be at a waterpark any day than Disneyland even.

Other than an occasional hot dog at Costco, I do not feed them to my kids or buy them. But, Ry swam up an appetite and when he made the request, I gave in so I could enjoy more pool time.

Game night. I love playing games with my family. I hate t.v, but I will listen to music around the clock and play games any day!