Reunions - Part 1

I did NOT go to my 10-year HS reunion.
I'm not ashamed.
(especially since it was held 3 blocks from where I was living!)

But, who knew that I would have an awesome 11-year one instead?!

L-R: Larrie Cambell, Karen Smith Phippen, Alison Robertson Anderson, Me, Sabrina Savage Miller, Meghan Johnson, Natalie Allgood Sirmans

All of a sudden, MOST of the ladies I hung around with during high school happened to be in SLC for a while. (Natalia and Shanny, you were definitely missed as part of this pack)
So, we got our families together at Tanner Park, where we had the whole thing to ourselves. Perfect.

Memories
Larrie - LIBWSE, Senior Assassination, sneaking bad captions in to the yearbook (or wanting to)
Karen - well, always waiting for her!! and her great laugh (love ya Karen)
Alison - WAY TOO MANY since I have known her since kindergarten
Sabrina - I always thought of her as very smart ('cause she is)
Meghan - late nights running around the capitol hill area
Natalie - I was actually a bridesmaid at her wedding! I'm sure the dress is still around.

The best part of the reunion was...

... meeting the next generation!!

I am sorry I don't have all of their names, but they are pretty mixed up anyway and they had tons of fun together that night. Just as all their mamas did 11+ years ago!!

Let's do it again next summer?

Jack Turns 3!

This is Jack Harper Montague

He calls himself "Gack Mawgagoo."

On July 19, he turned "pee!" (3)

We decided to do a last-minute "come-eat-cake" party with any in-town relatives for Jack. He often takes a major back seat due to an attention-hogging older brother, and of course, a baby sister. But as I have said again and again, Jack makes the PERFECT middle child who doesn't seem to mind most of the time.

Layla adores her big brother, Jack. She gets very giggly around him, and just loves playing with his full head of blond hair! They are a cute pair of friends.

Josh also has fun with Jack, and truly considers him a friend. I learned this when I asked Josh who he wanted to invite to his b-day party, and the first name said was Jack's. These 2 boys are 18 months apart TO THE DAY, and are together almost 24 hours a day. Yes, there are disagreements, and sometimes full-out wars... But I am proud of how well they get along and the imagination I can see developing as they play together.

Thanks to all who came: Gma & Gpa Goates, Lynsie & Levi, Todd, Gpa Russ, Jason & Jacey.

There were also many cards and gifts from our out-of-town relatives! It was a whole b-day week for Jack, and it totally drove Josh NUTS!! (who thinks the world revolves around him) 

Thank you to Granny & Gpa Dan, GG, Gary & Noma, great Gma and Gpa Cec, and great Gma & Gpa Matheson.

What is a birthday be without some awesome cake!!? 

Of course Josh was right there in case Jack needed any pointers on blowing out the candles.

Jack loved every gift he got. There was a definite un-planned theme with gifts, seeing how many construction-type toys/books he got. Everything was perfect for Jack.

We love our Jack Jack. He is our sensitive, quieter child, and is so loving and sincere. He is developing a sense of humor and quiet confidence that I know we will all enjoy.

Happy Birthday Jack

Just in case...

...you know someone who is either

-becoming a new dad

-just became a new dad

-or a dad having baby #2 and forgot what #1 was like

THIS BLOG POST IS FOR YOU!!!

Enjoy.

(our friends, currently living in Abu Dhabi, but who had stayed with our boys while we left town)

Arches Nat'l Park

We spent most of our day in the park. It was PERFECT weather, and I have decided that this park is one of the most kid-friendly ones I have been to. We would walk to each arch, which was never more than .5 miles, and then back to the car... just to ride to the next walk. It gave the boys time to rest and get excited for whatever was next.

Josh kept calling the arches "holes," and half-way through the park he all of sudden blurted out, "So, this is Moab." 

That became our key phrase of the weekend!

Dan wanted a boys moment, so he hoisted the 2 up in to this "cave!" Luckily, nothing was home during their visit.

 

 

I could not have been more proud of the boys, with all the climbing they did. Jack usually starts asking to go home after 100 yards, but all of a sudden he was begging for "more hikes." He was even scaling the steep walls of the arches! It was so fun to watch, and just look how proud he looks.

Looking up at Double Arch

All of us at Skyline Arch

(trivia: did you know that 2 years ago, Wall Arch collapsed? Nature can't last forever.)

C'mon. When you gotta go...

This picture literally had Josh busting a gut for FIVE minutes!!

My awesome little hiker. He loved having his own hydro-pack, and loved to stop and drink on the way to this arch ever 5th step... 

Later that night we played at the park until the fireworks started! It gets pretty darn cool at night in Moab.

Although Layla was all out of sync sleep-wise, and was not lovin' the day after her beast-side came out, she was Miss Smiley the day we packed up to head home. She must take after me, and loves knowing she will be in her own bed by night time!!

Thanks Moab. 

We were glad to be somewhere warm for the holiday weekend!

The Hotel

Moab - 4th of July

If you know our family well, you know that we usually spend this summer holiday up in Jackson, WY, where it's green, surrounded by beautiful mountains, and has the BEST fireworks show EVER. Really. 

But, due to some very cold weather up north, we decided to change locations. Who really wants to pack winter clothes to go camping?

Though we were in a hotel room, which we unexpectedly scored for under $100/night, the boys were happy to still be sleeping in their sleeping bags. They claimed the bed during the day, but really slept on the floor. Well, poor Josh was kicked off the bed in the middle of the night...

... because this angel-baby during the day turned in to a DEMON. Grr. But, I made a few mistakes which got us to this point: 

1- forgot her can't-sleep-without-it-blanket. OOPS.

2- forgot infant pain reducer. (teething)

So, after SCREAMING up the perfect storm, in a hotel room, Dan drove her around until she crashed. But, she was awake again just as angry an hour later. (this was now 1:15 am)

Layla slept with me on the 2nd queen bed. Thank goodness we had 2. Apparently, our little diva just wanted a more padded surface to sleep on!

But we still had a great trip, and the kids always have so much fun being silly together. Josh loves to remind us when "we are all together!" We appreciate that all 3 of the kiddos are great road-trippers, 'cause those are the best kind.

And, after a long day in the car, some swimming, lots of sunscreen, and a bit of dirt, you WOULDN'T BELIEVE how gray the water was after these 3 cuties were pulled out of the tub. Yuck, but we love 'em.

Still come... Arches National Park!!

Caption Contest

My friend Larrie has a caption contest each week on her blog, so here you go!

Rules: none, I guess...

Prize: BIG shout out to the winner!

Have a great 4th of July weekend!

Happy captioning.