Park with Paige

our son has a ghetto stroller

We have found a few great parks around here, and we love taking Nicholas. He is a people-watcher like his parents. The park we went to yesterday is really close to our church building. It has ducks, which are his favorite.

Finally home

We are finally back from our summer trips!

We had a crazy weekend going to Jared's cousin's wedding in San Diego. We left here early saturday morning (4 am--yuck!), flew right in, and attended the sealing. The temple there is so stunning, and bright.

Afterwards we had lunch, then drove to the reception. We were there from 4-9pm. That night I had to put Nicholas to sleep in the car, which is always fun, an hour later than usual, and then we drove 2 more hours to Jared's grandma's in LA. We got in there at 11pm, only to be woken up by our son at 2am, then 4am, and 6am. Then the next morning Nicholas and I flew back home. So much for catching up on sleep.

We love going to weddings, but next time I think I'll stay home with Nicholas!

our eternal family

Ok, are we done traveling yet?!

And the answer is... almost. We have one more trip to San Diego (for a whopping day and a half) this weekend and then we are officially done!! I have this weird idea of making myself sick of things I like so I wont want them so much anymore (I did, however, fail with chocolate). I figured,
hey, I'm lonely and bored at home, so why not go somewhere every week and be around lots of people? The hope is then the quiet and lack of activity at home will be a welcomed break from the chaos. So far the plan seems to be working.

I'm so tired!!

Nicholas has his first cold. I can't believe he made it to 7 months without any ailments. Anyway, this means NO sleep for mommy, not that I have been sleeping for the last MONTH since his first tooth starting to come in. I would give my left baby toenail for a day of sleep and an hour-long massage.

Aaaaanyway, this last trip we went to McCall, Idaho for a family reunion. It was so fun! We stayed in a "charming" cabin right on the lake, and enjoyed the lakesports. I got abused on the tube (I'll have to post a picture of my hideous bruise), and Jared went jetskiing and wakeboarding again. So fun!

These past years...

I was thinking just this last week how pivotal of a month July is for me. It never fails to disappoint. Not only is my birthday this month (yes- tomorrow, the 25th) but it is always a summer month with lots of traveling of one sort or another.

10 years ago this month I was turning 12, sooo excited to be going into 7th grade, which was middle school. Not 2 months later we found out we were moving to Germany, which changed my life, and who I am, forever.

5 years ago this month we were moving back from Switzerland. I was apprehensive about the move there in the first place, but I ended up really loving it there. I made many great friends, and fully embraced the life there. I could have easily stayed my senior year and loved it. I was sad to leave, especially right before my senior year.

4 years ago this month I was packing up my things for college. It had always been my dream to go to BYU, and I was so excited to finally go! The summer was a difficult one for me though as I left behind my first real relationship. I definitely grew a lot emotionally that summer through all my sadness. I had a hard year in NJ but made some good friends.

3 years ago this month I was having the best summer of my life. <3Jared and I had just started dating and I moved into off-campus housing. Me and my roomies laid out by the pool every day and I got so so so tan. It was a blast!

My brother Matt also got home from his mission that summer...

2 years ago this month I was a newlywed :) Jared and I were in our first little place and we were having so much fun hanging out 24/7. I took some tough classes that spring semester but I was so happy being married I hardly noticed.

This time last year I was 4 1/2 months pregnant and sooo happy! We didn't know we were having a boy yet, but I was positive he was. We went on a Europe trip with my parents (who still live over there) and it was tons of fun. I fed my salty cravings with real Italian pizzas, and loved showing my husband our old stomping grounds. We had a fantastic time. 2 weeks later we graduated together!