Going Back to Cali

We just got back from a fun little getaway with our super fun friends, the Forts. The kids had a blast and we had a blast especially since we took our favorite babysitters (Julia and Breezy) with us...we will definitely do that again. Capristrano, CA we will be back...hopefully soon!


What could be better than a campfire and some smores on the beach?!!!





Had a couple fun nights out while the kids stayed with the babysitters. After picking up Brett from the airport on Friday night we had some yummy food at Maggiano's in L.A. at the Grove. Saturday night we hit up San Clemente for some of the best food ever and a great movie "The Warrior".


Our ride home...so sad to leave, but our camera phones kept us entertained. I took this pic of Raylee sleeping, but it doesn't quite capture her crazy eyes. She is one of the creepiest looking sleepers. Her eyes don't shut all the way, so it looks she staring with evil eyes but she's really dead to the world. Julia and Breezy thought it was hilarious.

A Super Fun Labor Day Weekend

Sarah, Chance and McKai came up to stay with us late Friday night so Brett and Chance could go hunting the next day. While the boys were out we decided to hit up the local garage sales Saturday morning and scored some awesome roller blades and a bookshelf that I have re-painted and put in the kid's room. When Brett and Chance got home from hunting we got a babysitter and the four of us went out to dinner and to the movie "Buck"...so many great life lessons to be learned from that one (especially on parenting, which I loved).

After church on Sunday we headed out to Strawberry to say hello to our friends, The Goulds, who just happen to be camping out there for the weekend. Their family owns 35 acres of fun, forest and the kids had a blast on the zipline, trampoline and quad. It was kind of a bummer of a day when the Gould's little puppy got ran over by a car and died a couple minutes later. He was sleeping under the tire of the car, so no one knew he was under there when the car backed up. I have never witnessed anything die before and it was kind of a traumatizing experience. The kids were super sad for their friend, Ellah, who was really upset about her puppy dying. The kids really watch for cars now because they don't want to end up like Murray...sad way to learn a hard lesson. We sure hope the Gould's know how much we love them and are so thankful for their good examples and friendship.

Monday morning we met up with the Flaherty crew at Saguaro Lake for a fun day in the sun. We had a blast swimming, tubing, cliff jumping, wakeboarding and just hanging out with the fam. It was a perfect ending to our Labor Day holiday.

Payson Activities

We have been here in Payson for almost 3 months now...I can't believe it. I feels like since the kids started school we have kind of found our groove here. We stay busy with all the fun things Payson has to offer...which suprisingly is a lot. Besides going to school Mr. B and Ray have stayed busy going to gymnastics on Tuesday afternoons and love coming home and showing me all the cool stuff they learned...x splits, cartwheels and balancing tricks. Every Wednesday the kids and I head to the library for storytime, craft and playtime. It's such a fun activity and the kids love it. Thursdays is park day, so we meet up with a bunch of the kids and ladies in our ward at Rumsey Park. Thursday nights I started going to Zumba with my friend, Cami, at the Senior Center...yes I know that sounds funny, but it is a blast and such a fun, great workout...the older ladies really know how to shake it:)

Football season is now in full swing and the kids have loved going to the games at Payson High School, which is right by our house...go Longhorns!!


Last month I got a flyer in Bradock's backpack about a Mom's Club that was going to meet monthly at the Methodist church. I decided it sounded fun and a great way to meet people, so the kids and I went to the first meeting last month. They served free dinner, free daycare and I got to meet and chat with some very nice and interesting women. We all come from different backgrounds and circumstances, but I know I have a lot to learn from these women and the fun activities we have planned every month. One mother is a single mom to five little children...her youngest two are severely autistic. How in the world she manages, I have no idea. She seems like a great mother and just doing her best to care for her children. There was also an 81 year old lady who became a grandma/mom to her six week old granddaughter at the age of 75. She has been raising her the past 6 years and what an incredible, spunky lady she is. If I could be like her at 81 then getting old wouldn't be so bad. I can't wait to get more involved with the community and try and make a difference...even if it's just something small. I feel like this community has so many things to offer and get involved with and I know that moving here has opened my eyes to getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things.

I also got offered a job at the one and only cute boutique here in Payson. I like to go in there frequently and just look around at the cute stuff. I guess I made an impression on the owners because they offered me a part-time job, which I would have loved to have taken. I told them I had two little preschoolers and that I wouldn't be able to work all the hours they were wanting. They told me when my situation changes or if I change my mind the job is mine whenever I want...so cool and something I just might do when the kids are in school full-time.

Palm Springs Getaway

A fun little getaway with one of my oldest besties with lots of laughing, shopping, talking, walking, sweating (it was pretty dang hot there, but we didn't mind too much) eating, relaxing...need I say more?!!! I can't wait to decide where we will go next year.

We Love School