Carry Me Back to Ol' Virginny!

While Colin was on the fishing trip with his family this year, I decided to spend my time with the baby at my folks house in Virginia. This was a really nice, laid back trip, since this time we didn't come over a holiday or a wedding. We spent a lot of time visiting (All nine kids were at home, and I got to visit with my brother and sister-in-law, my nephews, and both grandmas). Other than that, I spent a lot of time in lazy-lazy-loafing mode, and therefore didn't take very many pictures. Here are a few of the ones I did take:

Fourth of July

This was the first Fourth of July that Colin and I can remember where we have been able to celebrate with out extended family. This year we ended up going up Provo Canyon to have a picnic. Brian did an excellent job as grill master, and everyone else brought sides. Everything was delicious, but I don't think any of us could math the enthusiasm Phoebe had for this watermelon. Is there anyone on this earth happier than a naked one-year-old with a slice of watermelon and free reign over the grass? 

Phoebe at One Year

I feel a bit sad to be posting my last Phoebe month-to-month posts, but at the same time, she's getting a lot harder to keep in that basket!

Fort Herriman Days

One of the things I love about Utah in the summertime is that just about every city seems to have their own "day." Spanish fork: Steel Days, Springville: Art City Days, Pleasant Grove: Strawberry days (we've actually been to all of the above), the list goes on and on. This year Riverton and Herriman both decided to have their "day" together, and we just couldn't pass up the double whammy. The Screen on the Green was by far my favorite part. If you live in the area, I highly recommend  this list of similar events. I recognize that bringing a little one out to something that doesn't even start until after nine is risky business (move over Mr. Cruise), but it I think it worked out for us.

Inch by Inch, Row by Row

Yesterday, while Colin and Phoebe napped, I got the rare chance to spend my afternoon among the plants. No, I didn't run off to cultivate my budding inner naturalist with some kind of rugged solo hike, lumberjacking, or catching a fish with my bare hands (because suddenly I'm the most interesting woman in the world), I just browsed around garden centers and spent some time planting in the back yard. It might sound mundane, but what can I say? I dig dirt. Garden centers are my happy place. I've sometimes convinced Colin to take me to particularly nice ones in the dead of winter just to help me beat the February blues. They are like an oasis in a desert of snow. On the first step inside, when the balmy air touches my skin and the smell of chlorophyll hits my nose, I'm instantly home.

On Pint Sized Fishermen and Invisible Bears: Our Day at Silver Lake

This is Silver Lake at about seven in the morning. 'Aint she a beaut? (That's fisherman speak)

Every year in June, there is a state wide free fishing day in Utah where anyone can fish without a license. This year it was June 7th, and we were bound to take advantage of it. In years past, we have gone to the Utah Lake festival which I highly recommend provided you pile on the sunscreen (last time we went I missed putting sunscreen on my legs and got burned so badly from the reflection off the water that I was regularly asked if I had dumped boiling oil on myself). This year however, we were in for a change. We had heard there was good fishing in Silver Lake and decided to give it a go. It turns out to be a lovely little spot tucked away in Cottonwood Canyon. The cool morning air and the surrounding mountains gave me a feeling like sitting halfway inside of a drinking glass, which I very much enjoyed.

Birthday Fun at the Drive-In

Here are a few pictures from Colin's Birthday. We ushered in his last year of twenty-hood with a day in the park, a movie, the purchasing of decorative maps, birthday dinner, and Colin's favorite Budino (We only make it once a year and this is the day). 

Doughnut Falls

Colin and I decided that Memorial day would be a great opportunity to test out our new hiking backpack (spoiler alert: it was a dud and was promptly returned). This hike is Doughnut Falls which is about 12 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon. The falls are named thusly because of the doughnut shaped hole that the falls "fall" through. The hike was cool and shady, which was refreshing as the temperatures are starting to climb in the valley. I was surprised to find that we were hiking half the time on mud or snow patches. It was still lots of fun. Phoebe got so excited when we reached the falls that she started clapping her hands and giggling. I guess for her it’s like the worlds biggest bath tub. Where’s my rubber ducky when I need one.

Phoebe at Nine AND Ten Months

9 months

10 months

April and May have been crazy, so it took us a little while to get this post written. Here are some of the new things Phoebe has been up to:

Happily Ever After: Brian and Mary-Celeste’s Wedding

Ok,so this is the best picture we got of the actual bride and groom. Really we didn’t get that many, but that’s not to say there aren’t many many lovely photos taken by their photographer, but not wanting to mess with copy write issues of a dude I don’t know, I just stuck to the ones we have. So here they are! Aren’t they cute? This wedding took place at the Salt Lake Temple. Whenever I get to watch a sealing in the temple, I always feel extremely privileged to be invited into that peaceful setting to watch two people make their own history. If I had to use one word to sum up this wedding it would be “fairytale.” You’ve got the perfect “castle,” the flowers blooming, birds singing, and Mary-celeste looked every bit the beautiful princess. I’m so happy that these two found their happily ever after.