Girls Trip

Kelson and Lexi just recently had their fourth baby, Josephine. Emily and I decided to go down to Las Vegas for her baby blessing this weekend and make a girls trip out of it. It was our first time taking a trip together and I am so glad we did it! 

Emily had flight points she said she needed to use so she booked the flights and the hotel and all I got was the rental car. She is so generous. I thought I had flown to Vegas before but maybe not, I don't remember it being such a quick flight. We got there around noon on Saturday and went straight to the spa at the hotel. We had booked massages and we spent a few hours there enjoying the pools, steam room, and sauna. It was so nice, I feel like I should do that more often. The we had dinner at Noodle 8 Bar in the Red Rock Casino where we were staying. We doordashed some treats with plans to watch a movie but instead we went to bed and immediately went to sleep. 

On Sunday we just got up and went to the blessing and then spent the rest of the day at Kelson's. They made lunch and dinner for us and we talked with Lexi's family. Pop and Ryan were also there, along with Miles and Betsey and their family. Baby Josie is so cute. She was just totally content the whole time and she and I had a nice long chat. Then Emily and I watched a documentary before bed.

Monday we check out of the hotel and went to ARTE Las Vegas, which was cool but a little underwhelming. And then wandered around the shops before eating at Bon Ami Magi in the Paris across from the Bellagio fountains. It was also cool but a little underwhelming. The steak was actually fine at best but the atmosphere was fun.

We got some gelato and then made our way to the airport and home. It was great. I feel like a yearly girls trip should be a thing. 

Mason turns 17

Mason turned 17 years old yesterday. I was just recently 17 so this doesn't seem possible. I haven't really been the type to get too emotional about my kids getting older - it's been so fun watching them grow up. But it's starting to get to me! Mason only has a couple more years of high and them boom, boom, boom, boom...they'll all be gone. I love having my family around me at home.

Mason was a fun 16 year old. He has a good crew of friends that he's been with most nights this summer. He's been hiking, going to the gymnastics gyms, going to the different city festivals, etc. Seems like they can always find something to do. During the day he's hanging around here with Graydon, mostly playing phone games, jumping on the trampoline and swimming. 

He has been more talkative and happy than he was in junior high. He did so well in school. He still has a 4.0 and he passed both of this AP tests this summer. I am constantly impressed by the amount of information he has stored in that brain, especially from his biology class. It's been fun being able to have good conversations with him and hear how his brain is working. He's been a funny, happy, smiley teenager. 

I just love him so much.

4th of July

 Independence day was spent much like most of our others, working during the day and then Brigham City at night. 

Our friends Heather and Dallin brought their kids over the night before and we had dinner and some people swam. Mason wasn't there but everyone else got along really well and it was so fun to see them.

We have a house in Jefferson Ave in Ogden that is almost ready to list, so I spent the morning there cleaning and patching a tub so that we can get it on the market after the holidays. Tim and Mason were working on our Madison Ave rental so that we can get an appraisal done next week and get it financed.

We all got home in the early afternoon and Emily brought her kids over to swim. Then Mason left with his friends and Brielle left with hers and we went to Brigham City for BBQ and fireworks. It was a beautiful day outside and the fireworks they got this year were really cool. It was wierd not having Mason and Brielle there with us for the first time - Bus was not happy about it and told us that when he's a parent he'll never let his kids miss a holiday with the family. But everyone seemed happy with their night so I'll call it a success.

21st Anniversary

 For our anniversary this year we decided to go down to Provo for the Parade of Homes again. Last year we took a break from this tradition to go to New York City, but we were ready to tour mansions again.

We left the kids home alone this time, for the first time. Naturally that had to get a little complicated, so someone said they wanted to come see our Tahoe that's for sale and we had to cooridate with Scott to show it, and then the guy never showed. But other than that it was smooth and the kids were just fine!

Some of the houses were incredible. One of the Crumble Cookie guys had his house showing and it was insane. Bigger than I would ever be able to justify, but the setting was so beautiful. We came home with our heads full of ideas. Or at least I did.

Also, it was so nice to spend a couple days just hanging out with Tim. He's my favorite person to be with. I'm so blessed that my marriage has always been something I cherish.

St. George with the Englishs

 The kids are out of school for the summer, and the first order of business was the English family summer trip. Kelson's wife Lexi just had a new baby girl, Josephine, about two weeks ago. We decided to do St. George this year so that people could visit them or they could come see us and it would be closer. 

We got there Monday evening and just unpacked and got some dinner. On Tuesday, we spent the morning at the lagoon pool by the house, and then Kelson brought Luke, Jane, and Alice to visit. We swam in the tiny backyard pool and played around and then he went with Emily and Miles and their families to the Lagoon. Most of the Arbons didn't feel like doing that again because it was so hot and the pool was almost too cold and the water really hurt Mason's skin, which is sensitive right now from Accutane. 

While we were there we also rode around in the rented golf cart, played pickleball, went out to eat (Bonrue Bakery and Angelina's Mexican were the best), visited Sue, hit up Fiesta Fun for go-carts, and spent an evening at Crush Golf. We also spent a lot of time being entertained by little Ricky who is hilarious right now.

I think everyone had a great time, even though it is sometimes hard to tell with teenagers. I love being around my family.