New Favorite!!

***Warning*** If you don't like toes, don't look below***

Most of you probably know that I LOVE getting pedicures and having cute toes. Generally I go to Lovely Nails, and they put cute designs on my toes. Well, I have a new favorite...

A friend in my ward told me about her Sparkle Toes, and I didn't quite understand it, UNTIL I saw hers!! They were so cute! They put this gel on your toes, and add the color of glitter that you choose. They are completely dry when they are done, so you don't smudge them when you put on your flip flops, and they don't chip at all!

I chose to get black glitter, and I think they are so adorable. Anytime anyone wants to go get glitter toes, let me know - I'll be there with you!

Spudman 2008

This is Troy's third year doing the Spudman Triathlon - He wasn't very motivated to train for it, but he ended up doing it 2 min. faster than last year. I think it's great, but he was hoping for much faster.

We had quite a few of the guys in the neighborhood who also signed up (we are missing a couple from this picture). They would go running & biking in the mornings to get ready. Some were more serious about it than others.

They swim 1 mile first - then...

Bike 26 miles - then...

Run 6 miles

Then they all jumped in the river to cool off.

There were several wives (and some children) who came up to cheer on "the boys" in the neighborhood - We make posters and cheer for them at each transition. We had a blast as usual.

Day 3 - Lagoon for the Kids, Burley for Troy & Myself

So, this is the 3rd year that Troy had signed up for the Spudman, and when our Staycation overlapped the Spudman, my family, (my Mom in particular) just took our boys, and partied on!! They slept at the cabin on Thursday night, and headed to Lagoon on Friday. Not only did my family have my 2, but they had my brother's 3 kids (while they went to a funeral), but that didn't stop them for having fun. They went to Lagoona Beach for part of the day, and then hit the rides.

Jonathan stuck to the little rides, and doesn't he look so happy and sweet? Well, I am not sure about the sweet part, because...


He was shooting his cousin the ENTIRE time, not anyone else, just his cousin.


Nick however wanted to go on anything and EVERYTHING he possible could. He went on Wicked several times, and he even got to go on The Catapult. My family kept saying that people would say "Look at that little kid going on that ride!"

So, the whole time this was going on, Troy & I were enjoying ourselves in Burley, Idaho!! (Go Team Silver Mullett! - pictures will be coming soon)

Again I have to say how lucky Troy & I are in the parent department. My Mom is so great too! My kids LOVE sleeping over at her house, which they do almost every other week, and while they are they are there, she is making playdough, cookies, crafts, you name it!!

They just LOVE spending time with her. She has "Grandma Days" where she let's each of her 15 grandchildren pick what they are going to do, and she spends time with just them.
On Nick's Grandma day, they went miniture golfing, and then went for a hike by Silver Lake.

It's because of our families, that we didn't want to move far away, we love them, and wanted to be near them - we are so glad that we found our house - which by the way, we have been in for 3 years today!!

Where's Ashley?

You may or may not have noticed that there have been no pictures of Ashley during the Staycation...My wonderful in-laws took Ashley up to Sun Valley with them for a whole week. She had a BLAST!! She was spoiled with attention & activities.

They went golfing, swimming, to a movie and shopping. She would call daily (often more than once a day), and we would hear what she had acquired at her latest trip into town. We had to tell her not to have Grandma & Grandpa (and Aunt Tracy) to buy her anything else!!



On the 24th, they took the lift up to the top of the mountain & had lunch at a restaraunt on top. Ash said they were the best hamburgers that she has EVER had!!

I just have to say, Troy and I are very lucky in the parent department. Troy's parents have ALWAYS been so willing to help us with anything we need, and they have been a HUGE help with all of the remodeling we have done on both of our houses.


Lately, however, they have almost single handedly redone Ashley's new room by themselves. They come over during the day, and work for several hours (believe me, Troy has gotten a TON of slack from the guys in the neighborhood - they want to know how they can get Troy's parents to come over to their houses!). They are AMAZING, and because of all of their work, we were able to get the carpet in Ashley's new room, and move her furniture in while she was on her trip.

Day 2 - Breakfast in the Park, and Hangin' at the Cabin

For the 24th of July, we had breakfast at Tanner park. Each family was responsible for a meal during the Staycation, so my brother & his wife made Pancakes, Fruit & Juice - YUM!

After breakfast, we went for a hike/walk with the family dogs (no, we do not have a dog, but just 3 of my siblings do).

Since we had been waterskiing the day before, most of the kids just crashed when they got home, and then rolled out of bed to come to breakfast, without brushing their hair...This is our cousin Avery, who looks like he could be my Jonathan's big brother...

We tried to get a picture of the two of them together, but as usual, my precious angel would not cooperate!

Up at the cabin, we hung out, played games, had dinner, and went to watch the fireworks at Deer Creek.

Day 1 - Waterskiing

I have said it before, but there isn't a better vacation/trip/day than
letting the kids play on the beach in the sand & water - my kids LOVE it!!

This year Nick wanted to try waterskiing again, (he tried once about 2 years ago, but wasn't successful, and we haven't been since). He tried for a bit behind the boat, and decided that it was too big,
and wanted to try behind the waverunner....

Here is Troy giving him some pointers, and helping him keep steady, and after a few tries...
(note the color/state of the water by Troy, and remember it for a few minutes)

He was up, and went for about 30 yards!


And after crashing, he kept yelling "YEAH!! YEAH!!"

OK, now remember that water I told you to look at - when Nick got up, Troy began to clap for his boy, and as he did, he saw his wedding ring fly off his finger. It dropped in the water right by him. We were dying, for sure it is a goner!!

A couple of my nieces & nephews had their goggles, and decided that they were going to go out & dive for it (remember that murky, yucky water). My 13 year old nephew dove down about 3 times, and what do you know - HE FOUND IT!!

What are the odds!! I told Troy that it was a sign that we were meant to be!!

Staycation 2008

So, my side of the family had been trying to find a time and place for us to go on a family vaction for the last six months. But, with 13 adults, and 15 kids, finding a place for us to stay, and a time that we could all go was a bit of a challenge. We finally decided that it wasn't going to work this year, and with better planning and more time, we could make it work for the next time.

So, instead we are having a "Staycation". That way, people could make it to most of the parts, and everyone goes home and sleeps in their beds each night.

Here is what has been planned...

Day 1 - Waterskiing/Boating
Day 2 - Breakfast in the park - meet up at our cabin later that day (dinner, games, fireworks, etc.)
Day 3 - Lagoon
Day 4 - Service Project, more games, adults going out to dinner, while the kids hang out (play games, watch a movie, etc.)

I will be posting pictures soon!