The Utah Part of the Trip

Last Wednesday Ethan and I left for Salt Lake City. After having a canceled flight (I never had such bad luck with flying before I was traveling with a little one) in Phoenix I finally made it to Salt Lake at midnight, Ethan was too excited to sleep on the plane and was so tired by the time we landed. Weston and Erica picked me up and I stayed at their house.

Thursday morning Erica and I went to visit my good friend Sora Sarah! It was so fun to see her little boy Rhett (I hadn't seen him since he was a week old). We went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House, and the boys played like crazy!

I also got a chance to see the Gerber girls and Janice too. They had us over for a wonderful lunch. It was so good to see them.

That evening I got to go to Cafe Rio...what what! Ethan (as you can see) enjoyed his first kid quesadilla there.

On Thursday night my parents picked us up on their way to Vernal. We stayed at my cousin Lindsey's house.

On Friday my cousin Whitney got married in the Vernal temple. The ceremony was beautiful. It was so fun to see so many aunts, uncles, cousins, and Ethan's great grandmother Peterson.

The delicious wedding luncheon after the wedding.

Whitney's reception was later that night at Grandma's house. Grandma had her gardens looking gorgeous. The rain was there...but it was still a beautiful night.

Ethan LOVED all of the attention from my younger cousins. They even made him an honorary flower girl.

Ethan loved the dance party. He is quite the little dancer.

Grandma always gets the dance parties going at weddings!

Saturday night we left Vernal and went to Park City to visit my Aunt Tari and cousin Matt. Weston made Ethan a shirt that says, "I can't even talk yet and I already hate the U." Matt was wearing a U shirt when we got there so I had to get a picture with both of them together.

Ethan loved Tari's dog!

On Sunday we visited my Grandpa and Nada. I also got to see Kelly, Jerry, Matt and Kate (Sara was sleeping). While at my grandpa's house I found 2 photos of my little brother James that look a lot like Ethan. What do you think? (The photos are not the best quality I just took pictures of the picture).

We got back to Boise last night. We did a lot in only a few days! Ethan is exhausted. He had so much fun with so many people around and so many new places to explore. We miss Clark a lot! Everytime we go somewhere new Ethan says, "Dada, Dada" and looks around for him. It is pretty sweet.

Fun in the SUN

Heaven for Ethan was splashing in the fun little wading pool in a local park! He loves water. He splashes in the puddles in our driveway, and dumps his water out of his sippy cup so he can splash in his high chair. When we got to the wading pool he went crazy with excitement! Jumping, running, and dancing non-stop, he was in heaven!

When we went today it was so hot and 80% humidity. 3 hours later we were in the craziest thunderstorm. The fast moving crazy midwest storms never cease to shock me!

Mormon Tabernacle Choir

The amazing choir came to Des Moines yesterday. It was their first time ever visiting Des Moines.

We thought the concert was patriotic, inspiring, uplifting and entertaining. It was a fun night out with our good friends. It was also the first time we used an official babysitter (12 year old girl)...Ethan was happily sleeping when we came home, so I think it was good!

Lessons from Dad

I couldn't have asked for a better DAD! My dad is the BEST! I know I am who I am today because of him. He is a master teacher...whether he is speaking at church, giving a lesson with a creative object lesson, or just teaching through his example...I have learned a lot from my Dad.

Here are a few (of many) things that I have learned from my Dad!

Lesson 1:

"The lazy man works the hardest."

We heard this phrase many times growing up as we had to do a job again because we only did it half right the first time. Although I hated to hear this quote - I know from my Dad I learned to be a hard worker and get things done.

Lesson 2:

Life is Fun!

When I think back on my memories of growing up it seems like we were always having a lot of fun because my Dad always planned outings and adventures. He can always make a good experience even better. For example, going to Lake Powell is a lot of fun - parasailing at Lake Powell (before it was illegal) is awesome! Rafting down Hell's Canyon is fun - catching a huge sturgeon one night and having it tow our raft around is awesome! Walking out on an icy lake is fun - watching your Dad go under the ice to scuba dive in the frozen lake is pretty awesome (and scary)! Playing in the backyard in the summer is fun - watching your Dad rip around on a snowmobile in the grass is awesome! Going to a Girl's Camp flag ceremony is fun - listening to your Dad sing the dead skunk song in front of everyone is pretty awesome! Teaching kids about water safety is fun -developing a "really big magic show" to teach the kids is awesome! My Dad has taught me how to enjoy life and make things fun!

(The really big show at the school I taught at)

Lesson 3:

Sunscreen is good.

You know what he always says about SPF 30? "Its a good start."

He also protects himself from the harmful UV rays with famous homemade scarf hats.

Lesson 4:

You can do anything.

I don't think the words "I can't" are in my Dad's vocabulary. When he wants to do something he figures out a way to do it. When he decided to build a fountain in the yard for Weston's Open House last summer - he just did it (finished 2 hrs. before the open house).

When he decided that our whole family was going to ski behind the same boat at the same time, we all thought we were going to die (especially my mom)...but he figured it out and we did it!

This lesson to put your fears aside is what gave me the courage to try new things, go on a mission, teach 5th grade, and move to Iowa!

Lesson 5:

It is good to be thoughtful and kind.

The summer after my freshman year of college I was back at home working. One weekend my Dad planned for us to paint the house. It was an all day, hard job! After working most of the day, my Dad and brothers ran to a store to get more supplies, I stayed and continued working on painting something. On their way home the boys stopped and got milkshakes. When they got home I made a little stink about getting ripped off and not getting a milkshake.

That next Monday I was leaving the parking lot of my work to go get lunch. Right as I was pulling out my Dad was pulling into the parking lot. He brought me a milkshake to work! I was so touched and felt so loved.

He also gives thoughtful, creative gifts.

Ethan's first fishing pole from his Grandpa.

My graduation gift from Dad was the vest and hat...I guarantee no other grad got that gift!

Lesson 6:

"Bad Things Happen in Reverse."

When I was learning how to drive my Dad always said that "bad things happen in reverse." Its good advice. Besides the tree I backed into at the Stake Center with the Buick, I've had no car accidents (that were my fault).

Lesson 7:

Be Positive.

My Dad has a way of making people happy because he has a good attitude about life. Anytime my friends came to the house he made french fries or got out Paddle Pool. People like to be with him and his positive attitude rubs off on people.

Visiting Romania

I really feel like the majority of society's problems would be solved if every child had a Dad like I do.

Happy Father's Day DAD!

I love you.

Thanks for being such an

A Wicked Line

This morning at 7 am I joined many of my local Des Moinians in a line that wrapped half way around the Civic Center. Ticket sales for Wicked opened to the general public today at 7 am. I had to be certain I got tickets because my mom scored a trip to Des Moines in October and a Wicked ticket for her birthday - I'm already excited!

The first half of the line.

The second half of the line...

After 2 hours in the line, I came away with what I went for - YAHOO!

(my first published photo of my bad haircut...sad)

I also came away with a free water bottle, donut, and I won tickets spinning the radio station's wheel to an Iowa Cubs game - not bad for standing in line. I also got to enjoy the lady in front of me who was wearing a t-shirt that said, "belly dancing rocks," enough said, it was enjoyable.

Just a Little FYI

CETAPHIL is not poisonous!

Today after Ethan's bath I put a little Cetaphil lotion on him, got him dressed and than went into my room (4 feet away) to get dresesed. It was a little too quiet in his room, when I went to check on him I found that he had unscrewed the jar...his hands, face, clothes, and carpet were covered in the lotion. When I found that his mouth was full of Cetaphil too I called poision control...not poisonous, but could cause a belly ache depending on how much he ate...just a little FYI.

When I told Clark about it he pictured Ethan looking like Pooh Bear with his hands caught in the honey jar. Yummy.

Buicks are better on the road than on tow trucks...just a little FYI.

The baby Buick got towed from the Walmart parking lot today. Its been such a good little car, we still have hope it might be a cheap and fixable problem?! We were grateful that it chose to have its last breath in the parking lot and not on the freeway.

Forts are fun!

Clark had as much if not more fun than Ethan in the fort...a good activity for a rainy summer day...just a little FYI.

A single yellow balloon can provide a lot of entertainment...just a little FYI.

Going to the hair school to get a tiny little trim before leaving to go out of town is not a bad idea.

Having a poor girl with side burns who takes about 30 seconds between each snip cut your hair is a bad idea.

Wearing a thick black cover during the haircut in a hot, humid salon for 2 HOURS because the poor girl is so slow and trying not to pass out because of the heat and the after effects of blood work that was done earlier in the day is not the best idea.

Being so relieved to get the black cover off that you don't even really notice that one side of your hair is 2 inches longer than the other side and that the girl only cut the bottom layer of your hair and didn't touch the rest, really bad idea.

Going to Great Clips the next day because the hair school couldn't get you in to fix the mess on your head okay idea.

Having the hair cut guy at Great Clips tell you that your hair isn't uneven it is just asymetrical (which apparently is an artistic touch) before he fixes your hair helps you realize this was definitely not a good idea.

Having the snip happy man at Great Clips cut your hair quite a bit shorter than necessary, terrible idea.

Having a nice butch haircut just in time for your trip...priceless.

Pay for a decent haircut...just a little FYI.

What to do when it seems like the day is not quite going as planned, follow Ethan's example and LAUGH...just a little FYI!

A Little Tribute to Ethan's Daddy

Father's Day is coming soon, so I just wanted to give Ethan's father a little shout-out! He is a fabulous Dad! Ethan lights up every time his Dada gets home.

There is a country song by Rodney Atkins called "Watching You," the following text are the lyrics from the chorus of that song.



I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that cool?

I’m your buckaroo,


I wanna be like you.


And eat all my food

and grow as tall as you are.

We got cowboy boots and camo pants

Yeah, we’re just alike, hey, ain’t we dad?

I want to do everything you do.

So I’ve been watching you!

I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that cool?

I’m your buckaroo,

I want to be like you.

And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.


We like fixin’ things


and holding momma’s hand

Yeah, we’re just alike, hey, ain’t we dad?

I want to do everything you do;

so I’ve been watching you

Even when I’m big I’ll still know what to do.

Cause I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that cool?

I’m your buckaroo, I want to be like you

By then I’ll be strong as superman

We’ll be just alike, hey, won’t we dad?

When I can do everything you do.

‘cause I’ve been watchin’ you!

Thanks for being the type of Dad worth watching! Ethan is a lucky boy.