Weekend Fun

This weekend was laid back and just plain good ol' fashioned FUN!!

Ava after church playing with a flower in the backyard.

Yesterday we went to Idaho Falls to just play around with our good friends, the Hurst's. A good meal at Olive Garden and then we played around at some stores- we had a GREAT TIME!

Ava and Riley lounging on a kiddie couch

At the Toy Store, Ava found her ride.... Taylor and I found that she has some Pricey taste.

The Scooter

Beep Beeep!!

Then we went to an all herbal store, Nature's Nook, and bought some earwax-puller-outers! Now, Let me just say this.... if you think you're close friends NOW... try this "activity" and you'll definitely be closer at the end of the night!! Like I've always said, "Cleaning out earwax with your buddies is a great way to spend Saturday night!!"

The boys... hilarious!

Don't tell our landlady there were OPEN FLAMES in our place!!!

Oh and I cut my hair yesterday. It was TIME.

Just on the count of Because

Taylor came home from work today with this bouquet of beautiful flowers and a big smile. I was thrilled and asked him "soo... what'd you do?" haha. He shrugged and said, "Just on the count of because". We're not a "flower couple" and if I do feel like a bouquet in the kitchen, I normally just ask him to bring me home one... (I don't like waiting around for people to read my mind!) so when T decided to surprise me today, well- he did!


I appreciate him, more than I let him know. Amidst his pretty gnarly schedule right now, he just DOES things that he knows will make me smile. What a terrific guy! I'm beaming right now. Love you, Hubby.

Gabriella Rae Aaron

Welcome Bella!!

A BIG CONGRATS to my brother Wes and his beautiful wife, Evelyn!! They just had a gorgeous baby girl on Sept. 13, Bella Rae, who weighed in at 6 lbs. 3/4 oz. and 20 in. She's just perfect and the happy family is doing great!

I turn my back for ONE SECOND and...

Little Turkey that she is, got into the buttpaste and proceeded to smear it all over her face. All the while she's saying, "Pweeetty! Pwitty!"

Some backtracking

The weekend before our vacation to France, Ava and I went to Red Fish Lake with my mom and dad to celebrate my Grandpa Rainey's EARLY 80th birthday (his actual birthday is in November!) My sweetheart Grandma schemed and plotted to throw him this surprise bash- and he was definitely surprised!! It was so much fun seeing many of my aunts, uncles and cousins there from my mom's side of the family. I wish EVERYONE could've been there, but being poor and busy students, we understand completely. Taylor had to stay behind to work- poor guy, I've been telling him our entire married relationship how much fun Red Fish is... and how Beautiful.


My Grandpa is one of my heroes. He always has a smile on his face. Always. He's the type of man who you'll never forget after meeting him because he treats everyone like gold and everyone in the room Wants to be near him. My Grandpa is such a golden standard when it comes to being a husband, a father, grandfather, church member, and even town Mayor (which he was!) I take so much pride in being in his terrific family and hope that I can be just a smidgen like him one day! I love you, Grandpa! And Grandma, we all know who's responsible for such an amazing man! I love you too!

Here are a few pictures from the weekend at the lake.

SO Cheerful, all of the time!!

Beautiful Red Fish Lake

Ava and my cousin Hannah became very fast friends

Cousin Hyram (sp?) being buried in the sand

Singing Happy Birthday to Grandpa (cute couple!)

80 Years old (thank heavens we went-- chocolate cake from Costco!!!)

Most of the crew (some were out boating and playing in the water, I think)

This was one of his gifts- a plaque that commemorated his first HOLE IN ONE!

What a Champ!

On the boat with my dad. Ava fell asleep standing up against me with the wind blowing in her face- she was plum tuckered

Hard at work

Whew! Made this in just an hour with only a dump truck and a stick! (ok, actually our cousins Ammon, Hyrum, and Jack did it- but Ava swooped in for the glory!)

Kickin back in the shade

Ava and her Great-Grandma Rainey playing

Aunt Yung-Joo and Ava had a blast laughing with each other

After church with Nana and Papa Aaron. (I didn't bring any church clothes for Ava and me... we looked like major scrubs. Embarrassing)

Super Ava!

Oh, Mom. Put the camera away! I'm soooo shy!

I'm Back, I'm really finally BACK!

Oh it feels sooo good to be back online. Blogging again, back to gmail and facebook.... ahhhh it feels GOOOOOD to be BACK.




Lemme quickly fill ya in... Lately, I've been feeling crafty, yes, crafty. I attribute this to: Rachel's book time crafts (daily!), Liz's adorable nursery pictures, Ashly's wreath-making, etc. etc... but all I've been able to do is hang a couple of shelves, re-upholster some chairs and paint a few small things... not enough to satiate my need for glue, staples, glitter, paint, fabric and markers!! Bring on the modge-podge!!! No matter, I've got plenty of other things to do (like catch up on 300PLUS blogs!)




Moving on. Taylor started school as soon as we got back from France- we thought it would be a harder transition for him, going from doing NOTHING AT ALL to work, school, homework, and all the "honey-do" lists I've got for him, but he's loving it and thriving on the routine of it all. I'm counting my lucky stars too since Ava and I get to see him much more than we thought we would (which is still not a lot, but more than a "GoodMorningGottaRun" and "GoodnightI'mExhausted" relationship)




Ava's just GROWING UP!!! Still, every day I look at her and get a wee bit sad that she's growing so fast- BUT then again, Taylor and I comment often about how we can't wait for her to start really talking (more than the normal "more?" "pweeeeease?" (please)," dada", "mom", "baba", "quack", "soft!", "woof" ect. ect...) since we see just a spunky, sassy girl who we KNOW would be saying the Darndest things if only she could talk!!! Ava's just getting over a week and a half of hard-core teething... boy was she a BEAR!!! But she's recovered and back to her cheery self again.




OH!!! I nearly forgot! We have a new neice as of last night! Wes and Evelyn had a beautiful baby girl (pictures coming soon). 6 lbs, 20 inches of cute and cuddly! Her name is Gabriella Rae (sp?) Aaron and we cannot wait to meet her!!!

Here are some semi-recent pictures... a little bit of everything.

I think this is a close-up of Ava trying to "catch" Riley on the swing.

Ava's on a kissing kick... I just eat it up

On a walk to the temple... love that mug of hers (and T's too!)

I loved this one so much that I had it blown up, sides cropped and framed.

She was SO PROUD of herself and even waited for me to get my camera while holding this pose. "Look Mom, no hands!"

Ava realized that she could manipulate us so easily. To get T to open his mouth (he was chewing gum and she wants it so badly) she just opens her mouth and says "AHHHHH" and he copies her, then she literally takes the gum out of Taylor's mouth. She's so devious. We're so maliable.

Ava and I went to Boise with the Hursts (Taylor had to work that weekend) and went to Destry's baby shower that her mother in law threw for her. It was so much fun and let me tell you, that baby of theirs will never need anything for the rest of his LIFE!! They made a good haul at this party!!!

Pee-Pee Tee-Pees!!! Hilarious, just hilarious!

Afterward we went to a nearby lake with their family to play around... perfect day- wish T was there with us

See ya later, Gator