24th of July Tradition!

The kids and I went up to the family cabin (on my Dad's side of the family) today. Lance had to work so it wasn't a very fun family holiday!! Growing up my family would go up every 24th of July and have a BBQ with all of the extended family. It has dwindled down over the years with people getting married and passing on so it isn't the same but it is still fun to go up and enjoy when we get the chance. When I was little I loved to swing on the big swing out back. It is still there so now my kids love to go on it everytime we go up. It is a fun tradition to carry on!!

Weekend Getaway!

We went to our favorite place for a weekend getaway, St. George, Utah. Lance had to go down for work to visit a client so we went along for the ride. The kids loved swimming in the pool, it felt like it was 200 degrees with the humidity!!

Blogging 101 - What NOT to do!!

This is a portion of one of my friends blogs. I thought it was so true I wanted to post it on my blog as some good advice to follow.....

Blogging 101 -What NOT to do!
Yes, this is unsolicited advice from yours truly, but I think it's about time someone addresses the issues.

#1. Don't get green with envy, Blenvy it's coined, while reading other's blogs. According to CJane, "It usually comes from reading a blog that emphasizes my insecurities." Well said blogger guru. I couldn't agree with you more.Please remember that each post is just a moment of that person's day/week. Instead, just be happy that something amazing happened to your fellow blogger. Be inspired by them! If you really feel the need, use that insecurity to make a change in your own life and do something similar.

#2. If people don't update their blog roll by adding your name under 'Friends & Family' don't get your feelings hurt. It's simply a nice gesture, forgotten. Seasoned bloggers rarely even look at their sidebar anymore - let alone update it frequently.

#3. Never ask yourself, "Is insert blogger's name mad at me? She doesn't comment on my blog."I realize that there is probably an expectation of family and friends to read your blog. However, don't expect anyone to read your blog and don't fall into this negative thinking.You've got to understand that every blogger is on a different commitment level. You have your newbies who are completely addicted and spend every possible moment blog-jogging. To the end of the spectrum of your more seasoned bloggers who have developed their routine and only take the time to read their top 10 favorites. It's hard to imagine, but some people get completely burned out and need to take breaks from reading others blogs now and then.

#4. Don't feel left out. Now that you have a more intimate look at your friends lives (in real life), they might post outings that you weren't invited to attend. Please do not let it eat at you, make you feel left out, or that you're not an important friend in that person's life.Life is crazy, busy, and things happen spare of the moment. You don't know the whole story as to how the event got organized and why certain people where invited and you weren't. You are special and you are important to your friend! Just let it go, or better yet, plan a fun get together and be sure to invite her. You'll feel much better!

#5. Guilt is overrated. You will come across some AMAZING moms. Honestly, I've been blown away by so many of you and your creativity and dedication to your family. Again, don't feel guilty or envious of these genetically gifted women. Instead, be inspired to make some changes in your own family. Use their techniques and strategies to empower yourself.

#6. Keep it real. While posting on your own blog be sure to allow yourself to open up and not only share your glamorous side, but also your self portraits, your struggles, and your hopes and dreams. You will find that bloggers are some of the most unjudgemental, forgiving, and loving people you'll have in your life. Use this positive energy to help you get through the tough times as well as celebrate the good ones.

Have a Great Day!!

Another Fun Tag!!

Thanks Brooke for the fun idea!
What were you doing 10 years ago?
I had just graduated from High School and was working at ZCMI (where I met Lance). We had worked together for the last year but didn't start dating for a couple more months!

What were you doing 5 years ago?
Carlie was 6 months old and we went to Indiana and visited family so they could see her. I have forgotten already what it was like to have only one child!

What are 5 things on your “to do list” today?
Clean my bathrooms and the rest of my house, go to Target, make dinner, go to the gym and get my hair done.

What are 5 things you’d do if you had a billion dollars?
Pay off my house! Hire a maid (for me and all of my friends)! Pay off my parents house and remodel there house for them with all new things. Travel wherever in the world we wanted to go (taking whoever wanted to go with us and paying for them too). Take Amelia to Europe!:)

I TAG: Everyone.

Tuesday Tell All - Shaping Up!

We joined Lifetime Fitness the beginning of the year and we love it! I just started doing Group Fitness. It is a lot better than working out on your own and I feel like I get a lot better workout. I have become addicted to the spin class and then there are a couple of other classes I take during the week. I think I do better having someone yell at me and push me harder than I would push myself if I was alone! It is fun to workout with friends also, it helps getting up in the morning knowing that there are other people expecting you to show up!! The trainers are amazing! I don't know how some of them teach 4 or 5 classes a day! I am ready to take a nap after one class!:)

4th of July in Tridell Slideshow

4th of July in Tridell!

We went for the weekend to Tridell, Utah. It is near Vernal if you know where that is. It is a small town and very quiet compared to where we live. Lance's cousins David and Edna live there and we went with one of his brothers and his parents. Two of David and Edna's kids came too so we had quite a group! They live on a farm with horses and are the two nicest people you will ever meet! They have a huge piece of property so you are pretty far away from any other houses. Much different than our neighborhood where you can watch the neighbors eat dinner if you want to!! We went 4 wheeling, ate lots of food, watched movies, went 4 wheeling, ate lots of food, watched movies... (you can see the pattern)! It was lots of fun!! I think I am going to have to go to the gym everyday this week to make up for it!!!!

We have never really been into riding ATVs but after this weekend Lance is considering buying a Rhino we had so much fun (I think his brother would pass out in shock because he has been trying to talk him into it for so long)! If you don't know, a Rhino is like a little jeep with a backseat and seat belts! That is my favorite part because on a regular 4 wheeler you don't have seat belts. I feel like it is a little safer for the kids and our whole family can fit in one which you can't do with the other. We couldn't keep Cayden off of them, if he even heard someone discussing the 4 wheelers his attention was all towards them because he was afraid that he was going to get left. I think if we would have let him (and if he was a little bigger of course to be able to) he would have driven one himself!! So we have one child we can't keep off of the 4 wheelers and then we have one who is scared to death that we are going to go on a big hill! In the end everyone had fun and we only had a little crying!

Carlie and Cayden even made two new friends, Gracie and Chloe. They were the cutest little things. They kept entertained by chasing them around the house and holding them. They were cute enough to think about getting one for 5 minutes! The kids surprisingly loved playing with them, I think it was because they were so little. Usually my kids are scared of dogs. They played with them the whole weekend and even picked them up and carried them around the house like a little baby! I think Gracie and Chloe got so spoiled over the weekend between my two kids and the cousins that they are going to have a hard time when they get home!

For the 4th of July we rode the 4 wheelers all day (as you know by now we did this a lot, in Lance's family that is all you do when you go to Tridell so if you don't want to do that it is a pretty boring and long weekend)! That night we did fireworks. The cousins are really into the big ones that we don't dare to buy! There was a couple times where you were hoping the hay wasn't going to catch on fire or the barn!! It was fun though and the kids loved doing sparklers!

We went to the mountains on Saturday and rode the 4 wheelers all afternoon on a really rocky trail! It was nice because it was overcast most of the time so it didn't get as hot as it normally would have been. The kids loved it and I guess it wasn't bumpy enough because Cayden fell asleep on the way back to the cars! I couldn't believe how someone could fall asleep on that ride (it was that bumpy)!! Lance's cousins said that someone always does. I guess that is a new way to get your kid to sleep if you are wanting a new idea! Just sit in the backseat of a Rhino (it is extra bumpy that way)!!

It was hard to come home everyone had such a good time! We can't wait to go back again and everyone is making bets on whether we will come back with our own Rhino next time!! I don't know if everyone talked him into it or not yet (they tried at least)!!