Grandma Bernice's Birthday

On June 3rd we celebrated my grandma's birthday by spending a day in the Columbia River Gorge. We drove up the Scenic Highway and it was more beautiful than I remember. We stopped at all the hot spots like Crown Point (picture below).Multnomah Falls

the dam

We also went to the fish hatchery, which who knew there were fish that were over 7' long. We had a picnic with some awesome fried chicken my mom made in honor of my grandma, she made the very best! It was the best picnic right down to the table cloth and yummy lemonade (mom you thought of everything).

I have actually been thinking about my grandma so much lately, I have never missed a single person more in my life! I have to cry just thinking about her, we are coming up on a year without her with us. Tyler reminds me that I am so lucky to have had her so close to me all these years. How lucky I was to have a grandma that was such a wonderful, kind and hilarius person to help shape me into the woman I am. I feel so blessed, but at the same time I want her in my life still. I want Lucy to know her and it makes me so sad to think how much she would have loved to have seen Lucy grow up. To hold her so tight. Grandma always said that Lucy felt so good in her arms.

I miss her and want her back, but how thankful I am to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. To know that I will be with her again. It helps, but it still makes me cry to not to be able to play games with her (oh the memories), or to call her about the latest thing Lucy said or did (she would have loved and looked forward to the frequent calls). I can't tell you how many times I have thought, 'oh I should call grandma,' only to realize that she won't be picking up the phone any time soon. I don't undertand why it hasn't totally registered in my brain that she is no longer with us. I still feel the pain in my heart, I wish it would just go away!

Sunny Summer

Me and Lucy have had so much fun this summer. It is amazing what you can do with a toddler. We have enjoyed everything from Disney World and multiple trips to the Oregon Coast, to the duck pond across the street, the Zoo, parks, our back deck, OMSI, playgrounds and so much more.
Just today we were at Bridgeport before dropping Tyler off at the airport. As a family we ate great food outside, got a balloon and watched Lucy play on the play structure. The simple pleasures of a child! I have almost as much fun as she does while watching how much fun a little pebble on the ground can be. Why can't adult life be that simplistic? I believe I need to get back the basics. I need to think more about my child than I do myself. Take care of my self yes, but do more for her and Tyler than I currently do. I have a NEED to see her smiling face and hear her cute giggle a whole lot more!

Mom's getaway

So two weeks ago I got a little mommy getaway. It was wonderful! I left on my own Thursday night to San Diego and was met by my lovely, pregnant friends Beth and Carla. We stayed up till after 4 talking. I haven't stayed up that late in forever! We talked about our time as roommates and all the fun we had. By the end of the weekend we concluded that while we LOVED our single life of 'seduction,' chick flicks and shopping for ourselves, we so wouldn't go back. Being married is so much better for us at this point in time. But if you are still single, live up the life for sure!

We got together for Kristen's wedding and boy was she a blushing bride. I have never seen her so girly and gorgeous! We were able to spend her last night as a single woman with her and had so much fun, and yes, more memories were shared.

Have any of you ever been to a busy day of weddings at the Las Angeles temple? Oh my goodness was that an experience. There were 15 weddings that day, but I swear they all happened at the same time. We had to wait HOURS for Kristen and Matt's names to be announced on the back stairs to make their first appearance as husband and wife. But don't worry, we made the best of our time. We would judge the brides maids dresses and guess what kind of girl picked it out. We even waited for one more bride to come out after Kristen because we had to see the girl that hated her best friends. I so wish I had taken a picture of the hot pink bondage strips that made the skinny girls look fat. We weren't disappointed with the bride, she was as we imagined:)

I came home Sunday night and was so happy to see my hubby and adorable angel Lucy. I feel trips away from them make me be a better wife and mom.

Oh, and I chopped off my hair right before I went. I love it, but think I will go even shorter next time. Tyler finally realized that I look better with a short bob than long hair that I never cared to blow dry. Now it's 4 minutes from wet to styled. What more can a mom ask for? (sometimes a wet pony tail but I am dealing)

Hornibrook Updates

1. We signed our lives away a couple of weeks ago and got the keys to our first home. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

2. Our family and ward helped us move in Saturday and our house is full of boxes. I don't remember purchasing this much stuff, but I am happy we for sure have enough room for it all in our home!

3. Today I had one of these baby's visit my house.

To make a really long story short, I went to take the trash out into our garage and the door locked behind me. With wet hair and no make up or shoes on, I knocked on neighbors doors, broke a few screens, cried a lot, prayed a lot on my knees in my back yard, tracked a lady down at the park across the street and called 911. 3 men came to my rescue--my hero's for sure! Lucy was oblivious of the situation as she slept away in her crib.

This was just as bad as the time I let Lucy hold the keys to our car as I strapped her into the car seat. I shut the door and went to put her stroller in the back and heard that dreaded locking sound. While it was a super hot car and by then end she had turned red and was rather wet, she thought it was a funny game. Lucy kept pushing the lock button over and over again making the car honk for everyone to enjoy, but never once pushed the unlock button. My mom and I sang her songs and played peek-a-boo with her through the windows till AAA came to our rescue. It seems all these unnecessary and very scary things happen to me, but I PROMISE I learn from my mistakes.

Moral of the story is don't lock yourself out, or let your child lock you out of the house or car.

4. Tyler has been working so hard and has only spent two nights in our new house. Fortunately my dad took him and my brother Dane to a golf school/camp this week in Arizona. Tyler called today and said his game has improved already and he is having a great time. The camp goes through Thursday and my lover deserves every minute of it to take a break from the stresses of work. (even though he has to work on his computer and make calls all night to manage his territory, he gets to relax and do something he loves during the day).

5. In less than two weeks I get to go see some of my very best girlfriends in California for Kristen's wedding. I am so so so excited to see them and have a girls weekend!