Labor Day Weekend Festivities

Its Monday at 10:15pm and I'm sitting here thinking what a jam-packed, exciting weekend it was for us. I thought I'd share it with the blog world.

It all started Friday after work/school when James and I decided to head down to St George for the evening. We like to drive down there once in a while, eat out some place we don't have in Cedar and just take in the busy-ness (that's not really a word is it?) of St George. We had a good time, just the 3 of us, hanging out. We finally made it home just before 10pm.

Saturday morning James had to head back up to Brian Head for work. My good friend Patti had mentioned to me that they were having a baby contest at the Iron County Fair and that she was taking her adorable little boy Jacoby and asked if we wanted to join them. So after sleeping in until a little after 8, Asher and I rushed to make it to the fair ground in time for registration.

Here is a picture of Asher, wasn't he the cutest??? He didn't win though :(. After the contest I took Asher to the petting zoo and for his first ever ride on the Merry-Go-Round. I don't have any pictures of these events because the camera decided to stage a protest and stopped taking pictures! UGH!!!! After that fun we went up the hill and met James for lunch. It was so nice up in Brian Head, I love it up there when its so hot in Cedar. I did notice that the leaves are starting to change color...woohoo bring on Fall, my favorite time of year! Later that evening we headed back to the fair to watch the rodeo. Our nephew Cody rode a BULL!!!! He is a crazy kid! He didn't stay on very long, but like James keeps telling him, "Dude, I'd never get on one, you did awesome just by sitting on the darn thing!" After the rodeo James took Asher for another ride on the Merry-Go-Round

(which of course the camera was working for...so here is a

picture!) After that long day we were all exhausted, we finally made it home around 9:30. Asher went to sleep and James and I stayed up doing a little homework.

Sunday started out kind of lazy. James built some new shelves in our closet...we so needed it. Then we went to church at 1 for a family members confirmation. After church we went over to Aunt Mary's house for a dinner, that was a lot of fun. I have to admit I wasn't really looking forward to going over, but I had the best time chatting with everyone. Aunt Mary makes me

laugh, she has the best gossip! :) hehe! Once we got home from Aunt Mary's we sat down and watched a movie, and then off to bed because we had a big Monday morning to prepare for.

Today (Monday-Labor Day) we woke up at 7 and got ready to run the Iron County Fair 5K! At the beginning of the summer James and I decided to train to run at 5K at the end of the summer. Well training didn't go so well but we did run! Although neither of us ran the whole thing we did finish (and we weren't even last!) After the run we came home, showered and went to lunch with James' parents, then it was back to the fair we went. The horse races started at 1 and we barely made it in time for the first race. I'm pretty sure those were the first horse races

I had ever been to and I LOVED them. How fun! I can't wait to go to another one. After the horse races we went in search for funnel cakes...yummmm! By this time Asher was exhausted and ready for a nap so we headed home.

While Asher was asleep James and I watched 88 Minutes. I really liked that movie...it was intense! Around 5:45pm we headed out again, this time we went to a park in Cedar City to meet our good friends the Wellers for a picnic and kite flying. James bought two really adorable kites at the fair and Cedar is the perfect place for

kite flying, its always windy here! What a great way to end a really fun holiday weekend. Here are some pictures of the kite flying.

Oh yeah, and I almost forgot to mention that one of the kites got stuck in a tree and Josten had to climb it to help get it out, and then Josten fell out of the tree! Nothing is ever boring with us!

I had such a great weekend! I hope everyone else did as well...now its off to get some homework done!

Back from the land of the missing...

I know I haven't posted in a while. Maybe its because we haven't really had much going on or maybe its because I'm so busy I don't have time. I think its a little of both if that's possible. We haven't had anything really exciting going on lately but I have been so busy with just everyday life that I haven't had time to sit down and update our blog.

So the last thing I updated everyone on was our beach trip to McGrath's State Beach. That was so much fun! Since then we have done a few things here and there but mostly we are just trying to make it through each day.
Shortly after coming back home from the beach we decided to take a bike ride down Bryce Canyon. My dad, James, Asher and I had my Aunt Mary drop us off at the top of the bike path one evening and we rode all the way down to a fun little restaurant where you turn off highway 89 to head towards Bryce Canyon. It was a lot of fun and since we were going down hill it didn't take nearly as much energy out of me as I thought it would.

We also made a quick trip up north to American Fork, Utah. We went up to visit with Jadeth, Whitnee, Jade, Josten and Jared. While we were there we ate at our favorite little place in Springville called Art City Trolly. They have the best salad there...YUMMY! My bestest friend Tami and her son Kason also had lunch with us. Later that day, Josten, Jared, Asher, James and I went up to Salt Lake, to the Galivan Center to watch the free concert there were having...OH MY GOSH. SCARY!!! It was heavy metal music and it was not our crowd! We didn't stay long. For dinner we went to James' favorite place up in Sandy (I think that's where it is???) called The Mayan. Its a pretty cool little place all decorated like you are going on a safari and then they have people who jump off cliffs into a small pool of water. That night we stayed with Jadeth and Whitnee. Asher and I didn't sleep well at all so we left before lunch to head home. It was fun to get out of town for the night though.

Two weeks ago I had this crazy idea to go back to school and get my degree to teach secondary math. Now I'm one week into my first semester back at school! Its going to be tough, I love math but Calculus is going to kill me and I have to take 4 different Calculus classes...YIKES! I'm excited to finish though. I've also decided to get my minor in English so I should have a great background when looking for a teaching position! James decided he would go to school also so he is taking a few (full time) online classes. He think he will like it once he doesn't feel so overwhelmed.

Asher is growing quickly. James' parents watch him for me when I'm at class and they just love having that time with him and he loves being over there with them. He is such a smart little boy. He is trying to say all kinds of new words like doggie, Whiskey(that's the dogs name!), light, rooster, Josten, What's that?, thank you. Plus he makes lots of animal noises like barking from a dog. He is just too cute sometimes, and then sometimes he just isn't...LOL I think the terrible twos might have set in a little early for him.

Bailey is now in middle school in Indiana. I can't believe he is so grown up already. I really think he enjoys it in Indiana. He as tons of friends and he is always out hanging with them. I do miss him tons though. I'm hoping James and I will be able to make a trip there to see him one weekend before Christmas time but it just depends on money. Bailey is getting braces this year, I'm sure he isn't very excited about that. Poor thing...he got his teeth from his dad, not his mom!

Everyone else is doing well. Josten was living up in American Fork with Jadeth and Whitnee for a little bit but then decided to come back to Cedar City after about 3 weeks of no luck finding a job. Jadeth and Jared are working for a company in Lehi called DaVinci Doors and they both really like it most days. Jadeth is doing well there, he is the shop manager. Jade and Whitnee are doing well also. Jade is growing so fast too. When we were up there she was smiling and giggling. What a little heart breaker she is going to be! Sabelle is still living in St George with her mom. Her birthday is the 3rd of September and she will be 16!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!! It's just so crazy to me that she is going to be 16, she was only 9, almost 10 when James and I met. She is going into such a beautiful young woman. She has a boyfriend, Chad, who cracks me up. He is such a goofy kid, but that's a good thing! They come up and visit us once in a while.

Well that's a little catch up for everyone! I have some pictures I'll post some other day. I haven't uploaded them from the camera to the computer yet. Until next time...everyone stay safe and thanks for stopping by :)

So far behind...scrapbooking!

Here are all the scrapbook pages I have done recently but have been too lazy to post to my blog! This is going to take FOREVER!!!!

Here are the credits, I don't think they are in order but just check the titles!

She is Such a Blessing

Kit: Summer Berries by Stacey's Scraps

You've Got Mail

Kit: Pickleberry Pie July Collab kit over at Brownie Scraps (you can't get it now...but you can get the August Collab kit here)

Mischief Finder

Kit: Summer Lovin by Stacey's Scraps

Buds Forever and Sleeping Beauty

Kit: Be Nice or Else by Scrappin Daisies

Life is as sweet as Ice Cream

Kit: Sherbet Fields by Stacey's Scraps

Lil Firecracker and 4th of July Parade

Kit: All American by Scrappin Daisies

Love Bug

Kit: Doodle Bug (a freebie kit) by Stacey's Scraps (you can get it on her blog)

One Nation

I did this layout for the 3rd Round of the Battle of the CTs competition over at DSA.

Kit: Some Gave All by Ramona the Pest Designs

So far behind...McGrath State Beach Trip

I hate when I neglect my blog, because then I have to spend hours trying to catch up with it. You'd think I'd learn, but I never do.

So Sunday evening we finally pulled into our driveway after a camp out at the beach in California. We had such a wonderful time. We left early Wednesday morning and drove to Riverside. We hung out at my dad's for the evening, had dinner with my cousins (I finally got to see Sadie, my cousin Jennifer's little girl). Thursday morning dad, me, James, Cailin, Bailey and Asher loaded up in the motorhome and headed to McGrath State Beach. We met Sabelle and her boyfriend Chad on the way and they followed us there. It was wonderful! The weather was cool (Im not sure it ever got hotter than 75 degrees there). Later that night Kimmie, my aunt Sandy and cousin Peggy showed up. Friday we hung out at the beach, had more people join our group and had some yummy chicken that my dad cooks up! Saturday we headed to the beach again but it was really overcast so we headed back to camp for naps. Later that night we had another wonderful dinner of steak, potatoes and veggies. Sunday we had to get up really early and head out because we had to have Bailey at the Vegas airport by 3pm. After finding out that his 5:05 flight was delayed 3 hours and begging the airline employees they finally got him on a flight that left right around his original time. I miss him tons already! Here are some fun pictures from our trip to the beach.

Battle of the CTs

Hey all my friends and family!

So I'm in this new contest over at digiscrapaddicts.com and my team needs your vote!!! Here is the wonderful layout I created for the first round.

Now I need you all to click on this link below

http://www.digiscrapaddicts.com/battle/designer.html

and vote for Ramona's Pests (that's my team name) We are pretty close to the bottom so don't get distracted and vote for another team. :) Thanks for all your support! Love you all!

Lots of Scrapbooking!

Ok so I have been so behind on my CT duties lately. Last night I stayed up until 11:30 trying to catch up, I don't get anything done while Asher is awake so I only get nap time and once he goes to bed at night to get anything done. Problem is I have so much to do, including scrapbooking, that I start to fall behind, especially when Asher goes to sleep at 9 and I go to sleep at 10! Anyway, here are some great new kits to go check out!

Ouch and My Favorite Boys

Kit: Funky Town by Scrappin Daisies

Enjoying the View

Kit: Cherry Chocolate by Stacey's Scraps

Round and Round

Kit: Not Too Shabby by Stacey's Scraps. I also used a template for this page but right now I cant remember whose template it was and I'm not on my computer so I can't check! Sorry, I'll update this when I figure it out.

Lytle Creek

Kit: Tutti Frutti, a freebie on Stacey's blog right now, but hurry because after this week it will be at her store on sale!

And as a side note: I went on this field trip with Bailey's class when I was 8 months pregnant!!!

Now, my Project 365 layouts. I am REALLY behind on these layouts, I'm still taking the pictures though!

Week 19, I used a free kit I got from DigiscrapAddicts called 525600 minutes.

Week 20 & 21 I used another free kit that I got at DigiscrapAddicts called Everyday Delights. I also used a free template from my friend JoannaE that you can pick up at her blog.

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Panguitch

I am so far behind. Now that a week has almost gone by I figured it was time for me to post some pictures of our time at the festival. I love going to this balloon festival. I've looked forward to it every year since my dad and Kim bought the Hitch N Post Campground in 2003. I have missed a few years in there though but it was great to be back again after missing last year because I had just given birth to Asher. I was also really excited for this year's festival because it's Bailey's first time going. Normally he would've been spending the summer with his dad and missed it, but since he moved to Indiana he was here visiting with us and was able to finally go. My dad made sure that Bailey would get a ride in one of the balloons which made it even more special!!! Bailey was a little nervous about going up so he would only go if I went (yeah me, another ride in Gene's balloon!!!) Here are some great pictures.








My dad made me get a picture of his jeep with the balloons in the background...he is so silly sometimes!









My dad and Asher after Bailey and I went up in the balloon









Asher watching his mommy go way high in the air!









Bailey and I leaving the ground









Bailey and I touching back to earth.









It was REALLY early, Asher was really sleepy. We had to be out at the field at 6am.













"New Rider" toast. The new riders get cider dumped on their heads.













Asher trying to wake up.













Asher and mommy enjoying the view.





































View from the top, we went 1000 feet off the ground.










James helping get the balloon ready for take off.









By the time we got back to the ground Bailey was ready to get out. We landed in the cemetery, it was a little strange.