Happy 4th

Yea, I know, today is like the 14th of July or something, but I have been partying like crazy the last week, so this is one of the first chances I have got to blog. I flew in a couple of days before the 4th. We didn't get to my parents till 2 am western time, which is 4:00 am Florida time. So I was pretty tired and my kids were exhausted. It took us 2 days to recover from that. So, on the 4th I ran in the Freedom Run, we went to the Provo Parade, had a fun lunch at my moms, Corey and Nicole came over and we watched fireworks. A great day! The only thing missing was Darren!

My mom with Gabe

So cute!!

My mom is the best.  I love her so much!!

 

Look at those cute kids!!

BYU! Darren's Alma Mater

Utah Valley University! My Alma Mater.  It felt so good to be in my home town where everything is so familiar! Everything has a story in my life.

I LOVED these horses.

Gotta love the bagpipes!

My beautiful mom and best dad ever.

And oh yes, my mom is wearing a sweater in the heat- it was cute though, and that's all that matters!

So tired!  Sleeping through the bagpipes and marching bands.

My kids, Paul is holding Nyeli, Athena's (my sister) cute baby

My mom made a fabulous lunch of waffles and strawberries, and whipping cream.

Darren's brother, Corey, and his wife Nicole, came to my moms.  It was great to visit and see there cute kids.  Their daughter Lacey is on Nicoles lap, and Remy is on Corey's. Remy is just a couple of weeks older than Gabe. 

Corey and Nicoles cute daughter, Sage.

Paul with fireworks.  We had to go to a church to light them because all the fireworks on the hill were banned. 

Freedom Run

I am super excited!  On the fourth of July I ran in the Provo Freedom run- by myself.  I ran the 5k.  Got up ran the race and got back at just the time my baby woke up and everyone else was getting up.  It felt great!  Races are the type of thing where you hear about it and think- "that would be so fun!!" So you sign up.  Then the night before you think, "This is stressful.  Why am I doing this?  I am so nervous.  I just want to sleep in. What was I thinking?"  Then during the race you really question yourself, "What in the world was I thinking?  This is fun?  I paid to do this?  Why am I torturing myself on my vacation!!??"  Then after the race, "That was awesome! That was so fun! I need to find another race to do next weekend!"

No, I didn't run with a baby. But I just had to hold him, he was to cute to resist.

I ran the 5k in 26:44.  Thats a 8:37 min mile folks.  Pretty good for me!  I was really happy with my time.  Especially since the whole last mile was a slight incline!! I wasn't quiet ready for that since everything in Florida is as flat as a pancake. I have been running almost every morning since then- I think I'll do another race. 

Testimony Meeting

Well, if you haven't noticed I pretty much have been gone for the last 2 weeks. I am in Utah for 5 weeks!  I frantically put my last pictures up on the blog, and haven't put any explanation or captions on the pictures.  I will get to that soon.  But first lets rewind 2 weeks- I was frantically trying to get ready to come on my summer vacation.   Flying to Utah with 4 kids.  Honestly it wasn't to bad except that Gabe was screaming so loud the stewardess came and got him and walked him up and down the isle.  Thank goodness for nice people.  Everyone on the plane and in the airport was so nice.  Probably because we were such a spectacle.   I didn't really want to pay $25 x 5 of us, so $125.00  to check our bags, and that's only one way.  No thank you.  I opted for us to carry on our luggage, so just imagine 3 kids, all with carry on luggage and a back pack, one mom with a back pack on, a carry on in one hand and a baby stroller in the other.  Needless to say  people everywhere offered to help me. 

I flew out on Sunday, after church.  We went to church that morning and it happened to be testimony meeting.  Paul shared his testimony.  He got up to the pulpit and this is how it went, "Right now at our house we are having... complications."  silence in the congregation.  Darren's eye's practically popped out of his head.  "We are flying to Utah today, the house is a MESS and my mom is really stressed!"  Then the congregation burst out in laughter.  The tension had been pretty high after he got up there and told the whole ward were having, "complications!"  It was the type of thing that is really funny, unless it's your kid.  After the meeting one of the Stake Counselors said, "I was really nervous when he said you were having complications, I thought, oh no, but when he said your problems are a messy house I was so relieved!  If  a messy house is your biggest problem then you must be doing pretty good!" 

So here I am now, in Utah a week and a half later.  It has been crazy fun!  We had the DeBry family reunion and I took tons of pictures, so stay tuned!  I'll be posting lots the next couple of days.

The Way Home

Deep Sea Fishing

Dinner at Sundowners