November 2014

Jared needed to meet with a client in Page, AZ, so we decided to stay in Kanab, just an hour or so away, and volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. I love that place! Our first volunteer session was spent with the Seniors where my mom and I volunteered last time we went. This time my obsession was Cowboy. We took him on a walk and there was this one spot that he would not quit digging. He stuck his entire head in the hole he dug, then would start digging again. They said he’s known for being an expert ground squirrel catcher. There must have been something there that we couldn’t see or hear.

I hope he finds or has already found his forever home where he can dig to his heart’s content. Then Jared walked this silly guy that preferred to walk himself by carrying his leash in his mouth.

This funny one loved to chase lights. We saw him pawing at the sun on the ground as we opened and closed his kennel, then realized what he was doing. Jared got out his phone and we made the light go all over that kennel. He never got tired of this game. Ever.

The next morning while Jared and Jess were in Page, Joan and I volunteered with the puppies. We went on lots of walks with them, and cleaned their enclosures.

Then we ate lunch at the sanctuary. They provide a vegan buffet for $5. It’s not delectable food, but it is, in my opinion (others didn’t share this opinion), quite delicious and to me it was fun to try vegan meatloaf and such. This is the view from the balcony where we ate lunch.

Jared and Jess made it back for the afternoon session. We all volunteered together with the dogs. There’s an area where all the dogs are green collars, meaning that they are safe and friendly, which is what I needed being pregnant so the dogs wouldn’t jump up on me. Many of these dogs, while friendly, are skittish. They came from hoarding situations and are scared of human interaction. To help this they have volunteers hand feed them. I love dogs, but I couldn’t hand feed them. Some of them required mushy food and I was still in my extremely queasy months of pregnancy and the thought made me want to throw up. I watched Jared and Jess interact with them as they fed them and these dogs are just so sweet. You want to hug them and love on them and show them that humans are okay, but they are so scared you can’t even lift your hand to pet their heads.

Now this sweet Katrina was NOT scared of humans. She’s been there for many years, and is the smartest of the bunch. You can sneeze and she’ll get you a tissue from a box, among other incredible tricks. She loves to play soccer. Generally you’re not allowed to throw toys for the dogs because it gets kennel mates too riled up and they’re afraid they’ll fight or something. But Katrina’s kennel mate is so terrified of life that they knew it wouldn’t be a problem and so she and I played soccer. Jared joined in the fun as well.

Messy face after a very long game of soccer.

She was upset we stopped playing with her and threw this bed all around inside. She was doing this before we played, which is why they asked us to play with her and get her energy out. Apparently it wasn’t enough for her.

Her kennel mate, Sonatra, was iffy on coming in the dog door with all her ruckus.

Back home to normal life after that. With no newly adopted dogs in tow, and happy to be back home with this sweetie.

Fun at Trafalga.

Football games. This was a rainy and cold game that I didn’t attend. Don’t ask me how Jess can just fall asleep in the cold rain in the noise of a football game.

Got a cute picture of baby at 12 weeks.

Every day after school we have anywhere between 5-8 kids at our house. I love that Halle’s friends enjoy being here, and it’s something that I always wanted. To be the fun house where friends and family enjoy spending time and can feel so much joy here. I’m so glad I don’t work anymore and can be here for this. Here Maggie, Emma, Lindsay, and Halle are dancing to Thriller. I also got the entire dance on video. I love that they’re not too shy to dance in front of me.

On Thanksgiving I officially told my brother and sister that I’m pregnant. We did Thanksgiving at my house with just mom, dad, and Dustin and his family. The food was delicious. Halle said I made the best mashed potatoes she’s ever had. The turkey was amazing, and it was all around fun to be together, though we missed Erin and family greatly.

After this only 4 weeks until Christmas!

October 2014

My mom and I went to a local farm to pick up some pumpkins and yummy squash. We found out they still had raspberries and they just hand you a container to go out and pick them. Eli had a blast.

On 10/4/14 we flew to Disneyland for the Utah vs UCLA game. Hall saw this rotary phone and didn’t have a clue what it was or how you use it.

As we ate breakfast that morning, we let the kids in on a little secret. I’m pregnant. I was only 5.5 weeks, but I’m the roller coaster and thrill ride girl, and Halle knows I’ll go on anything pretty much any amount of times with her. Jared can only handle once, maybe twice. So, she would be confused as to why I wasn’t riding a whole lot. We also told Jared’s family for the same reason. I had told my mom the very day I got the positive pregnancy test, so at least she already knew. The kids were pretty excited.

I downloaded a free charades type game on my phone to pass the time in lines.

This is pretty much the only fast ride I went on. I figured it’s just like a normal seatbelt and doesn’t go any faster than the car I was in to get from the airport to the hotel.

I’m guessing Utah won the game.

We had a character dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen. We don’t do the character meals too often because they are pricey, and the kids are kind of over the characters since we go a lot. They were thrilled to see the characters, and that was good.

Minnie forgot she already came by our table, so we got another picture.

We let them know Eli’s birthday was coming up, so they brought him a special pin, cupcake, and sang to him.

Jared is looking over to see what Eli thinks of Tower of Terror.

We have never seen Oswald at the parks, so it was REALLY cool. Nobody seemed to know who he was, so there was no line. He’s one of the very first characters Walt Disney created. He was owned by Universal Studios, where Walt was working at the time of creation. Walt and his colleague were separated from the Oswald project and secretly created a replacement character, Mickey Mouse. In 2006 Oswald was returned to the Disney company through a trade where sportscaster Al Michaels was let out of his ABC/ESPN contract and allowed to work for NBC (Universal). I think it’s all very interesting, but maybe nobody else cares. Moving on…

In these pictures you can see Jared with Halle, then Aunt Janene with Liam, and Grandma Joan with Eli on the Gadget Go-Coaster.

Jared wouldn’t let me go on the Roger Rabbit ride and this is me looking pathetic all by myself.

Halle thought it was pretty funny that she looks like she’s smelling her armpits.

We headed back to the hotel for a small nap and change of clothes for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party which Jess graciously offered to pay for everyone to attend. This is where you get in a costume and go trick or treating in Disneyland. Generally the lines are supposed to be shorter because less people are there. I’m pretty sure it was crazier that night than it was any other day. When we went in Disney World many years before it was quite magical. There weren’t lines for the characters (who were also dressed in costumes), and no lines for rides. Disneyland apparently didn’t limit their ticket sales enough.

I didn’t weigh our loot, but it was significant. I didn’t buy Halloween candy to give out, and just gave out this stuff. We STILL had extras which I sent with Halle to school on her pretend birthday celebration (since she has a summer birthday they pick a different day during the year). Her classmates consumed it all. Hallelujah.

Getting home from vacation requires naps. Love this snuggle bug who always insists he’s not sleepy.

We visited the new aquarium. Eli loved the penguins.

On 10/24 Eli celebrated his 4th birthday with friends. I took them to Gymcats open gym, then back to the house for cookies from the Sweet Tooth Fairy.

That night Joan took the kids bowling.

We got to dog sit for Jess and Joan. That’s Dash on the left with the black ears. He’s also an Italian Greyhound.

This is me with all three puppies – Patch, Dash, and Morrie. Sleeping at night in our bed was not pleasant.

Dash with Halle.

Another big football game, but I have no idea who we were against.

Jared and Jess went to NYC for business.

Good thing Jared was with Jess while he slept on the subway full of people that could easily steal anything off of him!

Macarons!!! I made Jared take a picture to prove that he hadn’t yet dropped, smashed, or barely cracked my macarons. Last time he went to NYC they made it all the way into the garage where he proceeded to drop them on the ground. They still taste the same, but it’s just not quite right when the beautiful shiny crusty outside is cracked before you even bite into it! Macarons I do not share. I hide them in the pantry from all family and friends, and eat them in 1-2 days by myself.

Finally time for Halloween.