Trip to California

I was so happy when my sister Kami called and invited us to go with anyone who wanted to go to California for a few days and have some fun. The first night we got to california (wed) Mike and I went to an Angels Vs Red Socks major league baseball game. Unfortunately the Red Socks didn't win but it was a fun experiance as this was a first for both of us. The next day we went with my mom, and siblings Kami and her Family, Sundee and her family, and Ryan and is family to Disney Land for the day. I think all the kids including Keylee thought they had died and gone to heaven. It was a lot of fun. The 3rd day we went to California Adventure and the fourth day we went to the beach and then home. We had so much fun getting to do this with everyone and hope to do it again some day!
Mike outside of Angels Stadium

Mike and I waiting for the game to start

Keylee posing by the window of our hotel room. We stayed at Holiday Inn which was just 2 miles from Disney Land.

Entrance to Disney Land

Keylee, Kolby and Brinley can't believe they are actually at Disney Land!

Brin, Mike, Keylee, and Kolby having a frozen bananna

Look! its Princess Keylee and with her Prince Rayne standing in front of their magical castle at Disney Land.

Tea Cups

Keylee,Rayne, Brailee, and Kolby all look so excited as they wait in line for "Its a small world".

me and keek waiting in line for space mountain

Kami and Preston on one to the rides at California Adventure

Keylee, Kolby,Kasun, and Brindley posing in front of the pretty flowers

Mike's thinking about it

This was one of Keylee's favorite places at C. Adventure, but then again she loves anything to do with water.

where's the water?

now I think I know what it must be like to be a bug!

Brinley resting on her favorite poscicle bench at C. Adventure

Mike,Preston, and Kallie thinking about which ride to go on next as they rest and have a snack.

Wow! it goes on forever!

This was one of my favorite rides. I highly reccomend it!

Keylee, Brin , and grandma praying they don't get soaked on the grizzly run rafting ride at California Adventure.

Rayne and Keylee going back to the hotel on the bus

Kallie Sue with her mom on the bus

Grandma and Landon having some licorich on the bus

Mike and I had a chance to go on a date while in cali friday night. We went to Tony Roma's and had some good grub then we went to Disney Land and went on a few more final rides.

Lets go to the Beach!

Rayne getting ready to toss some sand

Brailey having the time of her life at the beach!

Lets make a sand caslte.

Mic just kickin it at the beach

Brin has no problem helping Kach and Keylee burry themselves in the sand at Huntington Beach

"Help, I'm burried alive!!"

Kasey, Ryan, and Mike at Hunington Beach

Cute, sleepy kids waiting for their dinner at Joe's

This is Mike with his yummy meal from Joe's. He got deep fried halibut, which was to die for!

This was my meal; Crab stuffed shrimp. It was a nice delicious end to our fun family trip.

Girls Weekend

So my sister Sundee invited the sisters and cousins to go to her house in St. George and have a girls weekend. We had a lot of fun. First we started off the night by eating dinner at Olive Garden and laughing our heads off the entire time. Then we went to Sundee's and had Margaritas (virgins of course) and snacks, went swimming at the pool house and stayed up late talking and joking all night. We had a lot of fun. It was especially fun to catch up with Ashlee and Candy since we don't see these girls as much anymore. Thanks Sundee for the fun weekend.
Ashlee, me, and Kami

Sundee and Candy

Mindee and Sylvia

Sundee and the mean Swan

Just lounging around

Gary invited Mike to go on a fourwheeling trip with him and his sons to Molly's nipple for an overnigt camping trip. Mike said he had a lot of fun on this trip and got to see some really pretty country.

Mike thinking about how much he's going to miss me while he's gone.

Gary loading up the fourwheelers

Mindee and Mom came down to toquerville to visit the weekend or so after Easter. It was so fun to get to see them, the new babe Heston and Mars Bars. We had a lot of fun eating some lunch and having a visit.

Baby Heston your as cute as pumkin pie.

Grandma with brand new baby Heston

Mars and Keek jeepin'

Eden

I got the opportunity to go up north for 1 week to complete what is called "Eden" training and become an Eden certified member for the facility I work at in Hurricane. It is so hard to describe what the Eden program is all about. Basically it is about creating a better quality of life for the elders/elderly that we work with also a better quality life for employees. I learned so much and so many tools at this conferance not only that I could use at my job, but in my daily life (marriage, child rearing, etc.) it was such an eye opening experiance to just everything. I seriously don't know how to explain it, but I feel forever changed. Only a select few have been chosen to go to these trainings, so you can imagine how grateful I felt to get the opportunity to participate in this. Here are some pics of my experiance there. This is a picture of me and Tracy with our boss Gary Kelso and Marla our Eden trainer, after completing our week up north.

This is me with my team members "The Red Team". Each of us were from different sister facilities so none of us new each other. There was also a state surveyor in our group as well (scary), no she really was a sweet girl and it was fun to get to know her and kind of change my perspective on some myths on what surveyors intentions and regulations really are. My group was the best group to be in , I really believe we had the most fun out of everyone. It was neat to get to know these ladies and find out more about there facilities and responsibilities.

This is me participating in a skit with one of my team members. I played the nurse and she played the elderly woman in a wheelchair. All teams had to put together a 10min skit to present on our last day of training.

watch out, it's the sprinkler!!

Me and Tracy at Olive Garden after a long day of Eden training

These are all people that I work with and whom I traveled with up north for training. Kenny and his wife Kathy, Tracy, and me eating dinner at TGIFridays in Salt Lake. We had a lot of fun getting to participate in the Eden program and hang out for a week.

Easter was really fun this year. My family came down friday night and we had steak and coconut shrimp dinner at our house. It was fun to get to visit with everyone and have a yummy meal. The next day (sat) the easter bunny came and brought us candy. Keylee was glad the the easter bunny was able to find Grandma Linda since she slept over at our house. Saturday we went to Sundee's place in St. George and had a yummy Easter lunch and an egg hunt for all the cousins. Sunday we went to church and after we went up to Zions with Mikes sister,her hubby and kids. It was a really fun weekend.

Emerald Pools

Mike and Marissa checking their heart rate to be sure they don't over exert themselves.

strike a pose!

Crossing the bridge to hike up Emerald Pools.

Riding on the Bus to go on a hike.

Jason, Keylee, Marissa

As we walked out our front door sunday we had a plesant surpise when an annonimous someone left easter eggs on our front lawn. It was fun to see Keylee enjoy her own egg hunt in her pretty Easter dress.

Dad and Keylee Easter Sunday on the way to church.

Keylee and mom Easter Sunday on the way to church.

Cousins waiting patiently with there Easter bags

Look at those yummy Easter eggs!

Keylee and Grandma Linda the saturday before Easter 2009. We had so much fun when grandma came to sleep over.

Keylee in her Easter outfit getting ready to go to Easter lunch.

Meet the newest member of our family. Bailey Bell Backus. She is a pure breed Boxer puppy. We got her from American Fork. We are so excited to have her and are already having sooo much fun with her.

Keylee with her new friend.

Spring has Sprung. This is my favorite time of year down here when we get to start haning out in the yard and getting ready for the plant and garden season.

We've already planted the garden. I must say it feels wierd to start it this early,but we've learned if you don't get a head start, then it just gets too hot. We planted tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini squash, cantalope, green beans, broccoli, onions, and beets. It is a small garden,but a good size for our small family.

These are herbs; basil, cilantro, chives, tyme, and also a jalapeno peeper plant. I just started growing herbs the last few years and what a differance it is to cook/bake with fresh herbs. If you haven't tried growing herbs before, don't be intimidated, I have found that I can use them in lots of different recipes.

Mike turned 28 years old on 3-3-09. He has me make his favorite; German Chocolate cake every year. Happy Birthday hun.

I AM SO SMART S*M*R*T. This is keylee being smart with her dads glasses on (more like smart A##). She likes to impersinate her dad. She freaks me out when she puts them on cause she looks just like him. This was the first weekend we've been home in a while so it was nice to just hang out and be silly. I love you my silly kek.

Valentines Day we drove with Mikes sis , her hubby Eric and my sweet neice Marrissa to Las Vegas to meet his other sis Carrie and her Husband Steve. They live in Montana so it was fun to get to have dinner with them and visit a while. We all try to get together at least once a year. We always have so much fun when we do.

Marissa and Eric

Keylee and her cuz Jason had fun hanging out at grandma and grandpa's while we took the trip to Vegas for the day.

Congratulations Mom and Cordell. Feb 7th 2009