Hot Springs (& a Christmas pic)

This hike to the Fifth Water Hot Springs last weekend was super awesome. It's a 5 mile (roundtrip) trail to the hot springs, but 4 miles down the canyon from the trail, there was a gate. We weren't expecting a 13 mile hike and it was already 4PM. So we start walking (through the snow, they don't plow the road above the gate) not really knowing how far we'd get. 3.5 miles later I tell Steve we probably better turn around because I'm not sure Wyatt can make it all the way and it's going to get cold and dark. Wyatt's like "We are NOT turning around, that would be a total waste of our time. I want to go to the hot springs!" SO - once again, little Wyatt drags his parents along on a hiking adventure. It was so worth it. We loved the hot springs! And it was a blast hiking in the dark w/Wyatt. We got back to the car @ 9:30pm(ish) and Wyatt was passed out less than a minute after we got in the car. Haha Love this boy.

Wyatt pre-6AM Christmas morning...

Musical measles

Thanks Primary kiddos. You guys are the best.

The Grim Reaper

Wyatt's costume w/ the glowing eyes was awesome as we walked around in the dark to trick-or-treat. Not so awesome however for the daytime parties, etc. b/c his hood/mask completely covered that adorable face.


We had a fun Halloween, Steve and I were able to hit a couple fun parties this year. I don't have pics of Steve's or my costume. I was a flapper (thanks Ambie for the lend) and Steve was the crazy/yelling BYU fan w/his daughter on his shoulders. He fished his BYU sweatshirt costume out of Lake Powell when we were just there for U.E.A. and he pinned a cabbage patch doll to his shoulders. haha Gotta love Steve-o. :)))

So much for me

This pretty much captures how I'm feeling right now as I transition from SAHM to full-time professional.

Thoughts:
1- I forgot how much pressure it is to work in a demanding job.
2- It is awesome to have the opportunity to really use my experience/expertise again and learn so much more thats new too. I'm grateful for my job and I know that someday (hopefully sooner rather than later) it will feel easier than it does right now.
3- It is hard to give up mommy-stuff. All the stuff I used to think was frustrating/monotonous I already miss. And going a full day without seeing Wyatt breaks my heart. Hopefully there won't be as many of those days in the future as there has been the last week or so.
4- Steve is amazing. He is my rock. He is my assistant. He is my best friend. He is an amazingly patient listener as I regularly spew my stress on him. He is incredibly supportive and doing a better job at home than I ever did.
5- I need home-cooked food. Steve picked up a lot of the home load but he doesn't cook. I have eaten out practically 100% for 10 days and its disgusting.
6- I'm tired. I want to plan weekend trips and little vacays like we're so used to but the truth is I'm exhausted and would rather sleep.
7- I'm SO GLAD that I made the decision to stay at home w/Wyatt while he was young. I remember really worrying that if I gave up my career to stay at home would I ever be able to get it back? It was a hard decision for me b/c I loved my career so much. But while I was a SAHM I always knew it was right. I can never get those years back and I'm so glad that I gave them to Wyatt and not some corporation.
8- This weeks goal: Fit "me" into my life again. I guess that means 5:30AM for my daily run. And I will at least take a short hike this weekend somewhere. And I must figure out how to get "make dinner" back in my agenda.
9- Transitions and big changes are steSSSful but exciting and I'm feeling so excited and grateful.

First Day Second Grade

Look how excited Wyatt is for his first day of second grade!

Summer's Last Hurrah @ East Canyon

We camped @ East Canyon this past weekend with my sis & her fam.

It was tubing weather (windyyyy/choppy lake)...

Wyatt and cuz Ben finally got smart & wore goggles so they could actually see through the "splashy problem" <--Wyatt's term :)

Nate enjoys the tube

So bouncy & fun haha

Kristin's second? time on a wakeboard


This is from a different day, but look how sweet & innocent Wyatt is. ;)

Grandparents RULE!

Grandma & Grandpa D have a great thing going on that we call "Grandma Grandpa day". Every other Tuesday they invite Wyatt to a fun activity, once a month it's just grandma, grandpa & Wyatt and once a month its all the (Utah) grandkids together. They've had some good times together at Liberty Park, hiking, live performances/plays or just hangin' at their house watching America's Funniest Videos (Wyatt laughs his HEAD off at this show). G/G day is AWESOME. Wyatt looks forward to it.

Their latest adventure was at Timpanogas cave...




Grandma Barbs took Wyatt to the Sandy Balloon festival awhile back and got some cute pics...


Donut Falls w/just the 3 of us...

Karate Recital

Wyatt is a blue belt! on his way to "ninja"! haha


Wyatt performs "Short 1":


Wyatt's Sensei breaks a board with a tornado kick:

MHS Class of '90 twenty years later.... :)

Steve in the glory days... hahahhahaha Oh my gosh. This is too much fun for me right now.




Steve was on the reunion committee (class officer in HS) so that means we were first to arrive/last to leave at all reunion events this past weekend.
Class of '90 in 2010...


Saturday evening dinner @ Grand America


Friday evening picnic @ Murray Park

Saturday morning golf tournament

By some miracle I won the Womens Longest Drive contest


It was a fun weekend. Murray Spartans are some of the best people around! :)

Wildflower-a-palooza!!!

Hit the Albion Basin (Cecret Lake) this week. Unbelievable beauty. We kept talking about how awesome it is to live in Utah and how we wouldn't rather live anywhere than right here and how people travel across the country to see this sight and here it is in our own backyard. I LOVE UTAH THE GREATEST PLACE ANYWHERE. (Ya, so I've never lived anywhere else but I don't think I'd want to... I've travelled around a bit and nowhere compares to the diversity and natural wonders of Utah.)




What kind of mother lets her kid try to catch "dinosaur lizard fishes" in the freezing mountain lake? haha

Why I hate ward softball...

Steve tore his hamstring at ward softball the other night. The dude doesn't know how to play with anything less than 110%. And there's just something about ward softball that doesn't agree w/Steve. A few years ago he broke his ankle/tore ligaments at ward softball! So thats it! I'm exerting my wifely authority (BAH!) and no more softball for Steve-o. It's messing up all my summer plans... :( poor me. haha j/k

Fun hiking sans Steve...

Lake Mary

Lake Martha

Lake Catherine

Overlooking Albion Basin

Sunset Peak