American Idol baby!

That's right! We got Idol tickets to the season finale show! Dallin and Kalani decided to come with us for this once in a lifetime opportunity. We got to the line pretty early, but it was already about 2 blocks long, so we were a little worried about getting in. Luckily it wasn't too hot this week, so waiting in line for 2 1/2hours wasn't too bad. We got our tickets and went to lunch, then went to the Nokia Theatre where they had the red carpet show and all that. It was so cool to walk in and see the same stage and lights and everything that you see on TV. That place is huge and time flew by and before we knew it the show was starting. We were sitting in the middle section on the floor, the second row from the back. It was AMAZING! I have to admit I got pretty excited when the contestants walked out on stage. If any of you watched the show you'll know that they had a lot of great performers there. It was REALLY LOUD too! Sorry I don't have any pictures, but they don't allow cameras or cell phones in the theatre. Here are a few off the official website:


David Archuleta with One Republic. Best performance of the night!




Randy, Paula and Simon. Tyler has met Simon Cowell before and says he actually is a really nice person.

David Cook and ZZ Top. Another great performance! Those guys still know how to rock!

This was a beautiful performance and Kalani and I both started missing our kids really bad!

Very intense! And the winner is.... David..... Cook!

Awesome show! We did a lot of standing and screaming and clapping. It was definetly worth standing in line for. Now, I just want to get tickets for So You Think You Can Dance! If I do, will anyone go with me?

Sea World

Our season passes have come in really handy when family comes to visit. We love it every time we go. Who's coming next month so we can go again?

It was SOOOO HOT that afternoon! We were all very excited and relieved to get splashed by the dolphins!
All the kids really loved petting the dolphins and getting close to them. Halle said they felt like a green bean. One of the trainers said "I've never heard that one before, usually kids say they feel like a hot dog." I think she's right. They do feel like a green bean.

Happy Birthday Tyler!

All Tyler wanted for his big day was a Rock Band par-tay with his awesome co-workers! We had food, fun, and lots of good laughs (especially when Tyler tries to sing) Just kidding babe! Happy Birthday!

Happy Mother's Day

We had a great low key Mother's Day. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Donovin brought me a flower with his picture in it from nursery, and it melted my heart! Halle made me lots of great pictures and cards in school and at church. Tyler made us all a delicious spaghetti dinner. It was a great day, and I felt very loved and appreciated. I love being a mother and am so greateful I can be home with our kids all the time. Seeing our kids grow up so fast remids us that we need to enjoy each moment, good or bad. I loved Elder Ballard's talk "Daughters of God" in the last general conference. He quotes: "There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood." I found his whole talk to be so uplifting and inspired as I'm sure all mothers did.
Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Paint, Duct Tape and Imagination

Tyler is the cutest dad EVER! I can not tell you how blessed I am that I have him as a husband. He is always coming up with fun little projects for Halle and Donovin to do. He loves to spend time with them and plays with them every spare second he gets. He's such a great dad and so much fun. Take a look at what he and Halle did Saturday afternoon while Vinny and I were konked out on the couch...

The treadmill box has been sitting in our garage for the last couple of weeks waiting to be turned into a fort, or so Tyler thought. I guess Halle's big blue eyes convinced him otherwise.



The kids love their "playhouse" as they call it. Tyler got inspiration by looking at pictures of little play houses on-line that were darling, but cost as much as a mortgage payment. The kids seem to love the cardboard box just as well and I don't have to feel bad if they loose interest in it.



Vinny popped his head out of the window and said "Heh-yo!" In Vinny talk, that means hello. Don't you love the charming little window boxes?



Tyler adding the window to the door and the mail slot. We had to make sure to take the house inside once all the paint was dry or else it would be turned into someone's real house under the 405! So sad, but true.



I asked Tyler why he is so cute and how he comes up with all these fun ideas for the kids. He said he guessed it's because he's just a big kid at heart. Our kids are so lucky to have such an amazing daddy!

7 Random Things About Me...

My sis Carley tagged me with this one. It took me a while to come up with 7 things that were interesting enough about me to post. They still aren't very interesting, so... sorry :)

1. I LOVE needles and blood! One of the reasons I wanted to be a nurse so badly is so I could give people shots, start IV's and draw blood. I also really enjoy watching surgeries and births. Tyler does NOT appreciate or share my passion :)

2. I love grocery shopping.

3. I get very irritated and anxious when my home is cluttered and messy.

4. I hate taking any kind of medication. I have to be REALLY sick before I'll consider taking anything.

5. I love, love, love my treadmill and have walked on it 3-4
days a week for the last 6 1/2 years. It is my stress release and the only way I stay "sane". Hey, it's cheaper than therapy, right? I just had to reaplace my old one :( It had a good run, but I LOVE my new one even more :) Isn't she a beaut?

6. I want to learn how to play the guitar, and sew. I really wish I knew how to sew.
.


7. I just started reading the Old Testament cover to cover for the first time in my life, and I'm really enjoying it! I highly recommend the Family edition the Church has published. It is excellent!

Now, I will tag... Mary, Kalani and Rod

The Beach, A Party, and a Talent Show.....

We had a great Saturday together! This weekend was VERY warm, so we were excited when some friends from our ward called up and invited us to go to the beach.

All the kids really enjoyed digging in the sand.....

and playing in the water. The first time we went to the beach Donovin didn't want anything to do with the water, but now we can't seem to get him out, even when his lips are blue from being so cold! Halle is also a brave little thing and dives right in. They both love the ocean!

So, after we got back from the beach it was a little after 2 and Halle had a B-day party to go to for a boy in her class. The poor kid got sick and had to sit out for most of his own party :( Poor guy.

So...then we had to go home and make some brownies for the ward activity which was a talent show. Tyler signed up to show one of his old college short films, and dazzled us all with his wit and charm as the MC. He was really funny! Great job Ty!


The ward missionaries (us included) signed up to do a pie eating contest to promote the ward mission plan P.I.E. which stands for Prepare, Invite and Excitify! We're really trying to get ward members excited about sharing the gospel with others, and had a whole sacrament dedicated to the new ward mission plan and thought this would be a great way to promote it. The Elders even got in on the action!




So, I didn't win, but had fun anyway. I couldn't stop laughing and was afraid pudding was going to come out of my nose at some point. I was SO sick after and don't think I'll be able to look at, or eat chocolate pudding for a long time!


Nice huh? Thanks Jen for taking the pics for us!

So...it was a busy and really fun day for us. I love it when the weekend comes and we get to spend time together.