Concrete, Concrete, Concrete!!

I can't even begin to explain what a crazy experience we've had with our yard. Most of you probably remember the huge pile of concrete that we hauled out from our backyard when we moved in, and who can forget the bags of concrete that were left in the front yard. They got wet and set up. We ended up burying them in a retaining wall in our backyard just to get rid of them. You get very creative when you're in a pinch! It makes me very curious to know what all the concrete was originally intended for. Well, our most exciting concrete moment happened this year. We have this crazy rock wall in our front yard that we've been trying to love. It has just been sitting unfinished for four years, so this year we decided to work on it. The best solution we could come up with was to tear out the concrete edge that was intended for bricks, fill it in with dirt, and cover it with grass and bark. We actually got the job done pretty quickly, but the whole process was pretty messy. Our poor neighbors had to put up with concrete chunks scattered all around and the noise of our sledge hammers. Paul ended up taking 3,200 pounds of concrete to the dump. We were shocked, and didn't realize how much was actually there. I'm still learning to love the rock wall, but think it has a lot more curb appeal.

Our hard work complete!

This is a random picture of our first rose
We planted the bushes this year and were surprised to get roses


Our next yard project is a shed
We cleared out the weeds and dirt from the spot in our backyard
What we cleared out amounted to 2 tons at the dump!!

Finding shade on a hot day
One day our trees will give a lot of shade!

We Tried!

It's funny how you sometimes remember things much more different then they actually are. So Kara and I decided we wanted to go on a hike over Memorial Day weekend. Well, I recommended a trail that Paul and I had hiked a year ago that I was sure would be perfect for our group: three adults, 2 kids in a stroller, and four dogs. Well, I was very mistaken. The 3-foot wide trail that I could see in my head was actually a very narrow, steep trail with a lot of switch backs. Very impractical. So we gave it a really great attempt but had to raise our flag in defeat before reaching the top. I still had fun despite feeling a little embarrassed for dragging Kara on a crazy ride.

Happy Trails!!

Cousin Buzz

Our cute, little cousin Buzz came to visit!! We were so excited to have him for a whole week. We think he is just the cutest little thing. We had fun going on walks, lifting him into the car, eating bones, lifting him on our bed, and scratching his belly. One day we had all the dogs on our bed, and Paul and I were taking a nap. Buzz must have decided it was time to play, so he woke Paul up with a French kiss!!! If he wasn't so cute, he probably would have been kicked off the bed!!

Buzz, Steve & Dave
Three Buddies on Four Paws


Look at me, Look at me!!

Sweaty Smiley Face

Paul was a champ and accompanied me on a run this week. When we got home, I noticed that he had a sweaty smiley face on his back where the sweat had soaked his shirt. Kind of gross, but funny!!

You don't see this everyday!

Fishing on the Green River

Paul had a fun guys weekend on the Green River. He and Justin spent a couple of days fishing, riding on their pontoon boats, and sleeping under the stars. Paul said his favorite part of the trip, besides hanging out with Justin, was the beautiful scenery. He also enjoyed the one fish he caught!

You may have noticed his bright red shins and feet. This was a result of putting on the sunscreen after getting his feet in the water. He recommends putting it on and letting it soak in before getting wet. He was really sore and swollen for a few days and now is tan, peeling, and itchy!

Riding the Rapids


Fisherman Extraordinaire


Justin Caught Six Fishes!!


Paul's Fish - This picture is now his screensaver!

Monsters Vs. Aliens

My cute, little nephews and my sister Jaime invited me to see Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D. We had so much fun eating popcorn and dodging all of the objects that were flying towards us during the movie. My favorite part of the movie was the TALL girl saving the day.

Glasses on and ready for the show!


Colin making funny faces


Cute Camden

St. George

Paul and I had a fun weekend getaway. My company owns a condo in St. George, and we were able to stay in it. Great company!!

We started the fun off by mountain biking on the Gooseberry Mesa. Paul was extremely excited because it is rated as one of the best places to mountain bike in the world. We layered on the sun screen and spent the afternoon riding on the slick rock and jeep trail. There were a few steep areas on the rock that were scary, but I still had fun trying. We also got to eat at one of our favorite places in St. George, the Mongolian BBQ. So yummy!! It was so amusing to watch the people strategically stacking the noodles and veggies in their bowls. You could totally tell who the experienced diners were by the order in which they would stack the food. It was hilarious! We also got to see our friends Brent and Deanna. They were kind enough to let us come over for a Sunday BBQ. I enjoyed the tour of their big, beautiful home. I love "snooping" around in other people's houses. They also have the cutest girls who kept us laughing!!

Paul riding on the slick rock


Riding close to the edge


Pretty mountains in the background