Because we are worth it.

 We all do the same things pretty much everyday. Wake up, get dressed, go to work, clean house, fold laundtry, take care of kids, yada yada etc. It's the business of life. I think it's very important to break out of those routines as often as life allows, that is when you discover the beauty of being you, and not becoming slaves to our never-ending lists of tasks.Also, in family life with kids clammoring for your attention, there is not much time to sit, think, and just be. So take some time to adventure, put something fun on your list that you have wanted to do for a long while. You will not regret it. You might regret it if you don't. Gary and I checked some of those fun things off on our lists that we have been meaning to do for a long while now. We got to do a whole afternoon date, just the very two of us. We hopped off to the bistro on main in bountiful, where we got to sit, eat, and talk without any distractions.The bistro was perfect and very vintage. Billie Holiday played in the background and senior citzens were all around us. It was a picture perfect date for Gary and I. It was a lovely time. We also decided to do something that has been on our list for what seems like forever. We went and had our very own little reunion with Gary's old friends and roommates from the band Day Two. We felt like we took the time traveling machine back to the time when we were 19 again ha ha! It was pretty awesome seeing all his old pals again, mosh pitting and doing backflips off of the stage.

(I had to borrow this photo, I forgot my own camera)

Here's to great weekends, and taking time to check fun things off our lists!

Life's no walk in the park.

I just want to put this out there because it has been something that has been on my mind lately. Life is not perfect, people are not perfect. Just because someone posts a bunch of  awesome pictures on their blog/ facebook of them on a beach, or on top of a mountain, doesn't mean that their life is always that cool or that they aren't struggling with some kind of  trial in their life. I am not perfect. I love taking pictures of my kids and our adventures together but we have lots of moments when it's chaotic and hard. Families are not always easy. You  learn how to love unconditionally and to serve others. Which is not always easy, might I add. It's so easy now a days to compare yourself to others via the internet and being able to see everyone else's life through their photos. I just think it's really important to remember that we are all individuals at different times in our lives, struggling with different trials. We are here to learn from our mistakes and to try with all our might to become better each day. Comparing yourself to another can be counter-productive in our journey to being a better version of ourselves, and it can lead to sadness or a feeling of not good enough. Well for what it's worth, we are good enough. And nobody is better than anyone else. Not even if you have a picture of yourself  in an ocean surrounded by dolphins, rainbows, and beautiful sunsets! Every person in this world is important and it is not measured in photos. Everyone is awesome :)

Baby you're a firework!

There are so many things to be excited about on the fourth of July, parades, taffy, picnics, fireworks, carnivals, dressing the kiddies up in red, white, and blue. Besides taffy getting thrown at my head and firework ash landing on my arm, the day was pretty darn perfect. We went to the Kaysville parade, oh how we have missed it! They have the best water fight at the end, and the kids get lots of little candies and prizes in their pockets. We met up at Aunt Gloria's, her house is perfect walking distance to the parade and fireworks, so we just parked in her driveway and walked down with the cousins. The entire day our theme song was " Baby you're a firework!" by katy perry. We are a singing family when we get excited (including Gary) Ha ha!

Notice Jonah's face? Ha ha! He needed a nap, he took one shortly after this picture was taken.

I couldn't believe he could fall asleep in all of that noise!

Aunt Summer came to the parade with us

Grandma Jen & Papa Shane also joined in the fun!

Ryker was so into grabbing all the goods this year! He got dozens of taffies, lots of necklaces, a frisbee, and other random stuff. Ha ha!

Gary and Ryker at the water fight .They got soaked! These big trucks were just spraying people like crazy!!

After a picnic at the park with aunts, uncles, and cousins, we went swimming at our favorite pool this year:
Grandma Al's. My kids love swimming at Grandma Al's pool. Even Jonah is getting really good at it! Violet usually just scales the wall, and Ryker is really into diving to the bottom of the pool to retrieve his swim toys.

 My cute family :)

 Jonah buggs was swimming! The puddle jumper helped alot.

 He was kickin his little chubby legs and loving every minute of it!

 After the pool it was off to the fireworks!!!

 Cousins

 All tuckered out from a long day! I just love how they fell asleep with their foreheads together ha ha!

Happy Fourth!