Summer 2012

It is almost October and I am finally blogging our summer events.  This post is long with a lot of picture but keep in mind that I am blogging 3 months worth of fun!!  We left Wyoming at the end of May and returned to our new home, town and jobs in August. We are now living in Basin, WY.  Nate is teaching Spanish, and is the assistant boys bball coach. I am teaching PE, and am the assistant girls bball coach.

Now for the summer.....We started it off right, Vegas style.  We went with my sisters family (Chattertons'), and Benji and Rebecca.  We took the boat, stayed in a condo and had a blast.  Here we are on Lake Mead.

Burying Carson in the sand

Melissa and Jessie

Captain Chris

Devin

Rebecca and I

Carson 

106 degrees when we left the lake

Lazy River at the Condo

Going out on the town

If you haven't ever been to the Melting Pot you need to experience it at least once in your lifetime.  It is a fondue place, it is fun and the food is amazing.  Its a 4 course meal and every course is fantastic.  

Cheese Fondue=LOVE

Different types of meat that you cook yourself right in front of you

Dessert: cheesecake, brownies, bananas, strawberries, coconut covered marshmallows, 

rice crispy treats then we dipped them in 2 different kinds of chocolate. I'm not a big 

chocolate fan but I definitely was of this. I want to go back just for the dessert!

 Inside of the Belagio

Fremont Street:  We had a blast on Fremont Street.  There was a lot 

going on: concerts, street performers, food, and zip linging.

We said "farewell" to Conner as he left 

for his mission in Manchester, England

Our next fun adventure took us to OKLAHOMA to visit Nate's family.  Below Nate is having a great time shooting a possum with a pellet gun.

Catching fireflies

From Oklahoma we went to Texas to visit my sister Britt and her family.  We stayed for 5 days and while we were there we celebrated Z and Zareya's third birthday.  We also got to see Britt and Rod's new baby Jerzy.  She is a little angel!!  We had so much fun playing with all the kids!!  They love Nate and I so much and we love them right back.  Thanks for the fun visit Ceasars!!

                                              Zari


                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                Z: wow he melts my heart
                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                             Azlyn 

                                                                             Marley

                                                   Azzy brusing Nate's goatee; so funny!

                                                                    Melissa and Zari

                                                                   Nate with Z and Zari

                                                                           Me and Z

                                                         Slumber party watching Tangled

                                                                     Nate with Jerzy

                                                                        Azzy and Zareya

Our last stop in the south was Missouri.  Nate, Leslie (Nate's Mom), and I went to Branson, Missouri for a few days.  We went to a restaurant called Lamberts: Home of the throwed rolls the first day we were there.  It was such a fun place and the food was southern goodness.  They definitely live up to their name because they do throw rolls all over the place.  Two boys came out and they say hot rolls and if you want a one, you just raise your hand and here it comes.  It is a must if you are ever in Missouri.

Leslie then took us to the Price is Right live show. Its just like the Price is Right without Drew Carey and the prizes aren't as big.  We had front row seats and we heard "Leslie Hartsock come on down you are the next contestant on the Price is Right."  She was on contestants row!!  Sadly she didn't bid the right price so she didn't get on stage.  It was super exciting though. Afterward we got to spin the big wheel and Nate took a picture with the cast. We loved our little trip with Leslie. Thanks again for taking us to Branson!

The next few pictures are of the half marathon that I did this summer.  My family didn't do a great job of taking too many pictures of my while I was running but they were there at the finish line cheering me on.  I loved training for the half and had a fabulous time running it with Kimmi.  It was tough but well worth it!!

I have found a new love in my life:TENNIS, thanks to my sister Trish.  She got me playing tennis and I played on a tennis team this summer.  I played with some super fun ladies!!  We got first place in the Idaho Falls league so we got to go to Boise for state.  We ended up getting third there and had so much fun doing it. I played doubles most of the year with my partner being Trish. I also played a few times with my good friend Kari.

The team chillin at Smash Burger

Me and Kari after one of our matches

Trish and I posing for a pic

My team at PF Changs

Trish, Caly, Melissa

I love this picture of my team

Some of my family went to my parents cabin in Island Park for a few days.  We went to West Yellowstone 

and Old Faithful one of the days. Here are a few pics from it.  

Londyn

Twins?  Nope just mother and daughter

Last time boating for the summer....ahh I miss it!

Getting Ready to Wakeboard

Typical Benji climbing on the Porta Potty to jump off

So that was our great summer.  If you stuck it out and made it until the end of this super long post I thank you!  We love teaching and we love having summers off even more.  Thanks to all our family for letting us stay with you over the summer.  Maybe next time I won' try to post 3 months worth of life into 1 post.

One Amazing Lady

I was lucky enough to have my mom visit me on Mothers Day.  Maybe a little backwards since I probably should be visiting her but we were to happy to have her at our house to celebrate what an amazing lady she is!!  I think that most people out there believe that they have the best mother in the world, but I actually do.  My sisters tell me that I am a lot like my mom, a little ditsy, gullible, crazy, and fun.  I know that they say that to make fun of me, but I take it as a compliment.  My mother is so kind and caring and always thinks of others before herself.  She is an avid sports fan and has supported me in my many years as a player and now continues to do so as I coach.  She plans her days around basketball games and will travel any amount of miles to go see a game.  She might have even faked sick as a missionary to stay home to watch a BYU basketball game.  LOL!!  She loves her grandkids and they adore her.  My mom is also a great friend.  She is always the first one I call when I'm having a bad day, when something goes wrong or when I something great happens in my life.  My mom can get a little crazy at times and can make me laugh harder than anyone I know.  She is always up for a game and will make anything that you want to eat, at almost anytime.  She is an amazing cook and always wants to know what special things I want her eat when I come home to visit.  A few of my favorite foods that she makes are orange rolls, meatloaf, bacon powder biscuits, sweet and sour chicken, and chocolate morsel pie.  My mom has always taught me by example and I am grateful for her faithful membership in the church.  She puts the Lord first in her life and lives what she believes.  I am the baby in the family and yes my mom still spoils me and I love it!!  My family teases me about being the still being my moms baby, and no matter how old I get I will always be her baby!!  Thanks for all you do mom.  I love you!!

V DAY

This year for Valentines Day Nate and I decided that we would give each other gifts that didn't cost. So I began thinking about what I wanted to do and of course searching pinterst for ideas. I found a few things I liked and went with it. I ended up spending about $5. I just got a few of his favorite candies and made some little saying with them and then stuffed them in a jar that I decorated. I thought they were all pretty cute even though he wasn't super excited about them.

Then I made him the cards below with 52 reasons why I love him on them. Although it was pretty simple it took a lot of time. I think that I like them more than he does but what can I really expect from a man.... Anyways these are the things I made for him (sorry about the quality of the pictures, I had some bad lighting or something).

This is what Nate gave me...He was home sick all day on Valentines Day and he spent part of the day putting this together for me. If you can't exactly tell what this creation is he got 2 flowers, sticks and put donut holes on the end of them (since we weren't suppose to spend much many he figured donut holes were much cheaper than flowers). Then on each of the donut hole's sticks there were coupons for things he would do for me or take me to do. Some of them said "good for 1 free foot message" "good for one free breakfast or your choice" "take you out to lunch." I loved his idea and thought it was so cute and creative. Since Nate was sick we stayed home Valentines night and I made him homemade chicken noodle soup. It was simple but fun. I have an amazing husband and am grateful that I was able to show him how much I love him.