sPf

*who doesn't luv summer...and if you don't please don't tell me because i'm in denial that someone could actually not luv this rockin time of year...

*vannah's first official "dance camp" at heritage high school...go belles! she went for three days with her cousin morgan and gave a legit performance to 'material girl'! cam had to pretty much straight jacket lucy because she wanted to get down on the floor and dance with her sis!

*parks, parks, parks

*lucy-lu saying hi to doggy's on their morning walks and "search, pondering, and praying" with her church books

*denver's SUMMER SOLSTICE RACE to fight melanoma. my sister amy flew into town to be apart of this race (like she has for the past 11 years). the race was founded in 2000 to focus the public's attention to the dangers of exposure to the sun (melanoma is significantly higher in colorado than the rest of the nation). it is in honor of kristin michelle o'connor (foundation) who died at the young age of 31 from skin cancer. founded by bruce fierst, her fiancee at the time of her death...who has become one of my sisters close friends. life is short...seems lately i've been learning that lesson more and more, you never know what path life is going to take you on. live and enjoy it. thanx bruce for letting us be apart of the amazing evening!

*jess, morgan dominated the fun run, marie coming straight from work to join in!

*we luv you daddy...get to playin that new Uke.

*what's the big deal it's JUNE right? WRONG! the count down is on for cam to be done with residency...he had his end of the year spring fling...coming off a 30 hour shift, he played some golf, had a picnic/softball game at the park downtown, and a fun night on the town with his end of the year banquet. we took the light-rail downtown and as we were riding, we realized we hadn't been out on a date since january, for his winter banquet...we are going to start working on that one. it's been quite a journey and i feel like a little kid waiting for christmas...i might actually make one of those paper chains for the year - one for each month!

a little bliss*

*bliss...so it's official and kinda short notice but we bought a house, packed up, unpacked, and MOVED IN! we luv our new house and our favorite part (besides the fact that it is within walking distance of my sister Jess!) the backyard! Vanny had some of her crew over this week for an afternoon of slip-n-slide! check out the video...sorry but i thought it was backyard classic :) *thanx em for taking vanny for the week, mom & dad for coming in for the weekend, sarah & tami for the extra hours you gave me to get things done kidless!

*bliss...cute cousins in matching outfits with chubby legs!

*bliss...falling asleep with Vanny on the couches after a long day of play.

*bliss...a weekend in Provo with bbf's Matt & Emily to participate in the Utah County Amazing Race. We hiked the Y, went down the Free Fall at Seven Peaks, rode tandem bikes around BYU campus at night, walked lamas, caught fish, ate a quart of ice cream in no time at all (pretty much did that one by myself), did some super fast bowling, canoed, rock climbed (wont go there), argued and yelled at each other just like they do on the show, rafted down the Provo River, biked up at Sundance, learned how to play guitars, played pool and wallyball, ate shrimp tacos from Bajios, ate crickets at the historic Lehi museum, visited a Lavender farm in Mona, got only 3 hours of sleep, shopped at a yard sale, paddle boated, ate more ice cream...just to name a few...whoever said that Utah County was boring..I now have a complete new list! We came in 6th out of 30 teams...not bad...it was such a cool event...raceallnight.com

*pre-race planning...yeah im weird.

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*that's right im cramping up on my side...give a girl a break,

can you say dehydration?!

*bliss...my girls have been giving me a run for my money (sanity) lately. i took lucy's binki away 3 days ago because it had gotten to a point where #1 it was causing family panic & tension when we would get into stores and didn't have one handy and she would go ballistic / freak-out AND #2 she has been starting to talk to me with it in her mouth, um yeah....so i gave it up...against my will. she only slept for 3 hours the first night yelling "momma, my binki" over and over...i almost cracked at 4am but made it thru. the next day she asked for it constantly and i kept telling her it was broken and finally savannah said, "can't you just get her a new one?"!!! but good news my friends, she didnt even ask for it when i put her to bed tonight. my girls really are my bliss...when life seems too hectic and im all overwhelmed...i see them going down the slip-n-slide over and over and over again...me on the side lines secretly wanting to join in and it always puts things into perspective. this picture was taken down in Grand Junction in front of the church institute building where cam & i met over 9 years ago.

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what gives you bliss?

Me, Me, Me!!!

*Okay so you've all heard the story...ya know the mom at the park or in your family that says, "Timmy is just into everything...you know he pulls the toilet paper right off the roll and around the house...the other day he ate a bowl of dog food...yesterday he shoved a micro machine up his nose... I mean I just can't take my eyes of him." And then there was me, the empathic listener, "Oh that must be hard" but truly thinking "Well, lady if you would just watch your kid, it probably wouldn't be that bad." So my foot has tasted pretty good lately (get in, foot in your mouth) because I would like to introduce formally Miss Lucy LaRae (aka lucy-lu). Charming, cuddling, cute...yes she is. Sneaky, deceptive, and loud if you don't have a binki handy...yes, oh yes she is. *Note the picture and the yellow highlighter...just one of her many tricks. The other day it was sneaking a peanut butter and celery pack out of Savannah's lunch box while napping (don't ask) and smearing the peanut butter over herself and blankets. Tonight it was my zit cream smeared all over her face and I thought to myself...this girl needs a little more recognition, a little more publication. I truly luv this little chicka...she dances with style, loves for me to open the window in the morning in daddy's office so she can wave hi to all the dogs going on their morning walks, and her latest thing is answering "ME!" to almost any question you ask her (see video). So basically the next time some mom, sister, aunt, friend tells you some out landish tale about their child...just be afraid, be very afraid.

ps...Cam's been on "Night Float" at the hospital...graveyard work is more or less brutal and tonight at dinner my neice said, "Hey Uncle Cam do you know how you can describe yourself?" And he said, how...she said, "Nocturnal" with a smile...I was thinking more like "busted" "walking zombie" "totally sleep depreived" "beatdown" to name a few...luv you baby, hang in there!

lately

so lately...i guess it's been a bit busy in our parts...lucy-lu has stayed busy getting into powder, my lipstick in my purse, playing with Savannah's guitar that her dad bought her (yeah it was $10 bucks cam, $10 bucks of insanity!!! xoxo), beddy with her mommy to cuddle, the hallway during sacrament meeting, bathroom toilet paper strewn about, telling everyone to "stop that!" ~ wonder where she heard that from...

...then there is savannah...she went to a fun birthday party last weekend...they had a clown that did magic tricks and painted the kids faces. i went to morgan's soccer game during the party and we picked savannah up after the game and morgan wanted to get her face painted...i said no because it wasn't her friend's birthday party but the clown came over and was like, come on over i'll paint your face. i turned and started talking to another parent, literally i turned back around 5 minutes later and this is what i saw...luv you morgy merino!!!

...nice tiger, nice...

...to jeffersonville/indianapolis, indiana for my grandma freeze's funeral service. she is buried in a mausoleum with my grandpa dale...he always said he wanted to be "high and dry" after he went to the other side :). it was a beautiful, sweet, comforting service that allowed us all to celebrate her life and remember why we luv her so much. it was a pretty emotional experience since i haven't been to a family members funeral service in quite some time ~ it makes you reflect on your life, what your purpose is, what you want people to remember about you, what is really most important in this life...to my grandmother, it was always her family...my new picture at the top is a view from their site. *interesting enough, the burial location is on kessler blvd in indianapolis.

...we missed you lins. visiting ol' stomping grounds in Jeff...Rocky's pizza, the river bottoms, our old house on Erin Dr., just visiting with our family, it was a great trip.

...getting ready for summer, or rather begging for warmer weather..check out that swimsuit bod (like mother like daughter!).

...savannah & lucy at president hinckley's burial in salt lake city, ut. we luved conference and listening to president monson (he has always been my fav!).

...to chi-town (chicago) to see amy, gary & kidos...helping with a few house projects, picture collages, taking the kids to the indoor swim park, lots & lots of rain, amy...my claim to fame as the first head meteorologist for fox news...

luv and miss you guys...jerry you are too cute...

little early in the morning for a pic hey buddy!

...who's that cute stylish boy scout with a new hair cut...

you are the man, ty!

...miss kate "mommy, i hurt my head" amy..."here, put some cheetos on it, they make everything feel better."

...ready, set, swim...

...the boys under the waterfall...lucy continuing to refuse to give up her binki at all cost, in all situations...

...best buddies...lucy followed kate everywhere...

...a little friendly game of nerf darts...trips to target for slurpees...

lots of homework...

...these two, beau & vanny are like two peas in a pod...a pod full of mischief...when they aren't pretending to be mermaids from the movie 'aquamarine' (seriously, they are obsessed with that movie!) they are playing house (mom & dad, girlfriend & boyfriend), going to the park, taking naps :), wrestling, jumping from couch to couch, racing, laughing, riding their bikes and mostly making messes....



...so basically this is the end of my post and either you are sleeping like the two above because i have bored you or like me you are having a fun, crazy, busy "spring" and wish you had a little extra time to get in a little sleep like the chickas above...keep it real my friends.