thirty.

well my friends, 30 crept up on me like a wedgie when you jump from a 20 foot platform into a cool blue fresh waterpool..out of no where. i mean, i knew it was coming...but i swear it can't be true. and why does everyone that is in there 40s & 50s laugh at me, like "oh honey, you are just a young little thing...you don't even have a clue". i guess they are right...they usually are. im actually starting to look forward to the 30s..."thirty, flirty & thriving" right. "30s are the new 20s" right. but mostly i am looking forward to being more sure with myself. to realizing that i don't know everything, like you think you do in your 20s, and being okay with it. to being happy with this stage in my life and not taking it for granted. to life...and all that comes with it...things aren't perfect and most the time aren't easy but that is life...learning and growing...letting go...being happy...being a good friend...crying when i need to...keeping my body strong...worrying about & judging only myself & my actions...not being afraid to try new things, meet new people, ask for forgiveness, voice my opinion, listen to others opinions, keeping my priorities straight and just being the best i can be.
...ps seriously why am i plugging my nose in this picture...

just got back from a little vaca with cam to kauai (literally left a few hours before the whole tsunami warning for the hawaii islands). it was perfect. and peaceful...and everything "p" you can think of...pineapple, papaya, parachutes, private, passion fruit shaved ice, paradise...priceless. we all have moments in our life when we need a break and let me tell you...i needed one. i know you are like "who does that chick think she is bragging about going to hawaii" and don't get me wrong, i am bragging...but we all need a little get-a-way sometimes, as mom's and women i think it is something we deserve...we have alot of responsibilities in many different areas and ways. whether it is an afternoon by ourselves, a good workout, time to read a book, working on a project we have been trying to get done, spending time with a best friend or sibling or our moms, forgetting about household chores & just watching a movie with our kidos or our favorite tv show...i am going to try a little more to remember to take little "get-a-ways" to help me be a better mom and person in general.

little turtles, saw these guys everywhere...(looks like a rock on the bottom right hand corner)

hiking to private beaches with cam...he was a great tour guide.

i luv boogie boarding but these waves at brennecke beach were no joke. let's just say if you were hanging on the beach...you would have been watching an america's funnest videos of me because i kept getting hammered...literally the last time i went down, i had given up and was walking in and didn't even think about it and this wave cut me off at the ankles. bu-bye it said.

you'd think we'd sleep in because we were on vacation but i couldn't help sleeping with the sliding glass door open and almost every morning would sneak out onto the balcony around 5:30 am and cam would soon come join me.

queen's bath...a beautiful, secluded snorkeling area but obviously the waves were too outrageous for us to snorkel that afternoon.

ive secretly always wanted to skydive but never thought i would have enough guts. when we booked our trip a few weeks ago, without cam knowing i looked up skydiving in kauai and booked it! when i told cam, he was on board (but later told me he wanted to throw up when i told him LOL!). it was literally a freaking amazing experience and i still can't believe i did it! i didn't tell anyone until after i did it because i didn't want to psyche myself out. i was pretty calm & cool until the little beater of an airplane took off...it was the pilot, me, cam & our two skydive instructors. when the plane took off i got major nervous and cam was talking me through it...and the instructors were laughing (no joke, they were!)...it was funny because cam went first and when i saw him drop like a fly after getting snapped by a flyswater, i started repeating "no! No! No! no!!! NOO!!!!" before i knew it, i was flying like a bird! never felt anything like it in my life. something i will never forget. the video they took is so priceless. then when we landed i was talking to mike (my instructor) and i said, "man i started freaking out when i saw cam drop...didn't you hear me!" and he said "all i heard was...go! go! GOOO!" lol.

i luved driving by this "gum drop" tree as i named it...right before we would enter the tunnel of trees road.

funny...we went on this kayak, zipline safari and when you get a group of tourist together, it always makes for an interesting case. the lady in the back ground to the right of this picture was...well let's just say...buggin.

things i luved...morning runs. the air - i wanted to bottle it up & the smells...oh the yummy fresh smells. my massage in the cabana that my sisters & mom & dad got me for my birthday. sunsets. all the waterfalls. our jeep. the ukulele music we bought & listened to over and over all week. the bed in my room & the lady that made it every day :) the roosters running loose all over the island. relaxing. seeing the girls faces when we got home.

ok i know this is long, but look i only turn 30 once. so if you're bored, i won't be offended but just for the heck of it...here are 30 things you may not know about me, in no particular order:

1. i have never traveled outside the US (unless you count Canada...does that count??)

2. i know every word to the rap song Regulators...

i memorized it in high school, something i am not proud of but anyhoo "mount up"

3. i always sleep with the window open..even in the winter.

4. i have done some things i have regretted but i think it has made me a stronger person and taught me valuable lessons.

5. i do not like cereal...probably because i lived on it in college, now it makes me gag. milk in general (unless it is creamed into ice cream!) makes me gag.

6. i have weird moles.

7. i really do luv being a labor & delivery nurse.

8. i always have ideas for projects, i am never bored.

9. i always think of something clever to say back to someone who says something dumb...but its usually too late to say it.

10. i talk to all 4 of my sisters & my mom daily. i am obsessed with them.

11. dry sol was the best invention in my 20s.

12. i think i have a selctive memory...people will say "do you remember that time" "or remember when you did this" and i usually laugh and nod and have no clue.

13. i really wish i knew who stole my minivan when

i was in high school.

14. i have a tender heart.

15. i know i can be obnoxious and loud.

16. im obsessed with bath & body works.

17. i keep a journal.

18. i luv to quilt.

19. i talk in my sleep...and can't be woke up...without a weird freak out reaction.

20. i am always putting up little sayings on my fridge or on mirrors or on any walls...ive done this since i high school.

21. i am not good at decorating.

22. i make fresh salsa every week.

23. my hair has turned into a friz ball the more kids i have had...it is really kinky curly & is a beast to flat iron.

24. i have had my house broken into. my car broken into. my garage broken into.

25. i luv gummy candy. hence countless cavities.

26. i sometimes freak out...but it's usually when i haven't had something to eat in awhile or when i am tired. excuses right?

27. i hate when people make excuses. lol.

28. i luv painting my nails.

29. walking through nordstrom always makes me feel better. even if i don't buy anything. it's just pretty. and organized. and everyone is smiling.

30. i am not afraid of dieing. not in a weird morbid way. but the thought really doesn't frighten me.

things to consider...

...when your kids tell you they are going outside to play and it's snowing, it's probably important to double check what your kids are wearing.
...bunkbeds always seem like a great idea, but changing those sheets can be a beast.
...when your baby poo-poos in the tubby, it's once less diaper you are changing.
...homemade onion rings are better fried, than baked (thanks mindy & nachelle).
...when your husband says he is going to be home at 4:30 or 5, always plan on 6:30
...if you havent used or worn something in the past 6 months, someone else could probably use it.
...reality sTEvE is usually always right.
...it takes less energy to give someone the benefit of the doubt, than to be critical.
...going to bed at 9pm needs no explanation (you've heard the phrase "early to bed, early to rise...")
...when someone driving behind you in a minivan, follows you frantically into a parking lot and pulls up bedside you (as you both are dropping your girls off for dance class) and runs out of her car and starts frantically telling you to roll down your window, while pointing her finger at you & shouting about how you "cut her off back there on such & such road"...never, EVER roll down your window.
...lighting a candle always makes your home seem cleaner.
...when your husband falls asleep in sacrament meeting, don't get mad at him...because the truth is you wish you could sleep sitting up as well.
..."victoria" does have a really good "secret" (post nursing bra essentials).
...underated: a good work out, breath mints, mascara, binkis, good conversation, being happy for others, fabuloso cleaner, fresh bed sheets out of the dryer.
...keep it real my friends.

flip flops in january...

i usually think January is a bit of a bore but it turned out to be a pretty legit month...we flew to AZ for the rock-n-roll half marathon mid-month! it was super fun to be back on old stomping grounds & hanging at the arnold's pad. janae ran the race with us...it was her first half and she "rocked it"

cam was so hysterical that day...i swear the kids didn't break a sweat - how can guys do that??? - he was taking all sorts of crazy pics during the race...check him out in the background of the pic of me & janae...then he said he took the pic to the right cause he was taking a picture of all the mile markers (which i might add that timing is wrong) but i swear he was taking it of the chick running with minimal clothing LOL!

need i say more on the two pics above he took? it was like he had 5 red bulls before the race but the thing is he has never had a red bull in his life. i almost knocked him out after he took the pic of me running...that's when i drew the line and made him leave us...he ran the first 5 with us to "get us pumped!"

my favorite running partner! (ntyocew).

gave a shout out to john mccain who was cheering people on at the beginning of the race...

it is a perfect race with perfect weather! luv az...

grandpa johnny with lundyn & jill

we got to meet up with some great friends (and also missed out on seeing some great friends, who will we def. catch next time!) how cute are seth, lu, vanny & caleb! we rocked the watson house, it may never be the same!

luv ya meg.

linda & her vannah

sometimes people are put into our lives and have such an impact that it is hard to explain the difference they have made. we sure luv the arnold's and their friendship.

as savannah would say "i can't wait to have lunch with my nurse pam!" it was great to meet up with pami for lunch, a day after her birthday! i luv pam, she is a great example to me...she is full of life, love, knowledge, inspiration, and so much character.

but pedis & lunch with sar were great, dropping in on miss prego james was super fun, taking snacks & magazines to carly who is on bedrest with twiners...my girls luved wearing flip flops in January...

this last week we took a quick trip to north carolina to see duke play at Cameron indoor. cam works with a girl whose dad use to play for duke, so she hooked us up with tickets...seriously it was pretty much a once in a lifetime experience...we stayed at the washington duke inn that is on the duke campus

a quick little get-a-way...no kiddos...

the campus is pretty amazing...so much history.

it was crazy...we headed down to check things out in the early afternoon (the game didn't start til 9) and the arena was open and we literally walked right in and gave ourselves a self guided tour...cam was taking a million pics.

the media room, the locker room...don't think we should have been in these places...

the atmosphere was pretty crazy amazing...we had awesome seats! all decked out in our dukie gear!

we beat florida state, it was a great game! emily got a pic with dick vitale!!!

the next day we went golfing on the course...ive never been before so i was not very good at all :) but it was super fun, a beautiful sunny day!

always so fun being with em & matt...to the airport chocolate croissants, to the dessert room service (LOL), to "give harry potter his sweater back", to hot tubs, bookstores, and memorable times with bf's.