So if anybody has advice on moving pictures around to get them in a desirable order--I would love it!! I used to be able to move them, but it's not letting me anymore!!
ANYWAY! Here are some very out of order pictures of a staycation me and Russ took. It was in an effort to get us all refreshed for the 2 year overhaul we have on our hands with Russ starting his MBA program. I think it worked!
We took a whole week off and just played...yup! Here in Utah. Gracee and Russ both do much better in their own beds. =) My mom came to be a permanent babysitter for Gracee so could come and go as we pleased. It was just lovely. Russ made it so fun. Here are some of the things we did:
Fishing with Russ's cute dad!
Dinner at our favorite restaurant--Carrabbas!
On my birthday, for tradition's sake (and mine!), we did a tandem bike ride up the canyon with Gracee hooked to the back! she fell asleep on the way up! (We're making the # 29 with our fingers, if you can't tell!)
Amazing eggs and breakfast in bed from my honey! He's so good=) Look at that cut up fruit, he sure knows me!
Living Aquarium with Gracee. She really like this place!
Gracee at the stingray petting zoo. She had so much fun here!
She liked it here a lot better than the zoo because she was closer to the animals I think.
The zoo. She was pretty bored I think. A little disappointing. Next year?
We at lunch at the Lionhouse in Salt Lake.
We watched a 3-D IMAX show about bugs...it was really cool!
We went to "This is the place Monument" and Village.
We saw the new Oquirrh Mountain temple. We also ate at Sweet Tomatoes that night, yummy!
Good food and good company. That's a vacation to me. The only thing I didn't love was that I still had to do the 'household things' in order to keep my sanity when we were at home. Mom cleaned a ton--but she couldn't do it all. When we go on vacations AWAY from home, I don't have to clean at all!!! Other than that, it was to die for! We wanna do it again! 
Luckily, our friends Heather and Dave let us do a load over there in the interim. Dave also helped Russ with the nasty mess of unhooking our old one and installing AND picking up our new one! I say "one"--but we actually got a new dryer as well...because hey! It has to match! We got a steal on both of them. The dryer was even floor model.
What are you laughin' at mom??
more...
And one of my very most favorites...
My friend, Tara, gave me this bamboo thingie a while back, and we just LOVE it. You can always keep it chalked full of your most recent photos...
This one above is showing the letters that I just decopaged with my good friend Kenzie. She just had her first girl yesterday, named her Gracie too. We have parallel lives in so many ways, so I wasn't surprised at all when we discovered that we both wanted to name our first girl Grac(i)ee. So I thought it only fitting to purchase some of these letters she'd requested for myself as well so that we could decorate them together. It was a fun time together. Tedious, but fun. 
My mother-in-law has started her own vinyl business, and she is fantastic! She is one of the most creative minds in all the land...this little saying for Gracee's door is only a sliver of what ticks in that brain of hers. 
Last but not least, I thought I'd include these slightly out-dated pics of our flower gardens in their prime. They are looking much sadder now because I have been 'too busy' with my other projects (refer to the photos above for reference) to nurture my flowers and produce! 
We took Gracee to the Provo 4th of July Parade. It was pretty hot, but I insisted because these types of holiday events are so much more fun with kids. We also met up again with the Hall's there. 
That evening, we met over at the "Hannig compound" for our annual dutch oven night! (Incidentally, I love those red capris! I found them second hand when I was 20, my mom made them into capris for me. Russ doesn't care much for them, so I hardly ever wear them. When I was wearing them that day, he asked me about them--I told him it was the 4th! I can wear any crazy patriotic thing I want!)
Okay, so I realize this is very blurry, but this head tilt thing is to die for! It's Gracee's new thing! And just a couple days ago, she started sticking out her tongue over and over again when she does it. I laugh so hard every time. Where does she get this stuff??
Gearin' up for her first firework show!
Ah, our first 4th!
Happy Birthday Star! When my Dad and Di came to town, we had a blast. We all met at Star's for a BBQ to celebrate his birthday. Schuyler and Gracee are learning how to be playmates.
One of my favorite things to do with dad is bike riding. We did the Provo Canyon route...
Steve loves walking the route so he met up with us. Doesn't he look so handsome?
Though I was leaving for girls camp his last morning with me, we squoze in one more ride, this time we did the Provo trail down to the lake. We felt so adventuresome!
Though I missed my angel babe and sweet husband, girls camp was A BLAST!! I had to pump the whole time I was there, but it was worth it, I really enjoy serving in the YW organization. I see it, like the relief society, as a bond of womanhood and strength completely unmatched anywhere. 
I was so surprised by how much I missed Russ!
Pioneer day was great. People all have work off and everything here! Me and my friend 'Pamela Joy' ran the Pioneer Day run in Provo--she's a hoot! I just love her. 
Then me and Russ got to go on Sea Doos with our good friend and babysitter, Kenzie Harmon. Other than completely screwing up my neck, RE-bruising my tailbone, and some 'back seat driving' by you-know-who (!) IT WAS A TOTAL BLAST! No seriously, I want to do it again. I really had fun, in all honesty. 
