Cuties

These two are so funny together. Sometimes it's hard to tell if they really like each other or just tolerate each other.
When I found them sitting/laying together I just had to snap a photo

Zion National Park

The Young Women in our ward were not able to have their normally scheduled Girls camp with the stake due to yucky weather. So, instead, our ward planned a 2 day girls camp at Zion then the Young Men joined them for the last day/night. I took Parker to Cedar City for a much needed adjustment on his braces during the "girls" part of the camp. Ryan took out trailor to Zion with the girls to help with the cooking and such. This is Sophie traveling to Cedar with Parker and I...she's such a good car companion.

We made it to Zion and joined the rest of the group (I have no idea why I didn't take any pictures..I need to get better at that) Miranda had to come home early on Saturday for rehearsal, so we gave Sharron and Mckay a ride too. We stopped at the Zion sign and took a few pictures... Miranda and Mckay were not very cooperative posing for photos...

Miranda didn't do much better posing by herself...

 I guess the mom's will have to show them how it's done!

They had a fabulous time at Zion.  We really need to plan a family trip there...it's so beautiful!

Simply Charming

There's a new store in town called Charming Charlie's. It's in a new shopping center called Tivoli Village. As you enter the outdoor mall from the parking garage there is a beautiful "foyer" with a gorgeous staircase. While venturing out one day with friends we decided to stop and Miranda and Meg Ann did a little photo op on the staircase.

Fun and simple times make me happy :) 
This is the fun new purse and wallet I picked up at Charming Charlie's that day...I love it!

Missing GUS

It started out as a normal Saturday....Kids & I slept in a bit and Ryan decided to take Gus running out in the desert while riding his Rhino. Around 9am I get a call that Gus has ran off and Ryan can't find him. I take off driving up by the schools looking out into the desert, but nothing...no sign of him. So I run home grab the kids and take the quads out and join Ryan in the search for Gus. We searched, and searched and searched... but nothing...no sign at all.
     I had a lunch planned with my family, so I took the kids and went to lunch while Ryan continued searching. By this time, he had called a couple buddies and they too came to join the search for Gus. We drove every inch of the desert behind our house looking for any sign. but we saw nothing. I posted on Facebook to have friends keep an eye out for him around the neighborhood and someone suggested posting on craigslist. So I did.
     Saturday night was a loooong night! I kept looking out the window hoping,wishing, praying that he would be there. Then at 2am Ryan's cell phone rang...could it be...did someone find him? A man in broken English, said he had just hit our dog with a car and to come get the body. Groggy, Ryan grabbed his gun and took off in the direction he claimed he was. Nothing. No sign.. it was a cruel, prank call. I immediately took the posting off craigslist and cried myself to sleep.
     Sunday Morning came... Ryan searched again before going to his bishopric meetings. I also searched for about an hour before church. Then we both went out again after church until it was too dark to see anymore. Even Sophie was starting to miss Gus and kept looking outside for him.  Again...I cried myself to sleep.
     Monday came with a somber feeling in our home. We ventured out in the desert again with a sad but still hopeful attitude. Miranda made LOST posters and we put them around the neighborhood. Hoping someone would see him roaming around and call us. But nothing....no sign...no calls

Monday night, while I took Miranda to Broadway class, Ryan and Parker went around and was writing in red sharpie "REWARD" on all the posters we had hanging. Hoping a little incentive was all someone needed to call us if they saw him. When we arrived home, we walked inside and around the corner limped Gus!!! What!? It was the most beautiful sight! I started crying as Ryan shared the story of how he was found....
   He and Parker came home from putting up posters when there was a phone call.  Ryan didn't recognize the number, but answered it, hopeful.  It was a young kid telling him they found our dog and gave directions to his house. 
   Ryan drove to the  address and the kids were out front calling him to follow them on their bikes.  They led Ryan to a fence that surrounded a Storage Unit area.  and there was Gus, curled up, shivering, dirty and extremely dehydrated. 
    Ryan called him, but Gus didn't move.  Ryan had to shimmy through the fence and carry him out. 
He laid Gus on the back seat of the truck and turned to the kids.  They knew nothing about the reward, but Ryan felt they deserved it and gave them the money.  The kids were estatic and took off running for home. 
   Ryan decided to surprise Miranda and I with Gus' homecoming.  I couldn't believe he didn't call us to let us know. 
  But I have to say...it was the most wonderful surprise ever to see him coming around the corner.

He was tired, dirty, a bit shaken and extremely thirsty, but it was Gus...good old Gus...and he was HOME!  

NYC Day 5 & Farewell

Our last day in NYC was bitter sweet. We didn't have a lot on our agenda because we had to get to the airport in the afternoon. So we started by doing some last minute suvenier shopping and a cute shop by our Hotel.

Then we waited for a taxi to take us to one more stop that we had neglected to see all week....

KLEINFELDS!  Say Yes to the Dress Superstore!

We could hear angels singing as we rounded the corner and saw this infamous shop.

Our plan was to just take a couple pictures outside, but while we did, we noticed some people going inside...so in we went..
  There was a group getting ready to go in for filming, there was a camera crew putting on mics and giving them instructions.  

We were nervous, but the receptionist said we could stay in the lobby and take a few pictures...so we did

 And just as we walked by the opening into the main store...looked who walked by...
Randy himself and other consultants (I can't remember their names)

 Sorry about the blurry pictures, but we had to act fast!

 Then...right in front of us walked Panina Tomei the designer (I promise that is the back of her head)

 Yes.... it was the perfect ending to a perfect week!   

New York City.....we LOVE you and can't wait to go back!!!

NYC Day 4

It's been a crazy- fun-filled 3 days in NYC so far....but it's not over yet! We woke up early to the hustle and bustle of Times Square....

And took a taxi to see the Statue of Liberty... We hopped in line and they had this fabulous sculpture in the water..

The ferry ride was short but fun...

It was crazy to see the Statue get bigger and bigger as we got closer

We did your typical sight seeing around the statue.  We were too late to get tickets to climb inside, but it was still amazing just to be there!

We found a quiet place to have a lunch and just enjoyed each other's company.

 Isn't she a cutie :)
After the Ferry ride back to the main-land we walked a few blocks to the sight of Ground Zero.
It was a somber feeling but amazing that they are already re-building on the site.

 We walked to Wall Street and the New York Stock exchange...

 We just happened to run into this quaint little shop along the way :)

 While making our way back to the Taxi pick up spot, we ran into this cute little guy....
He he he... Miranda didn't understand why I had her pose in the back instead of the front of the Bull!
But she was a good sport about it. 

 After a brief rest back at the Hotel, we headed off to see Wicked! 

 The theater was amazing and we again, had Perfect seats!

The girl who played Elpheba was the same one we saw in Los Angeles!

It was the perfect ending to a perfect day!

NYC Day 3

We were exhausted from all the walking we did the day before, but after a good nights sleep (and a few peanut M&M's) we were ready to hit the streets again! Our original plan was to go see the Statue of Liberty this day, but we decided to try and get tickets to a matinee show of "How to Succeed in Business without even Trying" starring Harry Potter himself... Daniel Radcliff. After each of us waiting in different lines we were lucky enough to get tickets! Woo Hoo! So now a little rescheduling was needed so we could make it to the 2:00 show. We decided to go to the Empire State Building. On the walk over we passed by the NYC Library. The arcitecture was so amazing!    

We finally made it to the Empire State Building... It's very difficult to get a photo of the outside when you are standing beneath it

 But the view from the top was AMAZING!!!

After hanging out for a bit on the roof we headed back North and decided to check out the largest MACY's store ever!

 And boy was it ever!  I think there was 7 floors.  We both just loved these old wooden escalators even though they sounded like they were going to fall apart.   

From there we cruised over to Grand Central Station

 This building was again amazing with all it's beautiful arcitecture. 

Time was running short so we headed back to the hotel to freshen up and get to the matinee.

Our seats were pretty far back, but it was still an amazing experience.  We both loved it!

We waited outside the exit hoping Daniel Radcliff would come out to sign autographs, but alas...

We did get these guys though...

It had already been a full day, but it wasn't over yet! 

We found a "quaint" place for dinner and while there it started raining. 

We shared a tiny umbrella and raced back to the hotel to relax and freshen up before the night show of "Anything Goes"

 It, of course, didn't disappoint!  Wonderful Classic Broadway show!
We waited and waited for Sutton Foster to come sign autographs but nope...
But we did get this guy....

Exhausted, wet and completely in awe of the day's experiences we retired for the night.

Tomorrows adventure.....Statue of Liberty!