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On the Road Again...
Blake and I had to make a quick to Colorado this weekend. We had to get our bumper repaired after the Christmas festivities and it cost us about $1000 less to drive out there, fix it, and come back. And who doesn't love a good weekend. The drive there was comical. Blake got a bad headache so I had to drive the last stretch. Normally it isn't a big deal, but I have really bad eye sight at night so you can only imagine my fear in Glenwood Canyon! Please. I drove behind a semi all the way to Georgetown. Needless to say, I added a hefty 1.5 hours to the trip. Oh brother. Stress of my life. We also almost hit an owl coming out of the mountain highway! A little piece of my heart wished we would have hit it, and had to take it home, and nurse it back to health, and then he loved us too much to fly away, so he became my pet, and he lived in our front yard tree! Not a chance! He flew off in a huff and that was the end of it.
It is crazy now when we visit because there are so many people to see just within the family. So we planned strategically. The gym with Pops on Friday and then up to Stacey's for some girlie fun. We spent Friday night downtown on a triple date. Tanna and Bill, Luke and Lacey, and Us. We rode the light rail and ate at The Cheesecake Factory. YUM! It was so much fun to go out, especially with Tanna and Luke. Never a dull moment I tell you! Saturday was awesome. Blake and I walked to visit Mom while she was staying with Jen's kids. We played football and pretend in the playhouse. Mom was Granny Grinklegot and Maya had a store called Hazelpuff's. It was fun. We had a picnic on the balcony where I tried to teach the kids out of the Ensign how to be Spiritually Prepared. Elena just kept saying, "Jesus." She is so smart.
Then it was off to the Ridge for the family swimming party. Everyone met up and we swam for hours. Jones kids were all over the place. Diving off the high dive, down the slide, and jumping in the hot tub. I think I almost killed little Laney! She smacked her head on the tile wall, I poked her in the eye when I was taking off her floaties, and I wrapped her like a burrito in her towel which only made things worse when she tried to unravel and get off my lap, Smack! Right on the floor. She is pretty tough though, that little pixie!


Wesley


Maya

Blake...we didn't plan this pic very well.

Maya didn't realize I was taking pictures at the slide and so that one makes me laugh. She was trying to smile before she went under. Don't mind the amateur photographer, little late on those!

Saturday night we went to dinner with my parents, Mike and Deb, Garrett and Stace, and Luke. Hacienda Colorado is so good! It was fun to just visit and talk about how Mamie rubs her father-in-law's leg in the pool and how Natalie tries to teach Tyler to say no to drugs. My family is pretty hilarious and really incredible. After dinner Garrett haggled his way into getting us 5 for $5 twist dipped cones at DQ and Stace an Oreo Blizzard, it's ok, she is nursing! He was very proud of his ability to negotiate prices, and why not he just paid off the Jeep so he should have reason to celebrate! Pahahaha!
We got to go and chat with Mike and Deb after dinner. They serious are so hilarious. Mike reminds us of Phil on Modern Family. He had Wesley's microphone and was lip-syncing High School Musical along with it. He needs to be on stage.

Downtown on 16th Street

Here's our group! and a cow.

Blake was one boy out of 13 girls that afternoon. As you can tell I have to fight for attention around here! Garrett's couch is actually quite large, but it just isn't quite as cozy as this looked!

The one thing I really appreciate about family, whether we are at the Bishops' or the Jones', is that a lot of what we talk about helps me really define who I want to be as a person. Blake and I spent the whole car ride home just talking about how we want to raise our kids, the importance of making your kids feel good about themselves, and how we want our own relationship to be. While we were in Colorado, Mama Cheryl called and shared some inspiration she had just read. She is so amazing to me. I really am so blessed to have two great families always striving to be better. I am finding out more and more that it doesn't matter what the world does, when you have a family that wants to progress like you do. I have actually had a lot of friends that have shared lately, the problems they have in their families and it makes me feel even more blessed, but gratefully we live a gospel that, even if your family doesn't quite get it, you can be the one to make the change in your own family. Blake and I get to combine two great families and their traditions and make it a part of our lives, BUT we also get to choose how we want the gospel to be implemented by us. What we are learning through the conversations and experiences of our family is really preparing us in a way I could have never dreamed of. Although we aren't having babies, I feel like the Lord is allowing us time to really get ready to be great parents and teach our kids to be righteous. Whew! I am really excited about it. Let's go fam! Love you all!