The Happiest Place on Earth! Disneyland 2010

(This one is a little of a doozy! Enjoy!)

THE trip has finally happened! Since Andy and I were married, we have been saving for the big Fraser Family Reunion in Disneyland! It has been a lot of "planning" and stress and worry and craziness, but when it was all said and done, it was the best thing we could have ever been able to do! Andy's family likes to set a tradition of doing a BIG family "vacation" (I put vacation in quotes because I see it as a trip, but his entire family calls it a vacation. If we are being honest, I need a vacation from this trip. Therefore, I will refer to it as a trip from here on!) It has been a labor of love. Andy's family is big into planning. Me? Not so much. I like to set a date and a place and see how it goes from there. I can see now, why planning is important. When there are 35 people, 21 of which are children all of which are under the age of 14, there needs to be some sort of a plan. We reached a happy medium and had a BLAST! I was nervous at first. All this hype for some dinky little kid rides and lots of people? Gimme a break! I was pleasantly surprised. It is one of my favorite places! I loved everything! (Especially the churros and Mahi Mahi Tacos) I am pretty sure my entire outlook on life has changed. I just feel happier. I want to make my family happy. Spend time with them more often. Seeing Will playing with his cousins made me and Andy so happy!

Our trip started off on the right foot with an eleven hour drive from Salt Lake City to Anaheim, CA. In ONE day. With Will. For the first time on a long trip. And we didn't even leave until about 845am. Most of Andy's other siblings had the luxury of driving there in two days. Can you say jealous? We stopped in St. George and had Cafe Rio for lunch, eating at a church yard. At the boarder town of Nevada and California, Will started to LOOSE it. He was freaking out. He was sick and tired of being in the car. So, We stopped at a place called Whisky Pete's and I hopped in the back seat. Lame Sauce. We reached our destination at about 630 Pacific time. And it was heaven! Our house was amazing!

Saturday we spend the day with the Watkins Family. We went to California Adventures. It was so fun! We got to ride Soarin' Over California and Hollywood Tower of Terror. Along with Monsters Inc., Bugs Life, The Muppets...all those good rides.

Sunday we went to Church and then did our grocery shopping. We had a family dinner that night. It was great to see Jake's face when he opened the presents Andy MADE for him. We pulled our resources together as a family and bought a Civil War Era bayonette and cannon shot. He LOVED it. Andy made a shadow box out of some old barn wood and stained it just a little darker. It was a great gift. I am glad I married such a "Handy Andy". He's always thinking of ways we can do nice things for family.

Monday we spent the day at California Adventure again. We got to spend time with all our family this time though! It was such fun, but large crowds MOVE SLOWLY!

Tuesday was our first REAL day at DISNEYLAND! I had never been before and I LOVED IT! It was so great that we were able to ride the majority of the rides together as a family. I have fallen in love with this place! We are planning a trip (with the help of our amazing Disney CC...credit cards are wonderful if you know how to use them and make them work FOR you!) to DisneyWorld in about 3 years! I have been on a Disney high since we got back. We had such a great time riding Dumbo and Alice and the carousels and eating CHURROS! The food was great! I would give anything if I could just have ONE fish taco!

Friday, our last day in California, we went to Seal Beach. It was my first time to a Pacific beach and Will's first time to the ocean, period. It was an overcast day, the water was freezing, and the waves were HUGE! I can say, I totally prefer my Gulf Coast beaches. SO much nicer! Will was freaked out with the waves until he realized they were just water. We played in the water for a bit, I lost one of our shovels, then fished it back out! (hahahaha! I am cracking myself up right now!) We were going to walk the Pier, then it started raining, as we were walking past the playground, it stopped. We played a little bit and just missed the major down pour. (Becky and Weston weren't so lucky!) We had another family dinner to end the big trip. It was a swimming party! The big kids were in the pool and the little kids with me, Andy and Cassie were in the "hot tub". (It was literally colder then any tub I would bathe in, but we have to watch out for the little ones!)

DisneyLand was a great adventure (and very much needed) and I am glad we were able to do it with our family. They have become so much more then just family though, we are all friends and we always have a great time. I realized how great and happy my life is, everyday. I have an amazing husband and a great son. I realize my responsibility to them both and want to do my best to be a great wife and mother. I DO need a vacation from this trip. I still have not caught up on my sleep! We crashed out every night as soon as we got back from the park! But I would not trade it for the world! If we could, we would go on trips like this all the time! We are slowing working up towards that goal, with our little camping trips. I want to see the world with my kids! They make life so much better and they are only little for such a short amount of time. I will make sure that I spend it with them as much as possible. I am so grateful for the opportunity and lessons I learned while spending time with The Frasers'. I will make my efforts to do these kinds of things with my siblings, too.

(I have pictures on Facebook. I will also post some on here as a different post!)

Yellowstone 2010

Aren't we cute?

This past Labor Day, we were able to go to Yellowstone National Park. I have never been there and Andy hasn't been in at least 10 years. It was on our list of places to go camping. I think it was a great last camping trip of the year. We drove up Friday afternoon when Andy got off work. The drive wasn't bad, but it was about 430 before we got out, so we didn't get there until around 930. Luckily, we were meeting Andy's sister Nikki and her family. They already had the camper set up! We didn't realize, because the advertising for Brandin Iron Inn is false, that our "camp site" was just a gravel section in a motel parking lot! Thank goodness Ches and Nikki love us and let us sleep in their camper instead of having to sleep in the truck tent. It was COLD! Saturday, we woke up bright and early (ok, we really slept in until about 8) and made some Mountain Man breakfast. Yummmm! Then, we headed to the park. We went to West Yellowstone and headed up through the park until we made it to Mammoth Falls. We saw lots of buffalo and elk. No bears. We really wanted to see some bears too :) After lunch, we went to Mammoth Falls. It's pretty dried up now. There aren't as many falls as there used to be. There is a little town there in Mammoth. When I say little, I mean there is a general store and about three houses. We used the restrooms, went to get back into our car, turned the key...and nothing. The car would not start! We tried jumping it and still...nada! We ended up having to call a tow truck to come pick us up! SO NOT COOL! after waiting for a good hour, a two and 1/2 hour to drive out of the park and 500 dollars later, we made it to a mechanic near our camp site. The mechanic said he would try to come in on Sunday to check it out...he didn't make it. Andy took our battery to Napa Auto and they tested it. They said it was fine. They took the battery back to the car, started it up...and viola! It started! We didn't want to push it. Sunday we rode around with Nikki and Ches. Went to see Old Faithful and then tried the car again. It started again! We drove to Idaho Falls to have it looked at. Came home early on Monday morning and haven't had a car since Wednesday because it has been in the shop! I just kept thinking "You have got to be kidding me. This is a joke! Do I have Griswold written on my forehead?" I was trying really hard to keep it together. Andy and I said a quick prayer to Heavenly Father that after we did all we could, we could have the faith for him to take care of the rest. I can say, prayers are answered! It was such a fun trip, with some crazy stories we'll be able to tell to our kids, and every time we go to Mammoth Falls, we'll remember to pray that our car doesn't break down!

This is us at the Madison River.

Here is Will at our earlier camping trip to Bear Lake. He liked the water, but it was freezing!

And here is Will, being cute with Daddy's hat!

Spring View Farms 5K

These pictures aren't in order, but you can see, Nikki and I finished the race! It was such an accomplishment! I hope to do another one before the year is over!

Knotty Pine and "she runs?"

We were able to go camping at Knotty Pine with Becky and Weston and their SIX, yes six, girls, over the weekend of the 24th! It was such a wonderful time! It was so nice to have Alison and Erica there. I wish Will had older siblings. Maybe I can recruit Ali and Erica, although, I think Becky would want them back eventually! Will had a wonderful time playing with his cousins and going to the park and pool with them! He also thoroughly enjoyed playing in the fire pit. Of course, that was only when the fire was out. As you can see, here he is having a wonderful time! He was covered in ash and soot from head to toe. We promptly threw him in the tub when we got home. It was great, we love using our camping gear and being outside all day and night, literally! I like to think if I had to, I could survive living like the pioneers did, as long as I had a dutch oven and a tooth brush! We made a wonderful (well, ok, it was a little dry) blackberry cobbler in the dutch oven for Andy's birthday! We are planning to hit up the DI's in search of used dutch ovens. I have a friend who says if you just wash the rust off thoroughly, then throw it in your oven on the self clean cycle, they come out good as new! Hopefully, we can find one before our big Yellowstone trip in a few weeks!

We also sold our Malibu!! It didn't take long. We purchased a VW Passat Station Wagon! It's charcoal gray with cream leather interior. It is the perfect size! So roomy! It's got to be the sweetest car either of us has ever owned! And yes, we OWN it. We paid for it in full! Still no car payments! Yay! Andy is a master negotiator! I am lucky I married such a thrifty man! We were able to load all of our camping gear into the back and STILL see out the back window! And we didn't have to pack anything into the seats next to Will!

This past weekend was quite busy for us! We had a wedding (including the luncheon and reception) on Friday. It was Andy's cousin, Bryson's wedding. He married a sweet girl names Erin in the Salt Lake Temple. It was fabulous to be in the same temple where Andy and I were sealed! The Salt Lake Temple will always have a special place in my heart! Afterward, we had the luncheon to attend. We were able to come home for a few hours to take naps before the reception. It was held at The Kimball Home at This Is The Place. It was beautiful! Andy's a descendant of Heber C. Kimball, so it was fun to walk around "his" house. (It is just a replica, but there are lots of pictures! Andy and I love the way 18th and 19th century homes are built and would like to one day build our own home in the same fashion. With a tower, of course. Andy MUST have a tower! haha) After the reception, we stayed at Andy's parents house because his sister, Nikki, and I were going to run our first ever 5k EARLY in the morning! The 5k was such a blast! I ran pretty much the whole time. The only time I walked was half way up a hill for the second time. I had just finished running up and back down said hill when I had to turn around because it was the half way mark. It was steeper the second time around! I ran it in 33:56 and placed third for my age group! I didn't even care about placing at all. I just wanted to finish! It was only after I checked my time online that I discovered I had placed 3rd! I am quite pleased with myself. I have been training for months and have never considered myself a runner...until now! Of course, I am addicted and would like to run another before it is too cold! After the race, we had a birthday party with my Aunt Loralee's family. After that, we had a wedding shower for Andy's OTHER cousin, Aaron. He is getting married on August 14th in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. I love that temple as well. It's so gorgeous!

Today consisted of church, where Will was, yet again, an angel during nursery. The teachers always thank us for having a wonderful child who hardly ever cries and who is easy to calm down when he does cry! Tcha! If only he was that way at home!! He's started hitting us. Mostly me. Not cool. We've started time out. I never thought it would happen so soon! He's growing up so fast! We love our little man, that is for sure!

(I will post pictures as soon as they are downloaded!)

Up and Coming

July 23- Camping at Knotty Pines again, this time with the Watkins family!

July 31- I am running my first 5k! I have been training for MONTHS! I am totally not a runner...well, I used to not be a runner. Now I love it! I am addicted! My sister-in-law Nikki is going to be running it with me as well!!

Throw in some weddings, and more camping (including Bear Lake, Yellowstone, Moab and Zion's!) and the selling of our car to buy a VW Passat Wagon. That's right. We are looking to sell our Malibu and upgrade to a wagon. Hey, we live in the Avenues now, it was only a matter of time before it happened. Right? I would look totally hot driving a Passat.


We are looking forward to these adventures and if you know someone who would like to buy a 2003 Malibu, send them our way! It's a sweet car, we just need something bigger.

Where Did We Go Wrong?

Where did we go wrong in the raising of our son? I know, he's only a year and a half right now, but still, we've obviously gone wrong somewhere!

Here is a list of all the things we have done wrong in our meesley year and a half of parenting:

1. We can NOT get Will to eat hardly any meats. Sure, he'll eat Tyson nuggets sometimes, sometimes, I say! We have tried ground beef, hot dogs, hamburger, steak, roast beef, every type of meat you can think of, even roast chicken. He hardly ever eats any of them. Sometimes we can manage to sneak some in. Then, he realizes our tricks and doesn't fall for them again. He enjoys a good handful of granola for his source of protein.

2. "Chocolate Milk? Right, in your dreams Mama and Daddy! Gemme the white stuff!" What's up with that?? He won't drink chocolate milk? What did we do wrong?! I love chocolate milk. Andy loves chocolate milk. We have managed to get Will to drink chocolate milk ONCE! It's the perfect little snack! And we can't manage to get him to drink it! What kid doesn't like chocolate milk? Geesh!

3. Candy? Sweets? Nah, hand over the fruit. And don't give him stuff out of a can, he prefers the fresh stuff. I once gave Will the choice between a chocolate chip cookie and two apple slices, he chose the apples! Happy dessert!!!

4. Bagged veggies, with butter? Right, you WISH! (well, ok, we don't REALLY wish, but still. I was advised to add butter to his veggies by the WIC office. Seriously? You're a "nutrition program" and you want me to put butter on my kids veggies. He eats them just fine, thanks.) He loves fresh or frozen veggies. He just gobbles them up! Sans butter.

5. Fruit snacks? Nah, I'll take the crazins, thanks Ma! He LOVES crazins! This kid will got through a package of crazins in a week! Thank goodness WinCo sells them in bulk. I think buying OceanSpray crazins would put us on the street.


So, there ya have it. We are raising a partial vegetarian/tree huggin granola eater WITHOUT even trying!

At least I don't have to worry about having TONS of junk in the house. I just buy a little for Andy and me and snack on the healthy stuff most of the time with Will. And he doesn't point at all the cookies and junk for me to buy while shopping. He's getting so big and he's just so smart and sweet. He is just a little giver. He will pick up anything on the ground and hand it to you. My sister-in-law, Cassie, watched Will for us so we could go on a much needed date. While she was watching him, she fed him some yogurt. She said when he finished his portion of the yogurt, she let him have the spoon. He started giving her bites of yogurt. He loves to play hide-n-go-seek. He loves to give hugs and kisses. He loves little babies and playing with other kids. He is finally in nursery and he LOVES IT! I couldn't be happier. We just dropped him off and he was just fine. His teacher said he didn't cry at all. Just got a little bit fussy towards the end there. It's been great having him around and we wouldn't have it any other way!!

4th of July Weekend

Remember a while ago when I talked about our super awesome tent gear we purchased? Well, this past weekend was our first time to use it! Andy took Friday off and we packed up the car to the rim and drove up to Knotty Pine. It's a campsite around Kamas/Heber City area. We set up all our gear and went straight to the pool. Will hated it at first. It took a good 20 minutes to get him to loosen up a bit. He wasn't at all like this last summer. He loved the pool! We cheated the first night and went to Midway for Cafe Galleria (Andy's parents were kind enough to go up on Thursday and make sure we had a spot big enough for our tent. They took us to dinner that night.) This place has the BEST pizza ever! It's brick-oven baked Italian pizza. That night we tried in vain to put Will to bed around his normal bed time, but what with the loud campers around us, it didn't happen. He stayed up with us and we sat by the fire and had s'mores. He finally conked out with Andy around 10pm. Saturday we drove into Kamas and went hiking. It was a blast! It was a beautiful hike with lots of trees and three lakes on the trail. It was about a 3.5 mile hike round trip. It was a tricky hike too. It was downhill most of the way to the lakes, then coming back, it's mostly uphill (obviously). Andy and I totally picked up on our mountain stride and kicked the hike back in much less time then the hike down. Don't let the pictures fool you, I carried Will half of the time, we just ended up taking pictures while Will was on Andy's back. (PS, I LOOOOOOVE our Dueter III) The lake waters were wonderfully refreshing and we enjoyed putting our feet in the water. I can't wait until we live in the middle of nowhere....Andy has given me the ok to have some chickens and horses, and of course we'll build our home on property with a creek. Oh, to be settled one day! No more apartments! Won't that be wonderful? Our second night camping, Will slept much better! It was freezing both nights and he ended up between the two of us each night...except the first night, he managed to kick Andy out, eventually. We won't get to go camping except one more time this month, but in August we will be able to go more often. We'll be saving our Southern Utah trips for August and September. Plus, we will for sure be heading to Yellowstone (YAYYYYYYY! I have never been!) and Bear Lake! I love camping and I can't wait until our children are older and we can do these things with them!

Will getting ready for the hike!

Our cute family!

On the 4th we did sparklers! Will loved them!