Our California Adventure

After all the work we've been doing on the house, we needed a vacation. So we went to California, and left Brooklyn with Grandma and Grandpa Davis and Melanie. Although we missed Brooklyn, it was a much needed break from all the stress of life! We went first to Las Vegas and dropped off Bucket at my Mom and Dad's. Then we headed to San Diego! It was so beautiful - I haven't been there in years. We visited the temple, which was definitely one of the most beautiful temples I've ever seen.

We also visited the Mormon Battalion Historic Site, which was really awesome because my Dad is in the movie they play during the tour! That was cool to see. He's so great. :) This is a really interesting place with lots of artifacts and things to see. I learned a lot!

Then we went to Sea World. It was a blast with just me and Craig, and we were able to see all the things we wanted to. As I looked at the other parents I thought, "I'm so glad we left our kid at home..." Someday we will take her to Sea World! We saw a lot of fun shows.

 Craig got to visit his favorite exhibit.

We met up with Matt and Jen in San Diego, and they took us to the most wonderful place (Jen grew up in San Diego). Target. But not just any Target! A two-story target with an escalator specifically for your cart. This might have been my favorite part of the trip! How awesome is that?!

Then we headed over to Anaheim (without seeing the beach!) to go to Disneylaaaaaaand! Woo hoo! We spent some time alone, and some time with Jen's family (her parents and sister Sam) and Matt and Jen. We had SO MUCH FUN. We saw Cars town.

 It's Halloween time, so everything was decorated for Halloween. So cool to see!

 The Tower of Terror. Our favorite ride.

It was so great to get in touch with my "young" side again. Anyone with children can attest that it's easy to lost yourself when you are constantly caring for children, and it's such a relief to know that young, fun Alissa is still in here somewhere! It was also fun to see "young Craig". He is so fun when he doesn't have to be responsible! It almost felt like our honeymoon, where there seemed to be no one but us and we got to get to know each other again. I never knew that Craig could be so much fun! He was like a little kid. Of course, it was great to get back to our little weirdo. She had a little vacation of her own. ;)

Curesearch Walk!

One reason September is always such a busy month for us is because it's Childhood Cancer Awareness month! And you can bet we spread the awareness. The past three years we have put on a Lemonade Stand for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation - not just a little lemonade stand on the corner - I'm talking the monster of all lemonade stands. We raised over $10,000 from last year alone, and it goes towards childhood cancer research. 

We decided to try something new this year, and joined with other families to be a part of the Salt Lake City Curesearch Walk. We raised money for our team, and it was a great experience. Although you can't tell from this picture.

We had such a great time! The weather was great (a little warm, but way better than last year!) and the park was beautiful. It was breathtaking to see so many survivors and supporters. We walked in honor of my niece Brinley, who is a 6-year-old cancer survivor. Somehow I didn't get a picture of her. Boo!

We had an amazing turn out! I am proud to be part of something so important and making a difference! If you didn't get to participate this year, there's always next year! ;)

Visiting Robin

Today is the 31st anniversary of the death of my sister, Robin. We went as a family to visit her grave this year, and it was really special. All of her nieces and nephews were there, but we were missing Mom, Dad, Matt and Jen. It was a neat thing to get together and talk a little bit about what we think Robin would have been like, who she would have married, where she would live... Things like that. It was also an opportunity to talk about the Plan of Salvation and that we will see her again, and she is alive on the other side of the veil.  I feel like I have a special connection with my sister, although I didn't meet her in this life. I am so blessed to have the family I do, and such wonderful parents and siblings. My brothers and sisters have married wonderful people as well who I feel as close to as if we were blood related. I am so grateful for the support and love that seems to abound in our family, and am so glad we have the blessing of eternal families! 

September Sun

September. This has been such a busy month! We took Brooklyn to the zoo, which she loved. She just sat there and laughed at all the animals, and made all the sounds. It was fun to take her since she is a little older now and can appreciate what's there. We rode the train, too, which was a blast for her.

Busy game season, too! Go Utes!

It's been such beautiful weather, and we are taking advantage of it!

We are so close to moving in to our new house! It's been crazy trying to fix it all up so we can move in, and there's been about a week of limbo where we can't move in yet, but we have to be out of our condo. We moved all of our stuff into our house, but we are living with Melanie for the time being, and it's been so much fun. I mean, how can life not be fun with these girls?

The new Our Best Bites cookbook came out, and Kristin and I went to the book signing! We got to taste some BB samples and meet the girls. It was wonderful! Best Bites for the win!

Where did the time go?

Oh, my. I see the time has passed me by and we are now in December and I last posted in August! I guess I'll start up where I left off. Here are the Trial Lake pictures I promised!

The water was freeezing! Brooklyn enjoyed walking around in the mud and water, and even ventured to touch a fish Grandpa had hooked. Until it started flipping around and spraying her with water... Then she cried. 

 Handsome Bucket. A mountain goat at heart.

 And here is the sexy man I married.

 Brooklyn wanted to spent the whole time there with Grandma and Grandpa. She really had such a great time! I wonder where she gets those "outdoorsy" genes. Not from me.

Her very own campchair. She loved it so much! She kept falling over though. She loved the fire and the outdoors. And the marshmallows, of course! 

We didn't get to stay as long as we would have liked to, but it was a fun trial to see if Brooklyn will be able to handle camping better than her parents. Ha!

Hello, Stress!

Hello, Stress! It's so nice to see you again. It's been awhile, so I guess I'll take my turn with you.

I am going to de-stress for just a moment, so skip this paragraph if you don't want to hear it! I feel like a chicken with my head cut off. I'm trying to balance  - deep breath - starting school (2 classes that are both ridiculously hard), packing for our move, fixing up a house, dealing with a teething toddler, trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant (8 months and counting), doing massage, being a CureSearch committee member, teaching piano lessons and singing lessons, PLUS cooking, cleaning, studying, exercising, socializing, grocery shopping, laundry-ing, and being husbandless every night while he goes to the house! (All said in one big breath!) AHHHHH! I guess while I'm at it I should include breathing, sleeping, showering and did I mention having a cranky, whiny baby attached to my hip who won't eat or sleep? And I have bad hair days - every day. AND I've been sick! AND I've had a strained muscle in my shoulder for months that just won't go away, and that makes everything worse. Ugh! Does it never end?!?

I need a vacation.

Speaking of vacations, we went up to Trial Lake with Craig's family on Friday, and it was awesome. Brooklyn had a great time - pictures to come. Then she screamed for the entire hour and a half drive home. That helped my headache.

Luckily I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and gives me tender mercies! I have at least one moment a day when I look at Brooklyn and just love her (of course I always love her but I'm talking moments here). She is so beautiful and perfect and special in that moment. I am so blessed to have her, and to have Craig, who puts up with having a crazy wife. He is my rock and keeps me grounded (even if it means bursting my bubble every once in awhile). Really, my life is great. And crazy. And great.

Another house update to come as well!

We're Moving!

Yes, we are moving. FINALLY. After searching for a house to buy for 7 months, we finally signed on one. And we love it. After seeing the pictures, you might wonder WHY we love it. But when you rescue something and tlc it back to life you love it. More about that in a minuto.

In May, Craig and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary! We went to the Roof for dinner, stayed overnight at the Little America (it sure was nice to get a break from the kiddo, even though we love her!), then went to Temple Square the next day and enjoyed the scenery. It was beautiful. It renewed my love for church history and all the wonderful places here in Salt Lake City. What a wonderful day it was! And besides that, I got to spend it with the love of my life, and be reminded what a fun, amazing person he is. 

Here's a cute picture of Brooklyn. She rocks my world.

Here are the 'before' pictures of the house. We bought it in mid-July and will be working on it for about another month. We have a contractor who is doing the tile, carpet, finishwork, and other jobs, but we are doing a lot of it ourselves - which is a process because we've never done this stuff before! Craig has been over there 4-5 nights a week working on stuff. We did all the demolition (tearing out carpet, linoleum, and cabinets - I should say "cabinets"). Craig and John Carter (who is helping us a ton and teaching us how to fix up a house) have done all the caulking, priming, painting door frames, ceilings, and closets, taking down drywall, and who knows what else. I've helped wash walls, fill in the hundreds of tiny holes on the door frames and baseboards (they're new), paint the bedrooms, tape for painting, and entirely spent too much time there. :) It is hard work!

Master Bathroom

Living Room

Hallway/Dining Room

Kitchen

Basement

Basement Bedroom

Garage

Now let me share a little bit about the house. It's in South Jordan (close to the Oquirrh Mtn Temple), about 2500 sq feet, and in really bad shape, as you can see. It was a foreclosure and it seems that the former residents were pretty upset about that, because they destroyed the house before leaving. The grass is dead, the walls downstairs were bashed in, all the doors, toilets, drawers, shelves, and door frames were taken, the copper wiring cut, the air conditioning and plumbing cut... The list goes on. It also smelled really strongly of smoke and dog pee. :) But we love it. It has 5 bedrooms (3 up and 2 down, one will remain unfinished) and 3 bathrooms, a big shed in the back, and a large grassy community area behind the house. Our new ward is great, and are excited for us to move in. It really has potential to be a lovely house, and we are so excited to move in! 

Now, here are more current pictures.

 Living Room

 Dining Room

 Bathroom

 Master Bedroom

 Bedroom 2

 Kitchen

Laundry/PANTRY!

More pictures to come!