Summer Update

Here is a quick rundown on what we have been up to this summer.



-First off, I cut 10 inches off my hair and donated it to Locks of Love. It ended up being a spontaneous decision. I had originally just gone in for a trim and then decided while I was there that it was time for a change. I really needed a change. I had done it before so I had an idea of how I would look with short hair. And my hair grows really fast so there was that comfort if for some reason I didn't like it. Having had it short now for about 3 months I would have to say it has been a great change.

-Then I went and pierced my ears for the first time ever. Seriously. My sister Emily got hers pierced as well. It was fun to do that with her and to have Suz, Kasey, Chris and Michelle there too for the moral support and to make sure we really went through with it. For something so commonly done it still is kind of freaky if you think about it. I mean choosing to have a sharp object hollow out a hole through a piece of your body. Sick. Anyways, I do like having my ears pierced, I just can't think about it too much when I am putting earrings in.

-Chris teased me that I was going through a mid-life/quarter-life or whatever crisis. :) But the change felt good.

-Chris had his birthday. Yea! Happy Birthday! :) It was a pretty low key celebration but he enjoyed it.

-My brother Tom got married to Megan in Phoenix, Arizona. I realized that I really like the Phoenix area. I finally understood the passion all my AZ friends had for it. It was wonderful to have all the family there. Tom and Megan are both so great and Megan has been such a wonderful addition to our family.

-Grant and I spent a week in Vegas helping my mom get ready for Tom & Megan's open house. It was good to be down there to help out and to spend a little extra time with my family.

-I was a cook for our Stake Girls camp. That was an eye opening learning experience having not been to camp since I was a girl. It is a whole different experience going as a leader and I didn't even really have any responsibilities that the leaders had. I just had to cook the food. We went to Lake Lyman which is up in the Uinta Mountains. So beautiful up there. It was also fun to be there with 3 nieces, 2 sister-in-laws, and my father-on-law.

-Fourth of July Festivities: the annual Gary's to Grandma's Fun Run, Barlow Family Breakfast, Layton City parade, and Stadium of Fire picnic and fireworks. I love the 4th of July and the traditions that surround that day. I love spending time with all the family. And I am grateful for the reminder of what a wonderful country we live in.

-We went to a Salt Lake Bees Baseball game the end of July. Grant enjoyed watching the game for a short time and then mostly enjoyed all the snacks people shared with him and dancing to the music played.

-We spent the 24th of July weekend with Chris's family up at Bear Lake. We stayed at a cabin up the hill from the lake and had so much fun. I finally got to eat a Raspberry shake that I have been craving for a couple of years now. Delicious. Grant had so much fun playing in the lake, swimming at the pool, chasing after all the cousins, and playing the guitar and drums for Rock Band.

-And then we spent a weekend at my family's cabin for the Thorley family reunion. My family was in charge of planning it this year. We did a cruise theme in memory of the supposed real cruise we were all going to go on this year. :) It was a lot of fun although I did learn it is a totally different experience having an active toddler up at the ranch. There really is no relaxing.