Cari is HERE!

Cari got here Sunday and Grace has been on her hip ever since. Tonight I borrowed "Kee Kee" while we were waiting for "Akk"to get home and we enjoyed some pilates. Cari whooped me, she is SO strong!

(picture courtesy: my hard working husband)

23

(so sad I didnt get one of Josh and I)

morning kisses + a special package + ckn cordon bleu (from Jenilyn) + funfetti cupcakes + PF Changs + Sur Le Table + something green (a new plant!) + rice krispie treats + lots of Birthday wishes = A Happy Birthday!

Playground Heaven

This was the parks of all parks! More visits and pictures to come.

Botanical Gardens

Saturday was Jenilyn's birthday, so in honor of her broad knowledge of plants ( her degree is in Horticulture) we went to the botanical gardens in Vienna. They were so refreshing and seemed almost as if we were in a dreamland of GREEN. We are excited to go back in a few weeks when more of the flowers are in bloom.


( hahah this is me making my chubby face=)

93 degrees and the Fountain

The pool at our apartments is not open for a few more weeks, so we decided to improvise..

I'm so glad when Daddy comes home..

Grace and I sing this as often as we can. We really miss Josh while he is working all day long. We started singing this when Grace was about 6 months old and before Grace was 1 Josh taught her HIS version of the song. It goes like this...

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy... "and you know the rest.

Today Grace must have been bored, she decided to switch things up a bit by singing..

" Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Dee-an, Dee-an, Dee-an, E-yee, E-yee, E-yee" I laughed so hard! It was so cute that she was thinking of Dylan and Ellie, she misses them so so much.

Painting with Wes

My sister Jenilyn set this up for Grace and Wes. Within about 2 min, the walls were blue and so were our babies! They had so much fun eating and throwing paint.

Great Finds

Used this....

Read this...

Made these....

Thai Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

2-4 cups cooked rice

Chicken:
2-3 chicken breasts
½ red onion, minced
1-2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1 T minced fresh ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
soy or Teriyaki sauce
1 T Thai chili paste (optional)

1 head iceberg Lettuce

Sauté onion in hot oil until tender. Add chicken and sauté until no longer pink. Add the cabbage, carrots, ginger, garlic and sauté until tender. Sprinkle with soy or teriyaki sauce and Thai chili paste as desired for flavor. Eat right away, so cabbage doesn’t get soggy.

Peanut Sauce:
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup sugar
¼ cup + 2 Tabs. soy or Teriyaki sauce
6 cloves minced garlic
¼ cup + 2 Tabs. water
¼ cup oil
2 tsp. Thai chili paste (optional)

Cook sauce in a pan on medium heat until sugar dissolves. Whisk until smooth. Stir often and keep warm.

To assemble wraps, spoon rice into a lettuce cup, top with chicken mixture, and spoon on peanut sauce.
( Thanks Deb and Miss for this delicious recipe!)

Discovered these...

( and ate almost all of them!)

Found this blog .....

(and I have spent a good 12+ hours on it! Its that cool- Thanks Hill)

And let G and W play in these...

(by far the best bubbles you will ever purchase)

Dandy Lions

We went to the park and this was Grace's favorite thing! And all she did for about 35 minutes, it was so cute. While on her hunt for yellow flowers, she came upon a worm. She picked it right up and stuck it into her mouth and when it moved she threw it. Love my curious 15 month old.

Fairfax Virginia

Well we have arrived. Josh got here Tuesday at 3 and we flew in at 5. We are so excited to spend this summer on the East Coast! Neither of us have been this way, and I am excited to brush up on some history.

A few things that I have noticed so far are...
- Brick is "in". You wont see any stucko or siding
- Most people here are on a mission to get somewhere. They walk fast and all look alike in their black coasts and leather bags
- SUV's and trucks are not "in". I get quite a few confused looks while I am out
- The greenery here is amazing. AND TALL! Cant find your way without a GPS
- You are going to be the only person in the store with a child. I have seen about 5 kids since I have been here
- The freeway takes me every where. EVEN TO THE PARK!

Its different and I like it. Ill keep you posted on our adventures.

Easter Sunday

Easter morning we said goodbye to Josh as he left for a 3 day car ride to Fairfax Va. Because he was gone, this was an excuse to go to Lorna's ward and spend Easter with her and Craig. We enjoyed a beautiful sacrament meeting with some very talented musical numbers followed by a beautiful R.S. lesson on Joseph Smith. It was such a nice break from serving in the Nursery (although we LOVE our calling).


Happy EASTER!

Date Night

Cari and Alec were in town for spring break and I wish so bad that I had proof! I guess I do have a little, Josh and I were able to go on our first overnight date since January of 08! We had so much fun just being together. Thank you so much Cari and Alec!

Cari took a few pictures before we left.

Collette Reunion: Zions

For our Collette reunion we spent conference weekend in Zions National Park. We enjoyed doing crafts, watching Conference, playing Aquire( I won for the first time in my life!!), great food, dirt biking, hiking, and an easter egg hunt. Grace had so much fun playing with her cousins and Josh enjoyed long dirtbike rides with his siblings. We love our Collette Family.

Sister Satuday

A few weeks ago my sisters-in-laws and Lorna and I all spent a day in Salt Lake. It was so much fun to be just the girls. We ate a delicious lunch and then checked out some really neat shops. My favorite was The Children's Hour, if you get a chance, GO! And tell me what you think.

Cool Girls

California

Josh, Grace and I decided that we had had enough of this terrible Utah weather and headed to see my family in Sacramento for the weekend. Every time we go we are treated like royalty, a big comfy bed, amazing food, shopping, good talks, free baby sitting, great company and lots of SUNSHINE!

My Dad BBQ'ed every night! He is so sweet and thoughtful and knows just the kinds of food that Josh likes. My Mom worked on Beth's prom dress and made it look just right. Beth looked absolutely beautiful! Sometimes its hard for me to see my little sisters growing up.( last time I went home I told Cari that it was weird for her to be driving me around. HA! She got mad and said "ROSE!!! I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR LIKE 3 YEARS!!!!" hahah)Grace had so much fun playing with her cousins Evie and Dallin outside on the backyard everyday. It was so nice to just let her play in the dirt and find bugs! Cari and Mel were so sweet to arrange a playdate at Tricks for our girls to do some gymnastics and play with our friends London, Jody and Matthew.




We miss you already California.

Love the Collettes

Mod Bod, Good Things Utah and Flowrider

Hillary my sister-in-law called me the other night at 10:30 telling me she had a really weird question for me and was laughing hysterically. Well needless to say, we had a BLAST! We met our friend Beth at 3am to drive an hour and a half to Ogden's indoor surf spot, Flowrider. We were live on Good Things Utah from 6:30 am until about 9 am in nothing but our swim suits!! We just laughed and laughed, feeling silly about prancing around on TV at the crack of dawn in practically nothing! HA!
(yes I am wearing a bathing suit under that, and yes, I have a birthmark on my leg)

Rex Lee

It was so much fun to do this race with Beth, Thomas, Jared and Greg. Josh and Grace came to support, and as I was finishing the race on the last stretch, I got so so excited as I saw them cheering for me on the sidelines.

I wish we would have taken a group picture! Darn.

Family Pictures

My sister in law is so talented and we thank her so much for taking these!

20 Random Facts

1) I need a sunny vacation
2) I sort my silver wear in the dishwasher in designated sections.
3) I peek on Grace every night before I go to bed. I love her chubby sleeping face.
4) Just acquainted my self with Nie Nie Dialogues and feel inspired by Stephanie. She is so talented at expressing her self and surroundings. Something I would like to develop.
5)Sleep in most days till 9
6)I have a funny habit of cutting apples on a towel. Not sure why.
7) I have a hard time committing to big projects, I worry I wont finish them.
8) I wear my favorite jeans everyday, and I am not ashamed of it. I love them.
9)Would like to be better at journal writing. I have done great for the last few years, but now its just a little harder to remember to do it.
10) Typical day goes like: Grace wakes me up around 9, bowl of honey nut cheerios for both, get G dressed, go for a run at the rec center (or lately on the trails behind our house), home for G's nap, shower/get ready/phone calls/bills/mail/emails, G wakes up, PBJ sandwiches, errands/fun with friends and family, G takes nap, research/more phone calls/blogging/cleaning house, G wakes, go for walk to mailbox, work on dinner, play with blocks/puzzles/toys, Daddy comes home!, dinner, play games with him, G to bed at 7:30, Watch AI/office/Bachelor, to bed by midnight.
11) I really enjoy doing things outside with my little family. Wish we made more time to do it.
12)Josh and I spent 3 hours one night laughing at each other make little boy noises. ie. Machine gun, fight sound effects and a siren. I was terrible!
13) I dream about the good ol days when Josh and I first met, fell in love and exchanged CTR rings before his mission. I love him.
14) I would like to live in California again someday. I miss is a lot. Although we really enjoy living by family here.
15) I have a goal to read the Book of Mormon by the end of August. Im in 2nd Nephi.
16) Circus animal crackers with the sprinkles are my favorite cookie.
17) I did a back flip at Jump On It today and felt like I was 12 again. ha!
18) I am excited to live 20 min from DC this summer. (Josh works so hard and we love him for it)
19) I think I have the best sisters and sister in laws. We all have so many common interests and we love each other.
20) I just found out that 2 of my really good friends are pregnant and cant wait to meet these little babies in October.

Un-welcome visitor

The other day I was pulling out of the garage and just before the door touched the ground shut again I thought I saw a little something out of the corner of my eye. So when I got home I poked around a bit and didn't find a lizard or anything.

A few days later I knew something was lurking!!! Needless to say, one walmart trip and 5 hours later, he was uninvited and very rudely escorted out. Poor little field mouse.

Thanks to my brave and muscle-y husband, I didn't even have to see him off.