Falling For Jamba Juice

My laptop is having an attitude issue and not turning on.  I guess I need to go visit my Geek friends at Best Buy tonight because I have so much to blog about and not a single picture as I can't get them off my camera without the card reader on my laptop.

#firstworldproblems I know.

I do have a few pictures on my phone that I can share.

Like this one:

Which goes along with the "things I will never live down series" I did.  More specifically here.

My brother Nick is in Afghanistan with the Army.  

And that's about all I know about that.  Thankfully we live in an era where facebook is prevelant and he's able to stay in touch via that social media craziness.

So when his pregnant wife showed up on my doorstep for a weekend of some crazy fun (post to come when I can get the pics off my camera.  I may have to visit Costco's photo center and get a disc) I took advantage of having her with me and we did a little reenactment of my brother's "favorite" outing with me.  Or at least what would seem to be the most memorable night for him as it's the only one in our hanging out days that he still talks about.  Every time Jamba Juice comes up.

Mine, for the record, would be the night he got off a late shift and called me at midnight telling me to meet him at a club around the corner from my house for a fast game of pool before bed (although I was already in bed).  And I went.

Because we're cool like that.

Sheri and I took this pic (with the help of our cameramen kids) and posted it on Nick's facebook to hopefully brighten his day a little.

I think it did.

Happy one year! Spring get into my life! And Netflix isn't updating.

Ladies and Gentlemen.

 Welcome to another Monday.

Happy Anniversary to my twin and my newest sister.  One year down and a lifetime to go.

I love them.

Over the weekend I got to have dinner with a dad and a sister, a niece and a nephew. It was one of those things that just comes together last minute. I might have the best family ever.

 Ever.

 And while I'm on the subject I love the growing relationship I have with my sister McKell who is Amazing with a capital A.

I wrote my last paper on Obamacare.  Can I get a hallelujah on that?

Hallelujah.

independence day

Our Independence Day was surrounded by family.
We joined Grandpa Dick and Grandma KC at IHOP for breakfast.  Can you say, "red velvet pancakes?"

The girls were super helpful in prepping our desserts for Grandpa Brent and Grandma Julie's BBQ.

I survived baby and toddlerhood. 
I love childhood. 
I don't want another baby, but I'd be okay with pausing time with were The Circus is right now.

Didn't they do a good job?

The Man was working on a welding project in the driveway, but I was ready for some holiday fun, so I called up my "twin" brother and his brood (the whole three of them ha ha) and they drove down to my neck of the woods for some relief from the heat swimming.

Christian

Casidee

Sheri who screamed all the way down from the high dive

Nick's awesome back flip

Christian

Brynn vs. the high dive.  She isn't at all like her mom...

Casidee vs. the high dive

The conga line while swimming.  A must.

After getting water logged and sun burned we headed home to shower.  Christian decided to tag along with our crew.

If you feed the boy ham, he'll walk your dogs.
Twice.

We spent our evening with the family at Grandpa Brent and Grandma Julie's house.
Where I got to snuggle on baby Wyatt.
He can come visit any time.
I still don't want one, but I can be okay with spending time with that little boy, no problem.

When I started talking about how I'd left my smoke bombs at home, my dad decided to show me up by handing me a real smoke grenade.

How can you not want to pull the plug on something like that?

Sam says, "that looks pretty good," as he adds a little more.

We ended our night sitting on a hillside near our house, perched above the entire Salt Lake Valley.
The city lights of the valley were spread out before us and we could see all the aerials being done at homes throughout the valley. 
When 10:00 rolled around, we were able to see the amazing fireworks displays of five parks.

How grateful I am to live in a country that allows me my freedoms.
I can make my own choices, and live my own life.
And although I have a handful of different countries that I'd like to live in for a spell, there's not another country I'd rather call home than this one.
God Bless America.

liberty park

When Uncle Nick called to say they were in town The Circus were excited, to say the least. 
I left work early, loaded The Circus up, and headed to Liberty Park where we would see what we could see as far as water was concerned.

How many kids does it take to get Uncle Nick down?

Apparently more than five...
Though he cheated by tickling.

We started our rounds at the splash park, which turned out to be fah-fah-fah-reezing.  That being said, they were determined to have a water fight. 
Because what else is freezing cold water good for?

Above all else, when getting ready to go play in the water at the park, you must make sure you bring your Justin Bieber book.
You must.

We decided to shift gears and juhyytgh6y
Sorry, spider.  Running with laptop.
It happens to the best of us.

Where was I?

Oh yeah.

We decided to shift gears and jump over to the crick. 
You heard me.  Crick.  Not creek.  Dang East Coast family making fun of me...

Cali

Once word got around that there was a real live pool at Liberty Park there was no satisfying the kids until we made it to real live swimming.

Let me say that if it's a rule that everyone must pay, even if we offer to show to you that we don't have swim suits on, then you have to allow me to swim in my clothes.

How can you tell me I have to pay to get into the swimming pool area, and then tell me I can't swim without a suit?

Then why did I pay? 

Without suits, but having paid (hold a grudge much?) sister Sheri and I did the best thing that we could do.

After swimming we headed to Sonic for food.
And lots of it.
And slushies and cherry limeades.

That poor waitress on roller blades.
After dropping half of the stuff she brought out I really felt bad for her.  At what point do you just say screw it and resort to delivering food in your socks?

Jayme had an orthodontist appointment that afternoon and I had carefully planned our timing so as to not miss it.
Only, in my mind I was thinking the appointment was an hour later than it actually was.
Thankfully The Man sent me a text asking if I was taking Jay straight to the ortho since we weren't home yet?
Enter frantic forgetter mom mode.
Eat up kids, we have to leave now.  I can still save this.

And I did.

Thanks to my twin and new sister for the day out.
For swimming in clothes and a frantic crazy lunch.
The Circus loves their new cousin and feel they are instant family. 
As they should feel.  Because they are.