Part 1 summer update

Wow i have really been a slacker when it comes to blogging! Well here is a part 1 update of the past few months....

July:

For the 4th of July we always go to Tabiona and go camping. This year was extra special because it was my Grandpa Gines' 80th Birthday. We all walked in the parade and then had a big surprise party for him.

Gramps was not to excited that we surprised him and he was going to be in the parade with all of his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. Well, he says he was mad but we all know he liked it!

The Tabby parades are always pretty fancy as you can tell!

Even little Copper got to walk in the parade.

"the boys" these boys are not camera shy! David, Colten, Chris, Tyson, Josh

Copper and Jax were pretty worn out from the parade and all the kids trying to play with them.


Mom and Grandpa.


August:

Our first big event in August was of course the Gines family reunion and like every year we had a blast. Lots of family, laughing and more laughing! We had more horses here this year and Matt even decided to be a cowboy and ride Jet!
Another huge event in August was Matt's brother Alex got married! We love Corinne! They had reception here and in Burley, Idaho so Matt and I got to go to both. We are so happy to have her in our family.

It was fun having Matt's entire family here for the wedding since a lot of them live out of state now. While they were all here we celebrated Tom's birthday. We had a swim party and then set up the fire pit, roasted marshmallows, and set up a TV outside so we could all sit around and watch home videos. It was so fun to see Matt and his family when they were little. I really don't think there was ever a little boy as cute as Matt!Tom and Matt getting ready for the home movies

Barn Raisin'

Over Memorial Day we went out to Tabiona to help my Grandpa build a barn. (by "we" I mean the boys built a barn and the girls had fun hanging out:)

Before Matt went to help with the barn I told him to be careful and don't show off. I come to check on him and here is is as high as he can get on top of the huge barn!!!

Well while the boys were working we decided to have a little photo shoot on the tractor.
Colten had to take a little break from the barn for the photo shoot.
We are not quite as cute as we once were. Obviously, because this was one of our better shots.
But we did teach Lexi how to pose. She did a great job!
Some of my favorite girls! Lexi Jo, Cassi, Kami, Aunt Annette

Once the photo shoot was over we decided to take the kids and hike T mountain. I have not done this for years and it was a little harder than when I was 10.

My Grandma is a trooper. Not only did she hike the mountain with us, but she was probably the first one up!
Beautiful Tabiona, Utah
Grandma's house in the bottom corner.
We made it to the T!!!
Once we got to the top Grams found the perfect tree for a picture.
My cute brother Josh!
Sisters! I count myself as a sister :)
Cassi teaching Brody how to slide down the mountain, he did awesome!

Latter that night me and Cassi took my Grandpa around Tabby so we could hear stories and get pictures of some of the places he grew up. Then the next day we took my dad and her mom to the house and store where they grew up. It was really fun hearing all of the fun stories.
One of the houses Grandpa lived in as a kid.
Grandpa's horses that pull the wagon.

Fabrizio and son's. The store my great grandpa built, my grandpa owned, and my dad grew up in.
There house was attached to the back of the store.

Dad and Annette showing us how they use to play on the swing set.

Dad and his favorite hang out spot...the chicken coop

Annette going in the back door



Wyatt, Bart, Cassi, Annette. Standing where their house use to be.

It was a fun trip to Tabby and we got to hear lots of stories and take lots of pictures!!! My next post will be another Tabby post! Grandpas 80th birthday and the Gines reunion. I know you are looking forward to that! I have a lot of catching up to do!

The End of an Era

I thought I would do a quick post about my BFF!


Yep that is her! Kristin B. Taylor. This has kinda been a sad week for me. Kristin an I have basically lived together or worked together for the past 9 years, but that all changed this week. Kristin decided that she would rather spend her time being a stay at home mom than working with me! I know she is so selfish!

Kristin and I met when we were 18yrs old in Provo. We lived next door to each other and both of us had crazy roommates so we decided to move in together with one of my roommates (not the crazy ones) Lisa. After this we were apart for a little over a year when I moved to St George. But once I moved back we moved in together again this time in Orem.

After Kristin moved back home I was a little nervous that we wouldn't see each other very much, but before I knew it Kristin got me a the best job I have ever had! I have the best boss in the world and I work with my best friend, what more could I want.


We have had so much fun throughout the years...




Although it will be sad not working together everyday I am so excited for you and the new chapter in your life! I am so excited to meet little Chase! Thanks for being my best friend and for being one of the only people I can tell EVERYTHING to! I know that we are going to be friends forever! I miss you already!

First trip to Moab, but not the last!!

A couple of weekends ago Matt and I decided to take a little weekend trip to Moab. Matt has been there a few times, but I have never been. It was so beautiful! I can not believe that I had never been! We got there on a Friday afternoon and left on Sunday and there was SO much that we were not able to do. We didn't take bikes or anything because we decided that this trip would be dedicated to seeing the major sites and hiking, but next time I am totally taking the 4-wheelers! there were so many atv trails! So here are lots of picture of our trip. (I took about 200 pictures but don't worry I won't post them all)

Our first stop was Hole n' the rock. It was pretty cool to see the house that those crazy people built in the rock, but for some reason while we were there I would just laugh. It was just kind of random to me. First you are seeing this house built out of a side of a huge rock, then you are walking around looking at a jeep made from license plates, and then you go to the petting zoo. haha it was funny to me for some reason, but we had fun.



My favorite animal to feed was the camel. I had no idea that camels don't have top teeth.
Our next stop was Dead Horse Point. It was so pretty, but so windy this night. It was fun just driving up here because no matter where you were you were looking at something beautiful.



Saturday was my favorite. We spent the entire day in Arches National Park. I cannot believe how incredible that place is! We were going to hike delicate arch first, but decided that we wanted to do that at sunset so we drove to the end of the park and started there at the Devils Garden.


The first arch that we hiked to was tunnel arch(above) and close to that was pine tree arch(below).

Those arches were both on the way to see landscape arch which was one of my favorite. (every arch we went to ended up being one of my new favorites) This one is really cool, but it is so thin that it makes you wonder how much longer it can stand like that.
Next we drove down to skyline arch and then balancing rock. Balancing rock again was one of my favorites.



Seriously how is it not falling?!
Double arch was also beautiful. In fact as far as beauty goes these were at the top of my list, well second to top.






At this point we have been there for about 5 hours so we decided to head back to Moab for some lunch and rest before we hiked delicate arch. We had lunch and the Moab Brewery and went and relaxed by the pool. At about 5:30 we headed back to Arches to Delicate Arch.
I am not the best hiker so this hike was pretty hard for me, but Matt was nice and let me take as many breaks as I wanted:) I decided that I really do like hiking. Not necessarily the hiking part, but once you get to the top it is always worth it! And this was no different.

Ok I am TERRIFIED of heights!! At the end of this hike you have to hike next to this ledge and I was so scared! When we got to the arch there are huge drop offs everywhere and it was so windy I was seriously so scared. I just sat there for like 5 mins and told Matt not to touch me! I was literally scared stiff!

When we went to get our picture taken under the Arch I was walking so slow taking baby steps and everyone was laughing at me. I was so nervous watching people jump and run by the edge especially when there were little kids with them!!! Ah I was a nervous wreck! But it was so worth it! I have never seen anything like this before and the pictures just don't do it justice!
Can you see Matt in the picture above? I was nervous!

We had such an amazing trip. on Sunday we woke up late, went to breakfast at the old Jail House, drove through Arches one last time, and headed for home. Matt and I have not taken a trip just the two of us since our honeymoon, so it was fun to be with just him all weekend and not have to worry about anyone else! There are so many places in Utah that we have not seen and I am excited to discover all of the beautiful things in our state!!!