Has It Been

Has it been 5 years since we were waiting for you to arrive?

Has it been 5 years since you were kicking my side?

Has it been 5 years since mommy and daddy were betting who was right about if you were a boy or girl(mom was right)?

Has it been 5 years since I regretted deciding not to have a c-section?

Has it been 5 years since I had my longest labor so long in fact I was in labor longer with you than all 3 of my other pregnancies?

Has it been 5 years since I was holding you so tight and smelling your baby smell?

Yes it has Happy Birthday Jensen!!!!

2010 Vacation #3

The next several posts are our adventures on vacation June 19th - 25th. Considering 2 of these are travel days we packed a lot of memories into our time together!!!

Vegas here we come.....

I am feeling a bit spoiled but this is how you need to travel to and from the airport. To the airport your so excited about the trip but on the way home you are tired and it was great not to have to worry about getting our bags, our car, and then the drive home!!!!

Where We Stayed

The view from our room:

Our room is the balcony right above the arches. I loved sitting out there every morning!

A Day at the Strip

Our stops:

Excalibur Hotel to see Tournament of Kings


You eat dinner with your hands(no utensils provided) while watching sword fights, jousting, and they break out into song from time to time!!!!

The New York New York Hotel

As you can see the roller coaster on the outside. A little side story my teenager promised his young mens leader he would ride it and wen he saw it he said NO WAY!!!!

Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef











This was fabulous as well. You walked through tunnels surrounded by sharks and pet manta rays!

The Luxor Hotel

It had a very special surprise inside for one boy. My David has been learning all about the Titanic. When we go to the library he checks out all kinds of books about it. Once he wants to learn about something he dives right into the topic and Titanic is his current obsession. I was thumbing through a Vegas magazine and low and behold a Titanic exhibit. I wish I had a picture of his face when he sees the 40 foot signage of the Titanic...it is an image that will be etched into my mind forever.


It was an amazing exhibit with thousands of artifacts retrieved from the depths of the ocean and other exhibits where they recreated the staircase, 3rd and 1st class rooms and even the promenade deck.

The Coca Cola Store

and previously visited M&M World

Feeding the Ducks

Boat Ride on Lake Las Vegas

THE BEATLES

Absolutely fabulous...stunning!!!!!

THE GRAND CANYON

I think pictures speak louder than words!!!!

Me and My Mountain

I am afraid of heights and to be honest I didn't quite realize how afraid simply because I avoid them. The views of the Grand Canyon were fabulous and I did great with my whole height issue. David and Christian climbed up to the top of this mountain and once I took the picture, myself and the little guys kept walking down the path looking for a place that they could climb up too. We found the perfect place and then began the waiting for dad and Christian to catch up. After waiting for 5 minutes i decided they could go up a little ways and I would watch with my 2 feet planted on solid ground. Well they got to a point were I flet they needed to stay and they did but they became restless and wanted to go further and since there was still no sign of Dad or Christian I decided I would go up too and it wasn't that high. I was climbing right up that mountain at a good pace and then at one point I turned around. You know when someone says whatever you do don't look down I wish someone would have yelled that! I was absolutely panic striken. Here I am 100 ft or more up a mountain that overlooks the Grand Canyon and I am sitting there shaking with my 3 little ones up there with me which made the panic worse. I demanded they sit down right now and we would just wait for Dad to come. After waiting and waiting I decided the only way I was getting down was if I did it myself and it took a lot of talk to myself to get me to that point. It was decided I would go down the mountain alone. I needed to be an example to my children that even though something was scary you could do it. I would take it one step at a time and I would think through each step. As I took the first step in near tears and shaking like a leaf a great peace and calm came over me and a strength I didn't know I had in me. Was I alone going down the mountain? No not at all we have a loving Heavenly Father and he was there with me on that mountain side to calm my fears and lead me safely where I needed to go and do the things He needed me to do. My children needed to see me afraid and see Heavenly Father's hand in me overcoming that fear. Will I be climbing up a mountain in the near future? NO! But if I do I know I am not alone!

This is Julianna, David IV, and Jensen standing where I was sitting on the mountain:

THE POOL

We spent A LOT of time here...