Gabby's birthday

Our sweet, spunky Gabrielle turned 3 on August 11. Last Saturday we had a small birthday party for her. She was so thrilled with all of her gifts. She got a trike that she has wanted to ride every day since. She got a shopping cart that all of the girls have enjoyed playing with. She got a darling stuffed doggy and a doggy purse and some clothes and a train that you can take apart and put back together with a "screwdriver" made for little kids. So many fun, wonderful gifts.





Of course, we had a barbecue and then a pinata...after all, it's tradition! Alfredo made great burgers and hot dogs and sausages. I made my rice and a yummy broccoli salad and we had watermelon and chips and soda. Then the kids went to town on the pinata. Since it had started to rain a bit, we moved the party to the carport. Gabbby absolutely did NOT want to hit the pinata, but the other kids loved it...and she loved the bubbles and candy inside.











Then we had cake and ice cream. One tradition that she did not want to take part in was we usually have the birthday child take a bite right out of the cake (it's a hispanic tradition, I believe)...and usually Daddy helps them by pushing their sweet little faces right in... Michelle and Ella love it, but Gabby didn't want anything to do with it. Although she was content as can be to sit on Aly's lap and eat her cake and ice cream once it was on a plate. :)



Happy Birthday to our sweet girl! We love you!

Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt

Just finished reading a fun book called Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt for my book club. This was a sweet book about a girl whose mentally ill mother dies and she goes to live with her great aunt in Savannah. She meets several women who help her find peace and happiness. I loved how Mrs. Odell talked about each person having a Life Book. She compared changes in life to beginning a new chapter and said that throughout life many people will write in your Life Book. It seems like such a nice way of viewing changes and seems like it would also help to have a positive outlook when challenges arise.

This book is filled with great quotes and pearls of wisdom. I wanted to write down just a few of my favorite to remember.

At a time when Cee Cee was scared, Oletta said, "Every time you give in to your fears, you're lettin' that man win. And every time you do that, he gets stronger while you get weaker. Givin' in to your fears will rob you blind."
CeeCee's mom told her, "It's how we survive the hurts in life that brings us strength and gives us our beauty."

Oletta said, "People is wise 'cause they get out in the world and live. Wisdom comes from experience--from knowin' each day is a gift and accepting it with gladness."

Oletta also said, "Don't go wastin' all them bright tomorrows you ain't even seen by hangin' on to what happened yesterday. Let go, child. Just breathe out and let go."


Aunt Tootie told Cee Cee that everything would be fine if she made it fine. She said, "It's what we believe about ourselves that determines how others see us." While there are so many good quotes in this book, so many words to live by, I think this one is so important to internalize.... how we perceive ourselves plays such a big role in how others perceive us. If we are confident and self-assured, if we are positive and happy, then others will want to be near us. This, for me, for most women, I think, isn't always easy to do... we tend to be our own worst critics. I think those who know us best, of course, see a lot more than this...but especially at first meeting, I think this is true.

"'Look,' she (Oletta) said, smiling out at the trees, the sky, and the birds flying by. 'That's life out there. See how it's movin'? Even the leaves on the trees is movin'. Life don't wait for nobody, and even as special as you are, it ain't gonna wait for you, neither. So it's time to make up your mind that you're gonna join it.'"

Aunt Tootie said, "It's our hearts that tell us the truth of things, honey."

Miz Goodpepper said, "Don't grow up too fast, darling. Age is inevitable, but if you nurture a childlike heart, you'll never, ever grow old."

Cee Cee watched Sapphire and Miz Obee's friendship and realized, "that's what friends should do: cherish the good and pretend not to notice the harmless rest."

White Water Rafting and Day 2

Alfredo and I had made reservations to float down the Snake River. We did an 8 mile scenic float, followed by 8 miles of white water rapids with the Dave Hansen River Rafting company. Both were amazing! I loved how peaceful the river was in the early morning, and we were able to see at least 10 bald eagles, several osprey and 4 river otters. Our guide, Ryan, said he had only seen one other river otter this summer. I just thought it was so beautiful...although cold. And during this section of the trip, our guide was able to tell us a little about the history of the area. Our bus driver who brought us from the pickup spot to the river also told us about the history... he also told us about two female bears they have been following. One is the mother of the other female bear. The mother has had a couple of sets of triplets now. In the spring she had triplets, and her daughter had twins. One of the triplets got separated from the mother and is now the daughter is nursing it along with her twins. He said there are a couple of possible explanations, but most likely the mother couldn't provide enough milk and so passed one of the babies on so it could survive.

Anyway, it was fun to get to know the others on our raft a little bit and to just enjoy the peace of the river.









Then we got off and had a short break and prepared for the white water rafting. I don't have photos yet, because you could only take waterproof cameras and I keep forgetting to take it in to be developed. Anyway, the white water rafting was AWESOME! Totally amazing. I didn't think it was scary at all, but I was at the back of the raft and therefore missed most of the drenchings and some of the view. So next time, I will want to sit closer to the front. But it was so much fun. During a quiet part in between rapids, we were able to get out of the raft and "swim". If you did it, you got a little bracelet that says, "Snake River Swim Team. Get in or Go Home." Alfredo and I both got in (although only for a minute or so...it was cold) and got our bracelets. For someone (ME) who doesn't like to jump straight into a warm pool...but likes to ease in slowly, that was an accomplishment. Such a fun experience. We can hardly wait to do it again... and will definitely take the girls in a few years when Gabby is old enough. Somehow, I'm getting just a tiny bit braver in my old age. HeeHee. Kidding, but really this isn't something I would have tried until the last couple of years.

My favorite rapid was the Cottonwood Rapid. It was the longest rapid and the last rapid we went on. Alfredo liked the Big Kahuna and Lunch Counter. They are one right after another and very cool. Most of the time only one of them is running...one runs during high water and one during low water...but for about 2 weeks a year they both run, and we were lucky enough to be there during that 2 week period. Also, about 3 1/2 months ago there was a terrible avalanche. It closed the road into Jackson for 3 weeks and dumped a ton of soil into the Snake River. It created a new rapid that we were able to go over. It was so amazing! All of it.

We had lunch after the rafting and then headed to a visitor center where we saw an interesting movie and wandered through the exhibits. I loved this quote:

I think there is a lot of loveliness to be found in America...and around the world. And if you look, especially keeping an open mind (as for example, many people think the desert is ugly...and it can be, but some areas have a beauty that is unique, if you look and are willing to see it), you will find it and it will change you. I've had a couple of friends go to Alaska and talk about how seeing the whales and the glaciers and all of the beauty changed them...and I've had traveling experiences that have changed me. Anyway, love this quote!!

The visitors center was beautiful...and had a gorgeous view of the Tetons. It was so relaxing to just walk around, read the displays and just enjoy one another's company.





Later we had enormous hamburgers and fries and milkshakes at a hamburger place in Jackson. They were so delicious! We sat outside, enjoying the nice weather and the yummy food.



On the way back to the hotel (as well as on the drive home) we saw lots of deer and antelope.


I'm so glad we did this. It was so nice to spend the weekend together, just the two of us, to renew our relationship and celebrate the past 10 years.

While in Jackson, we bought our girls matching pajamas. It was fun to see them model them for us when we got home, and good to be with them again. We, of course, missed them while we were gone.

Jackson Hole

For our tenth anniversary, Alfredo and I took a 3 day, 2 night trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It was really our first time away from the kids, and it was wonderful! I'm so grateful to Aly, who watched our girls for us while we were gone. The girls had such a great time there...and we had a wonderful, relaxing, fun time in Jackson.

We left Friday morning to drive there. My sister left for Canada just a few minutes before we left...so on the drive up we passed them. We stopped at a rest stop so I could use the bathroom and a minute later my sister and her kids pulled in...so I got to say one final goodbye!

When we got to Jackson, we ate lunch at a Chinese restaurant. The food was only okay, but we did get fortune cookies with fun fortunes. Mine said, "He who has imagination without learning has wings but no feet." Alfredo thought that was appropriate since I spend my days teaching children...helping them to gain their footing (and I hope their wings too!) Alfredo's said, "An exciting opportunity lies ahead if you are not timid." This seemed appropriate for 2 reasons...first, we were going white water rafting the next morning...and also, because he recently started a new position at work...we think and hope it will be an exciting opportunity...but as it is a sales position, he will have to not be timid...not that this is a concern for Alfredo. He is not a timid person.

Then we spent a couple hours wandering around Jackson and doing some shopping. One store was closing down and I got 2 cute shirts for $15. We also found cute jammies for our girls. Here are a few photos of wandering around Jackson:




Shopping, we saw several t-shirts with funny slogans. Here are the 2 I wrote down to remember:

"You see a cute little deer. I see a couple of steaks and a leather jacket." (I totally see the cute little deer...we both do, but this made us laugh out loud and we quoted it all weekend.)

Second: "Vision...the ability to see yourself surviving the (crazy) thing you're about to do."... (I substituted crazy for their profanity... but as we were about to go white water rafting...this struck me as an interesting way of looking at vision.)
Then we drove to Teton Village. We rode the Bridger Gondola up the mountain and ate dinner at the Deck. I had gotten car sick and just didn't feel real good, so I mostly just enjoyed the beautiful view and visiting with Alfredo. It was so beautiful up there...peaceful and beautiful. Bridger Gondola:







That was the first day of our trip. Then we drove the hour trip to our hotel in Pinedale (because it was much cheaper than any similar hotel in Jackson...) and it was a pretty drive.

Fiddle Concert

Michelle has been taking violin lessons from Mrs. Montgomery (who used to be in our ward) since January. Michelle has already learned so much. Mrs. Montgomery is such an amazing teacher. The students had a fiddle concert at Sugarhouse Park last week. Michelle was able to play five songs... Mary Had a Little Lamb, Orange Blossom, Cripple Creek, Camptown Races, and Old MacDonald Had a Farm. She did a great job, and the concert was wonderful!







And we were lucky to be able to have Michelle's aunt Rebecca and her kids be at the concert. Also, our dear friends Aly and Stacie came with their kids. Thank you!