Catching up all at once

I am trying to play catch up here today, so just bare with me, this will be a long post with a lot of pictures. 

Molly and I have been trying to be better about exercising, but also about doing things that don't cost a lot of money, so we decided to go for a hike a few weeks back. I asked around to find out where a nice hiking spot would be, someone from church told us about 9 mile canyon, and then Kennedy Meadows Camp Ground, so we packed a lunch and headed out. I had no idea how far away this place was, I was just told to stay on the 395 until we saw 9-mile canyon. Luckily I got gas before because it took us about 54 miles until we reached our destination. I am not even sure if that was the right spot, but we saw a place we could park the car and we saw some marked paths, so we decided that was as good of place as any to start this hiking adventure. Molly got the dogs out of the car and put them on their leashes, while I fed Jace. Then I got out the stroller and we headed out. Now, this was a jogging stroller with nice thick wheels, and I figured it was sort of like an all-terrain vehicle. Boy was a wrong! About a quarter mile up the mountain on the trail it got really rocky and I couldn't push the stroller anymore, so I decided to go back to the car and get the backpack. Poor Molly, she held Jace, and the 2 dogs while I basically carried the stroller down the mountain. Oh and Molly also had the backpack with out lunch and waters in it. 

As I hiked back down the mountain to the car, I got scratched up a bit, but I made it to the car put the stroller in, got the backpack out and hiked back up the mountain. But by that time, I was pretty faint feeling. I don't know if it was the over-exertion or the altitude, but we only hiked for like another 15 minutes and I was dead. If I wasn't carrying Jace I probably would have kept going, but I didn't want to pass out and take him down with me, so we walked back down the mountain and did a more level hike. 

It was actually a pretty fun day, and we got a lot of walking in, even if it wasn't actually mountain hiking, at least we were still exercising, we got some fun pictures, and the dogs were so happy. Next time I wont even try to take the stroller, bad idea on my part, and maybe then we will actually make it up the mountain.

Molly, Harvey and Roxie at the stream waiting to get moving.

Jace and I ready to go, this was pre-hike, notice Jace in the stroller still...

Family photo, now Jace is in the side pack. 

Totally content (he was such a good baby during the whole day, he slept most the walking)

Pretty scenery

Our trail

The stream

Harvey was soooooo happy!

Now, I just have put some random pictures in that I have wanted to share, but haven't gotten around to.

Jace fell asleep in his diaper, such a cutie!

First time in a "real" swing and he loved it!

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to go to Utah and visit some dear, dear friends. I was so happy to get to go. Jace was amazing during the trip, I was so happy. He really was such a trooper. We left Thursday after work, around 4:30 PM and I drove through the night. We got to Utah around 2 AM and stayed with Kimmy, thanks for that Kimmy! We got up and went to breakfast with my Aunt Inga and Uncle Ken and their daughters Rachel and Anna. Then we went to Rachel's museum and took a little tour, then we went to my cousins Rebecca's new apartment at BYU and chatted some more. It was so nice to see them, they had never met Jace, and I was just so happy to get to spend a little time with them. I love my family so much!

After breakfast and chatting, I met up with an elder that served his mission in Apple Valley, that was a lot of fun. He has become a good friend, and it was fun to catch up.

After lunch, I went and met up with my friend Victor. I think it had been 6 years since I had seen him last, 6 years too long! He has a little girl that is 5 months older than Jace, and it was so fun to watch her with him. She kept crawling over him and taking his pacifier from him, but he was so happy to just watch her, he didn't care. It was really cute. I had such a good time catching up with Victor and I finally got to meet his wife Megan. She is such a sweetie! He did good marrying her! They have a great house, it was so fun to catch up.

Then we went and met up with Kristin and her kiddos. We went to Cafe Rio, it was my very first time there and it was so yummy. They even said a chant about it being my first time when the workers heard that I had never been there. It was funny. After dinner we went to the gateway mall, and played in the water. That night I stayed at Kristin's house, which is also a great house. I loved it! 

Saturday morning we got up, chatted some more, and then I went and met up with my brother who is serving his mission in Logan (Kristin lives in Logan). It was fun seeing Brig, we went to a Brazilian restaurant and had lunch. Now I know what you are thinking, he was on a mission, I shouldn't have seen him, but he had permission, we weren't breaking any rules. We talked for about an hour and had lunch and then he and his companion went to work and I went back to Kristin's. Kimmy and her sister Jenny and her son and step daughter came over too, there were so many kids there, it was so fun! 

That night we ate Indian food that shared it's space with a gas station, I know weird pairing, but the food really was good. (I ate a lot of good food this trip). We all went back to Kristin's and played a game and talked and then I got in the car and followed Victor back to Draper. Then Sunday morning I got up and made the drive home. Crazy weekend, but a great one! I had missed all of these wonderful people so much!

Playing in the water.

Brig, Jace and I at the Brazilian restaurant.

Jace didn't like the grass too much... 

Ok, now to explain the next picture. I had just fed Jace, and then he threw up ALL over me and himself. I thought I had gotten the worst of it, so I wiped him off and went downstairs to change, and left Jace with Kristin and Kimmy. Well, they thought it would be funny if Kristin got some of her daughters old pj's and put them on Jace. So I came upstairs and they were changing him and this is what they did to my poor baby boy. I have to say he is a pretty cute baby, but never again will he have a hair bow on his head! Still it was pretty funny!

Kind of look like a dinosaur right?

Cute face

Harvey and Roxie are so cute, especially when they get along

Jace being sneeky...

I just love this little boy so much!

7 months

He loves his jumper, now when you say bouncy, bouncy, he will jump up and down 

Always has something in his mouth

The video is of Jace scooting (army crawling) down the hall way. He is now starting to get on all fours and rocks back and forth, but his mode of transportation is to pull himself around still. I am sure soon he will actually be crawling.

And there you have it! You made it through another post!