Okay... just a little bragging time...
I HAVE THE BEST HUSBAND IN THE WORLD!!!!! Birthdays get boring and mundane after 30 right?... WRONG!!! My sweet husband took me to SLC Friday night. We had a fabulous dinner... stayed in a Hotel downtown, spent the entire day Saturday window shopping, holding hands and enjoying each other, went to another fabulous dinner Saturday night, and then topped it off with an evening at the opera! Who does that? I love you Kevin! Thank you for the most amazing birthday ever!!!

Monday was our official first day of summer break! So far... so good!!! The boys and I named our days of the week. We've been doing this for about 4 years now and it sure makes summer much more enjoyable! (For ALL of us!!!)We used to have a movie day, but when you live in Springville, nestled in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains you HAVE to have a "Hiking Day!!!" Here's what we decided this year.

Monday-Family Day
Tuesday-Hiking Day
Wednesday-Water Day
Thursday-Learning Day
Friday-Friend Day
Saturday-Exercise Day

The boys all did fantastic on their grades this year! Kaden graduated 6th grade with straight A's and high honors. Hunter finished 5th grade with all A's and one B. (His personal BEST!!!) YAY!!! He now KNOWS that he CAN get straight A's if he wants to! Gavin finished 2nd grade with straight A's, too!!! I know, I know...very impressive. If only I had anything to do with it!!! They are all so SELF-motivated and VERY hard workers!!! Kellan can't WAIT for kindergarten this fall! He tells me that he will think about me the whole day at school! He has his momma wrapped around his little finger. Chloe is my princess. She is talking up a storm! She LOVES puppies and kittens and if none are around then she will become one herself. She is ALL girl, but VERY tough!!! I love my family!!!

I can't believe we're at the end of 13 of the best years of my LIFE!!! Sometimes I wonder if it is even possible to be any more happy than he makes me. I LOVE YOU, KEVIN!!!!!

Kevin surprised me, on our anniversary, with a trip down memory lane...

He started by handing me this cute little basket full of "clues."


In order to receive a clue I had to give him a kiss. (Hence the mistletoe in the visor.... Kaden's idea.) :)


Here we are... armed with my clues, camcorder, and a beautiful, single, white rose.


Clue #1:


The second time I ever saw Kevin, he was at a missionary reunion dinner at Chuck-a-Rama. I was the waitress whom they stiffed at the end of the night. I worked hard for 4 hours clearing the tables of ravenous, post-mission, young men, while making the waitress minimum wage of $2.13 and hour. Still, I talked to Kevin and couldn't help but like him. :)

So... here we are at good old Chuck-a-Rama...


Clue #2 took us to one of our favorite hang-out places. We LOVED to get milkshakes at the Malt Shoppe with our friends Craig and Amy. I got some good footage, but no good pictures. It's just in Provo, so I need to go take a good picture in the DAY TIME!!! :)

Clue #3 we went and visited Kevin's college apartment. Another place that was too dark for pictures. Hopefully I can get some up soon!

Clue #4 took us to Utah Valley University. It sounds really cool now, but WAY back then, it was just Utah Valley State College. This is where Kevin and I met and really became friends. Kevin was over service in the school clubs and I represented the institute at the club meetings. Our best friends were Amy (Smith) Olsen and Craig Judd. We found them in some pictures on the wall!



We never found the room we had our Inter-club council meetings in. A lot has changed! The closest thing we found was the student government rooms.



Clue #5 sent us to the hill above the Utah State Capitol building. It's where Kevin gave me my ring. It has a beautiful view of the Salt Lake valley. On our way we passed "our" gas station.





It's COLD up here!!!


It was so fun and romantic to reminisce about that special day.

Clue #6 took us to the Salt Lake Temple. It was wonderful to be on a date and enjoy the lights and time of year with just the two of us.





Clue #7 was just across the street to Zion's Bank. This was my first job after we were married. A few years later Kevin worked across the street at Merril Lynch. No wonder we love that area so much! Lots of memories! You can see the Zion's Bank logo just behind us.



We continued our trek north with Clues #8 and #9. Our first apartment was in Bountiful. We lovingly named them the "V" apartments. We loved Bountiful. One of our favorite pastimes was rollerblading on main street and around the old tabernacle. We also went to church at the tabernacle. Kaden was born while we lived in bountiful and we kept up our rollerblading with him riding along in the stroller.

Tabernacle


Bountiful's beautiful main street


The "V" apartments :)

Kevin, Chloe and I got to go on our first ever.... Cruise! We went with some friends and family and loved every second of it!




Chloe and I learning what to do if the ship sinks! :)


Chloe posing on her life jacket.


Chloe loved the little towel animals they made in our cabin every night. But she couldn't figure out why they fell apart when she touched them.





Catalina Island with Mom and Uncle Neil.


We're walking to the Wrigley Museum.


Chloe sporting Kevin's sunglasses.


I think Chloe could get used to the good life. Here she's blowing kisses and loving the one on one attention!


He's even cute with food in his mouth! :)


Posing again.


Lunch on Catalina Island.


Lisa with her ever ready camera. :)


Chloe getting ready for our "Formal Dinner."


If it seems like all of our pictures are of us eating... Well, I don't think we did much else. :)


Chloe got a lot of attention on the ship. Old couples would look for us and ask what is that baby wearing now?


Another towel animal...Chloe can't wait to get her hands on it!








Tonight she even got a cookie from Yani (our stateroom stewardess.)


I must admit that one of the best things about being on the cruise was our small cabin. Turned down covers, towel animals, someone cleaning up after us, and never having to make a bed!


Here we are in Ensenada, Mexico!


Mom and Dad in front of our ship.


Here we are heading to my favorite excursion of the cruise: La Bufadora.





Chloe needed some sweet shades, too!


La Bufadora is the 2nd biggest marine geyser or blow hole in the world! It was really cool and LOUD! It came 3 times a minute and shot up about 50 feet. They say on a good day it shoots up to 80 feet!!











It lulled Chloe to sleep!


Grandpa and Chloe. It was nice of Chloe to put Grandpa to sleep! :)


This is my favorite! We were heading home from La Bufadora. We had an hour there and bargained our way into some fabulous deals! Next time we'll take a taxi and spend a few hours there!


At the end of the La Bufadora tour we got to check out this museum. It was under construction, but the old ceiling paintings and the wall paintings of naked people were pretty cool. (Too bad I don't have pictures of THEM! :) )


Heading back to downtown Ensenada.


Chloe's livin' it up! Feet on the dining table and all!





Yet ANOTHER towel animal! Chloe's expression is priceless!


Not again!!!


Okay... NOW we're livin' it up! Here we are at the top of the ship enjoying the PERFECT weather and basking in our swimwear!





Just "cruisin'!"


If you think it LOOKS like paradise...you're RIGHT!!!


Am I lucky or what!?


RELAXATION!!!


Me in my "J-Lo" glasses. :)








No, she's not asleep... she's just posing again!


I'm so glad to have my girl!


Chloe and Uncle Greg having some fun by the pool!





When it comes to Uncle Greg...what's not to love.


Just another picture of Paradise.


Chloe was content to be my model.


Showing off her painted toes.


Lisa and I learning the "Austin Powers" dance.





Tim gets a "private" magic show for his birthday!







Last minute pics.






Our last towel animal. I think they were running out of ideas. Ha ha ha.


Princess Chloe at deportation.


Chloe's and my matching mexican sandals.


Tim Heuer, Ken Nelson, and Kevin on the MAN side of the table.

Me, Sheila Nelson, and Lisa Heuer. I had so much fun! Thanks guys!!!