California 2009

California

July 2009

Yep, it's pretty pathetic that I'm still blogging about our summer. We went to CA for my sister's California wedding reception. My brother, Jim, and his family came too. We only stayed for a few days, but I was able to see some of my best friends. I was able to go to the beach with my friends, Traci and Melissa, from Louisville and see my good friend, Tara, that I grew up with.

Here are some pics from the kids swimming with their cousins at my mom's house:

Mia had a little photo shoot in front of my mom's house next to the palm tree that I stood next to for every picture on the first day of school, etc, while I was growing up:

Oceanside

We decided that meeting in Oceanside was a good central place to meet my friends, Traci and Melissa, since they were in San Diego with Traci's family. We didn't have a whole lot of time with them, but I had such a fun time seeing them. It was just like old times. They're friends for life! Here are some pictures from Oceanside:

Mia with Sydnee Mortenson. They were great friends when we lived in Louisville.

Brayden looking studly!!!

Me and Melissa. I can't believe I'm putting this picture in, because I look terrible, but Melissa looks great and I had so much fun seeing her at the beach and then again when she came to AZ in August.
Traci and Melissa. I hope no one's mad about swimsuit pics, but they both look great. I love these girls and I miss not living near them.

The Martinez, the Mortenson and the Underwood kids! It's hard to think Kari is now 14 and I still remember Melissa telling me she was pregnant with her.

San Clemente

Beach # 2 was San Clemente. This is our favorite beach to go to in California. We went their with the Haslam cousins. Here are some pictures that look very similar to the pictures of Oceanside:

Oakley, Riley and Sadie all in their Old Navy swimsuits!

Jen and Spencer's California Reception

Since Brayden wasn't in Utah for Jen's wedding, he didn't get to see my grandmother. I made sure I got a picture of them together.

Spencer and Jen - the newlyweds!

Here I am with Tara Bullock. She's one my best friends from growing up. It's always great to see her. She looked great having recently had a baby boy. I always feel short around Tara!

Utah Trip- July 2009

Utah Trip

July 2009

I'm so pathetic that I'm finally blogging our trip from 3 months ago. After my sister's wedding, we went back to AZ for about a week and a half and then turned around and went back to Utah. It was pretty crazy! We had planned to spend the week of the 4th of July in Utah long before my sister was even engaged. We had already paid for Brayden to go to BYU baseball camp as well. So here are some highlights (and way too many pictures) of our trip:

4th of July

We stayed at my brother, Jim's, house once again. They're great hosts and my kids love their cousins. Here are some pics from that night:

I don't know what it is about my kids, but they never want to go to classes when we go to different ward. We had photo shoot before taking the 3 youngest home.

Sunday Drive

It was such a beautiful day that we decided to drive the Alpine Loop. We checked out some springs and went up to Sundance.

I had to snap a picture of Sundance as we drove down the Alpine Loop.
The kids loved seeing where they had skied just a few months earlier.

Sundance

Matt and I standing where our engagment pictures were taken over 15 years ago. I don't think I look 22 anymore!

BYU Baseball Camp

Brayden went to BYU Baseball Camp for the first time this year. He was roommates with his friend, Taylor Plewe. They were next door neighboors with a couple other friends from Gilbert. They had a great week. Besides playing baseball all day, they had counselors and fun activities at night. They even got to go to Seven Peaks. It was well worth the money. Brayden had a blast. Matt's dad flew out to Utah to see the kids and check out baseball camp since he didn't get a chance to get out to AZ for Brayden's baseball season this year. We ended up hanging out with him watching a lot of the camp.

Brayden stayed in Helaman Halls. You got to love the lovely block walls of the dorms!

Brayden with his roommate, Taylor.

Ready for baseball camp to start!

Here are some shots of Brayden at camp:

Serge, Matt's Dad arrived. Here he is hanging out with Chase.

Chase and Grandpa went out and practiced pitching after camp ended for the day.

Riley!!

Here are some other pics around BYU

Chase posing in front of Ty Detmer's Heisman Tropy.

Boating

We went out on the boat with the kids one morning. We didn't have much time so we just kneeboarded and tubed.

Chase, Tanner and Oakley

Chase on the kneeboard

Oakley and Riley on the tube

Oakley and Tanner on the tube. Oakley was the one person the twins trusted to take them on the tube!

Bryce and Tanner

Mia on the kneeboard

Lucy and Mia

Dinner at Cafe Rio

We met Matt's sister, Melanie and her husband, Brady, for dinner at Cafe Rio. Our good friends, Kristi and Todd Hamilton came as well. It was so fun to see everyone.

Todd, Kristi, me and Matt

Melanie, Serge and Matt

Here I am with Kristi.

BYU Creamery

We had to go to the BYU Creamery for ice cream. It was filled with EFY kids. It made me totally nostalgic for my days as an EFY counselor. We took some of the cousins and Grandpa Martinez came too. He wouldn't miss out on ice cream.

Cabella's

Jim and Diane live totally close to Cabella's. We hadn't ever been before, so we decided to check it out. It was really cool. The kids loved it. They loved all the cool animals and the big fish tanks. Chase loved it so much that he went twice. He went the first time with us and then he took Grandpa Martinez back for a second time.

I guess the "triplets" are done with Cabella's!

Last Night in Utah

We went out to eat at The California Pizza Kitchen our last night in Utah. Brayden finished up with his baseball camp that day and Serge was leaving on a late flight that night. Melanie came down from SLC to hang with us.
Right before Serge left, the boys all played ball in the parking lot of University Mall.

The next day we left Utah for California for our next leg of our summer trip.