Lake Powell

So I realized I have 3 homes. 1. Las Vegas 2. Nauvoo 3. Lake Powell. I have missed Lake Powell these past 2 years. School and pregnancy took its tole. Kim and Abe made my dreams come true when they invited Nick and I to spent the week with them on their house boat. It was the best 4 days but sadly they got much more than they bargained for. I am weird and even weirder at Lake Powell and even though Scarlett was fantastic she was still present (holding/ hauling baby everywhere, eating everything off the floor). Nothing compares to a Lake Powell sunset, nothing. When I die please bury me a top some glorious mountain overlooking perfect glass water.

Abe/Nick made this awesome water slide. Trust me it was steeper than it looks and you got going fast! This is my mom and dad giving it a try.

Nick was so excited to take Scarlett on a ride. She loved it, well we think she did.

Kim mastering "jill's" ski. Yes, I am cool enough in my family to have a legendary ski.

My dad is a stud, really!

Best water of my life. You can see my reflection, it was heaven

I always wanted a puppy

It's true. Every year I asked for a beagle puppy for Christmas. Never got one and it made me pretty mad. But no one every told me I just needed to have kids. Scarlett is my little puppy these days. To get her to come to me I throw her food and she follows. She actually prefers to eat off the floor. Gross. She takes baths in my sink and whines to be held. Not to mention she crawls on all fours. I am trying to teach her to bark but it won't take. See Mom and Dad I would have taken care of a dog, I take care of Scarlett!

Scarlett 9 Months

She has become a person. Seriously! Right now she is crawling around my chair and pulling out the desk drawers while I type ( oh and she has a really stinky diaper... I should get on that). I want so bad to write everything down that she does because I love it all. This is by far my favorite month. I love this age so much I went to JCPenny to get some photos, you know the kinda cute ones that do a good job of capturing the age. She did great a the photo shoot. It took 2 minutes and she was all smiles (new developement, she is now head first in the trash can)

So I am just going to make a list of all achievements/ adorableness

1. She is super wiggly. You pick her up she wiggles, lay her down she wiggles, put her to sleep she wiggles

2. Sleeps from 7pm-7am

3. Is completely weaned and taking a bottle ( We both sing praises)

4. She loves her blankets and can not sleep without a fuzzy blanket by her face. You put it by her face, she rubs it in her hands and then sucks her fingers. It is adorable

5. She follows me around the house and pulls at my jeans like a puppy

6. She eats anything but is hating her high chair these days

7. When she is mad about her high chair she clenches her fists, holds her breath, and her face turns bright red. How do I parent that? Does she have anger management problems or what.

8. She loves to play with toys in her crib

9. She is perfect at saying "mama" and "dada" and lifts her hands when she is done with stuff.

10. She jabbers all the time, thinking we understand her

11. She is cruising around all our furniture

12. Loves to sit in the grocery cart and go shopping. She holds the bar real tight, I must be a crazy pusher

13. She just got her 7th tooth. She has been cranky these last few days

14. Fits into anything from 3-12 months

15. Likes to chase Dixie around the house

16. We fight sometimes and she cries "dadada". I am not her favorite

17. She snuggles with me every night when I give her a bottle before bed. She loves to put her fingers in my mouth and pull my hair. She must think it's soothing

18. My favorite thing ever... When she is mad I just " yaaaa" and clap my hands. She gets the biggest smile and claps too.

She is stubborn, bits me when she is mad, loves to be rough housed, and is stinking cute. We love you!

Nauvoo

(walking to Carthage Jail)

So I was going to post about Scarlett turning 9 months but I got distracted. That's saying something because it's usually Scarlett being the distraction. Today it was Nauvoo. In fall of 2005 I spent 4-5 months in the most beautiful place ever, Nauvoo. It was through BYU, so I took a ton of religious classes and a couple others (like english and art). I found all my old pictures tonight and looking through them I just started to bawl. I loved it. I loved it so much. I look at all the pictures and I miss my home, it feels like home. I would not be the person I am today without those 4 months. Nauvoo I miss you and I promise one day I will return!

The back of the JSA, only 120 steps from the Nauvoo temple

Walking down Parley street in November, freezing cold. It got so, so cold. I can not even describe (I am from Vegas so I am a baby)

I would run around the temple every night. It was gorgeous with every light on. Was I really there? Did I take this picture? I really stood right there? It feels like a dream. I knew one day it would.

The only art work by Jill Strobelt (Camp). It is in Emily's front room.

The people I met still inspire. It is hard to believe how much we have grown up. Wives, mothers, college graduates. In that picture all of that was just hopes and dreams. Ladies I love you!

Joseph and Hyrum statue

The view from my bedroom window. Mississippi river in the background. It was beyond beautiful!

Happenings

We spent the week at my parents house "babysitting" Clarah, who is 16. She can do everything except drive, so I got that honor. Despite what my mom says, Clarah you rock at driving and would pass for sure. I realize that I don't really update too much about me. So lets talk about me for minute. Well... I have been keeping busy putting together a book of all my school years. I have finished preschool through 5th and will need two 5inch binders to put it in (wow). It has been so fun to go through all my old memories, and my mom saved everyone. I threw away like 2.5 garbage bags full of stuff. I purposely did this project while she was out of town so she would not guilt trip me into keeping it all. A couple things I notice 1. I was not the artist I thought I was at 7 years old. 2. You could not try to spell as bad as I did (okay I still spell bad) 3. I lied about everything. I would put in my journal that my grandma died (lie) or that I only have 1 sibling (lie) or that I could play Mozart on the piano (lie) or that I practiced 1,532 minutes to win the practice contest (biggest lie). In fifth grade I realized this problem and said "the hardest thing for me to do is ... tell the truth" ( no kidding). I was a naughty little kid that is for sure. I have no idea how anyone put up with me, I wasn't even that cute. Half the time I dressed like a boy and had some mullet type hair cut. UGLY! But on the upside I turned out somewhat smart and respectable.

I have also started to train for a half marathon in December. I am more out of shape than I thought. I wish I could blame Scarlett for that but really I have just become lazy! I have to do this, so if you see me ask me how it is going. I need motivation because waking up at 5:45 is stinking hard. Seriously, pray for me or better yet train with me!

Last swim of season (probably)

(OMG she has the cutest bum)

Labor Day Weeked

After Caity left on Saturday Nick could tell I was a little down. He decided it would be great fun to go to golf range and hit some balls. Seeing that I have never "hit" a golf ball and it was around 105 degrees I was slightly skeptical. I put up a little fuss but after In-n-Out I was in a much better mood. Yes, it was fun and I even hit 4 good balls (out of 50, not bad). Nick on the other is quite the golfer. Of course he is good at all the "classy" sports like tennis and golf.

On Monday morning we met up with Nick's family to go a hike up in Mt. Charleston. Who knew 3.5 miles was so long. We tried hard but did not make it to the end of the hike, it got too rocky with tkids/ba. We had a picnic lunch while on the trail. It was super nice to escape hot Las Vegas and smell the fresh air.

(she was laughing so hard when Nick slammed his walking stick on the ground. 5 minutes later Nick accidently hit her in the nose with the stick, minor scrap.)

(dead baby)

Wide Open Spaces...

(this is your classic look...good thing I love you)

by the Dixie Chicks (of course). I must have listened to that song hundreds, possibly thousands of times. I have sung aloud every word. Then I drove away to go to college and I finally (after all that) understood what it is about. My little sister will make that drive today and I could not be more excited for her. She is about to embark on some of the best days of her life. Caity, I love you and will miss you so much (especially on Thursdays @ 9pm when Fringe airs!) I hope you enjoy every minute because soon it will seem like a dream.

PS I was strong enough to last until I turned out of the drive way... I bawled the rest of the way home