...in one piece...

We finally made it home after a whirlwind week in Utah. Our trip home was quite eventful. We made our way to the airport with the help of my dad, carrying all of our crap. We check in , go through security, blah, blah, blah. The real excitement was about 30 min before we were supposed to leave, we hear an announcement that, because of strong winds, our plane was unable to land and went to Denver to get some fuel. That meant that we had to wait in the airport for 3 hours until it could get back. So we go get something to eat at the airport. There was a little Mexican place right there, so we fork out $11 for a quesedilla and burrito and then go to the kids area so we can eat it while we watch cartoons. After we eat, Abby decides that she needs to poop in her diaper so we all head to the bathroom with out millions of carry-on items. I have to put Rex and Abby on the changing table together and somehow manage to change them both without them falling off. (Although Rex managed to break off a piece of it.) After I went (which was a struggle in itself) we head back to the kids area. Abby decides to use Rex's blanket as a table cloth and starts setting it with their sippy cups and let me know that "dinner was ready." She then decided to do some somersaults and push-ups to get the blood flowing. Finally, after 3 hours of wasting time, we get to line up to board. There was another girl with 2 young kids by herself, so I stood next to her. Abby and her little boy became fast friends. On the plane, we sat behind them and Abby would yell out: "Little Boy! Look at me!" And then they would talk about the clouds that they saw out the window and what their favorite sucker color was. I was practically hearing wedding bells. We get to Phoenix and most of the people get off and a few get on. Luckily, the flight to San Diego was practically empty, so we could spread out. Amazingly enough, neither kid fell asleep during the whole flight. We did enjoy a humorous explanation of how to use all the safety equipment. That always makes the flight better.

I was a little worried about how I was going to get all of my crap back to my car once I got off the plane. Here's what I had to carry: Rex, 2 car seats, 2 carry-on bags, and my huge suitcase. Luckily, when I got off, a nice couple offered to help me carry everything. As it turns out, they were parked in the same long-term parking as me, so they helped me get to the shuttle and the shuttle driver drove me right to my car and even put my suitcase in the trunk for me. I think Heavenly Father knew I would have my hands full, so he sent those people to help me. Both Abby and Rex fell asleep before I even left the parking lot and I tried not to fall asleep driving home. I ended up getting home just a little before midnight. All in all, a fun trip and I'm glad I made it home in one piece.

There are still good people out there

Recently, I've become a little overwhelmed by all the bad things out there. A lot of it has to do with the rise of crime in our area and having young kids. I had some experiences yesterday that reminded me that there still are a lot of good people out there.

This is also a little plug for southwest airlines. On Monday, I decided to buy a plane ticket to fly up to Utah for my brother's wedding. I was originally going to drive, but our cars are in such bad shape, we weren't sure we would make the trip without breaking down. I definately did not want to get stranded in the desert by myself with 2 kids. So on Monday I start looking online to see if I can get a last minute deal for a flight. I find a deal on Delta, but just as I get ready to pay, suddenly, the tickets are $700 a piece. LAME. So I went on southwest and got a pretty good deal. So anyways, we get packed and leave the next day. I park in long term parking at the airport and a super-nice shuttle driver pulls up right next to my car and loads up my 2 carseats and luggage for me. When Abby becomes scared of the shuttle he tries to comfort her. It was sweet. He drops me off right in front of Southwest and unloads everything for me, so I only have to carry everything a short distance. I get ushered to the check-in desk right away. I love southwest, because they don't charge you to check your luggage. Well, my suitcase was over the weight limit, so the person behind the counter found a box that I could put some of my stuff in, so I wouldn't be charged more. That is awesome!! Even going through security every one was super nice. After Abby went through the metal detector the guy gave her a high five. I had to go to the bathroom and wasn't sure how that was going to work out. A nice lady offered to hold Rex for me so I could wash my hands. We boarded the plane right away, because it had come in early. The flight attendants were really nice and because the plane was half empty, we got a whole row to ourselves. Abby was terrified of the takeoff and landing, but got over it eventually. Both she and Rex fell asleep. Overall, the experience was much better than I had anticipated. I expected it to be horrible and the kids to cry the whole time, but they were great. It restored my faith in people to see so many people willing to help me with my 2 kids, although, I think I will think twice about traveling with my kids by myself again.

Hippedy Hop

Today was the bunny hop. It was a beautiful day for a run. I ran the 5k and Abby ran the Tot Hop. Lucky for you, we have exciting footage of Abby running her race. She was very excited to be there, as you can see...




Abby ended up placing 3rd in her division and won a cool flexible bunny and an egg dying kit. She was a lot happier taking home her prize than she was running the race. I ended up doing the 5k in about 37:45. A personal triumph for me is that I ran the whole way, which is impressive, because I did zero training for it. Today, Abby and I will sport our Bunny Hop T-shirts with pride!

(Happy Birthday Katie!)

A Taste of Heaven

I went to Costco today and bought a ridiculous amount of fruit. It was probably because it was such a nice day and I love spring and good fruit is finally coming back into season. The only way I know how to eat that much fruit is to make a giant fruit salad and snack on it all day long. To me, this is a little piece of heaven.

Simple Solutions

Well...that's one way to keep him from peeing on everything...:)

Paradigm Shift

I experienced a paradigm shift today. I was reading a book about how our bodies are temples, which makes them holy. While I was reading, I began to ponder about our pre-mortal life and that those who chose to follow God's plan were able to come to earth and receive a body, meaning that everyone we meet was righteous at one time. It made me think of the homeless man I see walking on the street all the time and even the kids (or even grown ups for that matter) that are crude and ignorant. When I thought about how we were all on the same side at one point, but then, due to some poor choices or a lack of knowledge everyone went their own way once they came to earth. It helps me look at people that annoy me or people that I instantly judge with a little more compassion and understanding, which I have always had a hard time with. Everyone is a child of God, no matter the circumstance, and maybe I can start treating people as such.