Are you in the mood for some Uncle's BBQ?

So Uncle Gary (my dad) and Uncle Kim (my uncle) participated in the Heritage Festival in Pleasant Grove again this year!  There were about 8 teams that competed in the BBQ cook off. My dad and Kim spent the night at the park prepping their meat and had a great time.  My girls and I went over the next morning to check things out and all looked (and smelled and tasted) delicioso!!  Even though they didn't take home the 1st place prize-they'll always be number 1 in our book and a hometown fav!!

ps-they cater.......I'm just sayin

gotta love the PG (we missed you this year Greg!!)

Uncle Gary showin of the ribs

Uncle Kim showin off how they spent most of the night!

the smoker set up

the competition

I hope they call me on a mission.....to NYC baby!!

Well, it's official now people-actually, it's been official for about 3 1/2 weeks-Tucker's a missionary!!  That's right, my little bro is done with the Provo MTC (where he was for 3 weeks) and he's now in the mission field.  He's currently serving in Harlem, NY and he told us via email that he can see Yankee Stadium from his bed!  He also told us that he dominating them with the gospel out there-gotta love the confidence of a new missionary!!

Getting ready to enter the MTC

Making things official with the name tag

How about that suit and tie??  Where would some brothers be without their big sisters to hook them up-fashionly speaking? 

The RM and the newbie (Mac and Tucker)

Lola's a school girl now!

Finally it's Lola's turn to go to preschool at Miss Camalee's preschool!!  For the past 2 years she has had to sit in the car with me and watch Cali run off into the fun and mysterious land that is preschool.  But not anymore-now it's her turn to kiss me goodbye and jump out of the car with her backpack and run down the sidewalk and into school!!  Her best bud Brian goes there too and they just love it.  I can't believe she's growing up so fast!

WE HEART RICKS!!-oh, ok, I'll say it-BYU-Idaho

A couple of weeks ago we headed up to our old stompin grounds-Rexburg, Idaho!  It's the first time either of us have been back since my graduation in 2004 and boy have things changed!! We hope you enjoy our journey down memory lane!

It's a whole new place-guess that starts with a whole new name!

On the steps of the new Rexburg Temple-so beautiful!

Oh, Rexburg Plaza-our first home as a married couple!  I can't believe that we now have an almost 6 year old who took this pix!!  

Jared standing in the Hart building where he spent most of his days playing basketball!  We miss all of our b-ball friends!!  Isn't he one hot baller?!

And, really, what's a trip to Rexburg without a stop to Yellowstone Bear World!  This was the highlight of the trip for the girls for sure!  Personally I prefer the university bookstore!!!

No Shark Teeth in This Family!

So, the other day, Cali came up to me and said that she could feel something sharp behind her front bottom teeth and when I looked I saw that her permanent teeth were starting to grow in!  (much to my surprise and dismay!)  Her baby teeth were not even loose but I knew there was no way that she was going to have 2 rows of teeth (shark teeth!) so I fastened some dental floss around one and took one day to loosen it and then bam!  gone the next morning when I gave the floss a good yank.  By that night, the second one was gone (thanks again to me) and now we're golden!  That night we celebrated with McDonalds and Baskin Robbins and the girls got to sleep on an air mattress in the living room so they could watch a movie to fall asleep!  (um, so I just re-read that last part-could we sound any more white trash??)

one down....

happy mom!!

A DAY OF 1st's....

Cali Jane started kindergarten this week!  Yay!  She loves it!!  And I love it!  And Lola loves it...well, I guess it's fair to say that we ALL love it!  You go girl-

Cali, Charlie and Maci on their first day of school!  Don't they look cute??

Cali and Lola on Cali's first day.  Lola shows the love with the thumbs up! (her signature sign)

*did you notice the missing teeth in Cali's mouth??  Another 1st-they both came out the same day!

Lola's 1st day of dance!!  (Lola is the one with one foot on the green square and Brian is the one with one foot on the orange square next to Lo)  Her and her little best buddy Brian are taking a creative dance/movement class from a girl who I dance with.  Can you believe that this amazing studio is in her basement?!?  Awesome house-

some summer trekkin'

Ahhh-Trek 2008-what an experience for us! Jared and I were Ma and Pa for a family of 8 kids and one fake baby! So hard-so fun! Here are some of the highlights!

Wendy's-the place of our last "real" breakfast!


Our handcart the first day at about 3 pm


Our handcart the first night about 11 pm (yes, that's a broken wheel)




trekkin away-that's me in the front on the left (yes, that's a bonnet I'm wearing)


more trekkin-that's Jared on the right in the middle (yes, he's the tall one)
*please note that both corners of our front handle broke and had to be roped back together-we had problems with both our handcarts!! ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!