Arizona part 2

After our reunion in the mountains we got to spend about a week in Mesa, AZ. It was filled with lots of swimming with family and friends, going out to eat, and a fun shopping trip with my mom for some CUTE maternity clothes (thanks mom and thanks April for watching my boys!). I am addicted to Gap maternity now and will never shop anywhere else. Yuck to Motherhood (maybe it is okay for some of you but I am too tall for most of their things). Also, you can't beat the price--since being home I have found the prices online to be even better! 15 bucks for shorts/pants! Just shop the sales!
Unfortunately, Luke has a pretty mean black eye in most of these pictures. Courtesy of a table.

Lots and lots of swimming!

picnic by the pool

The boys had a fun time in Grandma's toy closet.

I was able to catch up with a couple good high school friends, Anna and Beka. We had fun catching up and watching our kids "swim" (although Clara was the only one really swimming). Thanks Anna and Beka, it was fun seeing you guys!

(above) Anna, me and Beka. (below) Anna's Clara and Beka's twins--Braden and Landon, Isaac and Luke

I totally forgot to take pictures when I hung out with my old roomie Sarah Berdan. I was going to try to find a picture from our college days before I wrote about her but they must be packed away in a box somewhere since our last move. She is always so much fun and I always end up laughing when I'm with her. Thanks for introducing me to the golden spoon Sarah! And introducing me to other important things:)

SWEET, I found pictures!
July 2003

Okay, so I couldn't choose just one picture...I do love this girl that I really haven't seen much in the past couple of years...she grew too busy in her exciting dating life and thought I was too "homely" to hang with:)j/k, I know you miss me Sarah!

July 2005

Sarah, Becca B., and me with Isaac

I also got to swim with my roomie Cami and her cute boys (also twins) from Utah. She recently moved to AZ so hopefully I will get to see her when I visit. She actually did a cute post on "us"so I'll put that link in here. She is a great friend and I love that we have been able to stay in contact over the years. I think she should move back to Utah though.

beautiful Camille and me. I think she cheated, she must have eye make up on!:)

We also got to visit with Candice and her family who also moved to AZ a few months ago. I have many favorite people but I think at the top is Candice Miller. I love that girl! She helped me out so much last year with my kids and our kids just love each other. One week when I was really sick she came over every single morning at 8 am and took my kids away. She didn't even ask me because she knew I would oppose and say that I was fine. She did things like that for me all the time and I tried to do the same but I'm sure I fell short. I need my Candice back!

Rub a dub, dub! Candice's kids are like fish! Jacob, Megan, Isaac and Luke had a blast!

You know those friends you don't see everyday but then when you do see them, it is like no time has ever passed? Or friends that you can get closer to than even your own family? I have been blessed to have many of those friends and miss them all terribly! I have already cried more than once because I have lost friends like Candice. I loved the women I got to know through the BYU MBA school spouse association but I am beginning to hate it because now what am I supposed to do? There were so many activities planned and so many instant friends. I miss my poor provo housing neighborhood so much! We always had a good time. I miss my neighbor turned practically sister, Poppy! Oh, Poppy and Candice why did you leave me! Shame on you. Forgiveness if far far away. Blogs just don't do justice.

I've decided that once me and Kyle settle, wherever that might be, as long as I have good friends I can not only survive, but I can survive happily. But, so far, THIS place is not that place. Maybe it will be someday, or maybe when we buy a house someplace more stable...but until then, I will remember all of those friends and be very disappointed at all of you for leaving me!!!

In other news:

• I really am actually pregnant! I can feel the baby kick and move, I never feel pregnant until this happens.
  
• Also, we have decided to find out the gender in about 2 weeks...although I promise all of you it is a boy! I feel more at peace with that anyways. I started to fool myself into thinking I really wanted a girl, and then reality set in, I have NO idea how to do girl. I only do boy. If I ever do get a daughter, heaven help her!
  
• Isaac can hold his breath under water and he actually LOVES swimming lessons! The first day he screamed and held on for dear life to a pole attached to the lifeguard tower. I hid behind another mom and pretended I didn't know him. After a 10 minute one on one lesson from another teacher, who so nicely coaxed him into the water, he was great! He was so excited to show me that he can go underwater all the way and blow bubbles! This is the same boy who would cry and almost have a panic attach from just talking about swim lessons. Thank you swim instructors!
• I started a private blog for my journals for Isaac, Luke and me and Kyle. I have kept journals for both of my boys since I was pregnant with them and Kyle and I started a journal (that has been largely neglected since starting our blog) when we got married. I was always worried that our computer would crash or we would have a house fire and I would lose everything. So, now they each have a private blog--hence, some of my posts here might be "journal" like so I don't have to do double duty. Just skip over the parts you don't like.

Over and out!