Behind Again

Well, Christmas was great! Jimmy finished his Biology class on the 22nd, the Utes won their bowl game on the 23rd, and then Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I didn't get the blog updated-and now its back to work, school, and life. Ahh, the time off was good but short. Hopefully I can get some good pictures posted soon!

Refinery Fire & Explosion

Two weeks ago there was an explosion at a refinery 0.6 miles away from my house.
(0.6 miles is important to me because in January, there was a fire at the same refinery and there an evacuation for the homes 0.75 miles west of the refinery).

I was on the road taking my kids to a doctors appointment, so I didn't hear the explosion. I knew something was up cause I noticed people coming out of their businesses, looking at the direction of the other refineries in the area while on their phone.

Then my phone was ringing & texts were coming in from neighbors and friends. (I was on time to my doctors appointment mind you...) A local refinery had an explosion. Check out any of the local news stations (ksl.com is my favorite or try kutv.com or abc4.com or fox13now.com) for stories about it or check out comments on Facebook: WX Blast Zone Neighbors.

A friend of mine, whom I trusted to care of my kids three years ago while I worked at the elementary, lived in the blast zone of the explosion. She updated her blog with her story of the events in her life. wow. I could be her in this situation-starting out the day grumpy and frustrated. Then something changes your outlook on life. I do hope Kristi & her family work through this and hope they look for the simple blessings and miracles in life.
Here is her story.
http://briankristihorne.blogspot.com/

The Garden

We helped Jimmy's parents with their garden this year. We enjoyed many yummy treats from the garden: corn, green peppers, carrots, zuchinni, watermellon, tomatoes, and pumpkin. The kids help plant things, weed, water, and pick things from the garden. Jimmy spent many saturdays helping to get it ready, the kids planted corn & tomatoes. They helped weed (I was proud of myself-they had to fill an old butter container of weeds, then they could go play). I got down on my knees and weeded-BEFORE Sophie was born. It was a fun experience for the kids and they ALWAYS got excited when we drove past the garden & they could see it grow. Can't wait until next year!

Road Trip to CO

Jimmy & I were invited to attend my cousins wedding in Colorado in September. I really wanted to go (cause SO many blog friends were going on cool trips with their spouses-I WANTED TO DO ONE!) It was going to be a quick trip so we left the kids with family and just took Sophie with us.

We left Friday morning, and made the drive across Wyoming & into Colorado. Sophie traveled great! We made great time except from Ft. Collins to Denver-that stretch was a drag-traffic, tired and we just wanted to be to the hotel. We pulled up in time to make it to the (non)rehearsal dinner at Olive Garden. YUM. We were tired, but VERY happy to be there!

(We loved seeing Invesco Field coming down the I-25-That was exciting to almost run into it)

LESSON LEARNED #1-Not all hotels are created equal....Stay in the hotel you know the name & reputation of. Hotel-kinda scary-but we dealt with it. It was an extended stay place, um, not very nice. We survived but we learned our lesson! I didn't even want to take pictures! Sophie had her own pac-n-play to sleep in otherwise not a place I would bring the whole family too.)

Saturday morning was the wedding in the Denver Temple for Flint & Erica. (Erica stayed at our house when the two of them came out in July to meet family. That's when we fell in-love with Erica, and Flint is a good cousin-a bud of mine!) It was just great to be with Jimmy. Pictures, then IHOP with ONE of my coolest aunts & uncle, a visit to Invesco Field (Mile High Stadium), rest a little, then reception. It was just SO nice to be with my husband. We could talk, and enjoy each others company. It was a fun road trip!

(too bad we didn't make our trip longer-The Denver Bronco's played at home the day we left...bummer)

Reception Highlights-

Uncle Lance shaved his beard (I've never seen him with a clean, shaved face)

Sophie had her first dance with my cousin Ammon.

Lots of people held Sophie-she is the social butterfly-like her mom!

We left Uncle Gene at the hotel-we were suppose to bring him with us to the reception but a communication break left him back at his hotel. He was NOT disappointed!

My 80+ year old grandparents got out on the dance floor for part of a song & danced.

Seeing three generations-Grandpa Gatrell, Uncle Lance & Cousin Flint

Hearing how appreciative the family was for us coming out

Beautiful Bride Erica & Happy Flint

We woke up and drove home Sunday. It was sweet to see Jimmy's brother Joe & his wife Debbie is some small Wyoming town. They were moving to MARYLAND and we met up with them off I-80 in Wyoming! How random!

Kids did great-the girls got their hair cut at a salon. Then we got back into life-school, work, soccer, LIFE. (sigh). FUN trip. Attending weddings is a great reminder to me of the love I have for my husband. I love my husband. He is my BEST friend, and we have a deep love for each other and we just go good together!! We are happy for Flint & Erica and we love my Gatrell cousins in Colorado. They are a great family! Can't wait to see them again next summer!

Preschool & Football Season

Sarah started preschool in September. She goes three days a week to a lady in the neighborhood (who does a WONDERFUL-AMAZING JOB!). Here is a picture from her first day of preschool. Kindergarten next year!

GO UTES!

I look foward to college football season. Jimmy & I get season tickets to the U. I consider it a date with my husband. These are pictures from the opening football game vs. Utah State University. The U won the game, and it was great watching football!

(okay-confession-I did one year of marching band at the U, so I LOVE watching the band.)

Marching band doing the pre-game show.

God Bless America

Block U

The TEAM entering the field.

Opening Kick-Off

Start Playing "Utah Man"

Utah-Touchdown!

Splash Pad

Alright-I said I was behind! Here it is fall time & I am talking about a splash pad! Well, it was fun, and kids were cute to see play, so here it is!

I have 5 brothers and we take turns hosting a family get together each month. For our August family get-together we went to the Ogden Splash Pad. FREE & FUN. GREAT! (happy me!)

SARAH was out of town-in Disneyland with her Aunt & Grandma Burns. So-no pictures of her!

Jimmy was helping clean out his parents garage, so I took the kids up & took cousin Cooper with me. (Coopers' dad was helping in the garage). So that makes Marla+4 kids=full surburban (no minivan people! no minivan!) BLT's, park, and splash pad made for a perfect time.

The little boys were just SO cute to watch play & Ashley loved playing with her girl cousins. Sophie just chilled.

I Love My Baby

Cute Baby Sophie. She is almost 4 months old.

She smiles, coo's and sometimes giggles.
(and her outfit is totally cute today-thanks Amy)

(My cute teenage cousin Kelby)

I am in love with my baby!

Davis County Fair

I love my kids.

(I forgot to look away from the camera-like my kids)

I LOVE the Davis County Fair! Really! With $1 parking, its becoming one of my favorite summer time activities. I took all four kids and met up with some friends there. It was great-inspite of loosing Charlie for a couple of minutes! (If he wore orange like the rest of us, maybe it would have been different) There are just good, FREE activities for the kids. LOVE IT!

It was exhausting, but fun!

By the end, we were with the "Hockey Friends". These kids are from four families-woah huh? (Jimmy plays hockey & the guys he plays hockey with are the "hockey friends".)

First Grade

Ashley is now a first grader at Woods Cross Elementary. Here is a picture of her before getting on the bus. She LOVED going shopping for her outfit! Jimmy was a good dad & took her shopping.





Ashley is 7 years old! PARTY time! We rented a big blow up slide and invited some friends over. We decorated hats & played on the slide, and partied hard all day.

(No fancy cake-just ran out of time!)