Spring Break in San Diego

Because Bryan and I live in opposite busy seasons we took advantage of my Spring Break in April and took off for San Diego.  It was a great relaxing few days.  I definitely didn't get captured all that we did, but you have to trust me that we did some amazing things!

One really cool thing we did was went over to Coronado island and rented this awesome 2-person surrey bike!  It was fun.  I want to buy one!  One side drives and controls but both people pedal.  It was a beautiful day and was very fun to just go off and explore the island in a unique way.

 Sunday was Easter and so before we went to church we stopped by the beautiful San Diego Temple.  It was a perfect beginning to our Easter Sunday.

 We then went to La Jolla Cove.  It was crazy touristy busy but still beautiful!

 Oh...and Bryan pet the squirrel!

 Ok....so there's no way that I can go to San Diego and NOT go to Sea World!!!!!  Bryan said it was like taking a little kid to Disneyland!  So here's just a hint of the wonderfulness that is Sea World.

I found my new car....is it for sale?

 There was an opportunity in Shamu Stadium to text in your name in a "race" so Bryan texted my name a thousand times!  I was at the top!!

 SHAMU!!!!  Ok, so not so smart to take me to see these phenomenal animals when I'm pregnant.  Normally I get choked up seeing this, but this time there were streams of tears!! STREAMS. Bryan's joke is that we weren't totally in the "Soak Zone" but the people in front of us were getting wet from behind!  I got some pretty incredible pictures of these amazing animals.  The sad part is that the trainers are no longer allowed to swim with the orca's which makes some of the show a little less cool.  But it was still amazing!

 After I had composed myself after the first show we went up and asked an employee to take a picture of us and right as she snapped it the orca popped out of the water.  It's cause he loved me!

 We did see more than just the Orca's.  Here's the shark tank and the turtles.

 And the fun Sea lion show.  Super funny!

 Since I can't go on any of the rides...we went to the shamu show again.  Still amazing!

 Then went to the night shows.  They were super fun and I decided since I had taken pictures all day of the orca's (and got some sweet shots) that I would get some video during the night show.  Here are a couple of the favorites!

We also toured the Gas Lamp district and had some fun Spanish (from Spain) food.  We enjoyed visiting Old Town in San Diego and Balboa Park.  We were only there for a few days but we made the most of our time and had an amazing and relaxing time!  We spent time at the pool and in the sun.  We left just as it started to rain!

On our way home we stopped by Vegas and toured some of the casino's (my first time really in Vegas).  We went to the wax museum and then went to Phantom of the Opera.  Oh my goodness.....if you can get down to Vegas try and see the show.  It's only 90 minutes long and no intermission.  It follows the movie pretty much and the spectacle was astounding.  I couldn't believe how incredible it was.  The theatre was made just for this show and I hear it was about 40 million.  The chandelier was incredible.  Seriously, if you can go see it!

We woke up ridiculously early (3:30am) to head back to Utah for Bryan to get back to work, but it was worth the extra dop by for Phantom!

Thanksgiving in Colorado

I don't have many pictures from Thanksgiving and they're mostly courtesy of my mom.  We were able to spend Thanksgiving in Colorado this year and it was very fun!  We got there earlier than we thought we would and surprised the parents.  Always fun to surprise the parents!

Brian (brother) helping Kye build a snowman!

 Casa Bonita!!  We convinced the family to go to Casa Bonita one day.  Bryan had an aunt who lived in Denver when he was younger and he had been to Casa Bonita before and was also excited to re-visit a childhood memory.  The food is a little better than I remember.

 By the puppet show, after the cave!  Sydney was dancing with us a little.

 Great picture by the waterfall!  Always fun to watch the bad acting scenes and the cliff divers!

 Big experience from the weekend:  Bryan and Nathan shot a squirrel and then decided that they should skin in...so they did.  They had a great time.  Totally a new experience for both of them.  Then the next day (after Casa Bonita) they did it again...this time with a rabbit!

 And then they cooked the rabbit!  We all had a taste of it.  Bryan's joke is that it fed 12 people because we never actually had dinner that night because extended family came over for desserts and we were still full from Casa Bonita...so the rabbit was the dinner!

It was so fun to share family traditions with Bryan this year and fun to be there with Nathan and Suzie and Nicole and Brian.  Very fun memories.

We got to spend Christmas in Moab with his family which was also super fun....but no pictures.  I'm grateful for the McKinnon's making me feel so welcome and comfortable on my first Christmas away from home!

Anything Goes!!

This year I put on one of my all time favorite musicals, Anything Goes.  It is the first musical I was ever in (6th grade...I played an angel).  I've always wanted to do it, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to pull it off, but it went AMAZINGLY WELL.  I was so thrilled with the product!  PLUS, I had an amazing set designer....Bryan!  Yup, I employed the husband to help me design and build the set.  It was so nice not having EVERYTHING on my plate. It took some time for me to let go of some the control and let him help me, but I'm so glad I did because it would have NEVER turned out as well as it did.    

I put up this picture to show the set.  Nathan helped come to do some of the painting (even Kye and Sydney helped!!).  This is Kenna posing (she was my Reno).  It was a blast to have such an amazing set and the students were super jazzed about how cool it was to have two levels with opening doors and special pull out state rooms.

 This is a close-up of the nicely painted port-holes (thanks to my artistic brother Nathan).  I had the sailors come out on stage to "clean up" before the show started.  It was a fun effect.

Now I'm just going to go through some of my favorite pictures.  I only am posting a few.  I think I have over 500!

"You're the Top"

 Enter the semi-villian:  Moonface Martin!

 "Delovely"

 Oh yes...backstage we stored and brought on and off this bunk bed!  Yup, thanks to my cute husband again and his great connections!

 "Heaven Hop"

 "Friendship" (one of my favorite moments in the show)

This is also one of my favorite moments when Reno comes in on Evelyn in his underwear!  It also shows my pull out estate rooms!

 "Anything Goes"

 "Let's Misbehave"-- I love this one even though it could be seen as a little dirty.  With a little clean choreography it turned out to be super fun!

"Blow, Gabriel"-- Definitely my favorite part of the show.  Powerhouse singing.  Amazing choreography.  I don't have a whole lot of great pictures of this part, but this is one of my favorite moments too!

 In the prison with the "strip poker" with the chinese converts.

 "Manhattan"

Last scene: Angels in their bridesmaid constumes...and Eric (the sailor) with his great weakness to look in the audience and I captured him looking straight in to the camera!  Classic!

 Solving the dilemma.

 Finale!

It was so much fun!!  If you've never seen the show...find it.  There are two versions and I like the one I did way more than the other version. The other version was just on Broadway with Sutton Foster and won great awards, but I still like my version better!

Fun in the Fall

Bryan has definitely expanded my horizons on extra-curricular activities.  Last summer he introduced me to.... FISHING!  I love it!  It's so much fun and I have my own rod and license and everything. I've caught a fish every time I've gone!

And....SHOOTING!  I have to admit, I was a little bit shy about this one.  I've been a couple times with singles wards but haven't ever really had too much desire to do this.  Well, on this morning I learned that my sweet kitty of 17 years, Sage, passed away.  I was heartbroken and crying and it was a really hard morning.  Bryan's dad was in town and they were already planning their shooting trip and they toted me along so that I wouldn't wallow around the house all day.  IT WAS GREAT!  I never thought that it would help me with my sadness.  They trained me so well and now I'm a pretty good shot!

 Here's another shooting adventure.  Bryan built the stand for the targets and it's awesome!

 My own Jack Bauer!

 We were out pretty late.  Here's Lindsey (my old roommate who also recently got married) and my targets!  Not too bad, huh?!

 Another old roommate of mine got married in August!  It was fun to be a part of it.

 Funny enough, her husband is Bryan's old roommate!  But...my husband can't keep a straight face!  Enlarge it if you dare!

 School started and it's great to have Bryan by my side!  Here's out homecoming parade.  We do our parade at night so it's a light show.  This picture doesn't show it well, but Bryan provided for transportation in his truck!

 And I shined the flashlights on the drama masks!

 We had another cool adventure with Nathan and Suzie's family!  We went to Timpanogos caves!  I had never been there before and it was so much fun!

 I love him!

Is anybody actually reading this??  I never know because no one ever comments.  So I'm just wondering if I'm the only one who ever looks at it.  I know it's partly my fault since I never update things, but it's my new goal!