Finishing June

M2B =) days 506 - 511.  Saturday, June 25th - Thursday, June 30th happiness:

Saturday, June 25th happiness:  Today Joe and I cleaned.  It is always such a good feeling when you get done.  This afternoon we went and saw Super 8.  I wasn't sure I wanted to see it.  I liked it, mostly.  It was very reminiscent of movies done in the 80's.  The kids are the main characters and it is told from their point of view.  Too much swearing though.  The kids have potty mouths.

Also today, Brian surprised me with this:

I have had my eye on this picture for a while.  He went and bought it for me.

I love it!  

He also got this one for our bedroom.  We decided to change it up and do a beach theme.  We got a new bedspread.  Next up - paint.

Sunday, June 26th happiness:  So, for fathers day, we got Brian a smoker.  It finally came, and we tried it out today.  We had to do ribs first, of course.  They were super yummy. 
Tonight, Max and Ben came over to spend the night.  We played a few games of 5 crowns.  Then we had to stop because it was ridiculous how badly Max kept beating us.  I swear every time he pulled a card he would say, "Oh, look!  I got a joker."  
I have decided that I may not be able to play 5 crowns with Max anymore.  It's not good for my ego.

Monday, June 27th:  The morning after.  I think the boys had fun.  I like having them over because it makes Joe happy to have friends to play with.

Tuesday, June 28th happiness:  For part of Joe's father's day gift to Brian, he said he would take him to get gelato. (hmmm...perhaps Joe picked this because HE loves gelato??)  Anyway, they went tonight.  The sweeties brought me back some:
It is half Ferrero Rocher (If you don't know what that is, you SHOULD.  Chocolate and hazlenut goodness), and half Chocolate Amaretto.  I didn't know anything could be this good.  I love my boys.

Also tonight, I went with my mom and dad to see this movie:
It's about the Willie and Martin handcart companies crossing the plains, and the miracles they experienced along the way.  It was SO GREAT.  We knew it wouldn't be in the theaters long, and it was only playing at the Cinemark, so we HAD to go see it.  I am so glad I did.

Wednesday, June 29th happiness:  Our mutual activity tonight - tubing the Salt River.  While the planning part was a little bit of a headache, the actual activity was so great!  We had clouds overhead, so not too sunny, and the water was cool enough, without being too cold - refreshing.  And the kids of course, were fantastic!  It was a lot of fun.

Thursday, June 30th happiness:  Joe and I went with the Trezise clan to see Transformers 3 today.  While I liked the first one, I didn't see the second, and I didn't really care if I saw the third or not.  Maybe it was because I wasn't expecting much, but I really loved it.
Shia LaBeouf is ridiculous.  He really makes the movie.  

Also, tonight was book club.  I don't always end up making it, but I wanted to go this time.  I found the book very interesting, and I wanted to see what other people thought about it.  

It wasn't our typical book club type book.  No story line here.  It is the first non-fiction book we have read.  I had a hard time getting into it at first, it is more like a text book for a psychology class, but I thought that the information was so good, that I kept reading.  It's not like a story, a quick read.  I found myself having to re-read paragraphs, so I could understand the concept.  I liked it.  For the first time in a long time, I felt challenged, and I felt like I was learning something.  It was like being back in school.  I've forgotten how much I like that.

I also found it helpful.  I am not naturally a positive person.  It is something I struggle with and have to work at.  I found this book helpful.  Plus, going to book club is always great.  You know you get to hang out with some great people.

That's it for now.

Happy Day!

Summer fun

M2B =) days 501 - 505.  Monday, June 20th - Friday, June 24th happiness.

The problem with going out of town a lot in the summer, is that I get way behind on my happy blog.  Oh well!

Monday, June 20th happiness:  For Brian's birthday earlier this month, I went to Bath and Body works to buy him some of his favorite body wash.  I've blogged about it before.  This stuff smells fantastic!  Anyway, I got some good news, and some bad news.  Good news - it is 50% off.  Bad news - it is 50% off because it is being discontinued!  What????  How could they?  I had to stock up.

I actually went back after this and bought 2 more.  I would have bought them all if I had the money.  Sadly, all good things must come to an end.  But at least we have enough to smell fantastic for another year!

Tuesday, June 21st happiness:  While I am a big fan of ice cream, I generally do not like ice cream bars.  Weird, I know.  There is something about having to bite into the ice cream with your front teeth, and then I absolutely hate biting into the bar, and getting the wooden stick.  It is like fingernails on a chalk board.  So, when Brian brought home  this new ice cream bar, I wasn't super excited to try it.
Oh my holey moley is all I can say!  These things are fantastic.  It really is the chocolate coating that tastes sooooo good.  No really - sooooo gooood!  

The ones with the caramel are my favorite.
I later saw the commercial for the Magnum Ice Cream Bars, and it totally made sense to me why Brian decided to try them.  It stars Rachel Bilson.  No wonder why he thought they looked good!

Wednesday, June 22nd happiness:  My mom and dad are using their time share in Scottsdale this week.  They are taking turns letting the boys sleep over.  They stay up late, play cards and swim in the awesome resort pool.  Joe, Alex and Michael got to go tonight.  Joe has been gone about an hour when we get a call.  He has forgotten his swim suit.  What?  How do you go to a resort to swim, and forget your swim suit?  So, Brian and I were kind enough to drive it out to him.  I really think that Brian just wanted to drive his fast new car on the freeway.

While we were there, we had to play a couple of games of 5 crowns with my mom and dad.  Love it!

Also tonight, Brian and I watched SYTYCD.  I know I post about it a lot.  But it makes me sooooooooooo happy.  Tonight I fell in love with Cat Deeley's little yellow dress.  She is like a little ray of sunshine anyway, and tonight, she especially looked like it.  I am in love with this dress.
I may also love Cat Deeley just a little bit.

Thursday, June 23rd happiness:  Today was a fun day.  A do nothing but play all day, kind of day.  Sheri and I drove out to Scottsdale to hang out with my mom and dad.  The boys got to swim.  Joe enjoyed throwing the younger kids around.
Michael was an awesome older brother, and took Josh all around the pool.
Max enjoyed the waterfall.
Josh and Evan loved the splash pad.
Apparently the boys did NOT want to have their photo taken after swimming.
It was too hot for my mom and I.  We went back up to the room and played Nertz and 5 crowns.

After swimming for hours, the boys were hungry.  My mom, Sheri and I picked up pizza and chocolate and soda (don't judge).  We went back and ate pizza and watched SYTYCD, before heading home.  All in all - a fantastic day!  

Friday, June 24th happiness:  After playing all day yesterday, Joe and I worked today.  We cleaned in his room for hours.  We braved the closet - took everything out and threw things away, gave things away, and put things away.  He actually gave stuff away this time.  Usually when we do the deep clean, he has a hard time parting with things, even if they don't fit, or he hasn't used them in years.  

The little boys were happy he decided to part with some of his costumes that don't fit anymore.
Joshua reminds me a lot of Joe.  He is never himself.  He is always in character.  Joe was always like that.  He was never just "Joe".  He was batman, or Clark Kent, or Clayton (from Tarzan), etc.  Always someone else, and always in costume.  Josh is the same way.  He and Evan loved playing with the costumes.  I'm glad someone else can enjoy them as much as he did.

Happy Day!

So long, San Diego

M2B =) days 498 - 500.  Friday, June 17th - Sunday, June 19th.

Friday, June 17th happiness:  The dolphins have been out in full force all week.  It's been fun to see so many of them.  Today, however, they were super close to shore.  It was ridiculous.

The boys took advantage of the closeness.  They took their boogie boards out into the water to see just how close they could get.  Here is Dallin:

The sun finally came out for a bit today.  It made the water look all sparkly.  
And, for the first time all week, we got to see the sun set.  Every other day, it has been too cloudy.  Tonight, it was spectacular.  

Saturday, June 18th happiness:  Even though it is sad that we are going home.  I am happy today because I got to spend a week with my toes in the sand.  To quote Joe: "Don't be sad because it's over, smile because it happened." 

I know this is a "happy" blog, but I just had to throw this in here.  This is a picture of the saddest sign ever. =(  
I WAS happy to stop at Kneaders bakery on the way home and get some delicious baked good.  I was also happy to get home to see Tiger and Bob.  Tiger misses me when I am gone.

Sunday, June 19th happiness:  Happy Fathers Day!  I made Brian a delicious dinner for fathers day today.  It was awesome.  I wish food didn't make me as happy as it does.  I would be a lot thinner.

Happy Day!

Sea World

M2B =) days 496-497.  Wednesday, June 15th - Thursday, June 16th happiness.

Wednesday, June 15th happiness:  We did Sea World today.  First stop - Atlantis.  I no longer do this ride, or any other water rides, for that matter, but the boys went.   They loved it of course.

The Walrus was putting on a show.  He had his face right up against the glass.  He would spit out his food, then suck it back in, then spit it out, and suck it back in.  It was nasty, yet I couldn't look away.  
I love me some polar bears.  There were 3 of them out today.  They look so cute and cuddly you almost want to climb in there with them, that is until you remember that they will probably eat your face off.  Sigh.... 
Good news.  The sky ride is now free.  I've never been before.  It takes you out over the bay and you can see all of San Diego.  Pretty awesome.  I only got scared once, I think!
Joe and Dallin spent most of the day on Atlantis, so Brian and I got to walk around leisurely and enjoy the park.  The last time we were here, we kind of missed the dolphins.  Which is both mine and Brian's favorite part, so we made sure we spent a long time there today.  One of the dolphins came up to where I was at, put his tail up in the air, and totally splashed everyone.  Then he put his face up and I swear he smiled.  The best part was that right after that, he came right up and I totally got to pet him.  He is my new favorite dolphin ever.
The best show of the day was of course, the Sea Lions.  
We met Nemo.
Brian actually made friends with him.  He would hold his finger out and slowly move it around.  That little fish followed his finger wherever it went.  It was so cute.
The flowers were gorgeous.  They were like this everywhere.  And they came in all different colors too.
This is what happens when I have to use the restroom, and I leave my camera with Brian.  If you don't document it, no one will believe.
Final stop of the day was the Shamu show.  And it's not the cheesy 'Believe' show either.  It was new.  Pretty good stuff.
The best part was that 'June Gloom' was in full swing.  It was cloudy and quite cool all day.  So cool in fact, that we had to stop and get sweatshirts for me and Joe.  I will take June Gloom over Hot as an Oven any day.

Friday, June 17th happiness:  I sat with my toes in the sand and watched this little guy for a long time today.  He was pretty entertaining.  The beach was cold today.  Cold!!!  In June!! That is unheard of.  I enjoyed every second of it.
Dallin and Joe made some new friends.  These girls were more their age and they are also from Arizona.  Two plusses!  The literally stood there like that talking for like 3 hours.  
Tonight we walked down to Belmont Park.  I left my camera behind, so no photos of Joe and Dallin riding the roller coaster or the other ride that I can't remember the name of that was so stinking cool.  Oh well.  We window shopped a bit, hung out and then went back to the condo and ate delicious pizza.  Good times.

That's it for now.

Happy Day!