homestead

I wanted to have a little getaway with my mom and dad and the kids before we left for the summer. Justin was out out of town so he wasn't there - it was just like old times, plus two kids! We stayed just one night in Midway at the homestead. We ate mexican for dinner and then read stories in the hotel room. The next morning we ate breakfast at the Homestead and then suited up for a swim in the crater. The kids didn't know what to think. Cody thought it was going to erupt at any moment. But they ended up thinking it was lots of fun. For lunch we went to The Store, a grocery store in Midway with the best salad bar of ALL TIME. It was a great little trip!

red rock shizzle - lake to lake relay

This was one of the most fun girls trips I've had in a long time. I love getting outside with a bunch of girls! Our job was to promote the Red Rock and I think we did a swell job. We ran a 50 mile relay and Red Rock Relay paid for everything! Each girl did two 5 mile legs. As there were six of us it worked out nicely that I only had to run one leg and Alissa ran the other.


1. All the girls, Liz, Emilie, Alissa, Kaycee, me and Heidi. 2. Kaycee and her megaphone, most likely yelling something like, "My grandma runs faster than you!" or "You okay in the porta potty Liz? Need some help?" Or she would just have a normal conversation with someone from 1 foot away but she used that megaphone regardless. She ran with it, brought it to the banquet, and generally made other girls hate her because their boyfriends fell in love. 3.Alissa and Emilie 4. Heidi working her camera skills, she made us a great video.


1. Heidi running like a paparazzi. 2. My pregnant belly (might be the only shot I get). 3. Us girls again 4. Alissa

ski dates

This winter I was able to take Cody skiing about 5 times. It was our special little Thursday afternoon date, sometimes with friends, sometimes just us two. Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons are "boring" for Cody with Ellie in school so we usually did something fun on Thursday afternoons together. Below are some photos of a ski day with Courage, Molly and Ethan. They are getting good! It was much easier than last year. Cody likes to pretend he is Lightning McQueen and is in a race. When he crashes I have to check his oil and grease his fittings and change his tires (aka tickle him).

bear river

I'm slowing trying to catch up. Every year we go to Bear River to snowmobile, ride the razor, snowshoe and eat lots of food. The three little boys are so cute to watch on their little missions.

cody is 4!

My little squishy is getting less squishy every day...I don't like this growing up business one bit. It has been "taking foreber" for Cody's birthday to come, waiting an entire month after Ellie's has been tough. The week before his birthday we had an impromptu party since our friends Ethan and Molly were in town. It made for an easy party! Cody and I went to the party store together and he picked out a truck party. We got the cake at Costco and decorated it with his construction toys. After cake and opening presents we went to the playroom for some balloon popping and an obstacle course that I had to demonstrate in my pregnant state. I didn't do so well.


On Cody's actual birthday he opened his presents first thing. He actually chose them the day before. He got an upgraded Mack trailer and a Ford F150 like dad's that pulls a trailer with a motorcycle and 4-wheeler. We searched all over town for a "digger that has two sides." It's something he's obsessed with getting and we just can't find it. I assume he's thinking of a truck with a crane and a claw type thing? If anyone know's where to get one let me know! Some neighbor friends Beau and Noah came over before preschool to play for a little while and Justin took the kids that night to Provo Beach and they had a blast while I did some much needed homework.

Love you little squishy!

ellie is 6!

I remember turning 6. It was a big deal because now I had to use both hands to show people how old I was. It's fun to have Ellie get a little older and have her experience things that I have clear memories of, and know that she will remember them too.

For her birthday, we did the same thing as last year. Ellie wanted a Hello Kitty party so we mixed that in as well. The girls came to our house afterwards for an hour (that's all I could take). We have some really cute little girls in our ward.

The invites. Of course my most favorite part of any party.


Breakfast at Magleby's Fresh in our PJ's. Pictured are Baily, Sierra, Brielle, Cody (sad face b/c he wants it to be his birthday), Ellie Pie, Ellie, Charisse, and Brielle. We ordered French toast and Pancakes! I was sick all day from it.


Ellie and Bryton, our 2nd cousin.


Opening presents and our little party favors.


The Millers. Brenan is Justin's cousin. Awesome of them for coming so bright and early on a Saturday.

And of course the party ended with a dance party in the car!

I won't gush too much about how cool my Ellie Peach is but let me just say there is something so sweet and special about her that I just can't describe. She lights up a room and is more articulate and animated than I am. I absolutely love being her mom, and I know Justin feels the same way. Except he likes being her dad, not her mom. Happy Birthday Ellie!

costa rica

In January we went to Costa Rica with some of our good friends, Matt and Alissa and Tim and Angie. We rented a condo from our neighbors and had a blast just staying close to home and eating great food.


1. crocodile bridge 2,3. zip line. I didn't tell them I was almost 6 months pregnant because I didn't think they would let me go. That harness did not feel good! 4. Alissa and I at Manuel Antonio, a national park


1. angie putting her muscles to good use 2. tim's catch (we made the best lunches with his fish) 3. Alissa and Angie 4. Justin drinking one of Matt's signature smoothies - seriously the best smoothies I've ever had.


1. dinner in the town we stayed in, Estriello Oeste with Havee and his friend (Havee was the property manager of the condo's we stayed at) 2. the beach to ourselves 3. goats along the run i did a few times 4. fresh fish at the taco bar in Jaco


1. baptisms by the river reminded me of what it might have been like in Book of Mormon times. they were singing a really neat song too. 2. cute house 3. we stayed on the second floor of this house 4. our view from the deck

december

best christmas present!

"zo-ings"

These are my sewings, or "zo-ings" as Ellie calls them, from this summer. The humid heat kept us inside lots of afternoons waiting for the building to cast a shadow over the pool so we could bear to go swimming. So...some crafting kept us busy.


1-This dress was a sundress I got for me at Target for like $5 I think. It was a little small and I never wore it so I took some fabric out of the middle and added runching to the bodice so it would be tight enough for Ellie's little body. She LOVES this dress and still wears it all the time. 2-I want to make a ton of these little jumpsuits in different stripes. I think they are so cute. The picture cuts off the bottom a little but they are just shorts, and please notice the little purple silk tag at the side! I added some ties to the top later as it was slipping down all the time - ooopsy!


1-A little elephant that matched their room perfectly! And "Our family" by Ellie. 2-The kids drew all kinds of things on muslin and then cut around them and I sewed them into little pillows. We had an entire fleet of dragons, too.


Rachel figured out how to make these necklaces, well that and just about everything else I made. You basically make a long tube of fabric and fill them with marbles, tying a knot between each one. We had Jared's kids over one night and they all made some.


My favorite, and most difficult project was making a backpack for Ellie. Ellie picked out the fabric and it was love at first sight. She wanted the hearts so that "I will remember you love me when I am at school". I will die if she ever looses it.


I made Cody a backpack too before Ellie's as a practice backpack. Haha. He loves it too. I've since added two yellow race car patches to it. And the shirt I made a long time ago but thought I'd throw in a picture.

fall 2010 banner

lake powell take 2

I believe it was sometime around the second week in October we ventured down to Lake Powell again, this time with our kids, a tent, sleeping bags, and a camp stove. The Wards came with us and they invited their friends the Russells - who we loved. Mostly I loved sneaking little bites of their baby's cheeks when the parents weren't looking. Between us there were six kids and a baby and they all played in the sand from dawn to dusk. The weather was perfect and the food even better. I was surprised at how relaxing a camping trip could be. I guess it helped that Justin agreed to pack everything, plan our share of food, and clean up afterwards all by himself. I just didn't have it in me what with school and a little nugget growing in my tummy!

summer 2010 banner

ryan hill

One of Justin's best friends passed away last Friday in a motorcycle accident. Tonight was the viewing and my heart just aches for his sweet wife and four young children. Ryan didn't have an enemy in the world and he and his family had been like a second family for Justin as a teenager. Justin was able to hang out with Ry a lot in the last couple months and he is really grateful for those memories.


Jeffrey Ryan Hill
"Ryan"
1977 ~ 2010
Our beloved husband, father, son, brother, grandson, and friend, Ryan Hill, passed away on November 5, 2010, doing what he loved - riding his dirt bike in the desert west of Nephi. His death was the result of a tragic accident on a beautiful autumn day.
Ryan, age 32, was born in Provo, Utah, on November 17, 1977, the oldest child of Jeffrey William and Sherrie Lynn Chynoweth Hill. Growing up in Orem, he graduated from Mountain View High School in 1996. He faithfully served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the New York, New York, North Mission. (1997-1999) Shortly after his mission, Ryan met the love of his life, Mandalie Anne Grow. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 29, 2000. Together they created their masterpieces - McKay Ryan (8), Ellie Mandalie (6) Clara Anne (3), and Hazel Jane (4 months).
Ryan attended Utah Valley University, where he was very involved with student leadership in the Student Alumni Association and UV Leader Program. He graduated in 2002 with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration.
Upon graduation, Ryan was recruited by Toll Brothers Construction a national home building company, which given his background was a natural fit. With Toll Brothers, Ryan and Mandy worked and lived in Pennsylvania, Las Vegas, and finally Reno, Nevada. Reno felt very much like home where they made wonderful friends and expanded their family. While in Reno, Ryan's adventurous spirit propelled them into the restaurant business as they opened a new Bajios restaurant. Ryan worked tenaciously to make the restaurant a success. After two years, the restaurant was sold and Ryan and Mandy decided to bring their beautiful family back to Utah. Once back home, the opportunity came for Ryan to work again with his father, which he did until the time of his death.
Ryan's proudest accomplishment was marrying his eternal companion, Mandy, and having the opportunity of being "Dad" to his four amazing children. He was an extraordinary husband and father who loved spending time with family and helping them experience the joys of life.
Besides loving, caring, and playing with family, Ryan's passion was the great outdoors. He loved dirt biking, skiing, wake boarding, cycling and anything that made his heart pound and his adrenaline rush. His dare-devil antics typically scared the life out of those who were trying to keep up with him. Ryan was always first to try everything.
Ryan was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He willingly accepted any call he was given. He had a wonderful way of relating to young people that made him a loved leader in the Young Men and Scouting Programs. His ability to share his unwavering testimony of the Gospel blessed the hearts of all who heard it.
Ryan lived life to the fullest, packing more into his few years than most people experience in a lifetime. We're already missing his infectious laugh and contagious, beaming smile.
Ryan is survived by his beautiful wife, Mandy, his four children, his parents, and his siblings, Trevor (Holly) Hill, McKensie (Aaron) Bingham, Whitnie (Nick) Alexander, and Jackson Hill all of Utah Valley. He is also survived by his grandparents, Dick and Donna Hill and Reuben and Rose Chynoweth. All of his Grow relatives felt it such a privilege to be part of his family.

october

Fall is my favorite season. I actually rode my bike more this fall than in the past few years which surprised me as I thought I might be too pregnant-sick. Turns out that the only time I felt normal was when I was riding, and as soon as I got back home the nauseousness came back. I also got a new SL Specialized Enduro...which I was a little nervous about at first because it's a lot heavier than what I'm used to but I learned to love it, especially on technical stuff.


Riding in Midway with Emily.


Most of my rides were up around the "alter" in Provo Canyon. I'm not sure of the name of the trail.












Kara and I on the Zen Trail in St. George.