The Zoo!!!
Weston and I were able to go to Texas for a week before the rest of the family joined us! We had so much fun with Mom, Dad, Joe, Amanda, & Cole. Dad took us to the zoo and the kiddos loved it! :) (The pictures are going to be a little out of order because I wanted to put Jonathan's homecoming at the top. But I am having trouble loading pics so I'm just going to publish this one and then work on posting the real reason why we were in Texas: for Jonathan!!!)

So this is too funny...Weston wasn't too fond of his hat...and Cole really loved his!! Aren't they just too cute. I love my little boy and my only nephew!!! It was such a blast to see them together and to watch them play. We definitely have some fun times ahead!!!

Checking out some of the cool animals!!!

The following pictures are some awesome shots Dad took of the animals. He managed to escape being in ANY pictures himself...so I wanted to show off his work. He took about 80 pictures at the zoo that day...I only wish I could show them ALL to you!! I think the orangutan is my favorite..Jeff's fav. is the bald eagle. I admit, it does inspire! Enjoy!

Tiger fun!!!

Okay, Weston is like his mom: the white tiger was his ABSOLUTE favorite animal. He was able to stand right by the glass while the tiger was pacing in front of him. He watched it for SO long and every time it would pass right in front of him, he would just bust up laughing. It was the cutest thing and Dad was able to catch it in pics. (sort of...nothing could capture the laugh!) This was definitely mine and Weston's highlight at the zoo!!

Amanda and cute Cole checking out one of the animals.

The girls!! (we missed you Amy!)

Grandma with the cute kiddos!! Don't you just love their hats?! (and I'm sorry mom that this is the one with your eyes closed...blogger wouldn't load the other one, I tried about 5 times and it never worked. crazy thing! But you still look great to me!!)

A few random favorites:

Okay, how cute is this snuggling?! LOVE it!!

Weston LOVES his blanket....and Cole did too! It was so funny to see them tugging on it and learning to "share" They were so fun together and we can't wait to see what buds they'll be as they get older!!

Sharing...they are getting so cute together!


Our San Antonio Trip!!
We drove down to San Antonio (5 hours from Dallas) and were able to visit a lot of family we haven't seen in a LONG time: Gramma and Papa, Aunt Trycia and Uncle Mike, Erin, Cynthia & Belle, Aunt Betsy and Kayla & Benjamin and then Dad's side of the family: Grandma & Grandpa Keefe. We had a blast and crammed a ton of fun into a short time!!

All the grandkids with Gramma & Papa!!
From left to right: Jonathan, Amanda, Cole, Joe, Papa, Gramma, Amy, James, Nicole, Jeff, Weston. FRONT: Erin, Cynthia, Belle, Benjamin, & Kayla!!!

The Alamo!!!
We were able to visit the Alamo and the River Walk in San Antonio. It was so neat to see such a historical place and to read about what happened there.
We were able to spend the day with the family (we missed you Cynthia!) and had so much fun getting to know them better in the short time we had! We love and miss them all so much!!

The bridge over the river walk!! It is the coolest place, with shops and restaurants lining the river. It is so gorgeous and we were able to go on a boat tour of the river, thanks to Dad!! Thanks again Dad, for everything!!

Having fun on the tour boat (on the river)

All the beautiful sisters!!! I have heard how fun mom and her sisters can be together and it was such a blast to get to see them in action!

Mom & Aunt Pat (on the right). It was so much fun to see family that we haven't seen in way TOO long! We love all of you and miss you tons!!

Mom & her sister, Betsy. (the left picture) We got to meet Betsy and her adorable kids: Kayla & Benjamin for the first time. We already LOVE them!!! They are SO much fun!!!

Weston & Cole's first ride on a mini merri-go-round! So cute. They LOVED it!


What is a trip to Texas without the POOL?!
This is where we tried to spend much of our time!!!

Nicole & Amy chillin in the pool!

President Faust ~ Beloved Leader, Inspired Example



As many of you have already heard, President James E. Faust (Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) has passed away this morning. He was such a beloved leader who inspired greatness, kindness, and charity, if not to millions of people around the world, then at least to my little family here in Utah. In thinking back on the many talks that he has given that have inspired me to become better, I thought it fitting to share some of his quotes with you in his memory.

From President Faust:

On Faith:

"As we move into a new era, we have only one safe course: to press forward in faith. Faith will be our strong shield to protect us from the fiery arrows of Satan. Values should not change with time, because faith in Jesus Christ is indispensable to happiness and eternal salvation." (May 2000 Ensign)

"To sustain faith, each of us must be humble and compassionate, kind and generous to the poor and the needy. Faith is further sustained by daily doses of spirituality that come to us as we kneel in prayer. It begins with us as individuals and extends to our families, who need to be solidified in righteousness. Honesty, decency, integrity, and morality are all necessary ingredients of our faith and will provide sanctuary for our souls." (May 2000 Ensign) "Faith intensifies and magnifies our gifts and abilities. There is no greater source of knowledge than the inspiration that comes from the Godhead, who have all understanding and knowledge of that which has been, is now, and will be in the future." (May 2000 Ensign)

On Obedience

"Obedience leads to true freedom. The more we obey revealed truth, the more we become liberated." "Freedom and liberty are precious gifts that come to us when we are obedient to the laws of God and the whisperings of the Spirit. If we are to avoid destruction.... fences or guardrails must be built beyond which we cannot go. The fences which we must stay within are the principles of revealed truth. Obedience to them makes us truly free to reach the potential and the glory which our Heavenly Father has in store for us." (“Obedience: The Path to Freedom,” Ensign, May 1999, 45)

On Forgiveness

"We need to recognize and acknowledge angry feelings. It will take humility to do this, but if we will get on our knees and ask Heavenly Father for a feeling of forgiveness, He will help us. The Lord requires us "to forgive all men" for our own good because "hatred retards spiritual growth." Only as we rid ourselves of hatred and bitterness can the Lord put comfort into our hearts."("The Healing Power of Forgiveness," Ensign, May 2007, 69)

To the Young Women of the Church:

"As daughters of our Heavenly Father, each of you can be a partaker of His divine nature.⁹ It is inherent in your beings. I testify that each of you young women has special gifts from our Heavenly Father. Some of these gifts are unique to womanhood. As you cultivate these gifts, you will grow in strength, purpose, and nobility.

This is the work of God. We are all His servants. He is watching over us. He wants us to succeed. We all have some part of the holy work to accomplish, even though it may seem small and obscure." (Your Light: A Standard to All Nations, April 2006 General Conference Address)

Here is a link to the Church Newsroom article about President Faust:

http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=c629cf04ebc44110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=9ae411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD

To his family and friends we offer our heartfelt and sincerest condolences. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and with this incredible man whom so many of us have loved.

Stephenie Meyer's AWESOME books!!!!
For those of you who have read these books and heard me rave about them, just bear with me, because today is a special day:
Okay, it is August 7th, I had to let everyone know about the most amazing book series that I LOVE!!! Twilight, New Moon, and drum roll please since it just arrived on shelves ToDaY: Eclipse. This is a vampire romance saga. Sound interesting? Well, in case you just laugh it off and say "um, vampires, no thanks!" (like I did some months ago when my sister introduced Twilight to me) I am just here to tell you that it is an incredible, fun, romantic, intriguing and exciting series that is number one on MY list and also a New York Times Best Seller. SO, I am NoT the only person who feels this way. I have also had the chance to meet Stephenie Meyer (twice, it's true!) and hear her speak. She is just about the coolest person and definitely my author hero. Check out her website, it is the most fan-friendly site I've ever seen an author put together: www.stepheniemeyer.com
I hope you enjoy breaking out of your favorite genres to give this series a whirl. You won't regret it!!!
Happy reading!
ps I picked up my reserved copy today (my husband can attest to how excited I was, let's just say that 'jumping up and down for joy' is not just an expression) but I have to wait until my birthday to read it. ugghh. What is a girl to do? He is very sweet and wants to wrap it up for me, though! So in addition to the book, I also asked for some baby-free time to ReAd it!!! Can I just tell you that I am thrilled for August 20th to roll around!!! It kind of makes turning 27 (yes, another fact that is true, i'm not sure if I like this getting older thing. I am now going to be wAy closer to 30 than I ever thought possible) much much much more bearable and even exciting.
So here is my plug for Stephenie Meyer in my little spot of the world. I hope you all enjoy!

Another ps: I did just return from an INCREDIBLE family trip to Texas. I have not forgotten that, pics and commentary will be up VErY soon!! Love to you all! Or in my texan drawl: luv to y'all!

SPT- What do you do to stay cool in the summer?

Okay, my first ever SPT, I am so excited! For those of you who haven't read my earlier post, an SPT is a Self-Portrait-Tuesday. Enjoy my weekly entries!!

So what I do to stay cool in the summer. My first and most important idea: pool, pool, pool. How convenient that we happened to move into an apartment with a pool. We have already had a blast and Weston loves it. Thanks to everyone who has come over to enjoy the very coolness of it!
But seriously, the pool really only happened in the last week and we have been having an incredibley hot summer. :) So here are my ideas of what worked the best:

~Our old place had a swamp cooler that only worked in the bedroom so Weston and I would love to go stand right in front of it. What a blast. Literally of very cold air. Ahh...sweet relief!
~Standing in front of the fridge or freezer worked as well, of course with them open.
~Spritzing water on Weston with the squirt bottle. He always laughed so hard, and loved the coolness. Well, I'm assuming he loved the coolness, he always came back for more!
And my personal favorites :
~ Grab an ice cold drink. Water is my drink of choice, followed very closely by a cherry slurpy with pina-colada flavor added to make it extra special. Mmm... just the thought is making me taste it already! I also recommend staying away from sodas. Honestly, they do NOT quench the thirst. What-so-ever.
And my grand finale, my ta-da, my cooler-offer of choice:
~Put your baby down for a nap, turn the fan on high facing you directly, sit down, kick up your feet, and read a book. Works every time. The comfort of a good book can take your mind off anything. Opening the pages and escaping into another life, another adventure, another world works a magic like nothing else. And if you need extra help, read a book where the characters are in the midst of winter snows and blizzards. Are you cooling off already?!

Enjoy your summer and stay cool!

Forgive me for no pics- I am in Texas away from my home computer!

SPT

Okay, I started this blog as a way for family and friends to be able to see the latest and greatest pics of Weston and our family. (but to be honest, mostly Weston). Somewhere in the process I have learned that I really love doing this and it's fun to put some of my random thoughts down on this blog, send it into cyber space and see who has read it (from their comments!) Call me crazy, but I know that I am not alone in feeling that this is somewhat theraputic. Even if no one reads it, the writing of it all is the fun part! I have also learned that my amazing sister-in-law, Amy, loves to blog as well and she is always finding really cool stuff to put on her blog. (check hers out on my links page under James & Amy-- I don't know how to set up links other than what I have on the side, although I know if I asked her she would be able to tell me!)
One of the very cool things that Amy has recently started doing is: SPT otherwise known as Self-Portrait Tuesday. Lelly is the host of this group and she will post a question on her blog about Thursday or Friday-ish. Everyone then answers the question on Tuesday on their own blog, thus sharing some fun things about themselves and in the process learning a little about the others who participate! SO, let the good times roll, I am going to be doing SPT's from now on! If you check out my blog just for the pics, that's great, you can skip over my lengthy diatribes about my life and my random thoughts and goings on! But if you feel like reading something that may make you groan, laugh, chuckle, or just nod your head and say 'hmm..sometimes my life is like that too...' than read on! I hope you enjoy! I know I am looking forward to it!
Sidenote: if you would like to participate in SPT's then here is Lelly's blog: lellysmusings.blogspot.com ~ you can contact her through it for more info!

Charlie's Window

We've moved to our new place and now have the internet, wahoo!! After saying our sad goodbyes to such a good home, I thought it fitting to pay tribute to our little friend Charlie. I will tell you about him...
He was named, sadly, after his death. I thought it only fitting to name him after that most wonderful creature who gave us all a warm, fuzzy spot in our hearts for spiders: Charlotte, of Charlotte's Webb. (If any of you have not seen the movie, I highly recommend it. I loved Julia Roberts as the voice of Charlotte and Dakota Fanning is just the cutest Fern ever. Also, there are so many cool special features and the neatest song ~ Ordinary Miracle by Sarah McLachlin on the soundtrack.)
Okay, back to my story about Charlie. I will warn you, it is a sad tale and I am only telling people for two reasons: to purge my guilt and to remember a dear little friend.

Charlie first showed up in our windowsill one cold day in the spring. He was just a little tyke then, and Jeff decided to spare his life. This is a pretty huge deal coming from someone who despises spiders. I cannot emphasize enough how much he dislikes them. I have never met someone who is so quick to smash and stomp out the hideous things. And up until this point I was fine with all of his smashing and stomping. (Our old apartment was just that: old, and it had many little quirks, one of them including a LOT of spiders.) Needless to say, I was a little shocked when Jeff let the little guy live. When I asked why Jeff let him live he just shrugged and said "I really don't know." And thus it began: our friendship with the then no-named spider. Jeff and I both agreed that the minute he ventured into the house from his windowsill- he was toast. But he never did. He stuck to his window and spun beautiful little webs across the sill. He was very patient with me and whenever I would 'visit' and blow a little on his web (if it was getting too big and spilling over into the house) he would sit quietly there until I let him be and then work his magic overnight again.
Quite inspiring.
As the months turned warmer, the window would stay open longer in the day and I would worry a little that Charlie would take a trip inside. (The couch sat right under his sill) But again, he never did. He minded his own business, stayed put, spun webs and grew bigger. Pretty soon he was a full grown spider and pretty cool to watch. We grew quite fond of Charlie and every so often I would ask Jeff if he was going to get rid of him since he was getting so big. Jeff would just do his same shoulder shrug and say "I don't know." Meanwhile, many other spiders met their demise while in the confines of our home! (I will admit that I always had Jeff do the dirty deed, I just couldn't stomach it!)
Well, the inevitable day came when when we had a visitor coming over. We had had many visitors throughout Charlie's time in the window. Why this visitor was different~ to this day I honestly have no idea. But after thinking multiple times over that someone, sometime, was going to turn their head when sitting on the couch and freak out over this spider in the corner, I figured it was time we 'moved' him. I casually said to Jeff, "I think it's time we get rid of the spider." I didn't need to say which spider, by then we both knew who we were talking about when it came to THE spider. So Jeff got rid of him. The minute it was done ( I don't think I need to explain IT) I was upset. Why did we do that?! He wasn't harming anyone. He just sat in his corner! No more webs would be spun there, no more morning visits as I opened the window. I will be utterly honest here and tell you, yes, I cried over a spider. To this day I can still get a tear in my eye when I think of him.
When recounting my tale of woe to my sister, Chelsea, she laughed at me and said, "Why didn't you just have Jeff catch him and put him outside?" I was dumbfounded. It might sound silly to you all, but seriously, that is just NOT what we did with spiders in our home, so the thought never even occurred to me. Not once. There was another solution to 'getting rid' of Charlie, and we never thought of it. So not only did I already feel very guilty for getting rid of him, NOW I felt guilty that I didn't think of just relocating him.
You may be thinking by this point, he was JUST a spider for crying out loud, get over it! And so that is what I am attempting to do in this little retelling. I named our little windowsill friend and have now told his tale, so although he is very gone, you and I will both remember this story about a spider and a window. And maybe next time you are about to stomp out the life of a particularly nasty looking spider, you will remember Charlie and you will figure out a way to relocate him. That is what Charlie's life will have meant ~ and that is what he will have given to other spiders.

MOVING!!!!

Well, we have lived in this place for two wonderful years. We have loved it here (aside from the one bedroom thing, but it's a very BIG bedroom!) and we are going to miss our ward and friends. The good news is: we are only moving about 6 minutes away into a cute little TWO bedroom apartment. We are still on the house hunt but wanted to move to a little more space while we took our time finding something that was *right* for us. (If anyone hears of anything great, let us know!!) I will try to email out our new address - I don't want to post it on the internet- but if you think I don't have your email, or you haven't heard from me in awhile (which means I may not have your email...Adam Philips family this means you) then please drop me a line at: jndrysdalefam@hotmail.com or jndrysdale@gmail.com
I won't be able to post for a little bit, well, I guess just until Tuesday. :) Have a great weekend everyone!

The picture is of Weston on the go on his new little bike form Grandma! If you notice in the background there are some boxes and crates, West has been very patient and has adapted to, and even loved, all of the crazy boxes and random items that have been lying around as we pack. I can't believe how different it is packing when you have a little one. I admire all those moms who have moved with more than one child. I'm freakin out with just him and don't know how to get it all done! Luckily I have wonderful family and friends who have been willing to watch Weston while we got some packing and moving done. THANK YOU...you all know who you are! The BIG haul goes over tomorrow! PHEW, I can't wait to be done!

Our 2 year Anniversary Trip (2 weeks early!)

Jeff and I were able to have a weekend getaway for our 2 year anniversary! (due to moving and our Texas trip we did it 2 weeks early!) This was the first time we had ever left Weston overnight. We were a little nervous, but he was in extremely capable and wonderful hands with Shar and Trav. We stayed at this beautiful bed n breakfast in Midway, UT called Johnson's Mill. (thanks Kelly for the idea!) It is so gorgeous there and offered so many neat things. Canoe rides, paddle boating, walking trails, and beautiful scenery to start! We absolutely loved it! We were able to stay for two whole nights (and that means two mornings of sleeping in~ I'm sorry Shar and Trav for your early mornings with Weston!) Since we booked a little late we weren't able to stay in the same room both nights, but we actually really enjoyed that. Each room is decorated and set up differently, so it was really fun to see the changes. On Saturday we went into Park City for some great shopping and we went to some cool restaurants that we hadn't ever tried. It was a wonderful weekend and I am so glad we were able to have some time together. I am married to the most wonderful, kind husband and I am so grateful he is such an amazing father as well. I am so lucky! I love you babe!!

Johnson's Mill Entrance!

Johnson's Mill view from the pond. This is the back of the house. They served breakfast out on the back porch every morning. The white canopy was set up because they were having a wedding there Sunday evening at sunset. Sigh. How romantic! (I wouldn't trade my temple wedding for anything, though!)

In front of the water wheel. This home was originally a mill, hence the name: Johnson's Mill!

This beautiful waterfall runs right behind the main house.
I never got over how gorgeous everything was.

I was so excited to go paddleboating! It was definitely worth trying and the scenery was amazing.

Jeff enjoying the paddle boat ride. It was a lot more work than I thought! It took us so long to get anywhere. There was another couple who took out the canoe and they passed us up in about two strokes of the paddles, by the time they went around the pond we had gone in a few circles by the dock! (I will admit, I wanted to try out going in a circle, but we really didn't get far!) We decided we'd try the canoe in the morning!!!

We went on a canoe ride Sunday morning before we left! It is so peaceful and beautiful. We loved being out on the water and just enjoying nature.

So the picture is kind of blurry because he was swimming, but this is a river otter that we were able to see on our canoe ride. We noticed him pretty quickly, but it took a lot of sitting quietly (and then the boat would move and we'd have to row it back) for him to finally come out of his home. There were two of them and my theory is that this is the male and he came out to make sure we were decent people before he'd give his mate the okay to swim out here. He never did say we were okay, so we just saw her hanging out back at the house. Who knows if it's true, but I like to think so. :)

The otter den. (Is it called a den?) This is just the neatest home!

I thought this birdhouse was very different.

Our attempt at amazing photography! (taken from the canoe)

Nice Shades!!!

So sometimes moms do silly things with their kids, right. It was so fun goofing off with Weston. He was hilarious and thought it was so funny to see me in the glasses. That was the only way I could get him to put them on!

Weston having fun with the glasses!

He actually left them on for awhile. Aren't they hilarious!

Me trying to get Weston to see that the glasses are cool. It's okay for mom's to look dorky, right?!

Fun on the Fourth! and a few extra pics!

We had a great fourth of July. We were able to go to the parade (and brought cute little Syanne with us) then we had a fun bbq with James & Amy and Shar & Trav. Chels, Rob, and Syanne came over after the bbq and then we had a relaxing rest of the day until we went to James and Amy's to do some fun sparklers. (I don't have the pics of that yet) It was great. Sadly, Weston was exhausted by this point and so we missed out on the fireworks. Oh well, next year he'll be able to talk, so we'll see what he has to say about his first fireworks show.

Our little family!

Our hat practicing yesterday paid off, he kept it on! And isn't this side shot adorable?!

Amy and James at our 4th of July bbq. As always, very photogenic!

Shar, Trav, and West at our 4th of July bbq. Our cute little niece who is hiding in the picture (yes the one in Shar's belly) doesn't have a name yet. So post ANY suggestions or ideas. if they like it I'll take credit since it will have come from my blog. JK, I'll let 'em know. haha.

HATS!!
Weston looked so cute with James (at the park on the 4th) that I had to get this shot!)

Weston trying on his hat and actually leaving it on! We kept taking him over to the mirror to show him how cool it was. (so he's looking in the mirror in this pic) Funny kid, he'll only leave it on if it's backwards!

Weston's new trick: he thinks stairs are cool. Mom does not! (especially cement ones!)

So I got this fun website from my friend's blog. Check it out...it's pretty funny to see who you may resemble. Of course I had to do Jeff too and I only recognized 2 of the guys he 'looks like.' And I must say, I think he is better looking than all 5! I love you, babe!
(My last look a like is Demi Moore in case you were wondering since it cut it off!)