Vegas..(all together now) BABY!!!

So even though I've "Facebooked" the whole album..
(muffled grumble from the ever-jealous Blog)
for the sake of easy-browsing in a more cozy environment in the future,
thought I'd nestle a few shots from our Vegas
(BABY! I can't not say it after. It's like an involuntary reaction.)
Spring Break trip, here into my
"trusty-even-when-abandoned" blog.
It just seems like the right thing to do.

Let me start by saying I'm a
"I love Vegas!"-er..
as opposed to the "I hate Vegas!"-ers.
I know that within Vegas, of course there exists,
the raw,
the raunchy,
and vomit-laden,
if that's what you're after.
BUT, how WE do Vegas..
which is pool by day,
and lit-up-like-a-firecracker with oh-so-much to see Strip by night..
we have found it the perfect, exciting, 6-hour by car,
sun-shiney get-away.
I mean what's NOT fun about THAT??

Nothin.
That's what.
I guess it wouldn't be fun if our kids didn't think it was JUST as cool to hoof it around all night discovering treasures like this:

but they do!

We ate M&M's..


Sampled 16 flavors of unusually nasty Coca-cola..



(and 6 flavors of NOT nasty, gelato!)



We mocked statues..


..mocked weddings...



..made dorky faces..



..and posed in front of anything and everything we found even slightly novel...






And then, there was the SUNSHINE!! The blessed, lovely.. long-missed, SUNSHINE.


Did I mention the SUNSHINE?


Yeah..
I love Vegas.

It's Not You.. It's Facebook.

I think I've figured it out..
(No.. not world peace.. sillies..
something MUCH more pressing..)
WHY I can't get my blogging groove on.
Ya see.. while blogging IS superior in it's ability to really tell a story or share an event, with photos to enhance the viewers experience even..
I found, during my extended time without access to a computer,
that while my iphone was too tiny to enjoy really writing anything of worth on..
it was UNUSUALLY easy to not only post a quick Facebook status on,
(For example..
"There's a live BIRD, flapping around my ROOM!"
See? That usually would of merited a blog post, I mean.. it POO'D on my wall, and ran into my WINDOWS.
The horror.
THAT made Facebook, immediately.)
..but also, adding pictures I could take instantly WITH my iphone, was WAAAAAY slicker than the camera download rig-a-ma-roll I was used to with blogging.
So.... I'm LAZY, basically.
And feel a little silly repeating my highly unimportant goings ons.. twice into cyber world, on a usual basis.
For instance..
I soon may very well may post to FB that Sophie just called from the bathroom,
"MOM! I know why that poop was so hard to get out..
Cause it was SO, big."
But then do I repeat the ever urgent news here??
However will I decide.
I told you this was pressing.

In the meantime..
I plan on supporting you dedicated,
and oh so entertaining die-hards,
with the respect, and comments you deserve.

Blog on people.
Blog ON.

The Latest...

Not sure WHY , even with a shiny new computer, I can't seem to get in the blog groove again!
For so long the old computer was down.. we were moving.. the holidays.. getting ready for the Florida getaway.. got a boob job.. (see how I just slipped that in there real non-chalant like??) yadda-yadda.. and I'm all behind again!
Soooo...
In a nutshell:
(Let's say, pistachio.. cause their tastiest.. and easy to pry open..)
1. Florida, with just Jasen and I, was LOVELY.
Warm.
Relaxing.
And indulgent.
We began a trend we shamelessly coined "Double-dinner-ing"..
where after lolly-gagging around the pool til' 3,
you clean up, eat at 5..
and then after nice trip to the movies or factory outlets..
you eat again at midnight.
Disgusting, and delightful.
2. Sophie has decided she'd like to grow-up to be a girl on the Bachelor.
We're so proud.
3. Bo is begging to do karate.
It's $1,000.00 a year, and twice a week.. that whole year.
We're not sure.
That's a whole lotta money, and a whole lotta karate.
4. Sam suddenly has a posse of 12 friends that hang here from dusk til dawn.
Darling kids-- but they can put down some milk, chips, and pizza.
I may need to get a job to support their snacking habits.
5. Jesse wants nothing more than to play electric guitar in a band.
If you know anyone in the area looking for a cute kid who's really good.. do tell.
6. And for real. I got augmented.
Wish it wasn't inappropriate to post my "before" shot,
just so you could fully understand how necessary I found it to be,
and be as very pleased as I am that it is complete!
Rough first week-- but now feeling good, and oh-so-female.
HIghly reccommend it, and my doctor.

Did I miss anything??

No.
I think that covers it.

It's The Little Jabs That Mean The Most..

Why one would THINK I might take this opportunity to document Jasen and I's DEE-lightful, first-time-in-in-15-years without kids get-away (pause for gasping.)
to the balmy and breezy Florida sunshine..
I'm a little too distracted and tired and lazy to walk all the way to my purse to get my iphone to download the photos from it..
so instead, want to simply report that just now Sophie,
from the couch,
where she is flipping through old photos on the ipad.. stated:
"Oh Mom! Here is a picture of you pregnant..
and you are NOT lookin' good."
Got it Soph.
Thanks for the reminder.

Soooo... Where was I....

Oh! THAT's right..
I last left you when my husband had just landed his latest promotion.
Hope no one has been offended by my lack of blogger-browsing, posting, or commenting since.
Really.. it's not you.. it's me.. and the fact that until now we thought our computer was busted in the move. (Apparantly, it was not.. and my 3 months of only-iphone internet access.. was all in vain.. sigh.)
But don't think for a moment I did not pathetically attempt to capture the last few months events in annoyingly dark and slightly grainy photos, on that very same iphone.. cause I did, cause who can find their real cameras and cords in a move?? Not I.
So now.. for your I'm SURE, long-awaited viewing pleasure..
I present to you, our family highlights as of late..
(I know.. the excitement must be KILLING you!)

We moved in to our new digs in Saratoga Springs on my birthday! (Happy Birthday! Start unpacking the 4,000 boxes in your living space!) The next week or so was a bit of a blur.. I just see alot of packing paper and box cutters in my memories..
and outta nowhere.. it was CHRISTMAS!
(Notice my ability to move past the crushing emotion of leaving all of our very best friends, our cozy home, grand yard, darling community, and chickens. That's how I roll.)
SO. We did Christmas.
Santa was obviously alerted of our new address..

We drove through the new and improved "3-D" light display here in the big city..

Santas sleigh was loaded..

..and delivered...



..followed by something even better than snowboards and bikes..
FRIENDS!!

..darling, darling..

..comfy, cozy..

..familiar, lovey..

FRIENDS.
Nothin' like em.

Then Sam turned 12!

(I really like him..)
And aside from his half-eaten "S" cake..

(Mamma was just in a REAL cake kinda mood that day.. and figured, "What's a smaller tail on an S gonna hurt?? We won't talk about the fact that Mamma made the cake into an S shape in the first place.. JUST to get the scraps it provided that morning. No. We won't.)
Overall the boy had a great day, complete with new snowboard boots, new shoes.. and X-box points.. so who's gonna notice the tiny cake??

NEXT on the agenda..

Sophie turned 5!


(Anyone else getting aggitated at the quality and overall lack of light in every photo so far?? Come on.. let's plug through.. it's almost over.. we can do this..)

I really like her too.
With her little 5 year old freshly pierced ears..

(She was so big, so brave, and SO delighted over it..)
She spent a day at Build-A-Bear with one of her very bestest girlies, Ms. Liv..

..and this was one happy, birthday girl.
Have I mentioned how pleased I am all of my kids were born??
I am.
Oh.
Almost forgot.
And Jasen took a tub in our new jacuzzi tub.

THERE.
Now, you're all caught up.
That felt good.
Now go ahead.
Comment.
I've missed you so.

Callin' 'Em Like She Sees 'Em..

So.. to switch things up from my usual
"jeans with something" look,
the other day I threw on some dark gray cargo pants, with a white long sleeve thermal.
I'm not saying it was my best get-up ever.. but comfy.
Sophie walked into my room, gave me a once over,
and stated very clearly:
"Those pants are ugly."
Pause.
"But I like your shirt."

Ummm....
thanks??

Big News. HUGE.

So WHAT does Jasen resemble in this here photo folks??

Utahs newest Kohls DISTRICT MANAGER you say??
You are CORRECT!! Nice guess.
(Insert The Jeffersons "Movin' On Up" jingle..)
My oh my has the man arrived!
After a whirlwind of the last D.M. suddenly resigning, and 4 high-stress interviews with the Kohls big-wig bad boys in Wisconsin.. he WOW'd them so hard they called him 4 hours later.. on his lay-over home, to offer him the gig!
We're so proud. (Of him.. obviously-- but I personally just plan on becoming more 'proud' in general, as in, stuck up. I'm a D.M.'s wife. Prepare yourselves.)
We are actually quite humbled by the whole event.
For all kinds of reasons, the timing was literally, divine.
Jasen has worked his tight little tail off for over 7 years with Kohls, and I think has earned every bit of his latest recognition. There was not a better man for the job! Both his peers and superiors at work have been so supportive and siked for him.
We are excited about so much of what it means..
(like finally putting the loyal, yet oh-so-trashed KIA's,
to rest..) but our hearts are breakin' just a little bit every time we remember it means leaving our precious little Cache Valley, and the people here we have come to simply ADORE.
The promotion demands we move more "central" to the Salt Lake City area..
so this is where y'all come in..
any suggestions??
We are leaning towards South Jordan.. Daybreak in particular (not only is it darling.. but my cousin and her husband who already live there.. are even MORE darling..) and Jasens equally darling sister and family are in Herriman.
So.
Talk to me kids.
Thoughts?
Recommendations?
We may just rent for awhile being that we aren't sure (along with our credit being TOAST from having to short sale our St. Louis home..)
so let me know what ya got for me.
I'll be waiting.