Spring Break in AZ

The best part about being a forever long student is the breaks that regular grown ups don't get. Last week was Ryan's Spring Break so we loaded up the car and set out to visit my sister and her family in Phoenix. My dad even came out from San Diego to hang out with us for a few days. We went to the zoo, the boys went golfing (twice), we got to go to the temple together (thanks to my dad for babysitting the kids!), the guys went to a Phoenix Suns game, and Linds and I even got to sneak away to the spa one morning. It was a week long of FUN!

Ella loves a good roadtrip...

As you can see, Ella was a little excited to be with her cousins.

Carson was taking a spin on his bike and he got a little hungry so he grabbed the "travel size" box of pita chips...

The next day we went to the zoo. They had a little petting zoo that Ella couldn't get enough of. She had to introduce herself to each and every goat.

She even went in the "Goats Only" section to meet more.

I think this picture is funny cuz it looks like those are her droppings...

Ella is a sucker for a Merry-go-Round.

On the morning of St. Patrick's Day, my sister made a special breakfast for the kids.

Ella was a little hesitant about the green eggs.

We took the kids to the neighborhood pool one evening. The pool wasn't heated yet...but that didn't stop these three from having fun.

Texas Roadhouse. Yum...

Carson digging into some dessert.

Ryan and Mike took the kids on a little train ride.

Thanks Banner family for a fun Spring Break. Way better than Cancun!

The newest little Snead!

On Saturday, my little brother became a dad! Can I just say how weird that sentence sounds?! Nolen Robert Snead was born weighing 7 lbs and 9 oz and he was 20 in long.  We all are so happy and excited for this new adventure that Owen and my cute sis-in-law, Jules, are starting.  I know they are going to be great parents and that little Nolen is one lucky little boy to be loved like he is.  I can't wait until we can meet and hold this little guy in person!  It's at times like these that make it really hard to live away from home. But at least we have pictures...

Happy 90th Birthday Grandma!

Last Thursday, Ryan's grandma celebrated her 90th birthday.  To celebrate the big event, all of her children and grandchildren came together and had a couple parties.  Ryan, Ella and I were lucky enough to be able to fly out Thursday night and be there for all the festivities that weekend. We were only there a short time but we packed a lot in.

Friday night there was an "adult's only" dinner at The Roof in downtown SLC. (A big Thank You to my friend Eliza for watching Ella for us!) This is Ryan and his younger brother Steve.

 

Ryan and his older brother Scott

 

 

Our family shot. We wanted to get one with all the aunts and uncles and cousins, but our group was just too big.

The next day we had another little party with all the great grandchildren and more extended family up at Ryan's Aunt Wendy's house. Here's Grandma Howe about to blow out the candles.

Ryan's Aunt Sandy is an excellent music director (or at least she thinks so.) Here she is leading us all in Happy Birthday.

Ella and her Uncle Steve just wanted to make faces at the camera.

Me, Ryan, Cindy, Stacy, and Steve

The classic grandkid shot

Ella had so much fun playing with ALL of her cousins!  Here she is with Sammy.

p.s. I left my phone in Utah so I'll be a little harder to reach for a few days. I still have my home phone and Ryan's cell that I can be reached on.  Kind of a bummer but I think I'll survive.

Breakfast at Ella's

As I was eating breakfast with my little sweetie this morning (and if I new how to use photo shop, believe me I would definitely be deleting those Fruit Loops and filling it in with a much healthier breakfast but what do you do...so I don't win the Mother of the Year award. It can go right up there with the YW Medallion I never got either.) I thought I should document how silly my little monkey is. I don't know why but lately the girl is obsessed with forks. No spoons, just forks. She eats everything with a fork. Ice cream, yogurt, cereal (I know, she has a really healthy diet.)  I think it's because she loves the Little Mermaid and Ariel finds a "dingle hopper" from the human world that she just loves...and Ella loves anything Ariel loves.  I'll have to draw the line when Ella starts combing her hair with a fork.

One other cute little thing I wanted to remember from this picture was how Ella--at the ripe old age of barely 2--is already a spiritual example to me.  For the past couple days, we'll both be sitting down to eat breakfast and as I'm starting to dig in, she say "Mama!" and then proceed to fold her arms and bow her head.  I'll quickly say "I know! I was just about to say a prayer, I was just checking to see if my food was okay."  I think she sees right through me. But seriously, it made me think how lucky I am to have this amazing little spirit living with me and teaching me each and every day what our priorities should be. I love her more than words can explain. I know she is going to be such a good big sister and that her dad and I feel so blessed that she is in our lives.

p.s. Please look passed the crazy crimped hair in the picture. She had her hair in french braids the day before and this was the remnants they left behind.

Sorry, Meg...I had to.

So my little Smarty Pants friend Meghan thought she could satiate my need to know about her every move by just e-mailing this to me. Next time you try a move like this, I'm gonna be forced to write all about the "trampoline story" on my blog. You know what I'm talking about and you know I'll do it.

8 favorite TV shows:

 

-24

-bachelor

-biggest loser

-the city

-the mentalist

-american idol

-oprah

-big brother

 

8 things i did yesterday

 

-took porter to preschool

-helped in preschool

-ate lunch at bajio's with mark :)

-cleaned my house

-ate a rootbeer float

--changed a poopy diaper

-made my bed

-watched the bachelor...and almost died about it

 

8 favorite restaurants

 

-bajios

-pei wei

-rumbi's

-??  i like them all...haha

 

8 things i'm looking forward to

 

-working out

-reading a good book

-watching the 2nd part of the bachelor after the rose ceremony

-when mark comes home

-eating a good dinner

-kissing claire's cheeks when she wakes up

-summer weather

-summer vacations with my family

 

8 things on my wish list...

 

this is hard and would take way too long for me to think of righ tnow...but i hope you're satisfied!  love you angela...

 

how are you feeling with the prego belly?  i'm sure you look darling.  when is your due date again?  miss you...

 

xo xo meg

LIST OF EIGHTS

List of eight tag:
1) Post rules on your blog
2) Answer the five '8' items
3) Let each person you tag know by leaving them a comment

8 Favorite TV shows:
--24

--PrisonBreak

--Barefoot Contessa

--The Office

--Grey's Anatomy

--Private Practice

--American Idol

--The Bachelor (although after last night...I might scratch this one off the list!)

8 things I did yesterday:
--Dropped Ella off at her friend Chad's house for a "play date"

--Washed sheets

--Vacuumed--the house and cushions on the couch

--Mailed a package of hair things to my sister

--Drank a Diet Coke---shhh...don't tell my husband

--Babysat Ella's little friend Atticus

--Watched the season finale of The Bachelor

--Yelled at the TV for an hour afterwards because I now HATE that show!!!

8 favorite restaurants:
--Texas Roadhouse (yummmm...I drool just thinking about the rolls!)

--Cheesecake Factory (oooo...avocado eggrolls)

--Bennihanna  (fried rice!!!---can you tell I'm pregnant?)

--Chipotle

--Pei Wei

--Cafe Rio

--Kneaders

--In N Out (I don't know if those last ones are considered "restaurants", but I get excited every time I get to eat there.)

8 Things I'm looking forward to:
--Being in Utah this weekend to celebrate Ryan's grandma's 90th birthday!!

--Going out to Arizona in about 2 weeks for Ryan's Spring Break to visit my sis and her family

--My mom coming out to visit at the end of the month

--Ella one day giving up the binky

--Bringing home a baby girl in July (I'm just not looking forward to the sleepless nights!)

--Figuring out a name for this baby girl (any suggestions?)

--Ryan being done with school and feeling like a real grown up

--Any time I get to spend with my husband and little girl

8 things on my wish list:
--To have a maid who follows me around and cleans/organizes anything at my command

--To have a child who eats things other than carbohydrates

--That every weekend night could be a date night with Ryan with unlimited time and money

--To live somewhere beautiful (no offense Oklahoma)

--That we could hang out with friends/family who live far away any time we felt like it

--That the stupid Bachelor gets dumped on national television to see how he likes it (oh wait...he already did. Well, Molly should still do it anyway.)

--That there was no such thing as money. I don't know how that would work but I do think there would be a lot less messed up people in the world.

--A new car for Ryan. (Someday maybe...) **I hope I didn't just jinx us. Nevermind. We love the Honda! Please don't die on us.

8 People I tag:
1. Meghan Maughan

2. Meghan Maughan

3. Meghan Maughan

4. Meghan Maughan

5. Meghan Maughan

6. Meghan Maughan

7. Meghan Maughan

8. Meghan Maughan

***C'mon Meg. I know you're too cool for these little things, but suck it up & play. It's fun. Really, who doesn't love talking about themselves???