Canada!

After Texas I flew straight to Canada to meet Ty and the Parcell fam in Waterton. Before I got there Ty and his family hiked a few fun hikes like Bears Hump and to the border of Canada and the US border. They also saw a black bear and two cubs! I got there on Sunday night and drove 3 hours with Casey's car that he had parked in the parking lot. The next day I woke up to the most gorgeous little town! We went on a hike up to some falls and were sitting on the side of the trail waiting for the rest of the group. We saw a buck coming up on the other side of the river, then cross the bridge, then head straight for us! Brynley was crying and at first I thought it was fine and then I was like, "oh no!!" I couldn't jump off the path because on either side it dropped off and this buck was headed straight for us! At the last minute he jumped off the trail on to the side of the mountain. Whew!

Ty's parents and me and Ty walked the rest of the way up to the lake and it was just gorgeous. We went to look off the side of the mountain by this huge waterfall. That night we went to the hot tub and the little community pool then had dinner. The next day we went horseback riding. At one point Ty's horse took off running. I feel like that always happens to him on horse! 

On Wednesday we went on the longest and hardest hike. It was up to Vimy and the it said that it was 4.8 kilometers but it was AT LEAST double that. Carol's brother Richard drove us in his boat to the starting point and we bush wacked our way to the real trail. We hiked for 3 hours up and couldn't stop to rest because giant horse flies would bite us. We were being swarmed the whole way up and then at one point almost to the top I was looking down and a branch smacked me in the face and cut me. I burst into tears because that was the cherry on top of the hard hike. The view at the top was great, we ate lunch then hiked to the very top. It started raining a bit on the way down which we were so glad so the bugs would stop attacking us. When we got back we went to the hot tub and then relaxed and made dinner. Later that night we walked to the Big Scoop and got some ice cream. 

On Thursday we went up to the Price of Wales hotel on a bike ride while the boys were golfing then went to a rodeo that Carol's uncle was in. On the way there, Walt filled up his truck with regular gas instead of diesel so we had to deal with that and get it pumped out at a fix-it shop down the road. While Ty's family was at the rodeo we left for an hour and went to visit with one of his old mission companions that lives there! After we left we got Subway for dinner (because that was literally all that they had and that was open in that tiny town!) and got Dairy Queen for dessert. We stopped by the Calgary temple as well. Ty and I took a little walk at night when we got back and we were so sad to say goodbye to the gorgeous little town the next day! 

Texas

I went to Texas for work to visit some of my partners and it was fun! My boss came with me and we made a good time of it. We went to Round Rock Donuts on the way from Austin to Dallas which was a good choice. They are supposedly famous :) On Thursday night I went over to visit with Ashley and Bobby and it was so fun just sitting there catching up. I wish we lived closer to each other so bad! On Friday we went to one of my partner's 25th anniversary parties and it was unreal. It was 1920's themed and they had an old fashioned 20's car in the front. When we walked in they had flapper girls passing out candy cigars and cards and mints. The decorations were all feather and extravagant. They had a funny photo booth where you put on a feather head wrap, pearls and a boa and then they would put a black and white 20's background. They had amazing food like shrimp, steak and a chocolate fountain. We played 21 with a fake money a chance to win prizes like $1000 Nordstrom gift card and $1500 American Airlines gift card. The person who won the $1500 had a shower of balloons break from the ceiling on them. There was a fun band and people were dancing. It was quite the company party!

I had to take some clients to a soccer game on Saturday night but I had the whole day free and so I went to the Hickson's house to swim, and then Bobby watched the kids while Ash and I went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch and shopped! We went to Southlake Towne Square and Nordstrom and she got some great things. The next day before my flight to Canada we went to brunch at place called Bacon's and then went to run a few errands like buy Ty a new toiletry bag since he forgot it when he drove to Canada a few a days before with his family. We had such a blast! I love that girl and she's a lifetime best friend. 

4th of July week!

The 4th of July is definitely one of my favorite holidays. I love American and am so glad that we get to live in this great, free country. On Monday of that week, the Parcell's neighborhood always throws a big BBQ and puts on a huge firework show. Tyler and Drew lit off the fireworks that Walt and Drew had gone to Wyoming to buy and it was an amazing show. We invited some friends to join us as well as my family.

That Wednesday night we had our shutters installed in our new house (yippee!) and then Ty and I went on a scooter ride. We then drove to Provo to meet my mom at El Azteca for dinner. The next day we went to the Parcells pool to swim, Ty went golfing with his dad, brother and Lindsay's boyfriend Jay and then we went to dinner at my grandma's. After that we all went to the Stadium of Fire which I love every year. It is so patriotic and I cry at least 3 times each year because of the gratitude I feel for this great country and the men and women who sacrifice for my freedom. Carly Rae Jepson opened (after the Strike sang and did great) and then the main act was Kelly Clarkson. She did a great job and was more fun than I expected. We loved it! It's a great tradition that we have with the Parcells.

The next day I had a chiropracter appointment then I went into work for a bit. My mom then picked me up and we went to City Creek and Ronalee and her son to shop and had a great time! I didn't intend on buying anything (isn't that how it always goes?) but I found some great pants and shirts on sale at GAP and some cute flats at a store called Love Culture. We also went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch which is always delicious. After I shopped until I dropped I came home to take a nap then that night we went to see a movie with my mom and Kristi. Now that's a good day! The next day we went to 7 Peaks and then went to Cafe Rio for dinner then Hilary and Bronson's wedding. We also went to Outback Steakhouse with Ty's family but didn't eat much since we already had. I could have more weeks and weekends like this and be just fine with that! 

Strawberry Days, Tarzan, Bowling and Concert!

Ty and I volunteered to take orders and serve food at the Strawberry Days rodeo this year through our ward. It was a blast! Ty would go get their order and I would take the money. We got to eat some food as well and it was a fun night! Jocelyn came to visit since her and her friends went that night. The following night we went to the carnival and then got dinner at Costa Vida and went to the rodeo with my mom and Kristi. It was such a blast!

Other things that we have been up to are walking around the Riverwoods carnival party, getting dinner at Kneaders and going bowling with the Taylors and then getting ice cream at the Creamery afterward. Their ice cream is soooo good and I hadn't been there for years even though we lived so close in Provo. We also went to dinner with the Millers, Petersons, Smiths and Copes at Pizza Factory one night then hung out at our house. On another weekend we went to Marc and Courtney's new house (they bought a cute house in Springville!) and had dinner then went to see World War Z. That movie was SO good. I love me a good movie. It's my favorite hobby ;) My friend Brittany Cope also started a bunco group that I have been going to for the last few months which has been fun. 

My mom and I went to this concert that my sister invited us to that she was helping at. Her friend is in a band called the Strike and she was helping to sell their merchandise. The concert was at the Scera Shell and was the final four bands competing to open at the Stadium of Fire. Her friend Sean was hosting the event. I didn't think too much about it and thought it would be fun just to go hang out with my mom and sister but it was an absolute blast! Her friend's band was SO good (think Michael Buble) and they ended up winning. My sister has some friends and their daughter is obsessed with Jocelyn so it was hilarious to see how she acted around her. 

My family also went to Tarzan at the Scera Shell see our friend Brian Smith (who we grew up with in Texas) perform as Tarzan. It was fun to see him in it! We got Zupa's beforehand to have a picnic at the Scera and brought lots of blankets and pillows to lay on. It was a great night!