Taylor Cabin Retreat

there we all are (minus one. jared.)

Jeff's family planned a wonderful long weekend

vacation up at the cabin.

caitlin moved back into town just in time

to complete the fab five sibs.

and if you know me, i'll jump at any

opportunity to get into the mountains.

especially to the cabin with family.

my girls are incredibly lucky to have such great older

cousins to look up to and learn from.

the cousins went on a many hikes

mostly lead by the self-titled "nature-girl" sadee.

and really enjoyed eating otter pops.

our days were filled with crafts,

games with guns,

which, coincidentally i'm pretty good at shooting a

gun at three different targets after sprinting 20 ft

under a 15 sec limit. who woulda' thought?

here's proof:

one of my bulls-eyes'.

and the winners pose:

games with the wii,

birthday games for emma and sadee,

and of-course, a trip to fossil creek.

we can't go to fossil creek without cliff jumping.

even jill couldn't resist.

the evenings were the best though.

we all gathered together for a little goofing around.

and then ended the day singing camp songs and

learned more about our heritage from mom and dad taylor.

great memories made.

in other news

we had a low-key 4th of july this year.

jeff was working in Prescott so me and girls

joined the Taylors for a nice sunday BBQ and some

fun with the wii.

on the drive home we stopped in the parking lot to

watch a few fireworks.

low-key. 

in other news:

the girls have started dance lessons together.

i love watching them and they really do enjoy it.

and, since jeff has been reaping the rewards of

hard work in his new business, i put my two weeks in at

mercy gilbert hospital.

i continue my employment with the other hospital i've been with

for over 5 years now as supplemental income if needed.

i'm listed as 'registry' so i have no guaranteed hours.

pretty much on-call, but only if i want to work.

sweet gig huh?

SAHM here i come.

NoNv

i had not been to my home town in over 5 years.

i needed to see the home i grew-up in.

jeff made sure i really got to see it.

he ran up to the door, knocked, and then promptly ran back

to the car and left jill and i on the front steps.

the intruders...i mean new owners were nice enough

to let me walk through.

i left in tears knowing i may never be back and grateful

that the place i love is being taken care of by a family

that loves it as much as i do.

the mother said that right when her family moved in the

home had a great aura and feeling of love.

she also said that she and husband love it so much that

this will be there their last home.

we got to go to lake lahontan with my bff's family.

the girls weren't timid at all with the brown/green water.

hayley's brother brought out his boat and the girls loved that too.

when we busted out the wakeboard, jill and camille were

glued to the back of the boat watching all the action.

 

their dad looked pretty hot throwing all his sweet tricks.

i even landing my first jump ever.

while hayley showed me up with jump after jump.

hopefully soon we'll have a boat of our own...

later in the week, we went to my college town.

and spent the day with my brother's family

i wished we lived closer together.

my trip to NoNv was made complete by one. last. stop.

lake tahoe!

easily in the top three favorite places ever for me.

i think the girls agree with me.

the beauty of the place surpasses the pain felt by the

frigid temps of the water.

i chased schools of fish around as i snorkeled in the crystal clear water.

jeff admired the wildlife we miss living in se arizona.

"there is a place that i love the best,

fairer than all i can see.

out in the heart of the golden west,

home means Nevada to me."

                         

then and now

it's been 10 years since this:

10 years ago i graduated High School.

can i really be that old?

wierd.

our mascot was the mighty Greenwave.

are you intimidated yet?

whats that? you don't understand?

i didn't either...at least for awhile.

you see i grew up in a small farming town.

greenwave is the waves that the alfalfa makes as the wind blows.

or something like that.

intimidating right? would you be scared to play us in football?

anyway, me and the fam made the trek to NoNv for the reunion.

i had a wonderful time catching up with some important great friends

(save a few that couldn't make the trip)

we posed for pictures and laughed as we remembered old times.

 

i even saw my fellow "best smile" senior person voting thing guy thingy...

then and .....................................................................now.

good times.