Tasting a legend

Today is the day that Kit became a true Zoobie.  She FINALLY had her first J-Dawg!  For those of you who do not know what a J-Dawg is, check out the article here.  Who'da thunk?  But I can personally endorse these wonderful hot dogs.  They are fantastic!  Jessica and Kyle introduced me to them last year, and they changed my life.  Just look at the expression of pure bliss!

Yum.  I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Sweaty Hugs Are The BEST!

As Kit found out tonight.  I knew Kit was coming to stay for a few days, and I had to burn off some extra energy that I had, so I went to the gym at our place.  Kit wasn't due for a few hours, so I thought I was good. 

Keep in mind that this was the first time I had exercised in awhile.  And by awhile, I mean approximately 2 years.  And I decided to go full blast and do an entire workout on the elliptical (I'm an over-achiever).  :)  So, 45 minutes later I come crawling back to my apartment, looking like I had just come from a wet t-shirt contest at a bar. 

Lo and behold, Kit is perched on my bed with a silly grin on her face and giving me the I-decided-to-surprise-you-and-give-you-the-wrong-arrival-time-aren't-I-SO-cute? look.

But I got her back.  She had to hug me.  HAHA, Kit!  The joke is on YOU!

P.s.  I'm glad you're here.

Addie's Birthday Party

Last night we celebrated Miss Addie's birthday with a great party.  The theme was elephants, so there were cute little elephant decorations on the walls along with a three-tiered cake Ashley made that had marshmallow fondant elephants going around each tier, and Addie's name on the top one.  It was seriously SO cute!  Props to Ash and her creativity!

Addie had a lot of help opening her presents with Braden.  I think he played with the toys as much as she did!  In true girl fashion, Addie's presents were usually pink and featured babies.  I think she got a total of ten baby dolls, and she cooed at each one!  It was the cutest thing to see her eyes light up, her cute little smile, and hear her coo in excitement.  Oh, she is such a cutie! 

We enjoyed cake and Ashley's new amazing treat- chocolate ice cream made with coconut milk so it was safe for Braden.  It is to die for!  After that we got our swimming stuff out and went to their pool.  We had a ton of fun running around and swimming.  I tell you, those kids LOVE the pool!  Addie was chilling in her float and splashed around, while Braden chased me on his pool noodles.  He is pretty darn fast!

Happy birthday again, sweet girl.  I love you and am so glad you are a part of our family!

I am a world record holder!

Today at BYU, they had the Cougar Cooldown, which was essentially BYU attempting to break the world record for largest water balloon fight.  Jessica, Kyle, and I all went to the fight, and we partied it up Isenbarger style- being loud, dancing all around, cheesing it for pictures and videos, partying it up with Cosmo the Cougar, and grabbing a local celebrity newsman- Big Buddha for a photo op.  He was busy, but we convinced him to take a quick picture with our group.  However, Kyle then closed his phone without saving the picture (I think that also qualifies as 'Isenbarger style')!  :)  Love you, Kyle!

We all were on the Orange & Blue (like that, Mom?) team, and we were throwing balloons at the Pink & Green team across the way.  After grabbing plastic bags filled with water balloons, Jessie led us up to the front of the line and right in the middle.  We had a great view of everything going on, and I tell you, we were READY!!!  We had to wait a few minutes for everyone to get balloons and get ready, and then the INSANITY BEGAN!  I was pelted so hard with water balloons that I was throwing them blindly.  A lot of balloons hit the ground and didn't break right away, so we lobbed any extra ammo right back at the Pink & Green team.  Jessica got her sunglasses knocked off three times, I got hit in the face twice, and we couldn't see a darn thing.  IT WAS GREAT!

Here is the three of us after all was said and done.  We were absolutely soaked!  Sorry about the poor quality, I didn't want to risk my camera getting ruined.  Nevertheless, I hope you can tell that we are wet to the bone.

So here are the stats:

Previous record held by Kentucky University: 119,000 water balloons and 3902 people
BYU's record today: 120103 balloons and 3927 people!

Woo hoo!  I have a list of things I would like to do over the course of my life, and break a world record is one of them.  This was a great way to accomplish that goal, too!

Miss Addie Turns 1!!!

Today is a very special lady's birthday.  Isn't she adorable?  Happy birthday to my cutie pie!  I love you, sweetie!

Missing you especially today, Grandpa.  Thinking about all the fun we had together.  A few things that I miss most on days like this:
1.  The Apple Orchard Picnic
2.  Recliners with body imprints in them
3.  Jumping higher than telephone poles
4.  The rope swing over the ravine
5.  Going into the wood shop and smelling clean wood shavings
6.  Thick glasses and striped polos  :)
7.  Sports on TV 24/7
8.  Grandpa hugs and kisses
9.  Holidays at the house
10.  Grandpas laugh
I hope you and Boompa are having a ball.  Love you and am happy that you are healthy.

Another birthday!

Happy birthday, Keelay!  I'm so lucky that you and your family live out here by me.  Thanks for all you do.  Love you!

New Spice

I don't know who came up with this, but brilliant.  I think my favorite part is the guy that is under the tree at 0:18.  HILARIOUS!

Dat's dat Dat Dragon!

Today is Cole's berfday!  I'm so glad to have you back from Motherland Russia, Cole.  I missed you.

Pioneers

Tonight was the Stake Musical Fireside, and the topic was all about pioneers. There were four different individuals that had converted to the Gospel that got up and bore their testimonies. It was a pretty touching experience. We heard each of their different struggles and how they came to the church. I'll admit, there were a couple of different times where I got a little misty.

One gentleman pointed out that everyone has pioneer heritage, it just might not have been during the time of the actual trek west. He invited us to think about the pioneers in our lives and see how they have influenced us.

My pioneer heritage started with my Mom and Dad. They both converted to the Gospel and committed their entire lives to living its principles. And I know that has made all the difference. I can't even count how many people have told me that I am lucky to have the parents I have, as if I'm not already aware of that! :)

Mom and Dad, thanks so much for doing what you did. You stuck with your convictions and raised an amazing family. You have been trailblazers for all your kids, and I'm glad to have your examples to draw from. LOVE YOU!!!

Are ye ready, lassies? It's the PAYSON SCOTS FESTIVAL!

 This morning when I was looking at the newsfeeds that my friends had posted on Facebook, I saw that my Scot friend, Robert, was headed to a Scottish Festival.  This had me immediately scrambling around the internet for the event he was talking about.  I have always heard that Scots games are so much fun to watch, and when I saw the word 'FREE', I was sold.  I promptly headed into Jessie's room with a, "So there is a free Scottish Festival going on today in Payson.  Just sayin'."

We texted a few friends, and Britni, Aubrey, and Kendra decided to tag along with us.  It was so much stinkin' FUN!!!  Let me show you what I mean.

We started out at all the booths first, and ran across these little beauts.  These are tartans for harlots.

Then, as we were traipsing along, we ran into MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR!

What a hottie.  After that we headed over to the athletic events in the north field.  We saw some very interesting games over there.  First was the pick-up-a-sack-with-a-pitchfork-and-toss-it-over-a-tall-pole-that-they-would-raise-each-round-until-no-one-could-pitch-it-any-higher-game.

Yeah.  Then we ran into the I'm-a-hottie-and-I-can-throw-a-hammer-really-far competition in which we found my Scots-Hottie.  He was quite a looker.  He shows up again and I got a closer look.  Just be patient, I'll get to him!

Then there was the My-rock-is-the-biggest-and-I-can-toss-it-the-farthest-RAWR! competition which this Scot is demonstrating.  Oh yeah, please forgive the braided lady in front.  It was crowded!

 Ahhh!  Manly men.  Only REAL men run around throwing rocks in skirts.

We decided we were getting a bit hungry, so we headed to the food tents.  Fish & Chips, you say?  DONE!  Jess and the girls grabbed the grub while I sat in an endless line to get homemade root beer and cream soda.  But it was worth it!

Hearing the constant wail of the bagpipes from the pipe and drum competition, we all thought it would be fun to watch the groups compete and eat our food.

It was as we were swiggin' said root beer & cream soda, and chowin' on 'dem fish & chips, that we witnessed a child throwing up over the side of his stroller.  I'm sorry, did I say 'throwing up'?  I mean, throwing up like a fire hose was turned on!  The poor kid just kept going, and his parents promptly left.  Our appetites gone, half our food uneaten, we sat and tried to enjoy the rest of the pipe and drum competition.  Oh, did I say 'enjoy'?  Whoops.  I meant we were chastised by one of the drummers and were told we needed to move.  It wasn't as bad as I'm making it sound.  We all got a pretty good laugh out of it.  Even one of the judges was yukking it up with us.  The girl got over her drama, and we watched a few more bands play.

At that point, Aubrey found us, and mentioned that she had been watching the log-throwing competition in the athletic fields.  All of us pitched the rest of our lunches, and we hurried to the field.  Only to find the guys had ended that competition, and had started this one:

I don't know if you can see it, but they are throwing a Budweiser keg over the same pole that the pitchfork guys were using.  The guy on the left threw the keg 28 feet into the air and CLEARED THE POLE!  Crazy, huh?  It's also where this little guy

came right in front of us, pulled down his pants, and narrowly missed us as he peed.  In public.  Simply astonishing.  After he made sure he got all of it out, we had a kid sit behind us, hack a loogie in his mouth, pull it out, look at it, and then put it back in his mouth.  Not a good day for us to be encouraged to be mothers and have kids.  Not good.  Oh, and we got an eyeful of this beaut:

Yup.  You're welcome!  That is the Scottish flag on the back of a bald head.  I love it!

The good part of going back to the athletic competitions is that I got a closer look at Scots-Hottie.  Yeah, we were all paying him more attention than the events.

He's the one in the back.  Woo hoo!  He took some sort of prize for the hammer.  I would have given him a medal for being a hottie in a skirt.

The afternoon ended (you're ALMOST done reading this blog post/novel!  Yeah!  Good job for stickin' with it!) with us watching the closing ceremonies.  All the pipe and drum bands joined together for a rousing rendition of Scotland the Brave.  Check out the chicks twirling their sticks and the overzealous bass drum guy.  He was keepin' that beat!

Swimming with Ashley, Jessie, Braden, and Addie in the morning, and an amazing Scottish Festival in the afternoon.  What a GREAT day!!!

You Can't Keep A Good Girl Down

Pooma must have gotten some bad steak or broken up with her murse.  Either way, she is out of the hospital today!  Woo hoo!  I got three texts and a phone call about it.  We were worried about our little sick girl on the wagon train.  :) 

Glad you are feeling better, Pooma.  Sure do love you!

Happy Birthday to El Guapo!

Today is my dad's birthday.  He is . . . 33 years old!

Happy birthday to the best father I could ever ask for.

"What can you say about such a man?"

Love you, Dad!!!

She Must Like the Food. . .

 . . . or have a REALLY cute male nurse attending to her!  She is a sly one- you really have to watch out for her.

After a hospital stay last week to treat her pneumonia, Pooma had to go back to the hospital today.  I have gotten a few texts from family saying that she is in good spirits and is feeling better.

Hopefully it won't be for too long!  Get well soon, Pooms!  Love you and am praying for you.

My Closet Reeks

Tonight we had a small get together with a bunch of old friends so Lindz could meet up with them while she is in town (she is leaving for California for 3 weeks on Saturday).  I sent out a text, and was able to get a hold of a few people to come.

Cameron, Skyler, Amanda, Vinny, Kyle, me, and Lindz all spent 2 1/2 hours huddled around a bonfire with s'mores, Twizzler's Pull-N-Peel, Starbursts, and Reese's.  A pretty good haul, I would say.  I'm not kidding you, our topics of conversation contained, but were not limited to:

1. Friends having farting contests with their spouses
2. Embarrassing moments
3. The raccoon that tried to jump on our table and eat our snacks.  Lindz thought it was a cat.  Right.
4. Obama
5. Arizona's immigration laws
6. Prop 8
7. The Proclamation on the Family
8. Obama (again)
9. Funny moments from our pasts
10. Inside jokes- not limited to laughing about what our families would do if we died today

Can I tell you how much I love my friends?!  I had the best time, even though I absolutely REEK of campfire.  Lindz and I stuffed our smelly clothes in my closet and shut the door.  I just opened it to get my PJ's, and was hit by a wall of campfire.  Oh goody.  Guess who is doing laundry tomorrow?

A Little BBQ On the Prairie

Today took an interesting turn as I was driving to do some errands.  I was passing a field just south of our neighborhood, and I saw thick smoke coming from the grass.  At first I thought it was just a bonfire or someone burning their trash, but there was no one around.

I pulled over and called 911, worried that this might get to be a big problem since we haven't had rain for weeks and the fire was VERY close to some houses.  I saw another car pull up and the driver get on her phone as well.  Thankfully, the fire department was really quick to respond, and the fire was put out in about a half hour.  They gave the field a good soaking as well, just to make sure they didn't miss any ashes or coals.

When I talked to one of the firemen, he said they suspected it was from someone playing with fireworks- there were burn marks on the concrete across the street, and the firemen found what was left of a rocket of some sort.

Gotta love the Fourth of July!

"I'm not dead yet!"

 . . . "I think I'll go for a walk!"

For some of you, you will understand that this is hilarious dialogue from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  It just sums up my sentiments about my blog.

I was out of action for a time, but now I'm BAAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKKKK!!!!  :)  Enjoy the whirlwind of updates.