Catching Up

It has been a really long time since we updated our blog, but we are trying to get back in business. A lot has happened in the past two years. Ashlyn is 6, and started 1st grade this past week. Samantha just turned 4, and is getting used to the preschool scene.

One reason for updating our blog is that we have been approved through LDS Family Services for another adoption. We had such an amazing experience adopting Ashlyn, and we were so blessed to have Sammy. But we feel like our family is still missing someone special. We are excited and hopeful.
We thought we would start off with a post of some family pictures from this past summer . . .

 Silver Lake by Brighton (we saw 3 moose on our hike)

 The Ranch near Evanston where we camped with some old college friends

 Sometimes it's hard to get Ashlyn and Sam to smile, but they are always up for a silly face

 Enjoying a sunset after the rain out by the Great Salt Lake

 Date Night at Needles Lodge above Snow Basin Ski Resort

 Camping near Monte Cristo (above Pineview Reservoir)

Sisters and BFFs

Summer Vacation - Part II

It has taken a while, but we are back in the blogging business. I figured I better finish off the summer post. It really was a great trip. It was fun to see Kyle, Adrienne, and Hayden, to stay at Preston and Linden's place in San Francisco, and to spend a few days with Spencer, Mayra, and the kids.

We ran across the Golden Gate Bridge and back.

Ashy and Anna

Spencer and Mayra took us to a Redwood Forest. The trees were massive. Sam was a real pill - glad she finally fell asleep.

We went to this beach in Monterey where the chipmunks would eat out of our hands. They especially liked gold fish crackers.

Big Sur in the background

We were lucky to get Ashlyn smiling - for some reason she didn't want to meet the princesses, but Sammy loved seeing them all.

Small World was one of their favorites

Ashlyn stuck out her tongue at any character who scared her: Captain Hook, the Materhorn Abominable Snowman, the Ghosts in the Haunted Mansion, the Pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean, the aliens on the Buzz Lightyear ride . . .

Family Summer Vacation- Part 1 (Lake Tahoe)

We decided this year to take a "real" family vacation (nothing associated with coaching or a race!) Our main focus and destination was Disneyland... but we wanted to make the most of the loooong drive too! First stop- Lake Tahoe. Beautiful place, nice cool temps and amazing running trails :)

Ashlyn found this homemade 'fishing pole' that someone had left behind on the beach. It consisted of a stick with a long string tied to a giant pine cone. We ended up having to carry it with us everywhere we went for the first two days!

Water temperature was frigid. But that didn't stop either girl from playing in the lake, at least waist deep, until we had to drag them out kicking and screaming :)

Rubicon trail- followed the lake out and back for about 11 miles

We brought Grandma with us although she may have ended up regretting it by about day 4 :)

We almost died in a near head-on collision as this semi truck came speeding toward us on the highway! (ha ha.. it was being towed, backward, by another truck)

4 YEARS OLD

Happy Birthday Ashy!
(March 29)

Ashlyn had her first "friend" birthday party this year.
We played lots of games and had cake & ice cream.
Kids are pretty easy to entertain at this age :)

After the party we took Ashy & Sam swimming and then to Classic Skating.

More birthday festivities the next day with the Hansen family


And even MORE birthday celebrating with the Talley family!

She's pretty spoiled but she's worth it :)

Striders Half Marathon

Stef finished first at the Striders Half Marathon in Ogden Valley this past weekend. She has been training really hard this winter in preparation for the Ogden Marathon (May 15). Her time in the half was 1:23.35.