Happy Mom's Day, Shelley Jean!

Thanks for ALWAYS being there for me, even when it meant putting me in a red tube to keep me safe! I love you :)

Spring Break

I just got back from my Spring break much needed vacation. The 2 weeks before Spring break I got this terrible cold that made it almost impossible to teach, but I still went of course because what good is simply sitting home waiting to get better when there is money to be made! In any case, the combination of my being unable to speak (the cold made me loose my voice) and my students restlessness made actually learning a challenge....We ALL needed a break.

Tyler and I spent Easter at the Conley's, our "family" in Utah, and had a great time which included honey baked ham, Easter eggs hunts and all.

Monday night I flew into Long Beach and had a great time just talking to my little brother Russ, who recently moved to Newport from Miami. I don't know what it is about siblings, but it does not matter how long I go without seeing or even talking to them, I still just love them so much! Russ is doing great and I am proud to have such a happy "little" brother (He turned 20 on Wednesday).

Tuesday I went to the gym with my mama, who has lost 17 pounds since November. I don't know if she wanted that posted all over the internet but I am pretty proud of her. She definitely did not need to loose weight but I am impressed with her discipline! Then I went to the San Diego Zoo with Jen, Max and Audrey. Their new Monkey exhibit is amazing for the architecture alone. The panda exhibit was fun. It is mating season and we were there to hear the female panda giving this cherping mating call that the vet said hasn't been heard for 2 years. So I felt pretty special about that! We also saw an animal I have never heard of before called a pangolin. It looks kind of like an armadillo/ant eater and whole exterior is made of feather looking scales that apparently are similar to nails in textor. hmmmm....! Always learning.

That night we went out to Don Jose's for Russell's B-Day. We all got Shirley Temples and filled up on chips and salsa. Little changes our unique family traditions!

Wednesday I went and walked around the RSM lake with mom and her gym friends then got ready to do some shopping. Nordstrom Rack and Macy's Swimwear were a bust, but Aubrey met us for lunch at Panera and gave us the great news that Joe, her husband, has been offered to play baseball at BYU next year. I am so excited to have my BFF back in Utah soon! The rest of the day I babysat Max and Audrey while Jen taught piano lessons and all I can say is 2 kids are harder than 1! Max had basketball practice (he's 4!) and Audrey starting cutting her front two teeth, but they were still very good kids.

Thursday was a total girls day. I slept in when I should have gotten up and ran a few miles, then Jen, Mom, Audrey and I went and got pedicures, ate at Nordstrom Cafe and shopped! We all got lucky at Nordstrom as the BP in the Mission Viejo mall had racks and racks of sale items. For the first time in a long time I found more than I could justify spending. So I had to cut out some cute shirts and have regreting passing up a little pink zip up since! Oh well, Mom said she would see if she could go back and get it for me. While we were enjoying, Dad worked without a break at the office so he could get out by 2pm to take me sailing. It was sooooo beautiful/peaceful/awe-inspiring to be back out on the boat depending on the elements to get around. It was a little cool but clear and beautiful with wind strong enough to set us sailing around 8-10 knots under main alone. After cleaning up the boat we sung by San Clemente to my favorite bean and cheese burrito with potatoes from Pedros. It was delicious! To conclude my day I went over to Elise and Ryan's to check out their upgrades. I was amazed! My older brother is an artist and a craftsman! He has been putting in these beautiful wood floors upstairs and they look awesome! They also got new windows and their place looks great. I was a little jealous and we are STILL trying to get a place of our own that we can put our lives and maybe talents into.

Friday we drove to St. George for Ben, Jodi, Paige, Jesse, and Jensen's family sealing. When we got to St. George we just sat by the pool and relaxed. It was great seeing all of the James family again as everyone was there for the event. Tyler came down from Provo and we all went out to Cafe Rio for dinner. The sealing on Saturday was beautiful and quirky as you would expect it to be with 3 kids under 5, and 1.5 year old having a complete agenda of her own. We all went to a picnic at the park after and just enjoyed eachothers company. Tyler of course had a golf appointment and stayed for an hour then got to go enjoy the great weather and company of his Uncle Tim. That night we went to the Pizza Factory with my family, Mike and Megan James and Heather (Haldeman now Barnett). Again it was just great reconnecting with family.

So now that I have a complete history of my Spring Break I feel rejuvinated and ready to go back to my little prima donnas who are still taller and more mature than their male peers.

Something That Really Bust My Chops!

Alright friends and family, I have lived in Utah for over 5 years now and I am still happy.

I have found myself becoming increasingly annoyed when people say, "Your staying in Utah?" with a look of disappointment on their face. Or even take a further saying things like, "How could you betray your home of California," "Your getting stuck in the Utah bubble," "But how can you be happy so far away from the beach," and on-and-on the list could go.

I am staying Utah and I don't see anything bad about it. Although other people feel like California is Heaven on Earth, to me, it is not. So I thought I would create a list of why Tyler and I have decided to stay in Utah, so the next time I get some snotty-California-zionist remark I can simply refer them to this post and not let my feathers get all in a ruffle over it.

1.) Tyler and I are both employed in Utah AND have job security, neither have jobs in California.
2.) Tyler and I have family on opposite sides of the country. Utah is an excellent meeting place to see both sides of our family as often as we can.
3.) I have an excellent job at BYU, an opportunity that would be difficult to come by at a CA University.
4.) Tyler and I both plan on buying a house SOON with a 2-3 car garage and a yard we can actually have a medium sized dog in. No matter what happens to the real estate market, Utah will always be cheaper than Southern California.
5.) Tyler loves golf. In Utah he is able to golf for free almost all the time.
6.) Tyler and I DO NOT SURF. We love all the outdoor sports Utah offers such as mountain bike rides and boating in the summer and snowboarding and hunting in the colder months. (I don't hunt).
7.) We have really great friends and family here in Utah that we love being around.
8.) We love being close as our siblings and other family members come to BYU. We like to think of ourselves as the new little freshman's home away from home.
9.) The mountain ranges and lakes are equally as beautiful to us as the scenery in California. Nature regardless of where it is brings peace and happiness.
10.) My hair dries about 10 times faster in Utah than California.
11.) California's political and economic situation is an absolute disaster. I don't even want to get started on this, but it's no wonder Californian's are taxed for everything under the sun!
12.) I don't trust the CA Supreme Court. Enough Said.

Finally, we really just feel that we have the best of both worlds. We love our jobs, friends, family and situation here in Utah, but can go visit California just about any time we want. When we do go to California we can enjoy our family, the beach, the superior shopping (Utah will never compare), and mild weather without having to deal with the expense and political, social and economic turmoil.

Our priorities may be different from others, but it is okay, we are happy. I am not going to start wearing bekanstocks with socks, poofing my hair 3 feet high or assuming the "Mormon" way is the only way. Tyler sure as Hades will not turn into an overbearing patriachal maniac or start drawing out his vowels. Although I live in a different place I am still me and I still appreciate being accepted and respected!

WE ARE BOTH HAPPY IN UTAH. ALTHOUGH YOU MAY NOT BE, PLEASE JUST LET US BE!!!

Happy Valentines!

This Valentines Day we did something we will never forget....We went to the Monster Truck Rally in Salt Lake. It was awesome. Here are some pics. :)

1/2/2009 : Aubrey and Joe Seal the Deal:

On the 2nd of January my BFF (BFF standing for Best friend forever not to be confused with BF which could stand for boyfriend or best friend) got married in the Newport Beach Temple. Aubrey and Joe looked beautiful and happy. The wedding day was a little on the chilly side but everyone was happy and excited for the new couple.

Progress on the Ducks

Remember when we kept two baby duckies in our apartment last winter? Well these little duckies are all grown up and here's the proof!This is Tyler and the Ducks' dad, Jon, who takes very good care of them.

Speaking of duckies, I wanted to give a shout out to my older brother Ryan. I will never forget the spring day when we were driving in his car on BYU campus....a mother and her babies were crossing a busy intersection....Ryan stopped his car and proceeded to say, "Duckies, duckies move little duckies." He is a tender hearted after all! (We knew it all along)

Mima, Mama, and Me

For the first time in my life I had the wonderful experience of waking up at 4:30 AM the morning after New Years Parties and attending the Annual Pasadena New Years Rose Parade. The floats and whole experience was awesome, but the best part was being there with my mom and mima (nickname for my grandma Phelps).They are both wonderful people. Everything my mima does and says is full of passion. This provides invigorating conversation. For example it can be the most beautiful day in the California sunshine and the end of the world because Israelis and Palistinians are at it again in the same conversation. My mima has lived her entire life full of passion, gratitude and love. She takes interest and is keenly aware and educated on all facets of life. She has the ability to truly love and accept all people, but still makes it very clear what she stands for. She has been a great blessing in my life and I am so glad I got to spend this New Years with her.

My mother is just as wonderful as my mima, although for different reasons. My mom is someone who will answer the phone and ask me how I am doing and then really listen. She is someone who would quietly leave Sees Candy bars on my bed to let me know she was proud that I woke up each morning for seminary. My mom never let me think less of myself then I was. Insecurities were foolishness and waste of time considering how blessed we are. Although, there were times when the world would get me down and my mom would be there to let me cry it out and then send me to my Dad who figured out ice cream is the cure for just about everything. In adulthood my mom has proven to be the greatest example I could ever ask for. I learned valuable lessons about what a house full of love and support felt like from my mom (and dad!). I also learned how to have a healthy relationships and when to ask for guidance and direction from my mom.

I love and respect my mima and my mom. They are incredible women in all that they do. I thank my Heavenly Father each day for the blessing they have been in my life. I hope I can go through my life living up to their example and blessing their lives and they have mine.