Dad

Even though these pictures are from last month, I wanted to get them posted here on my blog.

It's been four years since my dad died. My family and I do something every year on Dad's birthday in memory of him. We usually end up going to Taco Bell because Dad loved Taco Bell. This year was no exception.

All of my siblings, my mom and I went to Taco Bell (where ever we live) on Dad's birthday. Below are the pictures of us eating our Taco Bell in our respective home states. 

Me in VA!

My Taco Bell meal!

Mom, Nate and Heather at Dad's grave in UT!

Lara, Glen, Adam and Tia in UT!

Kristina and Tom and kiddos in CA!

Peter didn't get a selfie but he did go to Taco Bell in VA!

Matt and Karey's kiddos in MD!

Matt and A in MD!

Tim in VA!

Dad and Mom on a Japan/Alaska cruise in 2018. 

I will forever be grateful for my Dad and all that he and Mom taught me growing up. They helped me to become the person I am today. I miss you Dad. 

Ice Cream

Can I just say I can't believe it's almost September?! Sometimes I'm just amazed at how fast time flies. Summer is almost over. Crazy! 

For a tribute to almost end of summer, I feel like sharing some of my favorite ice cream flavors. I love ice cream and I've found some go to flavors over the years!

I keep a list on my phone of the ones I've tried and the rating I give them. All of the ones I name in this post are the ones I've given 10/10 stars. 

Ben and Jerry's

Milk and Cookies

Americone Dream

Dairy Queen

S'mores blizzard

Royal Reese's Fluffernutter blizzard

Oreo Hot Cocoa blizzard

Jeni's

Brambleberry Crisp

Bruster's 

White Raspberry Truffle

Key Lime Pie

Cinnamon

Deep Dish Apple Pie

Rita's Italian Ice

Blendini with Key Lime Italian Ice, vanilla custard, and pie chips mix

Blendini with Grape (Nerds) Italian Ice, vanilla custard and Nerds mix

I hope you all have had a good summer!

What are your favorite ice cream flavors? Which one should I try next?

Haircut!

My sister, H, has become my official hair cutter. Since H lives in Utah and I live in Virginia, I only get my hair cut every couple of years. I do see H almost every year, but I just don't always need a haircut when I see her.

 I desperately needed a haircut this time around.

My hair had gotten quite long, but I felt like the ends weren't so great. 

Before the haircut.

After the haircut.

 

My hair straightened after my haircut!

I like my haircut and I feel like my hair looks healthier now. Thanks H for cutting my hair!

Utah Trip

So I bought a ticket out to Utah back at the beginning of this year. I chose June for multiple reasons, one of them being I knew it would be after my move. 

I hadn't visited Utah since 2022. I've seen my mom and my siblings who live there every year since then, but we always met up elsewhere. Since we had no planned meet ups for this year, I decided it was time to visit Utah again. 

It was a good visit with lots of family time. 

One of the days I was there, my sister, H and I woke up super early and drove to Antelope Island to go bird watching. We saw a lot of birds but I didn't get many pictures with my phone. H took photos with her nicer camera. 

One of the birds we saw was the burrowing owl. I didn't know that there was an owl that lived in the ground. The burrowing owl will find abandoned tunnels other animals have dug and use it for their homes.

H is an avid bird watcher and photographer so she knew exactly where to go to find the owls.

Another burrowing owl!

H and I also visited a historic farm on Antelope Island. I enjoyed walking around the farm. It was interesting to see and was in a picturesque location!

While on the farm we saw bison roaming in the distance. I enjoyed watching them because there were some little bison who were playing by running back and forth. It was cute to watch. 

Some old farm equipment

The barn!

H and I inside the barn!

After exploring the farm, H and I went back to the burrowing owls for one last look and then headed home. 

Right before the bridge to Antelope Island is a small rest area with this bison statue. We decided we needed a picture with the statue. :) 
 

A lot of time I was in Utah, I was just hanging out with my family, chatting, playing games, watching movies, going on walks, helping clean out rooms etc. 

We played Telestrations a couple of times while I was there. I love Telestrations and it's fun playing with all different ages and various drawing abilities. 😂 (My nephew and niece, A and E were on a team. E got home from her mission a week before I came to visit). 

L and G posing before starting a round of Telestrations.

 

 

J was a great Telestrations player!

All of L and G's kiddos ended up being in town while I was there since E had returned from her mission the week before. 

 

I was happy to see them all! It had been awhile since I'd seen a few of them. Also they used to live not too far from me here in Virginia and I miss having them close. 

All of us sisters and Mom were there while I was there. 

 

H and L and Mom live in Utah, but K was visiting from California with three of her kiddos for part of the summer. I always enjoy when us sisters and Mom can get together. 

 

My brother, N, also lives in Utah now. He just moved there a month or two ago from Tennessee.

I visited my dad's grave a couple of times while I was there. 

My adorable nephews J and I! They're silly sometimes. :)

 

 

My nephew, M, and Denali!

 

 

While I was there, K, M and I went to the mall in Orem to run some errands and then got ice cream at Handel's afterward. I had never been to Handel's before and thoroughly enjoyed my ice cream cone. 😋

 

 

Me and three of my nieces!

 

L and I!

 

 

Mom and I!

 

K and I!

 

Me, K, and Mom!

I am so glad I was able to visit Utah and see a few family members! I love my family and am so grateful for them.

Moving Update

It's been awhile since I've posted on here. I've been in survival mode for the past two months or so. This move has been a rough one. But I am officially in a new place now (just a few miles from where I used to live). It's going to take some time to get organized but I am happy to be here. :)

A random photo of me on a recent Sunday morning. 

I visited Utah recently and will make a post about that sometime in the near future. 

Hope you all are having a good summer so far!

Meadowlark Gardens

As you know if you read my previous post I've been stressed recently. This last weekend (once I saw that the weather was going to be decent) I decided I needed to do something fun outside. 

So I visited Meadowlark Gardens. I love Meadowlark. I've been there multiple times before, but it's been a few years since my last visit. 

There were some blooming flowers and it was beautiful! 

Enjoy the pictures of the gardens and the flowers!

I don't know the names of many flowers, but I do enjoy looking at them. 🌺

Daylillies!

Although the picture doesn't really do it justice, I liked the contrast of the brown grass, the pink blooming tree, the green trees, and the blue sky. So pretty!

I wish I was better at flower names. Oh well. 🤣

There was a wedding ceremony happening on the gazebo when I took this picture. 

I do believe this is a tulip! Is that right?!

I do know these are bluebells!

Part of the Korean bell garden within Meadowlark!

I loved visiting Meadowlark! It helped me feel a bit more calm amidst the stress in my life. 

On my way home from Meadowlark, I saw these flowers and had to stop and take pictures. Aren't they pretty?!

So pretty! It was a little warm on Saturday but I loved my outing to Meadowlark Gardens. I really needed it. 

I hope you all are having a lovely spring time!