Staying busy

(visiting Jamie VanOrden Black)

I realized that visiting Salt Lake this summer has been the most productive when it comes to visiting with high school friends. I've been married 5 years and out of high school for 6, and I feel like my girlfriends have been the most accessible for visits out of any previous year! Whether it's that they've just recently had babies and are home with them, they're newly-married and more "settled" in life, or they're home from missions... I'm loving it! I was able to visit with Haley and Brett, and see their sweet Madeline who was just a few weeks old. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture because I completely spaced it ... and I didn't get to hold Madeline this time because Grace had cold symptoms and I didn't want to take a chance. But it was wonderful to see them! I also visited my good friend Jamie Black, the newlywed as of a few weeks ago, and got to meet her cute husband. They had Grace and I over for dinner and I had such a good time seeing their place, catching up, and getting to know Kendal finally. I just LOVE seeing my good friends find what I found with Ryan. :) It makes me so happy. I also got to go to dinner with Mary, who recently completed her mission (more to come on that later), and finally got to snuggle the handsome little Whitaker (newborn baby of our good friends Jen and Paul). So many fun people to see!

I also attended the wedding reception of a girlfriend from high school who married a guy I've known since elementary school (Tara and Braden Parker)! There were so many people to visit with at the reception and I had a blast! I didn't even eat my plate of food I got because I was so busy chatting with everyone. A couple of them had new babies to show off and so many of them are doing so much in their lives that it was fun to visit face to face after so much time. I went home that night so wired and then of course I had dreams about high school (some stress-dreams about not remembering my schedule) for a few nights afterwards. I wonder if that kind of thing only happens to me... haha.

My mom and Grace and I went to "Zoorasic Park" (Hogle Zoo) on friday which was Grace's first time at a zoo! They had a bunch of dinosaurs all over the park and they actually made noises, moved, and in some cases spit water at us. It was actually lots of fun and I'm excited to go back again soon! Maybe when it's cooler. :)

Seeing my favorite animal: Elephants! Especially this cute baby.

Carousel ride

The T-rex that made Grace cry...

Riding the train.

This little guy was adorable! He showed us his trick of moving his scalp and eyebrows back and forth.

I ran into my good friend from Henderson (who is currently living in northern Utah for a few months)! We miss you, Karren family!

... more to come ...