The Windy City

CHICAGO here we come!

I was able to go with Jim, his boss Scott and his wife Taryn to Chicago. Jim and Scott attended an Ear, Nose, and Throat Conference for work. (Lot's of nerdy Doctors) Taryn and I just happened to tag along for free. It was very nice!!

Special thanks to Sue, who watched all 3 kids for a week. Thank You!

My bags are packed, and ready to go. But something is missing... my babies! Especially my little Blake. Whom I have never left before. It felt so wierd not having the double stroller and diaper bag attached to me all week.

Yet, while I missed my children, Jim and I really enjoyed ourselves. It is always nice to spend time alone with Jim. To reconnect and enjoy each other's company as adults, with no kids to interupt conversation. It was Fantastic!!

Our Hotel



The view from our hotel. It looked over Navy Pier and Lake Michigan. So beautiful!!





Wrigley Field. GO CUBS!





Michigan Ave. "The Magnificent Mile" (Oh, the best shopping strip ever!)








Oh how I love the Daly boys and their obsession with fast and fancy cars!



SUNDAY. Taryn and I took a half hour cab ride to the nearest church. It turned out to be Stake Conference, so we then took another half hour ride to the Stake Center. Luckily, we made it just in time for the meeting to start. It just so happened that Elder L. Tom Perry was there and spoke to the members. It was so awesome to listen to a twelve apostle in person and to meet him. Well worth the hour long cab drive and ridiculous cab fee.



The National History Museum








Millineum Park and the famous BEAN!







Kitty O'Sheas Irish Pub



Lake Michigan is so so so beautiful! I was bummed, the one day we went down with the camera it was overcast. I had ran this path a couple days prior and it was clear, blue skies and just gorgeous. Definately my favorite run thus far! (I know, can you believe I actually enjoyed running for once)







Chicago Style Pizza! YUM!





10 Pounds later! It is good to be home. But Chicago is a hard city to beat! It was great food, clean and lot's of great shopping. Well worth a visit. It was a blast!!

Some Of My Favs From The NEW Camera

Finally A New Camera

Ok! So Jim and I have always secretly wished we were photographers. So the first chance we get, that is running into some extra cash. We finally are abe to buy a nice camera.

I mean really nice! No more CHEAP digital cameras where the batteries die after 5days, it only holds 20 pictures, and you have to wait 30 seconds before you can take the next picture. You know what I mean?

So goodbye to the old camera and hello to our new Sony A200.

Just to brag a little. It holds over 1000 pictures at 10 mega pixals. You can just keep on pushing the button and snapping shots off instantly. Plus the battery is rechargeable and lasts a really, really long time.

AHH, finally my dream camera!

Birthday Girl!

One Year Old



Two Years Old



Three Years Old



Four Years Old



Five Years Old



Six Years Old



As the years go by, I vividly remember holding Kallie in my arms for the first time. With tears in my eyes, I thought, "where is the instruction manual for this baby."

Although 6 years have passed and I still sometimes have recurring doubts as a mother. I can honestly say, Kallie is overall thriving and such a sweet spirit to have in our house.

Kallie is honest, kind, helpful, and smart. Jim and I love her so much and can't wait for all the fun filled years to come.
Happy Birthday, Sweet Kallie Lou!!

Baptism By Fire

As I am tucking Kallie in bed. I ask her if she is excited about her birthday tomorrow. She of course replies, "yes"

A few seconds later.

"Mom, I don't want to get baptized when I am 8." My reply of course is to try and change her mind. "Oh but Kallie it is awesome to get baptized. Your sins are washed away and you get to wear a white beautiful dress" (hoping that will change her mind)

Nope, her simple yet firm reply is, "No, mom! I don't want my skin washed away, that would hurt."

That's a weird baptism, maybe by fire your skin would fall off. That's a new thought to Baptism by fire. My silly cute almost birthday girl.

Kallie's First Day Of School

Ever since moving to Utah, I feel like our family has been blessed in many ways. One of them being Kallie starting Kindergarten all over again. Definitely I feel it is a blessing in disguise. But still a blessing!

Last year, Kallie had gone to kindergarten in CA for half the year. Then moving to Utah put a damper on kindergarten. Of course, at first I was very upset that she missed the deadline by 3 lousy days. So she went to preschool instead and had to wait for the next year for kindergarten.

Well, that day is here... finally! Kallie was so excited to go to school and ride the bus. (Which I never would let her do in CA) Plus, she has her cousin Tyler in her class. They play so well together and have become the best of friends.

I am so grateful for that little bump in the road. Kallie is now older and has a little bit of a head start, not to mention her cousin to do it with her. It was just meant to be. I truly feel like everything has finally fallen in place!

My Birthday Week!

I was very spoiled this year for my birthday and loved every minute of it.

The weekend before my birthday I had a girls night in Park City at this amazing cabin. I can't tell you how nice it was to get away from the kids and life. After a long soak in the hot tub and talking till 4am we made it to the bedrooms to sleep. Smile :) Here is us girls at breakfast. Me, Melinda, Becky and Trisha.



Then after breakfast we headed to the outlets to shop. On our way home we stopped at my favorite Cheesecake Factory for lunch and enjoyed their yummy Luau Salad.





On my birthday, Becky made me breakfast burritos. So yummy! Then that afternoon we went swimming with Casey and Tasha. So fun. That night Jim took me and the kids to a great hamburger and shake place called JCW's. That place is the bomb! I have probably gained 10 pounds this week with all this yummy food.

After Jim came home from scouts and Becky from YW we had cake and ice cream. I am the big 2-9 now!






The next night... Thursday, Becky planned a girls night out with Trisha Dayton cuz it was her birthday too. We headed to Olive Garden for a little Italian food. Here are all of us girls!



Friday, Jim took the day off and took me that night to Cheesecake Factory. We did have a 2 hour wait but, hey it was still fun to be out with adults and no kids.
Craig and Deb, Jon Greene, Becky and Isaac, and Christian and Melinda came out with us to celebrate Craig and me.



It doesn't get any better then this, then to end the night with more cheesecake. SMILE :)