My new toy

Pretty isn't it? Mark has been using his work phone for the past year as his cell phone and I have been using ghetto phones since I haven't been under any contract. Well we realized recently with Mark's job change (that'll be a different post) that we would need to get him back on a family plan with me. That means new phones and new contracts. He has to have a smart phone that allows him to get to his email so it was a great time at T-mobile with the "buy one get one free" smart phone sale. I picked out this pretty phone and I am having so much fun with it. Now I know why people spend so much time looking at their phones these days!

Dodged a bullet (barely)

Here's the long and short of it.
1. My 6 week online class started Thursday--Sociology.
2. I had high hopes for getting ahead of the heavy, heavy workload but realized I was hoplessly behind after a crazy weekend.
3. I pulled out my transcript from BYU and realized I had already met the requirements for Sociology.
4. I went down to the school to talk about dropping the class and was told I would get 70% of the tuition I paid back (bummer!) but I better hurry because tomorrow I was only getting 25% back.
5. Took my 70% and put it toward my fun fall Chemistry class tuition.
So, now out of my 30% and my Sociology class, I am free for the rest of the summer. I need some reminding of why I decided to go back to school anyway.

Never again

It's getting close to the end of the summer and Mark and I are trying to get our mini roadtrips done before school starts. This weekend we drove to San Antonio. I went once when I was little and Mark has never been before. He says "It's my first and last trip to San Antonio!" We were really excited to stop at a restaurant on Man vs. Food with these amazing cinnamon rolls. We drove into town HUNGRY and went straight to Lulu's bakery and cafe.

The place was a dump but we thought we'd give it a chance since it was so crowded and it was on TV after all. We got on the waiting list and stood outside in the 100 degree heat and watched the people who arrived before us get seated and the people who arrived after us get seated. While waiting we found out they ran out of cinnamon rolls and would not have anymore until the next day. Finally, I lost my patience and asked the hostess what was going on. She looked at her sign in sheet and I noticed that every name except for Mark was crossed through. She finally sat us. It took 10 more minutes just for the waitress to come wait on us. We ordered drinks and onion rings then nothing happened for at least 20 more minutes before we decided to walk out. Our second choice was featured on Diners, Drive ins and Dives--a little place called the Tip Top Cafe.

We were seated promptly and the food came just before I started eating my own arm off. The food was average at best--Thanks Guy. Three hours after arriving in San Antonio, we finally made it to the Alamo. YAY! It took about 10 minutes to see that. We finished up our trip in an overpriced ice scream store then got out of town as quickly as possible.
My overall impression of San Antonio:
It was one of the ugliest and scariest cities I've ever seen.
I was definitely in the minority there (probably one of the reasons we received such bad service).
There is no food worth going for.
The Alamo is the only thing notable there.
My advice: Skip it and read a history book with some good pictures.

Four

We had a fantastic rest of the day on Saturday. I'm pretty sure Sarah did too. Happy Birthday my little red-headed dimpled princess.

Birthday Morning festivities

Sarah turns four years old today. I have been thinking alot about the day she was born. I had just gotten back from a trip to Idaho to see Mark's sister. Long story short--we were supposed to go to Canada for another sister's wedding but things didn't work out so I went back home to Salt Lake. I woke up feeling a bit strange and called my doctor first thing because I thought my water had broken. I started having contractions shortly after and took Avery to stay with some friends while I went to see the doctor. Mark was living in St. Louis for the summer so I called him and told him to be prepared to hop on a plane. The doctor informed me I was dialated to 9 cm and would be having the baby very soon. Mark hopped on the first plane home but Sarah did not wait. She was born less than two hours and three pushes later.
She is the most impatient child I have. She throws a fit in a drop of a hat. She is kind and good. She has the softest heart and she is my best helper.

So far today we have opened one present, had birthday pancakes and frosted the cake.



More to come later.

Weekend trip to Branson

Mark's mom flew into Branson last weekend and we decided we would go up and spend a few days with her there. I haven't been to Branson since I was 10 years old and it has changed a lot since then. We had tons of fun and are glad we got to spend some time with grandma.

Family Vacation--dos and don'ts

Let me begin by saying--I LOVE FAMILY VACATIONS! Mark and I have been on very few in our married life because of jobs, budget, timing, etc. I have been know to be very conscious of the "money situation" and have cringed at the thought of spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on eating out, tickets, hotels and such.

Well, we had an opportunity to go to Branson, MO this weekend and live it up with all the "senior citizens". I must say, it was also very appealing to the younger crowd as well. Also, there are a lot of ways around spending a ton of money there so...
DO--Try to plan ahead and find tickets and hotels online.
DON'T--Be such a stickler about money that you can't have fun.

Before we leave our house for any amount of time, I am obsessive compulsive about cleaning it. You know--"Leave no stinkies to return home to!" The last things I do before I leave the house are take out all garbage, flush toilets, check for used diapers everywhere. One thing I missed this time that I never will again...
DO--Make sure your oven is completely turned off. I just can't wait to see my gas bill and I'm grateful my house didn't burn down.
DON'T--forget to smile because your kids get to go make a mess somewhere else this weekend and you won't have clean it up.