Monday, June 29, 2009

Tahoe

WARNING: Very LONG post! For my rememberance, I won't feel bad if you don't read it.

I'm finally getting around to blogging about our weekend in Tahoe/Reno. I've been putting it off knowing that it would be a long blog because I want to remember the trip, but alas, it is time to stop putting it off. (FYI I typed all this out last night (which took like 2 hours) and then my internet connection died when I was posting it and it deleted the post - oh I was MAD, so here is version 2).

We left on Wednesday after work; Eric had to work at the NV office on Thursday. We had both our mountain bikes on a rack on the back of our car and while driving down the highway at about 85 mph the screw that held the rack closed came loose and my bike went bouncing down the road. Sad. Eric's bike was closer to the car and fell towards the car, leaving a nice dent on the hatch and some scratches on the bumper. What a way to begin a trip :) Luckily, Eric saw my bike fall off so he quickly pulled over and ran to fetch my bike. The damage: bent handlebars, bent back wheel, and shaved seat. Could've been worse. We hooked the bikes back on and off we went.


As we were driving across the salt flats a HUGE storm rolled in. Neither Eric nor I could ever remember driving through such a crazy rain/hail storm. It was seriously insane. Reese slept through it all - I'm guessing it was some pretty awesome white noise for her:) Here's a picture of the beautiful sunset that appeared after the storm.

When we hit Winnemucca, NV we were getting a bit sleepy. We decided we'd find the cheapest hotel we could so we could get some shut eye. Well you know the saying, “you get what you pay for”? Well, even though we only paid like $35 for our room, we definitely got jipped (Eric doesn't think so, he must have not been paying attention). It was kind of scary - someone knocked on our door at like 2 am. We slept in our sleeping bag because it was so nasty, and put Reese’s bed on top of a table because the carpet was GROSS! I woke up probably every 15 minutes all night because I was paranoid about my head coming off the sleeping bag and touching the bed. Blah!

On Thursday morning we drove the rest of the way to Tahoe (about 2 ½ hours). My mom had a snazzy hotel room waiting for us. Such an amazing change from the hotel we’d stayed in the night before. My mom happened to be going to Tahoe for work so she had invited us to stay with her Thursday night. It was fantastic! The Hyatt Regency at Tahoe – I highly recommend it! They have eucalyptus scented soaps in the bathroom – YUM I love eucalyptus! My mom wasn’t going to arrive until the evening so we checked in and Eric left to work. While he was at work, Reese and I hung out at the private beach – yup they have a private beach, how sweet is that! Then I went to the little cafĂ© in the hotel (which was the cheapest place to get food in the hotel) and bought a $9 turkey sandwich. I admit it, I’m pretty dang cheap, so I was stunned when the cashier said I owed her $9 for the tiny sandwich she placed in front of me in a fancy to-go container. When Eric got back we hung out at the pool for a while, where the water was much warmer than the lake water, so the three of us could swim around. Once my mom arrived we all went to The Char Pit for some delicious burgers and shakes. YUM! Then we went back to the hotel room and rented a movie on the television in the room. Guess how much……$13. HAHAHA! I guess I’m used to redbox prices.

On Friday morning the wedding festivities began. The first activity was a mountain bike ride on the flume trail. Reese and I stayed behind because 1) the trail was going to be really bumpy and would probably mess Reese’s brain up a bit, and 2) my bike was dead. Before Eric left for the ride my mom invited us down for the breakfast for her work – amazing pastries, fruit, and drinks. After we ate Eric left for the ride and from the sounds of it, it was a pretty difficult ride but completely gorgeous! While he was on the ride, Reese and I hung out with my mom while she was working. She fed us REALLY well and as always, her company was fabulous! Thanks mom for letting us bug you ½ of Friday!! And thanks for the DELICIOUS food! AND letting us stay in your hotel room with you! You rock!


Around 4 pm, Eric got back from the ride and we headed on over to Jared Swanson’s (the groom) sister’s cabin right on Lake Tahoe for the wedding BBQ. It was so fun! The company who catered it was called “Men wielding fire”, we thought that was pretty clever. We ate lots of good food and people told stories about the bride and groom, which was very fun to listen to.
After the BBQ we headed on over to a campground, Sandy Beach Campground, and set up camp. The campground was right across the street from a public access to the beach, and was again at least 300 steps up from our night in Winnemucca.
On Saturday morning we got all dressed up fancy and headed to Reno for the wedding. I am kicking myself for not taking pictures of us since we looked pretty dang hot, especially for having gotten ready in our tent, oh well. Eric went into the temple for the wedding and me, Reese, and B-Money waited outside and caught some rays. After the wedding and pictures we were all starving so we headed over to a Mexican restaurant in Reno.

We enjoyed a delicious meal and everything was going well until…dun dun dun…Eric was holding Reese and I was hot on their heals as we were walking out of the restaurant. At the last minute, the rest of the gang decided to stop in the restrooms before we left. Our car and Micah’s car were parked right next to each other, with no other cars next to them. As we walked closer to our cars a Mexican guy jumped out of Micah’s passenger door. We were both pretty confused, and it took a second for it to make sense that someone had just been in Micah’s car, but as soon as it hit I grabbed Reese from Eric and Eric yelled, “Hey! What are you doing? Stop right there!” Eric ran over to him and said, “Give me back whatever you took. Empty your pockets”. The guy handed Eric a computer power cord and said, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.” (UH…what? You didn’t mean to, whatever idiot). Anyway, Eric told him to empty his pockets and the guy just kept backing away.

In the meantime I was headed into the restaurant to get Micah and B-Money was headed out so I told him to get Micah. When I noticed that Micah wasn’t rushing out I ran in right as Dallas was coming down the hall from the bathroom. I told him to run over to Eric. By the time he got there the guy had run away. Eric had continued following the guy through the parking lot and telling him to give him whatever he took and the guy kept saying, “hey watch out behind you, my friends are coming”, but Eric didn’t believe him and realized that if anyone was coming it was his own friends. Eventually the guy turned and ran for it. At the time Eric had no idea whether he had any reason to beat him up or chase him because he didn’t know whether the guy had taken anything other than the power cord, so when the guy ran he just watched to see what direction he’d run. After Micah got out of the restaurant he checked out his car and found that the guy had stolen his GPS. This made all of us furious, especially Eric who now wished he had beaten the snot out of the punk. I was glad he hadn’t because who knows what he could’ve had on him or who possibly could’ve been coming. Anyway, the police came and took a report, then we drove to the nearest pawn shop to see if the guy had taken the GPS there, but the pawn shop doesn’t take GPS’s because they are typically stolen – go figure!

After that whole ordeal, we drove around and found a park with grass and shade so we could all nap before the reception. All of us slept but Reese, who was hyper, and Eric, who couldn’t stop thinking about how he wished he’d gotten the GPS from the guy.

Later that evening we made our way over to the National Automobile Museum for the reception. That museum is amazing! We wished we had shown up an hour or two earlier because we only got to look at a portion of the museum before the reception program started. Bee got his picture taken next to a gold Delorean, which was a dream come true. We ate lots of yummy appetizers – my favorite was asparagus rolled in cream cheese and then rolled up in a piece of roast beef, yum!
The program was cool; they had a video, toasts, and dancing. It was FUN to dance – just wish I could’ve gotten my groove on with something other than slow love songs ;) They did this one dance where they had all the married couples come out on to the dance floor. Then the DJ said, “whoever’s been married less than 1 year leave the dance floor”, then 2 years, 5 years… Jared’s parents almost won, being married for 48 years, but one other couple beat them with 49 years. Bummer! That made me excited though, to think that I get to be with Eric forever. That proves to me that Heavenly Father loves us, seeing as he wants us to be with those we love for eternity and allows us to if we do things His way. EXCITING!





On Sunday morning we cooked hotdogs and bagels for breakfast. It was delicious! Then we walked around on the beach for a bit and then drove home.

It was a good trip and a wedding to remember. Thanks Jared and Sarah for including us in all the festivities! We had a blast!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Thursdays

Heber holds their farmer's market every Thursday night. I think we'll try to go most Thursdays because they have live music and it is kind of fun to get out and enjoy that as well as some pretty awesome people watching.

Reese sits up really good now. I cannot believe how fast she's growing and learning things. She is SUCH a happy baby - we just adore her!

Stewart



Nice little hike to Stewart's Falls after a good nights sleep at the cabin. Very nice!


Sleeping little piglet.

Rice Cereal

We've given Reese tastes of our food off and on for a couple months now, but on June 9 we started her on rice cereal. I'm kind of waiting to let her try other baby foods until her next doctor appointment because her doc specifically said to wait to do any foods until she was 6 months - and then we'd go crazy with food - so I don't want him to be too disappointed in me :) She liked it lots. I gave her a little mashed banana in it once and she pulled a couple funny faces but she is surprisingly fond of food [or not surprisingly seeing as I'm her mom.]
We still give her tastes of what we're eating and she LOVES drinking out of a glass. She doesn't like the whole bottle/sippy cup thing so much - but whatever, she'll probably like the sippy cups someday, when she is a Dora the Explorer or Disney Princess fanatic, hahaha.
P.S. Our stake cancelled church this Sunday because of Swine Flu - some people had it at stake conference last week and at least two people in our ward have it. I've never had church cancelled before - crazy.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

And we're off...

I'm at someone's house, using someone else's computer. Don't worry, they told me I could use it. I'm upstairs from my husband's office, he's busy interviewing people and I just woke up from a nap. Oh the hard life of a mother ...hehehe. Reese is trying to sleep on a pretty red rug about 15 feet away from me but can't quite fall asleep. I heard her searching for her binky so I went to help her. The sight was fantastic, two chubby little legs raised high to the ceiling and that cute little diaper bum covered in bright green and white striped bloomers. That's all I could see - you see, Reese loves to pull her blanket over her face. I can't get enough of that little munchkin!!

So my day was eventful - I shopped at the Gateway for maybe 2 1/2 hours and luckily got no parking ticket (I parked in the 1 hour parking but kept checking my car every 45 minutes or so). I don't usually enjoy shopping, but today I did. There weren't many people there - must've been to early for the crowds. I strapped Reese onto my belly and off we went. I was walking past some stores and saw my reflection in the window to A Pea in the Pod (maternity clothes store). I saw Reese strapped to my belly and it reminded me of being pregnant, I had almost forgotten I had ever been pregnant (not sure how that happens but it does). It also made me happy that I gave birth to a 7 pound baby, not a 15 pounder.

I have never come to work with Eric before - not that I'm at work with him - but I did today because we are taking off to Tahoe right when he gets done at work. I'm excited. We're going to the coolest wedding I've ever heard of!! You may have heard of cooler, but not for my taste. Anyway, I'll be posting pictures from our wedding vacation when we get back. Happy Father's Day this Sunday to all you fathers out there. Especially to you Eric and you Dad. Eric you are the most amazing father to Reese, I get chills watching the two of you interact. And Dad, you know I love you and think the world of you. You're the best dad I could have ever asked for. I love you both!!!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

My dad just emailed me these pictures

...and I love them! Reese's first BYU basketball game. She was begging to visit Papa.
Reese and her Great - Great - Grandma Messick. So precious!
5 Generations: Great Great Grandma Messick, Great Grandpa Messick, Papa Messick, Me, and Reese.

Priceless Faces! I love these two!!

Monday, June 8, 2009

busy busy busy

The Ellis family is BUSY once the weather is nice - luckily it is all GOOD busy. [This post is mostly for our family history and so Reese can see what she did when she was a wee one - so sorry if you find it boring.]

- Reese got to hang out with her cousins Lily and Ellyse for a few days. And I got to hang out with them and my sis in law Kristen :)!!!
- We went to Whisky Springs with our friends the Naffziggers for a BBQ. We always have fun when we're with them!!!
- While at Whisky Springs Trynitee was teaching Reese how someone 8 lbs heavier and 1 1/2 years older than you can pick you up - sadly the moms stopped the lesson :)
- Reese loves using her big girl high chair.
- Reese helps with the laundry by riding around the house in the baskets and then keeps me entertained while folding and putting away the laundry.
- Every morning Reese does a little yardwork with me. She goes in the back pack and helps water the greenhouse, trees, flowers, etc.
- It is hard work, she tends to fall asleep in her backpack by the end of it.
- We've been doing a lot of work in the yard, trying to make it more usable. We have quite a bit of land but it is all covered in trees, shrubs, and rocks, thus not very usable. Eric and Travis did a lot of work last weekend to make a portion of the yard lots of fun (more to come on that once it is finished).

- Reese went up to the cabin for the first time and loved hanging out with Papa, Grandma and her cousins.
- We went rock climbing up Maple Canyon, I had never been outside of a climbing gym before, Eric used to go all the time, so he showed me the ropes, I think we need to do it more often since he has all the gear times 2 (thank you Eric's active dating life for making Eric decide to buy everything twice so he could take dates) :) Now I have stuff :)!!!
- Reese got the royal treatment while rock climbing. She fell asleep in her stroller so Eric carried her in it between the different climbs. What a little princess.
- Reese experienced her first Demolition Derby (in Ogden) - complete with an extra large Tigers Blood/ Pina Colada Snowie. She loved the Snowie and part of the derby, but didn't love the loud noises of the cars once about 9:00 hit, too far past bedtime to enjoy the action :( Me and Reese went and slept in the car for the rest of the derby. (I wasn't too sad, I got the derby action I needed and then some MUCH needed sleep catch up).
- Last weekend we drove up into the mountains behind our house to camp. Quite an experience since many parts of the road were covered in snow so there was a LOT of offroading! FUN - kind of scary! We set our camp up on top of a peak and boy did the wind BLOW all night long. Reese slept okay, but Eric and I didn't sleep much more than a wink. [Partially due to having our tent on a slope. Slippery sleeping bag + air matress on an incline = bodies in the sleeping bag sliding down the "slide" all night long. Although the sleep wasn't fabulous, the view and the evening was SO worth it. Until it got dark, Eric and I layed on the bed and enjoyed the Clive Cussler we're currently reading. The view was beautiful and all I could think was "COMPLETE Bliss"!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

And I'm back in the game...

Thanks to many prayers and understanding people who are the decision makers when it comes to making exceptions, I am registered for fall at BYU! YES!! Now I don't have to re-apply and wait a whole year before finishing my last few classes. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't stop jumping for joy!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

I cried

I don't cry much, but when I do it is usually because I've had it up to here {my hand bent horizontally and my arm streched as far above my head as I can reach}. It all started last fall when I went to the registrations/admissions offices at BYU and filled out some forms to defer for Winter semester (since I'd be having a baby) and I told them I'd be registering for classes in the Spring.

All was good until I tried registering for Spring and none of the classes I have left (only 5 - thank heavens) were offered. I made a few phone calls, told them my scenario, asked if I should come in to fill out another deferal. I was told that I did NOT need to come in and that everything was taken care of - as long as I registered for classes next fall semester there would be no registration problems.

So a month ago I tried registering for fall classes, there was a hold on my record because I needed to turn in another ecclesiastical endorsement (much to my surprise since I just filled one out a few months prior to defer). Well with camping, other church meetings, etc, I only just got the endorsement done and faxed in at the beginning of this week. So I tried registering for classes, now that there is no hold on my record, and what happens....."You are not eligible to register for classes for this semester. Please call the registration office 422-...."

Now I'm confused. So I call, I'm told that whoever told me everything was taken care of and that as long as I registered for fall everything would be okay, was WRONG! So the gal says, "I'll transfer you to the admissions office and they can fix that right away." I wait on the line for a few minutes, listening to annoying crackly symphony music, finally someone answers. I now tell this girl the deal and ask if she will fix it. "We can't just fix that. You'll have to talk to a counselor." OH MY FREAK - why did I listen to the brainless girl at the beginning of the year!! So tomorrow a counselor will be calling me, I sure hope he can clear this up so I don't have to re-apply to BYU! Oh, if that happens, I won't cry, I will BAWL!

Now for some happy news:

- I got $1000 worth of work out equipment (free weights, weight stand, and bench) for $70 at a garage sale last weekend. This makes me happy because now I can mix up my cardio with a little weight lifting - tone the upper bod - oh hallelujah....and because I saved a whole heck of a lot of money :)

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

five months

This little beauty is five months old today!
Reese, you get more fun by the moment. We love you so much! Thanks for bringing so much joy and love into our little family!