Life in Pictures

I have GOT to start blogging on this blog again! Those of you who don't read FitMePink probably don't even know that I'm 30 weeks pregnant with another little girl! One of these days, I'll catch up! Actually, this might be as good as it's going to get for now... After a quick scan of the never-posted pictures on the computer, here are a few highlights:

First, Michael married Anne last August! My kids are absolutely smitten. I love seeing my baby brother so happy, and I love seeing my kids play with their fun aunt and uncle. (They're still fun because they don't have kids yet! I lost all of my fun-aunt-energy 4 years ago when Parker was born!)

Next, while trying to make these adorable TeePee cupcakes created by my cousin Christie (yes, waaaaay back at Thanksgiving), I nearly burned the house down with my culinary disaster! It wasn't pretty, but I finally figured it out several batches later!

We've played dress-up with cousins (just don't tell Marcus and Joe)! This could be blackmail in a few years!We've had visits from friends! (And yes...some things NEVER change!)We went on a kid-free FREE trip to California and Disneyland. Our FREE hotel room was the CRAPPIEST hotel we've EVER stayed at, but HEY...it was FREE! We had a blast!We had Easter! (And dyed our new clothes and kitchen table in the process!)And finally, undocumented....I officially have ZERO kids in diapers! (Until June, anyway!) I was VERY reluctant to give into Avery's non-stop requests to use the potty, because potty-training Parker has been nothing less than traumatic, but she did it on her own! She hasn't had a single accident since the day she refused to wear a diaper a week ago after receiving big-girl panties in her Easter basket (which, sadly, is still more than I can say for sweet Parker). So YAY for AVERY!

What have YOU been up to?

Fishing, Hiking, and Jet Ski's, Oh My!

After Michael and Anne's wedding, we decided that they shouldn't be the only ones who got to go on a little vacation. The rest of the family needed a week off to recover. I mean, being the groom's sister is a lot of work, after all! (Any excuse for a vacation, right?!) We got to stay in a house big enough for all eleven of us in Midway, UT. With the few pictures I actually took, I'll let you in on some highlights...

• Fishing with Grandpa at Jordanelle Reservoir...the fish weren't very hungry the first day. Parker reeled in his Sponge Bob fishing pole every 3 seconds just to make sure.
• But at least one fish was hungry later that night in the pond by the house...and the Sponge Bob fishing pole caught him! Parker couldn't sleep all night because he was worried that his fish was in his room "wiggling." A poor, dying fish was almost more than Parker could handle.
• But that didn't stop him from going again. The next day, all the kids caught fish. We cooked all TEN for dinner! (They were yummy...but we had rotisserie chicken just in case!)
  
• We saw Park City and the Wasatch Mountains from way up high on The Flight of The Canyons gondola ride.
• We rented a jet ski at the windiest reservoir ever...Jordanelle! Luckily they let us come back another day after the weather turned for the worst on the first try. We tried to brave it out, but after Joe took me for a joy (death) ride through the choppy waves, I was done. Round 2 was much better...even Parker loved it! (But it didn't beat standing on the beach throwing rocks with Blake!)
  

• We cried, we laughed, we played lots of "Heck, Fire and Darnation," we went on morning walks and bike rides, and we ended the week even more sleep deprived than when it began (darn kids who don't know the meaning of sleeping in!).
• For me, the week was a solid reminder of just how much I love and need my family. My kids loved playing with their cousins and Grandpa and Nannu...and nothing made me happier than watching them play. (Too bad the newlyweds missed out and had to spend their time on a dang cruise!)

We love you guys! Come again soon!!!

Raubel Reunion 2009

What seems like just a few years ago (in 1998), I graduated from High School. I moved to Utah to go to BYU. My sophomore year, I went on a little study abroad to the Dominican Republic. I'm pretty sure one of the reasons I was destined to go there was to meet Rachel and Aubrey who were also in the program. (Of course the reason wouldn't be to actually learn Spanish...pssssh...that's what college was for). I HAD to meet these girls. When we got home, I lived with Aubrey and Rachel and their other friend who would also become one of my best friends, Eleisha. And thus was the beginning of RAUBEL (Robyn, Rachel, Aubrey, and Eleisha...four names in one! Get it? Dorky? Fine.)

I must still like these girls, because THREE years ago, we chose to have a little reunion over the weekend of my 26th birthday. Two of us had teeny, nursing babies, but we didn't want to miss out on the fun. So we brought them along. We celebrated, and I left even more sleep deprived than when I'd arrived. This year, over the weekend of my 29th birthday, we had another reunion...this time in Vegas. And my present to myself was to LEAVE my children home! I couldn't miss out...friends like these are hard to come by. A weekend away with these girls was just what I needed!

We ate. We shopped. We laughed.

We ate some more, and laughed some more. (What's on your shirt, Rach?)

We sweat. We swam. (And no, Michael, I didn't come home with a spotted tan, thank you very much!)

We saw the latest Cirque du Soleil show, The Beatles LOVE show. We loved it!

Did I mention that we ate? My new favorite chips and salsa are in Vegas...at the Isla Mexican Kitchen at Treasure Island. My favorite birthday dessert continues to be at the Cheesecake Factory. We were even good girls, and went to church...only to find out that it was the Spanish branch! Fitting, since Spanish is sort of what brought us together in the first place. (Even Eleisha, although she doesn't speak it! Her and I wouldn't be friends if I didn't!)

Rachel is getting ready to move her little family to Australia. Here's hoping that our next reunion is somewhere down under!

Problem is, I may never again be able to bribe anyone to watch my kids. While we were gone, my sweet mother-in-law and hopefully-still-friend, Kandis watched my kids while Joe worked.

Kandis made it look like she had a fun day by taking these pictures in our backyard:

But what you don't see is that Avery actually threw up all day long, and Parker decided that he didn't want to poop in the potty anymore. Kandis is going straight to heaven!

Joe's weekend wasn't much better. So thanks to RAUBEL, Mom G., Kandis, and especially my amazing husband Joe for giving me the best birthday present ever...time for ME!

And after one day back...I'm ready for another vacation! (I know, poor me...)

Let's do it again soon, girls!

Cruise Photos

I know I've taken WAY too long to stop already with sharing the details of our Cruise that ended a month ago today, BUT I just have to share a few more things.

We traveled with the travel gurus, Matt and Erin. And let me tell you, traveling with them is THE. WAY. TO. GO.

1. They research every aspect of every minute of the Cruise, sorting through the necessary information to help you plan the BEST trip ever.
2. They are easy-going, and not discouraged when their hours of planning are destroyed by a slight itinerary change. Stupid Swine Flu! Your well-planned Western Caribbean Cruise turning into a last minute Eastern Caribbean Cruise doesn't phase them.
3. They stay up all night researching the new ports!
4. When your husband would rather eat at the midnight buffet, your SIL Erin will dance with you!
5. Erin will also sing karaoke with you!
6. They are the only dinner mates who won't think you're crazy for ordering 5 different entrees. And appetizers. And desserts. Every night.
   
7. They will let you use their calling card to check on your babies.
8. They will make you laugh 'til you cry.
9. They will make you feel good about your scary Gloria Estefan karaoke performance.
10. They will bring along a really expensive camera, and send you the eleventy billion pictures!
11. A few of the pictures will look like this....

THE FOOD
THE BEACHES

THE FORMALS

THE STOMACH-ENLARGING FOOD

THE BEST TRIP EVER!!!

Thanks, Matt and Erin! We'll travel with you again anytime (even without the big, expensive camera!)

Joe's "Chicken" Karaoke

I'm not the only one who sang Karaoke on our trip! First, Erin and I decided to do a little rendition of Tiffany's I Think We're Alone Now. We were pretty proud of ourselves in our matching black dresses......but we were put to shame by my cute husband. His "chicken" rendition of You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling won him lots of drunk friends. He proves that you can have fun without alcohol! We all vowed that "What happens on this ship, stays on this ship." But some vows were meant to be broken. (Although I'm pretty sure I'm not going to post my Gloria performance in video...come to my house if you want to see it!) Here's JOE! (Love you, babe!)

Let's Start at the Very Ending...A Very Good Place To Start!

I promise not to bore you with every last detail of my Cruise--I still want friends when I'm done! But I couldn't go without blogging about one of the scariest, yet funnest moments of my life! (I wouldn't be me if I didn't find SOMETHING, even on vacation, to stress me out just a little bit.) I found it on the first night of Karaoke: auditions for the final big show of the week on the Carnival Glory...Carnival Legends! Auditions were being held that very night for none other than Gloria Estefan! I signed up. I sang. I sat down. I waited for someone else to audition. NO ONE DID! So, by default, I won the audition! So throughout the week, while others on the beach listened to their own music, I listened to a little mp3 version of Rhythm is Gonna Getcha to prepare for my big night!

So I never made it past the first round of American Idol auditions, but I had my shining moment on the big Carnival Glory stage. I actually had a blast and decided that I'd WAAAAY rather sing on a big stage with lights shining on my face, in front of thousands than in Church! In Church you can see everyone's face. On the big stage, I couldn't see a darn thing!

Praying I'd remember the words...

Me with my "dancer-escort" at the end of the show...

Showing off the new look...

And the full Cruise-passenger cast...

I'm thinking about coloring my hair...what do you think?

By the way, if you're ever planning a vacation, plan it with a family photographer! My cute sister-in-law, Erin, documented EVERYTHING! Thanks to her, you're probably going to see way more pictures than you want. Stay tuned. (She may even have a few goodies from the beaches at St. Maarten...look out!)

Cruise, Glorious Cruise!

Hi, friends! Is anyone still there? I'm in denial that I no longer have a vacation to look forward to, so pulling myself together to post a blog hasn't exactly happened. And now that I'm ready to share with you all the blissful 8 days I spent away from my children, I can't find the camera cord. So instead I'll give you a few highlights of my Western turned Eastern Carribbean Cruise on the FunShip Carnival Glory!

• Food, Glorious Food!
• Sleep, Glorious Sleep!
• Sun, Glorious Sun!

That pretty much sums it up, but here are a few more glorious moments...

• Riding on the back of a motor scooter as my husband tried to remember to drive on the LEFT side of the road in Nassau, Bahamas.
• My husbands brother, Matt pretending he's a race car driver in our rented jeep on the island of St. John (while winding through the mountains also on the left side of the road!) Aaaaahhhhh!
• Island smoothies.
• KARAOKE! Joe did an amazing chicken rendition of You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling by the Righteous Brothers.
• Performing in the last, final big funship show as Gloria Estefan. I looked like a homeless person in the big, black curly wig, but I got to sing Rhythm is Gonna Getcha in front of a few thousand people! My years growing up listening to my dad's favorite Latina singer, Gloria, paid off. Aaaaahhhhh!
• Learning that you should NEVER, under ANY circumstances go to the beach on the island of St. Maarten unless you want to see lots of wrinkly, fully nekkid bodies. F.U.L.L.Y. N.E.K.K.I.D. Not what I signed up for. I'm still trying to get the images out of my sheltered mind. But the beaches were beautiful!
• Running (fully clothed) with my (fully clothed) husband on said nude beach.
• On Deck For the Cure
• Joe winning the free-throw contest
• Our cruise director, Butch from Minnesota...ya!
• Getting dirty looks from the drink servers everytime we ordered ice water.
• Being more tan than all of my Utah friends...won't last long, but I love it while it lasts!

It was great. It was even greater coming home to my babies. Sort of. But I'm ready for another sleep-ful trip.

Pictures will be up soon, if anyone's still out there. What have YOU been up to?

Our Trip To Warsh-ington

When you decide to take a road trip to Washington, first make sure everyone's healthy. Baby vomit isn't the best odor to travel with.

A lways find a hotel close to your final destination last-minute to avoid passing the throw-up bug to all five of Brian and Carrie's kids.

Survive the first night vomit-free, and haul all your stuff to the all-too-generous-to-let-us-crash-the-place-house-of-fun.

Happily watch your almost-3-year-old play for three days straight with his cousins Allie, Josh, Andy, Rachel, and baby Nate.

Ignore the mischief Parker and 3-year-old Rachel are creating--he's never played this well with anyone in his life! There's hope for the social-future of Parker after all!

Never move Parker from the "spider man" twin bed to the floor as previously planned. It'll be easier to sleep in another twin bed with your hubby than to endure the sure-to-happen-scream-of-all-screams when you move Parker out of his "special bed."

Go shopping. Spend money. Get pedicures. Rejuvinate with the girls! (Carrie, Allie, and Grandma Cathy)

T ry (unsuccessfully) not to cry as Joshua gets baptized. (Or as he wins 4th place in the pinewood derby!)

Opt to stay awake talking, and playing Rock Band each night. Also decide to stay a few hours longer than planned on Sunday morning for a special pre-trip feast.

Nudge your hubby every-so-often to make sure he's awake as the rest of you doze off. Cut an hour off the previous 12-hour drive time with the new and improved vomit-free-travel!

Thanks, Brian & Carrie, for having us! We had a blast!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Camping...

Overheard (last Thursday):

Marci: So, what are you guys doing today?

Robyn: Well, I'm not sure. We were thinking about going camping, but it's the last day of the month, so Joe probably won't be able to get off early enough.

Marci: What? You're going camping? By yourselves? Weren't you going to invite us?

Robyn: Well...we weren't sure if we were even going. But if we were to say, invite you, would you come?

Marci: Uh, yeah!

Robyn: OK, so do you want to go camping with us for a few nights?

Marci: Sure! We'd love to! I'll tell Marcus to get some firewood and take tomorrow off. We need to do something spontaneous! I'll leave right now to get a spot!

Robyn: Sounds good!

(a few minutes later...)

Robyn: So, I guess we're going camping.

Joe: Really? Well, I won't be off until at least 7 (which will turn out to be 8), so we'll probably have to set up camp in the dark!

Robyn: Well, Marci already went to get us a spot, so we have to go!

Joe: Alright! See you at 7! (Make that 8). Wait, what? Marci's coming?

Robyn: Yep! She talked me into it!

____________________________

So turns out we went camping for my 28th birthday celebration! When I married Joe, he informed me that we were going to be a camping family. I'm a shower-and-wash-my-hair-every-day kind of a girl, so I wasn't too sure I'd let his plan succeed. But as things turn out, it's kind of fun to get dirty every once in a while.

Camping highlights:

• Forgetting to put batteries in the lantern before leaving.
• Marci and Marcus forgetting batteries for theirs as well!
• Setting up our tent in the dark.
• Joe's trip down the canyon the next day for the essentials I'd forgotten (including batteries, his contact solution, and deodorant).
• MY BIRTHDAY!
• Walking around Silver Lake.
• Jacob falling in!
• Parker throwing a tantrum on the boardwalk.
• Laying next to Parker as he fell asleep in the tent. Each time I thought he was out, I'd try to sneak away quietly. He'd pop up every time (the kid has serious mommy radar) and say, "Mommy, stay. I want you stay." Me: "I'm just going to go potty, Parker." Parker: "Mommy, no goin' potty. I want you to stay." Me: "OK, I'll stay!" Such a sweet boy!

  

• Great meals! Marci and I did pretty great for having a 5-minute over-the-phone planning session!
• Even better snacks! Mmmmm....smores!
• MY BIRTHDAY!
• My surprise B-day Cake!
• Lots of walks to get Avery and Tate to sleep!

  

• The beauty of having NOTHING to do!
• Jacob getting sick.
• Jacob and Marci leaving in the middle of our game of Settlers (since we actually had working lanterns on the second night) so that Jacob could sleep in his own bed.
• Parker and Avery waking up WAAAAAY too early.
• Marci returning early to gather her also-sick husband, tired baby, and stuff!
• Parker falling off the picnic bench as Joe and I were folding the tent...onto his head!
• Parker being OK!
• Feeling so grateful for my little family...there's just something magical about being in the great outdoors together! I loved having all four of us crammed into our two-man tent! (But if we're really going to be a camping family...it's time to upgrade!)