29 only comes once in a lifetime.

If you're reading this blog (unless you're a creeper who has never met me ever), you know that my birthday is my ABSOLUTE favorite day of the year. I know, I'm super self-centered, but I love my birthday. I was born on a perfect day, right by a holiday, in the summer. Vacations, beach, swimming, barbecues, all things that happen (or should) on my birthday.

Every year, I expect to be treated like I was as a kid...The whole day revolves around me, I don't have to do my chores, and I get to choose all meals and my mom makes them for me. And I should get a bike or something. And eat Ding Dongs. No crying kids, no laundry, no cooking, no cleaning.

And every year, that doesn't happen. It's not my husband's fault. But, that doesn't stop me from blaming him for not having the best day of my life on July 5th each year.

Enter Grumpy Megan, stage left....

Poor Justin, worked on my birthday and came home to me folding laundry, fuming (figurative smoke coming from my ears). To tell me that we're going on a fun getaway over the weekend and that Mark and Jenny are going to take the boys.

Exit Grumpy Megan, enter Guilty Megan.

 So, we stayed in Folsom, went to this beautiful place (it is so nice living closer to a temple...like, SO nice)

 Went to a fun little Italian restaurant that reminded me SOO much of a place I went to with my dad in Argentina...

 Went to a late movie (can't remember the last time I saw a movie STARTING at 10 PM...) and we were the only ones in the theater. We saw Midnight in Paris which I would TOTALLY recommend.

Went on a walk by this really beautiful river and talked, uninterrupted, for about four hours...Wow.

And came home to happy kids who loved playing with their cousins and their Uncle Mark and Aunt Jenny.

It was awesome. A good way to start out 29. And, rest assured, I did also receive flowers to make up for the lack of birthday worship. Poor Justin...He didn't have any idea what he was getting into. Bless his heart. :)

**Shout out to Mark and Jenny who really made it possible. I love living by them. More to come on them later.

June/July documentation

 For the Cars 2 premiere, we knew we had to do something special. So, we made Andrew earn it. A little hard work never hurt anyone. Andrew's form of hard work is going to bed. It is like the worst possible thing I could ever ask him to do...So we bribed him. He made it. Then he started being a stinkpot about going to bed that very night. Watch for the July installment of the bribe/goal chart.

 This was our 4th of July breakfast. We didn't feel like paying 6 bones for a disgusting chuckwagon breakfast, so we made our own. With green eggs, because that's totally patriotic. (Andrew's fave book right now is Green Eggs and Ham.)

 We went to the park on the 4th and played Go Fish. It was blazing hot.

Then, we went to Jenny's parents' house for a little pool party. Because it was hot. They have awesome dogs. Henry was pleased.

Birthday post coming next...Get excited. (Ugh, this post is SO boring...)

Why being me is kind of awesome.

JUST FOUND THIS SAVED POST...I didn't post it because I hate, double hate, loathe entirely how I look in these pictures, but I'm totally posting it anyway. Two reasons:

1. I haven't updated for a month...And it's time...And this one is already done.
2. It is awesome being me. I have a pretty good life.

I'm so popular with the boys...Finally.

I'm really smart because I can count past 20.

Even though I have frizzball hair, Andrew still tells me I look beautiful.

California and Justin's birthday

So far so good in the California department. It's super pretty here, we love our little (not actually little...We have a Costco 5 minutes away...My Texas friends can probably hear my joyous shouts from here) town, and it is really amazing how 10 months of Justin being gone basically all the time has helped us be really grateful for him. (sap, stop dripping from my fingers...it's making the keyboard sticky)

Henry is really, REALLY glad that Grandma and Grandpa let him borrow their train set. This kid is in LOVE.

Opening birthday presents...Andrew and Henry got to pick out one (dollar) present each. Thus, the lacing beads and water guns. Indian givers? I think so. (Sorry, after typing that, I thought, that's probably not PC. But, I don't know how else to describe their gift giving.) 

We have an awesome lake about 3 miles from our house. We went and saw the fish (maybe tadpoles, I don't know...) and geese and ducks today. The boys want to run there every day. I think we might.

At the incredible farmer's market our town has every week. We found paella and neopolitanas de chocolate. Happy birthday to Justin! The boys ate two pints of strawberries in like an hour. 

See? We're all so happy.

Here's a post Justin won't read

Justin hates blogs without pictures. And blogs with lots of words. So, here it is.

Utah was super fun. I didn't take pictures of all the best parts of the trip. Why? Because I hate taking pictures. Because I couldn't find my camera half the time. And because I think it's ridiculous to try to capture the un-capturable moments. I know, blogger, that's not a word. Whatev.

So, here are the undocumented moments:

1. Hanging out with Molly, shopping with Molly and Libby, and wishing I had more time with my two besties.
2. Hanging out at Cassie's after church. Another best friend moment not captured.
3. Watching FNL with Chase. And crying at the end. And him laughing at me (but I know he was really wiping tears).
4. Hanging out with my in-laws. I sincerely don't know why they pretend like they enjoy having us...my kids are loud, never sleep, and Henry gives absolutely no validation to anyone. We make a mess of their house and disrupt their schedule, but we love being there.
5. Sean putting Henry to bed. You have no idea what that does for me. :)
6. Watching many Little League games...Kimball's team won the championship!
7. Swimming with the kids.
8. Not seeing Andrew for hours at a time because he's outside playing.
9. Having someone to watch the boys so I can actually hear what people are saying.
10. Everyone being so determined to get Henry to like them. Makes me feel good.

That is all.

We're coming to a town near you...probably.

I am pleased to notify everyone that after one full month of travel, we have made it to our temporary final destination. Meaning, the kids will be sleeping in the same place for about ten weeks. Huzzah.

After Washington, D.C., Justin flew directly from Dallas to Sacramento to begin his internship. The boys and I headed back to College Station for a couple days to tie up some loose ends and then headed to Salt Lake to visit the family. Due to weather/typical Denver delays, the boys and I were stuck in the airport for about 11 hours. Thanks to my mother-in-law who truly just jumped on a plane the second she heard we'd be there for a while, we actually had a fun adventure. Also, thanks to the nice couple who shared their iPad with Andrew and helped entertain the boys. And thanks to the Angels, some old friends I ran into at the airport. Super fun.

We spent our days doing a million fun things in Utah, and basically wearing the kids down to emotional stubs with not an ounce of reason left. I blame myself. (Name that movie)

Elena basically just babysat Henry the whole trip. 

We had loads of fun with all the cousins (all my friends, says Andrew) and just being back in Utah where we can walk on the grass, stay outside for lots of hours without getting heat stroke, and see multiple family members within an hour's drive. It was awesome.

Lots of trampoline time... The babies loved it.

Lauren, Lucy and Andrew playing drums on their bellies. They did some strange things together, these three.

These two little wingnuts were SO cute together. 

Doris, Sarah and I went to see Les Mis. Oh, wow. It was probably one of my most favorite nights ever.

Chase for Uncle of the Year...He brought the Mav truck home and the boys were just freaking out of their minds.

Andrew and Eddie were cute little buddies.

This is the view from Troy and Jamie's street. Jealous much? I am.

Made a quick trip to Vernal to see my grandparents while my in-laws watched the boys. It was so wonderful to see them. My sweet grandpa doesn't remember who I am, but he held my hand and wouldn't let go. Very sweet.

 As I said, Henry and Lyla were quite the pair. Henry was always super excited to see Lyla. Lyla, perhaps not as much. Someday, they will be best friends. I hope.

Big fans of the USA

As a celebration of surviving the first year of Justin's MBA, we decided to pay a visit to the nation's capital. And by that I mean, Justin had a class on public policy in D.C., and the boys and I came along to visit my sis. Let's just say, this was one of the best trips we've taken so far in our lives. Justin was in class all week, but Kates and I just played our ever-livin' guts out. Hopefully we can someday live in the same state, time zone, neighborhood...Whatever. I'll take what I can get.



Andrew with his buddies MJ and Whitney. These are two of Katie's friends, and we owe them big for getting the biggest laugh from Andrew that I've ever heard. Whitney taught him to headbang while MJ jammed on her ukelele.



At the farm. Henry loves animals of all kinds. As you can see.



This is what I get when I say, "Say cheese!" Cute.



Andrew at the temple's visitor's center. I did shed a mom tear at this moment. I said, "Andrew, are you ready to walk around the temple?" and he said, "I just need to stand by Jesus for a minute, Mom." Good answer, kid.



Kates and I went to a baptism, and this is what we saw in the parking lot. Oh, man. Mormons are SOO awesome.

Kate's artistic photo of the D.C. temple. These flowers really were very beautiful.

We the Pizza. Holy smokes. This was good food. We also hit up Good Stuff next door (on the same day). Thanks Spike. Toasted marshmallow shakes...I'll probably be dreaming about those for a while.

Lots of brother love on this trip. These two were so darling.

On the metro. The boys LO-OVED the metro.

Andrew took a picture of us. Pretty good. And I'm pretty limber.

National Harbor. Boys couldn't believe all the boats and planes they got to see.

Ford's theater. This was way cool. I've never been before. We're glad Ry could come too. It makes everything more fun.

Henry and Kates at the theater. Henry warmed up to Katie and Ryan through the week...Which was a pretty impressive feat for anyone who's met/tried to hold Henry.

At the Capitol. I will probably never get tired of this place.

Just realized that not a single picture included Justin...Sorry babe. We'll invite you next time. :)

Fun things I didn't take pictures of...seeing Kayleen, sushi, Justin Bieber, seeing the Holtkamps, George Washington Parkway, trying to give Kates singing lessons, The Carlyle, questionable police activity, wearing Katie's clothes...