AT HOME FOR THE SUMMER

My best buddy is home for the summer! I am so excited! Sister S is back in town to work during the break and it will be so fun to have her. When she got home from her mission she was here about a week before she moved away again, so we really haven't had much Mother/Daughter bonding time since. 

Mom & Daughter, happily shopping.

 Very first day back in town, she and Big C went climbing in Maple Canyon. She took these photos of Big C and his 'belay style'. Very non-invasive. haha!

Leave it to Sister S to take a climbing selfie.

That's a little too casual for my liking!

He's not even looking at her! Safety first?

HOLIDAY HOOPLA

I love Christmas time! It is my favorite time of year. We get to be with family, shop and more shopping, eat lots of good food, feel the spirit of the season (hope and joy and kindness), party and... just... everything about it!

My sisters and I met up for lunch and some shopping one day.

 The ward Christmas party is always a tradition. This year was fun. Santa even came to visit! I haven't been to a ward party with Santa for a long time. It was awesome! Princess P sat on his lap and when he asked her what she wanted for Christmas she said, 'I want my braces off.' He quickly responded, 'Braces make you more attractive to boys.' PERFECT!

Ward party with Little C singing with the youth.

This year we held our first ugly Christmas sweater party. It turned out fun! I bought some old, cheap sweaters at DI because I couldn't find any cheapies anywhere. I actually like they way they turned out. I just used stuff I had on hand (felt, rick rack, and a glue gun), sparkly pom poms, bells, and felt cut-outs from the dollar section at Target. Easy peasy.

Homemade Christmas sweaters.

GIRL'S DAY OUT

I took my daughters and went shopping the other day. It was SOOO FUN!  We got a little shopping in and also went to lunch. I love spending time with my children. They are my best friends. I wish Sister S lived with us so we could do it every week! haha

Darling daughters at Chili's for lunch. 

'Mom, will you buy us a flower?'

Selfie on the way home.

HANGING OUT WITH AWESOME A

Since A moved out to go to college (even though we live in the same town), we don't get to see him very often. I get to more than any of the rest of the family because he is in one of my classes, but we still miss him.

It's fun watching him do homework for my class. hehe

 We take every opportunity to be with him. He comes every Sunday to do laundry and have dinner with us, so that is nice. I am going to be sad next semester when I don't see him as much.

A few days ago, I had to make a shopping trip up to the metropolis (Provo/Orem) and I asked him if he wanted to come with me. He only had a morning class that day, so we left after that and had such a fun time! He's a pretty good shopping buddy for a guy. (Truth be told, he's probably more of a shopper than I am).

Shopping selfie of Awesome A and me!

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF @ SUNDANCE

We had a fun day yesterday! We got invited to go see my brother-in-law and nephew in Fiddler on the Roof up at the Sundance outdoor theater. I LOVE it up there! If you ever have the chance to go see a show up there, do it! You won't be sorry!

Princess P and Miss B are happy with their back-to-school purchases.

 First, however, my younger sister and I went and did a little school shopping with our girls and then met Hermana G and my other sister and her kids for dinner at Mimi's. We just had a blast!

@ Sundance. (I am not sure what I am laughing so hard for, but it must have been funny...)

You have to hike up the hill or take a tractor shuttle to get the theater, but it is very worth it.

Here we are!

The play was excellent and the weather was perfect! We couldn't have enjoyed our outing more.

CHRISTMAS CRUISE- DAY 8 MIAMI

Today we got off the boat at round 10 am. We didn't have anything planned in Miami and our flight wasn't until 4 pm, so we went to a mall and shopped for Christmas presents.

Waiting to get off the ship and watching 'Myth Busters.'

 After the shopping we walked to a park right next door and hung out in the sunshine. It was 20˚ colder than last Saturday, so we didn't want to go to the beach, but it was still nice outside. We were laughing at the Miamians for wearing their winter coats. We thought it was a beautiful day!

Princess P rides the wave and Little C hugs the dolphin.

S, D, and A enjoy the beautiful sunshine.

Little C and Princess P pose by the palm tree for me.

Our flight took off and it took us 5 1/2 hours to get to Vegas then we had to drive 5 more hours to get home. 2:30 am!! We were exhausted but happy to be home!

CHRISTMAS CRUISE- DAY 6 GRAND CAYMAN

Grand Cayman was clean and beautiful, but not very friendly. We took a taxi to Smith beach and snorkeled, built sand castles and baked in the sun. It was a low key day compared to yesterday.

Princess P and Little C ride a big lizard statue.

The snorkeling was pretty good. I saw a small octopus and there were big schools of fish.

The little cove we hung out in all day.

We got lots of sun!

My sand/snowman.

It was very hard to remember that it was Christmas time. We were in such warm, sunny places it just didn't feel like winter! They were getting snow back home though, because we came home to it.

At the port.

Princess P and I got sun dresses here and A bought some Hard Rock Cafe tshirts too.

Our family photo.

This was our next formal night, so I made us get a family photo. I really like how it turned out. We look all tanned and happy!

LATE SCHOOL SHOPPING

 We did our school shopping. D and A had a check up with the oral surgeon yesterday, so we decided to make a day of it. May I just say that it was obvious how behind the Gordons are compared to the rest of Utah? Everything was very picked over! I couldn't even find any size 12 jeans for Little C. We will just have to wait a few weeks until the stores restock. Sheesh!

Red skinny jeans.

I never thought I would be buying the same pants for both a son and a daughter, but this shopping trip proved me wrong. Yikes! Can I really let my son wear those???

A bought these Vans. LOVE!

I am a huge fan of Vans. I know they don't last long compared to how pricey they are, but I just can't help it. I love 'em! Maybe I need to get some for Big C. Would he wear them?

Taco Bell for lunch. Doritos Locos tacos were a big hit.

I am not sure how it happened (because it never does), but we all agreed on Taco Bell for lunch. I have to admit I love it. (Not to say that Cafe Rio wouldn't have been better, but at least I got 'mexican' food).

Light up Sketchers.

These little babies are the last thing I can't believe I bought. I have always thought flashing light shoes were tacky, but Princess P thinks they are fabulous and since we were at Ross and they were 50% off, I caved. Hope they last. 

One more step towards school starting again. I am still not happy about it, but at least I'm not in denial anymore...

PEDICURES, LUNCH AND SHOE SHOPPING

The title says it all! My idea of a perfect day!! Since it is our spring break, one of my friends from work suggested that we go have a girls day out with pedicures and lunch. To do this we need to travel an hour, so it turned into a mini road trip 'up north' to the big metropolis.

Here are A and I getting our feet pampered. I LOVE pedicures!! Can you tell?

This is me with K. We had a great time! I haven't had a pedicure for about 7 years, so I was thrilled. It was a special treat!

Here are my lovely new flip flops and my beautiful toes. My feet feel like a million bucks, wish I had the body to go with them. After our spa pedicures, we went to lunch at one of my favorite places- Carrabba's (YUM!) and over-ate. Then we went shopping. I, of course, bought shoes because I don't already have a hundred pairs in my closet! Man, I live a rough life. How did I get so blessed?? So glad I have such fun friends who are also co-workers.

BLACK FRIDAY FUN

I believe you need to be a woman and a true shopper at heart to love Black Friday. I don't know that there is that much money saved, but the excitement and the fun of going shopping is what it is all about. I really do love it! I went with my sister-in-law this year and we just had a VERY good time!

We shopped all day with a little break for lunch at Cafe Rio. I got lots done and had a blast! I'm not finished with all my Christmas gift buying, but I am lots closer now and had a great time doing it- which is the true Black Friday spirit!

MINI SPRING BREAK

My kids have been out of school for their Spring Break this week. Big C and I still have work (the college has NEVER had the same break as the schools), so my kids just stay home and don't get to do much.

The kids in their 3D glasses in the theater.

So yesterday I took them up to Provo/Orem for a day of fun. We went shopping to buy flip flops and swimming suits, out to lunch and then to see Tron in 3D. It was a great movie and a very fun day!

SKI DATE

D got Big C and I some ski passes to Park City and we used them yesterday. It was a good ski day. The wind was chilly, but some of the runs were protected so we just stayed there. I am tired, sore, and sun/wind burned today, but it was worth it!

I also got a new ski coat and got to try it out. I LOVE IT! Plus, it was 50% off! If you need a new ski coat for anyone in your family, Park's Sportsman (link) in Orem has everything 50% off.

Then we got Big C some new skis for 40% off at Kirkham's in SLC. We are both thrilled with our new purchases!

MOTHER/DAUGHTER BONDING

Nothing like a quick road trip to enhance a mother/daughter relationship. S had finished with her finals, so we took a run to Salt Lake yesterday to pick up my artist's book from the U and do a little Christmas shopping. (We were going to hit an art gallery too, but ran out of time).

After a bleu bacon burger here...

...we, of course, went to Target- a shopping staple in the Gordon household.

The Orem mall was next...

...followed by another very fun place to go.

And last, but not least, the mall in Provo.

I have to admit that I bought more than Christmas presents and spent more than I should, but that is not much of a surprise for a mother/daughter combination. We had a great time and...

...enjoyed a peppermint twisted frosty (which were VERY yummy) on the drive home. What a perfect day!