Ladies Lunch (and Matt)

Today was such a wonderful day!! I got to have a little reunion with my old college friend Nancy!! She is one of my all time favorite people!! You can’t help but smile when you are around this girl, and you wouldn’t believe all the things she does! She is my hero! Today Matthew and I got a chance to have lunch with Nancy and her daughter Anne at the Olive Garden! Although the food was delicious, the company was even better!! Thanks Nancy for the fun day!!


Nancy and Anne

Me and Matthew

Matthew pushing Anne in the stroller

Last week we went to the zoo with my sister in law and her girls! I can honestly say that was the BEST time I have ever had at the zoo!! It was so fun to watch Matthew!! He LOVED it!! He got so excited to see the monkeys and he also really loved the elephant! Thanks a million Heather!! We had a blast!! Here are a few pictures from the day:






On a separate, unrelated topic, Matthew found my deodorant and destroyed it. Here is a picture of the guilty culprit.

24th Weekend!

We had a wonderful 24th weekend!! I love the 24th!! It started (as it always does) on the 23rd. All of my family headed down to the Bountiful Parade and cheered me on as I walked with my primary kids. I decided that since it was nearly 100 degrees and being pregnant, I would be less authentic this year and wear a short sleeved blouse. I was REALLY glad I did!!


After the parade we went to my sister’s house and she made the most delicious dinner I’ve ever had!! She did a big pasta bar for my mom’s birthday and I think I want the same thing for my birthday! All of my family went in and gave my mom a pogo stick for her birthday. Is it just me, or is it really funny that a 57 year old grandma would want that for her only present!?

After dinner we enjoyed Heather’s amazing key lime pie and watched the fireworks. I think that Matthew thought that he was orchestrating the fireworks because he would point to the sky, say “go” and then get really excited that a firework would pop up!!





The next day we had a barbeque with Darin’s family at our house. It was also an excellent meal! We had steak, shrimp, baked beans, grilled crookneck squash from our garden, corn on the cob, watermelon, cantaloupe, and limeade! Then for dessert we had home-made peach ice-cream, which I didn’t do a very good job making. But, all in all it was a wonderful weekend!

Gunnerson Reunion

This weekend we had a wonderful Gunnerson reunion! Thanks Olivia (and Rick) for all of your planning, cooking, and hosting! The only thing that could have made it better would be to have Geoff and Jadi…we missed you guys!! We went up Friday night and had the best lasagna of my whole life!! It was so good! Then we watched mom and dad’s presentation of the new Cebu Philippines temple. Some people stayed up and played games, but I was a party pooper and went to bed.

Saturday the boys woke up early and went golfing. When they came back they took over the kids and the ladies went and got a pedicure!! The best part was the paraffin wax treatment! I think that I need to do that regularly!! It was heaven!


Our cute toes!


After the pedicure we met up at the park. We also met up with Nate and Janie, and we were thrilled that they could come!! We had some delicious lunch, played some games, and got some family pictures taken.

Here is the whole family all together: (minus Geoff, Jadi, Kayden, and Kaylee)


Mom and Dad:


Rick, Olivia, Luke, Noah, and Eli


Chris, Heather, Breanna, Parkar, Lissie, Katelynn, Jacob, and Logan (Magnus):


Nate, Janie, Cooper, and Hayden:


Darin, Haylee, Matthew, and bun in oven:


Thomas:


Darin racing Breanna:


Darin racing Hayden:


All the grandkids oldest to youngest (minus Kayden and Kaylee):


Thanks again for everything! I feel so blessed to have married into such a wonderful family!!

Yes, the Rumors are True!!

Baby #2 will join us January 23, 2011. We are thrilled!!

3 Years!

Darin and I had a WONDERFUL anniversary!! We went up to Log Haven up Millcreek Canyon! It was absolutely beautiful!! I hadn't heard of this restaurant before, but I guess it has won lots of awards, and it the most romantic restaurant in Utah. It was!! Darin and I got to sit at this really romantic secluded table that was in the corner of the restaurant with the most beautiful view looking right out to a waterfall!! It was beautiful!! I took my camera with me but I felt like the restaurant was too fancy to be taking pictures, so here are two I found online.


For dinner the chef started by bringing out a little spoon for each of us with a little chili dish and sprinkled cheese to get our appetites going. And it was super delicious!! Next, Darin started with a baby frisee salad with candied house cured pancetta, blackberries, butternut squash chips, and a citrus vinaigrette. Those blackberries were the biggest I’ve ever seen in my life. I got a Southwestern Cesar salad and it was excellent! The rolls they brought out were delicious, we had 9 grain, sourdough, and Asiago cheese rolls. They were all wonderful!! And, they served them with freshly whipped butter! After our salad and rolls chef sent out some citrus sorbet to cleanse our palate before the main course. And, onto the main course!!! Darin had the “Double R Ranch Signature Filet Mignon” with green peppercorn-gruyere potatoes, asparagus, malbec demi glace, and micro mirepoix. If we go back there, I will definitely get that!! His filet mignon was to die for!! My dinner was excellent too. I got the Pan Seared prime center cut Top Sirloin with peppercorn butter, Maine Lobster Tail and drawn butter, glace de veau, mashed potatoes, fire roasted asparagus. Mmmmm….soooo good!! It was a super yummy dinner!! i would recommend going there to anyone, as long as you are willing to spend a little more than usual. After dinner we went for a ride through the canyon and then went to Cold Stone!! What a great night!! Thanks for the 3 best years of my life Darin!! I love you!!

Fourth of July Weekend!

Happy Fourth of July Weekend!! Hope everyone had a good one!! We sure did, but we were also super busy!! Friday Darin's parents flew in from the Philippines and will be staying with us this July (and so will Darin's brother Tom--so our house is the party house this month!!) I made this fun cake in honor of the fourth!! I was really happy with how it turned out, and it was really fun to make!! If you want to know how to do it, I will add the directions to my food blog soon.
And here is a little video of the cutting of the cake. I love how my family is so nice to me! Also, I didn't know that Greg was making this video with his phone other wise I would have shown the camera.

Saturday morning Darin, Matthew, and I headed out to our ward breakfast. Darin's scouts did a great job presenting the colors, raising a flag, and retiring an old flag. My primary kids did a cute job playing "My Country Tis of Thee" on the chimes. We had a fun time! Next we went to my Aunt Charlene's house for our traditional 4th breakfast! It is really my favorite meal of the year!! The kids had fun playing red light green light, and Matthew had loads of fun running around with his dad! Next, the rest of the family headed to the pool for a swim, but Matthew desperately needed a nap so Darin and Matthew went home and I headed to our Stake baptism. After the baptism we headed to my sister Heather's house for some yummy lunch, popsicles, chalk drawing, painting toe-nails, and an intense game of rock band!! Saturday night we headed up the Cabin and stayed through Monday. It is always so beautiful up at the cabin and we always have such a good time. Matthew was playing in the dirt and threw a handful, and it came right back and hit him in the face! Monday morning we went to the Oakley Rodeo. If you like candy, that is a good parade to go to!! The little kids got so much candy! It was really fun!! Matthew loved all of the horses! After the parade we went for a fun and beautiful ride back to the cabin!! Monday night we headed back to Bountiful, and ended the weekend by watching fireworks!! I LOVE fireworks!! Probably my favorite part of all the patriotic celebrations!!

Missionary Night!

Last week we had the Young Men and Young Women over to our house. They came and did a little lesson as if we were not members of the church and they were the missionaries. They were really cute and did a great job. After their lesson Darin talked to them about his mission in Japan and we let them try some Japanese food. It was my first time making sushi, and I was happy with the way they turned out. We served sushi, pork and cilantro dumplings, and mochi. Some kids were really disgusted by the food, and wouldn't try it, others tried it but didn't like it, a few tried it and liked it. But, there is one kid that is my absolute favorite!! He is such a good kid, and we told him if he was really daring he could try some wasabi with his sushi. I wasn't paying attention, and I guess he just coved his whole piece with wasabi!! You have never seen such a red face in your life!! Poor kid!! And he still swallowed it!! What a guy!! We had a great time!