Cutest Chunk Ever

I know I am an annoying aunt.  Whatever.  But if you don't want to pick this little chunk up and give her a squeeze, there is something really wrong with you.  I'm just saying.

Having Ourselves a Little Journey Moment

Yesterday my brother Taylor won tickets to a Journey concert on the radio.  This is not unusual.  Tay often wins things on the radio.  In fact, I believe the Thomas Family of 8917 Westbrook Drive is still banned from the lunchtime trivia call-in show on the oldies station in Boise because Tay supplied us with the answers so many times and we all took turns calling in and winning gift certificates to Red Robin.  But I digress.  What IS unusual is that Tay was driving home from purchasing tickets to the same Journey concert when he won.  The odds of that happening have to be like two bazillion to one.

In other interesting news, a neighbor I don't know all that well FLOSSED HER TEETH on my couch while at my house this week.  It was the weirdest thing.  She arrived with pre-cut floss in hand, flossed her teeth while we were chatting, and took the floss with her when she left.  So bizarre.  I can't get over it.

"Someday" Was Yesterday

There are a couple of landmarks along I-15 in Southern Utah where I also mean to stop someday when I have more time.  Driving back from St. George yesterday, I decided it was "someday."  Lucky for Tricia, right? 

First stop was Cove Fort.  We watched the video about President Gordon B. Hinckley's grandfather, who established Cove Fort as a waystation at the request of Brigham Young for travelers and early settlers in the Utah Territory.  (Happy Pioneer Day to one and all!)  We also toured the 12-room fort and admired the authentic quilts, telegraph, shotguns, and five-pound bread pans. 

Posing for the required photo beside a Swedish copy of the Book of Mormon.  Since one of our brothers served a mission in Sweden and the other served in Nauvoo, we will always have stories to share to distract senior missionaries who really want us to supply them with names of people we know who might be interested in learning more about the Church.  Thank you, Ty and Tay.

Our last stop on the drive home was The Red Barn outside Santaquin.  They sell fresh fudge (we tried Rocky Road and the Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter), ice cream, berries, jam, and all sorts of goodness.  Thanks to Biz for being a good sport!  In exchange, I will not mention that you brought TWO pairs of shoes on our trip... and I only brought ONE.  Oh, wait.  I just did.  Whoops.  That's just never happened before.  And it probably never will happen again.  So I feel it needs to be documented.  The End.

Tuacahn

Tricia and I celebrated the 24th of July with a trip to Tuacahn in St. George.  As you can see in the picture above (thank you internet) the outdoor theater in the middle of a red rock canyon is stunning. 

Also stunning was the actor who played Aladdin.  What an amazing voice!  I'm kind of in love with him.  (Understatement alert.)

Besides an impressive tenor, the play featured live camels, a 3-D cave of wonders, an absolutely hilarious genie, and lots of fireworks.  There is so much depth to the stage - you never know what's going to happen next. Can't wait to see Mary Poppins next year!!! 

It's What Fun Is

 

Saturday I went to Lagoon.  Disclaimer:  I don't like Lagoon.  It's hot.  It's crowded.  It's like its own little city where everyone is 13 years old and no one wears enough clothes.

But Tyler and Bryce have been saving their dollars for Lagoon this summer.  And if Tyler and Bryce are going to Lagoon, Aunt Traci is going to Lagoon.  End of story.

I thought (hoped) I would spend the day waving at the boys as they rode by on the merry-go-round and the bumper cars.  But no. 

The Jumping Dragon roller coaster was Bryce's favorite.

And Tyler couldn't get enough of The Bat.  The Bat.  Which, I might add, even Tricia only wanted to go on one time.  And she'll go on ANYTHING.

A couple of highlights from the day.  First was when I almost toppled into the fountain while doing a Cher impersonation that was intended to embarrass my nephews - but really embarrassed only me.  I must have been a little dizzy.  The second best moment of the day was when Bryce asked me why the person in front of him in line had such a big one of these (pointing-to-his-behind-because-we-don't-say-bum).  Priceless.

Conclusion:  I like Lagoon now.  It may be my new favorite place.  Until the next time Tyler and Bryce are in town... and we go someplace else together.

The Flasher Among Us

There are times when you know you really shouldn't laugh at a kid's behavior, because it will only encourage them.  So I probably shouldn't have laughed when Bryce bounced into the living room after his bath on Saturday night, said "Everyone in this room wants to see me naked.  I'm going to open my towel," and then proceeded to do just that.

I shouldn't have laughed.  But I did.  For the record, none of the people in the living room wanted to see him naked.  But we all got to anyway.

Missionary Mail and Other Weirdness

I got a letter from a missionary yesterday.  It made me ridiculously happy when I saw it in my mailbox.  I forgot that I sent a card to an Elder who is out on a mission right now (mostly as a favor to the lady from my ward who tries to make sure the missionaries get mail).  I sent him a Papa John's giftcard, so I'm pretty sure I'm his new best friend.  But it amused me greatly to get a letter from a 19 year-old kid addressed to Sister Traci Thomas.  I need to write to missionaries more often.  It's something I haven't done much in the past 10 years.

In other weird news... I have been having the strangest dreams recently.  A couple of nights ago, I had a dream that Kim Kardashian was on my clogging team.  Yeah, that's weird.  And then I had a dream that the choir for an LDS General Conference was made up entirely of high school drop-outs. But Conference was also being broadcast from a swimming pool, so there was more than one thing wrong with that picture! 

Giving Texas Roadhouse the Finger

Thursday night I was at Texas Roadhouse having dinner with some friends.  I was cutting one of their delicious rolls with a steak knife and managed to slice a good chunk of my index finger instead.  Of course my friends (who happen to be a pharmacist and an ER nurse) made me go to the doctor.  Three stitches and one tetanus shot later, I was all fixed up.  Not exactly the evening out with friends that I'd had in mind!