Cut my hair...

I got bored with my hair.  I was thinking of cutting it but to my chin.  In order to get enough for a hair donation, it would have to be 8-10 inches long.  If I cut it to my chin, I would only have 7 inches.  So I decided to be bold and grab a pair of scissors!  I divided my hair into little ponytails to make sure to measure enough for a donation and then started chopping away.

There's something really fun about cutting one's own hair.  I needed a little help with the back and Maxine did awesome with the clippers.

Merril likes this picture best.  He keeps it on his phone unlock screen.  It makes me feel like I'm spying on him constantly but he likes it there.

I think it's fun but it's the shortest I've ever had it!  People ask me if it's so fast and easy.  The.answer.is.no.  It takes longer than pulling it into a ponytail.  But it's fun and I was able to donate my hair so it's win/win.   

24th of July Parade...

The Primary is in charge of the 24th of July float in the Pioneer Parade.  Our trailer was used again and Libbi did a great job coming up with an idea for decorating it.

The gals I work with in Primary are amazing, with strong testimonies and they work hard.  From L to R: Me, Valerie B., Libbi M., Mandy F., and Tabitha R.

We roped Maxine and Valerie's daughter, Angelee, to walk with our sign, even though they aren't in Primary anymore.

Mikayla and her friend Brekka.

Libbi and my goofy face.

Julie!

Later that day, we went to the pool and Mikayla is getting really good at swimming so I had to take a picture!

Girls Weekend: The Price is Right...

If you can't tell, this is an elect group of ladies!  These are some of my favorite gals in the world: (LtoR) Sara Gilberg, Valerie Scott, Laurie Scholzen and me.  Last year for her 40th birthday, Valerie wanted to have a girls weekend in California to see The Price is Right.  Sara and I both had some small kids and so the trip got pushed.  Valerie is determined and this year made it happen.

We chatted nonstop in the car on the way down.  No radio, just constant talking.

Valerie grew up in California and wanted to visit the beach in Santa Monica.  First off.

We had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory!  So yummy.  We checked into a hotel and chatted the evening away and tried to go to sleep.  The next morning was Price is Right time!  We had to be there at 8:30

Waiting in line...

The whole thing is quite the process of waiting, getting numbers, waiting, talking, getting interviewed by the producer and more waiting.

We had a blast!  It was constant fun and happiness, giggling and being girls.  We were sat in the 2nd row, dead center!!!  It was so much fun!  High energy screaming, being excited and cheering for whoever was on stage.  We didn't get on stage but we had the.best.time.ever.  The show airs September 28th and I'm seriously afraid of what dorks we (OK just me) will look like on TV.  Then we headed home.  Can't wait to do something like this again!

Las Vegas for the 4th of July...

Merril was on a Japanese tour that wrapped up in Las Vegas.  We met him down in Vegas and spent a few days on vacation.  

We're getting silly while Merril checks us into the Monte Carlo.

And played on the sescalato

Then we went swimming at the pool!

Wearing our 4th of July colors!

My sister, Jessica, let us come crash her 4th of July.  Her neighbors set off a ton of aerial fireworks.

We moved back more than once because a firework came too close.  

Jess and I were sitting on the green blanket with Mark and Mikayla when an aerial firework came spiraling towards us!  I felt my leg burning and tried to back up and out of the way, totally leaving my defenseless young children.  Jess was scrambling too.  I heard her say, "The kids!"  She told me she turned back around in time to see the firework explode in the faces of my 2 young kids and all she could see were their silhouettes, still sitting on the blanket.  We run back to them and start checking them all over for burns!  They are both untouched.  Amazingly, I was the only one who was burned, just below the knee!!

Mikayla's shirt had a chemical-looking scorch but her skin was normal.  I thought for sure Mark and Mikayla would have face burns.  The blanket they were sitting on had a huge hole burned into it where the firework exploded.  They were feet away from the hole and escaped unharmed.  

I don't feel like we were just lucky.  I feel we were protected.  I am grateful to the concourses of angels that kept my little children safe that night.

The next day, the kids and I went to M&M World while Merril caught some extra Zzzzzzs.  His tour was long and tiring.

Mikayla wandered off at M&M World so I was paged to the bottom floor to retrieve my missing daughter.  She was hanging with a very nice, grandmotherly, security guard.  She assured me that Mikayla was very brave and didn't seem scared at all.  The tour company paid for a night in the Luxor pyramid.  The elevators moved diagonally instead of straight up and down.  It was a weird sensation that I never got used to.

We don't need an amusement park, just escalators.  

Our last stop before heading home was the Hollywood Car Museum.  

Poor Merril was tired and ready to head back home.  We need to remember not to schedule a family vacation right at the end of a week-long tour.

4th of July weekend at the Laub Ranch...

Merril was coerced (offered extra money) into doing a Japanese tour over the 4th of July.  :(  The kids didn't want to miss all off the fun out at the Laub reunion at the ranch so we went without Merril.  

I think they just like playing in the pond.

They like to jump off this tree.

Mikayla wouldn't be left behind.  There is no fear in that little body.  I wouldn't even get in the water to catch her.  She jumped all by herself with a life vest.  She popped up gasping from the cold but smiling.

Julie did it too.

Mark and I watched from the shore.

It was good times.