Lehi Round Up Celebration

I must say that I am a HUGE fan of small town summer festivals, and Utah is just the place for such festivals! John and I have lived in Lehi for 5 years now and have attended the Lehi Round Up all five years. I seriously look forward to it all year! This year we attended the Stock Parade, Rodeo and the Grand Parade. I'm sad we missed the BBQ and the breakfast!

The stock parade isn't anything great, but Eleanor enjoys it. This year I went out the morning of and laid out our blankets to get a good spot. I was shocked at how few places were left and it was only 8am! Crystal brought Riley and Aspen. It was cute watching all three little ones get so excited over the horses and the little candy they got! I told John my dream is to own a house on a parade route. There is a certain house in Lehi that I have my eye on....

Our experience with the Rodeo this year wasn't too pleasant! The day of the Rodeo I had tried to get Eleanor to take a nap all day but she was too stubborn! After the parade we went to eat with Jay and Scott and after dinner she fell asleep in the car. We had 40 minutes until the Rodeo started so we decided to just let her sleep in the car. She woke up as we were walking from the car and she was in a foul mood!! She didn't want to wear her new cowboy hat, she didn't want to wear her boots or her socks, she only wanted to be held and she wanted to go home!! She sat there and fussed for an hour so we finally gave in and decided to head home. (we felt bad for all the people around us to have to listen to her fuss). On the way out of the rodeo she threw a huge fit and cried all the way home. Before we left the rodeo I told her that if we go home she has to go right to her bed. She was not happy about that and cried all the way home saying she didn't want to go to bed. When we got home we put her jammies on and put her to bed. She cried for a good hour in her room. She was yelling, "GET ME OUT OF HERE" which John and I couldn't help laugh at! Finally she calmed down and we let her out for a few minutes. Of course John and I were a little ticked because we both wanted to stay at the rodeo! However, I think Eleanor learned her lesson. The next morning she told us she had gotten in big trouble for not listening. She even asked me to show her how to act like a big girl. It was hard following through with our threat, but it hopefully it pays off!!

The next day we went to the Grand Parade. I had was awake at 5am so I headed back down and put out our blankets. Again, I was shocked at how few places were left! We invited Kelly and Kristy Johnson to come with us. The parade was fun but a little hot and long. After about an hour and a half we decided to pack it up. Eleanor was getting hot and had poured an entire water bottle on her head and shirt.

Overall the Round Up days this year were fun. Hopefully we will be able to make it next year!!

Pg Parade

Last week we got to enjoy the first parade of the year!! I look forward to parades each year and I seriously can't seem to get enough! I guess they remind me of my childhood and the 24th of July celebration we had each year. Anyway, this year we decided to go to the Pleasant Grove parade to watch Michelle, Scott and Ashley walk. The weather for this parade was perfect! It was cloudy with a little bit of showers off and on! John and I lucked out with great parking and perfect seats! Jay and Scott came over and joined in. It was fun watching Eleanor copy everything Zack would do. She looks up to him so much and LOVES playing with him!

Before the parade Eleanor and I had a huge fight over what she was going to wear. Of course, she only wanted to wear her Princess dress. It was pretty chilly out side and I knew it would be impossible to run for any candy in her HUGE dress. After much debating, I won and Eleanor had to wear jeans. Well, while we were at the parade Eleanor spotted the first pageant winners on a float and turned her head with total attitude and said to me, "Mom, I really wish I had my princess dress on like them." Every time a float passed by with girls in dresses she would turn and say the same thing over again. It was pretty dang funny!

Girls NYC Trip

Hopefully this will become a tradition with the Hall girls. This is the second year in a row that we have all gone to New York together. New York is the perfect location for a girls week!! This year Amy was going to NYC for work. She and Sara called me to see if I could go but John and I had just gotten back from our Europe trip and I didn't think I could pull it off. Well, John is so sweet and he helped me get a free ticket with our miles and we surprised Amy. Sara was able to tell me what flight she was on and I got on the same flight and booked the seat next to her. My plan was to be sitting on the airplane when she got on, but I had a few mishaps with my flight and didn't get there early enough to beat her on the plane. Turns out she was two people ahead of me in the security line. It was awesome seeing her face when I yelled out her name!!

We all got spoiled on this trip. Since Amy was going for work we all bunked up with her at the Marriott on 49th street. It was amazing!! It was just Amy and I for the first night then Sara came the second night and Amanda the third night. Unfortunately, I had to leave a day before everyone else, but it was such a great trip!!

Some of the highlights were:
*Wondering the streets and dreaming of living in one of the amazing apartments.
*Enjoying our Godiva chocolates in Central Park while watching guest arrive for a Gala at the zoo.
*Katz Deli and the delicious Ruben
*Taking taxis (again, thanks to Amy's work)
*Watching three movies in our favorite theater, AMC Loews Lincoln Square
*Getting to the MET just in time for a free sprint to our favorite exhibits
*Going to the MOMA (and being able to just walk across the street from our hotel
*Great FOOD!!
*Going to Magnolia's more times then we can count!
*Witnessing a police sting. Gun and all!!!
*Enjoying the amazing view from the Rock!
*Singing along to "9 to 5"!!!
*Waiting for the cast members of 9 to 5
*Going to FAO Schwarz to buy Eleanor a Middleton Doll
*Searching NYC high and low for a squishy spider
*Buying matching purses with Amy and Amanda
*Sighting John Krasinki while eating at Cafe Havana.
*Amy spilling her food due to the previous mentioned sighting

Eleanor's Arizona visit

While John and I went to Greece, Eleanor got to go on her own vacation to Arizona. And let me tell you, she had the time of her life! When ever we called to talk to her, she did not want to talk, she was always too busy playing. Mimi, Grandpa, Aunt Sara and Aunt Amy were so good to her. They took to her to movies, to get new boots and out to eat. One thing they did not tell us until we got home was that she got in a car wreck with Davey and Amy (they didn't want us to worry about her!). They were taking Eleanor out on a little date and a young kid ran a stop sign and ran right into them. I guess it was pretty bad, causing $12,000 damage to Mimi's van. The funny thing about it is they didn't know Eleanor wasn't wearing any underwear (she is notorious for taking her underwear off when she uses the bathroom and then never putting them back on!). When they took her out of the car and the police officers were checking her out the discovered she had no panties on under her dress. She still talks about the little stuffed animal the "police offefer" gave her.

It was so nice being able to leave the country and not worry about Eleanor. I am so lucky to have such great parents. They really are the BEST grandparents in the world!! So great that when I got to Phoenix to pick Eleanor up, she was not happy to see me. She did not want to come home!!

Italy and greece

I hate that I am so far behind on my blog and that I have to go back and try to remember things from months past. Luckily while John and I were on our vacation we sat down the last day and made a little list of the main things we did each day. I found that list tonight and here it is:

Friday 15th: Flew out of SLC to NYC. Had issues at the airport getting our tickets to Rome.

Saturday 16th: Arrived in Rome. Took train to hotel. Slept for 4 hours. Visited Fountain Trevi while enjoying gelato! Walked to the Pantheon. Enjoyed a delicious dinner outside in a public square.

Sunday 17th: Visited the Colosseum. Very pleased with Rick Steve's advice about the Roma Pass. Walked around Palatine Hill. Enjoyed the sites, not the heat. John walked the Roman form, Julie rested. Finally found our way to the Borghese Gallery. Enjoyed a sandwich and a little nap in the park before our entry time into the gallery. Walked the streets while VERY hungry trying to find a restaurant recommended by Rick Steves. John found it and it was worth the walk! Enjoyed some great gelato on the walk back to the hotel.

Monday 18th: Visited St. Peters in Chains church. Walked to the prison that held Peter and Paul. Noticed my backpack was unzipped, but nothing was stolen. Got a little nervous! Did our one and only tour, the Vatican Museum. Wished we would have not done the tour and just walked it ourselves. Saw tombs of the Popes. Entered St. Peters. Bought and sent Eleanor postcard from Vatican City. Walked around the city. Had a rip off "snack". Walked and waited for restaurant to open. BEST meal in Italy! Beautiful flowers growing up the building. Saw a movie being filmed. Stopped by the gelto stand on the way back to hotel.

Tuesday 19th: Train to the airport. Flew to Athens. Finally found hotel after walking in the ghetto! Walked around Agora. Ate dinner outdoors. Met the newly wed couple. Found coke and candy for hotel room.

Wednesday 20th: Visited the Acropolis. Annoyed at the wind and my skirt flying up. Climbed the mountain across the Acropolis and enjoyed a great view. John got pooped on by a pigeon. Rang a very loud bell! Visited where democracy was born. Visited where Paul preached. Walked around Agora and the Roman Forum. Walked to the Temple of Zeus. Enjoyed the Arch. Walked to the stadium where the first Olympics took place. Enjoyed a nice nap and crepe for lunch. Walked around Placa. Had a great dinner and watched a huge dog perform in the street. Honor system of the Metro.

Thursday 21st: Found travel agent and Internet cafe to book trip to Santorini. Climbed to Acropolis again, could not enter. Great fruit from the fruit stand for lunch. Dinner at the same restaurant as night before. BEST baklava ever!

Friday 22nd: Up at 5:45 to catch metro to the ferry. Stole knife and bread from hotel for the ferry ride. 8 hour ferry ride. Met nice couple Kyle and Lyndsay. Did not enjoy the wind, but LOVED the scenery. Great picnic sandwiches. Had no clue how to get to our hotel. Shared the LAST taxi with another girl. Dinner with annoying couple. Walked the black beach. Laid on chairs and enjoyed the view. Enjoyed great baklava from local bakery on our private balcony. Loved the clean/white hotel.

Saturday 23rd: Breakfast at the hotel. A little time soaking in some sun on the beach. Walked around Fira. Bought a great ceramic olive oil bottle. Visited a local grocery store. Great deli meet and cheese and fruit for lunch. Enjoyed a gorgeous view while eating lunch. On the Ferry much too soon. Could have stayed another week in Santorini. Sat on a bench near Goody's on the ferry. Came up with a list of names for the baby. Got smart and moved to the first class section. Never inhaled so much smoke! Metro was closed so we had to take a bus in between stops. Finally got home around 1 am.

Sunday 24th: Up at 6 am for our trip home. John's first taste of wine.