California trip and Baby M- 2013

Ok... back to current times! A few weeks ago, Nicole and Jenna went on a rode trip with the kids to California to see David and Allie's new baby, Maddy. She was gorgeous! I can only pray that my baby will look anything like her! She liked to cuddle and was so sweet. The closer she could curl into a person the better. We also when to the arboretum and Knott's Berry Farm and the beach! It was a fabulous break!

Nicole and Creed at the Arboreitum 

Me and my horrid sunburn next to my gorgeous sister

Mike and Creed at the pretty waterfall

Cole and I

The entire Strong family

Drew, me, and the Baby. 

Savannah never wanted to leave the baby's side!

All of my brother's and sister

Look at those big blue eyes!

David, Nicole, and Madeliene

Cute cousins

Rex thought the baby was oh so funny

Hiking Lower Calf Creek Falls- Sept. 2012

Kellen, Ellie, and I decided to take a little camping and hiking trip.  We stayed overnight at Fishlake in Randy's trailer, and then went to Lower calf Creek for a rather ambitious hike!  It was longer than we anticipated and so hot, but quite an amazing view at the end.  We took El on our little journey and ended up carrying half the way back... the little sissy pants.  I can't blame her exactly, (it was REALLY hot) but if we weren't carrying her we would have to bribe her with beef jerky.  Just a small example of how easily manipulated we are by cute things! 

Ellie loved to watch out the window as we drove across Utah

And was very curious once we got to the Falls...

But refused to go anywhere near the water... see what I mean about high maintenance?

Seriously! How stubborn can one tiny thing be?

Ellie LOVED Kellen. Here he is with his little best friend.

She was terrified when he walked in the water with her

She eased up a little when he came out of the water again

Ellie and I a safe distance from the falls

Kel and I took turns going all the way in.  It was a very cool secluded waterfall.

On our hike back... holding the poor tired girl

It was a interesting hike with a lot of pretty red rock and cliffs.

When we were dog people...

Continuing with our history over the past year or two... in the fall of 2012, there was a very brief period of time when we were dog people.  3 months to be precise.  When Nicole moved to Utah we took care of her adorable Yorkie named Ellie.  We taught her to roll over and shake and she learned how to be adorable all on her own.  However, then it came time for us to give her up and I still miss her from time to time.  She was fabulous but also very high maintenance.  Here is a brief account of our journey with Ellie May the 4.5 pound Yorkie.

This is my El, curled up in a ball on my lap taking a small nap. She and I were usually sleeping buddies until Kel decided to put us both to bed.

This bone and Kellen were the joy of her life

Ellie loved Cafe Rio just as much as us...why shouldn't she she have her own chair at the dinner table?

While Kellen and I were studying, Ellie thoroughly enjoyed watching tv with us

Wakeboarding in Arizona

My dad took Kel and I wake boarding in May 2012. It was a blast! It was one of the first time Kel has gotten up and got to ride for a long time. I jumped a little, and fell a lot. I glad my dad took us, it was pretty fun!

Hunger Games premiere

Kel made us shirts to go to the opening of Hunger Games! I was really excited! We have listened to all of the books on tape at one time. As with most things, the books were better than the movie... But it was fun all the same!

Cruise part two- Cabo San Lucas

So I know this is delayed... But did I mention that our cruise was actually a year ago in March 2012. It counted as both of our birthday presents/every other present for the rest of the year :) Cabo was also beautiful but much more developed and touristy. However, we did get pretty far into town because we searched for like 3 hours to find an authentic Mexican food place. We finally did, and it was pretty interesting... While we were waiting for our food they just brought us a plate of random meat. It was pretty good. There were tons of seal lions too that would just jump onto the back for fishing boats as they entered into the harbor. That was amazing to see because they were so huge! Or cruise was unbelievable! I would go on another in a heartbeat!

Look at this handsome guy in Cabo San Lucas!

We were both a little burnt by the time we got to Cabo

This was in the window in the bottom of our boat in Cabo. They threw out food and all these fish went crazy.

I obviously thought it was the coolest

Here is the other random couple on the cruise that went with us on the snorkeling tour at Cabo

I believe they call this rock the finger of God

My first snorkeling adventure...scary but amazing!

That little yellow pipe sticking out of the water is Kellen snorkeling

Kel being king of the speedboat

You can't see it but I am pointing to a giant sea lion in the harbor

The industrial beaches of Cabo San Lucas

I love laying on the beach with Kellen

Here is our authentic mexican meal in a restaurant with zero doors or windows