Summer Fun Has Begun!

Top 10 Things Happening with the Gardners:

#1- Teeth! MaryKate has 2 bottom teeth & more coming in!

#2- We were asked to work as tour guides again this summer in Park City. We take groups on hot-air balloons, trains, rafts, hikes, ropes courses, zip-lines, water park slides, roller-coasters & more. We stay in a resort on the week days with our group. I did 1 week alone, but James finishes his semester this week... so the rest of the summer James, MaryKate, & I will work together as guides! MK will be very informative & helpful I'm sure!

#3- Matt & Kathryn were in town visiting with their cute little Harrison & took us to Market Street Grill for the most delicious dinner. It's so fun to have good friends in town!

#4 - In between classes and homework, James has been doing some photography on the side. We drove to Las Vegas for a wedding and up to Ogden for a family shoot. He really enjoys it and it is fun to see the finished products.

#5- MaryKate is growing like a weed... maybe more like a redwood. She is standing next to Lia, Camille's 3 month old pretty girl. As you can see, 5 months makes a big difference especially if you're in the 97% of all babies.

#6- Crawling is a bore when you can WALK on the floor. MK does not know how to crawl still. She's 8 months & can scoot backward and rotate in a circle on her tummy & roll a lot, but still no crawling... but she LOVES to walk. She holds my fingers and we walk & walk & walk! She may learn to walk on her own before she learns to crawl.

#7- She still loves reading, but now she does it on her own for long periods of time.

#8- We've been on lots of walks & trips to the park. At Liberty Park down the street from us, there is a carousel & Ferris wheel. She seems to like the carousel with James.

#9- James & I finish the 3 month Body 4 Life program this week. I'll spare you the bathing suit before & after shots.:) I lost all the pregnancy weight and officially weigh what I did before I was pregnant with MK. It is so nice to fit back into my old clothes and be lighter, however, I must admit that some things may never go back to exactly how they were before the baby. Flat abs are history but like my sister, Mary says, "Just tuck it in & go!" On the bright side, I am healthier & James loves me gooey abs & all!

#10- Memorial Day came & went so quickly that I didn't have a chance to blog about it. We had to stay in town, but back at home in AZ my family had a very nice memorial for my brother, John. I wish I could have been there. Instead we got together with Ben's family & hiked to Stewart Falls. John once hiked it with me in flip-flops... so in memory of him, I hiked it in flip flops this time too. I still miss him so much & think & dream about him almost daily... but as time passes it seems to be getting easier. MaryKate loved the hike! It was a lot of fun.

(John's kids, Megan & Josh, bringing flags & a picture for his grave)



MaryKate says see ya on the beach!