fun weekend with family

jeff's family came to visit this last weekend and we seriously had a blast. we played lots and it felt just as much like a vacation for me as it did for them, since the last two weeks of school have been extremely stressful! and i am happy to report that now those two weeks are over, life has been stress free (momentarily) with no tests and not too many assignments. and i can handle that. we are now more than half way through the semester (in the ninth week) and i feel like i'm over the hump. with the holidays right around the corner, the semester will really be over before i know it. yay!!

everyone was able to come except jeff , amy and their cute little family. wish you guys could've been there, we missed you! thank you again paul and brenda for everything and thank you for coming!

here are some shots of the fun things we did while the gardiner clan was in town:

we finally hiked camelback mountain! it was a good hike!

don't be fooled by this picture, i'm not as tall as jeff. just chillin' on a rock...

i don't think this next picture does this part of the hike justice! so excuse me for this long explanation. but after looking at this picture, i feel like a wimp. although it doesn't look like it from the picture, this part of the hike was pretty intense! hence the railing. but maybe i was making it out harder to be than it really was. i was having flash backs from a previous hike. have any of you ever hyperventilated? like REALLY hyperventilated? yeah, it's bad news. don't ever hike the face of mt. ogden unless you know a way up with a trail! i seriously heart hiking, but without a trail is another story. who knew that a trail could make such a huge difference?? anywho, that is another story for another time! one that i am trying to block out of my memory... i had to take a picture of this part of the hike for myself to remember that i conquered it. and i could do it again, i just have to remember it's a mental thing. my husband kept saying it really wasn't that bad and i was just freaking out, i think this picture is proof:

we're hanging on for dear life!

just me n' smalls

these two were the entertainment for all the hikers once they reached the top. not sure how the lady behind jay feels about it...

so we did more than hike camelback, although that was the majority of my pictures that i took... we went out to eat, went shopping, swimming, took naps (well some of us), played settlers and zelda (some of us), saw the movie eagle eye which was very good!, walked around west gate, ate at kabuki (japanese restaurant) and went to church. here are some pics at dinner and west gate: for those of you who don't know, here's a little tid bit: west gate was built specifically for the super bowl last year. so it's still brand spankin' new. it's right next to the university of phoenix stadium (where the cardinals now play), and it's similar to gateway in utah. outdoor shopping, movies, restaurants, live music and beautiful water fountains. good times.

last explanation on pictures, promise. jeff didn't smile in this picture on purpose because he knows i hate it when he does that. (he just has such a cute smile!) i guess paul was in on it too.

so then we took one of just the two of us. i still hadn't noticed..

after looking at the pictures i noticed and so i of course made us take another one. he thought it was funny. of course, when he finally smiles there are no fountains in the background and i look like a walleyed salmon. little turd.