Oceanside 2010

A few weeks ago, a friend let us know that their beach house was available the 2nd week of July and they asked if we wanted to go... how could we pass that up?? Unfortunately it was short notice, so we couldn't arrange for Mitchell and Ashley to get off work... big bummer. I hate that my kids are getting so old that it effects our family life. I wish they were all little again! They used to love to travel with us and play games... now they want to be with friends, be on the computer and they have jobs that get in the way... I am sure it will only get worse... i am not looking forward to it. So all of you with little ones... I know they are hard... but have fun! They grow up way too fast!!

Anyway... My parents happened to be in town helping Scott and Jenn, so they came with us. Then we invited 2 of John's sisters to come along. Barbara is going through a tough trial and we thought she could use the beach therapy! She is staying at Cathi's in Mesa, so they both came. And Cathi's son Keaton came with them.

It was a beautiful week at the beach! High 70's, sunny skies! We got lucky, it was the hottest week of the summer in Vegas... 115 all week! We were happy to be away!

I enjoyed jogging on the beach every morning! Something I can't do at home right now... too hot! We played games, relaxed on the beach, bbq'd, built sand castles, read books, swam, walked to the pier and boogie boarded! The only thing wrong was Ashley and Mitchell weren't there! Ashley had planned for months to go to the beach on the Friday that we were there... so she and her friends drove down to San Diego on Thursday night to one of their relatives and they came and hung out on the beach with us on Friday. It was fun to have them for the day!

Here are a few of my favorite pictures of the week...

How beautiful! Right outside the door...

Boogie boarding...

Grandpa! The kids next to us asked Tanner how old he was...
they were impressed that he was still out there!

Tanner!

Beautiful sunsets!

John always has to build a castle!

Love hanging with my honey!

Tanner hitting some balls...

So pretty! Dad took this one!

I woke up to this nice note on the beach!

B-day lunch... John got me a Baskin Robbins cake! YUM!!

Dinner overlooking the harbor... good company, not so good food... bummer.

This is the sunset we saw while we ate!

My dad forgot to sunscreen his feet... they got so sunburned that he had to go to the dr. to get big blisters taken care of...if you want to see pics of the blisters, look at my facebook pics.
Not sure I want to gross you all out!

John, Cathi and Barbara

Cathi and Keaton

4 of the fab 5! Kristine, Leah, Kami and Ashley

The girls getting some sun!

If you could only hear them screaming!

Tanner and Dad playing some Frisbee...

I think he got buried a dozen times!

Watching the sunset...

Me and my daddy.

Not sure how I missed getting a picture of my mom! Sorry mom.
I hardly took any pictures. Most of these are my dads.

There is something magical about the beach. I came home very relaxed and refreshed.

22 years!

22 years ago today I married the man of my dreams!! I never imagined 22 years ago that I would love him as much as I do today!

We were able to spend Tuesday night and all day Wednesday up in Brian Head to celebrate our anniversary! It was so peaceful and beautiful! I love it up there and LOVE being away with my honey!!

I love you John!! I can't wait to spend eternity with you!!

This one is for Julie, Edie and Angela... the only family who reads my blog!

I won!

My sisters and their spouses and I have been doing a "biggest loser" competition. We started 12 weeks before the wedding. We all needed a little motivation to get in shape for the wedding. We all put $50 in a pot and the person with the highest percentage of weight loss won the $.
I won!!! yahoo!!

Everyone did really good! It was very motivating to do it together! We had to send Gary our weight every Monday and he made a spread sheet telling us what our percentages were each week. Thanks Gary!!

I still have a ways to go to get to my goal weight... but, I am happy about what I have done so far! We decided to do phase 2 starting this week. I will let you know how it goes in another 12 weeks...

Good luck on phase 2... Cindy, Steve, Julie and Gary!

They had a little celebration for me!

Julie popped a little confetti popper on me and scared me to death!

Wish me luck on the next 12 weeks! 20 more pounds to go...

In case you forgot... here I am a few weeks before the competition started... yuk!

Dave and Rebekah... together forever!

My little brother David got married to Rebekah Belnap on Wednesday, June 23rd in the Timpanogos Temple. I am SO happy for them both. They are a perfect match.

On Monday we went swimming at the Stoddard's pool.
It was fun to get the kids together with their cousins.

Silly Tanner....

Andrew and Brendon

Vincent, Andrew and Dallin

Grandpa with Tiffany, Charity and Natalie

The girls had a great time swimming! Tiffany, Emily and Natalie

Look at those blue eyes! Justin and Ashley... Ashley adores all her little cousins!
She almost always had one in her arms!

My little girl is all grown up...

Ashley and my mom.

The Stoddard's (Sharolyn's parents) have the best playhouse out back by the pool.
The kids love it!

On Tuesday night we had a picnic with Rebekah's family. We did this instead of lunch after the wedding. I LOVED it. It was so nice to get to know her family before we were all
sitting in the temple wondering who was who...

John and Afton.

After we ate, we each told something that we loved about Dave and Rebekah...
it was really sweet.

Ashley, Emily, Scott, Dave, Tiffany, Rebekah, Natalie and Rebekah's dad.

My mom's sister Lois came from Illinois. It was so fun to have her there!

Dallin couldn't wait to eat his cupcake!

Gary, Dallin, Shawn and Todd

This picture makes me sad that Mitchell wasn't there! He would have been right with these cousins! Mitchell was working at the ranch and he had a scout high adventure activity there. I am wishing that we would have picked him up for 2 days...


The wedding day! Perfect weather!

This is my favorite shot! Look at Tiffany running for her dad with her arms wide open!
Natalie jumped into Rebekah's arms!

They are such a cute little family!

Ashley getting her hug! Rebekah was really good to ashley last year at BYU. She would call her when she was in Provo and she would take her to the store and out to lunch!

Cute boys and girls!

Tanner and Justin!

The Westra side... all of my brothers and sisters were there! I am sure Greg and John were enjoying the day with us! We missed Jenn
(Scott's wife who is on bedrest.)

All the nieces and nephews who were there.

Rebekah's family...

I love this picture of Ashley and Charity! So pretty.

All of the Westra's... (missing Curtis and Brad on missions and
Mitchell, Angela and Jenn couldn't be there.)

The reception was up at Todd's house in Midway. It was a perfect night!

I love this picture of Justin poking grandpa! Angela looks cute with a baby!
(Just teasing you Angela!)

The girls had so much fun together!

Ashley and Angela are the only girls in their families, so they are pretty close cousins!

Natalie, Emily and Ana were hiding under the present table for the longest time!


My dad talking with Sharolyn's parents and our cousin Tricia and her daughter Michelle.


Dallin sitting at the present table...

My cute mom and dad.

Cousins hanging out!

I Love my sisters!

Love this picture of Dave and Rebekah!

Silly Scott!

Julie and Gary picked up some sparklers at the Indian reservation
on their drive down from Seattle...

Congrats Dave and Rebekah! I am so happy for you!!!