Team HOLLAday.

A couple weeks ago I had found a Groupon for the Salt Lake City Challenge: 

The Ultimate Urban Scavenger Race.  

It's a part 5K race, part scavenger hunt.  

This kind of stuff is right up my alley and Branson was pumped about it, too.  

Some of our closest friends wanted to join in on the fun, so we formed a team. 

Team HOLLA-day!  

We came up with this name because we all used to live in the same complex...Halladay apartments.  

We just changed the Halla to Holla-much more appropriate for the day!

Oh, and we made some pretty awesome t-shirts, too.

Once the clues were handed out, they gave us the go-ahead to open the envelope and the race began.

We were given 12 clues and had to accomplish 11 of them.  

The clues led us all around Salt Lake. 

We started at a restaurant called Legends and made it all the way to the temple at one point.  

We had to take a picture at every destination with every team member in each picture.

Here are some of the hilarious pictures during our adventure....

(We were trying to be quick so some of our faces are pretty funny)

Once we finished the clues, we booked it back to the finish line.

We really had no idea how we did, but felt pretty confident.

Once we get there, they tell us we were the first team!

We were so excited and couldn't believe it.

They look through all of our pictures to make sure we had everything complete and correct.

Well...one of them was wrong (kinda).

SO we had to JET back about 12 blocks or so to this parking meter, take a picture, and JET back.

As we are running back to the meter, about 10 teams pass us.

We were bummed but knew that they could have easily gotten it wrong, too.

Sure enough we see about half those teams running back as well, so we had hope again!

Once we made it back to Legends, they tell us we got third place.

However, the clue they had us go back to was wrong....

Every single team that came in either got sent back or deducted time because of that same clue.

So we put up a fight and every one agreed with us (even the first place team), but the main guy in charge was a real idiot and didn't want to admit that his clue was wrong.

So, we still consider us the champs of the race and made 50 bucks.  

Not bad for still getting 3rd place after being sent back, either.

The first 25 teams to finish qualified for Nationals which take place in Las Vegas in November and the first 5 teams get free admission to the race.

So we will definitely be competing at Nationals and are pretty stoked for it.

The winners get 5K...

Not a bad chunk of change :)

What a fun day it was and we are looking forward to November.

Sure do love this gang.

Easter Sunday.

We had a wonderful Easter this year.  

We invited family and friends over for a big Easter dinner.

Ham, potatoes, green bean casserole...the works.

Oh and some delicious "crack pie"...thanks Aarean for the recipe :)

We enjoyed a good meal, played a few games of taboo, and watched a few videos about Christ and reflected on His resurrection.

What a wonderful Sunday it was :)

Luckily I snapped a few pictures towards the end of the night...

Love these people.

Oh and of course had a little photo shoot of this guy...

I just can't help myself!

 I know that my Savior lives and I am so thankful for this day to remember all that He has done for me.

Hope you all had a blessed day :)

5 months.

Another month has flown by.  Our little munckin is 5 months old! 

Here are his latest acheivements:

* He can sit up on his own! He is still a little wobbly but gets more and more stable every day.

* He does this new thing we call "flutter kicks."  He lifts his head up, straightens his legs out and flutters them super fast.  It is ADORABLE and we die laughing every time.  The little mans got super strength.

* He says hi...we like to think so anyway.  We are constantly saying it to him and we swear he says it back.

* He seems to be recognizing his name and turns when his name is said.

* Close to rolling over from his back to his tummy.  He gets to his side and arches his back but then plops back to his back.  

*He has started to sleep on his side.  Probably time to stop swaddling him...

* Giggles like crazy.  It's my all time favorite thing.

* He puts his arms up when we unbuckle him from the carseat for us to take him out. I love this!

* Finally sleeping better at night...for a while he was good, but this last month was horrible. (I hope this doesn't jinx me)... Parks was waking up EVERY hour and needed to be rocked/soothed back to sleep.  Well i found out that a babies sleep cycle is every 45 minutes and he just couldn't put himself back to sleep.  So we started the cry it out method (kinda...i gave in pretty much every time).  It was the HARDEST thing and I was in tears every time.  But it has worked wonders and our little guy is finally getting the rest he needs.

* He loves hands...we will put our hands in front of his face and move our fingers around and he grins so big.

* He is definitely ready for solids.  He watches what we do so closely and wants to eat everything we eat.

* We let him suck on a lime and it was the funniest thing to watch.

* Helps put his arms through clothes when getting dressed.

We sure do adore this little blue-eyed blondie!

Parker at the park.

While in California last week, we took Parker to the park for his first time.  

With a name like that he was destined to love it...and that he did.

My sister Jenee came up from San Diego to visit and play with us.

The 70 degree weather that evening couldn't have been more perfect.

We love you, California.

Leibster Award

Two of my good friends Samantha and Mandy nominated me for the Leibster award.  I know...I had never heard of it either.  But it's this new thing where an "award" is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.  My measly 31 definitely falls into that category. ha. 

there are a few rules a nominee must follow to receive this award, which are:

1. each person must write 11 things about themselves that readers may not know.

2. answer the 11 questions the tagger asked, and then ask the people YOU nominate and tag to answer 11 questions.

3. choose 11 other blogs and link them in this post.

4. go to their page and tell them.

5. no tag backs!

Since Samantha tagged me first, I will answer her questions.  Sorry Mandy girl! :)

11 facts you may not know about yours truly:

1. Everyone calls me Shelly but my real name is Michele. ONE L.

2.  I am extremely ticklish almost everywhere on my body.  I squirmed every time someone touched my belly when I was pregnant.

3. I was a gymnast for eight years and had early release in 6th grade. No PE for me!

4. I am addicted to chapstick. Burt's Bees to be exact.

5. I have dislocated both knees more than 10 times. Killsssss.

6.  I'm a convert to the church and am the only Mormon in my family. So far ;)

7.  I'm a total gamer.  I LOVE nights where we stay in and play cards or board games.

8.  I am starting to love sewing.  My domestic skills are improving now that I'm a mama.

9.  I am a bit of a clean freak.  I hate when things are out of place and I can't stand when dishes are sitting in the sink.  I'm a little OCD.  Or as B calls it, COD (in alphabetical order).

10.  Branson and I have an itch to travel.  Tahiti, New Zealand, and Italy are at the top of our list :)

11.  I want to learn to play the piano.  I wish I was one of those kids whose parents forced them to play.  One day...

Now onto Samantha's questions...

1. (obligatory) why did you start blogging?  I had a goal to get better at writing in my journal but found that a blog was even better because I could add pictures to all my posts.  

2. where is your "happy place"?  My happy place is wherever my husband and baby boy are.  When I am with these two I am on cloud 9.

3. what is your favorite dessert? Oh gosh.  Do I have to pick one!?  I'd say caramel bars or lemon cake.  And ice cream. Agh!

4. do you prefer mornings or nights? I am a TOTAL morning person. Everyone who knows me knows that I don't do so well after say, 9 o'clock.  

5. chocolate or vanilla? CHOCOLATE!

6. what is your favorite type of music? I can't chose one...it really depends on my mood.  Let's just say there isn't any type of music I don't like.

7. guilty pleasure?  Watching reality TV and teeny bopper shows like Pretty Little Liars.

8. what is your bedtime ritual?  Feed and put Parks to sleep, wash face, brush teeth, prayers, pillow talk with B and usually knock out during this time. Sorry babe.

9. is there a meaning behind your first and middle name?  Not my first, but my middle name (Leslie) is my dad's middle name--which he hates because it's feminine. haha

10. your biggest pet peeve?  Probably what I mentioned above about dirty dishes in the sink/things being left out and messy looking.  And being late.

11. what is the last thing you checked off your bucket list? hmm...other than having a child? Probably running a half marathon.  

Now I tag....

Lyndsey from Cory and Lyndsey

Danibree from Opposites Attract

LaRee from The Pooles

Nicole from Moms Are People Too

Lane from Preston and Lane Phillips

Brittany from The Pynes

Callista from Ben and Callista Welling

Monica from The Mursets

Eliza from Eliza and Josh

Emma from the burton blogger

Sadie from Sadie's Spot

Here are your questions....ready GO!

1. What's your favorite article of clothing?
2. What's your favorite childhood memory?
3. Scariest moment of your life?
4. One word that would best describe you?
5. If your friends and aquantances were willing to bluntly tell you what they really think of you, would you want them to? Why or why not.
6. What is your favorite month of the year?
7. Favorite restaurant?
8. What's your favorite number?
9. What is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you?
10. What is your favorite Disney movie?

Wow that took forever, but was fun. 

:)

best weekend.

This past weekend my mom flew in for a visit.  It was a quick trip because she had to be back for work, but it was so nice having her here.  We did a lot of lounging, laughing, watching movies (Pitch Perfect...TWICE), playing with Parks, and eating good food.  I sure do love this mom of mine.

Love the little boogy in his left nostril. haha

 Loved riding the horsey.  Does he not have the world's best smile?

 Went for walks in the beautiful sunshine.

Thanks for the wonderful visit, mama dear!

We love you!

i have a 4 month old. whaaa!?

Our little Parker B is getting SO big, SO fast!

He is starting to interact like a real little human and it is so much fun.

I love this stage he is in.

But...where did my baby go!?

*He currently weighs 15 pounds (44 percentile) and is 26 inches long (90 percentile). 

Long and lean!

*He LOVES to hear his own voice and has started to yell, talk, giggle non-stop.

*When you walk up to his crib in the morning or after naps, he looks up at us with the biggest grin.

Favorite moments of the day for me.

*He touches my face when I talk to him.

*Already getting close to crawling.  I'll stick him on the floor on a blanket and he inches his way off every time.

*Can almost roll from his back to his tummy. He gets to his side but then plops back over.

(Already mastered rolling from his tummy to his back)

*He is ticklish under his neck and on his legs.

* Loves his little monkey friend that we named Naners.

*He pees like no other-- definitely got his moms bladder.

* Sticks everything he can get a hold of into his mouth.

* Likes to breastfeed while being swaddled. 

This kid is high maintenance when it comes to eating, let me tell ya.

* He is a mama's boy. Can't say I'm mad about that.

*Pulls hair..hard!

*He has big hands and feet.

* Not so much a fan of his swing anymore, but loves to sit in the bumbo and watch mom cook.

*He is a total flirt. He loves his girlfriends Dottie and Rowen :)

We adore this little munchkin of ours!

I love capturing moments like this one above.

I am so blessed to have my little family of three.