some things to take me out of hibernation

Hello Blogosphere, it's been a while.

we have had a pretty lame summer over here so i am MORE than ready for the kids to go back to school next week. (i say that until i have to get up and make lunches every morning. plus we start seminary in 2 weeks.)

I did get down to the beach to see the ABELS, my most favorite family from growing up. I love them so much. we laughed and laughed and cooked and ate. it made me happy and i needed that. all SANS kids. awesssssoooommmeeee.

I can't belive i didn't get a picture of Mark and Bonnie together. But here are all the girls.

Wendi, Bonnie, Me, Lindsay, Mendi, Courtney

It was Wendi's birthday, aaargghh. Look how happy she is to be 40!

Big Brother Greg

Super Cutie Aubrielle!

Secondly, I know i just posted about relish relish a few months ago, but guess what? i found a better meal planner and this is why... (you may already know about this one, too?)

With Plan to Eat you can import recipes from any food blog or website in like 2 seconds so my allrecipes, pioneer woman, skinny taste, food network recipes go directly into Plan to Eat and then i choose whatever for the week and print the shopping list. it is a subscription thing and i am on the 30 day trial so i guess i'll trial it out and see if it's worth a $40 splurge for the year. You can also just add manually and it's pretty quick. very intuitive. (thanks, jess, for the tip!)

We have been swimming, went up to vegas for a funeral and have actually been decluttering and rearranging our house. we split up penny and sophie and kind of cleaned from the ground up. under beds, in closets, the garage ?!?! it feels SO good. still need to tackle simon and owen's clothes and my least favorite thing in the whole entire world....paperwork. but i can do it. i think. ha.

Simon and Alyssa!

Awesome Kekauoha's. This is sophie's other family. she has spent more time here in the last month than at our house, i think. They are so much fun!

Ok, This is so funny. we have been walking up to Owen's school in the evenings as it's cooling off. They leave the gate open so people can come in and play or have soccer practices or whatever. anyway, penny and simon pushed this laundry basket all the way up to the school like it was their favorite push toy. It made me feel really poor but they LOVED it. haha. like the time penny brought along a red potato to play with at one of sophie's volleyball games.

This is what penny insisted on wearing up to the school one evening. She reminds me of miss piggy in her leopard "up shoes"

My cute Aunt Laurel at Uncle Bill's funeral. This is a good lady.

This is my cousin sandra. I haven't seen her in 30 years!!

Bunches and bunches of cousins.

Up at the aquatic center in Santa Clarita.

So, i think i'm back. Goodbye, Summer. Don't let the door hit ya where the dog bit ya.

(a classic from my dad)