Home Sweet Home

Why do I love coming home?

Wow! that is a tough one...

Finishing a quarter always feels great because I get to come home!! I love being back in beautiful Cali with my family making memories...Life doesn't get better than that!

This picture arose when Makayla came out dressed in my pillow cases to try and scare me. Evan, of course joined in on this accident. Makayla had me take a picture and send it to Jarom saying "Rest in peace my fellow friend." Jarom's response was "I'm oddly wigged out right now."

What's better for breakfast than S'mores...NOTHING!! The best thing about being an Aunt...There aren't any rules as long as they are still breathing :) So why would I say no to Makayla's choice for breakfast.

(Yes, this is Caden hanging off the cart with one foot and hand while I pushed it around)

I was feeling adventerous one day and took Makayla and Caden to the grocery store with me. Why would I do that? Parents are normally elated to be childless at the grocery store. Well because I could! I love running around with them and for the most part, they listen extremely well to me.

(Caden covering his face from the rain with a plastic bag. I corrected it right after the picture)

NO APRIL FOOLS JOKE!!

So it all started one evening after my dad came home from work. I was watching one of my new favorite shows (Off the Map) and he came to rest in the family room. Randomly he looked at my mom and said "Do you think we should give Megan her present right now?" Oh course I instantly said, "Yeah she does!!" This led to a scavenger hunt throughout the house looking for my present. I would like to relate this hunt to the show Storage Wars. Even though I didn't buy a storage unit, I picked my parents' closet thinking it was worth the time. Here I was trying to find this one treasure that would make me so happy, but all I could see was piles of clothes, old boxes, and random objects piled up to the ceiling. After 5 minutes of feeling claustrophobic, I moved on. I ended up finding it under my Dad's arm pillow in the family room after he said "You snooze, you loose." Apparently the camera was in his closet when I was back there...It must of been behind the other 3 other camera boxes I found. But NO COMPLAINTS HERE....

I am SO EXCITED!! I haven't had a camera the past couple of months. I am so happy to be able to record my life again. I really wanted this camera. I know it wasn't my birthday when I got it, but I wasn't going to be home on my actual birthday. I found it funny that I got my present on this day, April Fools, because it was the day of my actual due date. I arrived 2 weeks late.

The camera is PERFECT!!

Thanks Dad & Mom!!

(Mom didn't want me to take a picture of her)

(I know I am all sweaty but scavenger hunts are hard work)

I was so ready to try my new camera out. Bryan, Ashley, Tami, Weston, and the kids were at park so I went to go join them...

Caden wasn't any competition to Makayla, so Bryan took her on.

I just have to say I am so grateful to have such wonderful siblings to be examples in my life. Not a lot of people can understand the relationship I have with my family. This is why...we ended up going to La Bou for lunch early that day and they STILL wanted to hang out. I can't even say this is a rare occurrence. They love going to parks together with their children. It is time they want to freeze because it brings so much happiness and love. I love my family because we truly are each other's best friends and love hanging out. We understand the importance of family and the wonderful support system it can be. They know me better than anyone and always have my back. I am the person I am today because of my family.

After the park, Tami, Weston, their kids, and I went to dinner. We were outside, so we took some more pictures.

Evan is just the sweetest boy. He has been so curious about marriage and who he can marry. He would say he couldn't marry me because we are related. haha. So instead he called my Pretty Aunt Megan. He also informed me I couldn't marry Jarom because we are brother and sister. Thanks Ev...Maybe you can spread that message around in my next ward. (Tami, did you notice I actually spelled Ev)

Oh Makayla and her faces...

... MY FIRST HUNTING TRIP...

Once upon a time there was 7 chickens living on the Phipps Farm. Then two raccoons and a skunk later...there was only one. The raccoons were caught by the trap set out by the Phipps but the skunk got away.

But it came back and was not so fortunate...

This event happened when I was home. Having practiced shooting guns at Thanksgiving I was eager to use my new found skills. When my dad handed me the rifle, he told me it was loaded and not to shoot it. I don't know why...It wasn't like I was going to misfire ;)

This skunk got one right to the head. I would say he was a hard shot and he would still be alive if it wasn't for me. BUT I think he was actually dead before I even shot him. haha. My Dad said he had rotated spots from the night before so he wanted to make sure he was dead before bagging him up. So I took my shot...literally :).

After the skunk, I helped my dad get the chicken coop ready for a new bunch of chicks. We put an electric fence around the outside perimeter to stop animals from burrowing under to get their dinner. After two electric testers weren't working, Dad decided to test it himself. haha. I was in the chicken coop when I hear Dad yell "OH!! It's working!!" haha. I only wished I could of watched him touch the fence.

This little guy (actually, lets hope girl, so she doesn't loose her head) was my favorite.

Makayla just adored them. I believe I checked on the chickens at least 10 times with her. And Evan, well... Lets just hope he doesn't squeeze them to death.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS!!

The Saturday night before I head back to Utah, we celebrated my birthday. We went out to dinner. It was so much fun. This is a video of Parker enjoying some lemons.

But lets face it, Aunt Megan's Diet Coke is SO much better.

After dinner we head back to the parentals' home. I entertained the children while the adults checked out the new remodal to the front of our house.

I know these picture are blurry but I love them.

Now...these pictures are really blurry. I can't blame the camera because it is amazing! The settings were just wrong. But there wasn't any time to change the setting so this is what you get.

I do expect a snide comment from Jarom telling Facebook Tami it was the Picture Taker who needs some help. But if Jarom knows what is good for him, he won't say anything because his birthday is in 2 months.

This girly spent the night with me on my last night there. I can't believe how big she is getting. She is getting baptized this summer!! CRAZY :)

I had an amazing trip home. I needed this trip more than anything. Seriously!! I had an ucler by the end of last quarter. There is no cure for stress better than going home :)