No fireworks for the 4th of July?!

I love fireworks. Ever since Gordon and I have known each other (which is over 3 1/2 years now...WOW!) we have made it a point to see pretty much every firework show in the Wasatch front each year. So this year when we decided to go camping over the Fourth in the Uintahs with my family it meant no fireworks. None the less it was still a wonderful Fourth of July. We played all weekend up there riding four wheelers, going on a bike ride, and taking a hike. We hung out with my step-dad's family and had a big dutch oven dinner one night (in a past post I have talked about how much I love dutch oven cooking). We even took our dogs for their first camping trip! They loved it...well Abbi had to get use to the out doors but once she got over herself she enjoyed it. Briggs was in heaven. He must have worked too hard on our hike because the next day he was sore. He wouldn't even stretch! So we gave him some Ibuprofen and in a half hour he was back to being himself again.

My niece, Jade, came up too. It was nice to be able to spend time with her too. I have missed out on a lot of her life but it's nice to get to know her, and spend some girl time with her. Gordon taught her how to ride the four wheeler, basically just how to steer it herself.

My nephew was there too. He's so much fun! We're very close, so close he feels like my little brother and not my nephew. Him and Gordon hung out a lot too. They went on rides together, and fishing. Skyler even caught a fish! Gordon did not have as much luck. Either way, they both had a lot of fun fishing and getting mosquito bites (the mosquitoes were horrible up there! We never went anywhere without bug spray!).

Although my mom had her trailer up there, we decided to tent it. Our camping spot had a river outside it so we slept amazing hearing the river sounds. It was very cold at night, but we enjoyed it. It's been so hot lately! It was a nice change to shiver at night.

It was nice to come back home. We did have the trailer amenities, but we all couldn't wait to get in the shower! Uintah camping is dirty camping...dust flies everywhere. But it was a lot of fun and nice to get away for a few days.

Breaking News: Murder in Margaritaland!

We were having another wonderful day in Margaritaland. I had just gotten done performing for the resort guests, and my new husband, Tatum Tat, had finished a long day at work tattooing almost everyone on the island when we got the news that Jack Daniels, a co-worker and bartender on the island, was murdered! All of us were suspects and at the same time all of us were detectives trying to keep our good names out of this murder mystery. I banned with a few of my friends from the island, co-worker Shelli the Swim Instructor, and an island native Katherine to solve this mystery. We had fallen into a lot of money and were able to bribe the other suspects into telling us what they knew. It seemed to be working; we felt like were getting someone in our search. We were getting evidence that seemed to be pointing us in the right direction when all of the sudden the main detective announced he had solved the mystery. He showed us his evidence, which made our evidence seem meaningless. It was the lifeguard! He was the last person we suspected! Although we didn't solve the mystery ourselves, we're glad that the lifeguard is getting the punishment that he deserves: banishment from the island!

Gordon's sister Jodi held a murder mystery dinner party this weekend. It was a BLAST! Jodi has such a talent to organize things like this. She put so much work into that night and it showed. We had never been to a murder mystery party before. It was fun to dress up in a costume and act like someone else for a few hours. It was like we were putting on one big play except we were never going to have an audience. I think that Gordon had the most fun. He was Tatum Tat, a tattoo artist from New York that had moved to the island to get away from the city life. His costume was perfect. From the moment we got there, he was in character. He tattooed pretty much everyone at the party. He set up his own tattoo parlor and everything (which was the end of our table, and consisted of a bowl of water, a sponge, and many temporary tattoos). Everyone was impressed by his costume. He was nervous to show up looking the way he did in fear that someone at the party might actually look like that (which is not a bad look, it just would have been a bit embarrassing because his was a costume.) My costume was not as elaborate as Gordon's. I was a fire dancer. The best part of my costume was the props I brought as my fire: sparklers. But I was unable to use them because the party was moved inside because of the heat outside.

We mingled with a lot of fun people that night. Because we were all in character, we didn't get to really meet the people, but we sure know their characters well. Some of our friends, Katherine and Marc, and Shelli and Tim came too. Marc and Tim were surfers, Katherine was an island native, and Shelli was a swim instructor. Shelli and Katherine were my partners as we tried to solve the mystery. The massive amounts of money we had was thanks to the people that didn't come to the party. We stole their money out of their envelopes. Dirty money, but it got us the information we needed.

The party was such a success, and I can't wait for Jodi to have another! Or at least a themed party that we get to dress up for. I love to play dress up and be someone else. It brings out my creative side that I don't get to use that often the older I get.

Gordon's Tattoo parlor

He's concentrating so hard on his next move...

All of us got together to share info...

Me and Jodi (aka Coconut Jane)

The Murder Mystery guests

The Men showing off their sweet tats!

Katherine, Shelli, and me

Me (the fire dancer) and Gordon (aka Tatum Tat)

Smooth, Smelly (Good), and Pink

As if my mom did not do enough for me on my birthday, she told me she still had one more surprise for me. She took me to get my very first pedicure! We went to an Aveda salon. I LOVE Aveda! I use their makeup, hair products, lotions...and the best part is that they are environmentally friendly (which is the main reason I use their products, although my hair and skin have never been so healthy).

So pedicures are amazing! I've have now given in to the part of me that is so high maintenance and it feels good. Our pedicures were only suppose to be 50 minutes long, but our estitians went 20 minutes over (we didn't pay extra in case you were wondering). HEAVEN! The whole experience was so relaxing and stress free. The environment was heavenly. We had our own private room. The workers kept asking us if we needed refills on our drinks which were given to us while we were waiting. High class treatment from the beginning to the end. I loved every moment of it!

Doggie Friday: They grow on ya

While Gordon and I were camping, Abbi and Briggs had a vacation too, although they might not have thought of it that way. They stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Hardcastle (Gordon's parents). Aunt Jodi was who agreed to take care of them for us while we were camping; It's easy to volunteer when it's not your house they will be staying in. At first it was rough for them. I'm sure they felt like they were being abandoned or passed around. LeeAnn said they whined at the front door for a few hours, but then slowly started to warm up to their family. When we got home, it was like they had always lived there. They were very comfortable. Jodi said they pretty much ran the house, which is what they do. They did not like it if they were confined to one area; they need their freedom.

Gordon's family did not want them to leave (however, Jodi and LeeAnn both said that the novelty would wear off). The most surprising to me was Gordon's dad who's first words to me were "Hi Jessica...You can't take 'em." I told them that they could watch them anytime we needed them too. Their home is now their vacation home.

I think it broke Jodi's heart a bit that they adjusted to our home so quickly (as in right as soon as they got back to their home). To me, that was a relief. They recognize our home as their home.

I missed them terribly, but it sure was nice to have a break and sleep through the night.

Happy Birthday to ME!!

Good day to be born. I have had such a wonderful day. Although I had to work (I usually take the day off on my birthday, but everyone was working too so I decided I could work) it still was wonderful. I work with my mom (no she did NOT get me my job, I did on my own merits) and she had surprised me this morning with a delicious chocolate cake with fudge frosting!

This evening I spent my birthday in good company. Several of us went to a sushi restaurant in Ogden called Tona. The sushi was delicious! It was fun to experience sushi with friends that had never had it before. I think everyone enjoyed themselves. I don't really care if they liked the food or not, it is my birthday and sushi is my favorite!

My birthday cake from Gordon...ask him the story behind 'Merry Christmas'

I was given such amazing gifts! Gordon bought me a heart rate watch that measures my heart rate, calories burnt, and other stuff too. His family must have known I was getting it because they got me accessories for the watch. I am so excited to start using it! Watch out Jodi, the competition is on! I no longer need to pretend that I am burning just as many calories as you. I'll now know my true calories, good or bad.

I don't say it often enough but I have such amazing friends and family. Today wouldn't have been so wonderful if it wasn't for them all. This was one of my favorite birthdays.

I had no idea this place existed

I went on my first real camping trip this weekend. Five days and four nights of hard core camping. Ok, hard core camping to me. Gordon said it was "road side camping" but I didn't take a shower for 4 days!! That is hard core.

We went to Payson Lakes. There were three lakes within a mile radius of our campsite. I had never heard of this place, but apparently it is a well known place because it was packed. We had so much fun! We went with three other couples, Marc and Katherine, Richard and Rachel, and Joel and Bonnie. Full camp site. Our days were full of fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and relaxing. Our nights were full of late campfire conversations, smores, and the best hot cocoa I've ever had. We also had some entertainment from Richard who serenaded us with his guitar (he's amazing!). The food was yummy. We ate like royalty. Camping food is my favorite kind of food. Burnt hot dogs, hobo dinners, dutch oven chicken, potatoes, and cobbler, and some really yummy minestrone soup.

Gordon spent most of his day fishing in the trees.





The boys collected firewood on the way down from a hike. Over-achievers.


Katherine's sweet tan line!

My favorite hike was Grotto Trail, a short but beautiful hike up to a waterfall. We did this hike twice; the second time we decided it would be fun to swim in the waterfall. VERY COLD! It never sees the sun. I'm use to cold water (I've been going to Bear Lake for 24 yrs!) but this was breath taking cold. I didn't even care. I was dirty, and it was refreshing.

On our way up to the waterfall

The Payson clan

I really enjoy camping. I never thought I would say that. I wasn't quite one with nature, but I was as close as I wanted to be.