Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers in our lives!!!! We love all of you and are grateful for the wonderful examples and fathers that you are. To my own dad...thanks for all years of supporting me in everything! Whether it was hours of sitting through our dance competitions, giving me a blessing when I was sick or overwhelmed with the stresses of school, or helping me with my school work. You were always running me around to all the different activities and my friends all loved you and called you dad too! You had patience with me and were a great teacher, and I always knew that you loved me! My testimony of the gospel continues to be strengthened by your love of the gospel. People are always commenting on what a friendly and enjoyable father that I have and I feel blessed to have you dad! I love you!

We had a great Father's Day weekend. After I got home from West Virginia I unpacked and packed again for our little family getaway. After Matt got home from work we left for the Portofino Bay Hotel on Universal Studios property. Let me preface this blog by telling you of the unfortunate loss of my beloved digital camera!!!! I was soooooo sad! It stopped working as I was packing for our little trip. And you know me and my obsession with my blog...well let's just say that was the first thing I thought of! Oh no I won't have pictures for my BLOG! Yikes! Well luckily I had my phone which takes pictures, not good pictures of course, so you will have to bear with the fuzzy, bad quality pictures.


Now that I have that off my chest I can tell you of the awesomely fantastic time we had! The Portofino Bay Hotel looks like a little Italy. When I was on Luke's field trip to the zoo a couple of weeks ago, his friend Austin's dad was there. He asked me what we were doing Father's Day weekend because he got a deal through his work on the hotel. So he booked us a room. We got to the hotel and we were starving so we got on the water taxi that takes you to Universal Studios or CityWalk, which is a strip of all kinds of restaurants and dance clubs. We went to Bubba Gumps. Yes it is filled with all kinds of Forrest Gump paraphernalia. Luke had just watched part of Forrest Gump with Matt and thought it was hilarious. So he had a good time laughing at all the things they had around. And yes we ordered a shrimp dish :). After dinner we called our friends, the ones who got us the hotel room, and met them at the movie theater that was across from our restaurant and we went to Kung Fu Panda. It was cute and the kids enjoyed it. Well not all the kids, Gavin was extremely tired and so I spent the first half of the movie out in the lobby and Matt spent most of the second until Gavin finally gave in and went to sleep in Matt's arms. It's the funniest thing because Matt is the only one that can get Gavin to sleep! I try and try but Gavin won't relax in my arms. The second I pass him off to Matt he just snuggles in and goes right to sleep! So at church when Gavin is getting antsy I just go look for Matt and he gets him to sleep right away.

The next day after a wonderful breakfast, we went to the pool, again with our friends. The pool was AWESOME! It was a beach entry pool with a water slide and a little tunnel to swim under, and it had a couple of different hot tubs. They made the kids wear life jackets if they wanted to go on the slide, which worked out perfect so I didn't have to worry about the kids drowning the whole day :) They played with Austin and Kyle, the little twin boys that we were there with, the whole time and had a blast. They were so cute to include Emma in all that they were doing. Matt and I were sitting in some lounge chairs and we got talking to a couple of girls that were there. They are here in Orlando from Tennessee to do some missionary work and spread their beliefs in Christ. It was so fun to talk to them and hear their testimony of Christ. Then they were curious about ours. So Matt and I were able to tell them about how our church is Christ's church and how he set it up today just as he did in his time with a prophet and apostles. Then we also got to tell them of how the Book of Mormon is a testament of Christ that we read with the Bible. They were very open and fun to talk to. The one girl actually has a Book of Mormon and had visited Salt Lake City and seen most of the church sites there. It always makes you feel the spirit to share your testimony with someone! Even when you are lounging by a pool! :)

After the pool we went with our friends the Stellas to CityWalk and went to eat at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. It is a very fun restaurant with Jimmy Buffet music playing. After dinner we walked around CityWalk and Luke, Austin, and Kyle learned a lesson on what a rip off carnival games are :) Austin found $5 as we were walking and wanted to spend it on the games they had. They begged and begged and so we let them all have a choice of one game ($3 to squirt a target for 15 seconds, or $3 to toss a ring on a milk bottle, etc.) or go on the merry-go-round. The boys chose the game and Emma chose the merry-go-round. The boys fun ended in seconds with all of them losing and ticked off...then they had to go watch Emma going around and around with a smile on her face! It was like pouring salt in a wound. I think they will opt for the merry-go-round next time. After we took the water taxi back we got ice cream and then called it a night!

What a fun little trip! Then today before church we gave Matt our big surprise. I couldn't believe the kids didn't break down and tell him. I had to keep them from even talking about Father's Day gifts because Matt has this way of manipulating them into telling him what we have bought for him. Last year we were wrapping his gift when he walked into the house from church. Emma told him to close his eyes because we were wrapping his present (which was a carry-on suit case). Matt asked Emma "What are you wrapping" which she replied "a suitcase". It's hard to keep secrets when you are a kid :) This year we got Matt a grill! Our grill is very old and he has replaced many of the components a couple of times! He was surprised and couldn't believe he didn't guess. Also every year his surprises are spoiled because somehow he guesses what we are giving him! Tonight at dinner I asked the kids the reasons they love daddy so much and why they think he is a good dad. Luke said "because he plays play station", and Emma said "he cooks good food". Hmmmm, not exactly the cute little answers I thought they would give. Then Luke added "he teaches me honesty". Can you tell they sang that church song that has the line in it about the dad teaching honesty :) Kids are funny how they think so simply! I think when they are older they will realize all the amazing qualities that Matt has and that he is an amazing father because he teaches them hard work both through his example of working hard at his job and then always working hard to make our home beautiful, by helping people, and by working along side them at the different chores he gives them. I remember when Matt and I were dating and we were in St. George with my family. He was helping my sister-in-law take my nephew who was in his baby carrier out of the car. So there he stood holding a baby carrier and I remember thinking how cute Matt would be as a father...I was hoping someday I would be there with him and that I would get to see him as a daddy. I was right he is the best father, and lucky me because I am married to him!!!!! Matt is also an amazing father/husband because he is always so supportive of everything we do and he always makes me feel loved! He is so strong in the gospel and I am constantly learning from him. He is very Christ like and I love to hear him bear his testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. He is so fun to be with and when he comes home from work we are all excited to see him walk through the door.
Happy Father's Day Matt!

The Portofino Bay Hotel

Luke and Gavin in front of the fountain in the front lobby. Gavin wanted to go for a swim!



Kung Fu Panda and Luke and Emma demonstrating their Kung Fu skills :)

Matt's magical touch! Gavin was exhausted!
All over the grounds of the hotel they have these cute scooters that are mounted to the ground that the kids loved to play on.


Luke, Austin, Kyle and Emma at Margaritaville

Emma enjoying her merry-go-round ride...I didn't want to take a picture of the sour faces of the boys after their games :)

Austin, Kyle, Luke and Emma on the scooters after enjoying our ice cream

SURPRISE...A NEW GRILL!
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY MATT!!!!