Memorial Day...WEEKEND OF FUN!

For Memorial Day we were finally able to give Dad his long awaited birthday present and go to Saint George and because of good planning on Rikki and Steph's part, Vegas too! We haven't had a whole family vacation since our family doubled in the past couple of years. We missed Eric's daughter MacKenzie though, so I guess it wasn't the WHOLE family...

We left early Friday afternoon to go to Saint George. We got there about 7pm and couldn't wait to get in the pool...either that or we couldn't wait to get Baby J in her adorable swim suit!

Like I said, we went to Vegas too. Rikki's friend Steph was getting married in Vegas on Saturday and since we were so close and Rikki planned on going whether we were in St George or not, we got to go hang out down there for the day! While Rikki and Eric were at the Wedding, Me, Matt, Mom, Dad and Baby J did something I've ALWAYS wanted to do in Vegas, we went to Sigfreid and Roy's Secret Garden at the Mirage. It was so pretty! We got to see the dolpins and all of the jungle cats that they are so famous for!

We were lucky to be there when one of the Dolphins had a baby...

The Dolphins weren't "show" dolphins like Sea World has, but they are trained, and this is just part of their interaction/play/exercise/feeding time...

Jocelyn was having a blast!

The famous White Tigers

We met back up with Rikki and the Wedding party and ate lunch at The Wynn buffet... Best buffet I've been to! A random guy came up to us there, about the time this picture was being taken and started "petting" Jocelyn and told us she was so cute and looked like the Michelin baby... I think it was the first time I've witnessed a complete stranger just coming up out of nowhere and talking to people...NICELY...in Vegas. (well besides at the Clubs...) We all laughed...

(you don't know this, and she doesn't look it, but she was kinda fussy right here...she's a HAPPY fusser!)

The Wynn is so pretty...It's pretty much my DREAM to be able to afford to stay there sometime

WE GOT TO GO TO TRADER JOE'S! What is Trader Joe's, you ask? It's a GROCERY STORE...Yeah, I know, I'm a loser for being so excited to go to a GROCERY STORE but they have YUMMY, reasonably priced, organic food...DID I MENTION YUMMY!? The Chahda's (the family I nannied for) send me a jar of their Almond butter for my birthday and Christmas all the time...LOVE IT!

I even told Matt (while handing him a a map of their store locations) "You can go to PT school at The U or any of these places on the map..."

The company is most famous for a wine that they sell that is like super cheap, and since Utah frowns upon selling alchohol anywhere BESIDES the State Liquor Store, Utah does not and will never have a Trader Joe's... :(

Grandma couldn't resist buying these babies for Baby J

Look at her eyeing those chips.... haha

Next Stop...Zion's National Park!
I think it is safe to say, all of us have always "tested the waters" of Zion's but never "dove right in" and we were all so glad we finally did. It was so gorgeous there!

No matter how hard you try, Bruce girls will NEVER lose their love for wading. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Bruce who never went ANYWHERE without towls in the back of the car to dry off our feet after wading...

Showing Jocelyn how fun it is!

There were little tadpoles EVERYWHERE in this little pond...The other kids were loving it. OH! And the hike we are on was called "Emerald Pools." All of us can't wait to go back and take another hike!

So this picture below is one of many stories... Of course, the focal point, my beautiful sister and cute neice. Then there is me in the back to the left trying to get to the rock that this blue shirt girl is sitting on without stepping on any tad poles. Then there is Matt way in the back, taking the dryer route. Then there is the blue shirt girl. We pretty much followed this couple all the way to the top. The girl was like on a photo shoot. It was weird... Especially since she was in shorts, a tank top and bandana and a braid in her hair... See how propper she's sitting...Yeah, they were always posing and...yeah..odd..

This picture was mom's Idea...I really love how it turned out!

Coming out of the water...

Grandma Bruce and Baby J

So this rock was huge and I tried when we first got there to get up it, but there were all these kids on it and this guy and Matt were telling me which way to go and I just got nervous and shy and just gave up. But after most of the people left and headed back down the trail I finally got the nerves up to do it again...

I DID IT! SEE! I told you it was huge! And it wasn't just like steps to walk up like it looks like...

The Shantz family minus one :(

The Bruce family, better known now as Grandma and Grandpa Bruce

Matt being the monkey he is

my mom is BUFF!

The Mitchell "Family"

Had to get in the pool one last time before we left...This time it was a lot warmer and brighter. Jocelyn is such a good sport!

We had a super busy and WAY fun Memorial Day weekend! i love my family so much and hope we can do it again!