Prague-ity PRAGUE BLOG.

Prague feels like a dream! I canNOT actually believe we live close enough to Prague for it to be an easy day trip. Jeff and I were always looking forward to coming here together, and we feel straight up giddy about the fact that we can come whenever the heck we feel like it. Jeff was the best tour guide. I loved hearing about the history and all the cool little details, along with the little nooks and crannies that are off the beaten tourist path.

(For those of you who don't know- Jeff served a 2 year mission for our church in the countries the czech republic and slovakia, and 15 months of that he was in Prague.) This city is unlike anything else I have ever seen. Most big famous cities have a few spots that achieve the "WOW" factor but Prague is basically an entire city of WOW factor. Wanna see for yourself? Hop on over the pond and Jeff will give you the grand tour.

By the way. Please note how I am writing the CZECH REPUBLIC. NOT CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Say the latter in the presence of Jeff and you will be promptly corrected. ;) Seriously dude, the countries split in 1992. That's the year I was born, so you've had 24 years to get it in your head.

It was a freezing day, even though the forecast said 50 and sunny. JOKES. I guess the credibility of iPhone weather app can only be so high. So glad we dressed warm! But all the walking kept us from being too cold. Jane's FAVORITE part of the day, hands down, was riding on the train and the metro. She couldn't have cared less about the amazing buildings, famous bridges, and spectacular castles surrounding her.

So this awkwardly turned into a Kerri/Lyla photoshoot because jeff kept saying "I already have a picture in front of this, I want a picture of YOU in front of this!"

 ^^ doesn't jane look THRILLED?!

 A fulfilled dream of his to kiss a girl in Prague :) I'm glad it's me.

 ^^ this is just too spectacular. Every where you look, it's unbelievable. 

 ^^ the best czech restaurant. And guess what! My un-adventurous taste buds loved czech food! Jeff was so proud. :) Also, Jeff had a smack down with the lady there. I got to witness a heated czech argument! What this country lacks in customer service, they make up for in ovocne knedliky. (delicious fruit dumplings drenched in cream and cheese...not really something I can adequately describe but is so delicious!)

^^ catching bubbles in the namesti (prague town square)

^^ of course this baby was a total and complete angel. I could NOT be more obsessed with her. She is my constant mood booster. My little ray of sunshine, and my peace of heaven.

 ^^ Jeff's mission home. He was in total happy shock being there again. This whole trip was seriously surreal for both of us.

 We just drove on up to prague one morning, spent the day there, and drove home. How cool is that? We walked ALL over. Jeff had me guess how far we walked and I said..."uhm, maybe like 2 miles?" and he said "UHM more like 8 miles!" I still don't quite believe him, but he does know Prague a LITTLE better than I do.

aaaaaand after this trip is when we decided it's time to invest in a good camera because it's such a shame to be in such a beautiful place and to have the pictures we take not even come close to doing it justice. ya know? So hopefully our next trip will include some non-grainy, crystal clear pictures. And maybe I'll even do my hair. You never know how lucky you're gonna get....

oh and we bought a selfie stick. because #tourists 

two fun weekends

so, a week ago i went to utah for my friend nina's wedding.

this weekend included a barbecue with friends and family- the one where i was officially introduced to cheddarwursts.

uhm...yum.

it was kinda crazy and stressful trying to get rides everywhere and do everything with a baby in tow. 

not just a baby, a very busy, demanding, and active one year old.

always making things interesting.

 this girl was basically my cheaufer. 

and my cousins bailey and daniel.

bless all of their souls.

 i bought a new skirt to match the colors even though i wasn't a bridesmaid. 

(any excuse to go to down east)

 it was wonderful to be there. weddings are just the BEST.

 i stuffed jane's face with crackers all weekend to settle her down. 

hence, the face full of crumbs.

OK. so that weekend ended. and then a couple days later i drove back up to utah with my family for my cousin's farewell. 

so, a lot of utah was happening in my life last week.

not complaining.

because it consisted of picking cherries straight from a heaven-sent cherry tree.

and wearing matching shirts with my younger sister.

and sitting in the grass eating drumsticks until 10pm. (the sun still shining all the while)

summer solstice rocks my world.

i actually didn't eat ice cream. or give jane any.

but that didn't stop her uncle from sneaking her some bites.

(no wonder she likes him)

i meant to be really good at taking pictures of this weekend. but it turns out i only took pictures a few times. and all the times i did, jane had bed head. so, that's cute.

i guess if anyone can pull it off, she can.

jane was kind of spoiled all weekend. 

but also, she was not a fan of all the change.

a pack n play is no worthy substitute for her perfect pink crib at home.

all the people giving her attention freaked her out.

which was totally unlike her.

but there were times when she did let other people play with her.

... but only the people who had toy cars for her to play with...

ALL my cousins on my mom's side were there. and of course, one of them had a birthday.

it was bound to happen.

it was fun to celebrate jenna's birthday- what a sweet girl she is.
we ate a really yummy cake,
for which there were about 10 requests that sounded similar to:
"i want the piece with the frosting flower the size of my head!!"
ring a bell to anyone?
....oh, children.

and then this little boy, my baby-est cousin.
born about 8 hours before jane on the same day.

we were hoping they would be best buds.

no such luck, mostly due to miss grumpy pants. (jane)

anyways, it was a great couple weekends- both packed with lots of people i love, and even more food.
i'm still recovering from all the delicious food consumed. food comas can last a long time, turns out.

flying by the seat of our pants

this week was wonderful, crazy, fun-filled...lots of good adjectives.
but mostly it was just completely spontaneous.

sunday night jeff and i sat down to plan our week.
we wanted to have A LOT of fun because it really is our last week of freedom for awhile.
(oh hey, 15 credits each + a 3 month old baby. hooray!)
so we decided it would be fun to go down to park city.
on monday morning we were getting ready to go when jeff said
"i wanna go golfing...how about we go to st. george?"
my grandparents live there...so i texted my grandma and she said to come on down.

we left an hour later.
and on the way down i was like..."lets just go to arizona, we're halfway there anyways!"
and then i proceeded to burst with excitement at the thought of doing that.
(2 of my aunts and uncles live in Gilbert)
at first jeff was skeptical, but he finally said we could go.
it was one of those times i felt so loved by him. he had a lot of other important things to do that week, but he knew i really wanted to go- so he let me know that my happiness was his first priority by saying
"heck, lets go to arizona!!"
he is a champion husband, i tell ya.
:) :) :)

so here is the condensed version of the trip.
pictures will be plentiful to enhance the story :)

we surprised everyone by showing up to their house in arizona.
never seen so many jaws drop in my life.
i was thinking wow! who knew these people would be so honored to be breathing the same air as i am?
it does something for your self esteem ya know?

ANYWAYS,
my cousin and best friend had a special friend come home from a 2 year mission in paraguay.
and by special friend i mean they have a wedding date set for about 2 months from now.
(he just needs to put a ring on it)
YES- SHE WAITED, PEOPLE.
nicolas sparks is starting a new novel based on those two as we speak, I'm sure.
there were a lot of smiles to be had. a few tears too.

OH THE ANTICIPATION WAS JUST TOO MUCH!!!

by the way, his name is daniel.
but i call him Shman.

she let him put the last sticker on her 730 day count down calendar.
that's enough time to have 2 and a half babies.

well besides that happy reunion,
jane got lots of lovin'
i felt kind of famous being her mom because everyone was fighting over her.

peyton was a cute little mommy to her.

my aunt (her great-aunt) dawn gave her kisses 

my grandma rogers (jane's great grandma) gave her baths and she loved it. she hates it when i give them to her though...awesome.
(you can tell jane had been crying in this pic because her eyes are red and puffy)

and daniel held his first baby in 2 years.

also.
i went shopping with dawn and my grandma and got an outfit that is so cute. i actually wished for a nanosecond that i was a fashion blogger so i could have an excuse to take pictures in it and show them to the world. not really, i just mostly wanted the world to know i bought my first pair of colored jeans for $12, and they were originally $70. BOOM. winning.

the day after daniel came home jeff and i went on a double date with bailey and daniel.
we had plans to take a lot of cute pictures together.
but this is the only one we got.
it probably couldn't be much worse than it is, but i decided to post it anyways because it was a fun date.
cheers to a good memory that will forever be captured in a horrific photo!

oh and jeff got to golf 4 days in a row (twice with my uncle richie) so he was a happy, happy boy.
this arizona trip ended up being  win-win-win-win situation. everyone won.

well, it was a whirlwind of a week. but- a happy one, and now that we are home my heart feels torn.
my heart is always sad to leave family. and i usually cry a little.
but at the same time, being in our very humble cinder-block apartment with my husband and baby will never stop making me feel giddy inside. and so very happy to be alive.