A Little Bit Of Summer's What the Whole Year's All About

It is HOT. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that, but it is really so hot and I am almost over it!

Almost.

Summer is typically my favorite time of year, probably having to do with childhood and not having school/my birthday occurring in the summer months. 

We have been blessed with a pretty fantastic summer, aside from the excessive 100 degree days. 

In May Mo and I were able to fly with Holly to Nashville for Stef's birthday, which was so fun. I'd been to Nashville once but not since the Griffiths have lived there, and Holly (and Mo, obviously) had never been. We had so much fun, I really appreciate having time with my sisters and I LOVE it when Monroe gets to play with her cousins! They wear each other out in the best possible way--seriously, Mo slept for 11 hours one of the nights that we were there which has never happened before. I posted most of my pics from that trip on Facebook already so I won't rehash everything we did here, but I am definitely looking forward to another trip out there! Hopefully Hondo will be able to come with us next time!

Hey Holly I just noticed the shirt you're wearing in this pic. Premonition, maybe?!

Two weeks after we got back from Nashville, Holly, Mo, and I packed up the car again and went to Montrose for Kelli's bridal shower. The weekend ended up being even more fun than we had anticipated because all of us Mahan kids (minus Stef, who was sorely missed) were able to spend the weekend at Mom and Dad's. More cousin time, more sister/brother time--always lots of fun. When I get together with my family, I tend to leave my phone sitting on a shelf and not take any pictures because I know that everyone else is documenting the weekend, and also no one else ever calls me except my family. So when we're all together, I really don't even need a phone. Except to once again communicate long distance with my hubs, who wasn't able to come again. Mo got in some fun cousin time with the rest of her cousins who don't live in Nashville, and Kelli got some super fun stuff for her new adorable married house! (She wasn't married yet but is now so I can say that.)

Here's a pic from that weekend. Kelli's wedding prep (including the shower) was fun and a bit stressful for some of us but everything went so well!

When we got home from Montrose that weekend, we settled in for a few weeks of relative normalcy before Kelli's actual wedding. I turned 26 on the 17th, which we celebrated with not too much pomp and circumstance. Hondo spoiled me a bit (as usual!) and stayed home with Mo for a day so I could go to a spa and get a full package--massage, facial, mani/pedi. It was pretty fantastic.

At the end of June was Kelli's actual wedding, and this time we weren't the ones who did the traveling. My family made the trek here from all over since Kelli and Tyler were married in the Mount Timpanogos temple, the same one Hondo and I were sealed in in 2012. They started showing up on Wednesday of that week, which we celebrated by going out as just us sisters to get our nails done. I can't tell you the last time we got to spend time together as just us 5 (or 6, once Kara got here too) of us. No kids, no husbands/boyfriends, no parents. I think we tried to figure it out and it was probably around the time that Stef was married 5 years ago. It may be another 5 years or more before we get to again so it was greatly appreciated 

I don't think we got a pic of all of us at the nail salon, but I promise Stef and Jen were there too. Also that we were having fun!

Holly actually made the kid doing her nails laugh so hard he practically had to stop painting for a minute. Typical Mahan shenanigans. 

Our houses are small but it's always fun to have family or friends stay with us! We had the Griffiths and Kelli staying with us, but during the day a lot of down time (if there was any) was spent at our house because we have more kid friendly things to do at our house. Makes sense, seeing as we have a kid and all. So our home was a disaster for the weekend but I swear the second my family shows up Mo doesn't even care that Hondo or I are there anymore, it's all about cousins and Aunts and Uncles and Gramma and Grandad. She'll generally check in with me once every few hours or so just to say hi or get a hug and then I don't see or talk to her again for the next few hours. 

On Thursday after we had gotten most things done for the day that we could we took Kelli to a local trampoline gym to play for an hour for her bachelorette party. I was unable to participate in the act of jumping, but got plenty out of it still just sitting on the side watching. I don't know if any of us have laughed that hard in a long time--I know my cheeks were hurting afterwards from smiling so much. Trampolines are just the type of thing that you forget is fun as an adult but once you go on one again you wonder why you ever stopped. This trampoline gym even offers aerobic classes a few times a week, which Holly and I may have to check out in a few months.

This is an after shot--if you can't tell by the red faces and huge smiles

The wedding was on Friday, and everything went wonderfully. We had some last minute setting up and getting ready to do that morning, but they were sealed at 3pm without any issues (aside from me dropping some of the cupcakes, but don't tell! I didn't tell Kelli about it) and the reception was that night. It was about 101 degrees that day, so pictures were a bit tortuous but Kelli's photographer was great and the results have been fantastic. 

The whole day was fabulous, and Kelli and Tyler are married! So crazy! She is my last sibling to get married, from now on we're going to have to start doing family reunions if we want to get together--all the major life events are pretty much over! (Aside from babies and such, but we don't get together at each birth.) Reunions and Powderhorn weekend are pretty much all we have left. So weird!

Okay this is turning into a super long post but one more vacation happened this summer and then I promise I'm done! We aren't going anywhere else for a while!

Back in March we procured tickets to see John Mayer play at Red Rocks on July 17th. So Hondo, Mo and I drove to Denver for the concert and to spend the weekend. I haven't driven to Denver in several years, we usually fly, but decided to save a bit of money and make the drive this time. We drove to Grand Junction Tuesday night and stayed with my Grandma and Grandpa Gray, then went the rest of the way on Wednesday morning. The concert was that night and it was, as always, amazing. Live music is almost always worth the cost of the ticket, and to see John Mayer especially--he is soooooo good. I've only seen him 6 times in the past 10 years, so you know, I'm no expert. :) 

This was Hondo's second concert ever! Red Rocks is the best possible venue, we had so much fun and conquered the stairs just fine!

On Thursday we got to spend time with Jen and her girls (and my Mom) going to the Denver zoo. We've taken Mo to the zoo in SLC but it's kind of pathetic comparatively. Mo loved the animals and was super worn out by the end. We all were really, it's a pretty big zoo!

At the zoo, it actually wasn't too hot which was nice.

Thursday night we got to spend some time at my Aunt and Uncle's for a BBQ, which was so great. We don't get to see them often anymore so any time spent is always good. 
Friday we spend some time in our old stomping grounds and went to the Bay in Broomfield. All the girlies got to swim and play and we just relaxed in the water. With babies though the swimming days never last too long, which is turns out was good because even though I offered to put sunscreen on my super-white husband a few times, he declined and as a result was burned to a crisp.

Dad and Monroe at the pool

We stayed at a hotel in downtown Denver, so Friday night we walked a few blocks to 16th street to get dinner and go window shopping. I do love Denver.

We had to leave Saturday afternoon, but not til after I got to stop by a meet my friend Caitlin's new baby (who was 1 day old!) and to celebrate Tessa's 1st birthday.

Caitlin had never met Mo either! So great to see them even for a few minutes

Mo and Quincy looking super cool

Our trip back home was uneventful, we got to stop and spend another night at the Gray's and then come the rest of the way on Sunday. It was a great family vacation, and one of our last for awhile. Maybe around the holidays this year we'll be ready to travel again, but we aren't planning on anything yet.

This summer has felt long and hot--it's one of the hottest we've had in Utah and definitely the hottest I've been in probably ever. Mo and I try to spend some time outside when we can, but it's usually not too long since neither of us are up to the heat at this point. Hondo is starting some classes at UVU this semester, which will be an adjustment for us as a family but I'm so proud of him for going back to school. A lot is changing for us Guzmans this year, and we're grateful for the blessing of lots of family time we've had this summer.