RODGERS FAMILY GET TOGETHER!

 Because Ashley missed the reunion in October - she decided to put one together for Memorial Weekend. Then RJ got engaged May 1st and since they are going to get married before July1st, he had to skip out so it's no longer a reunion and just a family get away. We loaded up and headed out to St George Friday when Emma got off work. Grandma and Grandpa rented a house for all of us to stay in. We spent Saturday hanging out at the pool, getting Bahama Bucks and just relaxing. While Jared grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, Emma and I escaped to some red mountains to hike around for about 30 minutes - so pretty up there and windy - it blew my hat right off my head! 

Sunday Jared and I got the kids up at 6am and headed out to Zion National Park so we could hike the Narrows. Hope Larson told me to get there early otherwise there would be no parking and  I would have to wait forever to get in. Best advice ever!! We got parking no problem, hopped on the shuttle no problem and did our hike no problem. When we left there was no parking, at least an hour wait to get on the shuttle and all the people hiking in as we were hiking out was a mess! The Narrows has a mile long path that is laid out and takes you to the water. Then we got in the icy water and hiked just over a mile in it. We made a rule that we would turn around once the water hits "NL" (nut level). It never did. It was so much fun hiking in the water, fighting the current, looking at the gorgeous canyon walls, Emma led the way, the boys had such good attitudes about it. On the way back poor Tyson couldn't take it anymore and he was shivering and freezing to the touch so we gave him Jared's extra shirt and he did much better. We hiked 4.2 miles. It was a bucket list item for sure! 

Later that day we went to Brigham Young's house and then walked around Dixie College which is currently changing their name to Utah Tech. Eli enjoyed it and all the family was a good sport about doing this for Eli. He was sad he couldn't really see the baseball field because it was blocked and it was boring since it was a Sunday over Memorial Weekend so everything was closed. The boys played pickleball and the twins played with all the younger cousins and were the best to entertain them the whole time! 

Monday we got up and headed out to Cade's parents house in Hurricane, UT to have lunch and ride horses. The boys did not want to do it, but we made them and they enjoyed it! Cade was such a good host! Then we headed back to our place for afternoon swimming, dinner, Indian Leg wrestling and arm wrestling. 

It was a great trip and I am so glad we were all able to go out and do it! 

AAO MIAMI, FLORIDA!

 What the freak is AAO?! American Association of Orthodontics! A world I never knew existed. Now that I am marketing for Aspen Orthodontics this conference came up in Florida and the doctors decided that all the doctors should go, plus me and Alena. We went out a day early and rented a convertible, cruised the Florida Keys, hung out by some beach and then kayaked through some river thing. It was the best! The conference itself was pretty good too and I learned quite a bit. Alena had to leave early so then Mary Ann came out in  her place. Sunday I only had 2 classes to go to so I spent the afternoon laying out at South Beach. The water is the perfect temperature, the sand is so white and soft with no broken shells anywhere. We learned a lot, laughed a lot and decided the food is Florida is not that good oh and the uber drivers are crazy! The end!