May 30th, 2010
Each year we head up to the cabin over Memorial Day weekend to clean up/rake outside and get everything all set for summertime. This year Trevor and I went up with my Dad, grandparents and my Aunt Janet and Uncle Burt.
The weather held out for us and we were able to get everything taken care of early and then relax the rest of the day. Little Chloe Bear had a blast running up and down the beach. After lunch we celebrated Papa’s birthday. He turned 82 on Saturday! So happy we could be up there and ring in another birthday with him. We love you Papa!
Family | 
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May 30th, 2010
Last week Trevor and I enjoyed 5 days down in Las Vegas. We try and make it down to there at least once a year to visit our favorite spots and to soak up the sun. This time around we stayed at the Monte Carlo since it was next to City Center. I am so happy we did–City Center is awesome!! Our favorite out of the bunch was Aria.
The hotel is beautiful and there are endless places to eat, drink and be merry. Our favorite restaurant out of the bunch was Julian Serrano. Trev and I both love tapas style eating and my usual go-to place, Cafe ba ba Reeba, has closed. So to my wonderful surprise, we found this gem at Aria. It blew us away. Every single dish we ordered was so tasty it lasted maybe 3 minutes on the table. Our hands down favorites were the white esparagus and the stuffed piquillo peppers. It makes my mouth water even thinking about them now. And to top it all off, the white sangria is oh so delicious. Bottom line, if you go to Aria, you must eat at this place. I can’t wait to go back and try it all out again. We also checked out the Cirque du Soleil show Viva Elvis. I have always enjoyed the music of Elvis, but I have a new appreciation for him now. The show was a blast and as usual the performers were great to watch. I have to say that we liked LOVE at the Mirage more, but this one is entertaining too. You can’t go wrong with Cirque du Soleil.
Beyond City Center we had lots of fun shopping and checking out the other hotels. Another favorite ended up being Encore. The food was delicious of course and the shopping was incredible! We found a Rock & Republic shop, my favorite jeans in the whole wide world. Being in there was like a kid in a candy shop, I wanted everything! But since I have not won the lottery, Frankie (the awesome and very fun store manager) helped me pick out a pair of jeans and some fun shades.
So with shopping and sight seeing under our belts Trev snuck in a thrill ride and then we visited the Bellagio gardens. On our way to the gardens we stopped by Jean-Philippe and gawked at the World’s largest chocolate fountain. I just wanted to jump right in! After sampling some of the yummy chocolates, we headed back to the hotel and relaxed the rest of the time poolside and enjoyed a bit of sunshine. It was nice to have a few days to kick it with the hubby and enjoy each other. Vegas we love you and look forward to our next visit!
Travel | 2 Comments »
May 30th, 2010
I just finished up Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad. I give this book a B-. Now don’t get me wrong, it is the perfect summer novel or a fun quick read in between heavier books. The story is fun and her characters are entertaining, it just doesn’t have the deep and intricate works like some of the other books I have read this year.
Sweet Little Lies is the follow up novel to L.A. Candy which I enjoyed also. The books are loosely based on LC’s life on reality TV and how it sent her into a whirlwind. While the books are fiction, you can’t help but wonder if crazy Madison is a tribute to Heidy Montag in some way. Either way, it’s fun to follow these girls through their fun and crazy lives in LA.
I LOVE Lauren Conrad, I think she is super cute, sweet and has a good head on her shoulders. I also love her clothes line to boot. While all of this is irrelevant regarding her being an author, it is the reason I read her books. If you are looking for a fun, quick read I would recommend picking up the LA Candy series.
Books | No Comments »
May 26th, 2010
Last week Trevor and I took off for some fun in the sun Vegas style. One of his only requirements for the vacation was that he jump off the Statosphere via Sky Jump. I know crazy right?
Well he did it and he loved. My hubby plummeted 855 feet and enjoyed every second of it. I on the other hand was a bit nervous. Check out the video below for the action. I apologize in advance for my squealing.
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Travel | 1 Comment »
May 25th, 2010
Good news to report—little Connor is doing awesome! Today he was able to snuggle up to his family and spoil us all. He is still in NICU, but only as a precautionary measure. His lungs are 100% and this adorable little guy should be getting to come home real soon.
I took a couple videos while I was at the hospital today. Click on the video below to see him. Is his blonde hair the greatest or what!?!
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May 24th, 2010
Super exciting news!! Tonight we welcomed my new little nephew into the world at 8:14pm. Connor Maclain Rutz weighs 6 lbs, 10 ounces and is 18 inches long. My sister (aka “rockstar” as all of the nurses referred to her as) delivered this bundle of love in 2 hours with no pain meds. I have already warned my husband that I am in no way a warrior mama like my sister…I can only hope to have a sliver of her demeanor in the delivery room. Not only is she tough, but she is a beauty while at work. No joke, I walked in after she delivered Connor and she looked perfect. I am in awe of you sis.
Back to the little bundle. He is pure love. So sweet and little. He has soft, light hair and tiny little features. There are definitely some similarities between him and his brother, their cute chin and the little nose. Oh I could go on for days.
Please keep little Connor in your prayers. He is a healthy boy, but his lungs just need a little extra time to be completely ready to be on his own. So please lift him up, we want him to be in his mama’s arms just as soon as he can.
We love you all—Cody, Bridgette, Drake and Connor!! We can’t wait to have you all home very soon.
xoxo
Family | 3 Comments »
May 16th, 2010
Today we celebrated my MIL’s birthday with some fun in the sun, lots of fabulous wine and a delicious dinner at Cottonwood Grille. As an added bonus, Trevor’s aunt Suzie and her fiance Kurt joined us from Florida. We LOVE getting to see the two of them when we can—it is never often enough!
Here are a few photos of our celebratory day. Happy Birthday Linda, we love you!
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May 16th, 2010
This past Sunday we continued in a sermon series called “Are You Filled?” which is centered around the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Both Trevor and I have learned a lot in just the past couple weeks. The sermon yesterday had a lot of great messages in it and I wanted to get it logged in my “diary” so I can always come back to it.
The product of the Presence and control of the Holy Spirit in our lives cultivates some beautiful and fascinating character traits called the The Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. Just as fruit appear in an orchard, the Holy Spirit brings gifts into our lives—things like a Christlike compassion for others, an exuberance about life that supercedes our circumstances, and a peace and serenity despite the sometimes harsh realities of life.
The Spirit also cultivates within us a willingness to stick with things, a graciousness in responding to people’s needs and an integrity of heart which offers comfort to those afflicted by the pain and heartaches of life. The fruit of the Spirit fosters loyalty in commitments, a gentleness in not needing to force our way in life, and the ability to direct and channel our energies and resources wisely. The Fruit of the Spirit are the outward expressions of Christ dwelling within us.
A quote I loved that was shared with us: “Powerfully and surely the Spirit works—sometimes dramatically; sometimes slowly, almost imperceptibly—in our lives to repeat the miracle of a new creation in Christ Jesus.” – Maxie D. Dunnam
The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives to help us not only talk the talk, but to walk the walk. The Fruit of the Spirit is not the fruit of human potential—it’s the fruit of God’s Spirit in the driver’s seat in our hearts and lives.
Church | No Comments »
May 14th, 2010
One of the blogs I follow has great tips on couponing and keeping organized. I just spotted a recent post of hers that is the best idea ever! You package the 30 most favorite meals your family has and then work off of those for the shopping lists and meal planning. I am sooo doing this! It will help alleviate those nights that I am missing 1 egg or a 1/4 cup of soy sauce (thanks Bridgette!).
I’ll let you know how it all turns out, but I think this is one key tip I will be LOVING.
Organization, Recipes | 1 Comment »
May 13th, 2010
I finally did it. I now am a proud owner of a WordPress site! Blogger you have been wondeful to me but it’s time for me to pack up and move on.
You can now find my site at http://www.detailsdiary.com/. See you there!
xoxo
General | No Comments »
