Thailand

Thailand!

Was!

Amazing!
UNBELIEVEABLE!
BRILLIANT!

EPIC!!!!

Not too shabby for Katie!

I could get used to the life of the rich and famous!

five star resorts

wet towels at every corner

cool drinks being offered 

sandy beaches

amazing breakfasts every morning

oh, and did i mention some of the coolest people on earth

Ya, not too shabby for Katie!

I was given the oppurtunity to go to Thailand with Jared for work.  

I was so excited to take a trip with Jared and some of the IPC's of doTERRA.  It always feels good to put a face with a name! 

Thailand is really far away from America but if you ever get the chance to go!  

DO IT! 

You will not regret it! 

I promise!

Here is just some of my favorite pictures from our trip!! 

Day 1

My very "original" feet picture!

This is the only picture I took of our first day there.  

That is because this is all I did the first 24 hours while Jared was

busy getting ready for everyone else to arrive!

Day 2

We started in full swing that next morning. 

doTERRA tourist alert!!!

CEO of doTERRA, Dave Stirling

Getting up close and personal with the monkeys!

Hottie!  I mean!  Coconut!

Jared loved these things!  I think he had 2 a day!

Jumped on a kayak with only me and Jared and our very own tour guide! 

He took us around these caves!

It was so beautiful!

Cheese!!

Going under one of the little tunnel caves!  

The only thing that would have made this better was if it was not full of tourists.

None the less, it was picturesque!

I loved this!! Our tour guide grabbed a leaf and made this heart and then took our camera!

It was one of the coolest pictures I have ever seen!

Floating Island

I don't know if you can tell but we had lunch at the coolest place.  

They called it the floating island because all of the houses, shops, and restaurants

were all floating.  It was a little scary!  But, the food was good!

After lunch we headed to James Bond Island!

One of the really old James Bond movies was shot here.

It literally took forever to get to this little nook.

Some people that it was overrated.  

Me, on the other hand loved it!

Truly, one of Gods beautiful creations!

This is a picture of all the Australians that went on the trip.

We had 20ish IPC's.

The best bunch around!

I loved having the experience to go on this trip to really get to know

these people who work with my husband.  

We laughed, shared stories, experienced a whole new world together, 

and of course we DANCED!

We attended an elephant show.

Their routine was of course choregraphed to

Gangam Style!

Ummm....grossest thing ever!

Snot or spit or something wet all over my face!

Blah!

However, she sure was cute!

While we were waiting for everyone to load the bus after one of our stops I felt like someone was looking at me.  I looked over my right shoulder and saw this little boy staring down at me.  When our eyes met he got the biggest smile on his face.  Then he immediately covered his face.  Not even thinking about it, I covered my face.  He slowly uncovered his eyes to see what I was doing.  I did the same thing and when our eyes met he SMILED even bigger.  We played peek-a-boo for the next minute or so.  Not really sure why but while playing this game with this sweet little boy I started to cry.  It's as if everything in the whole world stopped for one minute.  And it was just me and him!  Before the moment was gone I hurried and grabbed my camera and snapped this picture.  I waved bye to my little friend and got back on the bus.  I don't know if I can put into words what my heart felt that day.  My heart felt happy and heavy all at the same time.  Parts of me wanted to save him but I don't think he needed saving.  My new little friend made me feel so humbled and extremely blessed.  I think it's fair to say that I fell in love with my little peek-a-boo friend!

Day 3

We started the day off at a snake show!

Eventually one day I will need to upload the footage of this!

My stomach was literally in knots watching this guy.  He had only been out of the hospital for a little over a month after being bitten by a king python a few month prior.  His thumb still was pretty swollen from his bite.  He literally almost died months before and yet he was back at it again.  

I wish I would have gotten more pictures of him with the snakes.

But, like I said, I kept thinking he was going to die or something so I didn't really dare take any pictures.  I spent most of the time with my hands being occupied by covering my own eyes!

To make the situation even scarier...if that was possible!

Jared asked the guy to wear his "Go-Pro" camera so he could get some cool footage for the video that they are putting together about the trip.  The guy was happy to do it but as soon as he put it on I got so nervous because it blinks a red light the whole time it records. 

I thought to myself...

...oh great! this poor guy is going to die because my husband put this camera on his head, with a red light, and the snake is going to go right for this poor guys head....

Brave man!

Did I mention he kissed them!  

Like literally kissed them on the head!

I am going to have to get the video footage!

Riding an elephant

Cool?

Ya!

Frightening?

A little!

Once in a life time experience!

Of course!

Romantic?

Eh, not really!

I am going to blame that on Chris Harrison and ABC!

Don't get me wrong.  Me and Jared snuck in a little kissy kiss on top of an elephant in the heart of Thailand!!!! But, if you can imagine kissing someone while walking, balancing on wheels, and trying to listen to your chatty tourist guide yelling "Aussie Aussie Aussie" every five seconds and if you still think that is romantic then you are...well you are....odd, and CLEARLY never seen an episode of The Bachelor, because their elephant didn't have a tour guide or an elephant that moved! ;)

After, the elephant rides we were supposed to do a couple more touristy things but everyone was so exhausted and just wanted to go back to the hotel to relax.  We have had 2 pretty full on days.  However, I rounded up three girls and we headed to downtown Patong (sp?) to do some good ol shopping!!!

Jared was a little nervous to let me catch a taxi 45 minutes away from our hotel with a bunch of girls, but I assured him we would be okay!  He had so much to do back at the hotel and reluctuntly he let me go.  So off we went!

We of course had the best time!  Laughing so hard!  Bidding and bargaining our hearts out to get our knock off hand bags at the best price!

Day 4

Jared had meetings that morning and into the afternoon.  I spent my day helping Jared get ready for the closing dinner and laying by the beach reading a book!

Life doesn't get much better than that for me. 

Here is some of the AMAZING IPC's that I had the privilege to get to know a little better!

I know I am a little bias...but my husband is so so so very handsome!

Especially with his cheeks a little sun kissed!

These ladies were my cohorts in getting some amazing knock off handbags!  

We ended the evening with an AMAZING firework show!

Now, that was romantic!

And at the end of the firework show....

Fancy Shmancy!!

We really did have the most amazing vacation ever.  

I feel so blessed to be a part of the doTERRA family. 

What's that you say????

We had a 

VISITOR 

shout

HOORAY!!!!!!

It's true!  It's true! We had our very first Australian visitor.  Jared had to go to Thailand for a doTERRA incentive trip.  Jared invited me to go with him on this trip.  I felt like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that I really should try to make it possible.  

We weighed out our options...

1. Take the kids with us and try and figure out what to do with them once we got there?

2.  Hire someone here in Australia to watch the kids?

or my fav option

3.  Bring a family member here to be with the kids!

We decided on option numero 3!  

We booked Ashlie's ticket in November and boy did January feel like light years away.  

Luckily, time passed and the day circled in RED on our calendar finally came!

January 17th!

I can't even explain to you how excited we all were.  It was just the best feeling in the world to know that we were going to see a familiar face!  It had been a long time!  My kids were on cloud 9 and they told everyone that their Auntie was coming to visit! 

Anyway, we took the kids to my friend Emma's house while we went to the airport to get Ash.  The kids thought we were going to a work meeting.  We told the kids that she was coming the next day and so they had no clue who we were bringing home!

Jared dropped Ashlie and me off at the house and he went and got the kids from Emma's.  We hid Ashlie outside and when the doorbell rang....

Pretty dang precious, right?  I loved this video because on the way home from the airport Ashlie was nervous that Paxton wouldn't remember her and wouldn't want to stay with her.  But, as you can see in the video....he was PUMPED!

Love this picture!  Not a dry eye!

We only had four and a half days with Ashlie until we left for Thailand 

and so we packed a lot in the first few days!

First thing we did was head down the peninsula to a touristy spot, Phillip Island.  Once we got there we headed to the beach!  Ashlie's favorite thing in the whole wide world!

Life can't get better than days like this!!!!

Love my boys!

This was the first time we have been at a "surf" beach.  All the beaches by us are "bay" beaches so my kids were in heaven with all the waves!!

I caught you, Jared!!!!

Loved this picture Ashlie captured of us playing games on the beach!  

After the beach we went out to find us some dinner!  The worst part about Australia to me is that they literally have NO good Mexican food.  I think I have ranted about this before.  We try every single one that we come across.  We were driving down the road and found one and so we braved it!  

Fortunately, for us, it was actually really yummy!  

SCORE!

Oh wait!  It is like 2 hours away!

Oh well!  It was still yummy!

After dinner we walked the streets, hit up some souvenir shops, and stopped for some gelato.  

Then, we went and got in line to see the baby penguins.  It is actually a pretty amazing thing.  The penguins have these little homes built along the ocean on the beach.  They go out fishing for days and weeks at a time and they set landmarks and then come back when they are done eating!

We were freezing waiting for the little penguins to come out.  It was a little chilly but we could have also been a little cold from our sunburn we got earlier that day! ;)  

Keeping entertained!

Teaching him the duck face!! PS..Ash are you cold?

Brrrrrr!

Out they came!!!  Like thousands of them!!!

Sunday after church our friends Deb and Hutch took us to feed the birds!  It was super fun but the number of birds was a little intimidating!!!!

The following pictures don't need captions!!!  

Enjoy!

Okay, maybe they do!! Poor Deb was just holding the bag of food and they could smell it a mile away!

Pax was beyond scared!  And maybe Jared a little!! :)

Ashlie felt like the bird lady on Home Alone! 

Hutch trying to warm Pax up to the idea of feeding the birds!

Awwww, so handsome is he! 

I love this picture more than anything in the whole world!  

This is Boston's real, honest, genuine, heartfelt smile!  

He was not scared one bit!

I was a little scared!!!  Ready to punch one if landed on my face! Ha!

Keep trying Hutch!  I think it is working!!!

Lillie and Em getting a little brave!

Lillie only liked the little red ones!!!

INTERMISSION

{enter 6 days of us being gone to Thailand..}

Ashlie was a champ while we were gone.  She refused to learn how to drive while she was here.  I can't say that I blame her.  It is a little daunting for me still and I have been here for 4 months.  (Did you catch that people...20 more fast Sundays!!!)  Luckily, we live about a block and a half away from a grocery store.  They all walked up to it everyday to get out of the house.  I set up two play dates for her with some of my friends so that she could get out of the house.  A seriously huge thank you to Stephanie and Kerri!  You were complete lifesavers and Ashlie enjoyed her time with you.  She also had phone calls, texts, and surprise visitors who checked in on her.  She had people call who were going to the grocery store, banana bread dropped off to her, and the list could go on.  I felt a little how our families must feel back in Utah.  I was so grateful for the generosity and thoughtfulness that Ashlie received while we were away.  Thank you, you sweet people you!

After being gone we came home to one very attached little boy to his Auntie!!

He loves her!

She loves him!

He is so content to be with just her!

That's a big deal for Pax!!

While we were away Paxton got used to sleeping with Ashlie.  

{Naughty}

So our first night back home he snuck down the stairs and fell asleep right here.

I think he wanted to hear her voice and make sure she wasn't going anywhere!

The next morning Jared drove us down to the city to have a full 24 hours to ourselves.  He dropped us off at our hotel.  Well kinda our hotel.  Let's just say he dropped us off on a one way street!

We did lots of things in that 24 hours!!!

Ashlie is easy to please!

Anything in the sun will suffice!!

Chillin at the Wharf!

Umm...I'm not lost!! I promise!!!

Spent the day just shopping, talking, walking, and just relaxing.  

Went to the movie

"The Impossible"

Ya, glad I waited to see that until I got home from Thailand.

It is a great movie though!  2 thumbs up!

Our Yummy dessert!

Got back to the hotel and just laughed our little buns off!  

Laughed and laughed and laughed.  

It never felt so good to just giggle.  

That's the best thing about sisters.  You don't have to worry if they are ever going to disappear, or judge you for your quirks.  You're sisters!  They aren't going anywhere.  

We are definitely different from each other.

I'm loud - She's quiet

I'm sensitive - She's more sensitive

I like to be the life of the party - She's happy to sit back and watch

But in the end we are so much a like and love each other to the moon and back!  That's how I feel about all my siblings.  We were all raised in the same house.  With the same crazy parents! :)

We got brave and took the train home.   It was so much fun and so relaxing.  

I can't wait to take the train again!

Sadly, the end was near!  

We did her favorite thing that day and headed to the beach for a couple hours!

And then after much hesitation, she packed her bags!!!

Sad face!!!

Thursday came whether we liked it or not.  Thursday also happened to be our kids first day of school.  They have been on summer/holiday break since December 22nd.  

We took some pictures.

And said goodbye!

I feel like we waited months and months and months for Auntie Ashlie to come.  

And just like that it was over!  We are so happy that she was able to come and stay.

As sad as we were to see her leave 

I was excited that her kids were going to get their Mom back!

They missed her! 

As did her hubby!

The minute she walked away in the airport my heart hurt.

The only way I can explain it is..my heart felt out of rhythm.

I may or may not have gone into a little depression for 48 hrs.

However, life goes on!  Funny how that happens.  

She is home preparing for her missionary to leave in a month.

I'm here raising my kids, supporting the husband, and trying to find my place in all of this.

Love you Ash!  Thanks for the best couple weeks!

xoxoxoxo

Stay tuned for our Thailand post!

Oh and we have some great news!!!!

...

...

We have more visitors coming in March!

}}}Mark and Erin{{{

}}}Grandma Lil and Grandpa Terry{{{

Pretty pumped about that news!