So Many Things To Be Grateful For!

Well, this week I have been a bit absent for blogging because I was in Utah with my family for a funeral. It seems like a funeral is always a good time for reflection and to think about the things that are truly important to you. This week I thought about things that I am really grateful for especially because the death of my cousin came as a shock and was very unexpected I thought of things that give me comfort during rough situations like this was.

1) I am grateful for my knowledge of the gospel and the atonement. When I find it difficult to put myself in someone elses shoes it is comforting to know that Jesus Christ knows. He is the only one who has experienced all things and knows exactly what we are feeling. It is comforting to know that God is just and merciful. We all make mistakes but God knows the true intentions of our hearts. I love the gospel and the peace it brings me.

2) I am grateful for the knowledge that families are FOREVER! In a rough situation my family is a good one to be apart of. You say family reunion and no one can come but you say funeral and everyone is on the next plane out. We had family come in from New York, Colorado, North Carolina, California, and Arizona. It was good to see everyone again and be able to laugh, cry, and strengthen family bonds. I love my family!

3) I am grateful for good friends who support me and my family in a time of need. For good friends who fed my husband while was gone and all the kindness that was shone on my families behalf.

I am grateful for so much more but this is a good start.

Scanned Memories #2

I just wanted to go down memory lane again and share some more pictures from the past.

You have to love pictures from High School dances. This was Homecoming my senior year (Mikelle, me, and Ashley) and I can't remember what the other dance was...whatever it was it was an 80's dance (I hope!) :) (me and Lisa). What about those alternating socks and high tops!

These are my good friends Lisa, different Lisa's. First, this is one of my favorite pictures I have of me and Lisa at the State softball tournament our Jr. year--I had on my rally cap! My favorite thing about High School was playing softball. Second, the other picture is my other friend Lisa, she was my best friend in High School.

(Right to left: Britt's brother, Britt, Katie, Ashley, Megan, Kristin, Lisa, me, and Natalie)

This picture was taken at Primary Children's Hospital.

My senior or Jr. year my friends and I decided that at Christmas time instead of buying each other presents we would get together a week before Christmas and go buy presents for the kids at Primary Children's Hospital with the money that we would spend on each other. Then we would take them up to the Hospital. One of my friends had an in and we would get to go on a tour and meet some of the kids. It was really fun. Then that night we would all go out to dinner. This tradition would lasted about four years, up until my mission. It is some of my favorite Christmas memories.

This is a picture of me and my sisters at my oldest sisters wedding in 1998. We had awesome hair! :

GOOD TIMES!

Birthday Treats!

Well, this past Tuesday was my birthday, 28! WOW, that's old! I had a good birthday...we went to Texas Roadhouse, my fav restaurant, with friends and Ryan spoiled me with gifts. I love the Christmas village we do every year but I also love Halloween so Ryan gave me a Halloween house like the Christmas ones we have but this one is Dracula's Castle, I love it. Also, he gave me a bike. I actually got to go help pick it out and I was very excited...but this gift comes with a story, here it is:

My main worry about this bike is the bike shoes that clip in and out. I have never used a bike with clips before. At the bike store I kept talking to the sales guys and Ryan about my fear of falling because they all said that everyone falls. Well, I really do not what to fall! They said that it doesn't hurt your body just your pride. They gave me all these tips about how not to fall...I was ready. After 3 hours of measuring, tightening, fitting and checking we paid for the bike, walked out of the store and decided to take a spin around the parking lot...Big Mistake--After twenty seconds of riding I was getting off and unclipped my left foot and then when I stopped I tried to step down with my right foot. As you can tell the right foot was still clipped in and I FELL! I couldn't believe it. I was laughing so hard laying in the middle of the parking lot. Ryan was looking down when I pulled up and he said all he heard was "oh, Crap!" and then saw me fall! It was really funny because I was laughing so hard and Ryan was so concerned. He kept asking of I was ok...of course I was ok, I fell from a standing position to the ground. I wasn't even moving when I fell. It was hilarious! I scratched up my leg, elbow, hands, and my poor bike. I had only owned it about 20 seconds and I already had dinged it up!

That night Ryan and I went on a ride and I did ok. I was nervous (it is not like I remember as a kid) but as we stopped at lights I would clip my right foot out with plenty of time before the light and I was getting pretty good at getting it back in. Well, at our last light I was thinking to myself, "if i wouldn't have fallen earlier today than I wouldn't have fallen on my first day out". I spoke 10 seconds too soon. As the light turned green the cars were waiting for us to go before they turned left so I pushed off but the pad in my shorts got stuck on the seat of my bike and I couldn't get up...smart me took my right hand off the handle bar to move it but with my left foot clipped in and my left hand on the handle bar gravity took over and I fell to the left. Right in front of all the cars waiting to turn left. I can only imagine how hard they were laughing. Because once again I was not even moving just pretty much standing still and then just fell over. I am not very good at this and if I was ever a prideful person...I know have a little less. It is really embarrassing. The only thing you can do is get up move your bike and laugh at yourself. Ryan is funny too because he is almost afraid to laugh at me and gets very concerned. He is cute. And needless to say... my left side now matches the scratches of my right side...this is a dangerous gift! But, I love it and I am very excited to get better at it. Thanks Ry!

Scanned Memories #1

Today I spent some time scanning some old pictures of me and Ryan. Mostly him because most of the pictures of me as a child are in Utah at my parents house but here are some of them. I will have to break up all the pictures because there are so many cute ones, especially of Ry...he was one cute kid.
A month before I left on my mission in 2000 my family went on a cruise. We went to Jamaica, Mexico, and the Grand Cayman Islands. It was one of the most fun things I have ever done!

Tis the season...I found a bunch of Ryan's Halloween pictures. This is not all of them but they are sure cute. I am glad that his parents were camera happy and we have all these cute memories.






So, I don't think that the GI Joe and the other one with the sword are Halloween but more just dress up but I thought that they are great pictures! Also, is that Donald Duck on the end of that sword? Scary! Oh, the first pumpkin baby is his brother Pat and the second pumpkin baby is his youngest brother, Nick, Pat is the skeleton.

Last but not least just some cute fall pictures (all of these are Ryan):


Ryan with Pat.
There are a ton more pictures that I want to upload but I will save some for another time. You have to agree Ryan was a super cute little kid, then again I think he still is.

We Love Him, We Love Him Not.........We Love Him!

Anyone want a dog? Very Cute, 10 month old Golden Retriever...any takers? We have been trying to give Chase more responsibility lately and letting him stay out of his kennel more when we are not home. We started out with just a few minutes and then have moved up to a few hours. Well, Ryan came home this week for lunch to find this:


Yes, this is the carpet in our apartment and that is all the padding. Needless to say he can not handle the level of responsibility that has been bestowed upon him and his days of being in the kennel all day have returned. Believe me that when I had to tell the apartment complex it was very embarrassing and they may need to replace all the carpet. Do you think Chase has to pay for it? No, it is all us! Bad Puppy! But, it is hard for us to be mad when he is so darn cute! How can you be mad at this cute little face?

Plus he is wearing the Halloween handkerchief that I made him....I know I am obsessed with Halloween but he is catching the spirit. :) So, all in all we can't hate him and in fact we are crazy about him!

Happy Birthday Dani!

Today is my little sisters birthday she is turning 26 and she has cool hair! Don't notice that she is the same age as my husband:) oops. Dani Happy Birthday! We love you and miss you and we hope that you had a good birthday. COME VISIT!














P.S. It is 75 degrees here and we are freezing--just last week we were in the hundreds! :) Enjoy the snow.

Weight Watchers Groupies

Today makes one month that we have been on Weight Watchers and I am a big fan! We decided to do this together, well, I asked Ryan to do this with me and he was supportive and has stuck with it...Thanks Ry! So, after going to the meeting each week and counting our points Ryan has lost 12 lbs. and I have lost 15 lbs. We are really happy and look forward to weighing in each week. We have really become aware of the things we are eating and it is good that we have each other when one of us gets weak and just wants a cheeseburger and strawberry shake from In & Out Burger :). One thing I really like about the Weight Watcher philosophy is that they just encourage you to "move more". They don't say, "Do this" or "Do that" in order to lose weight they just say to move more than you have been. It makes you feel good about doing what ever you can and also that anything counts. We have really tried to just "move more". We have been playing tennis a couple of times a week and I even tried to go running with Chase but he kept thinking we were playing and jumping on me and I got really bad shin splints (not because of Chase's jumping). I keep forgetting I am not as athletic and I once was. With my birthday coming up I have asked for a road bike so that we can go riding together. Ryan rides his a few times a week and has to leave me behind so hopefully if I get this sweet present than it is just one more thing we can do to support each other and to be more active. I have just really enjoyed doing this program and having this chance to become healthier.