Labor Day in Idaho

Josh and I headed up to Idaho last Wednesday for a few days with family and cooler weather. We left Tempe at 4pm and drove straight through and got to Blackfoot at 7am. It was a long drive but after we slept for a few hours we were good to go. It was a great weekend for us to come up as we found out that a bunch of Josh's cousins were there as well. I got to meet a lot of his family that I hadn't met before and it was a lot of fun. We finally got to see Jessy's (Josh's little sister) baby Kegan. He is such a cutie and made us smile. It was fun to be around a lot of family as that rarely happens with us anymore. We all had dinner and watched the BYU football game one night, we had a big dinner and birthday party another night and then we sat around a campfire roasting marshmallows. This is when the small town girl in me comes out. There is something about being outside in the quiet that satisfies me. It's not something you can find in the city.

We stayed with Josh's Grandpa and Grandma and we just love them. It was so fun to see them together with all their kids and grandkids. It's amazing what two people who love each other can produce. It has to be rewarding to look at all their posterity and see how good they turned out.

We also got to spend some time with Josh's best friend Aaron and his wife Kelsey. They have two adorable girls Cambria and Ashlynn and we had a lot of fun visiting with them. We went up to their cabin one night and had a cook out and dutch oven cake and ice cream. YUM! They have such a cute little family and it was good to be around them for a few days. We also met Kelsey's little sister Corey...I loved watching them interact...it reminded me of when my sister's and I get together ;)

The weekend just flew by...they are never long enough! After our 14 hour drive back, we were both exhausted. It was well worth it though! We are hoping to get back up there for Christmas!

JP and I on our way up to the cabin...gorgeous views!

FaMiLy

So I couldn't really explain my feelings but reading some of these helped...

To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. ~Barbara Bush

Family quarrels are bitter things. They don't go by any rules. They're not like aches or wounds; they're more like splits in the skin that won't heal because there's not enough material. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald

Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted. ~Paul Pearshall

The lack of emotional security of our American young people is due, I believe, to their isolation from the larger family unit. No two people - no mere father and mother - as I have often said, are enough to provide emotional security for a child. He needs to feel himself one in a world of kinfolk, persons of variety in age and temperament, and yet allied to himself by an indissoluble bond which he cannot break if he could, for nature has welded him into it before he was born. ~Pearl S. Buck

"Above all else, children need to know and feel they are loved, wanted, and appreciated. They need to be assured of that often. Obviously, this is a role parents should fill, and most often the mother can do it best." Ezra Taft Benson,"Salvation--A Family Affair," Ensign, July 1992, 4

"I believe our problems, almost every one, arise out of the homes of the people. If there is to be reformation, if there is to be a change, if there is to be a return to old and sacred values, it must begin in the home. It is here that truth is learned, that integrity is cultivated, that self-discipline is instilled, and that love is nurtured." Gordon B. Hinckley, "Walking in the Light of the Lord," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 99

In a world of turmoil and uncertainty, it is more important than ever to make our families the center of our lives and the top of our priorities. . . .
"We need to make our homes a place of refuge from the storm, which is increasing in intensity all about us. Even if the smallest openings are left unattended, negative influences can penetrate the very walls of our homes." L. Tom Perry, "The Importance of the Family," Ensign, May 2003, 40

Weezer #7 Baby!

I totally forgot to mention the best news today...I was driving to work this morning and was listening to the radio and all of a sudden I hear a new Weezer song. Yes....I am a huge fan of the nerd rock and I cannot wait for October 27th when the new album is released!!!!!

Catching Up

So it's been a while. I can't believe it is already the middle of August. I must be getting old because the years really are starting to fly by...I better get busy. Josh and I haven't really been up to anything exciting. Just work and school. Josh starts at ASU on Monday! I'm so proud of him. I know I don't tell him enough but he really is amazing and my absolute best friend. He worked really hard in school this summer and got all A's. I sometimes get discouraged that we are not further ahead in our lives but I know there are reasons and our timelines have had a few bumps in the road. I get so anxious to start our family but we have all eternity to be together.

We did go to a Diamondbacks game this past Friday with a group from my office. It was fun. There were a million Dodger fans there talking trash...it got a little scary at times but we just yelled louder! It's really good to get to the ballpark every now and again. Reminds me of being a little kid and watching the Braves play at my Granparent's house. We would always get so mad at my Grandpa because he wouldn't let us watch Full House....so funny! That's back when people only had one TV in the house :) The voice of the announcer for the Braves will forever bring back those sweet memories when life was so simple. It's kind of sad my grandparents aren't around anymore....I miss them. They both passed away too young in my life and I look forward to seeing them again.

We parked far away so we had one of those guys on the bikes pull us. He was awesome!

Our group more or less (we are the four rows back)...it was hard to get a good shot!

Don't ask....Josh like to pretend he is a cool guy sometimes

Memorial Day Weekend

Things have been crazy and I can't believe it is already the middle of June! Memorial Day weekend my sister Tiffany, her husband Kyle, their daughter Rylee, Josh and I went up to Show Low for the long weekend. We had planned on camping but it was really rainy and cold up there that weekend so we stayed at my Dad's house instead. We had a lot of fun! It was REALLY good to get away for a few days. I miss the outdoors and wish I could get out more often. I have been wanting to go fishing for over a year now and we got licenses and went up at both Show Low and Big Lake. We all carpooled up together in Tiff and Kyle's truck and it reminded me of old times when we were little and spent time as a family. Rylee kept us all laughing (well me anyway) the whole ride up and down. She is a little firecracker. We took turns at the lake watching her because she kept trying to walk into the water. I was holding her hand and walking with her and counting - she is so smart. She really likes 3 and 4 and kept repeating those two :) I wish Tash and Jared were there too...actually all of my family. I told Josh that I wish we could have a big reunion. Maybe Labor Day more of us can get together...family and friends. We are planning on camping again for that weekend :) I'm excited for family vacations with our own little family someday.

This was at about 6 am and it was COLD!

Tiff and Rylee in the tent. We got a little tent to put Rylee in to keep her out of the cold.

My favorite fisherman!

Me and my fish:) Josh and I finally caught 1 fish each on Monday morning...And yes mine was bigger and prettier than Josh's! We didn't have very good luck this trip but we weren't gonna leave without catching something.

Josh & Rylee

Tiff, Dad and I

Running Around

I had another 5K race on Saturday and I took over 3 minutes off my last race time. We have been training for almost 2 months now and I ran it in 26:26. I was pretty excited. We still have a lot of training to do before our half marathon but we finally decided on an October race so we have plenty of time. We are running about 16 miles a week now and with training that number increases every week. I'm not sure why I like to report this because I'm sure it's not really interesting for anyone to read but it is the one thing in my life right now I feel I can do somewhat right :) It's a great way to do some thinking...and you are exercising too.

It's been an interesting few months to say the least. Lots of stress and running around (literally...haha) and trying to get everything done and please everyone. It's really easy to get discouraged for me lately. I think I have been strong for so long I'm just worn out. It's not always easy to understand what we are supposed to be learning in life or why our lives take such unexpected turns. Though I don't understand I know there are reasons. I know we have help beyond this world and I am so grateful for all those there as well as here that help me along. I love my family and the support they are to me. I love my husband so much and don't know what I would do without him (sorry to get mushy). He really is my best friend and when I don't think I can go on he is there leading me along. I feel so blessed to have him in my life! I have always known this but now more than ever I am reminded that it's the things in life that money can't buy that make you the happiest :)

Bread Anyone?

So on Sunday Josh wanted some bread and since we didn't have any and we couldn't go to the store he asked me to make some. We had seen my mom the day before and she was talking about baking bread so that is where Josh got the idea. So I decided to try and make some of my mom's Golden Egg Bread. I have helped her make plenty of times before but have never tried it on my own so I was a little unsure of how it would turn out. I don't usually have good luck with the yeast and rising and everything but it turned out really good....if I do say so myself. I was pretty excited! The best part is I didn't have to spend any money. I had everything I needed to make it in my cupboards. Josh said this is what I am doing every Sunday from now on :) He ate half of one of the loaves the first night. There is nothing like bread fresh out of the oven with melted butter on it. You can't re-heat it and have it taste the same. I realized how spoiled I was was growing up having fresh bread all of the time. I'm grateful for those memories! Here's a pic;)