#celebratechange

About a year ago I quit my job. Went on vacation for a couple of weeks. Came home got a job at Pingree.  Once there I decided that I was not where I wanted to be.  I wanted to be able to do more. I ran away to Montana. I did not stop the car because I knew that if I did I would never make it there. As scary as it was I needed to make it to Montana.  Once there my aunt and uncle asked why I was there. I had no idea.  I spent the next morning at the library studying for my SSW.  I went back to the house and applied to Graduate school. SERIOUSLY! I had no idea what I was doing or why I was doing it. I just needed to have faith that I would figure it out. I started the process. I applied to 3 schools. All out of state. SERIOUSLY! I did not tell many people. I could not believe I was doing it. Applications were in the middle of December.  I was accepted to 2 of the 3 in February.  I should have gotten into the third...maybe still a little bitter. I committed to both.  The same day my car was totaled. I was emotional.  How was I suppose to go to graduate school, pay for it and have a car payment? It was rough. Things slowed down and I was able to make decisions.  Good ones. As the time neared to leave for school. I was a wreck. What had I done? I doubted and doubted my decisions.  However I was going to follow thru. I moved to Washington state. I currently live in the Tri-Cities and attend Walla Walla University.  They do quarters. I have one quarter done, and start the second on Monday. I will be done with my MSW in June. And, I LOVE it here. I had no idea where I was going to live. I had no idea what school would be like. I had no idea if I would meet people and make friends. I had to have faith in my Heavenly Fathers plan. I now live with 3 girls who are all LDS, whom I get along with and enjoy there company.  I have been on dates...some I wish to have not gone on.  I think its cause I am new.  Some serious stalkers in these here parts. It has been an adventure. One in which has taken some serious adjusting. But I am doing it.
I am celebrating change.

Kooper James

 

Ashy and Spence's little guy showed up on
April 20, 2012

Koop is the sweetest little boy

I love my nieces.

But there is something about my nephews. 

They have my heart. 

Koop gives me the sweetest smiles. 

He cuddles on occasion. 

He is just a sweet as can be. 

I just love him! 

I have a lot to update on but today as I have transitioned back to Washington. 

I have found myself figuring out how to live with roommates again

Where I fit in at my internship?

How I am going to conquer this quarter?

And being okay in my transitory state.

I watched this messages this morning. 

Just what I needed to keep moving forward. 

Enjoy.

Rugby 2012

This years rugby trip did not fall short of anything but enjoyable.
It started with a night of trying on super awesome hats...
and ended with trying on several of Beth's fancy childhood bows...

Friday started out with a trip to the Hoover Dam.

Naturally we needed some to pose for photos

and took every oppurtunity to soak in some vitamin Dthe afternoon was full of more vitamin D, which included napping on tramp and a surprise jumping in the sprinklers

The night was full of shopping! We all love us some good Vegas shopping. Well most of us. We ended the night celebrating Simon's birthday at Serendipity with frozen hot chocolate.

Saturday brought my favorite day! A day full of friends, costumes, and some really crazies!

Our new Canadian friends...hours of entertainment

the real entertainment was on the field...

our favorite Utes

My favorite Rugby Ginger!!

our favorite Springbok

The day did not disappoint with plenty of scrums...

Lots of rucks...

and handfuls of Tries for everyone!

its a trip I look forward too every year! can't wait to 2013!

how dear i...

...forget my favorite part of Feburary
rugby at its best
Sevens International Tournament
in Vegas!

we go down on the Thursday before.
Spend Friday shopping
then the best of all,
all day Saturday is spent watching RUGBY!

These are our Bristish friends,
spent all day sitting in front of them
rugby fans get crazy!
These guys were no different.

Here's hoping we run into them again this year!
#fingerscrossed

2011 at its best!

2011 was welcomed with a sweet baby girl, Miss Kenney Lo
auburn hair and brown eyes
different from her siblings
Just 4 days after our sweet Kennedy arrived we said goodbye to our Gram Mick.

Charles and Dorthy Mickelsen's posterity

3 of our boys were/are serving faithful missions

1 has since returned, the others will be home in June

February was spent taking pictures of this beauty

and getting ready for the big day!

In March we celebrated Ashy and Spence!

The Sealing was beautiful,

Ashy looked fabulous,

Spence was a handsome groom.

The reception was beautiful

It was a special day!

April brought birthdays for Steph and I...

I just deleted the picture....
and another....

I graduated in May

Thanks to all that helped me reach this goal!

It was a nice night

I then jumped on a plane with these beauties to the Dominican Republic.

We spent 7 days doing whatever we wanted.

It was a great way to celebrate the end of an era

June and July were spent going to Family Reunions,

going to the Oakley rodeo,
and endless days at Lagoon.

First the Phillips reunion.

The Phillips never disappoint

Grams chocolate fudge cupcakes are always a favorite

here Gram is with some of her siblings

Next the Lamb BurnThis chest of drawers/files was my Grandpa's

We decided it should be in Chesterfield

where he grew up

here it is in the museum

For Matthew's birthday in June, he and I got to spend an afternoon at 'Magoon'

this aunt Mae loves her Matthew.

Many summer afternoon's were spent riding rides,

over and over again.

This photo is out of order...Oops!

In Sept...I went to Mary Poppins

It was practically perfect in every way.

In August I ran away to Montana!

it has become one of my favorite places...

I sent the first couple of days helping my family finish remodeling

we did redneck things...

we didn't have time to get the truck and go back into town.

Lindz and I just held this roofing metal outside the car.

I flatten boxes in a dumpsterWe welcomed our Trever home from an honorable mission

This handsome face was a welcomed site for this Momma.

That same week the rest of the fam joined us in Helena, for a weekend of Fun!

Brooklyn quickly learned she could get all the attention she needed from her boy cousins.

We could often find her cuddled up with Darin and Trev, doing and eating whatever they were. She stole there hearts. our nights included endless hours of Just Dance 2

Family reunions now consist of adult cousins.

and cousins babies.

it is just as much fun today as it was when we were kids.

we spent a good hour filling water balloons for a water fight.

it only last 5 minutes.

it was SO fun!

September brought my first experience at the E.I.S.F

Eastern Idaho State Fair.

there is nothing like this fair.

we spent the weekend people watching

truck pulls

rodeos

horse races

Indian horse races

Bingham family history

Rupes

Yummy food

October brought our trip to Lake Powell

Matthew and Brooklyn joined us

it made for an anxious Mae

but we all survived

and enjoyed our time

Matthew and B experienced

boating, jet skiing, tubing with Grandma, Mae and Aunt Annette

water fights between Poppa and Uncle Mike

It was a great week in the sun!

October also took me to Denver with Shell Bell.

We went to see our dear friends Ben and Allison

and there sweet girls.

We spent our days relaxing

reading books

loving Rosie and Eve

watching scary movies

going to Downtown

shopping

going to Boulder

such a great time!!

oh, and playing chess like the professionals we areOctober also took me to Bozeman,

a change in jobs

and decisions to apply to Grad school

November naturally took us to the grand opening of Salt Lake's very own

Crate & Barrel

and H&M
We didn't stand in this line...

we went back later that night

December brought the first home game for our Utah Jazz!

Here it is 2011 at its best