Rock Star

I've been meaning to do this for a couple of weeks...hehe.  I just finished yet another semester of school. Only one million left to go.  Just kidding, I am getting closer and I think we are down to one hand of semesters left!! Maybe someday I will be done.  

My dad watches Matthew every Wednesday.  I was playing with him this afternoon and thinking about how great he is.  He makes me smile, makes the day so much better. He has his fake laughs and his real laughs.  Both are really great but his real laugh is the best!  He is a very smart boy, and usually knows what you are talking about and will do what you ask. He loves to help.  Here are some of the things we have been doing....

Being silly the night before little sister joined us.  Look at his little teeth...

His favorite place to sit. The fireplace.  

I asked if I could join him one night, everyone doubted I could get in there with him, so of course I had to prove them wrong.  I fit and still had room for him.  I don't sit in there for fun though...

with his favorite Auntie! 

Playing Rockband!  He's an awesome singer.  They make a pretty good band, Mom on drums, Dad on guitar and our little monkey, singer!

Yet another....

I had a little photo shoot with Brooklyn.  It didn't turn out quite the way I had hoped. I haven't really taken photo's inside so I don't know how to work the lighting...practice makes perfect!  Here's our little princess...

Ash and I couldn't resist these ballerina's.  you can't tell but the shoes are a little to big...good thing she is a growing girl.
she isn't very happy with me...but its the only one that turned out with her curly hair.  It's so CUTE! 

Couldn't leave Big brother out. The photo is a little blurry, but his facial expression is so great! Priceless. 

Brooklyn Ruth

Here she is! We didn't think she was going to come until next week, but instead she came yesterday.  She weighed 8lbs 7oz. and she is 19 1/4 in. long  Her hair is curly when wet, and is very sweet little girl.  Big brother was a little upset when he first saw mom holding her, but he soon realized who it was and gave her kisses.  Momma and Daddy are little tired but are doing great! 

Life...

I've been thinking about summer sales lately, it's not what you think though.   I can't say that I will never do it again, however I am almost positive that I will never do it again.  I was thinking about summer sales because of the way it makes me feel.  I have always been closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior.  I'm not sure I can explain it but I am going to try.   Doing  a summer of sales entails  6 days of work and at least 12 hours a day(at least as a technician).   You have very little time to do anything besides work, and when you do have time to just hang out you hang out with someone who has just work just as hard as you.  You usually don't have TV, and don't watch TV.   Some apartments may have a TV and a DVD player so you can watch movies occasionally.  What I am trying to get to is that you live in your own little world, and you stay in it. It is sometimes hard to get out of it and into the real world.  As the summer slowly comes to an end you are so anxious to be back into the real world and be a normal person again.  It is so easy to get back into the real world.  What I miss about the summer is being in that little world.   Not having all the temptations of the world.  I know that it can be accomplished in the real world, its just a matter of finding that in a world you've lived in for so long and are comfortable with.   I know that my Heavenly Father is aware of me and knows what I need in my life.  He has sent me a great family and some of the greatest friends, who are always there in a time of need.  His Tender Mercies are not going unnoticed.  I am so grateful for the knowledge I have and the opportunity I have to continue to gain that knowledge and share it with those around me. 

Three Great Days!

This past weekend was so great! Shells and I attended three sporting events.   First we started with some football.  The U vs TCU.  It wasn't the game I thought it would be, I was upset that the Utes couldn't pull of a better game. But a W is a W.  We had some really great encounters, one a old friend from High school.  He was So drunk! He said some of the funniest things. YAY! for High school friends. 

I really couldn't believe that they pulled it off. I was getting anxious.

The second event was the Jazz game against the Okalahoma City Thunder. Who? Yay that's right Okalahoma City has a NBA team.  They put up a decent fight, not to bad for first timers.   The Jazz pulled off the 1000th win for Jerry Sloan.  GO JAZZ! 
And my most favorite was the rugby games.  One of the my most favorite things in the world. The U has a fall rugby season, which was so great! They played St. Mary's College from the Bay area.  The B side pulled off a W, the A side had to put up a bigger fight however, I do believe the pulled a W as well. GO UTES! 
The most exciting event was at the RioTinto.  The USA Rugby Teams played a New Zealand team and Uruguay.  SO GREAT!!  New Zealand won the first game against USA Select.  Then the USA Eagles won there game against  Uruguay.  I'm not sure what it was about Rugby but I just love it. I could be a happy girl watching rugby for the rest of my life.  I had  a moment during one of the games where I thought,  "What will happen when I can't watch rugby anymore?" I may have panicked for a moment.  I know that someday it will probably happen and I will handle it just fine. For now I will be watching as much as I can because I love it so much!! 

The New Zealand team doing the Haka (I'm not sure if that is spelled right) 

Another shoot

One of my longest and best friends asked me to take pictures of her and her sweet little family before the snow comes and the welcome a new little one to the family.  The day was perfect.  Micka had a hard time seating, so we did what we could.  I think we got some good ones. 

This is one of my favorites of Andre and Micka,  It's very genuine, he is one happy man, and Micka is smiling. 

This is one of my favorites, they are looking somewhere different. 

Coco tagged along, he(I think Coco is a boy) calmed Micka down when she had to sit. 

Halloween

Here is our little Monkey, he was a very cute pirate.  Hannah made his outfit.  I tag along to make visits to Charlie at work, and then the Grandma's, both of which really loved showing him off.  

Wiikend!

I should have blog about this last weekend, but I didn't, big surprise.  The company I work for during the summer has an end of the year banquet.  It was last weekend, I didn't find out about it until 3 days before, that is what happens when you are just a technician.  I had a friend fly in on Friday night,  I had spent the day with a friend in Provo on Friday, I stayed until the very last moment possible before I had to be at the airport.  I had been on the freeway for like 100 yards and this semi starts to come over in my lane.  All I could do was slam on my brakes, honk my horn and swerve into the emergency lane.  I left some skid marks that were probably like 10 feet long.  I sat in my car for a minute to get my heart back to a normal pace.  I then got out of my car to make sure everything was ok.  It looked to be fine.  When I started driving again my wheel shook a little bit, I called my dad who was in Vegas, he didn't answer.  Which is unusual for him, he always answers.  I try again, nothing.  So I call my brother, he assures me that I am ok to drive home, but if it gets worse to stop and call him.   I thought about crying, but didn't cause I was ok, I wasn't hurt and my car was fine.  So I try to rush home, so that I can make it to the airport on time.  I run home and switch cars and make to airport on time.  As I'm getting to the airport my dad finally calls me back, apparently his phone didn't ring and he got my message an hour after I had called, he told me not to drive my car and to have my brother drive it the next day.  I was totally fine with that, I love driving my moms car, so it was  good excuse. 

Saturday Ash and I just hung out, got our hair done, then I went to the Banquet with my friend. The banquet is usually filled with good food, and reminiscing about the summer.  They give away really good prizes.  The first year Steph won a Mountain Bike ( which she is now using on her mission) Last year we both won a ticket on to the Cruise,  and this year I won a Wii, and rockband for the Wii.  So great!! Ash has been saving her baby-sitting money for rockband and the wii.  So as soon as I won it I called her to let her know.  She was so excited!  I couldn't get home fast enough to set it all up.   It is so fun!  I love Tennis, and bowling. I am not so good at rockband, but I'm sure it is only a matter of time.   Smash is really good at it.  We have had several people over to enjoy the great win.  

How do you take it?

This last weekend I went dancing in Pleasant Grove, some of the old dance team was there. One of the boys on the team, who I have learned a lot from and is always telling me how much I have improved.  Which is very nice of him, sometimes I don't feel like I am very good, but I LOVE doing it. With that being said he comes up to me on Saturday night and this is the conversation we have....

him: Hey I have a question for you? 

me: Ok

him: I have this new roommate who is from Michigan( I think) and wants to learn how to dance, I think that you would be great to teach him, he is a bigger guy, and I think that you would do great. 

me: ok, sure...as he was talking, my first thought was that I was not going to take it personally.  I'm sure that he was not meaning anything other then I'm a good dancer.  

Well last night was the night,  I took a friend so I would have someone else to teach too.  It is easier to learn when you dance with other people.  I was afraid that I was going to get stuck dancing with this boy all night.  He was catching on pretty quick, but we did the same three moves, and his hands were super sweaty.   I did get to dance with others, one who I've seen around a lot but have been to intimidated to ask to dance with, last night I found the courage, it was a really great dance. I can't wait to dance with him again.  YAY! for dance crushes! 

At work today I got the same kind of question from a co-worker, I think we were getting kids ready to go to somewhere and she asks me what my last job was,  I told her that I did summer sales, and before,  I was in a class room with 7-12th graders.  She goes "oh, I thought it was some where, where you got to shop a lot."  How do I take that?  I was a little shocked, and I think she say that in my face, later she says "I hope I didn't offend you, by my comment."  I told her no, I think that it is a compliment.  I have noticed that I do dress differently from those that I work with, but not that much.  All my life I have always like to be a little different, sometimes is really crazy and weird, and others it is just like everyone else.  I guess that it really comes down to my confidence, it really has grown a lot in the year.  I am so grateful that I can take both these situations and take the best from them.  Its these situations that make us stronger.

Fall Photo Shoot

I know that I just posted the Zoo pictures, but we went up East Canyon tonight to take some family pictures.  They are so DANG cute! I just had to post them. Matthew was good as long as he didn't have to sit and be still.  We did however get some good family pics. 

Day at the Zoo with Matthew

Char and Hannah called me a couple of Fridays ago and asked if  I wanted to go with them to the Zoo. Of course I wanted to go,  so with camera in tow, we went to the zoo.  It was so much Fun! It is hard for Matthew I think to really know where we are and what he is seeing.  We all enjoyed it. Here are some photos of the baby.  He is so DANG cute!!

Milk taste better when....

Tonight we were playing games, my mom asked me to get her a glass of milk, so I asked her which kind of glass she wanted it in.  She said "the one I always have milk in, it taste better in the tupperware glasses."  It was so funny!  Ash is a very picky girl, when of the things she has to have is Costco milk.  My parents had to take a gallon  of milk to our family reunion in Montana this summer because she refuses to drink anything else.  Can you say SPOILED?  Then we are playing a different with my dad and he is shuffling and he tries a new way and he says it is going to work. Well it work, he had such great hands, I even tried this new way of shuffling, it didn't help me, it helped him every time.  My parents smoked us! It was a funny and enjoyable night.  

Smash...

So the recent post didn't go over so well with the other aunt living with me.  Brooklyn will love us both the same.  WE are all excited for her arrival.  Smash I am sorry! 

Tuesday, Vonda and I went to Logan for a Yellowcard concert.  I have a great friend who gave us floor tickets. I have never been to a concert where my tickets were on the floor.  I loved it SO much.  We didn't push our way to the front, we just did our own thing.  It made me feel 

important and special. We hung out after the concert to see my friend,  and Yellowcard came back out and we got pics with the lead, Ryan and the Fiddler, Sean.  It was SO great! Vonda is in love with Ryan! it was a good night! I got to see all my roommates from the summer.  Although its not quite the same, but it so great to see them! I love them all! 

 

Little Brooklyn!

Char and Hannah came over on Sunday, Char was helping us put some lights around the Hot tub for Ward Stare, I was inside with Hannah, she put her phone on her tummy, and Brooklyn kicked it. Many times when I see Hann I aske her if Brooklyn is awake, she always says she is only awake at really odd hours. Here was my chance. So I put my hand on her tummy and see if I can feel her, we had to do a little convincing, I told Brooklyn it was her favorite Aunt, and she finally kicked my hand. YAY!!! it worked, I am her FAVORITE aunt. I yelled loud enough that Ash could hear me. She came running, and put her hand on Hannah's tummy, and tried to do some convincing, not luck. Guess Brooklyn has her favorites already. YES!!! I'm Matthew's favorite and I'll be Brooklyn's favorite too(already am...) Is there anything better then being the favorite Aunt? I think not. Brooklyn will be joining us aroud Thanksgiving.

This weekend was also filled with a really great Rugby game. I LOVE rugby! There is just something about the game, and the boys that play it. mmm...I just love it!
Shells and I also attended the Relief Society Broadcast at the Conference Center. It was so great! We are so lucky to live so close to the Prophet and Apostles. I love the Gospel! YAY! for great friends and great weekends!

Logan

this weekend I went to logan for a bug party.  I was able to see friends from last summer, and some from this summer. It was so great!  Brad and Missy were kind enough to have it at there house.  Missy made some yummy spaghetti and we had brownies! We played the Wii and just had a fun catching up with each other.

Saturday morning Janalee and I got up early, so I could take her to the buses, which were taking all those who were running the Top of Utah Marathon to the starting line.  Janalee signed up for the marathon before the summer,  she trained for it during the summer.   CRAZY!   I went to the half way mark to cheer her on and then the finish line.  She finished in 4:05. Which is so great! It was her first marathon.  She is a continuing inspiration to me.  We hurried of home after so she could talk to her bishop and stake president so she could put her mission papers in, and they are.  She is anxiously awaiting her call.  

I really am blessed to have some of the great friends, and examples.  

State Fair!

So I've heard from a couple of people that I need to update my blog. I won't mention names, Kami, Ash are so beautiful, Random! I was afraid of this. I would start a blog and then after the summer I wouldn't have anything exciting to blog about.  I was dancing a couple of weeks ago and I had a deja vu.  And I thought to myself.  I need to blog about that.  But I can't remember it for the life of me what it was, and it was good!  So instead I'll blog about the state fair.  My dad got tickets. So we all found a night when we could go.  We had lots of fun! I haven't been to the fair since I was probably five. I think it was so great because of the baby.  He has quite the personality, he wants to be very independent when he walks, no holding on for him.  He tried cotton candy for the first time, the first reaction he didn't know what to think, but once he realized that it was sugar he wanted more.  We all had some funnel cake and cotton candy.  Yes this is against our no sugar, but the dad okayed it.  I only had a little, my stomach was not very happy with me. We also learned you shouldn't inhale the powdered sugar,  Char cough for a good minute.  The most exciting event was the big yellow slide.  We had never been on it before.  Ash and I got our tickets, or bag to sit on and headed up the stairs.  As we were walking up there was a couple going down, she was red in the face and screaming very loud.  She had laid down thinking it would make her go slower.  She missed that physics class. Needless to say she went faster.  When we got to the top, I asked the young boys what we should do.  One responded "yell loud, It gives us great advertisement" the next told us to fall off, its funny!  Ash and I just got on the sacs and went down.  It was so fun I even put my hands up!  

I have tried to put pictures up and they just aren't working the way I want it to. so this is what we get.  better luck next time huh! 

Transition

Do you ever wonder why some people are placed in your life?  I have thought about it a lot lately.   This summer I lived with some of the greatest girls.   So many times we all found ourselves thinking that we were suppose to be together and that no else is as lucky as we were.   There is no coincident to why we were together.  Summer Sales is not for everyone, it is a challenge.  Heavenly Father really blessed me to now who I am and what I stand for.   The challenge know is how do I deal with it?  Transitioning  the life I were living and then mesh the life I knew before.  How is it suppose to work?   Back into friends and family I haven't seen in  months.  I know that I love them and want to be around them, however sometimes it is a little weird to be there.  I find myself wanting to go back to the life I were just living, even though it was hard and all I wanted to do was go back to the life I knew.  

Heavenly  Father  challenges us so we can learn.  This is a lesson I am continually learning.  Fortunately I have been so blessed in my life.  My challenges are probably very minimal to others in this world.  I look up to those that are able to handle challenges that are much harder then mine.   Just another Testament to me that Heavenly Father knows us and knows our limits.  How grateful I am to have the knowledge that I have been blessed with.   My hope is that I will be able to use it to help those around me and be the example I am suppose to be. 

Does life get better then this?

On my drive home yesterday, I had lot of time to think.  I am saddened that my summer is over.  However I am so excited to return to real life.   We all have been talking in the last couple of days about how we wish we could all just be going to the same school, and we could all continue to live together.  That is what makes the summer so great! The friends you make that quickly become your family.  It's all we have during the summer. Its to bad we can't cut out the Pest Control out of it.  Summer would be so great! 

I am home now and I don't quite know what to do with myself.  I don't know what to do with freedom.  I am sure that it will only take a moment to get use to it.  

The ending of summer is bitter sweet. I have grown as a person, I learned a lot about myself this summer.  My confidence in has grown.  My hope is that confidence will only continue as I transition back into real life.  My Heavenly Father has really blessed me this summer. There is no question that I was suppose to be in Sacramento this summer. How grateful I am for the lessons I have learned.  Just another Testimony that Heavenly Father knows us and knows what is best. 

Mini Golfing

This last week one of the Owners came into town to do a little recruiting for next summer.  We set a goal of 12 sales for the day.  If we meet the goal Iverson would take us Mini Golfing.   At 5:20 pm  we had only one sale.  Granted we still had 3 and half hours to reach the goal, I was doubtful.  But we did it.  Somewhere they found 12 people to buy pest control!  GO TEAM! We all meet at Scandia and went mini golfing.  It was fun to do something other than our norm.  I didn't do the best but I did have one amazing HOLE IN ONE! 

My shot was right down the middle of the hole.  If you hit one of the side pieces your ball would go down hill and then you had to go back up hill to get to the hole. 
My HOLE IN ONE! It was the most perfect shot.  Straight down the middle, speed just right.  It was the only one of the night but it was so GREAT! 
Doug's techniques.  They worked pretty good for him.  He lost to Brad though, so maybe not the best. 
Janalee and I! I was able to go home and shower, I returned looking just like everyone else.  We were all wearing our White polo's. 
this is Brad's photo smile.  Everytime.