27 Years Ago!

 My name changed and a new story began 27 years ago today.  I remember my husband (my fiance at the time) and his parents picking me up at my home early in the morning.  They were driving us to the Logan Temple.  We were meeting my parents there where we would be married. 

 It had been foggy for 3 weeks

and there was a beautiful frost that covered everything. Though at that time of the morning I hadn't seen that.  I didn't take my veil or my bouquet, because there had been fog and I didn't think we would be taking any pictures, so why haul it all the way to Logan, just to haul it  all back to Ogden - right?. 

Well, we arrived at the Temple and it was a beautiful sight.  There was snow and the lights were shining off of it all.  Truly gorgeous!  I was the only bride that day and was treated like a Queen. 

As we came out of the Temple there was Sunshine everywhere!  Not a speck of fog!  So a friend took some snapshots of me and our family.  I was all dressed in white with gray shoes peeking out.  No flowers or  wedding veil.  But it was a beautiful day!

That was the beginning of our story - unexpected, surprising, and beautiful!  It has continued and we have had so much happen in our years together.  I look forward to many more beautiful events and many more surprises!  I love my Sam and am grateful that we have become best friends!  We have had to learn so much and at times it hasn't been easy, but we have truly been blessed and have worked together to make this story happen!  I think it will be a fun read someday for our posterity!  Thanks Sam for the beautiful life we have!

Giving Your All

So on my last post, I mentioned the disappointment that I had found in the negativity at my workplace.  I've decided that I need to give it my all and try my best before I can say it isn't for me.  I think this is important in any aspect of our lives.  We need to give our all before we give up!  That way we can really know if what we are doing is right for us.  A bit redundant, sorry...

Anyway today was so much better.  I am trying to have a really good attitude, to smile and to be kind to everyone there.  (I've always tried to do this, but I'm trying even harder).  I hope if they aren't having a good day, that I can make it better.  This is my plan.  I hope it works, because like I said before this has always been my Dream Job!  Maybe part of the problem was this, that I had very high expectations.  A job is always that, a j.o.b.  But I can make it what I want or at least try and give it my best shot!

So for now, I will keep smiling and keep trying!  I'll let you know in awhile how it's going!!

Busy Weeks

This week is becoming more and more busy as I sit and write down all that I will be doing.  However, I love weeks that are busy.  I tend to do better on weeks where I have alot to accomplish.  I tend to stay on track better.  With this weather, I'm also able to focus more on my tasks than the weather and it helps me get through on all of the days with no sunshine.

I also must admit that I do like a day off now and again.  That is what my day tomorrow will be.  Hannah wants me to help her work on a dress that we got her, and I also want to sew on some baby items that I want to make for Maddi.  It will be a fun, very relaxed type of day.  Who knows, maybe we'll even throw in Pride and Prejudice to watch while we work. (That's one of my favorite things to do). 

This week will Rock and I can't wait.  I'll let you all know how it goes!

New Year, New Ideas!

I was so excited to begin this new year with a new job and enthusiasm for starting all things new.  Well, I've not gotten off to such a great start.  I'm not sure where to begin.

First off, my new job.  Love the work, and I must say that I'm not afraid of hard work.  And at the shop there's plenty of that to go around.  We've been cleaning and taking down Christmas and getting ready for the Spring.  However, not a day goes by there that I'm not hit with negativity.  My co-workers are so dissatisified that most of the time they complain and I'm finding it really hard to enjoy the surroundings of that.  I will try and give it a little more time, but I'm afraid if it continues I will be pressed into looking for something more positive to do with my time.

As far as other things, I really want to begin an exercise and weight loss program.  My problem is finding the right one.  We are in such a remote area that the only gym in town costs a fortune and I can't bring myself to pay the hefty fees that they charge.  I have started reading alot about nutrition and will be making dietary changes, however I know that to truly lose and maintain my wieght loss I will have to exercise.  As soon as the weather changes I will be able to get out and walk and ride my bike, but for now I need to find something inside.  I thought about swimming at the local pool, but after hearing all of the horror stories that Maddi told each day when she came home after being a lifeguard I find it hard to even put my little toe in one of those.  Sam teases me about being a germapobe, and I must admit I must be because of this!  I do have some old videos and maybe that will be the exercise of choice for now until I find something better, but at least it will be something.

I'm excited to continue in my calling as the RS President in our ward.  We have wonderful, talented, and kind sisters in our ward.  We have alot planned for our Relief Society meetings and I think this will be alot of fun this year.  So that is a really positive note. 

I want to continue to support Hannah in her soccer and sports this year.  She only has one year left before she graduates and I want to make sure I have every opportunity to do this until she is no longer living at home.

I will also be a grandma this year!  Wahoo!!  I truly cannot wait for this event.  I am so excited to see this sweet, beautiful little girl!  She will be such a wonderful addition to our family.  Maddi is so good with children that I know she will be a great mom, and Chris will be a good dad.  He is so patient and loving with Maddi.  It will be fun to watch their small little family grow.  I can't wait to begin this new era in my life. 

I want to continue to support all of our other children in all that they do this year.  I'd like to get fit enough to join my sweet daughter-in-law Jamie on one of her 1/2 marathons.  We'll see how that goes.  But at least it's a goal.  She has been such a great addition to our family.  She is so good for Parker and he truly does love her.  It is good for a mother's heart to see.

Logan has lot's of plans this year and I hope we see some of him this year.  He plans on traveling and I'm not sure where all it will take him.  But we will be here at home cheering him on in his goals, waiting to see where he lands.

Sam has been so supportive of us all.  I couldn't ask for a more loving husband and look forward to spending time with him as well.  I love our snuggle time and when we have a chance to talk about our thoughts, dreams, and hopes.  I look forward to our weekly date night and am grateful Hannah is so good to not put up a fuss when we leave her so often alone.  She is so great to help around the house so Sam and I have this time together. 

Love my family and look forward to our New Year and all that we will be doing together!!

New Year 2011!!

 So our New Year began in California.  We spent the week between Christmas and New Year's there.  I don't know that I would recommend it again anytime soon, but we had a wonderful time.  It was a good get away from the stress and snow.  Though it was cooler there than I thought it would be, it beats 12 degrees anyday!

Here we were at Sea World.  The Christmas tree looked a little out of place, but it was decorated with sea shells and such and was fun!

 This was a cool fish that Hannah and I saw at the acquarium there.  They had so many neat fish to look at.  The one really looked delicate because of the flowy fins.  It almost looked like a beautiful dress all filmy and flowy!

 These guys were really loving the sun!  We did okay when we were in the sun too, but when you got into the shade things really cooled down.
I always think of Nemo when I see sea turtles.

They are always so relaxed.  I'd like to learn to take it easy like they do.

Our day at Disneyland.  It was so crowded that they closed the park by 10 am.  Luckily we made it on most of the rides we wanted.  We had fun going down the Mattahorn.  It is always one of my favorite rides.  I remember as a girl that Disney would have climbers climbing on the outside of the ride.  I thought it was so cool.

 The line for this ride was only an hour long.  We felt lucky for that.  It gave us a lot of talk time with our kids.

We'd heard about this ride from a friend.  It was in the California Adventure side of Disneyland.  It was the Toy Story Midway.  So fun.  It's like a shooting arcade on wheels.  We waited for 1.5 hours for this ride, but was really fun!

I liked looking for the smiles in this the Happiest place on earth.  I'm a people watcher and there were a lot of smiles, but there were also some really grumpy people. 

One really cool thing that I found out about Disneyland and California; there are alot of places to get gluten-free food.  It was so great not having to worry about that while we were there.

We saw a few shows toward's the end of the second day there.  It was fun and the crowd really seemed to get into it.  It was funny seeing Mickey try to bust a move.  It was all in good fun.

We rode the Monsters Inc. ride.  I love Mike!  He's my favorite monster of all time!  So when I saw this poster, I let Sam take a picture, which is unusual.  I don't like having my picture taken, but I couldn't resist this one!

Our last day there, New Year's Eve we spent walking on the piers and beaches.  It was a cool day, but we totally enjoyed ourselves.  There is nothing better than being with family. 

I did miss being with our other children on that night and can't wait to spend more time with them.  We're planning on a get together soon and I can't wait for that. 

It was a fun trip, and I'm glad to be home.  I didn't realize what a home body I've become, but that's not such a bad thing.  I feel blessed to have such a great family and being able to be with them!  I look forward to the New Year and all that come with it.  We will have our first grandbaby and I plan on being a grandma in every sense of the word! 

I hope our family continues to grow and prosper in this our New Year!