Summer/fall recap....

In July we went to Utah with Katie and Jedd.  We spent an entire week making this beauty below. Well, the boys! Katie and I went on supplies runs, we where the eyes from afar, we dug and filled the wholes, we sat in camping chairs just watching and went on a bike ride that almost killed us!

The sweet gate....it now also has a cool sign in iron hanging down

We built this gate just for FUN!

Ah, not! We built this sweet gate for our up coming family business. We our starting a cat skiing business in Provo canyon.  It's a family affair!  Sterling's dad decided to start it and it was a dream of his, so of course we all love skiing/snowboarding and jump on the bandwagon!  

Morgan's (my father in-law) parents own land in Provo canyon.  We have a perfect mountain and its so PRETTY!  We have gone up to Utah a handful of times to clear trail and cut down trees. I now know how to use a chainsaw! Its so fun! I feel bad about cutting down those pretty trees but its so cool to see all the open space you just cleared up! 

If you live in Utah and love fresh powder check out our website for more info- www.catskiing.biz

Walsburg  Mountain--- This is after the dam on the left going up the canyon towards Park City

I made this for a company that puts up fliers all over Utah and in stores.  I changed the font a little to make it easier to read and changed a few other things but ster deleted it.

For labor day we went to Yellowstone! It was so fun to just relax, see the sights and hang out! We haven't been able to do a lot of fun stuff with the family.  We have been working on the cat skiing stuff all summer so this was a perfect retreat!!

The beautiful Emma

Fam bam

sweet hike we went on....i was terrified we would see a bear! I mean it is Yellowstone!

This picture makes me laugh!

Of course we went to the South eastern Idaho Fair! It wouldn't be fall if we didn't! I love love love love love the fair! The people...food....tiger ears.....rv's......art...photography and the animals! I love it all!  I just get so happy even thinking about it! The fair has to be one of my most favorite things in life! I just love it! You can't go to the fair and not smile the entire time! Its just good old American fun!  It's one of my most favorite things about Idaho!

For the last few years they always have a hypnotist show.  I always die laughing in this show and forsure thought it was fake.  Well this year I decided when he was calling for volunteers that I would find out if it was real or fake.  I got picked!

He told us to close our eyes and they we couldn't even open them if we wanted too.  He then just kept talking and talking making us get deeper into "the sleep".  He says sleep but you still know whats going on.  When he kept going deeper into it, my body just kept getting heavier and heavier.  Like so heavy that I feel over on the person next to me! It was so weird but it just felt impossible to hold it up! I just wanted to lay there and never get up!

Other than that, its all just a show.  When they make you do all the funny stuff, you know whats going on and what you are doing.  The relaxing part and sleeping part really did work.  It worked with me alteast.  It was a fun memory but I think it's better to sit in the audience and laugh!

I'm in the pink

Look at that hot mama

 For conference weekend we went to the ranch in Provo canyon. Oh, this is the best time of year at the ranch! The leaves are just perfect! All the colors! I just look in aww! I love fall and I miss Ohio in the fall! I love the crunch, the smell and wearing a sweatshirt!  We had fun family time but it was way too short! The weekend seemed like a day!

the house at the ranch.....so many good memories!

Family walk on Sunday

Two weeks after conference weekend we went up to Utah again to clear trail.  We got to stay at the ranch again.  Ster and I decided since it's so far for us to travel to Utah, we wanted to enjoy it for a few days. 

After church on sunday we headed back up to the ranch. We went on a four wheeler ride just before dusk.  I love the loop around the ranch.  I love all the aspens. Anywho, on our way back down, search and rescue stopped us and asked us to show them how to get to this girl that was lost.  We showed them the way which took like an hour. Long ride but it was fun and exciting.  I was hoping the whole time that it was something crazy. I know I'm horrible wishing bad on others.  But it was just a dumb girl who decided to go dirt biking by herself, with no food, in an area she didn't know! Yeah she fell and twisted her ankle, she was to hungry to keep going and on the top of that she was lost! I felt bad for her but also a little confused why someone would do that!

 

 It was an amazing summer and fall!  Its going to be an ever better winter! 

Today it SNOWED! We celebrated by watching Sters new ski movie! I just want to live in poweder when I watch those movies!  They just make it look so sick and perfect! 

I'm so excited to go in two weeks. We our going to Big Sky, Montana for their 20 dollar day and my birthday!  Oh, its just going to be so FUN! My sugar....snow and hotel fun!

Rough Day....

You know those days when you wake up...not wanting to get out of bed and then you try to come up with some reason/excuse to not go to work.  Yeah today has been one of those days! I'm just out of my groove!

Sterling also come home with some horrid news!  He's on call for thanksgiving!! NO! I do NOT DO NOT want to stay in Salmon by ourselves for thanksgiving! We where going to go to Sters house.....see family...play games....EAT orange rolls...cut down a tree and enjoy our time off work! Now we get to stay home all weekend!

I also had no energy for my zumba class which is super lame if I'm lame.  Oh, and in our house a bomb went off.

I sat down tonight to eat my dinner...which of course was oatmeal since I refused to make din din and my ears brought me so much EXCITEMENT!  I heard my most favorite creative song on a tv show!  When I sold my old computer, I didn't get my music.  I had this one song that I would listen to over and over.  I never knew what it was called because I got it from my friend Leslie. It's called "Nara" by E.S. Posthumus.

I love how music can motivate you and just play to your emotions. When I listen to this song, I feel like I'm on an adventure..like rowing a boat down the river in the middle of Africa. It just always makes me want to take on the world.  It doesn't have any words but I just love the notes!

Another song that speaks to me is from  pride and prejudice (Liz on top of the world by Aidan Broadbridge).  When I was in school I had a study play list and these two songs where played like 10 times a day.

It was a tough day but finding that song just made my day! Plus, I have the best SUGAR ever!!

Look them up.....sorry I have no idea how to link them! They are worth the effort even though they are different.....some may dislike but I heart them!

Love One Another

This last weekend I took 23  high school students on a Natural Helpers retreat.  Natural Helpers is a program that has been around for years in high schools. Students are chosen by their peers because other students go to them for help.

At the retreat students learned how to enhance their natural helping skills...they also learned how to be better people. They learned kindness towards others. We took a mix of kids from different groups. Kids that thought they knew each other but really had no idea who their peers where. They shared stories...shared about special people in their lives....they cried....they bonded and learned how to make their school a better place. It was amazing to see these kids open up.  I just loved everything about this program.

The students also learned about gossiping and going out of their way to be kind to others. I never thought I was going to get a lesson too but of course I did since I'm so far from being perfect.  I learned that I really need to work on not gossiping which I have been working on. I still have lots of room for improvement but I learned something interesting this weekend. When I hear people gossiping I just listen... don't comment and change the subject. The trainer taught us that listening is still partaking in the gossip and that we need to stop it before it happens. He's so right!! I need to not let it happen at all!

I also learned that I need to be more kind and giving to others. I just don't go out of my way enough for others. I remember in college I did nice things for my roommates and friends all the time. I would write them a note or make them a treat...just surprise them with something small and leave it for them to find. It always made me feel so good inside. I did it for Sterling all the time when we were dating. I can't even remember the last time I did something like that.  It always made my heart smile and I miss that feeling.  I have thought in my head about people that I want to do that for but I never go through with it. I'm going to do it now.  I need to listen to those sweet whisperings from the spirit.  I need to be his hand reaching out to others.  I need to be a better example to others.

I have just been thinking about things I need to work on.  I went to the Relief Society Conference last night and I haven't been in years?! That's horrible I know!!! I'm looking forward to conference and truly listening.  I love hearing from the apostles and I love getting pumped up to do better.

I love being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I love that I know that Jesus Christ lives and that I can talk to him everyday.  I love that I can feel his love around me each day.  I love knowing that I will be with my husband forever and that there is no end to my family!  I love the warm fuzzy feelings I get when I feel the spirit.  I love the little things in life that make me smile.

This video made my heart melt and shows how amazing kindness is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naqX9iYE0V0&feature=relmfu

Hiking BEASTS 2!

Hike number 2! We did a 26 mile loop hike in 2 days! Wow is YES! By the end of the first day we both thought about  just dropping in the middle of the trail and not moving for HOURS!

 We did get lost and at one point we where climbing on the side of the mountain but we made it to our destination!  We saw over 20 lakes on our hike.....climbed over 6 passes and hiked up to 13,000 ft?! (i think)

Yes thanks Sterling for all the pictures of me BY MYSELF! He refused to let me take pictures of him! He claimed he likes pictures with me in them instead of him! Little stinker!

We hiked down this crazy steep mountain pass! The little dot in the picture is me coming down! It was so steep!

On the drive home we stopped at Red Fish Lake in Standley! It was so PRETTY! We put our feet in the water and felt super refreshed.  We then went to the gas station. I was so HUNGRY!  I was such a fat kid ...I got yummy gas station nachos with that delis yellow cheese and chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich! DO NOT JUDGE ME!   Ster also joined me in the fat kid club.....he got chips, juice and mountain dew!  Worth every bite!

Hiking BEASTS!

WE LOVE BACKPACK TRIPS!  Nothing better than the Hubs...the pup..fresh air....fresh spring water....mountains.....lakes.....scones and fishies! We hiked a 20 mile loop in 2 days! Our little feetsies hurt but the pain was worth the escape in the wilderness. 

Our new tent! Sterling is obsessed!

Prettiest camp site!

 Favorite memory of the trip:  We went fishing in the above. Ster caught a few fishies but they where pretty small so we let them go.  I too caught a little fishy so we let him go too.  As I went to throw the cast out again I saw something small still on the hook. YES, it was the poor little fishes EYE! The fish still fell off in the water so we didn't realize that I caught the fish but the eye and not the month.  Well like a second later the fish came to shore and was swimming in circles. He couldn't see and was so confused! It was the saddest thing I have ever seen! I felt so bad for the FISH! We caught him and had to put him out of his misery.

I felt so bad for the fish so I insisted that we eat him even though he was super SMALL! I couldn't let that little fish die in vain! He was pretty tasty and my guilt went away when with just one bite! Yes, he was that good!! Thanks little fish!

Best weekend of the summer with my SUGAR!

The WORLD of blogging...

I just spent like the last 3 hours of my life blog stocking....

I love blogging and I love reading..learning...seeing....dreaming....imagining when I read all these blogs!

I love blogging but I also find myself thinking less about my talents....my blessing....my life and worry about what others have that I don't have.  I love reading my friends and family's blogs.....I find joy in their joy and sadness when they are hurting. 

I'm more referring to the blogs that are a business. I know most of them do it and truly mean well.  Most of them truly are just about their lives.  It just makes me think....why is there life so interesting? Why do people get sucked into reading about their life everyday? It's just like reality TV...why are we so fascinated with others lives?

I'm so one of those people who is fascinated with other peoples lives. I just don't get it!!! WHY?!

We all have our own amazing lives. We all have those moments where we think we can't go on and than there's that moment when you think life just can't get any BETTER!

I have made a goal to stop looking at people's lives and wishing that I had what they have.  I'm so sick of wishing to have more money....wishing that we lived somewhere else.....wishing for a different job..wishing for a baby....wishing for new material things and talents that others have!!!

My life is AMAZING! I have my health...my family and the best hubby ever! Yay for our great lives!

Crazy FUN

Since school has been out and I have had the summer off...... everyday has been PLAY TIME!

-I have been to church in my home ward like twice this summer....kinda sad! Church is hard in other wards! I can't focus!

-in the month of July I have been home a total of 10 days

-my life when I am home is work work work

- Since summer we have had so much family time!! Yippy!

In July I went on a sister trip with my sister in-laws! Love them!! They are the best! We went on a road trip to California.  We stayed in Carlsbad which is about 30 mins from San Diego on the coast. We stayed with a family that Jess knew.  They are empty nesters.  They where amazingly nice and sweet!

Day 1-Las Vegas! We walked around Vegas for a few hours...it was so HOT! We finished our drive and took a tip in the pool when we got to the family's house we stayed at.

The Bellagio had hydrangeas everywhere!  I loved it!

Day 2- Shopping .....and BEACH DAY! Ah I love the beach! Its so peaceful.....ah I just feel like the beach warms my soul....if that makes sense?! Its a wonderful place.....I LOVE THE OCEAN!

Day 3-Disneyland! It was a fun day filled with lost of princeses, sugar, sun and rides! It was a fun day but I think I have had my fill of Disneyland for like the next 10 years! So many people and so many lines!

I love Tangled! I can't help it!

Day 4- I started the morning off with a run to the beach! Oh I wish I could do that run everyday! The air smelled amazing and there's nothing like have the beach as your destination!   Beach Day and Surfing! Yes, I got to go surfing for the first time and yes, I GOT UP! I loved it even though it goes by way to fast!  I can't wait until I can go again someday! Mike was the dad of the family we stayed with.   He's a surfer dude and taught us his skills.  After surfing he and his wife took us to dinner.  They where so fun to talk too! They are such a fun couple and I loved staying with them.  We felt so welcome in their house! I hope one day I can return the favor when I'm a empty nester and have some girls road trip it to my house!

Day 5-DRIVING DRIVING and more DRIVING! It was still a fun filled day with lots of fun convo's!

Thanks KATIE for taking me!! I had so much fun with my sisters!!! Great memories! More pictures to come. Katie has all the cute pictures!  More updates on summer to come.

Chaffin (SNOW) Lake

Attempt 2 at backpacking in the summer where the SNOW NEVER melts!

Two weeks ago we drove up to Montana.  It was so so warm and sunny.   In the valley it was like 90 degrees.  The forest was so pretty and so alive compared to the first hike we went on this year.  It was so green.  I loved it!  We hiked the along the river/creek.  I love the sound of water....so relaxing! 

About 5 miles into the hike you had to cross the river.  The river was super high from all the snow melt.  We had to hike off the trail to find a safe place to cross.  Once we crossed the creek we stepped into SNOW! YES, it was like 80 degrees but we reached the snow line at about 7,000 ft.  No fun!  No trail and lots of snow in tenny shoes!  Along our snow hike we did come across a beautiful waterfall that was coming down every way possible.  It was one of the prettiest waterfalls we have ever seen.  

 

We finally reached the lake thinking oh the snow will be more melted since it gets direct sunlight....WRONG!  The lake was still frozen on the out shirts.  We walked around the entire like before we found a HUGH rock to camp on.  My spirits where pretty low and I was praying like crazy that we would find a place to stay. I was just so burnt out from hiking in all the snow and water.  I wanted to get dry and restore my energy plus I fell like a billion times in the snow.  It was either super slushy/slick or you just fell though to your knee.  Not fun.  The rock was our moment of glory!

We set up camp..got fire wood...made dinner and checked out the 2nd lake above us.  After dinner we made scones!  Yes, in the middle of the woods we made scones with maple frosting.  I buy rhodes rolls and make the frosting before we leave.  It has become a tradition that we make scones when we car camp or go on a night trip.  Its just so yummy! We had so much fun and I'm so happy that we found that rock! It saved our trip.  I love spending time with my sugar in nature.  We have so much fun together.  It's one of our most favorite things to do together!  Yeah for summer and snow!

This is the lake we camped at.....you can see our little orange tent in the background

July or December?

This is the upper lake....half frozen.  I guess there is one more lake after this one but we couldn't see it with all the snow.

Yeah for weekend fun getaway with my best friend! 

Humidity FUN

After school was out I took the first chance I got to visit my family in OHIO!  I went for about a week.  It's never long enough.  I love to visit my family and since I have been married the visits just don't come around as often as they did when I was single.  

I left the day after Moab. My fun just never stopped for like 2 straight weeks. On our way back from Moab I got dropped off at one of my besties Shelli's house. The last time I spend more than like 4 hours with Shelli was when we both where single....no children.   I love this lady.  She is such a special friend!  Shelli is the proud mama to two of the cutest little twin girls.  She is such a great mother and I just loved seeing her with her kids.  She was one of the first of my close friends to have kids.  

I loved how her kids welcomed me with open arms! They let me play and give them lots of cuddly hugs!  That night we of course watched the bachelorette.. that Bentley and mask guy! Loved it!  The next day we went to ZUMBA!  Shelli goes to the gym where I got certified to teach.  I love the instructor....her name is Lindsey.  She is so FUN...so CUTE and YES I want to be just like her because I love Zumba so MUCH! Check out her video here with Pitbull. (She's the brown haired girl) Ps.... I learned this song for my class! Its so much FUN! My class loves it! After Zumba Shell took me to the airport. Thanks Shell for the fun visit!

By the time I finally got to Ohio it was late. I stayed up late chatting with my Mommy!  I love my Mom so much! I'm not sure how I got so lucky to have such a great Mom.  She did everything for my sissy and I.  She was a single mother who worked full time.  She did an awesome job and recently she has had so many struggles.  She lost her job and had to live in Columbus.   I just have felt so bad for her because who wants to have to live in a town where you know no one and pay rent for an apartment that you wished was your home that is in Cleveland.   Her job is so STRESSFUL!!  I pray for my Mama everyday.  I think the blessing are starting to pour in.   I'm just so excited for her!!! 

When I woke up the next morning my sissy was there with her two babies!! I had never met little Natalie!  It was so exciting to finally meet her.  I of course fell in love with her on the spot. She has such a special little spirit about her.  I just never wanted to let her go.  I loved when she got confused when mommy wasn't there and thought I was mommy.  I got lots of snuggles on those rare occasions.


We went swimming...played at the splash park....ate lots and lots of ice cream.....visited family and friends like crazy......went to the zoo....and had lots of girl time!!  

The 5 cuties...Natalie Gabby Emma Alli and Avery.  The first 2 our my sisters and the other 3 are my cousin Shannon's.

I love spending time with all these CUTE girls!

Shannon and My sister Jackie.  LOVE THEM SO MUCH!

How cute is this?!

Zoo fun ...in the million degree weather. I truly thought I might just melt! It was so HOT and humid!

I loved seeing family and friends.   Its always so nice to be back in the place that I grew up in.   I still remember it like I lived there yesterday.  People know who I am and they remember me when I was just a tiny tot.   I always love to go to church and see all the people who helped me become the person I am today.  I loved loved loved all my young woman leaders.   At the time when I was a teen, I really never realized how much of a great example they where to me.   Its always fun to drive down memory lane in the place that I grew up.  Things really don't change in the FPK( Fairview Park the city I'm from).  


While I was home my Mom asked me to go through some boxes from my childhood.  Wow....the things you forget about.  My friends and I would always write notes and than make crazy drawling to go with them.  It was just so fun to look back and remember things that I forgot about!  Its crazy how life changes so fast and how much you change but still stay the same?! If that makes any sense! 


I love my family so much and I'm so thankful that I got to visit them in Ohio! I miss my sister so MUCH!  It's hard living so far from her.  She is the one person that I can do anything and everything with and just be so happy that we our together.  I love all my sisters!  I married into such a great family and I couldn't have hand picked better sisters! I can also spend all my time with them and be as happy as can be!  Hooray for family! 

Gabby is a little stinker...look at that cute face!