November...come and gone!

Right now I should be studying for finals but I need a little break so here is an update of my favorite month NOVEMBER!!! November 18 was our 5 year anniversary. I can't believe I've been married for 5 years- time goes by so fast! November 19 my boss got all of us girls tickets to the pre-release of New Moon. November 24 was joel's birthday. And of course the 26th was Thanksgiving which we spent with joel's fabulous family! Katie and Bridger also came for a week which was always fun! The first week of December is already over and now I have a crazy couple of weeks with school and Christmas parties ahead. Life is so hectic right now! I look around at my house and still see fall decor. Does it make me a scrouge if I don't have time to put up a Christmas tree this year???
Here are some random pictures for the month:)Most of them are of Bridger becuase I like to brag about how cute he is!

Seems like it was yesterday

Thanksgiving night...all that triptophan

Bridger's favorite toy (ding, ding) well besides the heater vent

Me and my buddy

Bridger officially likes joel more than me now! (Traitor)

Notice the big sucker in Bridger's hand. Am I the best Aunt or what! How am I not the favorite???

California!!!!

Last week I took a trip with Katie, Bridger, my dad and his wife to Cambria, CA for a family reunion. Our hotel was right across from the beautiful ocean. Every day we would walk along the beach with hot chocolate (it was pretty cold there). We went and saw Hurst Castle, and also watched the elephant seals. It was fun to meet family I had no idea existed and take a little vacation. I just wished Joel could have come with us! Enjoy some of my pictures.


Hurst castle swimming pool...rough life huh

Bridger at Hurst castle

Bridger's first time at the ocean...a little cold

Missing Joel

First day at the ocean

They barked like puppies:)

I wanted to snuggle with them!

Hurst castle--White bricks were imported from UTAH!!!

Lake Powell... A much needed break!!!

We just got back from Lake Powell and as always had a terrific time! I look forward to it every year. The things I love most about Lake Powell are...


Spending a whole week with my hubby,


Spending time with my fun family,


Playing with my cute nieces and nephew(Gracie is a mermaid and has her face painted as a cat),


Wakeboarding (Oh if only I could just wake up every morning and spend some time on the lake),


And of course the beautiful scenery and stars at night!

I can't wait until next year!!! Thanks Gary and Julie, you are the best!!!

Birthday, Blessing, & More!

So I am officially a quarter of a century! I know, I know 10 years from now I'll look back and wish I was 25 again but for now it is a hard age to accept. For my birthday Joel took me to the Homestead (Thanks Gary & Julie!) to stay where we had massages and swam in a crater. He also took the day off and we went shopping and had a great time! On top of all that we had a couple family & friends dinner celebrations. I was definitely spoiled!!! Thanks everyone!

Joel, Katie, and I went to the temple open house. It was absolutley beautiful. I love seeing all the different temples. The temple is such a peaceful place and safe-haven from the world. I am so grateful for temples!

Bridger also had his baby blessing. He looked so hansom in his little white outfit! Joel blessed him and did such an amazing job. No joke I cried like a baby through the entire thing! I am just so lucky to have such a great husband who continually impresses me. He always makes me want to be a better person! We had a little lunch with all the fam. afterwards and it turned out really nice. Thank you everyone who came to support Katie and the baby.

It was a busy, busy week!!! Check out the slide show...

AUNT: Like Mom... but sooo much cooler!!!

Katie and Bridger have been living with me this summer and I just love having them here! It's so fun to see Bridger growing and changing. I love that he recognizes me and gets so excited to see me when I come home at night! I am so blessed to be an Aunt and have such cute nieces and nephews!!!
This is my favorite picture of Bridger!
Bridger's first time at the pool! He loves it!!!

New York, New York!

So I have been meaning to do a post about our trip to New York earlier this month. Joel had the opportunity to go work with one of our friends, so we decided to make a trip out of it. It was a very quick trip, and definitely an experience. I had never been to New York before and the only way I can describe it is an assault on the senses. Every where you walk (and boy did we walk) there was a new smell, a new sight, a new sound. The first day we were there it rained the entire day! We saw ground zero, Trinity Church (from National Treasure) the Statue of Liberty, rode the subway, shopped at canal street (anyone who has been there knows what kind of experience that is), and ate the biggest piece of cheesecake at the Carnegie Deli. The second day, while the boys worked, we went to Central Park. It was my favorite place in New York. It was so beautiful and green and a nice break from all the hustle and bustle of the busy streets. Our hotel was in the middle of Time Square and it was a completely different world than I am used to. It was a fun place to visit but I would never want to live there!
Time Square
Trinity Church
Cemetery outside of the Church that commemorates heroes from the Revolutionary War
Police and Fireman patches from all those that volunteered during 9-11
Do I look like a New Yorker?
Joel Standing in front of ground zero construction site
Thank goodness for the rain boots and umbrellas! They saved us!
Central Park
Dinosaur look familiar? (Night at the Museum)
My next trip to New York, will be to shop!

Women of Steel Triathlon

Me, a woman of steel? Probably not! But on Saturday I completed my first triathlon. I did not put up the time I was hoping for, but for my first race it was such a great experience just to finish. Now if you would have asked me during the race if I was having a great time... I would have told you a totally different story! In training I was most comfortable with the swim, but at the actual race I felt like I was surely going to drown. The only thing that kept me going was knowing I could get out of that crowded pool if I finished. After the swim and 13 mile bike ride, I started the 5k. As I came around the last corner my friend Janel (who I have been training with and who had already finished) was waiting for me. When I heard her cheering me on and then start sprinting with me to the finish line I oddly enough became a little emotional. Partly because I knew it was almost over, and also because I had actually done it! Thank you to my wonderful husband, family, and friends who were there cheering my name and waiting for me at the finish line! As soon it was over I was ready to start training for the next one! It may feel like self torture during the race but the satisfaction you get when you complete it is exhilarating! I would recommend this sport to anyone. You don't have to be a woman of steel, just have to have enough heart to complete your goal! It's like "where's waldo" to find me in the crowd of 640 women with pink swim caps! Janel and I are standing in the middle smiling:)