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:)

Trying it out in a Mom's shoes.

So this weekend my mom and I went to St. George for my mom to take Katie and Devon's engagement pictures. I had a great time holding Bridger and watching them get their pictures done, but the best part was trying it out in a mom's shoes. We arrived in St. George at 7:30 am Friday morning so we could watch Bridger while Katie was in school. My mom had driven the entire way, I slept :), so she laid down for a nap while I watched Bridger. Now I've done my fair share of babysitting, and if there is a baby around I'm probably holding it, so the task at hand seemed simple. I had three hours until I had to meet Katie and I just had to get myself and a three month old ready--how hard can that be? Well this is how my morning went... held the baby, baby slept, fed the baby, burpped the baby, baby threw up, baby had blow out, bathed the baby, fed the baby, burped the baby, dressed the baby, baby threw up on clean clothes, baby cried in his swing while I tried to shower, held the baby, baby slept, finished getting ready, took call from Katie wondering why I was thirty minutes late, still not sure where that three hours went.
Katie has not been getting any sleep so I told her I would take the baby for the entire night. After his second feeding, he was wide awake and was looking at me and just smiling. It melted my heart. I now know why Katie is so tired, but I also know how lucky she is to be a mom. A mom's shoes are hard to fill, but the most rewarding one's to wear. I can't wait for the opportunity I will have ONE DAY to take three hours to get ready, have sleepless nights, and enjoy endless smiles and love.
So Sweet!
I love my Nephew!
Katie & Devon, so cute!

Cruise!

So two weeks ago my great boss took all of us and our spouses on a week long cruise to Mexico! We had 85 degree weather and had such a fun time. There were so many fun things to do on the ship and more food than I have ever seen. There were shows every night and plenty of time in the sun. We made three stops on land. In Cabo san Lucas we went on this boat to go snorkeling. On our way we saw a whale that had just been born and its mom was trying to teach it to swim. It was such an amazing sight. In Mazatlan we went to the Aroma spa. We talked our hubbies into getting pedicures and we also got relaxing one hour massages! In Puerta Vallarta we toured the city, shopped, and went on a zip line. The zip line was amazing and one of the funnest parts of the trip. I felt like I was flying through the jungle! I would recommend it to anyone that goes there! The cruise was a much needed and much appreciated vacation! The only problem now is I have major spring fever!

BRIDGER STEVEN NIELSEN

I am so excited to have a new nephew!!! Late Wednesday night Katie started having contractions. My mom and I got in the car at midnight and made our way to St.George. Katie made having a baby look so easy, and I am so grateful to Katie and Devon for the opportunity of witnessing such an amazing miracle. Bridger Steven Nielsen was born January 8th at 7:11 a.m., weighing in at 7lbs 13oz, and 20 in long. He is the most beautiful and perfect baby I have ever seen! We left St. George Saturday, and I am already missing them like crazy! Devon, Katie, and Bridger make the cutest little family! Bridger is so lucky to have such wonderful parents and the best aunt (me of course) ever!!!