I Have Always Wanted...

LOCKERS.

Lockers are cool. Have you ever seen Saved By The Bell? It is where the cool kids hang out.

The only {semi} redeeming quality of going to middle school is getting a locker.

Remember the nervousness of not knowing if you would be able to open your locker and get your books in time before classes? Don't you wish you had a locker at home to practice on?

Well... come on over and practice on ours!

I have always thought it would be SO cool to have lockers in your house. You could put them in a mud room, a play room, a basement, a kids bedroom, a guest room/study/craft room. Ours will be going in the last one.

We got them for a steal- I knew we would never be able to find them so cheap again. Eventually we will paint them, but for now they will stay blue since that room is going to have similar blue accents.

Plus if we decide to homeschool our kids they can still get the high school experience with lockers and what not. Ha ha.

*Lockers might be non existant once our kids get to school-- they will probably have all of their books on an i-pad and have no need to lug things around!

Hotel Stay.

Back in December at my work Christmas Party I won a hotel stay at the Marriott! We couldn't use it in December and it seems we have been too busy with work or other activities to use it until now! Plus it expires on the 31st!!

I went and checked in early and made a Diet Mt. Dew pyramid, and put some on ice! When the two of us checked in later-Tyler was totally surprised- it was awesome!!

We went out to dinner at Thai Lotus down town and then went over to Gateway and got some dessert! We headed back to the hotel and went swimming and hot tubbing.

We got up the next morning and worked out and then ate at the restuarant {part of the free hotel stay}!

Such a fun weekend.

And it got even better...

Scripture Study

Our YW lesson had the BEST quote this week.

“I fear that many of us rush about from day to day taking for granted the holy scriptures. We scramble to honor appointments with physicians, lawyers, and businessmen. Yet we think nothing of postponing interviews with Deity—postponing scripture study. Little wonder we develop anemic souls and lose our direction in living. How much better it would be if we planned and held sacred fifteen or twenty minutes a day for reading the scriptures. Such interviews with Deity would help us recognize his voice and enable us to receive guidance in all of our affairs. We must look to God through the scriptures”

What a great reminder.

I LOVE being in YW.

So grateful for this opportunity I have to serve.

Back To School Crepes

My original title for this was "Gettin' our Crepe on" but that sounded too much like "Gettin' our Creep On". We all have a little bit of creeper in us but really its not something to advertise. Anyways....

We made crepes last night for dessert-- Tyler is basically a professional crepe turner. After one crepe he had the technique down. Unfortunately last night was NOT my night in the kitchen-- my whipped cream would not whip. Sooo frustrating because I have done it many times before AND I burned the chocolate. Burned it. Burned a hole in the candy bag. That was disappointing.

Tyler salvaged some chocolate {hes the best} and we had fresh strawberries {thank you bountiful baskets} and raspberries. Soooo tasty.

And he is off to another successful semester!

Day Off.

One of my sweet friends got married in Logan on Tuesday.

Tyler and I went up to stay withi my grandparents Monday night so that we could make a little trip out of it! Staying at my grandparents is a-w-e-s-o-m-e. Its basically a bed and breakfast, plus there was a beautifully wrapped gift on our bed for our 7 month anniversary {7 months already}!

We also...

Went to the Peppridge Farm Factory/Outlet and stocked up on Goldfish.

Went to the Cheese Factory and stalked up on cheese.

Saw the beautiful bride and met her husband!

Had an impromptu lunch picnic in Brigham.

Thanks for the visit G'ma and G'pa.

See you in September!

Beyond Glaze

2 Saturdays ago Tyler and I decided we wanted doughnuts. Not just normal donuts from the grocery store, but gourmet donuts. {My rule is if I am going to eat something full of calories it better be worth my calories.} We have been wanting to try the doughnuts from Beyond Glaze so as part of "Kadys Birthday week" we got doughnuts! Ahh... I love when I have an excuse for sweet treats.

I have super fond memories of getting doughnuts Saturday mornings with my Schpoops... I hope that he can carry on that tradition with his grandkids!

Haha.

Camp Fire!

We had a fun Friday night up Big Cottonwood Canyon! We got together with some friends and their families and roasted hot dogs and made s'mores! It was a fun get together-it is hard to get everyone together at the same time!

Love him.

It is always a good night when you come home smelling like camp fire... ahhh I love that part of summer.

The View from Here.

Last Summer my mom asked me if I would climb Angels Landing with her this summer. I of course told her I would love to climb Angles Landing with her. I also invited Tyler {I must have known he would be around this summer}!

My mom has had one heck of a year. I am so proud of her and all of her accomplishments. She seriously kicked butt on the hike. You should read her post of the climb.

Tyler is great to hike with-- very supportive and sweet.

We made it!!

It is amazing to get to the top and see what you just conquered.

Family Creed

My mom told me about this quote...

I love it.

The Girls at Camp.

I know... I know... its tough to tell who is a leader and who is a camper!!

Girls Camp 2011.

Girls Camp Is...

Amazing...

A Place Where The Spirit Is Strong...

Hard Work...

A Lot of Preparation...

A Place Where You Can Reflect, Ponder, and Return With New Ideas and Goals...

I was excited/nervous/overwhelmed for camp... flashback to when I was 13! However, unlike when I was 13 I didnt beg my mother to bring me home early. Our camp was held at Heber Valley. So yes, we slept in cabins, and yes, we had showers. Do not tell me this was not real camping- there was dirt, bugs, sun, and sweat. It was camping!

The theme was "Time to Believe". The Stake Camp Director was bomb.com. The YW Stake Presidency did a wonderful job of really focusing on the needs of the girls and tying it into the theme. Everyone did an amazing job. I could go on and on... but I won't.

Highlights of Camp

Paddleboats

Memorizing the Stake Standard

Singing Guardians of Virtue

Getting to know the yw in my ward better

The first night at camp we sang Guardians of Virtue, and by the end I was a blubbering mess. Whooo. I had so much love for each of those young women, and I know how tough it is to be good, and keep standards when it seems like everyone is trying to shoot them down. I remember. If I could I would tell each and every one of them how spectacular they are and how they are so smart, and beautiful and to believe in themselves and to work hard and do everythign they can to take care of themselves and prepare to go to the Temple.

That is my goal. To make sure everyone I come in contact with gets a piece of that- to know just how special they are.

I am not sure how I am going to do that, but I am.

That was a rambler. Camp was great. I will post an actual picture from camp later!

The Climb

This is half way up the Angels Landing hike.

Looking up you think there is absolutely no way you could even get there- its rocky/ sandy/high above the ground/etc.

Basically it looks impossible...

But its not!

And we did it!

Canyon Overlook- Day #2

We all woke up and did the Canyon Overlook hike as a family. It was so fun and it is always so beautiful up there. You can't help but be happy at the top and so grateful for all the blessings that are surrounding you at that very moment.

If there was a prize for thinking of awkward family photo poses- I would be in the running. Each of us love to walk across these two rocks while doing the splits even though you could just walk in between them quite simply. Enjoy the picture.

We headed back to the Zion house and ate delicious pancakes made by the Schpoops. Later that day we headed to Cedar City for some BBQ/Petroglyph/Lunt time!

Cake Pops

I showed the girls how to make the famous Bakerella Cake Pops during our visit. I LOVE cooking but I really LOVE cooking in the Zion House kitchen. Hellllooooo counter space. I will never take counter space for granted after living in my old apartment! We had so much fun- we forgot our cookie scooper so the sizes of our pops ranged dramatically!! Cara even made one she named "Fat Boy". We dipped them and decorated with sprinkles. The possibilities are endless. Bakerella is AMAZING. She did some for a Disney- I think once Disney asks you to do something you have hit the Big League.

We did some dipping...

Some sprinkleing...

some posing....



even the Schpoops got in on the action!!

Wild Wild West- Day #1

We went down to Kanab to go back in time (Kanab is kind of a few years back but I mean WAAAAY back in time).

Ma and Pa Williams.
Hahahaha.
There was some confusion about who went with whom.

In front of the very old Gun Smoke set... it is falling apart. So sad.

We also saw some awesome petroglyphs and one of the earliest billboards as a petroglyph {sorry I do not have a pic of this}. We stopped at good ole' Honeys for a few groceries where I almost bought some Kanab Cowboy apparal- I have a huge heart. Then we went to 3 Bears ice-cream. I love my family.