tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86983795940335827412024-03-05T04:07:28.872-08:00The Hamster WheelThe faster I run, the further behind I seem to get.Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.comBlogger688125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-21587815972477545112014-05-09T11:18:00.000-07:002014-05-09T11:18:50.455-07:00The time I went to the West Coast Conference and had the time of my life.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On March 6, 2014, the West Coast Conference Basketball Championship came to the Orleans Arena right here in my very own town of Las Vegas. Which means that my beloved Cougars came right along with it. It just so happens that the Orleans Arena is about 2 miles from my house. Now how could my team be that close and me not be there? There was no good reason not to go, other than the rather high price for admission. Despite the cost, I have no regrets about going. In fact quite the opposite, if you factor the joy and merriment I experienced over the 5 day tournament, I got more than my money's worth. As part of the package deal, I had tickets to all 16 games that took place over the weekend.</div>
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In the interest of full disclosure, let me say that first and foremost I am a football fan. It is by far my favorite sport, but because of the ability to watch most of the BYU basketball games on BYU tv, I grew to love these players this season, as well as gain a greater appreciation for the sport of basketball. </div>
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I went to the first men's game on Thursday night even though BYU was not playing. The winner of this game would play BYU on Saturday, so it was good to scout out the competition. Of course I was wearing a BYU shirt, because pretty much 9 days out of 10, that is what I am wearing. When I first walked into the arena, with in 2 minutes someone yelled out to me "Go Cougars!" At first this caught me off guard. I walk around Vegas wearing a BYU shirt ALL the time and no one every says anything. I walked around for a few more minutes and at least 3 other people called out those wonderful words. Not having anyone else to attend with, I wondered if it would be any fun. But here is the thing, when you are a Cougar, you are never alone. I was truly with my people and it was awesome.</div>
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After wondering around, I found an empty seat by a large group of men all wearing BYU blue. I ended up visiting with them for much of the game. They were a family group who come every year as a tradition. Turns out one of the guys was graduating from BYU this spring in Accounting, just like I did. I had fun visiting with them and made some new friends.</div>
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After the game, I tried going up to the third floor to check out the set for BYU Sports Nation. This is a sports radio show that I listen to daily. And starting with this tournament, they were broadcasting on BYU tv as well. I was determined to meet Spencer Linton and Jarom Jordan. Unfortunately, a senior citizen security guard prevented me from entering the level where they do the broadcasts. I gave up, determined to try again another day.</div>
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On Friday I went to watch the BYU women's team play. Again I just sat in a random seat near some other BYU Fans. During half time I had a wonderful talk with a kind lady who noticed that I was sitting alone. She came over and introduced herself and just visited with me for a few minutes. Another kindred Cougar spirit. The lady Cougs played well and won the game. It was amazing to watch Jenifer Hamson play in person. You really don't appreciate how tall she is when watching on TV.</div>
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Some excitement happened when a distinguished man wearing a suit came in and sat right behind me. When I turned around and looked, it was none other than Elder Todd D Christofferson, of the Twelve Apostles. His wife is a huge fan and cheered almost as loud as I did. Of course, I could not resit the chance to take a selfie with him in the background. After the game I chatted with he and his wife for a few minutes. Much to my surprise, there were no other people around us.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QPNT2RvjDfSa6DdJO6DnF01uDJq1ZHYhWlAYOWCQzMGS2taGMM5ysUrX8LLWpfQAFR8znHtYP1DqpstQK6E7Je1JxEDxQdGhaViL-PPvLzNUVKw-dk0JASN2wrbtQu0m38WW4l5xgQ/s1600/20140307_151713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QPNT2RvjDfSa6DdJO6DnF01uDJq1ZHYhWlAYOWCQzMGS2taGMM5ysUrX8LLWpfQAFR8znHtYP1DqpstQK6E7Je1JxEDxQdGhaViL-PPvLzNUVKw-dk0JASN2wrbtQu0m38WW4l5xgQ/s1600/20140307_151713.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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When the game was over, I saw Spencer Linton finishing up his broadcast down on the floor. All of the arena security guards were trying to get the place emptied so they could let people with tickets back in. Instead of going up to the top and exiting like they directed me to, I went sideways and managed to avoid any of them forcing me to leave. Just as I was about to step onto the floor and call out to Spencer, a guard rushed over to me and told me I was not allowed to be there. Curses, foiled again. Again, feeling dejected I acquiesced and left.</div>
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Not yet ready to leave the party, I lingered with the other fans. Just outside the arena I ran into Kevin Worthen, who is a Vice President for BYU. I recognized him because of this video:</div>
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Earlier when I walked into the arena, he and his family were just in front of me. I kept thinking that I recognized him, and finally it hit me that he was in this video with the President of BYU, President Samuelson, and Tom Holmoe, the Athletic Director. So when I saw him again, I spoke to him and mentioned how much I enjoyed the video. He was very gracious if somewhat disturbed at my recognition. He introduced me to his wife Peggy and the rest of his family, and we visited for a minute about my love for all things BYU. They were on their way to Applebees and I gave them directions as it was near my house. Little did I know that just a few days later, it would be announce that he was the next President of BYU. My only regret is that I didn't ask him for a picture. That is so unlike me and I am sure it will be a lifelong sorrow.</div>
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Still feeling the rush of excitement in the air, I wondered around until I bumped into this amazing player:</div>
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Here name is Jennifer Hamson. If you can't tell, she is the starting center for the Women's basketball team. She is pretty good at basketball. She was named the best Offensive and Defensive player in the conference. She was very down to earth and fun to visit with. She also plays on the Volleyball team. I asked her which sport she wants to play when she graduates and she truly doesn't know. She loves them both. Oh, and by the way, she was just drafted to play in the WNBA, so yeah, she is kind of a big deal.</div>
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Next I found this flag hanging up and knew this picture had to happen:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6WDrOBrrycg4yudwSA0Gw8_fL_m26IQQzmt9zzl5-Zi_FbLsahJDkAq3dlk4gyBV4R7s_SS4T7fQy9hKWfxwBk4LWfTiQnc0J9EV0gpVDTIqq2qngW7VMEa9oq7xhrIvNDRa7iECug/s1600/IMG_20140307_170819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6WDrOBrrycg4yudwSA0Gw8_fL_m26IQQzmt9zzl5-Zi_FbLsahJDkAq3dlk4gyBV4R7s_SS4T7fQy9hKWfxwBk4LWfTiQnc0J9EV0gpVDTIqq2qngW7VMEa9oq7xhrIvNDRa7iECug/s1600/IMG_20140307_170819.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had to stop a random stranger to be my photographer. He probably didn't think I was weird at all, right?</div>
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Right after I took this picture, I met a very nice young man who asked if he could interview me about being a fan of BYU. You can read his blog for the Deseret News <a href="http://sportsblt.blogs.deseretnews.com/2014/03/08/wcc-day-2-womens-quarterfinals-brings-plenty-of-passionate-fans/" target="_blank">here</a>. It is pretty hilarious and I want to know if I get a sash and crown to go with my title of "Biggest BYU fan in Las Vegas." I may or may not have frightened him a little bit. But if he was looking for a fan to interview, I am kind of gold when it comes to being passionate about my team.<br />
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After that, I renewed my quest to meet the guys at BYU Sports Nation. I returned to the third floor where I knew they were getting ready to do a broadcast. For one of my jobs, I have a picture ID on a lanyard. Realizing that these security guards were really not scrutinizing things that much, I put it around my neck. With an attitude that I knew what I was doing and was supposed to be there, I walked right past the guard without giving her a second glance. The third time was the charm, as I was not stopped.<br />
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I had fun visiting with Ben Bagley, the voice of BYU Sports Nation. He didn't seem to think it all that strange that an old lady would bamboozle security. We chatted about being a fan, until Spencer showed up and this picture happened:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTzi8dyIZl3bONFWfgXUkC4Vn9FXu8ggHyj5D_0FjHBkMGzQMNEHFudyOHcWBd6MXhGkLIAwoe3FmG1YZj45rTDutlD0me0ixogugGQc7NtvGpaoSOtkSdMnQ8KD7-sSiQPMy8szgng/s1600/IMG_20140307_182127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTzi8dyIZl3bONFWfgXUkC4Vn9FXu8ggHyj5D_0FjHBkMGzQMNEHFudyOHcWBd6MXhGkLIAwoe3FmG1YZj45rTDutlD0me0ixogugGQc7NtvGpaoSOtkSdMnQ8KD7-sSiQPMy8szgng/s1600/IMG_20140307_182127.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
The quality is not very good, and Jarom is missing, but for now it will have to do. I know there will be other chances for pictures with them. It is strange to meet someone you listen to every day. I love how that show keeps me informed on all the latest news with BYU. It is pure fun and tom foolery. Any BYU fan should check it out.<br />
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All of these events made me feel like the tournament was a success and the men's team had not even played yet. Saturday I arrived early for the game and again found an open seat next to some other fans. My previous experiences were repeated as I found a camaraderie with some fellow Cougars. We cheered and yelled at the refs together. The team won and all was well. Here is a blurry shot of the guys warming up:<br />
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And here is one from my seat at that game:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkZmE0-EglV7vAP8m60G7aaunv8atQVZNwn0PJMG5kZJ2lGECXZ48TnrjvssVqqkktvMD0_AKrxkTJIzZ0965IjXl_l3mpvwJgUsqVHDFBRuQxZo4DqGraynAXiPLqHlbTfS6d1G1pw/s1600/1394314528973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkZmE0-EglV7vAP8m60G7aaunv8atQVZNwn0PJMG5kZJ2lGECXZ48TnrjvssVqqkktvMD0_AKrxkTJIzZ0965IjXl_l3mpvwJgUsqVHDFBRuQxZo4DqGraynAXiPLqHlbTfS6d1G1pw/s1600/1394314528973.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Someone told me that I would not want to miss watching Gonzaga play nor seeing how passionate their fans are. Sure enough I was not disappointed. Again I found some BYU fans to sit by. I ended up sitting next to two lovely elderly couples. It turned out that one of them was the sister of my Stake Young Women's president in Seattle. It really is such a small world in the church. Her husband sat next to me and it was like watching the game with my Grandpa. He was very friendly and we had fun visiting while watching the game. It was a very close game and it looked like Gonzage would loose for most of the game. It was only with a buzzer beating coast to coast move by John Stockton's son, that Gonzaga managed to win. The BYU fans around me were going crazy thinking that Gonzaga might get eliminated in their fist game, but they pulled off the win.<br />
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On Sunday, we had many visitors at church who were in town for the tournament. Most only stayed for Sacrament meeting, but one couple did stay for all three meetings. Of course I spoke with the wife in Relief Society as any good RS president would do. It turns out that her husband is another VP at BYU, Brother Webb. I also shared about the blog written about me as my good news minute, and the whole RS laughed about what a big fan I am. Afterwards, I met Brother Webb and he said "Oh, are you the big BYU fan that they warned me about in High Priests?" Well, yes, that would be me. I visited with both of them and made two more new friends.<br />
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Monday night finally arrived, and I was back to the arena for the evening of games. Gonzaga played first. I arrived early, hoping to find a good seat down close. The good thing about going alone, was that you can always find one open seat just about anywhere. As I was looking around, I noticed that Danny Ainge was sitting near by. So of course I took a selfie with him in the back ground.<br />
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Then I noticed an empty seat on the second row next to a large group of fans. I asked if the seat was open and the girl sitting there said I was welcome to sit there. It turns out that this was the family of Kevin Worthen, who I had met on Friday. It was so fun to sit and cheer and visit with them. The girl sitting next to me said that I should just ask Danny if I could get my picture with him and she helped take it. So this is better than a selfie:<br />
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We got to be very good friends and I shared all about my love for BYU. She mentioned that her dad had to go home because of the devotional the next day. I thought to myself, how sad, but I suppose when Elder Eyring comes and speaks at a devotional and announces that you will be the next president, you have to be there, basketball tournament or not. We watched as Gonzaga easily won their game, advancing to the championship game the next night. As I look down the row during that game, who should I see but my good friend Brother Webb. I waved to him and he actually waved back. Between the games he came down and told me that he had to go home that night, but that he wanted me to have his tickets for the championship game. He told me that I had to bring someone with me and that he knew I would represent BYU the next night in those seats. I could not believe it. Now, I would not have to steal a seat, I could legitimately sit on the second row for that game. To say I was excited, was an understatement. <br />
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It was finally time for the tip off. BYU struggled back and forth through the whole game. Those of us in our section really thought the refs were missing a bunch of calls, and we let them know about it.</div>
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It turned out the Tom Holmoe had the seat the was directly behind me. BYUtv caught him on camera yelling at the refs. And who do you think was right there with him? Well that would be me, wouldn't it. We are both outraged at the no call mugging of Tyler Haws at this point.</div>
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But then in the next moment, Matt Carlino sunk a three and we took the lead. We both celebrated in our own way. That game was so exciting and had the happiest of endings. I loved every minute of it.</div>
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The next morning, Tom Holmoe was interviewed on BYU Sports Nation. Imagine my surprise when they played this video and there I was right in front of him. Even though the above still shots are pretty great, you have to see the whole video to fully appreciate the moment.</div>
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Tuesday night, I returned for the championship. I was full of hope, but cautiously optimistic about how that game would go. When I arrived to my seat, I met Sandra Rodgers who as sitting right next to me. Well actually I already know and love her well as she is in charge of Women's Conference every year. We had a wonderful visit before the game. I am sure I only scared her a little with my fanatical following of all things BYU. She was worried and hopeful as well. She mentioned that she figured if they won, she would go out for ice cream to celebrate, and if they lost, she would go out for ice cream to drown her sorrows. So either way, there would be ice cream. Sounded like a reasonable plan to me.</div>
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Here are some pictures from my seat. I was very close to the team.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSW26CWFOhmfCGnr-z-e4skk4aQGSgVU3teTJSh69SRbnqaemhN04w0ZDz3m7at6bxd3GI7IDs7xNvYSXv8MrAZUaNokiMVDndYiU67Zd3DZE6CR2IErAIAqYPTPZ0flv-KYM4RsDfQ/s1600/20140311_202349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSW26CWFOhmfCGnr-z-e4skk4aQGSgVU3teTJSh69SRbnqaemhN04w0ZDz3m7at6bxd3GI7IDs7xNvYSXv8MrAZUaNokiMVDndYiU67Zd3DZE6CR2IErAIAqYPTPZ0flv-KYM4RsDfQ/s1600/20140311_202349.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Although they fought hard, it was not in the cards to win that game. The injury to Kyle Collinsworth did not help and in the end Gonzaga was too much for the Cougars.</div>
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Right after the game, I witnessed the most tender moment between Coach Rose and his wife. He sat on the bench and looked at her until someone tapped her and she made eye contact with him. He just gave a smile like "Well we gave it all we had, and I know you still love me." It was evident of their caring relationship. I don't know if we give the coaches families enough credit for their sacrifices. I felt blessed to be there for that.</div>
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It always amazes me when I am present for losses. Everyone is so sad and disappointed. I was also, but at the same time, I am so grateful for the chance to be present and be a part of all the atmosphere, that I can't help but feel happy about that. I experienced something similar at the Oregon St loss at the black out football game. Anytime I get to be with other Cougar fans, it is a great day for me regardless of the outcome.</div>
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<br />Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-38450239850774264882013-08-23T17:31:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.675-07:00What I did with my summer vacation or new and exciting ways to drive oneself to the brink of exhaustion<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Look around people, Summer is winding down. Many mothers look forward to the start of school with the anticipation of a convict being granted parole, but this year I am not one of them. Why you ask? Well, it might have something to do with the fact that I will once again have a child in early morning seminary. I have had a year long hiatus from this blessing. Hence the fact that we have been sleeping in until 8 every day, will mean a teeny tiny adjustment to our alarm clocks. It may just be me, but 5:50 in the AM is pretty darn early in the morning. I suppose that is why it is named early morning seminary. That won't feel drastically different than 8 AM, now will it? In other news I had a fabulous summer that was full of tripping all over the countryside. Sometimes in planes and most times in cars. Sometimes as a family and sometimes with only my husband or even by myself. Here is my back to school essay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We started off the summer by driving 8 hours to New Mexico to spend Memorial Day weekend with my husband's family. This was a long drive, but everyone really had a blast and it was totally worth it. Plus when you have a driver and self contained children, long road trips equals quality reading time. Pretty much a win/win. The kids all had a great time together. Marion got to play games all weekend long with his brothers and nephews. We even made homemade ice cream which is always one of my favorites. We haven't all been together like that for a long time and I was glad we went. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The girls.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Most of the whole Hammond gang.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Dog pile!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">He who makes the ice cream gets to lick the paddle.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Three weeks after that trip, we flew to Seattle for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary and a family reunion. This event came off pretty well thanks to so many helping hands. We traded 105 degree Vegas temperatures for 60 degrees in Seattle. A good trade in my book. There was even this strange water stuff falling from the sky when we landed. We managed to feed all who showed up at each meal and pretty much squeeze more fun into each day than a fat lady putting on a pair of skinny jeans. It doesn't get better than that my friends.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkgbC2SeXCB_2KpkgvWLkq-x_k6YC_Gfkw-6mwCH_5-jwLX4x05fJ8C92O5K27tuGnvDL-YA3MJkeDEMDDl-629roOb9bQKy4RCXZQDfnPMCV_fE8dg4mQS7caD9oVCPMAWN8Csr9JQ/s1600/IMG_6803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkgbC2SeXCB_2KpkgvWLkq-x_k6YC_Gfkw-6mwCH_5-jwLX4x05fJ8C92O5K27tuGnvDL-YA3MJkeDEMDDl-629roOb9bQKy4RCXZQDfnPMCV_fE8dg4mQS7caD9oVCPMAWN8Csr9JQ/s400/IMG_6803.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yay for Pinterest! What ever did we do with out it?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">All because 2 people got married 50 years ago!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The photo booth was a huge hit with the young crowd.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4cLTES2XAy0MIsAFOokuUHpR3-h8XcirZ5MF3Yg_QeMNPsNfs2cj0QcuMSuqKcuV9AmkMPZ64t2zoj-P0s-qFzHYeikLjJ7zHn31_xLLOmRtyDgYbdV3z93oBi-Eo0UOvCAEh3SMGg/s1600/IMG_6844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4cLTES2XAy0MIsAFOokuUHpR3-h8XcirZ5MF3Yg_QeMNPsNfs2cj0QcuMSuqKcuV9AmkMPZ64t2zoj-P0s-qFzHYeikLjJ7zHn31_xLLOmRtyDgYbdV3z93oBi-Eo0UOvCAEh3SMGg/s400/IMG_6844.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The help at the reception.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We spent 3 glorious days at one of our favorite places, the Church Ranch, located near Ellensburg, WA. I have so many fond memories of this place, as it is where we would go for Girls camp each year. It is hard to say what our favorite part of this place is. Each day you can choose the slip and slide, canoes rides, the creek, painting rocks, riding horses, the hay ride, and of course all the yummy food that always goes along with camping. And to be honest there are more bedrooms at the cabins there than there are at my parent's house, so that is an added bonus.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The kids spent hours sliding down the hill. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I made this collage one morning when I walked up to the flushable toilets. So much beauty all around. I especially liked the gate made from horseshoes. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Bdtxn0foeep-WWuUaVEuIjFfuQFF0pkuGjBW8XDYDfBQ4G-W1mFwKPMqxFJ6jr2t-Iws2-dk0YUVMY_mHWDAmSTsqZdvvXDbnV0-rnPbj3orkdewsbWLowRDbA5ElyyiTsH0pxOc5g/s1600/PhotoGrid_1372380161494.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Bdtxn0foeep-WWuUaVEuIjFfuQFF0pkuGjBW8XDYDfBQ4G-W1mFwKPMqxFJ6jr2t-Iws2-dk0YUVMY_mHWDAmSTsqZdvvXDbnV0-rnPbj3orkdewsbWLowRDbA5ElyyiTsH0pxOc5g/s320/PhotoGrid_1372380161494.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We look forward to the hayride every year. We love to sing songs and the kids all rotate around so that everyone can get a turn to ride up front with the driver. The sights are magnificent as you drive around the ranch. I have lived in the dessert for so long that every time I visit the Northwest I just stare at the greenness everywhere.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Three girls</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbksZA6cDZTYoJ47L_937SP5jhHnICJrZ83fRgqlGVuM3ZD2v40ZTmTwisWgSTlT4QSmZN60iQ_VDIQGZnkTCFPi4Ydei4VmLDZJbjGJNzsMkzBE_lN22lgjNUkES7mgg1EHQe6iskA/s1600/IMG_0639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbksZA6cDZTYoJ47L_937SP5jhHnICJrZ83fRgqlGVuM3ZD2v40ZTmTwisWgSTlT4QSmZN60iQ_VDIQGZnkTCFPi4Ydei4VmLDZJbjGJNzsMkzBE_lN22lgjNUkES7mgg1EHQe6iskA/s400/IMG_0639.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We be serious canoe paddlers!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57D8zQm_ieCHSKELvrNlHXbRvPLHz8R_v4BE6BRGaHFfrLPcQL5aPnMbCNEToxP3p6rRxu_p2UsNUFriXmxYn4DBPbYkYTjcQhh_ncDLemBgaMaiRO_36nUECI4Cc_x53LZ19n7ga0w/s1600/IMG_0638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57D8zQm_ieCHSKELvrNlHXbRvPLHz8R_v4BE6BRGaHFfrLPcQL5aPnMbCNEToxP3p6rRxu_p2UsNUFriXmxYn4DBPbYkYTjcQhh_ncDLemBgaMaiRO_36nUECI4Cc_x53LZ19n7ga0w/s400/IMG_0638.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The great bear hunt of 2013!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We spent one whole day in downtown Seattle. A visit to Pike's Place market was in order and some great sea food down by the water. We wore our matching reunion shirts, although the chilly weather caused many to put jackets over their shirts so you can't really tell.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UyhDdyz2YqueB-TWl7J2dDi-kRdbBOr4j3mF8ZFg1tyAoCNJuUxIqETcQrCbPuXCeik8CkM5g1UqPej6e4iIHEx8Vt3bEIkPl89wAt4iEhgjAy4R7Bxk1u4tBrc_JxbZoXGcYZ8OGA/s1600/IMG_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UyhDdyz2YqueB-TWl7J2dDi-kRdbBOr4j3mF8ZFg1tyAoCNJuUxIqETcQrCbPuXCeik8CkM5g1UqPej6e4iIHEx8Vt3bEIkPl89wAt4iEhgjAy4R7Bxk1u4tBrc_JxbZoXGcYZ8OGA/s400/IMG_0301.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A sea creature sculpture downtown by the waterfront.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEo19izZGJRIZ5NmU8rWqrOVCGpSt_SSj6Td2NzIyNT9V83Osb6HpeH9_9hDP_4foaXC_1lzVofwBD5Ua-g0Tw7nuJsgKdy-m3NkB_nl2sPEmFvWsOyO7e2Q3h5PI6lRFdluNglSVmg/s1600/IMG_20130624_161553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEo19izZGJRIZ5NmU8rWqrOVCGpSt_SSj6Td2NzIyNT9V83Osb6HpeH9_9hDP_4foaXC_1lzVofwBD5Ua-g0Tw7nuJsgKdy-m3NkB_nl2sPEmFvWsOyO7e2Q3h5PI6lRFdluNglSVmg/s320/IMG_20130624_161553.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">No trip to Seattle would be complete with out a trip to Pike place market and the gum wall. We also had seafood down on the waterfront. So yummy!!!!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSiAjEWUGwdSeFFmlbh_ZlB9we97lgX7ycyaCH84w2lmlVmcr-3RbxDH1topRlOZqTvh6CuTYjN1KrerrQGAvaduTw7qmJWxkyAyh0vejh3ZCBJ_EKFCUujdJz5ZTzkRHvoih3f1B7g/s1600/IMG_20130624_214008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSiAjEWUGwdSeFFmlbh_ZlB9we97lgX7ycyaCH84w2lmlVmcr-3RbxDH1topRlOZqTvh6CuTYjN1KrerrQGAvaduTw7qmJWxkyAyh0vejh3ZCBJ_EKFCUujdJz5ZTzkRHvoih3f1B7g/s320/IMG_20130624_214008.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here were a few of the things that caught my eye while we were driving around downtown.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGPCmlMlW7xssm4cZYF8oltzrg2qwJui6hLHHHKGlvIhT66jJpKzY07oVSmCrA63eBiOCUFRkhuSCfBIlDSOsSnj4F5CEGhJnLPEHCVAg35mvPb8JMch-Ng5qTXDT5ZbCLQ6TU613xw/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGPCmlMlW7xssm4cZYF8oltzrg2qwJui6hLHHHKGlvIhT66jJpKzY07oVSmCrA63eBiOCUFRkhuSCfBIlDSOsSnj4F5CEGhJnLPEHCVAg35mvPb8JMch-Ng5qTXDT5ZbCLQ6TU613xw/s400/IMG_0308.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Pike's Place Market</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">After two weeks of fun, it was time to fly back to Vegas. We had a rather eventful Airport adventure from the drop off at the curb, to the actual boarding of the plane. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"> We got to the airport and were checking in our bags. Diana was bringing home some of her rocks from the ranch. We brought one of the big suitcases that Trent took on his mission, so we put most of the things in there. When they put it up on the scale it weighed 13 pounds too much. We also had another suitcase to check, but it was pretty full. They had already checked that one in and it was on the conveyor belt, but hadn't gone away yet. So I opened the suitcases and started taking things out. I put a bunch of things into our bags that we were carrying on, like the curling iron and hair dryer, as well as the rocks. The plan to make our carry on bags as light as possible went out the window at this point. The suitcase still weighed too much. Next, I took a bunch of clothes out, like a whole armful. I could barely hold it all. In fact I am sure some things were falling on the ground. Then, I opened the first suitcase and tried to put everything into it. There was not much room and once I put everything in, it was about 10-12 inches from being able to close and zip up. The airline employee said "I don't think you are going to be able to close it." But I was determined to not pay extra for a heavy bag. Diana of course was mortified and wanted me to stop making a spectacle of myself. Ignoring her pleas to desist and give up, I forged ahead to make it happen. I forced the top of the suitcase down and climbed up on top like a cowboy roping a steer. I knelt on it and bounced up and down and scrunched it down until wouldn't you know it, I got it to zip up. I felt it quite a victory, but restrained from any celebratory dancing or high fiving. Diana tried to pretend she wasn't with me. The airline employee seemed a little surprised and maybe impressed.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Next we proceeded to go through security, where I was asked to step to the side and let them examine my purse which was now full of rocks. The security guard said they just needed to visually look at what was inside. After the inspection, they ran my purse through the camera one more time and we were on our way. It was at this time that we realized we had left our portable DVD player at my mom's house. I called and my Mom ran it back to us. I left Diana in the food court with our bags and my purse full of rocks, while I ran out and picked up the DVD player. I had to go back through security but wasn't stopped this time without the purse full of rocks. It was after this bit of excitement and craziness, we made it on the plane and got home safely. I don't know why things like this tend to happen to me.</span><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">We made it back just in time for the Fourth of July and it was a very quiet small celebration with just Marion, Diana, and I. And then of course we celebrated 7-11 day with free Slurpees. We went to 5 different stores all with in 2 miles of our house. I love spending time with these two crazy girls.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We were home from Seattle for a little over a week, before we all piled into the van and drove up to Utah. Trent wanted to tour the University of Utah and Utah State before he went off to boot camp for the National Guard. There is too much red at the University of Utah, but it will be a good education if that is where Trent decides to attend. I liked Utah State better, but it is not my decision. Utah State did hand out free ice cream which may have helped sway my opinion. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Leaving Las Vegas for boot camp with the Utah National Guard</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We made it back down to Provo in time for Diana's birthday. We had a special surprise planned for that night. We took her to see a taping of Studio C at BYU. It was so much fun and she was totally surprised when we finally got there and she realized what we were doing. She is a huge fan and let me tell you if you ever get the chance to attend a taping, I would highly recommend it. I laughed and smiled so hard that my face hurt before the evening was done.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_ndcqgx97X91ApehNpv93-lf7TBtjWQlDDcbvHVfIZOfJZcgea5HCo9ShiLu5CBVwoD6Fr5KTvELquhIkOUKkMWrAkIInO3xptuwcP8QBvv3vF2hKIsYly7O5jORYI2trk08GhIuow/s320/IMG_20130719_202732.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fun times stalking the cardboard cutouts</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My sister and sister in law took the kids bowling while we were taking campus tours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And there was a morning spent out on the boat, always a good time.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dropping Trent off in St George</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We dropped Trent off in St George and drove back down to Vegas that Sunday night. He flew out to Fort Sill in Oklahoma the next day. He seems to be really enjoying boot camp and is very happy with his decision to serve in the Military. Diana is enjoying the perks of being an only child.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The next week was the Trek for our stake. We had not done much in the way of preparation due to all of our other activities. Finally the day before she had to leave, we made it to the fabric store. I started sewing her skirt and apron about 10:00 pm and was able to get it all mostly done. It was a bit stressful and crazy but I got her to the Stake Center by 5:00 am the day of the trek. She had a wonderful time and was very glad that she went. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1vsJlftxyW2TT_vwVuoibfygI-GXsPGYFegoN1MB93a7Cmd_AA2z95BdV-9NwdBJEBhgXYTZ9eHN9A4UWWqkVy1zhyphenhyphenQUPkP0RoI5wROo1Cg9A9OCuPjd1xjYHp9uXD-IX-Ypv50_EA/s320/20130725_053235.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are a few of the girls from the ward</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There was a family reunion for my Dad's brothers and sisters in Flagstaff that happened while Diana was on the trek. It was strange to not have any children with us. But strange in a wonderfully stress free way. We had a great time catching up with everyone. And that was only a 4 hour drive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is my niece doing her best
shoulder Angel impression. My sister asked how she got up there and she
said "Uncle Marion was laying on the ground and so I climbed on." All
the little kids loved to wrestle with him and I love how you can see a
kid hanging onto each of his legs. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi34n2Se1WbNxooGhZK8GDH8mRoaOT8SsZUDbiX9v27I-Ln34MzM3sNVrgVae2zv8C_9_kDNPh057lTh3Tt48fRkQJqveTWKcV-bMnWCbycMyuZzvOl-9VbeoeDbzwRYQDCKHoe4VXCQ/s1600/IMG_8709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi34n2Se1WbNxooGhZK8GDH8mRoaOT8SsZUDbiX9v27I-Ln34MzM3sNVrgVae2zv8C_9_kDNPh057lTh3Tt48fRkQJqveTWKcV-bMnWCbycMyuZzvOl-9VbeoeDbzwRYQDCKHoe4VXCQ/s320/IMG_8709.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Here I am with my Aunts. I love these ladies so much and am so grateful for all they have taught me. I feel truly blessed to be a part of their family and it was so fun to get to spend time with them. Especially time in the kitchen, that always leads to delicious things that need to be eaten. We had cooking demonstrations on pie crust, Lemon Meringue Pie, and cinnamon rolls. It was awesome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here I am with my niece who is so very kind to bring me sticks shaped like "Y"'s. She knows how much I love BYU and loves to help feed my passion. It is so sweet of her and I love her for it. We made it back to Vegas just in time to pick Diana up from Trek. She had a great time and it was a wonderful experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A week later we celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary. I really can't imagine how it has been that long and yet looking at us we were indeed much younger than we are now. My husband bought me lovely flowers to celebrate.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQdgjzm6fBgBoSjyVw5ce13phFf6-2TbazgKDLKYbkeSMzd_An8QtQ8E5ZrulM0mRDBaSxDoyX0CVwDtIF4dbVrNkAVU3TB9-ezkMxN4e1pXQLkEOKiZV5z3XHmtLKFv7JUzj8TMJpw/s1600/IMG_20130808_093833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQdgjzm6fBgBoSjyVw5ce13phFf6-2TbazgKDLKYbkeSMzd_An8QtQ8E5ZrulM0mRDBaSxDoyX0CVwDtIF4dbVrNkAVU3TB9-ezkMxN4e1pXQLkEOKiZV5z3XHmtLKFv7JUzj8TMJpw/s320/IMG_20130808_093833.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This same week my class was holding my 30 year High School reunion up in Seattle. I had known about it all summer but didn't plan to attend. Several friends from High School started talking to me on Facebook and telling me I should come. When I looked at the list of the people attending, I started to feel curious and excited to see these people again. And when I realized that I could use miles I had to get a free ticket, it seemed like there was no good reason not to go. It was a very crazy spur of the minute decision and 24 hours later I was on a plane back to Seattle. I was there for just about 36 hours.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMfN1dZnLoMJ-kymHYC1RVOS6U0UaktEkG1X6iX0aoipG2TUB_wMufFMiweUtWzMALULhugr2ig1JklH2QdnRD0mp7m9_8J_i94qfzCOpwfC8I6c0_bVf2hLsMw7jo9JRRvKEGp_Ldg/s320/264465_143083745898895_453742644_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="231" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I love this group shot from a fall dance.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was so fun to catch up with old friends. I have been completely gone from Seattle for all these years and I really haven't had any contact with any one. I was very glad that I went because who knows where everyone will be in 10 more years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a picture of all the Mormon kids who graduated.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsexMXwD-uJlfD_uRNHAysIHI11J5-_GdheJE-JIOO0okN46okCSJx8kh7eXFocewwta7WYZiex0S8svLjrfNKrxxRcql07c4N96veA8WxqKdz_RQBko0OeMnTvSHo48f-HCj4gXDEw/s1600/1157602_10151779480258905_529415463_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsexMXwD-uJlfD_uRNHAysIHI11J5-_GdheJE-JIOO0okN46okCSJx8kh7eXFocewwta7WYZiex0S8svLjrfNKrxxRcql07c4N96veA8WxqKdz_RQBko0OeMnTvSHo48f-HCj4gXDEw/s320/1157602_10151779480258905_529415463_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And here is a picture of most of us again 30 years later.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPh7o3c_qCfM42_cyLJ8qo17R05mACGr_wbyk7zTuVetHIalc9IiAUJ4BoIR_2XiB4P4AIrWbCWtXaZ3eQacjkG2xWOoNuxfFx-qLrSwXB7wGn78nfmKk17k23Caq2FqFJZn_WXi852g/s1600/1176408_204931646337248_66154586_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPh7o3c_qCfM42_cyLJ8qo17R05mACGr_wbyk7zTuVetHIalc9IiAUJ4BoIR_2XiB4P4AIrWbCWtXaZ3eQacjkG2xWOoNuxfFx-qLrSwXB7wGn78nfmKk17k23Caq2FqFJZn_WXi852g/s320/1176408_204931646337248_66154586_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here I am with Marianne Diehl</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After the main reunion, our group was hungry and so we went to Denny's. It was so nostalgic, just like after dances in High School. Only back then we went to Farrel's. It was very fun to catch up with everyone a little bit more. I didn't get back to my parent's until almost 2 am. I needed to get up at 4 am to go to the airport. I was worried I might not wake up, so I just stayed up all night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a before and after picture of me. This was my senior picture, and here I am well I guess 31 years later because my senior picture was taken at at the beginning of the school year. Kind of fun to see that I haven't changed all that much, at least on the outside. Thank goodness the inside me has changed quite a lot. Good thing or all the trials I have been through would have been for nothing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Any of you still reading deserve a medal. That is what you get when you run a marathon, right? As you can see it was a very eventful couple of months. I hope that the school year will feel like a vacation from all this vacationing, but somehow I don't think that will be the case. I feel very blessed to have been able to spend time with so many wonderful people who I care so much about. My life is so much better for having all of you touch my life for good. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-51472892246687739142013-05-06T22:54:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.700-07:00These are a few of my favorite things about Women's Conference 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For seven straight years I have attended Women's Conference at BYU. Gonna have to face it, I'm addicted. Totally and completely. Really no choice about whether to go or not. And not once have I regretted the decision or sacrifice to go or had anything less than a fabulous time.<br />
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It would be hard to say what my favorite part of the conference is. It might be the amazing feeling of sitting in the same room with 20,000 other women who love the Lord as much as I do. Who face struggles with children, and laundry, and what to make for dinner every day. And yet arise each day with the resolve to try a little bit harder and be a little bit better. And when sometimes you forget this, attending this conference helps you to remember that resolve. I love the feeling of being one as we sing the songs of Zion, especially my favorite - How Firm a Foundation. <br />
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My favorite part might be spending time with my sisters. This year only two of them could make it, but we had a great time. Having this time with no husbands or children is kind of precious and something that is hard to put into words. There is something about a sister that is such a blessing in my life.<br />
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My favorite part might be the food. Whether it is the warm spiced almonds or the world famous mint brownie, I am just here for the food. The kettle corn is pretty awesome and this year I tried a fresh fruit parfait thingy in a waffle cone that was both healthy and delicious. Here is my brownie that I posted on facebook with the caption "The breakfast of champions." This picture is amazing with the way the light catches the frosting and makes it look like it was a soft as a pillow. The brownie was just the right amount of moist chewiness and the minty filing in the middle is just the best thing ever.<br />
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My favorite part might be the opportunity to give service at the group event that happens every Thursday night. It is unbelievable what 20,000 women can accomplish in just 2 hours. And I am proud to be part of the Lord's secret weapon army of sisters who serve. We helped assemble cold care kits that had socks, gloves, a hat, and a blanket, all in a nice little bag. We all know how much I hate to be cold, and the thought of giving the gift of warmth to those that are needing it, makes my heart warm inside.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgytM0pp18lLH-TlMcK0HtYSRL72TYWUTcHeiVDBdSpbIpn2u9rFM1SdIzg5Q_jPui-HK_MIkKsnRihA9Ml2g-TaZOAiFm93dAD_qPVeVWfXD0RAvAqMpRBzUfZ_EvfPPStS4db3xsQ/s1600/PhotoGrid_1367542993492.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgytM0pp18lLH-TlMcK0HtYSRL72TYWUTcHeiVDBdSpbIpn2u9rFM1SdIzg5Q_jPui-HK_MIkKsnRihA9Ml2g-TaZOAiFm93dAD_qPVeVWfXD0RAvAqMpRBzUfZ_EvfPPStS4db3xsQ/s400/PhotoGrid_1367542993492.png" width="400" /></a></div>
My favorite part might be the chance to rub shoulders with members of the General Relief Society presidency. I was so excited when we ran into Sister Burton last year. I hurried and got my picture with her, but the wind was blowing and I felt like I smiled too big and for the past year I have been kicking myself that I didn't get my sisters into the picture. I pretty much lost my mind and figured I missed out on a once in a lifetime opportunity. Here is what last year's picture looked like: It is not bad and I do love the BYU car in the background. But still, regrets.<br />
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And so you can only imagine my exhilaration when I saw her walking around at the service. I went over to her and she embraced me in the biggest hug. I felt the Saviour's love in that hug, and it was one of the many tender mercies from the Lord that I felt that day. And so I was thrilled when I got a do over to get a picture with all three of us. It is much better, don't you think. Now my regret is that I didn't ask her for advice about being the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society. Well maybe next year.<br />
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My favorite part might be the concert that takes place after the service. Even though you are pretty tired by the time this happens, I am never sad that I attend this evening event. Mercy River performed a hilarious song about putting your kids to bed. And my favorite this year was listening to Sandra Turley who has performed on Broadway. She sang "For Good" from Wicked, as well as the most beautiful medley from Les Mis. It was so moving and I was changed for good for having been there that night.<br />
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My favorite part might be meeting up with BYU celebrities, such as the actors from Studio C. I adore that show and laugh out loud every time I watch it. I had seen a picture of these life size cut outs and knew I had to get my picture taken with them. They were not out in the lobby, but I persevered and asked around until I found someone who would let me get my picture with them. So funny. I think my favorite would be the one with Matt. He seems to be giving me an appropriately strange/ horrified look. So fun, and one more chance to be on the campus police watch list.<br />
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My favorite part might have been the photo booth and the chance to enter all of these pictures in a Women's Conference contest to try and win a free ticket to Women's Conference next year. I entered the most pictures, go figure. I am not too stressed about winning because let's face I will be attending whether I win or not. But it is fun to be in such contests and I think I should win most enthusiastic contestant.<br />
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My favorite thing might be posing with our matching tote bags that we only use for Women's Conference. It is fun to pull it out each year and see what goodies are left from the year before.<br />
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We had to take a picture to replace last year because it looks like my arm was amputated and that was just not good. This year is better with all of our limbs exposed.<br />
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And there you have it, just a few of the reasons that I will be going to Women's Conference for the rest of my life, even if they have to wheel me in on a gurney. Hard to pass up the opportunity to feast spiritually, emotionally, and physically. (I may or may not have gained quite a few pounds, but it was worth every calorie!)<br />
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Until we meet again, BYU Women's Conference. Next year can't come fast enough.Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-70277740460978011852013-04-03T23:50:00.001-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.712-07:00Water Skiing August 2012 or one more family reunion post from last summerAm I behind much? Yes this is a post from last summer and I don't even think it is the last one. But I am going to persevere and post as much as I can. Going with the whole better late than never mantra.<br />
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So meanwhile back at the ranch, we had a family reunion in Spanish Fork August 2012.</div>
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My parents had a boat in Seattle and not many people wanting to use a boat.</div>
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There were many people in Spanish Fork wanting to use a boat but not having one.</div>
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So the boat moved to Utah and a beautiful relationship was born.</div>
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And by beautiful I mean the kind of relationship where you load up the car with</div>
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snacks, sunscreen, and a billion kids in swim suits with towels.</div>
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Once you get to the lake and go through the lovely process of getting the boat into the water</div>
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much of the time, it hasn't started. This results in complaining from the kids who </div>
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now get to play on the beach and watch the other people with functioning boats</div>
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driving past. But this time apparently the boat read the schedule for the family </div>
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reunion and decided to cooperate.</div>
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The kids loved riding in the tubes. We set up a rotation where different groups with </div>
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different interests and abilities came out at different times. No one with a camera came</div>
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with the older boys who all water skied.</div>
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But we did get some great shots of the younger girl groups.</div>
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Here are Diana and Raeley</div>
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And here they are again. Uncle Andrew made sure that they all got </div>
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a great turn and then he managed to bounce them off of the tube, which of course was </div>
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their favorite part.</div>
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Trent got a turn to drive. He enjoyed that part as much as being in the water.</div>
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Miles was ready for a nap and went ahead and slept through the whole event.</div>
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Lizzie, Ali, and Brooklyn</div>
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Riding in the front of the boat is almost as fun as being in the tube.</div>
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The older girls, Laura, Raeley, Megan, and Diana</div>
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<span id="goog_1435174494"></span><span id="goog_1435174495"></span>Laura taking a turn with the flag. Way to go on </div>
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a crucial but thankless job!</div>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-42431302817376189712013-04-03T09:38:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.681-07:00Christmas 2012<div style="text-align: center;">
We celebrated Christmas again this year. It was strange to think that</div>
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Jared will be gone for the next two years and with Trent </div>
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joining the National Gaurd who knows if he will get to</div>
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come home next year. It made me think that this was the LAST </div>
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Christmas and well that was kind of sad. Not that you don't want your kids</div>
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to grow up, but well when it happens it seems kind of shocking.</div>
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Here is a shot of Diana posing as if she were sleeping under the tree.</div>
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Here I am experimenting with my self timer on the camera of my phone.</div>
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I love the view of my tree from the ground. It seems to go on up forever.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
And here is the view from the front. Thanks to Pinterest I used the huge, ginormous metal</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
star from the front of my house as the top of my tree. It is kind of amazing.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When you work at a Christmas store, this is the kind of tree you end up having.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hard to believe that I got the tree for free a few years ago because someone just needed</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
it out of their showroom. I never though I would have a such a beautiful tree.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Jared got things for his mission like Rosetta Stone for Spanish and a GPS. He is </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
rather dependent on the GPS on his phone and so I was a bit worried to send </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
him off into the world without a GPS. He also got a few other mission related items.</div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Diana got her dream camera and a tall tripod to boot. She was very happy about it.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Last year I got a short tripod which was a fail on my part. Lucky girl.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Trent got a laptop. Lucky lucky boy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeWipjIB8FmfVMTyk41t_rDmOHg2TNWHivShDy8CO_RG1UPWSJO_RQlKlBpVDdbzkj_cWslGz3JAfWAxbTUb9TbJTnV8lFk8siciVNe8yMfXgZ-rIuUSDLZ3HpCMZpc6KbUUP1N2JENA/s1600/IMG_0449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeWipjIB8FmfVMTyk41t_rDmOHg2TNWHivShDy8CO_RG1UPWSJO_RQlKlBpVDdbzkj_cWslGz3JAfWAxbTUb9TbJTnV8lFk8siciVNe8yMfXgZ-rIuUSDLZ3HpCMZpc6KbUUP1N2JENA/s320/IMG_0449.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
We also managed to make some candy and enough treats to keep everyone in</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a sugar coma for a few weeks.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
All in all it was a very nice time and if it was our last Christmas we can say it was a good one.</div>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-67649244813811699022013-04-02T18:23:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.706-07:00Highlights of the past few months<div style="text-align: center;">
Much of the time life is hard, but every now and then there<br />
are days that pretty darn near perfect.<br />
I suppose it is set up that way to get us to keep going<br />
through all the hard times. Not 100% sure how I feel<br />
about that. But regardless, when those happy,<br />
joyful days come around it does tend to make you<br />
glad that you didn't throw in the towel and give up like<br />
you were so tempted to do.<br />
This is a post about one such day.<br />
<br />
But first let's look back at another perfect day, the<br />
day Jared was sealed to us in the San Diego temple<br />
18 years ago. I am so grateful to have this picture to remind<br />
me what that day looked like.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lSG2voNAHjo0Fd06hpKkFrMbP4U-rjoLl4K9RkWmlVm_vbJ6xrtF77kYJX2ZKbla3qft9ab4Z6CyQF7uhWwenGf4onHg9Bb3brmntKEPnwpjsH55iUHn1Y5Iq_stN9qMPKA2PoZGHQ/s1600/12-7-2008+3;26;45+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lSG2voNAHjo0Fd06hpKkFrMbP4U-rjoLl4K9RkWmlVm_vbJ6xrtF77kYJX2ZKbla3qft9ab4Z6CyQF7uhWwenGf4onHg9Bb3brmntKEPnwpjsH55iUHn1Y5Iq_stN9qMPKA2PoZGHQ/s320/12-7-2008+3;26;45+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
December 1994<br />
<br />
There have been some pretty difficult days in the past 18 years.<br />
Some days were so dark, I wondered if there would ever be<br />
sunshine in my life again. Well last December I was able to<br />
go to the Las Vegas temple with Jared as he prepared to be<br />
a missionary. Trent was with us also and it was a very special day.<br />
<br />
We are still pretty good looking aren't we? </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
December 2012</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
An early Christmas gift at the temple.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Me and my boys.<br />
<br />
My gratitude to my Father in Heaven for blessing me with these boys and then<br />
allowing them to be sealed to me and then to watch them grow up<br />
and make righteous decisions, well there really aren't words for such feelings.<br />
<br />
It just was a really good day that I will remember and cherish always. </div>
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</div>
<br />Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-7635312005884877842012-10-29T23:06:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.721-07:00To Have Loved and Lost<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, on the fourteenth anniversary of <a href="http://hammondshamsterwheel.blogspot.com/2008/10/today-is-10-year-anniversary-of-day-we.html" target="_blank">THE</a> terrible, horrible no
good, very bad day, I took my grief out of the mothballs in the closet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Giving it a good shake to remove the cobwebs,
I held it up to the sun and inspected it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Considering how often it has been used and abused over the past fourteen years, it is in remarkably good condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Through the
years I have used it less and less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
on October 29th each year, the memories come rushing back like a tidal
wave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And no matter how much I think <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that time should have built up the
sandbags high enough to protect my heart, the waves of grief sweep over me once
again, drawing me down into the depths of despair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often it strikes suddenly and without
warning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One minute I am driving in the
car and the next I am swept down into a deep, dark place that is the memory of
the unimaginable pain of losing a child through a failed adoption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is as if time stands still, and I am
transported back to the moment I placed her last bag into the car and watched
her drive away from me forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And then
suddenly I am back to reality, I can breathe again, the imaginary carving knife
is removed from my chest and life goes on. But I am left feeling as if the wind
has been knocked from my body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world
is gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing tastes good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Colors are subdued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As I continue working, I accomplish the tasks
before me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A phone is picked up, a
question answered, an appointment set, and an email sent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But all the time, I am bracing myself for the
next assault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For I know it will come as sure as the sun will rise each day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And then again without
warning, another flashback to a house packed in the U-haul leaving the house dark and
empty and the tears that came until late into the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
you have wept longer and harder than you ever thought possible, you lay on the
floor limp and lifeless as a rag doll, hoping the ground will open and swallow you whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that is not the way life or Heavenly
Father works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead you are given a
chance to stretch and grow from the pain and to feel the comfort that only the
Savior can offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And suddenly it is
time to fix dinner and pick up kids and do the things that mothers do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually the evening is over and the day,
THE DREADED DAY, comes to a close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
before I go to bed, I sit quietly in my rocking chair with that grief that is as
familiar to me as my favorite pair of jeans or worn out quilt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Rocking back and forth, as if to soothe that grief back to sleep.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as I rock that grief, I sing softly that eventually, all will be right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That perhaps someday the pain
will fade to a bearable level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the
time knowing if that day were to come, I would feel that diminished pain to be a betrayal, and so I would never
let it happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My grief and I, we have
spent some special bonding time together through the years and today, and I am ready to place it back in the
closet for another year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life will go
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will laugh and and I will smile and sometimes
even cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Rationally I know that enjoying my life today does not mean I loved her any less. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But somehow, I will be forever
changed by the fact that I loved and lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And perhaps it is OK, because I have grown used to this person I have
become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one that keeps a special
piece of my heart locked up and set aside for a blue eyed, blonde haired three year old
little girl, who is now seventeen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We
will be forever connected she and I, by an invisible thread, and someday, if
not in this life, then the next, we will meet again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is the joy of that day that I must
cling to like a life preserver as I swim to shore out of the chilly, crippling depths of despair.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Until next year, my friend. See ya, next year. </span></div>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-39494551136627672962012-10-08T19:31:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.678-07:00The Whole Famdamily<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As part of our family reunion we got family pictures taken.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Let me just say, that I don't really enjoy family pictures</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
because there seems to be a lot of complaining and whining</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that goes along with the picture taking.<br />
And then there are the kids comments as well. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Add that to the whole stress of what to wear, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and it just seems to be a miserable time.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As a matter of fact, we haven't had very many family pictures since</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Trent was 12.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But while we were all there we managed to stand together and we don't</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
look completely horrible, so there is that.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8Vb7J_PoAhRUXoYo8F3PxtiT2eg3lga1MwfePfNBIufHvA9LBXrG45S6lpZ0H3kwiaGFPY0DYzDKkg-utAUeeUCM6eiVfGuu5h31QeQP3_rFXRG6rCOxEUbXvVgQ3liraA1KRn84RQ/s1600/104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8Vb7J_PoAhRUXoYo8F3PxtiT2eg3lga1MwfePfNBIufHvA9LBXrG45S6lpZ0H3kwiaGFPY0DYzDKkg-utAUeeUCM6eiVfGuu5h31QeQP3_rFXRG6rCOxEUbXvVgQ3liraA1KRn84RQ/s400/104.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is one of the three kids.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hard to believe how grown up they have become.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_flTJcv0kZKI1adQlNbJ4SiAUZaL0mxOH7R1IQUQD1QzyZP4ChB7jNucEqdVj-ICRjJ2QURg7fDu_uOC1Bb3Scj-ge1eabqaEh63dB_2I5ogXdpUzkf6HZn2Qn9VbtASflSS0vBlXQA/s1600/106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_flTJcv0kZKI1adQlNbJ4SiAUZaL0mxOH7R1IQUQD1QzyZP4ChB7jNucEqdVj-ICRjJ2QURg7fDu_uOC1Bb3Scj-ge1eabqaEh63dB_2I5ogXdpUzkf6HZn2Qn9VbtASflSS0vBlXQA/s400/106.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And the one with the spouse.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLEgBhrQFuR2XLkk5_mKnUSGiwjR9l7LFMPROEM0w2NAi_GTxIurRW0iKusBM7Co5utUZVa_io6AQEhgt6o1SX3JeggxYkcAhHGV3ySZ4BkGv0p3QbbeplzOwowWj_4vnMxBdyrQDgg/s1600/112b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLEgBhrQFuR2XLkk5_mKnUSGiwjR9l7LFMPROEM0w2NAi_GTxIurRW0iKusBM7Co5utUZVa_io6AQEhgt6o1SX3JeggxYkcAhHGV3ySZ4BkGv0p3QbbeplzOwowWj_4vnMxBdyrQDgg/s400/112b.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And I do kind of like this one of me and Diana. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Glad I took my glasses off so there wouldn't be a glare.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdIROrpeoBmLabhqRTa2Oeds2K5gsPeNwJZGfHa8AQceURa6aPxhN0Sac2P009BvR2201esmFW60Qeb1rhyK6wUAprd2oi6pOLbT5lfYVb9BZki0GSPNUsdzkc8a-W-Rouph3VxyB0A/s1600/Me+&+Diana+closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdIROrpeoBmLabhqRTa2Oeds2K5gsPeNwJZGfHa8AQceURa6aPxhN0Sac2P009BvR2201esmFW60Qeb1rhyK6wUAprd2oi6pOLbT5lfYVb9BZki0GSPNUsdzkc8a-W-Rouph3VxyB0A/s400/Me+&+Diana+closeup.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And here is one of the whole extended family, except for the niece who was on her honeymoon, and my brother who was in Seattle. Probably the best we will ever do in getting this many people together at the same time, especially now that the teenage boys will start heading off on missions.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3UnHXDJc9hK__u2GqSp4PQBJQaDs8JQ1wdesHEH0f02-F0zla_O_GtfKeTmKfXq1mPwSZxG1_fxiPDz-lifKXNkQ6PXR3k80RwmPAJwOJK5tA_pWqDYZmBVj_Ajcd5CFsxklljMZeg/s1600/117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3UnHXDJc9hK__u2GqSp4PQBJQaDs8JQ1wdesHEH0f02-F0zla_O_GtfKeTmKfXq1mPwSZxG1_fxiPDz-lifKXNkQ6PXR3k80RwmPAJwOJK5tA_pWqDYZmBVj_Ajcd5CFsxklljMZeg/s400/117.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So yay for the end of another family picture taking session. And we are all mostly still talking to each other, so it is all good.</div>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-42824081215538891502012-09-18T09:00:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.684-07:00I scream, U scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream<div style="text-align: center;">
After being in the heat all afternoon,</div>
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what could be better than Ice cream?</div>
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I am still fascinated by the fact that you </div>
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can get a soft serve ice cream for $1 at </div>
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the grocery store in Utah.</div>
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One of my favorite things about visiting there.</div>
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We never make a trip to Spanish Fork without</div>
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indulging in this low cost yumminess.</div>
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(Why does spell check not know that yumminess is a word?</div>
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It is too a word.)</div>
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Taylor and Hunter</div>
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Diana, Brooklyn, Ali, and Lizzie</div>
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Tanner and Miles</div>
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Megan, Raeley, Diana, Brooklyn, Ali, and Lizzie</div>
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Whole group shot that includes Laura and Michael</div>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-44011021426906706382012-09-17T11:10:00.002-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.691-07:00Pranks and Playing at Salem Pond<div style="text-align: center;">
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After the wedding, we all hung out in Spanish Fork for a few days</div>
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for the Nelson family reunion.</div>
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One of our favorite places to go, is</div>
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Payson Pond.</div>
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If you are ever in the area and haven't been,</div>
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you should go.</div>
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There are many things to do there.</div>
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Canoeing is a favorite.</div>
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Here are Kris, Lizzie, and Laura, with Taylor in the water.</div>
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Miles is thrilled that Nathan is giving him a ride.</div>
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Grandma and Grandpa take a turn.</div>
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Those not in the canoe, made marshmallow guns.</div>
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We let everyone make the kind they wanted</div>
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and there was a big variety.</div>
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Here Lizzie is showing us her little pistol and water balloons.</div>
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That little pistol was just the right size for her.</div>
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With it, she was ready to take on the world.</div>
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Check out this picture where she takes on her cousin Michael.</div>
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She is sure she can take him, even though he and his gun are ten times bigger than she is.</div>
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My Dad and Marion establish a fortress for the marshmallow war of 2012.</div>
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They take on the teenage boys.</div>
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You can just see Brandon off behind the trees.</div>
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I think this is the best picture ever.</div>
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Grandpa is picking up some more ammunition,</div>
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Lizzie catches him at a bit of a disadvantage.</div>
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After the marshmallow war, it was time for the balloon fight.</div>
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Oh, and look we caught a snake.</div>
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Diana's turn to hold it.</div>
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Brooklyn and Ali are swimming buddies.</div>
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Close up of Diana and Raeley.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggs3ZdoN8NnUzb2WjKGo2kFrQaVz_yL-FRmxGKgh9aNI31aNxwR_Mf42jF6u3WWXHEfFjg04nMZyokOPy3uwxWWTmNQB2C2w6_mQm2PZ6wg9Yir5X3wbUhrYjp2JdhkHAQ8m5IXtBQvA/s1600/644291_10151160671380513_1571271916_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggs3ZdoN8NnUzb2WjKGo2kFrQaVz_yL-FRmxGKgh9aNI31aNxwR_Mf42jF6u3WWXHEfFjg04nMZyokOPy3uwxWWTmNQB2C2w6_mQm2PZ6wg9Yir5X3wbUhrYjp2JdhkHAQ8m5IXtBQvA/s400/644291_10151160671380513_1571271916_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There is a chance for visiting and catching up on the latest.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYeYnhgWZlN4F3dlYoOARiMbLBktJ1rk_rylKcy4rvndaY5lAGLTs7o8qlV35DDpp40YSLaTA1sBoIb0mq8yJ7lkH52seS4ys-fLieX5KLDsATo1A5Kzp-xl51B8QQPpkT-81SjJR3w/s1600/DSC02968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYeYnhgWZlN4F3dlYoOARiMbLBktJ1rk_rylKcy4rvndaY5lAGLTs7o8qlV35DDpp40YSLaTA1sBoIb0mq8yJ7lkH52seS4ys-fLieX5KLDsATo1A5Kzp-xl51B8QQPpkT-81SjJR3w/s400/DSC02968.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Or you can lay on the grass and have a bit of a nap.</div>
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Susan is showing off her marshmallow gun.</div>
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The girls with their guns.</div>
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Here is a close up of these four girls<br />
who are lucky to be so close in age.</div>
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And check out this picture of the four of them about ten years ago, </div>
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My how they have all grown.</div>
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A good time was had by all at Payson Pond, once again.</div>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-49176144258143839232012-09-14T10:19:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.694-07:00Wonderful Wedding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After Trent's homecoming, I worked like a maniac for the next two weeks. </div>
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Long hours, little rest, blah, blah, blah.</div>
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You get the picture.</div>
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We needed to get to Utah for my niece's wedding.</div>
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Because I was working at a place that is on the way out of town,</div>
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I devised a plan where my family would load up the car,</div>
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and come and pick me up.</div>
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And then we would head to Utah.</div>
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I figured that this would mean we could get on the road earlier than </div>
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if I drove the twenty minutes home and then back again. </div>
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I failed to fully appreciate the crucial role that I always play</div>
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in packing for trips/getting everyone out of the house.</div>
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In the end after many phone calls asking me where such and such was,</div>
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they picked me up and we were off.</div>
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And luckily no one forgot anything that a trip to the store couldn't fix.</div>
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We made it to Spanish Fork by about 11:00 pm.</div>
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Friday morning we were up early in order to be to the Mt Timpanogas Temple by 9:30.</div>
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Unfortunately, Trent got another cyst on his tailbone and it was really</div>
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bothering him to the point that he couldn't sleep.</div>
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I didn't see how he was going to make through the day without a visit to the doctor.</div>
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And really the day was very full,</div>
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so I sent him off with my husband to the urgent care in Springville.</div>
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They got there right when it opened at 8:00 am. </div>
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Luckily, they got it treated and got antibiotics and made it to the temple right </div>
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about the same time we did.</div>
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The wedding ceremony was beautiful. Being in the sealing room with 5 of my siblings and their spouses doesn't happen very often. It was very special. </div>
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My Dad is a sealer in the Seattle Temple and he was able to </div>
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marry my niece. There was such a wonderful spirit there.</div>
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Next came the very suspenseful time where we hoped that all the kids would make it to the temple.</div>
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There were 18 grand kids raging from 18 - 8 months. There were actually 3 18 year olds, </div>
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which was perfect because there were 3 cars that needed to be driven.</div>
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When we left at 9:00 am none of the kids were dressed because they were still</div>
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eating breakfast and it was unrealistic to think that they could keep themselves </div>
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picture presentable for an hour and a half when eating and playing outside were involved.</div>
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So there were 6 teenagers who had to get 12 smallish children presentable and to </div>
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the temple by 10:30.</div>
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And it actually did happen, so that was all good.</div>
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While we waited for the happy couple to come out of the temple,</div>
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we took some family pictures.</div>
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Here is my family. I think this picture was taken on my phone and that is why it is a bit blurry.</div>
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<br />Here is my sister Amie's family.</div>
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Here is my brother Andrew's family.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHcC67uaiAc5pFFmKCXeJGr3jxLwzldbcCvKE1RdD8bK-d9Ozx2j08CTnLwcUPLT5HD84vrXnmDAnJNDPYmxS1_rGvR_6mDcYBwBbqOwGNFCHu0BLTB4DVBXrHWQmecxDNEAb3Evg-Q/s1600/546263_10151160621660513_477682561_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHcC67uaiAc5pFFmKCXeJGr3jxLwzldbcCvKE1RdD8bK-d9Ozx2j08CTnLwcUPLT5HD84vrXnmDAnJNDPYmxS1_rGvR_6mDcYBwBbqOwGNFCHu0BLTB4DVBXrHWQmecxDNEAb3Evg-Q/s400/546263_10151160621660513_477682561_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And my sister Jennifer's family.</div>
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Finally the waiting was over and they came out of the temple.</div>
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Don't they look too adorable?</div>
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Because of missions and honeymoons, we had to get a shot of all the grand kids on this the wedding day.</div>
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It will be the last time all of these kids will be together for who knows how long.</div>
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Trent is the oldest, and he is holding Benjamin who is the youngest of the the twenty grand kids.</div>
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I think the fact that most everyone is smiling in this shot is nothing short of a miracle.</div>
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<br />And here is one with Grandma and Grandpa.</div>
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Next it was time for the reception.</div>
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Have I mentioned how much fun I think it is to work in the kitchen</div>
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at weddings and funerals? I think the best times happen</div>
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on those occasions.</div>
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Here is a shot of the cute backdrop they made for behind the food.</div>
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It is super cute and hides the staging station that is behind where </div>
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the food was prepped.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is a shot of the food. It was simple but delicious with a </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
chocolate fountain and bread and spinach dip.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TgNRZTf0D_gsjaA8YZ5WCuuCaeka5HbZu6YhHtyRxUOgL4NDFXHu-W91Nh-Cs-awnvRBj4ior6CKh1HZJ1fEYCajvWytXDWH9AEa0NKFvqU8EEEkphHOzkaIa2mHSOSkWnny53TfEw/s1600/DSCF7422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TgNRZTf0D_gsjaA8YZ5WCuuCaeka5HbZu6YhHtyRxUOgL4NDFXHu-W91Nh-Cs-awnvRBj4ior6CKh1HZJ1fEYCajvWytXDWH9AEa0NKFvqU8EEEkphHOzkaIa2mHSOSkWnny53TfEw/s400/DSCF7422.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Cute shot of Amie and Benjamin, who wonders why am I wearing this tie?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzmGrOgIhmB9VFwIMHTpb8rUc8P0uIVhiSBl4OrNF-2dHHVf7YPtv0afuNMaijgFtyr_7O4sunT4y746FpvC7ZRwY5AGv_xj6qexQGbe2EFE11qZvFP8Mhyphenhyphenxa3GbziCzM5HfdASZRaw/s1600/DSC02943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzmGrOgIhmB9VFwIMHTpb8rUc8P0uIVhiSBl4OrNF-2dHHVf7YPtv0afuNMaijgFtyr_7O4sunT4y746FpvC7ZRwY5AGv_xj6qexQGbe2EFE11qZvFP8Mhyphenhyphenxa3GbziCzM5HfdASZRaw/s400/DSC02943.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Diana took some amazing pictures at this reception.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I love this one of these four girls.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So fun that they are such good friends.</div>
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</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
They were also good sports and helped clear tables.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I love this shot Diana got of the cute jars with baby's breath.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
How does she think of this angle with the tables in the background?</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is a shot of the jars from the front.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Check out this great shot Diana got of one of the bridesmaids bouquets.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
And she got this one of the bouquet, cake and jars in the background.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSLScXiTJ5QdoSSBRe1wbE5afHHnMyXFhu8j25pGpo3zm9uUYpcr4gfwRdXhTjlXykJtMtxYp7cuSs4HIzSelrdl4Pp8gDqg5I23gzUS-6208LlRY4_bFIuE_kFzc7U33SY08qcEl7g/s1600/DSCF7452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSLScXiTJ5QdoSSBRe1wbE5afHHnMyXFhu8j25pGpo3zm9uUYpcr4gfwRdXhTjlXykJtMtxYp7cuSs4HIzSelrdl4Pp8gDqg5I23gzUS-6208LlRY4_bFIuE_kFzc7U33SY08qcEl7g/s400/DSCF7452.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is one of the teenage guys. There is this group of boys, but then </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a whole bunch of girls came along.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They look pretty handsome.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
And here we made my niece stand in the picture with them.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Time to cut the cake.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Everyone watching the cake cutting.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-IWFMQZiGR2TiwCaNuCtzas6surkicXIEavH39XevgwhT9OFLkR0F3O6WAKxFV8tUve58Nm5EyoQ4-CrHkVFgEeaemNm7ZdQc8dzuhPmaFeA9OVohyGrahi5af8iBRrJmwfnU0gGlWw/s1600/P8030021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-IWFMQZiGR2TiwCaNuCtzas6surkicXIEavH39XevgwhT9OFLkR0F3O6WAKxFV8tUve58Nm5EyoQ4-CrHkVFgEeaemNm7ZdQc8dzuhPmaFeA9OVohyGrahi5af8iBRrJmwfnU0gGlWw/s400/P8030021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is a shot of the cute lights they strung up over the whole back yard.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was so pretty as it got dark.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
This was the start of our family reunion and it couldn't have been nicer in any way.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Yay for weddings and love and happy couples.</div>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-11643011560888387932012-09-03T11:25:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.655-07:00Welcome Home, Elder Hammond, Welcome Home<div style="text-align: center;">
After our girls trip to Utah, it was back to the reality</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that Trent was coming home in JUST 10 days.<br />
<br />
Every missionary mom will tell you that this is the day you dream<br />
about and count down to, for two whole years.<br />
That is 730 days for any of you wanting to make a chain.<br />
<br />
I have to admit, that I was not terribly sad when Trent went to the MTC.<br />
Somehow I feel a bit ashamed of this fact.<br />
Because all those around me were falling apart,<br />
and continued to do so for several months. <br />
<br />
But, there were so many days during his teenage life, that I<br />
seriously wondered if he would ever go on a mission.<br />
Truthfully, I had resigned myself to possibility, in order to brace myself<br />
for the disappointment. So much so,<br />
that I am embarrassed to say that when he did go,<br />
I was more surprised and relieved, than sad and depressed.<br />
<br />
And so for the majority of the time he was gone,<br />
I really didn't miss him that much.<br />
It felt like the Lord was babysitting him.<br />
And who could ask for a better baby sitter.<br />
Is that horrible to say? That it felt like a vacation to not be<br />
constantly worried about his welfare? <br />
<br />
Even when he served in the ghetto for 7 months,<br />
I never doubted that he was being divinely protected.<br />
And here's the thing, I got these amazing emails every week,<br />
from this kid I had never met before. Who knew?<br />
Yes, the Lord took my son and turned him into<br />
an amazing missionary.<br />
<br />
And so it wasn't until the very end that I finally began to miss him a little bit.<br />
It was getting that video of him back in February that kind of did me in.<br />
Actually seeing him talk was so fun.<br />
But, it made me trunky.<br />
<br />
And finally we were down to the end of the countdown.<br />
I seem to be the kind of person who adds stress to things<br />
by making my to do list longer than it needs to be.<br />
If anyone knows how to cure this problem/mental illness,<br />
I am open to suggestions/12 step programs.<br />
<br />
I was rather stressed because how was I going to paint the whole house,<br />
re landscape the front and back yard, fix the pool, and well you get the picture.<br />
At least I had already lost the 50 pounds, so that couldn't be on the list. :) <br />
<br />
And did I mention that this was also one of the times were my<br />
second job demands a lot of time.<br />
So as long as I didn't need to eat or sleep, I seemed to keep on top of everything.<br />
<br />
I couldn't seem to find a to do list anywhere that lets you know<br />
every little detail that you are supposed to do to be prepared for a son's return.<br />
Finally, the voice of reason pared the list down to providing him with a place to sleep,<br />
Seemed like a great place to start.<br />
<br />
I managed to find some great deals on a bed, desk and chair for his bedroom.<br />
Luckily the top half of his room was painted blue, but the bottom<br />
was purple from when Diana used to be in there.<br />
So Monday night about 10:00 pm,<br />
I painted the bottom half to match the top.<br />
<br />
We got the furniture home from work and into the room.<br />
<br />
Oh, and just for fun it was girls camp that week.<br />
We went up on the Saturday before to help set up.<br />
And then Tuesday morning,<br />
I got Diana all packed and to the church by 7:00 am.<br />
Then, I worked most of that day.<br />
<br />
Wednesday morning I finished up some things at home,<br />
and then went into work.<br />
We got a really big shipment and I was there unpacking things<br />
from noon until 10:00 pm that night.<br />
<br />
Thursday morning was the Big Day.<br />
I woke up at 5:30 and was so excited I could not go back to sleep.<br />
Just like Christmas morning. <br />
I had too much to do to just lay in bed.<br />
Making a ginormous sign for the house was my first priority.<br />
<br />
It was so big, that I needed to just lay it out<br />
on the driveway in order to draw the letters.<br />
Then next, I got it up onto the house.<br />
No one else was awake, and I don't even know how, but<br />
I managed to get upthere by myself.<br />
<br />
I was really happy with the way it turned out and just how big it was.</div>
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Giant sign on the house - check. <br />
<br />
I finished up some last minute cleaning inside, and then Jared mentioned</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
some things he needed from Wal Mart for his job that was starting at 6:00 pm that night.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Oh, and did I mention it was Diana's birthday that day?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Because why wouldn't it be. Just bring it on, people. Make my day.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So I dashed into Wal Mart, and stopped at the dollar store for balloons saying</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy Birthday and Welcome Home.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Next it was time to head up to Mt Charleston to pick up Diana from camp.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
On the way, I stopped at the mall to do some birthday shopping.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Because go figure I hadn't managed to get anything sooner.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Birthday presents - check.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It takes about an hour to drive up to Girls camp.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I got there about 11:30 just as planned.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It took her a few minutes to get everything together.<br />
She was getting the royal birthday treatment at camp.<br />
Some of her tent mates got up at 5:00 and decorated her tent with balloons. <br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
On the way back home, Jared called to say that the<br />
wind had blown down the sign from the house.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Curse that Las Vegas wind!<br />
Giant sign on the house - uncheck. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I had broken my stapler getting the sign up in the first place, so </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we stopped at Wal Mart for the second time that day and bought a new stapler.<br />
<br />
Carside Applebees to go for a birthday lunch - check. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We made it home and Diana showered while I got the sign back up.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I also made a sign for the airport with candy that Diana had picked out.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Trent was due to land at 2:50, but when I checked the airline<br />
it said that the plane was due to be about 15 minutes early. <br />
This sent me into a bit of a panic because we had things timed down to the last minute.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I called out/ shrieked to everyone to get a move on<br />
and we made it into the car in two shakes of a lambs tail.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We got to the airport at just the right time.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
After parking, we walked across the bridge and through the baggage claim.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I have to admit that the emotion of the moment and the whole day hit me like a brick wall.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was all I could to do to keep from just laying on the floor and bawling like a baby.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Instead I settled for just tearing up as we walked through the baggage claim.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Finally, we were at the point where he would come out of the secured area.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
At the Las Vegas airport, there are two different escalators that people come down.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The tram lets people off on one side, and then the other on the next trip.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This means that a ton of people come down one escalator,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and then you have to walk about twenty feet over<br />
to the other escalator for the next group.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There are a ton of Limo drivers that are holding signs and<br />
doing this walking back and forth process with you. <br />
I bet in a different circumstance it would be kind of humorous.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is a blurry picture of Diana standing with some of the Limo people. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I had managed to pull it back together as far as the crying goes.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But here again, as I would stand at the bottom of the escalator thinking that at any minute</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Trent would come down, I would tear up again and get all emotionally overwhelmed.<br />
<br />
It was like I would flash back to the day we picked him up,<br />
and they placed him in my arms for the first time,<br />
or the day we had him sealed to us in the Logan Temple,<br />
or his first smile or step,<br />
or first day of kindergarten,<br />
or first soccer, baseball, or football game,<br />
or first orchestra concert,<br />
or first day of high school,<br />
or day he got his driver's license,<br />
or day he graduated from High School.<br />
<br />
It was as if the emotions of all these wonderful days were<br />
somehow compressed into this very moment.<br />
<br />
And to say it was overwhelming does not even come close to describing the feeling.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Then all the people would come down the escalator and he wouldn't be there, and we would walk</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
over to the other escalator, and I would stop crying, only to repeat the process all over again.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was a bit ridiculous. And I began to wonder if it was really going to happen after all.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Finally, when he really did come, I had kind of convinced myself not to get my hopes up,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and I don't think we even really recognized him.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So it is kind of a blur and not quite like I anticipated.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Still, it was so good to finally see him and hug him and know that he was really home.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He lost about 50 pounds on his mission and I think that is why we didn't recognized him.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here he is with the parents.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Of course, the batteries in my camera were dead, and so all we had for<br />
documentation purposes was my phone. <br />
So the pictures are a little less than ideal. <br />
But that is not really the important part, now is it?<br />
<br />
We got him home, made some dinner, and got him to the stake center to be </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
released. All of that happened before 5:30 so that Jared could get to work by six.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And I had to get Diana back up to camp so that she could perform in the skit</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that night. We were back on the road and made it just barely after 7.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Whew! The Hamster Wheel was on warp speed that day.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It is hard to believe that I managed to get it all done. <br />
And without any caffeine people,can I get some kudos for that?<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Next, it was time to get ready for the company who were coming<br />
for the weekend and the open house. So as much as I wanted to sit in a corner,<br />
rock back and forth in the fetal position, sucking my thumb, there was none of that.<br />
I kept telling myself if I could just hold on until August 15th,<br />
my nervous break down was penciled in.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I found these super cute cupcake toppers on pinterest and my most wonderfulest </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
visiting teacher cut them all out for me. As well as cutting up fruit for the open house.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I don't know how I would have made it with out her.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Family arrived and we had a nice time catching up.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
After church we took some pictures with the missionary.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here are my kids all grown up.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
And here is one showing brotherly/sisterly love.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is one of the kids with me. Sadly my husband was still at church.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is one with my sister's family.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is one with my parents.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
And one with just mom.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
After pictures we had the traditional dinner of haystacks.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Everybody eating. Sorry about the glare from the light.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Jared and Victor had their own table.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Next it was time to celebrate Diana's birthday with the extended family.<br />
I really meant to buy a cake from Sam's Club to save some work,<br />
but it didn't happen.<br />
It is the strangest thing, but I have lost my 9 x 13 airbake pan.<br />
If anyone reading this, has borrowed it from me, let me know.<br />
Luckily, I found this foil pan and it worked. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
The little kids were willing to help her blow out the candles.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
There was a little bit of time for visiting.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My brother David, my Mom, and Trent.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
My sister Jen and David.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAlik1HSkyzYp0tvC1fDZxNbbCFkocmCsX3GZFDSuRVSlveR0joU6tS5lpjkGzzkD7BaYCABgDBa4WuRn2ZxX3cDp3F-zwpQx5NRaNT-dHsQ8f8HHNPhlwrqzUCqRl89xot8dVp5n2g/s1600/DSC02938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAlik1HSkyzYp0tvC1fDZxNbbCFkocmCsX3GZFDSuRVSlveR0joU6tS5lpjkGzzkD7BaYCABgDBa4WuRn2ZxX3cDp3F-zwpQx5NRaNT-dHsQ8f8HHNPhlwrqzUCqRl89xot8dVp5n2g/s400/DSC02938.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A blurry shot, with me thrown in for good measure.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwphar-dpcneIgPOdcNX1sIS9FCmuw3mSzsmaoLrU8hNNAQCehgKC8yqmWlwZvMTgl1BK5tIjtIMgS5-lI-27o9rDSHQU663Rnk4G5ZguuuD-oBp6tkwuUCucvpep7kmlgHDNtCSxbWA/s1600/DSC02940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwphar-dpcneIgPOdcNX1sIS9FCmuw3mSzsmaoLrU8hNNAQCehgKC8yqmWlwZvMTgl1BK5tIjtIMgS5-lI-27o9rDSHQU663Rnk4G5ZguuuD-oBp6tkwuUCucvpep7kmlgHDNtCSxbWA/s400/DSC02940.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We hurried and cleaned up lunch and put the food out </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
for the open house.</div>
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We had chips and salsa.</div>
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Zucchini bread, brownies, and red velvet cupcakes.</div>
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A good friend made her famous mint brownies, </div>
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and my other VT brought some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxxLS4LY3D-r-y8-Mo86hfAIYNZjsTiOjiZ4XIj5rfy4D4t-H0bvuCgKWRb03TzENIt_VTeUvLEngHWJ_w_of3ZKIiLCVRk_WIduTcf70riS1f2P8pJbDlw-yVNA0xg69Q-D8Yl4WLQ/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxxLS4LY3D-r-y8-Mo86hfAIYNZjsTiOjiZ4XIj5rfy4D4t-H0bvuCgKWRb03TzENIt_VTeUvLEngHWJ_w_of3ZKIiLCVRk_WIduTcf70riS1f2P8pJbDlw-yVNA0xg69Q-D8Yl4WLQ/s400/IMG_0067.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is the fruit my VT cut up for me. It was both gorgeous and delicious.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
The drink station.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwFRCxMdGpU2jBVk8m1BzsO6pZk2rM0o4iYOiVLavZRQNrwAqL-01npMa1jd7edL3eD1mL3TQ3p9NenHvUgfJ5GjkHAFwJvC3qVKoQHoqPPqMPnyZMZPSUnxwHvKaUBQK0w-PywFy1Q/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwFRCxMdGpU2jBVk8m1BzsO6pZk2rM0o4iYOiVLavZRQNrwAqL-01npMa1jd7edL3eD1mL3TQ3p9NenHvUgfJ5GjkHAFwJvC3qVKoQHoqPPqMPnyZMZPSUnxwHvKaUBQK0w-PywFy1Q/s400/IMG_0069.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We had a lot of people come by.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was so much fun to visit with everyone and it </div>
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seemed like a big success, thanks to the help of many.</div>
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I was kind of having a melt down over worrying about the open house.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My sister talked me off the ledge by reminding me of the </div>
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miracle of asking for help.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Letting others help truly saved what little sanity I have left.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And thus we see that one should never give up hoping on a child, </div>
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and that when we let others bear our burdens, they</div>
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really are lighter, and perhaps what doesn't</div>
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kill you does make you stronger.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One son returned home from a mission with a </div>
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strong testimony of the Gospel and Jesus Christ - check</div>
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Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-51009331326325866442012-08-30T08:35:00.002-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.697-07:00Girls Road Trip, not quite Thelma and Louise, but almost.<div style="text-align: center;">
After Graduation and our trip to Arizona for the funeral, </div>
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Diana had two weeks of summer school. </div>
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Finally we were free to fulfill our dream of getting out of Vegas and the heat.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Each summer we love to go up to Spanish Fork and hang with cousins and</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
pretty much avoid responsibility for as long as possible.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We have kind of developed a system for our drives to Utah.</div>
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We know where the best bathrooms are, and</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
where all the Cafe Rio's are located.</div>
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If we stop to eat in St George, we like to go to In-N-Out.</div>
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If it is Cedar City, then we usually go with Cafe Rio, although </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Panda Express is right across the street.</div>
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If we need to eat in Beaver, Jack in the Box has great fry sauce.</div>
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Filmore has a Subway next to the gas station. </div>
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And we have been know to do some shopping at the Wal Mart in Cedar</div>
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if the need arises. (ie the CD player or DVD player needs replacing)</div>
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<br /></div>
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And of course we can't forget to mention the Cheese Factory in Beaver.</div>
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If we are not on a time constraint, we simply MUST stop there.</div>
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They have the best ice cream, cheese curds, and jewelry.</div>
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Who'd have thunk it, that you could find great priced jewelry at</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the Beaver Cheese Factory. </div>
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But I wouldn't lie to you about a thing like that.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My most favoritest flavor of ice cream is Lemon Custard.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I had some there a couple of years ago, and it</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
took me right back to my youth at Baskin Robbins.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Oh how I love that Lemony creamy goodness in the form of a frozen confection.</div>
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The bad news to this addiction is that the Cheese Factory changes its flavors</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
as often as its underwear, and Lemon Custard is not always on the menu.</div>
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I know the horror and injustice, I tell you.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I have taken to calling the factory from the freeway to </div>
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inquire if they are selling my form of crack that day or not.</div>
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No Lemon Custard, not worth the 30 minute detour. </div>
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However, their phone number was tragically deleted from my phone a while back.</div>
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I was feeling in a hurry to get to Spanish Fork this day. The last few times I stopped without calling,</div>
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they didn't have the Lemon Custard, much to my despair.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I said to Diana, 'I bet they won't have it today. Let's not stop."</div>
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To which she replied, "Well don't you think we ought to just check it out".</div>
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I would like to think that her motives were to help satisfy my cravings, but I am </div>
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pretty sure she was just in it for the jewelry.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And so we stopped, and it was my LUCKY DAY because on this </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
glorious occasion they did have the Lemon Custard.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But they were out of waffle cones. Oh the misery.</div>
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It is just not the same without the waffle cone.</div>
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I contemplated stopping at the grocery store and purchasing my own,</div>
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but decided that was a little bit ridiculous. </div>
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So no waffle cone, but a double scoop of Lemon Custard - yes, please.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So after the squeaky cheese and the jewelry, it is kind of expensive ice cream. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But delicious none the less.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Finally we were on the road again.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And just after we passed Filmore there was a fire on the left side of the road.</div>
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Now of course being me, I just whipped out my phone and started clicking</div>
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pictures. Because surely there are no safety hazards to taking pictures</div>
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while driving, right?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It looked pretty intense over there.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Check out some of the shots I took:</div>
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Look how it was pretty black on the one side of the road and then just blue sky.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I don't think anyone was hurt, but it was not something I drive by everyday.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Finally we made it. We always receive quite the reception from my nieces and nephews.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It makes one feel rather special and loved.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One of the things we did while we were there was take a horse riding lesson from my sister's neighbor.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was great and very thorough. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
We also had a photo shot with one of my sisters friends.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is a shot of Diana and my nephew.</div>
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It was really hot that day and as incentive for smiling and cooperation</div>
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shaved ice was offered.</div>
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It was super yummy!</div>
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<br /></div>
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The girls hung out a ton and did things like dress up and make overs.</div>
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My nieces love to hang with Diana in the bathroom and watch her get ready.</div>
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My niece Megan.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eC1E-H_yH4pnCkrPbywQOhnuJvBpLwvzokrMGepa6NcQi9XjKv5Egeb4eec4lCMTcqgNeRJtvLFF0110m-YlL2huw9nCLQjCyCCzG6ThDpUlQOxa0p5vxoG8c0Xe5bfk5CP0QY4Sfw/s1600/DSCF7199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eC1E-H_yH4pnCkrPbywQOhnuJvBpLwvzokrMGepa6NcQi9XjKv5Egeb4eec4lCMTcqgNeRJtvLFF0110m-YlL2huw9nCLQjCyCCzG6ThDpUlQOxa0p5vxoG8c0Xe5bfk5CP0QY4Sfw/s400/DSCF7199.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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We were pretty busy, but every now and then there was time for cuddling on the couch.</div>
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Or even a quick nap.</div>
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My nieces love to take pictures on my phone. </div>
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You never quite know what kind of picture will show up.</div>
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Lots of lovely pictures of home decor like this one:</div>
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Some of their brother:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fGxVBnlG_0GQglDf3XQtdA3jUXfLR9ri7JxvQ1e7x69uuVXcKbZQTxmO-iL8pLo0QHwtP4Emn_zTcUMuEglLM2aajmwmSgpuoduKCej7Y8JrkyZ6Dh7lBdeObRIOd5FC0o1U1QcIuA/s1600/1341154062389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fGxVBnlG_0GQglDf3XQtdA3jUXfLR9ri7JxvQ1e7x69uuVXcKbZQTxmO-iL8pLo0QHwtP4Emn_zTcUMuEglLM2aajmwmSgpuoduKCej7Y8JrkyZ6Dh7lBdeObRIOd5FC0o1U1QcIuA/s400/1341154062389.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Some self portraits:</div>
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Or cute ones of the sister:</div>
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Or the other sister:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUzZC9oXKZKPtGe7jMCCkfMSkHLykYekWqucfjsmHhuX_qlXvDvrgyw9c487mtkmV7QJolsVy94M4vMh7cHTX5xvU8-9qp8l56hAXbq51zWdAiQrPAWanz7kGF0F3A1ImYga1nOpF7A/s1600/1341185399040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUzZC9oXKZKPtGe7jMCCkfMSkHLykYekWqucfjsmHhuX_qlXvDvrgyw9c487mtkmV7QJolsVy94M4vMh7cHTX5xvU8-9qp8l56hAXbq51zWdAiQrPAWanz7kGF0F3A1ImYga1nOpF7A/s400/1341185399040.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here's a great one of Diana. Don't tell her I posted this, </div>
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she is in that lovely 13 year old stage where she doesn't </div>
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want me to post about her.</div>
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But seriously, how gorgeous is this girl? </div>
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I am contemplating locking her in her room until she is 18, just so you know.</div>
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And look how instagram can take a messy toy room floor and make it look special.</div>
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I like this one a lot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHlsyaJVurDLAiY_sp-Mx_rNWpcU1JvrNn37XHyNDJIZ7FFsY9T1UgXkkYadmGPD1w91JIA62rd5q0DCEjNIXSRhtKR-VtUr4FHZGMiQCauVkWQ01_MFZYnnVDWGgidmJ_lUfIYpCmA/s1600/1341354115202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHlsyaJVurDLAiY_sp-Mx_rNWpcU1JvrNn37XHyNDJIZ7FFsY9T1UgXkkYadmGPD1w91JIA62rd5q0DCEjNIXSRhtKR-VtUr4FHZGMiQCauVkWQ01_MFZYnnVDWGgidmJ_lUfIYpCmA/s400/1341354115202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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You may have already seen this one on facebook ,but it is to great to leave off of this post.</div>
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Lizzie is trying to shade Diana. Nice benefit to small children.</div>
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Of course there were trips to Macey's for ice cream and the bins of candy.</div>
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Here is a nice assortment of air heads. Sugar anyone?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0K4_IkU9uKlRmhOz2gO6hRijkdek5hrcwKES_IezbytCAXQ5BjExvGHaX0UmdZqD0ybv6DVL7bmYEOWxDMj7np7Iol__pYzljDxESsEGpGJJjHFZg2HTi4HHuBHjezJcsh5Xpp0Pl9A/s1600/1341549843700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0K4_IkU9uKlRmhOz2gO6hRijkdek5hrcwKES_IezbytCAXQ5BjExvGHaX0UmdZqD0ybv6DVL7bmYEOWxDMj7np7Iol__pYzljDxESsEGpGJJjHFZg2HTi4HHuBHjezJcsh5Xpp0Pl9A/s400/1341549843700.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Diana took this one of my nephew. Such a cute little kid.</div>
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And I love this shot as well.</div>
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We also went to Seven Peaks twice. </div>
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And planned the food for our upcoming family reunion.</div>
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I got my hair done, which is when I went blonde. I kind of love it. </div>
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Perhaps blondes do have more fun.</div>
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And we just generally hung out and had a great time.</div>
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The Forth of July happened in there somewhere, but it was kind of a non even for us.</div>
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</div>
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I have to admit to having small panic attacks when I would think of all the things</div>
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needing to be done back in Vegas. This was only 3 weeks before Trent was due to come home.</div>
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It seemed a bit ridiculous to be sitting relaxing at a water park </div>
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when I needed to paint his room and clean out the junk</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that had accumulated for the past two years.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I love Spanish Fork. If I can't move there, visiting often is the next best thing. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Overall we were very glad we went, and </div>
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sometimes mandatory relaxing is a good thing.</div>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-73693634735630959812012-08-29T07:49:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.715-07:00Trip to Seattle<br />
Back in May I went to Seattle for Memorial weekend, but more importantly I went to help my sister move into a new house. She was busy crazy working at a full time job and she really just didn't have the time to pack up a house she had lived in for 17 years. I had a plane ticket coupon that needed to be used and some time to spare, so it all worked out pretty well. And hey what are sisters for if not for free labor?<br />
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First of all let me just say that the word "move" is a four letter word in my vocabulary. I don't like to hear it, I don't want to say it, and I certainly don't like to do it. And I suppose a big part of that is because it is closely related to other four letter words like "work" and "hard" and "pain". And seriously I don't care who you are or how organized or how much time you have, have you EVER heard anyone say the words "I just moved and it was the best thing that ever happened to me." No, something, somehow does not go as planned. There are always the small things that go wrong and were unexpected. I once moved from one apartment to the apartment next door and I had a month to make the move. It was probably one of the best moves I have gone through, but still not as easy as not moving. But sometimes it is a necessary evil. Every time I have moved I have been helped by friends and family, and I could not have done it without them. So this time it was my turn to pay back a little packing Karma. <br />
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It was a little bit crazy for me, because Diana had her orchestra concert at 6:00 pm and my flight left at 9:00 pm that night. Of course I had been crazy busy working all week, and so I was sitting listening to the orchestra and freaking out a tiny bit on the inside that I hadn't packed yet, and I was leaving for the airport in just an hour. Luckily, we had brought two cars and so once the 7th grade orchestra was finished playing, I went home to pack, while Marion stayed and brought Diana home. It was also ridiculously hot, close to 100 and the AC wasn't working in the middle school gym. My sister told me that it was 50 degrees and raining all day in Seattle, but it was certainly hard to wrap my brain around the fact that it was going to be cold. In fact the last thing I did before getting in the car for the airport was to change out of my shorts into long pants. <br />
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Surprisingly there was no line at security and I whizzed through in just a few minutes. I don't think that has ever happened before. My flight was very uneventful. I was bitter about the fact that I had downloaded a book to my phone and I had to turn it off during take off. I watched the girl on the other side of the aisle enviously as she read her "old" fashioned paperback book. Score one for real books. If we are keeping score, I do really like reading on my phone. Score 1 for how light weight it is and score another point for the fact that it is lit and so you can turn off the light in your room and read in bed and when you want to fall asleep you don't have to turn off the light. I am not sure how to score the convenience of being able to get just about any book you want with the downside of paying for that connivance. The best thing to do would be to be patient enough to wait for the book you want to become available from the library, but we all know that I don't have much patience. I guess the question becomes, which do I have more of patience or money, and so far it has been money. Ok serious tangent about books. Meanwhile back at the ranch, lets just say I was annoyed I couldn't read for the short time they made me turn off my phone. <br />
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The first day I was there (Thursday), my parents were working at the temple and my sister had to go to work, so I went over to her house and packed up her pantry which had some of the magical qualities of the closet in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It was a big project to get finished and by the end of the day it was done. My other sister arrived that evening to help as well.<br />
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Friday, my mom, sister and I spent the day packing and made a lot of progress. That night we went out to eat at our favorite sea food place Anthony's. It overlooks the sound and the view is amazing. There was a beautiful sunset while we were eating.<br />
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We stopped and got out of the car so we could get a shot of this.<br />
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I don't get back to Seattle very often, and I always forget just how green it is there. You don't see this in Vegas.<br />
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If it is clear you can see Mt Rainier from my parents balcony. It is a bit hazy but you can barely make it out. In the winter when it is always cloudy, you can be here for a week and never see the mountain.</div>
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My sister's kids had a dance festival the day we were moving in, because why wouldn't they? Actually it was a nice break from the unpacking to go and sit and watch them perform. </div>
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Here is a better shot of the mountain, although I snapped it in the car while we were driving.</div>
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And one more.</div>
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Saturday morning, the move went really well. There must have been 20 people show up to help. My sister was Relief Society president for quite awhile. She has helped many people in the ward and they were all anxious to help her when she needed it.</div>
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Here is a shot of my dad climbing up in the truck to get things secured. Someone else from his ward was there and he said that this is normal for my Dad. </div>
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We got a lot into the van and trucks, but it is always amazing just how much stuff you can accumulate in seventeen years. It required several trips.</div>
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This is a shot of her neighborhood. She moved to a lovely neighborhood close to some really good schools.</div>
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And here is a shot of her front door. Her house is really nice and she should be very happy there. Her new ward came and really helped out with the unloading. The RS came and helped get her kitchen unpacked. Thank goodness for the help of the church at times like these.</div>
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Finally it was time for me to head home. Here is a shot at the airport.</div>
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And I couldn't leave without some famous fish and chips from Ivar's. So yummy!</div>
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And then who doesn't want their picture taken with a giant stuffed killer whale?</div>
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A shot of me on the plane. As a side note, while packing I helped myself to one of my sister's books "The Summons" by John Grisham. So now I could read during take off. :) Too bad I was so exhausted that I fell asleep almost immediately upon sitting down.</div>
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I had several bumps and bruises from the whole moving experience, but this was probably the most impressive one. I was putting a second coat of paint on my niece's room and didn't have any painting shoes. Of course I was barefoot and managed to stub my toe on something. For how quickly it discoloured and swelled up, I think I may have broken it. But it wasn't sore for long.</div>
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We all joked that we needed some t-shirts that said "I survived Kris's move 2012." In a way it was a lot like Girls camp. Not a lot of showering or sleeping, lots of work and totally worth it in the end. All in all, it was a pretty good trip. I won't say it wasn't exhausting, but it did inspire me to come home and do some cleaning out of junk. So that was a really good thing that came out of it, without me having to pack up my whole house. Oh and it did inspire me to say the words "I am never moving again." </div>
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We will see how long Murphy lets those words hang around.</div>
Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223538623399027620noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-74745584944005216632012-08-27T09:47:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.718-07:00Too good for this world<div style="text-align: center;">
As soon as graduation was over, we rushed home and loaded up the car </div>
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so we could go to Arizona to attend my nephew's funeral.</div>
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It was strange to have such a happy event be so close to such a sad one. </div>
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Funny how that happens so often in life.</div>
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My nephew was 5 years old when he drowned in a pool in Mesa Arizona on June 9, 2012. It was a tragic accident that can not really be explained. The general feeling at the funeral was that Clayden's work here on this side of the veil was finished. He was called home to work on the other side of the veil as a missionary. He told his mom that he was going on a mission just days before he drowned. We will all miss his sweet face and personality but the knowledge that we will see him again is very comforting. The funeral was beautiful and the peace we all felt as a family was indescribable and unimaginable. Losing a child is so painful and yet we have to remember that they are not really ours. Heavenly Father just lends them to us for a little while. </div>
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The flowers at the funeral were just beautiful.</div>
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My brother in law is works for the New Mexico Police Department, and several of the officers came down to Mesa to support and help with the funeral. They actually had a police escort to the cemetery.</div>
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The Mesa police department also helped out and to see all of the officers standing at attention at the cemetery was quite a sight indeed.</div>
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Jared has always been close with his Uncle Aaron and Aunt Helen, we were so<br />
glad when Jared was able to attend both the funeral and his Graduation.</div>
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Most of the family were able to be there. And many of their friends<br />
traveled down from New Mexico.</div>
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The pall bearers waiting for the procession.</div>
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If you look very closely, you can see the cowboy hate of<br />
Clayden's older brother Greg. He wanted to be<br />
one of the pall bearers. Losing his little brother has been<br />
especially hard for him.</div>
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The parents were presented with a special flag.</div>
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Jared and his cousin Brooke, waiting to release balloons.</div>
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All of the small children were able to release these balloons that were in<br />
Clayden's favorite colors. This really seemed to be healing<br />
for the little kids who took this loss really hard.<br />
I would recommend it for anyone else looking for ways to help<br />
young children coping with a loss.</div>
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When it was time, everyone released their balloons up to Clayden.</div>
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This shot of the balloons in the sky is one of my favorites.</div>
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Clayden is buried not very far from his Grandpa Hammond.<br />
Some of us went over and visited Grandpa while we were there.</div>
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This is a picture of two of my brother in laws with another friend who is also in the<br />
police force and one of their favorite scout leaders.</div>
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Jared had to try on his Uncle's hat. </div>
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It was a long emotional day, and some of us needed a nap.</div>
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Others spent the afternoon playing games with Uncle Marion.</div>
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Here is a picture I found of Jared with Clayden from a couple of years ago.</div>
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<br />Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-21560332357050721982012-08-26T15:51:00.000-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.668-07:00The Graduate<div style="text-align: center;">
Jared graduated from High School back in June. At the last minute, we were able to get his senior pictures taken. They turned out so amazingly wonderful. I was very happy. My friend took them and made up his senior announcement. Just for fun, I had her make one up with a baby picture and one from when he was 3 years old. I think that announcement is so precious. It makes me want to cry for what an adorable baby he was to now the young man he has grown up to be. How does this happen? Where has the time gone? Sunrise, sunset, yadda, yadda. You know. </div>
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But this other announcement was also quite awesome, and this is the one we copied and sent out to everyone. I really liked it just as much as the other one.</div>
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Here are some of the proofs from his photo shoot. My friend has such an amazing eye and I think all of these pictures were amazing. The photographer had to lay on the ground to get this shot. Way to sacrifice for your work!</div>
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I love the way the light makes the leaves look on this tree. I don't think they even looked this green at the time in person.</div>
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As the photographer was having Jared pose in different ways, he was getting tired a bit and so he made this loveable face and she snapped a shot of it. I love it because it captures so much of his personality.</div>
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Finally it was the big day. As I sat in the audience and watched Jared walk across the stage with out even a limp, I was overcome with gratitude. Four years ago, I would not have thought this day was possible. The fact that he could make up a whole year of high school was incredible. And to look at him now, you would never guess that he almost died or that he has a metal hip. To think back to the days when I wondered if he would ever have a normal life again, and to see that yes, he will go on and have every opportunity, well it brings tears to my eyes. It was one of those days, when you can look back on a trial and see that it really all did work out, despite how dark some of those days were. I know that we don't all get to have those times when we come out of the darkness into the light, but this was one of those days for me, and I am very grateful to my Heavenly Father for such a blessing.</div>
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Here is the proud mother shot! </div>
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Here he is with Tanner Senecal, Tori Patterson, and Jake McDonald. These are kids from the ward that he has grown up with. He played soccer with all of them for several years. And it has been fun to see them all grow up over the years.</div>
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My sister and her husband were on their way home from Hawaii to Utah and were able to stop by for a few hours and make the graduation. So fun to have family with flight benefits. :)</div>
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And here is a shot of the moms. I love these gals so much. We have shared so many things together while our kids have grown up. Whether it was soccer games, orchestra concerts, dance festivals, trick or treating, or just going to church every Sunday together. They are my Vegas family and I couldn't survive living in Vegas with out them.</div>
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And here is one shot of the family. Trent wasn't home yet, so it is just the four of us. Too bad we didn't turn so that we didn't all have to squint, but at least you can see what we look like.</div>
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So for those of you keeping score at home, that is two kids graduated, one to go. I hope I can endure to the end of this educational process. I am kind of wearing out. I know that is wimpy of me, and those of you with more kids are shaking your heads saying she has it easy. I just feel a little bit worn out, that is all I am saying. But on the bright side, I get a year off from high school, so that is something, I suppose.</div>
Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-32924108159905028232012-05-09T22:47:00.001-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.671-07:00The Wonderful World of Women's Conference 2012This year was my eighth year at Women's Conference, and it was just as wonderful as always. I don't expect to ever miss a year until I die. This year was sad because my sister Amie had a baby and couldn't come and my mom didn't come this year, but as you can see my other two sisters and I still managed to have some fun.<br />
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The first speaker of the conference told us when we have hard days to think back and remember the feeling of sitting in the Marriott Center with so many other righteous women. It really is amazing. So often as a mother I feel that I am in hand to hand combat with Satan, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed and alone. To sit in a room full of others who share my convictions and goals to raise a righteous family is fortifying in a way that is hard to describe. This is one of the reasons I go to Women's Conference. That and the food.<br />
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After the first general session, my sisters and I headed up to the conference center where we listened to a wonderful class given by Chad and Michelle Lewis titled: Mormon's Warning: Arming your home and family. While we listened we made these bunnies. Their cuteness is somewhat questionable, but hopefully they will be given to children with nothing and that will make them look better. They are certainly better than nothing. That or blind children might enjoy them as well.<br />
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Brother Lewis shared a story about climbing Kilimanjaro last summer as part of the wounded warrior project. There was a soldier from Iraq with them who had lost his leg in an injury and had a metal leg. That soldier became too sick to go on and had to turn back, but the others told him that they would take his leg to the top even if he couldn't make it. As they climbed the air became thinner and thinner and the task became more and more difficult. Brother Lewis was helping carry the leg and was determined that he was strong enough to make it happen as a sign of respect for this soldier and his sacrifice. But it became very difficult for Brother Lewis and the guide with them finally said "Let me carry the leg. I am used to the elevation and the thin air, I climb this mountain all the time." And so Brother Lewis let him carry the leg and he compared this to how we try to carry our own burdens and the Savior is right there trying to help us if we will only let him. He is pleading with us to cast our burdens on him, for his yolk is easy and his burden is light. It was a wonderful class. And such a good lesson.<br />
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Jen poses with her cute blue bunny.</div>
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Look I made a purple one.</div>
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Of course there was the BYU mint brownie consumption. That is mandatory and a completely necessary part of the whole experience. Look I got a corner piece. Yummmy!<br />
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And of course there are the spiced almonds. I have to admit to purchasing 3 of these bad boys. One each day, and one to bring home. How do I love these almonds? Let me count the ways. And the fact that they are warm when you get them is not a bad thing for warming ones hands or face. Delectable and delicious delicacies. <br />
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Here is the group shot on day one. After all the learning and the sewing and the eating, we went to Brick Oven for dinner with our two sisters in law. Somehow we did not get photographic evidence of the eating going on there, but it happened, true story. After dinner we headed back to the Smith Fieldhouse for the evening of service.<br />
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As we were about to enter the Fieldhouse, who should come out but, Sandra Rogers. Now most of you will not know her, but she is the academic vice president of BYU. She has also been in charge of Women's Conference for the past 8 years. She gives wonderful talks and even better etiquette videos. I have snapped pictures of her from the stands for years, but I never dreamed I would get this close to her. I love this woman who is responsible for something I look forward to each year and has changed my life for good.<br />
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And then as if Sister Rogers was not enough who should come out next, but the entire new Relief Society General presidency. Now those of you who know me well, (and really who would be reading this, if they didn't know me well,) will know that I had a goal to get my picture taken with this dear, sweet lady, Sister Burton. Of course in my wildest dreams, I never really thought it would happen. But as I posted on Facebook, the stalking Gods smiled upon us and we were able to get this picture. Look she doesn't even seem that scared or anything.<br />
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A BYU Brownie and my picture with the new General Relief Society president, how could this day get any better?<br />
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But wait there's more.<br />
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We went into the Fieldhouse, where we helped with the finishing up of putting together 35,000 back pack kits for Title 1 schools in Utah county. Service really is one of my favorite parts of Women's Conference.<br />
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Then we went into the Sports Museum and I got my picture with all of the Jimmer memorabilia. That is pretty awesome, isn't it?<br />
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And then look we made our sister from Utah State pose with us and the cougar. She was a good sport about it and it is a pretty cute picture of all of us. I mean really who doesn't need a picture with a large bronze cougar?<br />
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And then it was back to the Marriott Center for the evening concert hosted once again by Hilary Weeks. I got my picture with her last year, in case you forgot. This evening was a tribute to Relief Society complete with a visit from Eliza R Snow. It was very moving and I would have to say one of the best.<br />
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Here is a Youtube video of the last song. This video does not quit capture the magic of the moment, but you can get some idea. Click on the button that says skip to the best part.<br />
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That was Day One. Hard to believe that it all happened in just the span of twelve hours. Time to head home and sleep and rest up for Day Two.<br />
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I didn't really have any classes picked out for Friday, but I noticed that Blaine Fowler and his wife were teaching a class. He is a sportscaster and often calls BYU Football and Basketball games. I knew that I had to go to his class and see if I could get a picture with him. When I got there I asked the lady at the door if she thought I might get a picture. She said she wasn't sure because he wasn't there yet. I went and set up position in a seat on the front row in the preferred stalking section. It wasn't too long before the lady brought Blaine up to me and said "This is the lady that wants a picture with you." How nice was that of her to facilitate my stalking?<br />
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This is what I had to say about this picture on Facebook:" Here is today's installment of "See Pat stalk people at Women's
Conference and raise questions about her sanity or at the very least her
manners." This lucky/unlucky victim is Blaine Fowler. Most of you
will have no idea who he is, but he<span class="text_exposed_show"> was a
quarterback at BYU when I was at school there. And he went on to be a
sports broadcaster. I have watched him call games on TV many times.
He was very kind and a bit shocked that I would want a picture with him.
Look how well he masked his inner terror in this picture? His wife
was also kind to share him for a minute as if she had a choice or
anything."</span><br />
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And next as I was walking back to the Marriott Center, who should I run into, but Sister Dibb, President Monson's daughter. She very
unsuspectingly asked me if I knew where the shuttle stop was. Of
course I did and was glad to tell her, but not before I snapped this
little gem. So nice of her to come to me, even. <br />
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And here is the group shot on day two. Don't tell but I may or may not have snapped this while a speaker was speaking, but it was necessary before we all split up to go to different classes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3KPVeLAdhODkkuPKxzbtCGdRFBTLedZWdHKPf6SLb-cl9Ckco2IhvpZZwqZ60Rp_Wb3kajaNXkzWOCqvOtlkl0oEvjc2TFu9gX9lZ7g7zCHwUy0cJaxNDuokRGooWsqdjckwBXV27uo/s1600/Womens+Conference+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3KPVeLAdhODkkuPKxzbtCGdRFBTLedZWdHKPf6SLb-cl9Ckco2IhvpZZwqZ60Rp_Wb3kajaNXkzWOCqvOtlkl0oEvjc2TFu9gX9lZ7g7zCHwUy0cJaxNDuokRGooWsqdjckwBXV27uo/s400/Womens+Conference+014.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And here is one more at the end of the day. Look at the crowd thinning out behind us. And look how cute we are with our matching bags. Too bad I missed the memo about bending my arm and hence ended up looking like my arm was amputated. For any of you concerned, I do in fact have a hand at the end of my arm.<br />
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And so another successful Women's Conference comes to an end. Sigh. It is hard to say which part is my favorite: the speakers, or the classes, or the spirit, or the General Authorities, or the General Auxiliary Presidencies, or the musical performances, or the food, or the stalking, or the service, or the time with sisters, or the shopping in the bookstore. Pretty much all of it is my favorite part and makes it two days of the year I can not do without.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCx8M6QUQU-9U3kD6kB_AAseARl_6Scrxck6JhA4eeyB4TZSnlRqWWZT3jyNaPB0gNvwARtz6Tk21RA6APc3LsoUt5o3cIaBmLL8VzDVGAn_QV9EAAEVOrUms7VtE8DNVJgadMFfub_g/s1600/Womens+Conference+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCx8M6QUQU-9U3kD6kB_AAseARl_6Scrxck6JhA4eeyB4TZSnlRqWWZT3jyNaPB0gNvwARtz6Tk21RA6APc3LsoUt5o3cIaBmLL8VzDVGAn_QV9EAAEVOrUms7VtE8DNVJgadMFfub_g/s400/Womens+Conference+016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
And here is a shot of my beloved Y. I know all of you are sick to death of hearing me go on and on about BYU, but it is a place that is near and dear to my heart. I understand that not everyone feels the same way, and that is OK. I don't ask that you do. But for me, after growing up in the mission field and being alone a lot of the time, I loved going to BYU and being part of the majority. And each year I get to relive those golden college years for two days at Women's Conference. That is my other favorite part. So thanks for the memories. See you next year. Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223538623399027620noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-69577310851346674972012-03-17T21:08:00.009-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.709-07:00A Night Under the Stars<div style="text-align: center;">Try not to die of shock, but I actually have some blog worthy events to report. And so after you pick yourself up off the floor, you can check out these pictures.<br /><br />First of all, remember this picture from three years ago? Yes those were some scary times. I was looking through some old photos and even reading some old blog posts, and well that was certainly a memorable time in my life. I am so happy that I recorded so much of the details and can go back and read them. Go figure I had managed to forget about the blood clot scare after the hip replacement surgery. Good, good times people, NOT. But it made me realize how much I take for granted how healthy Jared has become.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCt6OJhifvNZmlWQkgc1ZYiihECoIPUSYyQcO9xrHxoX_99hzj-5sDLCTH0-tXaidOu8g82pa4tfIEGKe_jgbvepp0v80x4l5pDfVJNa0N1z9Q8zcFxwTa1LVAB3982wYHJcUS9agBzg/s1600/June08+106.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCt6OJhifvNZmlWQkgc1ZYiihECoIPUSYyQcO9xrHxoX_99hzj-5sDLCTH0-tXaidOu8g82pa4tfIEGKe_jgbvepp0v80x4l5pDfVJNa0N1z9Q8zcFxwTa1LVAB3982wYHJcUS9agBzg/s320/June08+106.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721086638666278098" border="0" /></a>Yes we have come along way from hospital beds to this fine looking specimen of a young man:<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDoPw4lXwwtvgDH74Uc_0QTeuuyrmjPzNXrVVZaqUe7QkeP5KNqTiEf9gh-EUfUti9lgACHjs9Oj-w7OTaRHTk0krk7MRXY8gtVJIzR5UJWf1sbI7RN6fxqYHNcRRaOiim64wl6Q_0mvo/s1600/IMG_0081.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDoPw4lXwwtvgDH74Uc_0QTeuuyrmjPzNXrVVZaqUe7QkeP5KNqTiEf9gh-EUfUti9lgACHjs9Oj-w7OTaRHTk0krk7MRXY8gtVJIzR5UJWf1sbI7RN6fxqYHNcRRaOiim64wl6Q_0mvo/s320/IMG_0081.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721096263951547746" border="0" /></a>It is almost inconceivable to think how worried I was that a day like today would never happen. Perhaps there is something to that whole opposition thing. In that when you get what you never thought would happen, does it make it seem all the sweeter? I don't know, but today was a day I had always hoped and dreamed would become a reality. And I am extremely grateful that we both lived to see such a happy event as a Mormon Formal.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbmYEv1IBwDhFuu8pneXoVC4HCRAFxa-diYhCbAKPpag05o8VZcUjGlaigSIwNnlOV_-6BZs6IZMGEONsl8wPRj3Qq2mAYYj-SvL6RIFtq4NFCXn7fTjvSGyh_ba5VRgYbbq5jxVqfTo/s1600/IMG_0072.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbmYEv1IBwDhFuu8pneXoVC4HCRAFxa-diYhCbAKPpag05o8VZcUjGlaigSIwNnlOV_-6BZs6IZMGEONsl8wPRj3Qq2mAYYj-SvL6RIFtq4NFCXn7fTjvSGyh_ba5VRgYbbq5jxVqfTo/s320/IMG_0072.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721086646834672562" border="0" /></a>Here he is waiting for the bedecking of the flowers.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNODm5kQKaS3mHEEwyTEkBU4L3bA5Xfavx943BsbnPMyDrUavK7E7TWM6uEE89fC6ua2Bg-ISQD5Sr6ebuCMF-vByQTdIAUzUCDGp7MfVC3hwCb1Vs79bkdGCA6MW7rQ195T7kG0pLj9I/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNODm5kQKaS3mHEEwyTEkBU4L3bA5Xfavx943BsbnPMyDrUavK7E7TWM6uEE89fC6ua2Bg-ISQD5Sr6ebuCMF-vByQTdIAUzUCDGp7MfVC3hwCb1Vs79bkdGCA6MW7rQ195T7kG0pLj9I/s320/IMG_0078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721086659686972226" border="0" /></a>I think wrist corsages are the only way to go. Really avoids some awkward moments.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FCR832hFecABEWPqUnW2BO5pybdnotQKdinJ8-jqOo4B19T3mp2aQjmCMH9cQ_3-FfYlFhTw36q3I__fJZG6Fo1g_5IlVy1Ri9bzGm2VAnX-DZRHqAIGnQEozM045UeHFzXQsCmcQC8/s1600/IMG_0076.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FCR832hFecABEWPqUnW2BO5pybdnotQKdinJ8-jqOo4B19T3mp2aQjmCMH9cQ_3-FfYlFhTw36q3I__fJZG6Fo1g_5IlVy1Ri9bzGm2VAnX-DZRHqAIGnQEozM045UeHFzXQsCmcQC8/s320/IMG_0076.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721086654179076818" border="0" /></a>And it was a two person job to get his boutonniere pinned in place. Finally his date's mom managed to get it on there.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2fMYJvjtGb7ENQSPy2qNDc9hQjpvtqBMLcqsxj8dHS3VNeHFozWRHsaXxMiMWc5fNnaAaUhcPmk7KUL919sG27l02jss1EenFBmo-bOQj6e0A8dteXn_kvDwXaHxmr1rzagMhrMEUug/s1600/421363_3455420395120_1559143602_32879400_22740031_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2fMYJvjtGb7ENQSPy2qNDc9hQjpvtqBMLcqsxj8dHS3VNeHFozWRHsaXxMiMWc5fNnaAaUhcPmk7KUL919sG27l02jss1EenFBmo-bOQj6e0A8dteXn_kvDwXaHxmr1rzagMhrMEUug/s320/421363_3455420395120_1559143602_32879400_22740031_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721086669170447122" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And here is the happy couple. Check out her dress? Isn't it gorgeous? She really wanted purple and found this perfect dress at the dress exchange. Can I just tell you about the pressure of choosing a vest at the tux shop? Gosh I am so relieved that it actually went well together. Mother blunder averted. Whew!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegT-m7Uz5eOMvnLGkirRgNkUxViX2kBvaWJkIk4blf4kIwa0nbSLENFfh8RPvG-akUQHHHO5vdxj4kEDVLbWAWeAZpgxkVJNDvQistYFn7sxqE27sf7NCvAPeVeQDp2hk36VsYVl1gVs/s1600/IMG_0095.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegT-m7Uz5eOMvnLGkirRgNkUxViX2kBvaWJkIk4blf4kIwa0nbSLENFfh8RPvG-akUQHHHO5vdxj4kEDVLbWAWeAZpgxkVJNDvQistYFn7sxqE27sf7NCvAPeVeQDp2hk36VsYVl1gVs/s320/IMG_0095.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721098358836604226" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;">And a closer up one where you can see their adorable faces. Their group had planned to go to a park and take pictures, but the weather decided that it was still winter and it was cold and windy and then it rained cats and dogs, so they had to go to plan B which was the public library.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm6moVjnsHNqHMGUAbWY1DsaKUCPRWMC6FK4rjK2r87sXWx9gMTTG35X8MV7rnI9wyLp9V9bYWVEXlzsszgbwyjE58zb-Y5weJNBimKf4zxvapLFUK-iVCL5EjdhfBMTr0ZnAR1RLCpU/s1600/IMG_0092.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm6moVjnsHNqHMGUAbWY1DsaKUCPRWMC6FK4rjK2r87sXWx9gMTTG35X8MV7rnI9wyLp9V9bYWVEXlzsszgbwyjE58zb-Y5weJNBimKf4zxvapLFUK-iVCL5EjdhfBMTr0ZnAR1RLCpU/s320/IMG_0092.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721088273921165874" border="0" /></a>There is an art gallery at the public library which included this rather interesting colorful cow.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OfwgeHT1aMa_rKAjnPo76TmCQeGTl_PUq_FIjxin_zt8pnQfIzOId9qSq9KJ3F2ZV1BauDWo89ymLjL3FrLQ6fbU8hIpBxCZMRiTQXP5GHwnttGcWEzW4zFR37VgMIprWE24kZhWDI4/s1600/431086_10150597367758639_733113638_9042537_77545120_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OfwgeHT1aMa_rKAjnPo76TmCQeGTl_PUq_FIjxin_zt8pnQfIzOId9qSq9KJ3F2ZV1BauDWo89ymLjL3FrLQ6fbU8hIpBxCZMRiTQXP5GHwnttGcWEzW4zFR37VgMIprWE24kZhWDI4/s320/431086_10150597367758639_733113638_9042537_77545120_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721088282558310706" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Now who doesn't need their picture taken with a cow like that?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYE1lyY2YtLS2UbmG0IhaxkQHm0baUKvFyDPi34wKh-4XTH3HwUTOYWTpyqVz41eOcawcWO9S7AxAtgY2-42M4oDFf7XS48dd5eQOjhjt5Xa9jqU-zbVqDG0V5S5H9ErJxWSnpwnzQpQ/s1600/IMG_0091.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYE1lyY2YtLS2UbmG0IhaxkQHm0baUKvFyDPi34wKh-4XTH3HwUTOYWTpyqVz41eOcawcWO9S7AxAtgY2-42M4oDFf7XS48dd5eQOjhjt5Xa9jqU-zbVqDG0V5S5H9ErJxWSnpwnzQpQ/s320/IMG_0091.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721090679258076082" border="0" /></a>Because the light was so bad inside, they did brave the rain and go out for one quick shot, umbrellas and all.<br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1o6HacZJKBVX2HKoKs73jO_56iwbLz4ZU2EEtZqqrMdlZnEgymxWqyywtf3k1Gq0hMg355sfmqnU2tax0XWVb0yFPESjpMRJWmAv5ApAFt08iUbryihIZsDTOIaWjpGxNNccXMaMRpk/s1600/IMG_0090.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1o6HacZJKBVX2HKoKs73jO_56iwbLz4ZU2EEtZqqrMdlZnEgymxWqyywtf3k1Gq0hMg355sfmqnU2tax0XWVb0yFPESjpMRJWmAv5ApAFt08iUbryihIZsDTOIaWjpGxNNccXMaMRpk/s320/IMG_0090.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721090689112165298" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Jared and Bailey had left their umbrella in the car, you can see the rain drops on her dress but it dried soon enough. They are standing next to their good friends Tori and Tanner.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9rKvcLOLEb0p-Es_3XsyqJKkz2w9UTUf0wavnlUhy1Ri_gmlLihTItaC2kvHZGmzBrteovE1CI0zUefxeoGSjO2spAnCSbDFjW1skHDCzZUR3adojZscfmrPPT291Aq9kHglSrrxEcU/s1600/429329_10150597367563639_733113638_9042533_2116858594_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9rKvcLOLEb0p-Es_3XsyqJKkz2w9UTUf0wavnlUhy1Ri_gmlLihTItaC2kvHZGmzBrteovE1CI0zUefxeoGSjO2spAnCSbDFjW1skHDCzZUR3adojZscfmrPPT291Aq9kHglSrrxEcU/s320/429329_10150597367563639_733113638_9042533_2116858594_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721088289705351298" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the group shot of all the kids from our ward. Eighteen in all, quite a large group.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ngia1dWGBjbu339C9rPRi0ReEMxoWfjJKZu7HjbhIuOcK8H5gS-ffA9sQgi-tFlNZyyxpM4YbrZd1AlSO8HjW7CjfRIUZoGM6JNsbE34tut9GWqWFURqitQQFi0LL9JXP8mriKgRHxc/s1600/429745_10150597367398639_845697609_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ngia1dWGBjbu339C9rPRi0ReEMxoWfjJKZu7HjbhIuOcK8H5gS-ffA9sQgi-tFlNZyyxpM4YbrZd1AlSO8HjW7CjfRIUZoGM6JNsbE34tut9GWqWFURqitQQFi0LL9JXP8mriKgRHxc/s320/429745_10150597367398639_845697609_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721088297703281554" border="0" /></a>Nice face Jared, way to stand out in a crowd.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_KeCBuVEGjGDO15Xn2aqZAqB5ZT2AjiCa0l_4SRsk3fd0ETmyV8HrGdvTkEtpB38w3XP49HECbN2_X4983j0MrglUXMaBvr7hZcBa6QIP2-YvIKBvD4tz4_WxVLkp_I_quvVyhk_2bE/s1600/IMG_0097.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_KeCBuVEGjGDO15Xn2aqZAqB5ZT2AjiCa0l_4SRsk3fd0ETmyV8HrGdvTkEtpB38w3XP49HECbN2_X4983j0MrglUXMaBvr7hZcBa6QIP2-YvIKBvD4tz4_WxVLkp_I_quvVyhk_2bE/s320/IMG_0097.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721090700189154146" border="0" /></a><br />Here are Tanner, Tori, Jake, Katie, Jared, and Bailey.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJAyAH5_-eVJwGHmM2wGGGUmerLpc1rHHWjloToxLOZhzwOuPAuQt9hsj3Hsy7fQg5lsGfpflVRlN8f5L0-6SRJEhiCY2s2KfbKKTt3FWZpvngfAnjhBhkESLWVrOtpEZGvwRSOb2H74/s1600/423207_10150597368118639_733113638_9042545_1377157504_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJAyAH5_-eVJwGHmM2wGGGUmerLpc1rHHWjloToxLOZhzwOuPAuQt9hsj3Hsy7fQg5lsGfpflVRlN8f5L0-6SRJEhiCY2s2KfbKKTt3FWZpvngfAnjhBhkESLWVrOtpEZGvwRSOb2H74/s320/423207_10150597368118639_733113638_9042545_1377157504_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721090664003683106" border="0" /></a>Here Jared is showing just how thrilled he was to have his mother come to the picture taking ceremony. As if there was really any other way it would turn out. Has he met me?<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gd2gOWBj13h9sJbYLtvIuTr_UODtwVwTnAUDAD8SRkj08wKuNKN6dIjC8qlgL1t4sjlWK1i5W3y4lNuLPEKvgULrc-LsnOBqbCZfv5P99vjjgdoZfiJ_y8ocY7sJjKBKu4SqYMU13ms/s1600/IMG_0096.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gd2gOWBj13h9sJbYLtvIuTr_UODtwVwTnAUDAD8SRkj08wKuNKN6dIjC8qlgL1t4sjlWK1i5W3y4lNuLPEKvgULrc-LsnOBqbCZfv5P99vjjgdoZfiJ_y8ocY7sJjKBKu4SqYMU13ms/s320/IMG_0096.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721090668191129426" border="0" /></a><br />And here is a little bit better one, I took with my own trusty arms length method. Too bad I was so busy getting him ready to be able to put any make up on myself.<br /><br />You can imagine my disappointment (and Jared's relief) that I wasn't needed as a chaperon so I had to come home after the pictures. I would have loved to tag along for the whole evening. Not a popular idea with my kid.<br /><br />All in all it seemed very successful. It is his first big dance and I am glad that he got to join his friends for one last hurrah before they all graduate and go their separate ways. He has been very fortunate to have such a great group of friends. Most of them all played soccer together throughout middle school and then there have been scout camps and just generally lots of fun times together through the years.<br /><br />Goodnight kids,<br /><br />Have fun storming the castle!<br /></div>Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223538623399027620noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-43555238289060594072012-03-13T21:41:00.003-07:002013-09-15T21:54:47.687-07:00Elder Hammond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I got the best surprise the other day when there was a knock at my door. And who do you think it was, but an Angel sent from Heaven, well actually it was a girl sent from Pahrump. Pahrump is a city that is in the middle of nowhere about an hour from Vegas, but that doesn't really have much to do with this beautiful girl who brought me the most wonderful thing in the world. <br />
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And it's name is a video she made of Trent last November when she was serving with him in Jacksonville. How stupendous is that? Well it is pretty much the bestest thing to happen to me in quite some time. <br />
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Because as much as I love and adore my missionary son, he is not up for any sharing of pictures and videos awards. I can say that after 20 months of service, he has sent home about 20 pictures. For a mother who documented pretty much every five minutes of his life, well that is kind of like killing me with non information. <br />
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This after I sent him a second memory card for his camera, so that he could exchange it and send me home the one that is full of pictures. And who then also sent him a stamped addressed padded envelope so that all he had to do was insert said memory card and drop it in the mail box. Sigh. <br />
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Well I suppose that it just wasn't meant to be. And you can tell that I am fine with it, right? And even though it was allowed at Christmas phone calls, we never skyped because we don't have any webcams on our computers. <br />
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So it feels like I have not seen him for almost two years. And you can imagine how a receiving an actual video of him actually talking to me feels like winning the lottery. He just looks so much like himself, and he seems so happy. I can honestly say that I haven't been homesick for him, until I saw this video. I have watched it over and over.<br />
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And so I had to share with all of you. If you are bored by home movies you can look away, but I would recommend the second two videos because that are some pretty funny parts.<br />
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And just last Friday I got a letter in my mailbox from his mission office asking for the details of how they are to send him home. Yes, people apparently he will be home in just a short 128 days. I didn't count it, it was another mom whose son went into the MTC the same day as Trent. <br />
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And guess when he comes home? July 19th which happens to be Diana's birthday. And she will be at girl's camp that week, but I will go up and get her and bring her home so she can be at the airport. And then I will take her back that night so she can finish the week. She has already planned the banner she is going to make. July will be here before you know it. It is very hard to believe that two years have come and gone. <br />
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<br />Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-90056604009045343382011-11-19T09:07:00.000-08:002013-09-15T21:54:47.731-07:00Beautiful Heartbreak<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xyX-I-um5Kk" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Just though I would share, if you haven't already seen this video. How Hilary Weeks can so perfectly capture thoughts is an amazing gift.Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-64505761364663011732011-09-22T19:48:00.000-07:002011-09-22T19:48:46.407-07:00Something to make you smileThis made me spit my drink all over the place. It is hee-hee-hee-larious. And even though I don't agree with everything on Glee, you have to admit this parody is pretty darn clever. Enjoy. <br />
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<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hCtEbKRTRgI&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hCtEbKRTRgI&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></embed></object>Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-81217360624057826442011-09-19T19:45:00.000-07:002011-09-19T19:45:23.644-07:00The Good, the Bad, and the UglyIt was the best of times and the worst of times. My super, swell weekend of fun and frivolity, with a little bit of pain and torture thrown in for good measure, is now over. I have returned to real life, but the festivities were remarkably groovy while they lasted.<br />
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Diana and I left Vegas, bound for Provo, last Wednesday night. We traveled up to Cedar City where we spent the night with a dear friend of mine. Our husbands were in graduate school together in Riverside. We lived in the student housing there for five years. And despite the limited budget and cramped living conditions, those years were truly magical. We shared dinners, played games, cheered our husbands in championship basketball games, held each others' babies, shopped, and walked, and just generally hung out together all the time. There is something unique about the simplicity of life during the schooling years. And just like most things, I probably didn't fully appreciate what I had, until it was gone. And having wonderful friends to share it with made it all the more fantastic. After those years in school, we parted ways. They have spent 17 years on the east coast, but have come back to the west. So it was wonderful to be able to spend the night at her house and catch up. It is amazing how you just pick up where you left off with really good friends that you haven't seen for a long time. That was a excellent way to begin the weekend.<br />
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Then it was onto Spanish Fork, where we arrived just in time to see my niece perform in a first grade patriotic program. All the kids were adorable as only 1st graders can be.<br />
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That night we headed up to Salt Lake City to see the performance of Mary Poppins. I heard about the fact that it was playing just the week before and was thrilled when we could fit this into the schedule for the weekend. I have wanted to see it for at least three years since it first came out on Broadway. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiUUIC5nZwqu1y_r6rJX_tw0hWB1NUkLX4QUX8QUyZKo1rqOhY9QIBVNW4QRSZ7YWo2346gJf5ZVeWMOIgEbI-mzqP8eR8kVPiuORMXmL_f84_pAXaM6lc0OYEWmKooi8mIgn1dcYGw/s1600/DSCF1617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiUUIC5nZwqu1y_r6rJX_tw0hWB1NUkLX4QUX8QUyZKo1rqOhY9QIBVNW4QRSZ7YWo2346gJf5ZVeWMOIgEbI-mzqP8eR8kVPiuORMXmL_f84_pAXaM6lc0OYEWmKooi8mIgn1dcYGw/s400/DSCF1617.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Diana and I with Mary herself. Quite satisfactory!!<span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngol_VNmxzPqpujuPMgPNcMeLSGt32UvNYdASBUpM1RfSDEGCOctxdy0jmssimflxt-wjUlSFwKg_Lfq-XDG8FjoiuA4mamZSL96pPkFJdjUBUw2kzkBTvLoMkPBch7EE8xLCKe7HXg/s1600/IMG_1350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngol_VNmxzPqpujuPMgPNcMeLSGt32UvNYdASBUpM1RfSDEGCOctxdy0jmssimflxt-wjUlSFwKg_Lfq-XDG8FjoiuA4mamZSL96pPkFJdjUBUw2kzkBTvLoMkPBch7EE8xLCKe7HXg/s400/IMG_1350.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Next we have me with the official curtain in the background. It is hard to see it but it says "Mary Poppins" on it. Apparently you are not allowed to even take this picture, because we got yelled at by the usher. Photos are not allowed because of copy right issues. I got in trouble for taking a similar picture at Wicked, so that is just how I roll at these things, I suppose. I am not sure if you can see, but we are sitting on the 7th row. Our seats were amazing. I have never seen a show so close up before. <br />
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We loved every minute of the performance. There is just nothing like a professional production. It was truly sensational. Trust me it was practically perfect in every way. I would recommend it to anyone, except maybe small children. There is one number with life size toys that is on the scary side. Diana thought it might even give her nightmares. We loved it so much, I am going to start saving up for Beauty in the Beast, that comes in March. Mary Poppins was really the high light of the weekend, and I enjoyed it to the fullest, blissfully unaware that two days later I would witness a tragedy of mass proportions. How is that for foreshadowing?<br />
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Friday I got my hair done. And Friday evening I went to the BYU football fireside with my sister and brother-in-law. The fireside was great as it always is. Afterwards I took the chance to meet a few players that had not been assaulted by me before.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ02YfSgyDAyBZTaQXGKjjm6Ci725oQpN5HaYHiWlAJvfkr3OJxFYvffkzrKqta0LiFCdMHFwUWZouqsqCQ2ijZVfw7859XIc4fhJGZZcYeHilBOBhIQcGYn5gXtTT8vMnMcp4UzYbiA/s1600/IMG_1351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ02YfSgyDAyBZTaQXGKjjm6Ci725oQpN5HaYHiWlAJvfkr3OJxFYvffkzrKqta0LiFCdMHFwUWZouqsqCQ2ijZVfw7859XIc4fhJGZZcYeHilBOBhIQcGYn5gXtTT8vMnMcp4UzYbiA/s400/IMG_1351.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>This is Corby Eason, the safety. I watched a special about him and how his mom did such a good job raising him by herself. I was glad to get to meet him.<br />
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I also ran into Jaimeson Frazier, who I met at the baseball game after women's conference. Shockingly enough he recognized me and said he remembered my funny stalking book and turkey bone story. He may have been saying that to make me feel good, but I suppose in some freakish way, I am memorable. Not many crazy old ladies running around with turkey bones and books of their stalking pictures.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixCOUIiAoA66c2lJ64OovehZFIL85T2AKeIk9i4l6Av-6BXPWzCofOgBC0rWMr-3m7VxMU-Ka4aBvZLiXntNzl8EFV6-rW2yGMeZOg0xl-PaZYXQ-7Q6hDYc03Yba6w65JljX-a2K7w/s1600/IMG_1352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixCOUIiAoA66c2lJ64OovehZFIL85T2AKeIk9i4l6Av-6BXPWzCofOgBC0rWMr-3m7VxMU-Ka4aBvZLiXntNzl8EFV6-rW2yGMeZOg0xl-PaZYXQ-7Q6hDYc03Yba6w65JljX-a2K7w/s400/IMG_1352.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Here I am with Brandon Olgetree. He is another defensive player and Coach Mendenhall says that he is a really nice guy, until he gets on the field and then his eyes kind of go in separate directions. He was very kind to pose for a picture.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lZaFyL6IaLmFeAd95hQ7rXeRHhnQ7jLsruqhqbm5gtWdhPL0eW532eWgNVIwsj-SHOeYKePKufkVIHnJWo6QBbN8iLwTdCjkyeI7lkPH6lDtI2l5TW5_XQQjOzPiKpI40twxtp1yFw/s1600/IMG_1353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lZaFyL6IaLmFeAd95hQ7rXeRHhnQ7jLsruqhqbm5gtWdhPL0eW532eWgNVIwsj-SHOeYKePKufkVIHnJWo6QBbN8iLwTdCjkyeI7lkPH6lDtI2l5TW5_XQQjOzPiKpI40twxtp1yFw/s400/IMG_1353.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>And finally the group shot. Someone else had gotten this group together and taken a picture, so it was easy for me to say "hey don't move, I need a picture with all of you." Good, good times, people.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQC3gJTMWGXYfjWgkruWlBTTJEI0FSMEm8eOThDMsPAb__LZnAluhckKnc3aEOREj7ZFk4z_9j6dTSghQd6kNjdW5TCKwiOyFxdB9h1wO9-O-ElkZPhQyuqj9nNdGJk_AfBg-XT5GCA/s1600/IMG_1354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQC3gJTMWGXYfjWgkruWlBTTJEI0FSMEm8eOThDMsPAb__LZnAluhckKnc3aEOREj7ZFk4z_9j6dTSghQd6kNjdW5TCKwiOyFxdB9h1wO9-O-ElkZPhQyuqj9nNdGJk_AfBg-XT5GCA/s400/IMG_1354.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Finally Saturday arrived. There was a terrible downpour on Friday night, and I was worried that it might rain for the game. But the weather was wonderful, although I did bring my coat with me just because it was a night game. Here I am so happy and excited to be parked and at the field. I have no idea that I am about to be run over by a mac truck, so to speak.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMyHW5b0eaiUnP79LG5lP95SJuxoA-4wGW0uRz9U3cJTG0y3oS9LvacGXIjqDxiqXlQHKmhNzd1GM4XFi1_jNQiM0xOAHoeNoVneBEGCkbZIAsHIajY0adE9__I_JbflQASW66jgD0w/s1600/IMG_1357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMyHW5b0eaiUnP79LG5lP95SJuxoA-4wGW0uRz9U3cJTG0y3oS9LvacGXIjqDxiqXlQHKmhNzd1GM4XFi1_jNQiM0xOAHoeNoVneBEGCkbZIAsHIajY0adE9__I_JbflQASW66jgD0w/s400/IMG_1357.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>And of course this picture was an absolute must. The girl before me to take her picture with this truck was actually blowing a kiss to this player, so I am capable of some restraint. Just so you know.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGomSy1ngqM-BzyGsJNuQVO8hsj_C9f1AbmMGkwOE2HV_k6uou2xC_RO5gOYZQOLnoNxYqYwyI6VstIvzNAzN50nLjphpuCPCwS9vEWXAYIJm33zUG2ahNp7BGQ0OVzBxuuOpQBfKarA/s1600/IMG_1358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGomSy1ngqM-BzyGsJNuQVO8hsj_C9f1AbmMGkwOE2HV_k6uou2xC_RO5gOYZQOLnoNxYqYwyI6VstIvzNAzN50nLjphpuCPCwS9vEWXAYIJm33zUG2ahNp7BGQ0OVzBxuuOpQBfKarA/s400/IMG_1358.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>And here I am ready to party. Kettle corn, cotton candy, and spiced almonds, Oh My!!! So the evening was not a total loss.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ufteWQOJx0LGc1F1MoN-l0CCa9ZiGDLCpBdL1ER-2GqOZnlFhXT9p-rp1QlHVjpLsNcjj2gHTSdfrhWNG5QrV7wUWreDmzuIK6Sjh6V43uI7vBCvmosc5Lrb8CuiDkBVs_f12HCiOA/s1600/IMG_1361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ufteWQOJx0LGc1F1MoN-l0CCa9ZiGDLCpBdL1ER-2GqOZnlFhXT9p-rp1QlHVjpLsNcjj2gHTSdfrhWNG5QrV7wUWreDmzuIK6Sjh6V43uI7vBCvmosc5Lrb8CuiDkBVs_f12HCiOA/s400/IMG_1361.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>My sister came with me to the game. This proved to be useful throughout the night when she would remind me that I still needed to keep breathing. After some plays, I really forgot about things like oxygen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMEfc1CL18PIK7GupU-yS8cHjgVwGFBUtdc0iT1TMVChqxr8_Zx2SGr8s3L8lHno_AwG1A4LNuItCABTg1FXN4eyeZxHNq70broUPwDAcvfOGZFbqBJLBhkOGZmd_i4F7h2QS0GIe2w/s1600/IMG_1363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMEfc1CL18PIK7GupU-yS8cHjgVwGFBUtdc0iT1TMVChqxr8_Zx2SGr8s3L8lHno_AwG1A4LNuItCABTg1FXN4eyeZxHNq70broUPwDAcvfOGZFbqBJLBhkOGZmd_i4F7h2QS0GIe2w/s400/IMG_1363.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>And even though she is an Aggie, she was kind enough to be supportive and wear one of my BYU shirts and wave her pom and cheer with me. She was a very good sport. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWExFGPtOQlSvmHDiFVxSghXGnxqESmtrMTY7nvb1fBIoHSr5gZwq38BUHGDjKjV1JMSZOfrE3CxHB5oACja9RCDJVFE0fzH2YdbmHurIE9vQglKEKwiXxBWcPo1FcEys9dU6l4j1PQ/s1600/IMG_1365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWExFGPtOQlSvmHDiFVxSghXGnxqESmtrMTY7nvb1fBIoHSr5gZwq38BUHGDjKjV1JMSZOfrE3CxHB5oACja9RCDJVFE0fzH2YdbmHurIE9vQglKEKwiXxBWcPo1FcEys9dU6l4j1PQ/s400/IMG_1365.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>And she pointed out this lovely sunset, which was much better to look at than anything going on down on the field. And at other times she reminded me that yes there is more to life than football and at least no one had died, even though most of us at the stadium probably wished the earth would open up and swallow us whole.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUSUHf2RF_0v9sMHdRRPeNfHiGX0l0VMY-1N5uukXv7xTRkAgwKqCBaApyuHhSYwGABTapRBLeP0xzExTQvWMdQ9puU2tCrSsrD1x0a1nC0sqzE1NmGEPyshUrtCcXT27Z950DjvKpw/s1600/IMG_1366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUSUHf2RF_0v9sMHdRRPeNfHiGX0l0VMY-1N5uukXv7xTRkAgwKqCBaApyuHhSYwGABTapRBLeP0xzExTQvWMdQ9puU2tCrSsrD1x0a1nC0sqzE1NmGEPyshUrtCcXT27Z950DjvKpw/s400/IMG_1366.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Here is a shot of just how close to the field we were. Yes nothing like practically a front row seat to the massacre. It was like watching someone hit your child with their car, and then back over them again and again and again. Not to mention that the CEO of the bank who gave me the tickets is a Utah fan. So he with his four daughters were sitting in front of us, and the two Utah fans that won tickets were sitting next to us, and there were 3 other Utah fans right behind us. So although mildly entertaining, it was rather disturbing and perhaps even more painful watching them bask in the glory of their teams success. Kind of like pouring lemon juice in my paper cuts, only they felt more like lacerations than paper cuts.<br />
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It was quite eye opening to see all of the other BYU fans. I was with my people, if you know what I mean. Sort of like finally making it to the mother ship. One fan had a blue football helmet with angel Moroni glued to the top of it. There were people in completely blue body suits. My favorite sign that someone was holding said "Hey Jordan, my sister called, she wants her arm back."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzttxfEcOAICaTwS8TGpqk0DwIj_FogyZJm3sOMGBPwMezy93aznCg_x1sHUWtVJhXsWLpT2lNkp_q3kDU7d3hqGCeUEnlBgy4RmZz3hWtiVCXYmi-gxQ4y9QmileRdf2sJOmYR6bnFA/s1600/IMG_1369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzttxfEcOAICaTwS8TGpqk0DwIj_FogyZJm3sOMGBPwMezy93aznCg_x1sHUWtVJhXsWLpT2lNkp_q3kDU7d3hqGCeUEnlBgy4RmZz3hWtiVCXYmi-gxQ4y9QmileRdf2sJOmYR6bnFA/s400/IMG_1369.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Jimmer Fredette was at the game and spent most of it on the sideline just below where we were sitting. At one point I suggested to the BYU fan sitting next to us, that perhaps we should put Jimmer in the game. Surely he couldn't have done much worse than the guys on the field. He seemed to agree and called out "Put some pads on Jimmer." Here is a shot of him walking out at the end of the game. You can see the teams on the field in the background.<br />
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Overall I would give the ambiance, company, weather, and snacks an A+. The actual game, well not so good. However I do still love my team. I would go to see them again, despite the pain they gave my heart. My status on facebook that night said "Other than the shooting, Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?" That pretty much sums it all up. I only hope that they can learn something positive from all of this. I have the utmost confidence in Coach Mendenhall. I will be there on my couch Friday night cheering them on to what I seriously hope will be a victory. One of these days, things will click and they will march up and down the field. And when that day happens, you can bet that I will be there, turkey bone in hand.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-23025823086386562872011-09-09T10:33:00.000-07:002011-09-09T10:43:28.838-07:00I case you live in a cave and haven't heard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> In case you live in a soundproof cave and haven't heard me screaming for joy, here is picture proof that I did in fact win the facebook contest for BYU-Utah football tickets. It is also proof that sometimes good guys finish first. And that you should never give up, no matter how far behind you think you are in a race. You never know what the end result will be until you cross the finish line.<br />
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I posted about how excited I was about the contest, and honestly I had a hard time sleeping the first night of the contest, as I was in first place when I went to bed. I woke up the next morning only find that I had moved down to 3rd, then 4rth, and finally 5th place. I couldn't figure out how these people ahead of me were getting hundreds of votes. I told myself, "Oh well, it really doesn't matter." But deep down I was very sad to think that I was so close but still so far away from my dream. I still kept voting every day and made my husband and kids votes as well, just so I could stay in 5th place. <br />
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Finally it was the last day. The contest was suppose to end at noon. I checked about 1:00 and it said that the contest had been extended until midnight. Then when I looked the top place people had been removed from the contest. I wasn't sure why, but suddenly I was in second place. My spirits soared like a caged bird just set free. I had a chance. The next several hours were spent visiting the homes of several friends, so I could talk them through the somewhat complicated process of voting. Because there is nothing obnoxious about showing up on someone's doorstep, say "Hi, please go to your computer RIGHT NOW and vote for me!!!" I went to people who had multiple facebook users at their house. Also I called and texted family and had them vote as well. I spent pretty much the next 6 hours begging for votes. One of the best things I did was text my good friend <a href="http://crashtestdummydiaries.blogspot.com/">The Crash Test Dummy</a>. She posted a link on her facebook wall, and she has 900 friends for goodness sake. It is good to have friends with such connections. Many of her people were kind enough to vote for me as well. In the end I got 300 points that afternoon. Which at 5 points a vote, is a lot of votes.<br />
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It turns out that the top people were cheating by using fake accounts and voting services. So they were disqualified once their votes were verified. Because I got so many votes so fast, I was accused of cheating. The people disqualified even used their fake accounts to vote for me to try and disqualify me as well. The morning after the contest I got a call from the verification service to ask me how exactly did I get so many votes in one day. I explained to him about my driving from house to house. This seemed to satisfy him. An hour later I got the call from the bank that I had won the tickets. I am still in shock and disbelief. But there was much happy dancing involved that day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrN_H6FuUfB3cmMd2R-vIrg6Lo4jfk0hMdfPaNDQy0dRXJweYpfHKxsGaSO4_lmrwfnI9iMPR9D7EdmSgnkqEynumHITyNU7EeO0s99HNkElIMAvaEIk4QneOKgNZxty2XZvaplc6Dg/s1600/IMG_1319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrN_H6FuUfB3cmMd2R-vIrg6Lo4jfk0hMdfPaNDQy0dRXJweYpfHKxsGaSO4_lmrwfnI9iMPR9D7EdmSgnkqEynumHITyNU7EeO0s99HNkElIMAvaEIk4QneOKgNZxty2XZvaplc6Dg/s400/IMG_1319.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Hip hip hooray for winning!!! Here is pictorial proof that I did win something, and in fact it is something I am thrilled to death to have won. I have actually never attended a BYU/Utah football game in person. The fact that I finally get to be there in the flesh, well I am excited beyond word. I am covered in bruises from pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MhJjPXCWeckUg8efbQGDFjTCuARXAIXjTJH9SmLZ-E6mzF3cpwbVJCQfKNDNkoA43kLqdVLhe_2BlreFwLMHFrqDEcIXkNoDmc7VmjpmuR0wf_bNUu2ra_tUmMT7YZ5VJfY8irpgxQ/s1600/DSCF1570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MhJjPXCWeckUg8efbQGDFjTCuARXAIXjTJH9SmLZ-E6mzF3cpwbVJCQfKNDNkoA43kLqdVLhe_2BlreFwLMHFrqDEcIXkNoDmc7VmjpmuR0wf_bNUu2ra_tUmMT7YZ5VJfY8irpgxQ/s400/DSCF1570.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Here is a up close look at just how up close I will be watching this game. Hee hee hee, I am giddy with anticipation! These seats are on the 35 yard line, so hopefully I will get to see some touchdowns. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5f_4ScQuttK9kHTC10JjxQRq_DZlDMbqi1rrVP5B8b9meQpwpqeNkcS4PKqu_WLlML8x-SM0pt1BXwOoKl9ODCeuZcarSYqSaiF9clquoNCNMBq75_I_jfFUQhDExzs_Mh1CXO6P12Q/s1600/DSCF1573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5f_4ScQuttK9kHTC10JjxQRq_DZlDMbqi1rrVP5B8b9meQpwpqeNkcS4PKqu_WLlML8x-SM0pt1BXwOoKl9ODCeuZcarSYqSaiF9clquoNCNMBq75_I_jfFUQhDExzs_Mh1CXO6P12Q/s400/DSCF1573.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
And here is the pair of them. My husband has a scouting commitment so he can't go. I mean priorities, get some. But instead my sister will be attending with me. It is going to be the best day ever!!! And should be good for a few more photo opportunities/stalking situations.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWllck2NHA062gpnt-16ERlZT8IKgCpken7PfjV_mGkUseld-VkDeFXXChx2_OT1Ajb2KsOZPHUh0B-xj8FTdzviAvhsa_Lsyfyslcm2DVfxGg7836keELv8HIY4V02FGj-NkMuF5LvQ/s1600/IMG_1318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWllck2NHA062gpnt-16ERlZT8IKgCpken7PfjV_mGkUseld-VkDeFXXChx2_OT1Ajb2KsOZPHUh0B-xj8FTdzviAvhsa_Lsyfyslcm2DVfxGg7836keELv8HIY4V02FGj-NkMuF5LvQ/s400/IMG_1318.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Here I am in my RISE UP game day t-shirt. I wore this last Saturday to wish my Cougars good luck against Ole Miss. And despite the fact that I almost had a heart attach watching that game, my team did prevail in the end. So woohoo! for starting the season off with a win. Good luck in Texas tomorrow.<br />
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And one week from tomorrow, you and me baby!!!Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-8799936416396447412011-09-01T19:59:00.000-07:002011-09-01T20:00:42.797-07:00Last chance to voteOK if you have a facebook click <a href="http://facebookapps.grosocial.com/clients/deseretfirstduel/photocontest/?p=view&id=7511">HERE</a> and vote for me to win the football tickets.<br />
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With 3 hours to go in the contest, I am ahead by 268 pts.I am holding my breath, crossing my toes and fingers, and knocking on any wood I can find.<br />
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Once you click on the link, click on the first star on the right to give me 5 points.<br />
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My dream just may come true. Three more hours. Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8698379594033582741.post-47333125744631095742011-08-23T18:04:00.000-07:002011-08-23T18:04:39.262-07:00Are you ready for some Football?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> I was just going about my day today, when I happened to see an email from my bank. This email was announcing the fact that Deseret First Credit Union was holding a contest that would award the winner with two tickets to the BYU - Utah game in September. This is what the email asked "Are you the world's biggest fan of BYU or the University of Utah? Let everyone know on Deseret First's Facebook page! "<br />
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Well, hello, any contest looking for the biggest BYU fan is definitely one for me. And then for the prize to be BYU football tickets, well that was a no brainer. I mean it does seem like I may have a slight unfair advantage, given my stalking skills and relentless quest for all things BYU football. <br />
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I immediately scanned through my memory and photo folders to find the perfect picture. The only problem is which ONE to choose. Really, why wouldn't they allow me to submit my entire BYU football portfolio? I even have a published book, remember? Because seriously if it was about quantity, I think I could win that contest. <br />
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Asking me to pick my favorite BYU football picture, is like asking me to pick my favorite child. So not fair, and actually quite impossible. But if I wanted to enter, then one picture had to be picked. I choose this one, because who can compete with a magical Turkey bone found in my Thanksgiving turkey, predicting the successful win for BYU against Utah that year?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0o1xWzFIz0cJlXFxvUzY-uXdht7iKH17tu8dUtwU2arbXwUtRwbmV5m3a0vHXIlUSehmrSGMmUzF5Fws2UJdHkhTuW6e4HDvF6gZgUSunxYVL-Yq29vzFb94jP6iZAoGKqpNJKJrFQ/s1600/Dec07+189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0o1xWzFIz0cJlXFxvUzY-uXdht7iKH17tu8dUtwU2arbXwUtRwbmV5m3a0vHXIlUSehmrSGMmUzF5Fws2UJdHkhTuW6e4HDvF6gZgUSunxYVL-Yq29vzFb94jP6iZAoGKqpNJKJrFQ/s400/Dec07+189.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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To make me feel a little bit better, I thought I would post some of the runner's up here, since I have no limit on pictures posted on my blog.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipahlozTQUUM5sih2VsztP5D9DKsLIk_Ds5XIWXG1PH5R8S2cBn_L-gRSGJ115MMCiiiNxamfYCAXMWsfOUlipBNKhXlRRq3Gfm-gj666vVjlb39rAEBoL19RoMCFbBe_iDv2XoDFKnw/s1600/oct07+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipahlozTQUUM5sih2VsztP5D9DKsLIk_Ds5XIWXG1PH5R8S2cBn_L-gRSGJ115MMCiiiNxamfYCAXMWsfOUlipBNKhXlRRq3Gfm-gj666vVjlb39rAEBoL19RoMCFbBe_iDv2XoDFKnw/s400/oct07+020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I could have chosen this adorable picture of me with the cheerleaders. I mean, just so you know, I am the second one from right. You wouldn't have found me otherwise, I am sure.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Hx1_y5GhWgQomTV8GChpXk5cneRo6vRgGI-zEn2QlqrkP-jUwUnIAVgLoT8PAnY4bE4BxZWig8wljU9FGEJADExYU-eVgQjnkCZeVX66YaLkL-l6FzycEEP7lXEh4aPOp0qoE51d5A/s1600/Apr09+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Hx1_y5GhWgQomTV8GChpXk5cneRo6vRgGI-zEn2QlqrkP-jUwUnIAVgLoT8PAnY4bE4BxZWig8wljU9FGEJADExYU-eVgQjnkCZeVX66YaLkL-l6FzycEEP7lXEh4aPOp0qoE51d5A/s400/Apr09+006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> I could have chosen this one of me sporting the hat with the cougar coming out of it. And me training up Diana in the ways of loving BYU football.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGPznwUgA1vQ3N1r3TXLs7I1G1dTyhh21ERsaMxAI9TU6EwY9ITS3ETWf1eqbm5Mlq2OxIA-zJwSw4wyjPLzywMbPlWnFv1oqlTNlyIFWbtJZjvmkdoplYNy3moAXh-jV25IiYBk_lA/s1600/April+2011+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGPznwUgA1vQ3N1r3TXLs7I1G1dTyhh21ERsaMxAI9TU6EwY9ITS3ETWf1eqbm5Mlq2OxIA-zJwSw4wyjPLzywMbPlWnFv1oqlTNlyIFWbtJZjvmkdoplYNy3moAXh-jV25IiYBk_lA/s400/April+2011+016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> This could have been a good one since it is with Ross Apo, who is destined to catch some great ones this season. Someday this will be a very famous picture and it would have been very current.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXwrPGenJzEPR2-yl0vsgK6rXNXvbKIrlxwFWFothG5RrOgJsnRqxJfdRj4AUnCtPP8fi_-ja0Gk75OX4NuPqKB3iLI9BMsijD8pe33mBUmrFLP84T1x-Dr9ay2NGzgGvqkVHArUQdQ/s1600/Aug08+115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXwrPGenJzEPR2-yl0vsgK6rXNXvbKIrlxwFWFothG5RrOgJsnRqxJfdRj4AUnCtPP8fi_-ja0Gk75OX4NuPqKB3iLI9BMsijD8pe33mBUmrFLP84T1x-Dr9ay2NGzgGvqkVHArUQdQ/s400/Aug08+115.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> I don't think anyone could argue with the fanatical part of this fan picture. And check out the score on the screen in the background.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyZ9riTkVJdYP09dn-3vo9o4MC2_gG6AIgrcCrlzMkkELOmRkBE7u1Ka130PT7QvvgAjwfROz-mjShafeLj-YVQiapcXGJKuzSoU3dxWNe37POWbSNsUtPrkamjA6zj2KEpr7Me7Ppw/s1600/christmas2006byu+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyZ9riTkVJdYP09dn-3vo9o4MC2_gG6AIgrcCrlzMkkELOmRkBE7u1Ka130PT7QvvgAjwfROz-mjShafeLj-YVQiapcXGJKuzSoU3dxWNe37POWbSNsUtPrkamjA6zj2KEpr7Me7Ppw/s400/christmas2006byu+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> This was actually my runner up picture. I love this family Christmas card picture of forced fanaticism. I mean the look on my teenage boys faces is just priceless. My husband steered me away from this picture as I don't think he was comfortable with his picture being in a contest. But then maybe he shouldn't have signed the release form.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DUs8RBcQKod4N0h4BsCfKzw48K0fO8NBxaMmHvrVG8OQHXqSA_OZtAeov7jT6LRlEI-rxwZy3xQj1W4rJ9a51F4E5CXDIFCzcP3upTXzD_cdaHckhtRrW6kJsfM8dhCLMsBoJMewHg/s1600/Dec09+056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DUs8RBcQKod4N0h4BsCfKzw48K0fO8NBxaMmHvrVG8OQHXqSA_OZtAeov7jT6LRlEI-rxwZy3xQj1W4rJ9a51F4E5CXDIFCzcP3upTXzD_cdaHckhtRrW6kJsfM8dhCLMsBoJMewHg/s400/Dec09+056.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> This was a possibility because there is no denying my excitement over my 2009 Las Vegas Bowl tickets.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xxkdfINsM0kfk8xq0hjsQAXJFgjvaHWU0FaCyLaNmfJ-PhWCeprqUX8SNXey4j2ZH5cyabssSm4awJu9CvIYwQ9OepqHIZqrIulHKIy46l7rB44QoxHIPtBNryj1BWtBW5fUCQOkQA/s1600/Dec09+088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xxkdfINsM0kfk8xq0hjsQAXJFgjvaHWU0FaCyLaNmfJ-PhWCeprqUX8SNXey4j2ZH5cyabssSm4awJu9CvIYwQ9OepqHIZqrIulHKIy46l7rB44QoxHIPtBNryj1BWtBW5fUCQOkQA/s400/Dec09+088.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Or this one taken at the actual bowl game might have been a good choice as well. This was the coldest games known to man, but I am so happy I went, as BYU will most likely never play in the Vegas bowl again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVsiq9-65PVFg-kVHyTS7ZYihZOlNaukhZtc8tqA2niCVrS1TmFErOJNwHWLwf6d9tDysn2nB3bWMOVvHNu5e13D2IYCbpFNdLMJSxFvMNACQvAMsk5IkBmNeXpAgDT_h72kBIVAi3Q/s1600/feb08+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVsiq9-65PVFg-kVHyTS7ZYihZOlNaukhZtc8tqA2niCVrS1TmFErOJNwHWLwf6d9tDysn2nB3bWMOVvHNu5e13D2IYCbpFNdLMJSxFvMNACQvAMsk5IkBmNeXpAgDT_h72kBIVAi3Q/s400/feb08+022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> This one could have been a good one also. I mean it is hard to compete with the face of BYU football for so many years. It is my facebook picture by the way. Most people probably think it is me with my grandfather. But No, that would be me harassing the youth conference speaker before he went up to speak.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbg-b470rC6gvqHcX1Guoz5v_eO4JGOlWaPtXq_QSbdeKCvDNUyvjLrVKW-G2QueUAFGYgd2zTMXlD5fBD-HTT4HwhmHQgpsAc3ovxKSpBJycbuL91ulDCYMNFmuVhRRG7MWf4Z-FiQ/s1600/IMG_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbg-b470rC6gvqHcX1Guoz5v_eO4JGOlWaPtXq_QSbdeKCvDNUyvjLrVKW-G2QueUAFGYgd2zTMXlD5fBD-HTT4HwhmHQgpsAc3ovxKSpBJycbuL91ulDCYMNFmuVhRRG7MWf4Z-FiQ/s400/IMG_0017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>This is a great one of me with some of my best blogging friends, April, Tonya, and Barb. So fun when blog world meets real world. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgb4wE2ZiUuAGmKVr8L3AZ4rjagpGyq_G36vsGuLkFkgwUg3IvOA2ahk20t0Ee5WygaZoeDDk_7yOW2fZqxTPUYQeHwSVFyVCT6jsmmRHn2Y3-R2wCxVHB5I5fH7BUSnXS7vJ3Qt1aoQ/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgb4wE2ZiUuAGmKVr8L3AZ4rjagpGyq_G36vsGuLkFkgwUg3IvOA2ahk20t0Ee5WygaZoeDDk_7yOW2fZqxTPUYQeHwSVFyVCT6jsmmRHn2Y3-R2wCxVHB5I5fH7BUSnXS7vJ3Qt1aoQ/s400/IMG_0027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Here I am with Bryan Karia and April doing her best "Sound of Music, cuckoo clock dance" impression. Bryan should have an awesome season this year.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLv_ED67QsYg2Aswnba5-bwExC-blqLikJbiwIpy0XsU2eJoroOX8c0TFmlQMcpdmezQYR3CSgBEnOxYaufqNizGj-cJR_4Zc01_DP9AYCpZeLOXjuM6HEdzu8cfrsUfvNFg_7qR8BNg/s1600/IMG_2836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLv_ED67QsYg2Aswnba5-bwExC-blqLikJbiwIpy0XsU2eJoroOX8c0TFmlQMcpdmezQYR3CSgBEnOxYaufqNizGj-cJR_4Zc01_DP9AYCpZeLOXjuM6HEdzu8cfrsUfvNFg_7qR8BNg/s400/IMG_2836.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> Here is another one proving my biggest fan status. Need I say more.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNgZWxar3D2ObiWzDaoev6auxaze8pdWHSCnG2fZTDlXM3HNbgGV2RF5xcpZnRzL2T5n_xxogeG1U516fRtfg0yC6Ko8_1zhuqEnR4drDJpBJxf_YBXe82UNz6cK2oBNnsqIZjA3ohQ/s1600/May+10+509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNgZWxar3D2ObiWzDaoev6auxaze8pdWHSCnG2fZTDlXM3HNbgGV2RF5xcpZnRzL2T5n_xxogeG1U516fRtfg0yC6Ko8_1zhuqEnR4drDJpBJxf_YBXe82UNz6cK2oBNnsqIZjA3ohQ/s400/May+10+509.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Here I am with McKay Jacobson and my stalking book after the Football fireside in Las Vegas October 2010. I didn't get to go to the game because I had to go to Seattle so Jared could get his patriarchal blessing, but I made it to the fireside anyway.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagyb1Glrfa202XyE8LCzXjXk5mRIHx9wmQuaU35tNwmfniEkxKhZ1zdw4BEiFN7qypvGw_c6zxdhNZvq_VcZMG8uyAunuQA9kxrTtA0vugAsBPPr0l193vio9xhRiawtsBieqxvPXiw/s1600/Nov08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagyb1Glrfa202XyE8LCzXjXk5mRIHx9wmQuaU35tNwmfniEkxKhZ1zdw4BEiFN7qypvGw_c6zxdhNZvq_VcZMG8uyAunuQA9kxrTtA0vugAsBPPr0l193vio9xhRiawtsBieqxvPXiw/s400/Nov08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This is a nice one of Denis Pitta and I after the football fireside in Payson before the UCLA game in Provo September 2009.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY4lhhBM1i8G8knLjvPsuN8D-NtT0R5zdRd1-ZnKDe87DrgYq6ENe1Z03wqXbM6hSU7kClmefbeqIgKqVF4LC8Bsf27Zp9rV-TRz0Ng-HPFyW5_jZI58PY6qmL0PvDUnyKD1e9-PsKA/s1600/oct07+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY4lhhBM1i8G8knLjvPsuN8D-NtT0R5zdRd1-ZnKDe87DrgYq6ENe1Z03wqXbM6hSU7kClmefbeqIgKqVF4LC8Bsf27Zp9rV-TRz0Ng-HPFyW5_jZI58PY6qmL0PvDUnyKD1e9-PsKA/s400/oct07+017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This one really is one of my all time favorites, as it was my first stalking picture. Kind of like your oldest child. I have to admit that it makes me kind of giggle every time I see it. It was taken at the UNLV fireside in October 2007. I remember leaving the fireside and all these guys were hanging around waiting for the bus. So I just said "Hey everyone! Gather around the crazy old lady who loves BYU football" Most of these players have graduated, but just behind me to the left is a freshman James Lark, who is a back up quarterback.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXVbuPErtQmK3-OSPmt1qAEDmayP3vYweaQUxxWS5HsZECjfwQJxUJT3v1HrjLZ6oQ72b_u_GdapICbxj6RYVB7nOUGgQne91Mn2Lugd2F_ANdeVlNdoO7ReDUqid-pKkL23dFm6z4w/s1600/oct07+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXVbuPErtQmK3-OSPmt1qAEDmayP3vYweaQUxxWS5HsZECjfwQJxUJT3v1HrjLZ6oQ72b_u_GdapICbxj6RYVB7nOUGgQne91Mn2Lugd2F_ANdeVlNdoO7ReDUqid-pKkL23dFm6z4w/s400/oct07+019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>After my picture with the players, I was thrilled beyond words to see Bronco and his wife speaking for a few minutes before Bronco got on the bus. I don't know if pictures like this happen as much any more because Bronco's popularity has grown so much. I love this picture.<br />
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Now I could have gone on for days talking about my pictures and who I have stalked and when and where. My pictures are rather exhaustive. But these were some of the best ones. I know there are other people whose passion for BYU football is equal to mine, but there is no denying that I am a true Cougar, through and through. <br />
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I have been through some difficult times in the past 4 years, and yet BYU football has always been there for me, and at times when nothing else could, has put a smile on my face without fail. BYU football I thank you for that. Here is to many more good times to come. And who knows some day, my dream of having a poster in the locker room that warns players to watch out for me, well it may just come true. Stranger things have happened.Nutty Hamster Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03140942348874900744noreply@blogger.com7