Oh man!!!!

So I was on a roll, doing so fabulous, and then life happened. But I am here to catch up!

Day #15- I am grateful for good friends and the opportunities to spend time with them. I helped Allyson prepare for Brandon to propose to my very dear friend Jaynie!! Hooray for them!!!!

Day #16- I am grateful for the temple and the wonderful sealing power! I was able to witness my cousin, Kami, be sealed to her sweetheart, Aaron. Takes me back to when I was sealed!!

Day #17- I am grateful for Christmas decorations...yes, I am one of those people! My Christmas tree is beautiful and makes me so excited for the holiday season. I am also very grateful for my parents for letting me crash their date to Milagros (it was delicious).

Day #18- I am grateful for Sunday naps-even if they are super small!!!

Day #19- I am grateful for Emma and Isaiah- my friends I babysit while their mom goes out for a much-needed run. They always bring smiles to my face!!

Day #20- I am grateful for Chicken enchiladas! Need I say more?

Day #21- I am grateful for my mom and her willingness to give up one of her massages, so that I could experience my first massage (and definitely not my last).

Day 14...Service

Today I am very grateful for the opportunities in my life to serve. For mutual, the YM and YW were asked/challenged to rake leaves at some of the elderly members of our ward. To be honest, I was not excited because there was still snow on the ground and it was going to be dark and cold. But the youth had an excitement so off we went! We actually went to a home that wasn't planned and to see the facial expressions of the man was priceless...he was so grateful for us! IT was a great night of service and the youth are the ones who changed my attitude.

Day 13!

I am so grateful for the temple! I am grateful for the blessing that are received and for the peace I feel when I am there.

Days 11 & 12

Days 11 & 12 go together...I am grateful for the Young Women organization of the Church. I am grateful to be a leader and I am grateful for my leaders when I was younger. We had our first large activity on Sunday night- Evening of Excellence and it was a lot of work! It helped me to realize all that the leaders do for these youth. So today I took some time to go thank one of my greatest Young Women leaders, Rosemary Cornish! I am grateful for her love and diligence in serving me! I hope to be a leader like her!!

I am thankful for good neighbors, who take care of us, spoil us and keep Dan busy building snow walls for a grand snowball fight.

I am doing awesome- day 9

I am so grateful for year-round schools! My kids just tracked off and now I have 3 weeks to catch up on everything that needs to be done. I have time to play and have fun! I love being off track! But I sure will miss the cute kids!

Day 8

I am so grateful for strawberry lemonade!!! And a good husband who surprises me with delicious lemonade, cashews and a subway sandwich to keep me going during parent-teacher conferences. I am grateful for a nice comfy house to come relax in!!

Day 7

Today I am very grateful for a good kindergarten team, especially my mentor teacher Jodee. I would be lost without them!! We even practiced what I say to parents when they ask hard questions at parent-teacher conferences. I am so glad I have them to encourage me and keep me going!

Day 6

I am grateful for my 20 children, who brightens my day and is continuously telling me how much they love me. I am fortunate to have the best job, okay maybe 2nd best job (motherhood is #1). I will sure miss them as we go off track!

Day 5 of Gratitude

I am very grateful for guardian angels aka my grandmothers. Tonight I got in a car accident..my first one. A lady was on her phone and a little distracted and hit me. This is my car's ouchy:

 It could have been far worse but I have some amazing women watching over me!!!

Day 4

I am so grateful for new adventures...aka new callings. I was recently called to be the 2nd Counselor in the Young Woman organization. This came at one of my busiest times, with Parent-teacher conferences and getting observed at school and writing my very first report cards. But I am grateful that Heavenly Father trusts me with this calling. I am excited to see where it takes me!

Day 3

Today I am very grateful for prayer and a loving Heavenly Father, who works in His time. I see this on a daily basis. It is hard for me to have complete faith and trust that things will work out but Heavenly Father is a patient Father and continually teaches me to be a better person. He never lets me down!

Day 2

I am grateful for good parents, who have taught me many of life's great lessons. A mom, who serves everyone with a large smile. A mom, who comes to read "her story" to my kids on fun friday. A mom, who listens to me when I just need someone to spew all my bad day on. A mom, who encourages me to be the best I can be and helps me to achieve that. A dad, who has taught me the beauty of God's mountains. A dad, who holds the Priesthood. A dad, who takes his callings in church serious and loves serving. Parents, who love me for me and support me in my decisions. I am grateful Heavenly Father sent me to this family so that I could have parents who are my best friends. Love you!!!

The Month of Gratitude!! Day 1

I am joining the fun of posting something everyday this month in gratitude, as well as catching up on life. 

Day 1: I am grateful for my amazing husband...who when he sees the tears in my eyes, asks the right questions...where should we go to dinner and don't they have good fries? He is always finding ways to improve our lives. He is continuously reminding me how lucky I am to have him. He is always serving and thinking of others. He works hard at a job that is not an easy job at all. 

I love you Coach Dino aka my lovebug!!

June showers!

June also started out great!!
We went to a rodeo...still working on stealing pictures from Dan.

We also got to celebrate with another one of Dan's nieces-Kiersten on her baptism day!

It was a very fun day! Rachel (Kiersten's mom) put a lot of hard work into baptism and lunch afterward.

June still continues so stay tuned....

May flowers!

May and June have been busy months!!!

We started out May with the baptism of Dan's niece Kallie in Tremonton.
Kallie was so excited and very nervous...she was told that she was in charge of three things- choosing two witnesses and choosing someone to say the closing prayer. She knew exactly who  was going to say the prayer...Aunt Kristin.

The next adventure was neighborhood milkshake night! Dan has this nifty blender called a Ninja that makes pretty great shakes and he has been telling the neighbor kids that he would make shakes for them if they prayed and read their scriptures everyday. Well, the day came and Dan delivered!

Dan had told the neighbors that we would do it at 6:30 on a Sunday evening. He was so excited all day that he could sit still any longer when the clock hit 6 that he set up early and was ready for some fun. From what the neighbors said, the kids were as excited, they kept asking if they could come over yet.

Even the parents got involved...they were a little shy at first.

The milkshakes were a success!!! Go DAN the milkshake man!!! and it lead into a paper airplane throwing contest!

I love our little neighborhood!

The next adventure in our life was my brilliant plan- making a cake for Taylee's birthday. Please note that I have never really decorated a cake before and had no clue what I was doing so it turned out far better than expected!

Can you guess the character?

Hopefully you said Hello Kitty! Taylee loves Hello Kitty so I thought it would be fun to surprise her!

The girls loved it!!! 

Happy Birthday to Taylee, Nicole and ME!

May is a great month!

But that was not the end of adventures in May....Brandon graduated!!!!!! and I turned 26! 

all on the same day!!

My cute cousin, Jessica surprised me and hung up this sign! It was so fun to walk out and see it!! It made my day!

And although I don't have any cute pictures of Brandon all dressed up, I do have pictures of us surviving the long graduation.

And for Brandon's graduation and my birthday, we celebrated at Texas Roadhouse!!!

Hooray for May!!! And for Brandon!!!

Brandon's Surprise Birthday Party

I have so much to catch up on but I want to start with one of the most exciting things! I felt like Brandon needed to have a special 18th birthday so I talked my mom into letting me throw him a surprise birthday party and I would like to announce that it was a complete success!!!! He was completely surprised! Here is a video to show you how he had no idea and just goofiness from us. Enjoy!

He is in his scout shirt because he had just come home from selling oranges for scouts (he signed up not even thinking it was his birthday on that day).

He had quite a few friends there to support him and he was a really good support.

and because Brandon was hiding in this picture I took one of the birthday boy alone

Another video that I love is him trying to blow out the candles...I had to get trick candles. Here is how he worked through that problem

We played a couple of fun games (great ideas from my sister, Nicole) and it was soooo funny to watch

I loved planning this and I hope Brandon isn't super mad at me! Happy Birthday Brandon!

WOW What a year!!!

I know I am a little behind in the reflecting portion of the new year but better late than never.

Let’s start with January 2011...

 Starting the New Year out right….with Dan and preparing for a very busy last semester in school.

Lots went on in February…

Dan helped me experience my very first Aggies Basketball game.

Dan and I celebrated our first valentines…I asked him to please not give me a ring for valentines…so he waited until the 25^th when he completely surprised me.

So that was a huge part of my February!

March came quickly and brought lots of stress and no pictures.

I spent my time in my adorable Kindergarten class that I loved!!

I got to make lots of decisions and am sure glad I don’t have to plan my wedding again.

 April came with even more stress…got to love it!!

I finished up my student teaching in Sheryl Mitchell’s class and I started my practicum (an extra stress I brought upon myself to graduate with a dual license) in UVU’s Preschool. How FUN!!!

 April also brought taking our engagement pictures….soooooo fun. Thanks Zoie!!

 April also brought a very important thing....GRADUATION!!!!!  HOORAY!!!!!

May was a little less stressful when it came to school but it sure was crazy when it came to wedding planning and bridal showers. It was fun to see friends and family.

 And of course receive gifts....

 I also got to celebrate my 25th birthday by going to get a marriage license:) and a very romantic breakfast with Dan at McDonald's before he had to rush off to work.

JUNE!!!!!
Where do I start with June???
A month that changed my life!!!!

On June 11, 2011 at 10:00 Dan and I were sealed for time and all eternity by President David Christensen in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. The sealing was perfect! 

We had a reception in my aunt and uncle's backyard and the weather was amazing! That was one of my biggest worries so it was prayed for a lot!! It was sooo fun to see friends and family.

Then Dan and I rushed off to the happiest place on earth....

 ...the San Diego Temple and....

 DISNEYLAND!!!!!!!! 

I threw in the splash mountain picture because that is Dan's favorite ride!!

 This was Dan's first time to California so I was the wonderful tour guide and kept him as busy as possible!! It was perfect!

And of course Dan's first time seeing/touching the ocean!

But that was not all that happened in June..after a week of bliss in one of my favorite places... I got to attend a Princess Party hosted by my amazing sister.

Aren't they the cutest princesses ever? 

 The last thing we did in the month of June was attend an awesome Bee's game (tickets were given to us by Maren Bishop as a wedding gift).

 This is the time to take a deep breath after all that happened in June.

July!! Our first married month!
We celebrated the 4th of July at my parent's house, enjoying the thousand dollar fireworks provided by the Conners! So Fun!

We also celebrated our one month anniversary by enjoying Dan's first Chocolate Molten Cake from Chili's. SOOO Delicious!!

 Dan faced a major heartbreak in July... his Grandpa Fuhriman passed away. The funeral was in Logan at the graveside so to carry the casket from the mortuary to the cemetery, one of Grandpa's friends, offered his beautiful horses and wagon. It was a touching funeral.

To finish up July, we took the opportunity to use a coupon to go to Kennecott copper mine on a double date with my parents. None of us had been there but my parents live so close!

It was so busy that they were busing everyone up to the mine.

 Dan thought the tires were super cool because of how big they are! (I was about to blow away, hence the hair in face look)

August brought more fun and excitement!

We were able to attend a concert for Nashville Tribute Band.

Look at Dan's cute nose!! It was a really good sign because he was working hard and learning so much as a laborer for Staker-Parsons.

August brought our first days apart...I headed to Montana for my cousin's baptism and completely surprised her and her mom! It was awesome!!!!

And don't worry Dan barely survived without me.

September was a busy month with school starting for Dan and me as a substitute teacher. We were able to find a time to go on a date to my cousin, Shaylia's play of Little Women. She was amazing!

October took us down to St. George where I attended the wedding of one of my companions and had the opportunity to spend time with Diane and Aaron in their beautiful house. Dan also got to partake of crab for his very first time!!!

We also got to do sealings in the very beautiful St. George Temple

Oh how I love SUNSHINE!!

For the month of November, we were able to attend the sealing of my buddy, Joey from Wisconsin. He was a recent convert when I arrived in Adams-Friendship. He found his girl in Logan and they are perfect for each other!!!

We also had a fun time meeting up with Dan's brother Brian and his wife Katie and family at Trafalga.

The GIRLS

The Boys

December brought some amazing memories!

I think he liked it!!!!

For New Year's Eve, we spent the evening with Dan's family playing games and then headed home so I could be ready to teach primary the next morning.

What a year!!!!! So much happened!! 

But I am sure excited to see what 2012 has in store for us!!!