May 17 2012
Preschool Graduation
It was a busy day as we then spent the evening at Erica’s Preschool Graduation. A house full of graduates makes for a rather excited household!
May 17 2012
Kindergarten Graduation
We spent the morning at Annalyce’s Kindergarten Graduation. My how time flies! We are so proud of all she has learned!
May 17 2012
Summer Fun!
We’ve been loving the warm temps, fun in the sun with the neighbors and even busted out the water toys a few days ago. LOVE IT!
May 16 2012
Dreams do come true!
I have been married to this amazing man for 10 years but have been in love with him for 14 years.
I met him the day I moved into the dorms at BYU (yes I just said dorms….he would call them Residence Halls). He was dating my roommate and I was trying to figure out what to make of the impressions I was having. I remember when he left on his mission like it was yesterday!! I was happy to have him serve and wouldn’t have it any other way but there was a huge part of me that knew I was going to be lonely for two years. He had turned into one of my best friends. I did miss him like crazy but I had so much fun getting his letters and hearing how he was doing! I had fun writing letters. We got to know each other better through those letters.
It was exciting and fun! When he got home I could hardly wait to talk to him. I was counting down the hours and he surprised me by calling earlier than I had expected. We talked and talked and talked and talked (anyone remember the days of cell phone plans with 2000 minutes—let’s just say it was a challenge to stay in that!) He had been home three weeks when I took him home for Christmas to meet all the family again. We shopped for the ring that week and ordered it. He proposed on Valentine’s Day, which might seem cliché but it was the only day we were supposed to see each other in the entire month as I was working full time and then working for the Olympics in the evenings/weekends. We were married on May 16, 2002 and I have loved every minute with him!!
There really are no words to describe the amazing man that he is. He knows just what I need. He works hard to take care of our family. He has dedication and determination like none I have seen. When he sets his mind to it he accomplishes it. That has been an inspiration to me. I remember having the conversation that I didn’t want to work that I wanted to be a mom more than anything. He promised me I would be able to stay home with our kids and that if it ever came to where it looked like I needed to work that we would change our lifestyle. He works hard for our family to help me do what I really want to do. When he asked me to marry him I replied, “I’d be honored”. It certainly is an honor to share each and every day with him. We are truly equally yoked in our goals & dreams. He does so much to help me in my role as mother. He cleans, cooks, helps with the kids. They prefer when dad makes dinner, daddy dates are on the top of the highlights list around here…you can ask any of them. Even Preston who insists on calling his daddy dates “daddy daughter” dates. He doesn’t want his to be different and he’s quite adamant about that oh the things little ones say
I truly have been living in happily ever after world since the day I married the man of my dreams. I can’t wait for the adventures that lie ahead because I know we’ll be taking them hand in hand.
I LOVE YOU DAN!
May 05 2012
Piano Recital, Picnics, and Fun!
Annalyce had her piano recital. She did a duet with mom. Mom was in big trouble because she didn’t get her part memorized so we had to use the music. She’s had her part memorized for a long time! We did a picnic with grandma and Natalie before the recital. Then today we enjoyed a birthday picnic for grandma Rivers. It was a bit chilly but we made the most of it.
Apr 21 2012
Easter + Spring Break = FUN!
This month has been full of lots of fun!! We celebrated Easter with the Rivers family & the Chandler Family and enjoyed every minute. We do the Easter Bunny, Easter Eggs, etc. all on Saturday then Sunday is filled with learning more about our Savior and the reason we celebrate the wonderful holiday.
Spring Break brought sunshine for the beginning and we lived outside then for the second half it was supposed to be cold and rainy so we called the cousins and begged them to come hang out for a few days. We had a blast! We went Ice Skating and they loved it so much we went everyday they were here. We made yummy treats, played games, and lived up the adventure. We also went to Trafalga and they were so excited that the rides were open.
We do an aunt/uncle dinner where the kids aunt/uncles come over once a month and have dinner and play games. The kids LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
Apr 11 2012
I need your help!
Here it goes! After years of working on this and processing parts of this we are finally ready to announce and share with the world out little idea. I have been chomping at the bit to get this rolling for almost 6 months now and it’s finally here. The day has finally come. I cannot wait to see what this journey holds. I would love your support!!
Dear Friends,
For the past five years I have had the privilege to work as a Personal Publishing Consultant for Heritage Makers. It has been a rewarding experience helping people take their most precious memories and preserve them for the future. In addition to these memory-recording experiences I have also been able to help clients create storybooks which have helped lift a child’s self-esteem, given individual’s courage to face difficult situations, or tell stories that uplift and encourage individuals to be better. These experiences have been the most rewarding for me.
Heritage Makers motto is “Every story deserves a book of its own”. In an effort to help with the vision I am launching a new non-profit organization called My Story Matters. This organization will focus on providing the gift of story to those in need.
We are launching with three different series. The first is our Angel Series, books for children who have passed away before the age of 12 Our Fighter Series is dedicated to those brave young spirits under the age of 14 that battle cancer. Lastly, our Ultimate Gift series will focus on the life story of a birth mother which will be made available for the adoptive parents to give to the child when they feel the time is right.
Stories published through My Stories Matters will strengthen individuals through increased self-esteem, courage, and faith. They will build the community around them as we know that your story matters most to those who matter most to you. In turn the community around them will be uplifted, inspired, and encouraged as everyone will have an increased desire to pay it forward.
We will accomplish this process through accepting and reviewing nominations of individuals who could benefit from this service and then selecting individuals to receive this gift.
My Story Matters needs you!! Do you know a sweet child that passed away before age 12? Do you know a child 14 or younger battling cancer? Do you know a birth mother placing a baby for adoption, or know a child that has been placed for adoption? We need your help in starting this life changing ripple effect. We need your donations to help us tell these stories, we need your nominations of individuals who need their story told, we need your support! There are several ways in which you can contribute.
More information about budget, contribution amounts, FAQ’s, and more can be found on our website, www.mystorymatters.org. I ask that you take a minute to consider how you could help start this great movement.
I am excited to start this journey and hope you are in a position to join me!! I thank you for your time in reviewing this material. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me 801-477-MSM1 or amy@mystorymatters.org.
Stay tuned for updates of this incredible journey. We have a blog for the organization that we will be populating very soon.
Check us out at www.mystorymatters.org
Mar 19 2012
Best Vacation EVER!
A few months ago when we were awarded a free vacation to just about any destination in the world we wanted we began compiling a list of where we wanted to go. We made a list and then made a short list from there. We then began watching airfare to see if cheap airfare could be found to one of our destinations. We had narrowed it down to two places Hawaii or Cancun…we wanted beach and sun. Then we found some really awesome cheap airfare to Cancun and the decision was made. (turned out to be a good decision since most of last week in Hawaii was covered in Rain!)
We then began asking anyone and everyone we knew if they had been to Cancun and what we had to do. The list began growing. It seemed as if we were the only ones on the planet that had not yet been there and you pretty much have to do everything there because it’s so awesome! We decided we needed more than 7 days there, more like a month would be better. Unfortunately the grandparents taking our children were surely not going to like that plan! We are SO SO SO GRATEFUL for the grandparents/aunts/uncles/and anyone else that got roped into helping for allowing us this getaway of a lifetime!
We ventured off to catch the red-eye flight on Thursday. We flew from SLC to Charlotte, NC. We enjoyed their lovely rocking chairs they have all throughout the terminals. In NC our plane had mechanical failure and so just after boarding we were asked to de-board. To our surprise and great appreciation they happened to have the very same type plane docked in the gate next to ours (surprising because they only have 10 of them in their entire fleet!) The stewardess told us to board that plane quick before someone else wanted it. We re-boarded and were off! We were welcomed by the most friendly and caring people!! We truly have nothing bad to say about the Mexican people we interacted with on our trip, they truly treated us like royalty from the minute we entered their country until we left. It is clear that tourism is the heart of the livelihood and they know they need to treat tourists well or they won’t come back. Much contrast to the way we were welcomed back to the US. The first woman we met after getting into the airport was an uptight, very awry woman who began barking orders and yelling at anyone and everyone. We couldn’t even breathe right!
We quickly got our rental car (everyone thought we were crazy but it turned out fantastic!) We had done a lot of research before making the decision to rent. We had no problems. Their road system couldn’t be easier to navigate, the rental cars have a different plate than everyone else so they know you’re a tourist. Could have been bad, but actually turns out good. As we talked to the locals about it they acknowledged that their entire economy is tourism and so they want to know who the tourists are so they can treat them well. We were waved right through checkpoints. On our very last checkpoint on the last day we were stopped, shocked us that it took that long because we were in a brand new car and it didn’t have plates yet. As soon as we said it was a rental car, they apologized over and over and told us to move right along and enjoy our stay.
We checked into a BEAUTIFUL resort! This place was AMAZING!! Numerous pools, right on the beach, great accommodations, delicious food, beyond friendly and helpful staff. It was incredible! http://thegrandmayan.com/
The next day we enjoyed a delicious breakfast buffet at one of the restaurants, then took the ferry to Cozumel. We were there for sunset and enjoyed a delicious meal at a restaurant overlooking the ocean. We enjoyed shopping for souvenirs and getting to know a part of the island a little better. Some friends of ours had told us about a great little souvenir shop there where everything is really cheap but good quality. It did turn out to be the best pricing of the whole trip. Thanks Clint and Jenni for the tip!
Sunday we went into Playa Del Carmen for church. I was surprised how much I actually understood from church. I can’t speak the Spanish at all, but I could understand a lot more than I thought I could. Afterwards we talked with Alma tours(LDS tour guides) to see if they were doing a tour to Chichen Itza on Wed. As it would happen they were doing that tour on Monday with a family that was staying at our resort and they had two seats left in the van. So we snagged those two seats for Monday. Following church we headed to Coba for Sunday School. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coba It was a wonderful site. We should have rented the bikes there instead of walking. There was a lot of walking but it was a beautiful place and SO MUCH to see! We were able to climb on the ruins there which was a lot of fun. From Coba we went to Tulum. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulum Tulum was ABSOLUTELY beauitful. Amazing ruins, great location, beautiful beach, it was really beautiful.
Then Monday it was up early to take our tour. The family we went with were actually from Kamas, UT and we had a great time getting to know them a little better. There were 23 of them there to enjoy a big extended family vacation. The tour began with a stop at Ek Balam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ek_Balam Another wonderful temple site. This is thought to be one of the most holy of the temple sites. It was FASCINATING to learn about all the symbols, the history of the sites, and MANY correlations found in the Book of the Mormon. After visiting there we had a delicious buffet lunch at an old Hacienda near Chichen Itza. Then it was off to see one of the seven wonders of the world. It did not disappoint. The only disappointment was that we only had 2.5 hours there. You could spend a whole day there and not see it all! It was amazing and I loved learning about everything there. We just happened to be there during a very special time. From March 5- April 7 something very exciting happens there. It was quite fascinating to be able to see it begin.
Following our visit there we went swimming in a Cenote. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenote They are all over the region there. It’s a giant sink hole in their river system. It was so beautiful and I loved it. Dan wasn’t such a fan but I thought it was awesome. He decided not to join me in the cliff jumping from the top platform down into the cenote, but he’s the one that missed out on that one.
Tuesday was our veg day. We spent the whole day at the resort. It was HEAVEN! We relaxed and relaxed and relaxed some more. There are few things that can truly get me to just sit. I don’t sit and veg. I can’t even sit and watch a movie, I think it’s the biggest waste of time. There are so many things that need done I can’t fathom sitting and watching a movie. I have to multitask to even watch a movie. Even when I am going to “relax” I have to be multitasking, reading a book, writing in my journal, just something. However, when I am on the ocean I can just sit in a chair and lay there and listen to the sounds of the ocean, feel the breeze, and just sit. I tried to read but I couldn’t even do that…I just wanted to sit and soak in every single wave and every minute of the breeze. I LOVE THE OCEAN! Then that evening Dan had reserved a romantic dinner on the pier. It was SO AMAZING! Dan was a little unnerved by the waves crashing around the pier, but I was LOVING every minute of it. Our waiter was so kind! The food was delicious, my date was super hot and it was picture perfect! They even went to the effort to decorate my dessert plate to wish me happy birthday, they don’t recommend using chocolate to write your name when it’s 80 degrees outside. It was super cute though because they tried really hard!
Wednesday it was back to the races. We spent the day a water/sport park called XPLOR. http://www.xplor.travel/ This place is awesome. Not for the faint of heart mind you, it was a really good workout! We did 14 ziplines, yes Dan did all 14 of them. He hates that sort of thing. It was so much fun you zipline through waterfalls, into rivers, down waterslides, the only downside..you are DRENCHED when you are finished! Then there were rivers underground rivers to swim in, paddle boats to take through the caves and jeeps to drive through the jungle, and of coarse another delicious buffet. It was a BLAST!
Thursday morning we took the chance to tackle something on my bucket list. I have ALWAYS wanted to swim with the dolphins, ever since I was a little girl. I had been looking forward to this adventure our whole trip. It did not disappoint. It was SO AMAZING! I loved every minute and that hour went way too fast. Dan said it was more fun watching me act like a little kid at Christmas than it was to swim with the dolphins. Following that adventure we went back to relax at the resort and then enjoyed a very relaxing couples massage in the spa that we earned for free during our stay. It was very nice to be pampered a bit after all the travelling. Following the massages we headed into Playa Del Carmen to meet up with some friends we met during our stay there. They live in Playa and introduced us to a DELICIOUS Italian restaurant on 5th Avenue. The dinner was fabulous, the company wonderful, and it was fun to be able to hang out with them for the evening. We took a stroll down 5th avenue to get a few last minute souvenirs and then headed back to the hotel to get packed and ready to return home.
Our connecting flight in Charlotte nearly got cancelled because of another mechanical failure. We were supposed to get into SLC at 11:30pm, luckily they did get us a plane but we didn’t get in until 2:30am. Then we drove to Shelley, ID to pick up our children. We arrived at 6:30 a.m. And the kiddos woke up at 6:45am. Saturday was a long day as we were a bit tired having pulled basically an all nighter, we did catch a few hours of sleep on the planes. Sunday morning we headed home and began the adjustment to reality. It truly was the best vacation I have ever taken. I have taken many, and I have lots of places I love, but this truly tops the list. It was a P.E.R.F.E.C.T. Week. I have to thank my awesome hubby for being such a good sport. This was his first time traveling outside the states, he doesn’t care a ton for the ocean, he hates heights, doesn’t love water, not much for adventure, let’s see….not much for most of the stuff we did, but he did it all!!! and if you twist his arm he just might admit to thoroughly enjoying most of it.
Mar 02 2012
Jaden & Mandie’s Wedding
It was a fun filled week as Jaden & Mandie were married in the Salt Lake Temple on Wednesday and then had their reception today. There was much to do and lots of fun filled family activities. The kids loved the yummy treats and all the dancing. Alyssa and Preston had a great time dancing together, he was a little shocked and she a little sad when he dropped her trying to do a dip, but quickly tried to pick her up. I just loved the photos of them dancing. The Chandler fam are good dancers and so the kids tried to mimic all their movies, twists, and turns. It was delightful to watch. Here are some photos to remember the good times with!
Feb 23 2012
Fun in St George
Last weekend we headed south to spend time with Grandma Foster and enjoy slightly warmer temperatures. The kiddos had a BLAST! My brother and his family came down from Idaho too so the kids got to play with cousins and they are still talking about it. They can’t wait to see each other again. We went hiking a few times, swimming at the rec center, had a movie night with grandma, ate yummy food (Alyssa especially liked her first experience eating pie). We enjoyed Snow Canyon a bit, but will have to go and spend more time there on another visit. Alyssa tried hiking just a bit in Snow Canyon but lost her diaper in the process…too funny not to snap a pic. Preston was scared of the “big mountains” so he would try to crawl up the mountains, it was too cute. When the rest of the group went hiking to the top of the big ledge he tried to crawl after them all the time calling “wait guys, me coming”. It was too cute.
Unfortunately we all came home sick. I have strep, UTI, Bladder infection, scarlet fever, and kidney stones once again. Alyssa had pink eye and strep, and Preston has ear infections, Erica also has a double ear infection and tested positive for Strep although her throat looks fine. However, we are all on antibiotics now and hoping to be back on our game again soon. We were once again showered with love from friends and neighbors who brought us dinner, meds, drove carpool for me, and checked up on us continually. WE ARE SO BLESSED! We are doing more tests and hoping to get to the bottom of why I keep getting really sick. We have a few theories and I’m hoping we have answers soon. One of the answers we did get is that my allergy tests came back and I’m basically allergic to most of my diet. So I am doing an about face this week and trying my hardest to eliminate everything that is a serious allergy concern. So this week I have cut out: All Dairy products, broccoli, lemons, all lettuce, spinach, cabbage, walnuts, pecans, coconut, blueberries, blackberries, egg yolks, yogurt, and yeast. So what do I eat….good question….it’s going to be a learning process that’s for sure. They did the blood allergy test on 186 foods. The numbers indicate severity of allergy from 0-5. A 5 is the type of allergy that causes you to stop breathing. The foods listed above were3′s and 4′s for me. The 1 & 2 level allergies on my list that we will worry about later were things I didn’t even know, we seriously had to look most of them up on google so I’m pretty sure leaving them out of my diet won’t be a problem. We’ll have to see if we notice any results…could be an interesting few months why we figure this all out.
