Misc.

We finished our fireplace! It looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I updated our house blog so there's more stuff on there.

Side note: I made the Dean's List for the third time, and I got straight A's for the second quarter in a row...kind of a big deal for me! :)

Gatorade

I think we should have a Gatorade party...just sayin'.

They were 50cents a piece two different times so we have about 100 of them.

July 2011

July apparently wasn't very picture-worthy this year. For me, it has mainly consisted of school and feeling homesick. We were able to see some friends from Rexburg --Tyler and Kelly Hesselgesser came up for a weekend. She had a triathlon in Chelan, so we were able to go to dinner and play some Wii. That may not sound very exciting, but trust me, Wii Party is pretty stinkin' fun!

Last week I was able to go to Spokane and see one of my old roommates, Michelle. She was visiting home for a family reunion and celebrated her 2yr old's birthday. I hadn't seen her since the little guy was born, and now she has two!! So that was fun to see her and her little family.

We also started our Jack & Jill Softball league. Our team is "Blaydes" which is Blake's company. We had these awesome shirts last year, and now we have more friends on the team! It's pretty fun. Softball is totally not my sport, but I think that I've improved (I've been hitting pretty well at least). Last year all I played was right field (because it rarely gets hit out there) and I'm scared of the ball. I'm moving on up in the softball world though because I'm now trying 2nd base as well! We have a lot of people on our team so we rotate positions and sitting out, so luckily all my errors will only affect every other inning, haha. Here's some of the people on our team; I can't photograph myself or ones who bat before/after me, so I'll post the other part of the team later!

Summer quarter ends this week! I am SO in need of a break. Going to school year-round wears you out, I can tell you that much. We're so close though! I have Pre-Autumn Experience (2 weeks long) at the end of August, Fall quarter, Winter Quarter, and then Student Teaching in the spring...and then I graduate! It's so close, yet so far. I am proud of myself for sticking with it because it hasn't been an easy ride. I have had many moments where it would have been much easier to quit!

Ps. This will be our new roommate starting in August! This is Amanda. She is in my cohort and we've become pretty good friends. She'll be renting downstairs for a while!

And she is moving.... :'( This is Leah. She is married to Brady Harker (Dusty's brother) and they have a son named Leo (who is in a lot of our pictures). She has also become one of my best friends. Brady accepted an awesome job in Washington D.C. Although they are moving across the country and I won't have my ally close anymore, I am so happy for them to start a new chapter! Plus, we now have an excuse to go visit the East Coast!

And she is coming to visit! This is Erin. She is Lane's sister (duh!). She is also pregnant! We're excited to see her!

And after all is said in done, I am going home home to visit my family in August! I am beyond thrilled and it is a trip well overdue. The end.

23

Well I finally feel like I'm at an acceptable age to be where I'm at in life...married, owning a home in a different state than my family, almost done with college. Ya, I'm still immature, but I feel like I'm kind of a grown-up now. And it was the first birthday that I honestly and truly kept forgetting about before it came!

...but I had a special day. I got a lot of cards, and shout outs on the good ol' Facebook! I had a little bbq with some family and friends and they spoiled me. These are some of my great friends. (Left-Right: Sunnie Wright and Amanda Van Diest *from school* and Leah Harker). Life just wouldn't be the same without them! ♥

Lane surprised me with this vanity. It's in the back corner of our walk-in closet. It's now my little escape for when I get ready for the day. I love it!

Thanks everyone for making me feel so loved starting out my 23rd year!

Piano Solos

Yesterday I played a solo in sacrament meeting at church. I didn't want to. I agreed to it a while ago because it had been about a year since I did a solo last (other than the primary presentations). I just wasn't feeling it this time and didn't feel like I had my piece together enough. I played "The Olive Tree," and I would have liked to have someone sing the words because it is just such a beautiful song, but I didn't ask anyone. I really didn't think I did too great but I got so many compliments. I'm not bragging, I am just humbled. It was a great experience. I guess I need to start finding more pieces to play because the feedback made me feel wonderful.

This is a video they show at EFY and on the BYU channel that has the words as well.

The Olive Tree

The first one I performed in this ward, last year, was a rendition of I Know That My Redeemer Lives which is my absolute favorite! I played it in my ward in high school and had a few of my friends sing it, but in this ward I just played the music. This video shows some of Jesus Christ's life and really just fills my heart with gratitude, love, humility, and hope. I am grateful for the life that I have, my talents, my family, the gospel, our jobs, our home, the chance to go to school, our freedom, all that I have been blessed with and the examples in my life.

Goals

Being at the half-way point in the year, I decided to see how I'm doing with my "new year's resolutions."

*Eat healthier/cut back on soda

Wellllll, hasn't really changed, but I do have a little more portion control.

*Actually use our home gym

HA.

*Read the Book of Mormon

Still need to work on that. I have my weeks.

*Read/Pray daily
Read-see above. Pray-I'm doin' pretty well.

*Find ways to serve others more

Well I don't do a good job of "finding" but I'm not hesitant and I've had opportunities.

*DON'T procrastinate!!!

Started off bad but this quarter I've done fairly well! ~pat on the back~

*Be a nicer person/smile more (everyone always bugs me about not smiling enough)

I actually think I've done a little better. Maybe it's just because I know more people?

Maybe I need to set more realistic goals. Or just DO what I tell myself to do.

May '11...Onto June '11

Well we made it through May! It was kind of a busy month considering how many things we had to celebrate...yet I documented nothing. Well following Mother's Day, and my dad's birthday, Devin and Lane share their birthdays. I guess I'm not very creative this year (starting with Valentine's Day). Lane worked on his birthday, and then I worked. We squeezed lunch in between with his parents, Blake & Kim. Poor Lane, no party or anything! Well here's the 28 year old.

Then we had Leo's 1 year old birthday party (Brady & Leah's baby), Trevor's birthday, Lane's dad's birthday, and Blake's birthday.

...And to top off the month, we celebrated our 3 year anniversary. And by celebrating I mean Lane worked out of town during the day so I went to lunch with Brady and Leah, then when he got home we went and got burgers from Rusty's and went over to Brady and Leah's. I know, is that romantic or what?! I was fine with it. My burger tasted great and I got to spend time with him and our friends. (We were able to go to the temple together the weekend before, so I consider that part of our celebration.)  

I've probably said it before but our 3 years of being married feels like it's gone by super fast, but at the same time feels like it's been a long time already because we've lived in 4 different places--3 different states. Lane's had 4 different jobs, I've had 3 different jobs. I've attended 3 different schools. We bought and renovated a house for goodness sakes! We've accomplished a lot. I love Lane more and more every day. He continues to make me laugh and supports me which helps me grow. I wouldn't be where I'm at in life if it weren't for him (besides the obvious getting married). I'm so excited to have him for eternity.

Now we're in the month of June. I have a week left of the quarter-- my how those quarters fly! I will be student teaching in no time! My youngest brother (the last of the bunch) graduates today! I'm so excited for him! I'm also really sad because I'm missing his graduation. I missed Trevor's too! I'm a horrible sister. Trevor at least got to come live with us for a little bit. Devin is going all the way to Hawaii for school, and then leave on his mission probably and I'll never see him again! Ok, not that dramatic, I'll probably see him at Christmas and stuff. I feel for my parents becoming empty-nesters, but from a child missing home point of view. I can't imagine in like 25 years all my kids leaving the house. That makes me nervous to have kids, I don't want that part to come. Anyway, rambling.

ps. I feel like everyone around me is pregnant! (My best friend Jenna, Cate Hopkins, Lacey Somers, AmyLee and Marianne in my class, a couple others I'm not announcing to the public and/or am forgetting at the moment).