Jackson Hole 2012...

Pretty sure I have the best friends in the world!  This August six of us went to Jackson Hole to go white water rafting.  Heather, Kolby, Monica, Marty, Dustin and myself all agreed to do it.  I have an extreme fear of water.  I cannot swim.  When I told Dustin he looked at me with a blank stare and then started laughing...and said "are you serious?!"  I wasn't joking.  Those of you who went to Hawaii with me know it is the truth!  Anyway, I was scared to death of falling out of the boat.  I was very vocal about it too.  I think our group was getting sick of me asking about all of the safety precautions that the boat company would provide.  But Dustin told me it was probably time to overcome a fear.  Well, I did it but I still have the fear of water.

 

It really was SUCH a fun weekend with everyone though!  Heather is my dearest friend and she has always wanted to go...so I agreed.  I am so glad she talked me into it, but it might not happen again though, haha.  I didn't get any pictures of us on the boat but Monica got some pretty good video of me screaming in the background.  I asked the guide if someone was TERRIFIED of drowning, where was the best place to sit.  He said in the back of the boat, in the middle, right in front of him.  I made sure to remember that.  We had about 16 people in our boat (with a few little kids).  We got down to the boat and the guide said for the kids to hop on and grab a seat then the adults could follow, but I didn't care about the directions and was the first one on the boat.  I sat down, in the back, in the middle, right in front of the guide, just like he had said.  Everyone started laughing but I wasn't taking the chances.  Nobody fell out and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  But I was still glad to get out of the boat!

 

We ate a lot of good food and spent a lot of money shopping!  We went to the Bar-J Wranglers too and Dustin bought me the prettiest necklace and earrings.  It was so fun to just be all together and having a great time!

 

 



Random Phone Pics...

I have a bunch of random pics from my phone that couldn't take up a whole blog, but they are still awesome...so here is a very random post of pictures!

 

Seth, Benson and Ross helped me clean out my garage this summer.  Seth found an old hat from Justin's hat stash that he had to wear.

 

Marlene and I went to Cedar City for a weekend.  I met up with two former missionary companions, Lauren Kent and Rebecca Kovalenko.  We sat on the lawn of the temple and talked about the mission and everything else.  I loved that trip!



 

Dad turned 60 years old this year!

 

My AMAZING cousin, Cody, reinlisted in the Army.  I am so grateful for his service.  It is hard to comprehend that he is willing to give his life so I can sleep in peace every night in my safe country.  I love you, Cody!!  You are my hero!  (Cody is on the right with his hand raised)

 

Kenna and Allie trying to get a goat in a pen...hilarious!

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I came to work one day and my desk was covered with these little bugs.  I started getting sticky notes and killing them.  I showed this picture to my boss and she immediately called the exterminator.

 

We went to watch Julie's team play softball, but they were short a person so they recruited Karl from the bleachers.  Good thing he loves his wife!

 

Allie, Kenna and Jacob out for a ride.  Seriously the cutest girls ever.

 

Dustin being Dustin...love it!  I owe him big for rigging up a sprinkler system in my yard this year.  I had so many compliments on it.  Between Dustin and the Thompson's (I hired their boys to weed my flowers and mow my lawn for the summer) I finally had a nice yard!

 

Benson graduated high school!

Ross, Bekka, Dad, Benson, Mom, Connie, Marlene, Julie

 

I spoke at to a Relief Society in Providence about Africa.  They had spent the past 6 months sewing dresses for me to take on my next trip.  When I went to the backyard to meet everyone, there were dresses hanging up everywhere.  I think they had made over 200 dresses!  I am so honored that I get to be the deliverer of the service projects that so many do to the African children.

 

My parents finally got new carpet in their house and remodeled one of their bathrooms!  It looks awesome!

We went coyote hunting...it was fun!  I told Dustin I had never been hunting so he said he would start me out slow.  I don't think I've met anyone who loves hunting more than him!  But we didn't get anything.  Braydon and Allie got married this summer too but I don't have any pics.  Cutest couple ever though!

 

Karl and Julie are building a house in Idaho!

Ty-nado

 

Seth and Carrie Underwood

 

I spoke at the Religion in Life at USU Institute and I was shocked to see my mission mother come walking in!  Sister Walker came to lunch with us after and it made me realize again why I just LOVE her!

Olivia told Andrea to send me this picture of her rice krispie pumpkins!

 

He is supposedly working on his roof...but I caught him chatting on the phone.  He did finish roofing and it looks awesome!

 

Marlene won a helicopter ride with the Army.  They went over Logan Canyon when all the fall colors were out - she said it was beautiful!  I love the area we live in - it is always beautiful no matter what season.

 

I got to snuggle with Aleah at Kylie's birthday party...and I loved every minute of it!

 

State Fair 2012...

Just like the County Fair, this was our last State Fair too.  Benson and Dad went down early to get the cattle ready.  Me and Marlene went down on show day to "help" which meant we watched Benson do most of the work.  Still loved it.  The cattle Benson did really well with at the County Fair were sent up to the Washington show to be shown by a friend, so he didn't have really great cattle for the Utah show.  He still did pretty good though.  Marlene and Dad went home that afternoon after the show.  They won't release cattle from the grounds until 9 PM, so Ross, Benson and myself waited until then and pulled the trailer home.  It was fun to hang out with my brothers though, and watching all the different kinds of people at the fair.  Some of them were pretty entertaining to watch!  Even better than people watching at the airport!

 

 



Brigham City Temple...

Dustin and I went to the Brigham City Temple Open House.  It is beautiful!  Every single detail was perfect.  I had been the week earlier with my Young Women and I think I was so worried about making sure I had all of them with me and we didn't lose anyone that I forgot to enjoy the moment and really feel the Spirit and the significance of the temple.  So I made it a point to pay more attention to that when I went with Dustin.  We were on our way to SLC to go car shopping but decided we needed to go to the temple first, even though we left Logan later than we had wanted.  I am so glad we went.  Temples really are amazing...and they are such a haven of peace from a crummy world.  We don't even realize even a portion of their significance with our mortal minds...but I am so grateful for what we do know.

 

 



Seven Years...

I feels like yesterday but seems like forever ago too.  I had a really hard time this year on the anniversary of Justin graduating from this life.  I had a complete meltdown at work and walked out.  I drove two hours to Andrea's house since Sept 26 is a hard day for her too.  She and Ben lost their precious daughter, Kenzie on the same day just five years later.  I knew she would get it and I felt comfortable around her.  I am so glad they let me intrude on Kylie and Kenzie's birthday party which included letting balloons go at the cemetery.  I loved with Olivia said, "one balloon is for Kenzie and one balloon is for Jesus!"  Being around children that day who are so close to the other side anyway was so helpful to me.  They didn't seem sad at all that Justin and Kenzie weren't there physically...they knew where they were and who they were with.  I wish I had faith like a little child.

 

I love watching Kylie anyway, but I really watched her on that day.  She knows.  She is different than other kids - in a very special way.  Even Andrea commented on how she can tell Kylie is close to the other side.  She almost seems grown up to me - even though she is only two physically.  I just love her and still get choked up when I think about her.  I was so honored that Andrea let me go to the hospital and feed her in the NICU for three days when she couldn't be there.  I hadn't felt that close to Justin on the other side in a long time...except when I was in that hospital room holding Kylie.  I knew Kenzie was with him and they were working side by side.  Andrea and I joke that Justin has already converted Kenzie to being a huge John Deere fan.

 

I love that Andrea and I get to share something so special of having someone on the other side.  I am not glad that she had to experience what she had, but I am glad that she gets it.  I will forever be grateful to Andrea for moving in with me after Justin died and helping me move forward.

 

 



Black Widow Girls...

I love my Black Widow Girls!  I rely on these awesome ladies more than they realize.  I love that we can just say things the way they are and not hold anything back for fear of what others will think.  I met Amy, Brittany and Ashley a few years ago and just barely met Keri.  I love these women and they are some of the strongest, most faithful, understanding, loving and real people I have ever met.  We met up in SLC for dinner after Keri contacted me and wanted to meet.  Her dear husband, CJ, was killed in a bike/car accident on Valentine's Day this year.  When I heard her story I instantly went back in my mind how it was when I found out Justin had been in an accident.  There was no warning, no time to prepare, no good-byes...he was just gone.  My heart just aches for her because it is such a long road.  I still have my meltdown days even seven years later...but I remember the absolute hopeless feeling that first and second year.  Losing a spouse isn't something you can explain.  It is the deepest hurt and grief I think anyone can experience...President Hinckley said that and I agree.  I have tried in the past to help people understand what it is like but you can't explain it.  There are so many other trials I have not experienced that so many family and friends have dealt with - so I sometimes feel bad when I talk about mine.  All I know is that Heavenly Father loves us and trusts us by giving us trials.  As much as we hate them and they hurt, there is always something good that comes from them.

 

Ashley, Brittany, Amy, Keri, Connie

 

 

Brittany and Ashley

 

Amy Lou and Connie