I Hope They Call Me On A Mission....

My sweet baby brother is gone on a mission. He went into the MTC today and I am so glad that he is going to serve the people of the Mexico, Leon Mission. I am so proud of the "man" that he has become. It was such a cool thing to be able to see him prepare and finally go & do what he has been called to do. The people of Mexico are going to be so blessed to have someone as fun, caring and smart as my brother! When TJ's brother got home from his mission he told us a really cool quote by Helen Keller that I feel can apply to every one! (I'm probably going to slaughter it so just don't quote me on it OK?)

"When you look toward the Sun, the shadows fall behind you". As long as we look toward the good things and turn to what will make us better, all darkness and bad things will fade to the background! I am so proud of my baby brother and we can't wait until he comes home, 730 days and counting!

Bloggers Give Back!!!

Check out this awesome way to give back this Christmas. A few friends of mine (including my sister in-law) have gotten together to give back to a family in need. The family they chose sadly had their home burn down and were left with nothing but the clothes on their back. So many bloggers and local vendors have donated items to be "bid" on starting Dec. 15th. If you want to donate a service or item check it out...or if you just want to donate. It is for a really good cause and what's better than to give back this time of year?! To Check it out just click on my button on the side! Merry Christmas everyone!

Childhood Memories

(These photos were take a couple of months ago at a Summer BBQ)

Yesterday we went to visit my Grandma & Grandpa Stauffer. My Grandpa has been so strong over this past year and we couldn't be more proud of the fighter that he is. When we were up there he was just as sassy as ever, teasing whom ever was willing to take it. I love who he is and the relationship that my grandparents have together. When we were driving away (all my sisters minus Emily) we were talking about all of the great childhood memories we have with this man. (I also came to the realization that TJ & I will be just like them when we are older. TJ constantly teasing me, and I would be laughing at every one's jokes while getting slightly frustrated with all of TJ's teasing. They would be the best people to become). I have come up with a list of a few memories/things that Grandpa has done with us & if anyone has something I didn't name I would love to hear about it.

• Learning the Murray High School fight song "as the Smelterites go rolling along..."
• "Mares eat oats. And doe's eat oats. And little lambs eat ivy. ..." (I just found out that this was mares and not bears, talk about messing up a kids childhood memory)
• Listening to the Beach Boys on cassette tape, while driving in the minivan
• Grandpa's constant chewing on something crunchy to "stay awake", usually Jordan Almonds or nuts.
  
• Taking us to the "Wooz" and "The Nut Tree", he must have ridden that train for hours
• Making up skits in Grandma & Grandpa's living room
• Grandpa's master craft at "Cardboard Box House Making"
• Rollerblading to the park (don't worry folks that was only 10 years ago, & he is in this 80's now.)
• His love of Peanut Butter Cookies, but he tells me that mine are the best so don't bother competing :-)
• Combing Grandpa's hair. I don't think there was ever a time he didn't have a comb in his pocket. He could convince any kid that this was the best job in the world & I am still amazed at the many styles we could do with his thick, silver hair.
  
• Teaching me how to fish, & getting frustrated that I kept catching them while he was trying to set up all the other kids poles.
• Pomegranates
• How he convinced anyone that mushrooms were fungus and shouldn't be eaten.
• Hearing stories about the best way to cook & assemble a hamburger from his days at the drive-in.
• His love for travel & discovery in different countries (I guess that was passed onto me).
  
• His example of kindness to everyone around him.

We love you so much Grandma & Grandpa!
Thank you for being such amazing examples in our lives!

Graduation

I finally did it! I graduated! Some might have thought this day would never come, but surprise! I feel like I can accomplish anything now. Who knows what is ahead of me now? I feel just like the people in the book "Oh, the places you will go". I know there will be good times & bad, but just think of the things I can do now! Here is the proof ( I knew some of you would doubt) that I finally Graduated!

WELCOME HOME ELDER FELMAN

Education Station

This past weekend, TJ and I decided to head up to the Hill Aerospace Museum. I had never been there and needed some place to go for a school project. It was actually pretty cool. Not as long as a drive as originally thought, and it has some really interesting Fighter planes. Plus the little old man, with no teeth, and a veterans hat to greet you is almost worth the trip alone. He was awesome! I highly suggest if you have nothing to do some weekend, head up there. It was really interesting, highly educational and even the most Manly Men will enjoy this museum!

'Tis the Season

I just love this time of year. I looked out my window today and saw snow flakes falling and that makes me so excited. I know when I walk out side I am going to smell that clean crisp sent and my lungs will be filled with chilled air! I just love it. I know that (by family rule) I can't put up our Christmas decorations yet, but boy am I tempted. I just love everything about it. The world is covered in White, there are going to be twinkling lights everywhere and the mountains look amazing. It just shows that no matter what the season everything is still so beautiful. In the words of the great singer Loui Armstrong "What a Wonderful World".

Ultimate Pig Wrestling

TJ, Brett, Brandon and Shane have found their new calling in life. ULTIMATE PIG WRESTLING!!! This is the funniest thing I have seen in a while, so I thought that I would share the joy with you. This was a not only amazing, but quite an enjoyable family outing! hope y'all enjoy the video...make sure to watch it a couple of times, there are some funny things you wont want to miss!

Just a Small Change

I have been contemplating dying my hair dark for a couple of months now. I dont know why, but I have always been curious what I would look like with dark hair, probably because my sisters all have dark hair, so why not me? So I DID IT!!! After much thought, I just went for it. Thank heavens for Roo. She is amazing! I love her and am so sad that she is leaving, my hair will probably suffer now that she is moving. But here is a pic, hope you all like it!

This little piggy had...swine flu?

So I'm sure that everyone has heard of this crazy swine flu panic, at least if you live in Utah you know all about the MTC and how some kids went to Mexico on spring break. Any way, I have been really sick since Saturday... but i didn't really think anything of it because everyone gets sick right? well I went into work this morning, still feeling a little under the weather, but much better than before. Since I work at an office full of Doctors, I asked one of them to just check me out to see if there was any special kind of medicine I should be taking. So one of the doctors took a look at me and the first thing he tells me is "You look like you have Swine Flu". Um...hello, that isn't exactly what you want to hear when you are surrounded by people all day long who have been sick and then feel like you are going to cough up a lung at any minute. So under his strict order, I was sent home and told to be checked by my primary care physician. Luckily after a 3 hour appointment, having my ears& lungs checked, and getting my nose swabbed (which is not the best feeling in the world). I waited for my results...and lo and behold, I have a bad COLD. ha ha. It's kind of funny if you think about it. Luckily everything turned out negative for swine flu and influenza A. So hopefully I will be feeling better in no time...but for a minute I was "sweating like a pig" (pun intended!!! wink!)

My Husband!!!

I have the best husband in the world. I know I havent written since Feb. But since I only update like once a year then I figured this would be a good thing to talk about. TJ found a JOB!!! woot woot! I am so excited, thanks to our friends Kelsey and Murray Tucker TJ was blessed enough to find a job. I was so excited that I started crying. Yeah I'm a baby. But I really do have the cutest husband in the world. He does everything for me, and is so sweet. It's my birthday on thursday and he wants to make sure that everything is going to be so great. He even ordered me a Birthday Cake from Baskin-Robbins because he knows it's my favorite. He also knows how to make me laugh whenever I am frustrated, and he is so willing to help out anyone whenever he can. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful man in my life. I LOVE YOU BABE!

To Space and Beyond

I don't know about you guys, but I have always wanted to be an astronaut! I know crazy, but traveling to space would be so sweet! So since I cant I have to follow the only true Astronauts/ scientists I know. Not only do they travel to space, they also have been working on breaking the barriers of time travel. I truly admire their work and so I thought that I would share their experiences with you. Check out the Blog of Ace Johnson & Jeans "Jeans" McCartney they are truly amazing! Just click on the link and you too can become a Spientist (aka...space scientist.)

I know this is long over due...

I know that i am not the best at blogging. but with school and work and other activities, this doesn't really seem like a major priority right now. But here is just an update on whats happened in the past couple of months. my family had the opportunity to go to Costa Rica for Christmas. That was so much fun. We stayed at beautiful hotels, and did so many things that i have never done before. We went on a zip line, which TJ thought was a little too high, went horse back riding down to a water fall, got to go river rafting, and those are just a few of the major things that we did. On Christmas day we too a catamaran out on the ocean for some dolphin watching and snorkeling. the sun set was so beautiful, it really was breath taking. It was such a fun trip. Also on Christmas we got to talk to Austin, TJ's brother who is on a mission. It is crazy how we did it through a 3 way call in America. We were talking to TJ's Parents in the U.S. then they called Austin in Brazil. It was so nice to talk to him, even if he was a little awkward. ha ha! But that was our fun vacation. Now were are just busy with school...talk about a lot of work. But hopefully we will both be graduated by Dec. 2010. So for this new year i will try to be better at this blogging thing, but i make no guarantees.

Lisa Louise

Yesterday was my favorite sister of TJ's Birthday! We had so much fun! we went to Ztejas and had delicious food, then we went to TWILIGHT!!! oh yeah! it was mine and TJ's SECOND time seeing the movie and yes, it was better the second time! But Lisa being the sweet person she is has seen the movie a total of THREE times! she is die hard! But HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA! I am so glad that you are my sister in-law. I couldn't have asked for a better one! you're fantastic... and even though next year you will be 20+10 I still think that Edward would love you, (just not as much as me, haha!) We Love you!

October fun!

Halloween was so much fun! we all dressed up and hung out at my parents house. Hallie was a monkey, madi was a chicken and bentley was a Tourist! they had so much fun walking around to the different houses telling everyone "trick-or-treat". Plus all the candy was an exciting thing for them. we had fun as "adults" walking around and showing off the kids. it was fun to have Britt and Brandon up here with their girls! I am so glad that they are living here now! All of the costumes were great...well other than carrie and josh's cause they didnt dress up! but TJ and I were Rivals BYU vs. UTAH! Shane was Ozzy Osborn and Tru was a baker with a bun in the oven (in here case two). Britt was Daphne from Scooby Doo, and emily was a Rastafarian Momma! It was fun, but we missed Hayley...she was Tiger Lilly with her friends in Hawaii! We miss you! Hopefully we can all be together next year!

80's Rock!

So my wonderful grandma white turned 80! we had the most awesome 80's party you could imagine! My friend Amy & I made this sweet 80's cake (OK she did all the hard work, but i will take credit for my sweet ideas!)It was a good time filled with Karaoke, Treats, and sweet Costumes. The pictures speak for themselves. So take a peek!

Las Vegas!! (and some catching up)

OK, OK...I know I am probably the worst, I mean worst blogger in the world. I know how you guys must be going through endless withdrawals of me (and TJ of course). But I am going to try to be better about up dating!

So here's a quick recap. The summer was so much fun! we went to Carmel with most of our family over the fourth of July, that was so much fun to spend time together. The in August I was able to go over to Hawaii to drop off my youngest sister at BYU-Hawaii. That was so much fun and if you want to see more pictures of that you will just have to ask me cause there are way too many. Then on September 8th was mine and TJ's ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! can you believe it? It went by so fast! I am seriously such a lucky lady! I couldn't have asked for a better husband. I am so glad that TJ chose me! So anyway, for our anniversary we decided to go to VEGAS! woop woop! The city that never sleeps isn't an understatement. We were able to go see the production "O" by cirque de sole (or however that is spelled) and it was incredible. I have never seen anything so indescribable and amazing. It was honestly so cool! We also went to the Wax Museum, the Coca-Cola and M&M factory, and just got to walk to strip. Oh yeah and we were on the Travel Channel. Pretty cool I know! We were eating dinner at this sushi place called "Yellow Tail" and the travel channel was filming, the asked us if it was okay to film us (and of course we said yes!) so they totally went by us and filmed our table. It was awesome, no worries i made sure they got my good side! So here are some pics from Vegas! hope you enjoy and i'll try to be better about posting! peace out!

We Miss You Guys!!!

So about a month ago we got to go visit my sister Brittany and her family! It was so much fun and all I can say is "We miss you guys!!" I am so excited to go to Pebble Beach a week from Sunday! That will be so much fun to hang out with the fam. We will miss those who arent coming, even though it's probably good that you are staying home. (Well better for the babies and future babies at least!) I miss Madi's cute laugh and adorable smile. And who can resist her little bootie dance! Hallie is so cute too, she always tells you how much she loves you and I'll never forget when she said "OOOh, TJ has boobies" I have never laughed so hard! And good old BNAEF, Kickin' it Old school like always! Britt you are such a good sister! we're gonna have to cruise in your new beauty! or at least name her! haha! Love you guys! Cant wait to see you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TJ!!

I cant believe TJ is 25! He is getting so old! I am the luckiest person in the world to be married to someone who is so sweet and loving, I dont know what I would do with out you TJ! I love you! Happy Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSTIN

It is Austin's birthday on April 7th, and TJ & I had a blast putting together his package to send to the MTC. Hayley went with us to Zurchers to find the goods. But to be honest they have some of the strangest things. If you are ever looking for some random things, you should head to that store. We found these huge glasses and hats which were totally awesome if i do say so myself! We love you Austin! Hope all is well!