Snowboarding

Christmas

"These are a few of my favorite things."This should last me a week or two!  What a great present!
Christmas Eve dinner
There is nothing like the gift of a new pair of socks.  It was the first present we all opened.

Colton's Home!

Colton came home from his mission on Dec. 20.  I missed him so much and am so excited he is home.   Looking back at all that has happened in the last two years, it seems like forever since he left, but having him home, it is like we blinked and he is back.  Time is such a funny thing.  He learned and grew so much and did such a wonderful job.  I'm so proud of him, and so happy that he was able to have those special experiences!

Thanksgiving

It was just Mom, Dad, and I this year so we took the boat and went down the Lake Mohave in Nevada.  It was sunny and about 70 degrees.  What a nice change!  We fished, cruised in the boat, read, and relaxed.  It was a little untraditional, but really fun!

Dad caught a big striper and also a big hook in his thumb.  Ouch!!  What is a family vacation without a trip to the emergency room??

Our little resort in Cottonwood Cove.
Eating Thanksgiving dinner at Harrah's casino in Laughlin, Nevada.  That's right Thanksgiving in a casino!  The food was wonderful, and no prep or cleaning up after!  

Picking out a Christmas tree!

We went up above Idaho Falls hunting for the perfect tree.  It was really strange to not have any snow, but it made hiking around a lot easier.  I think we made out like bandits and found some terrific trees!

Halloween

I was Tink from Hook this year.  I love dressing up for the kids at school.  It was a crazy day with lots of sweets and fun.  I painted faces at a community trick-or-treat, then headed to a Halloween party.  It was a great night!

Pumpkin Palooza!

Our family had our annual pumpkin palooza!  The soup was yummy and the jack-o-lanterns were spooky!  This is a fun night we look forward to all year!

My cute sisters!

Eat your heart out Vogue!

Conferene- Oct. 08

One of my best friends, Christin, and I went to the Saturday morning session of General Conference.  It was a rainy, overcast morning, but was wonderful!

My Fall Celebration!

I went out to eat with the girls after my conference.  I love girl bonding time!
Jessie, Marissa, and I all began teaching together and were fast friends.  Every year we get together and celebrate our birthdays.  We are all fall babies!  I look forward to seeing them and having a great meal together.  Food and love are always involved!

Mom always gives me some fall decorations for my house; I got attached to my two new friends pretty fast!
Was it really necessary to rub in my age with two cakes covered with candles?

At the State Fair

Sami and Jamison talked me into going on a ride with them.  I definitely screamed more than they did.  They couldn't stop laughing at me!

Photography Class Pics

I'm taking a photography class.  I've wanted to for a long time and am so excited that I finally am.  Here are some photos that I took this week.  

My new haircut!

I felt like I was about to go on a scary roller coaster when I walked into the salon for this cut.  I had been thinking of going this short for a long time, and finally got the guts!  It has been a fun change and hey, I even lost a few pounds after the big cut!  

ZM

My Summer Adventures!

I went white water rafting with my branch.  I was pretty scared!  I did not want to get dumped in the rapids.  I squeezed that raft so hard that I think I could give Suzanne Somers and her thighmaster a run for her money.  It was really fun!

Every year I have a before-school-starts-sleepover with my nieces and nephews.  We had paper airplane flying contests, watched a movie, and told stories on the tramp.  The sleep isn't always the best, but it sure is worth it!

At the John Mayer concert at USANA in Utah with my best bud Christin.

I spent a week down in Lake Powell.  It is one of my favorite places on earth!  I went with my mom and dad, Ben and Layani, and her family.  It was fun to spend time with my family and get a little sun!

I went biking with my friends at Targhee Ski Resort.  It was beautiful!  

Camping with the kids.  

I woke up really early on a Saturday and went fishing with Dad, Andy, and Joel.  I am very proud to say that I out-fished everyone!  That's pretty sad too because I've never been a very good fisherwoman.