Misson Call

So a few weeks ago my cousin had his Farewell. We went to New Mexico to go see him off. It was a fast 3 day trip but it was well worth it. I am so proud to call him my cousin he is making a big decision in his life that will change it for the better. I thought I needed to get better about documenting it so here are a few pictures!

New Mexico Temple

Everyone that came to see Kyle go through the Temple. (I was taking the picture)

Kyle and I posing for the camera!! Care full ladies he is on his mission come and talk to me in 2 years!!

Everyone enjoying some delicious dinner!!

As you can see that our entire family can fill a room with no problem. I even say that's not our whole family!!

60 years

When I was home this weekend for my grandparents 60Th anniversary, yes 60 years together! I am so sad because I did not pull out my camera! Can you believe it, not one picture. But you better believe that we had some fun... The boys played some touch football, we all played some water volleyball that led me to get soaked by my lovely brother Robert. I tried retaliating but I was over powered and lost, again no picture but I did not have one dry spot on me! I had such a good time this last weekend hanging out with my family we never had a dull moment.

My mother gave me a wonderful quote. So I thought I just have to share with all of you. So here it is:

"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention elsewhere, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder."

-Unknown Author

I really love this quote because, yes I am very guilty of chasing the butterfly and I need to learn to wait and let it sit on my shoulder. At times I have my fathers Patience which is some to none if you know what I mean. So while this quote is still helping me I hope that you are able to let it help you as well.

Fall

Can I tell you how excited I am for FALL to arrive!! Today is the first day in FALL. Well maybe in other states but in Arizona FALL doesn't come till about October.

Well lets just say I don't wait for FALL to arrive I decorate as early as I can. Which I already have this last weekend.
If you need somewhere to get decorations for fall I have found my new favorite store. It is very hard for me to drop money on clothes for my self. But you can get me in a home decor store and you have to take my credit cards away. Because that's when I can get in TROUBLE! I know its really sad how my mind works.

Any way here is some things I LOVE about FALL...

The leave change color
The cool weather
Thanksgiving
Football
The cool weather

Any way those are just a few things. So I would like to have wish everyone out side of Arizona a very happy FALL. And for you Arizonians get ready cause your FALLS coming.

Quick Update

So I am still trying to get a hold of this blogging thing. I can never remember to do it!! So here is a little update of what I have been up to since my last post.


I decided since all my friends and family decided to have babies all at the same time that I would make cute baby wipe dispensers to go. Being in Mesa you are finding more and more people are being crafty so I thought I would give it a try. It was actually a lot of fun to make and more fun to give out. I really thought the paisley one would be my favorite however I think my country girl comes out more then I realize. I fell in LOVE with the one that I made for my Nephew Riggin. Can you guess which one??

Then my family and I decided to go to the Gila Valley Temple Open House. It was a small Temple however it was so beautiful inside. So breath taking in many different rooms. I have only been to two open houses this one and the Snow Flake Temple and they were very different. The Gila Valley Temple was able to take you in each room and explain what room is used for what. I loved that having never been through the Temple having the opportunity to see the rooms and the beauty that they hold. If you ever have an opportunity to go to an Open House I would strongly suggest that you go.




We were able to see where President Kimball's Child hood home was.

And I learned that my Grandad, yes my Grandad was ordained an Elder in this house so he could become a branch president in a ward in Thatcher. I was also learned some other things about my grandparents in their young married age that no grand kids should never have to learn about from their Grandad and Nana.

I also had a chance to go camping for Memorial Day with my moms family. This is one of the only photos that I got this weekend. Apparently the rhino rides can wear kids out. Maybe not exciting enough!! I wish I could fall asleep like that.

And last but not least I was able to go see my brother Robert graduate from Fire Academy they made this video to show some of the things that learned. So I thought I would share it with you all!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcxeWVzUVFM

San Diego

So last week my doctors that I work for gave me the opportunity to go to San Diego with them and a few of my co workers to attend a Endodontic Convention. Here is a little view from my hotel room on the 1st night.

And here is a little picture of the Bay. So needless to say we taken care of very well.

Here are the two guys I owe a HUGE thank you to for letting me come with them. They also surprised us on Thursday morning with a sail boat ride around the bay. I had such a good time I didn't even get sick!!

Here our sail is up and we are ready to ride the water. Our captain of our boat was full of information all about the air craft carriers that were stationed. He new a lot about all the little museums and places that not many people new about. He made the boat ride very interesting!!

On Friday a couple of the girls and I had the opportunity to go to mission beach and play in the Ocean. We had so much fun playing in the sand and the water. Trust me it was all not like this. Our mornings were pretty open however our afternoons were packed with classes. So we made the most of our mornings when we could.

Here is all of us getting ready to go on our boat ride on Thursday morning.

Again I owe a HUGE thank you to my doctors for letting me go and learn at the convention. As well as have some fun in San Diego.

Update

So I was recently told by my co-worker that I need to update my blog...As you can see I have not done so in quite some time...So here it is.

One of my biggest update of my life is that I bought a house in August last year. I now live in Mesa in a Two bedroom townhouse with my cousin Nicole. I LOVE owning my own house. It is so fun to decorate it the way I would like and not have to worry about my land lord getting mad at me. I am now in the process of doing my back yard! If it were not for my oldest brother Ryan it wouldn't have gotten done...Well it would have, I just would have paid a lot more money. He has saved me so much in the money and he even did all the labor for me as well. I owe him so much and love him dearly. So this is a HUGE thank you to my BIG brother.

Here he is such a handsome devil.

I also owe a HUGE thank you to my parents they came every weekend to dig trenches, lay cement, and lay rock. They came and did all the hard labor along side my brother and I. I also owe a thank you to all my other family members who came and helped me through those fun weekends.

So here are a few pictures of my humble abode.

This was me on the day the I received my keys to my house.

Here are a few before pictures of my back yard, well its more of a space then a yard!!

And here it is after!! I am so happy that it is all done!!

In January my second oldest brother and sister in law gave me a brand new nephew. He is so cute. I love looking at him and squeezing his little legs. With this new addition He makes six nieces and nephews. I love being an aunt, it is so much fun and brings me so much joy in my life. It is also great birth control when I babysit. I learn that I am not ready to go from 0 to 2 or 4 kids in an instant. I love to babysit them all but I would definitely am not as patient as my two wonderful sisters in law.


Here are some pictures of my beautiful family.

Here is Ryan, Jessica, Avery, and Gage.

Here is Robert, Brandee, Eden, Reighns, Rimington, and Riggin.

Last year for my 22 birthday my parents gave me a puppy. Her name is Allie Mae Stokes. She is so much fun to have around. We have our days where she still likes to chew things up just to get attention from me and those days I am not so sure on why I got her. But then when she looks up at me and gets so excited when I come home I could not even imagine giving her up. She is so full of life and never runs out of energy. So here she is when she was a puppy and how she has grown in just a year.

Here is Allie when we got her as a puppy.

Here is Allie and my sisters dog Mari, they are the best of friends and never go anywhere with out each other.

Check it out!!

Here is my new favorite website!! Thanks to my co-worker Megan! Everyone needs to check it out!!

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

You will laugh so hard you will cry!