{heAtheR}

One of my roommates, from my time at King Henry, came to town. It was so fun to see her. She looks amazing and seems to be doing great. She's one of those lucky people who has Washington D.C. at her disposal.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with me (and feed me). I'm so glad to have visited with you.

It's fun to look back on times gone by ... My time at King Henry ... I was going through a messy divorce. I moved into an apartment (that was fairly new at the time) with 5 roommates. I had a room all to myself. The girl who previously lived there, died in a car accident on her way home from a concert in Las Vegas, a few weeks before. I was working at the Brick Oven about 50 hours a week. Every Wednesday night we went dancing at the ???
(name escapes me for the moment) on 9th east. One of my roommates (not Heather) was becoming bulimic. It's amazing how serious this can be. I remember us trying to talk to her after she knew we all knew about it, and she just couldn't see anything wrong with it. It completely messes you up, not to mention that people die from it. That was really hard to watch. The worst part about it was, that her mom did it and that's why she thought it was ok. All you mom's out there, please be careful of what you do, even when you think your kids aren't watching, they are. This is the first time I went to church in a classroom (on BYU campus). I never got over how strange I thought that was. I guess I could go on forever ...

{LaNdOn's LaSt pAck MeeTing}

Landon was invited back for pack meeting so that he could be awarded the Arrow of Light. This is the highest award a Cub Scout can get, and it's the only one that can carry over to his Scout Uniform. He was so excited to receive it. He didn't see it when we got there and he had to of asked me at least 3 times if I was sure that they remembered!

Good Job Landon! I'm very proud of you.

{wooD veNts}

When we moved into our house there were a few things that the builder was suppose to come back and do. One of these things was to come stain the vents. Obviously they are not going to come and do it, so I decided to finally get it done.

If you ever put in wood floors, I would highly recommend getting the flush wood vents to go with them. I think that was one of the smart things we did. I didn't even know about them, but our realtor had suggested them and I am so glad that he did.

{eTsy: lifesgood}

Landon is a thinker. He wants to know exactly how things work, usually with things like engines and machines. It's like you can see the wheels turning inside his head when he is trying to figure something out. If he doesn't get it he will keep asking questions or come up with things that might be similar to help him figure it out.

Using this same concept he has been trying to figure out how to pay for his own Wii. He is very determined. He talks to everyone who will listen to him about it, trying to figure out ways that he could do it.

So his Grandpa Gomm has started him off. He gave him some money, opened a paypal account and gave him some glass. He is quite excited. So he's made pendants out of the glass and opened an etsy shop. lifesgood.etsy.com He choose the name himself - his initials are LG so he picked something that would match - life's good. Clever boy!

I hope he makes his goal. It will be a great learning experience either way. It wouldn't surprise me if he could figure out how to be a millionaire by the time he graduates high school.

Go LANDON!!!

{i am CRAZY!!!}

I've decided to run Nike's Womens Marathon in San Francisco this year. I've got 4 months to get ready for it. So far so good! I've got two weeks down!

I've joined with team in training (TNT) to help raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). I've made a goal to raise $4000 by my birthday (July 16th).

Here is my TNT site that tracks the money I'm going to raise:

Run Like A Girl

Here is my training blog:

Run Christy Run

{gRill mAsTeR in tRaiNing}

Landon loves to do whatever his dad does!

{the LaKE}

Ohhhh... how I love the lake! I forget over time. After awhile all you can remember is being cold, but Wednesday I was finally brave enough to jump in and it wasn't so bad at all. In fact, I was able to get up wakeboard with no problem. I just love it! Hooray for the Lake!!!

This was Keyan Monday night. No way was I getting in then. It was way too cold!



Wednesday was perfect though...

Chris

Sammy

Katherine
Christy
Ciran, Keyan, Sam
Scott, Katherine, Sam
Scott Keyan
Ciran

Ally
Scott & Katherine

Sam & Ciran
Ally & Keyan

{seCret sisTers}

For girls camp the girls were given secret sisters. They were not allowed to buy them anything, they were only allowed to do acts of service. What a brilliant idea! The girls all loved it so much. On Wednesday for Young Women's they had a wrap-up to camp. They passed out awards. Sammy's leader thought about giving her "The Love of My Life" award (some inside joke that the whole camp seemed to know about). However, she ended up with "The Funnest Camper" award. Then they had their secret sister reveal. They were each told to make a homemade gift for their secret sister. Sammy made the pillow she has in the picture. She hand sewed it. She did a great job!!!

Yesterday was also the sacrament meeting to official concluded the girls camp experience. The bishop called Sam and asked if she would give a 5 minute talk on the mission lessons they had shared at camp. The girls were each paired up and asked to give a lesson on one of the Christlike attributes. Sammy and Tara picked Love & Charity.

Saturday night after Sam came home from babysitting we asked her if she might want to practice her talk before she went to bed. Chris and I were a little nervous about what she would say and thought we'd have to help her. She gave her talk. Chris and I just looked at each other in complete astonishment. Her talk was perfect. She talked about the lesson, had scriptures to go with it, added some camp experiences. It was really great.

It was fun to watch her up on the stand. We kept making really big smiley faces at her, but you could see her start to get a little nervous. She quit looking at us! The best part was when she stood up to the podium and you could hear little voices saying, "SAMMY, SAMMY" and "Look Mom, there's Sammy." The little kids in our ward just adore her.

{soFtbAll}

Our season is almost over. It's tournament time! I hope we do well!!!

{he'S bAck...}

Landon had such a great time at camp. We sure missed him though. His favorite part was the zip-line. He also enjoyed the arts & crafts (surprisingly!). He came home telling me all about the kinds of plants you can eat, exclaiming, "wild garlic and miner's lettuce taste amazing together!"

{aMmOn}

My kids have a new baby cousin. My sister-in-law, Sarah, had her baby boy 2 hours ago.

Congratulations!!!
We can't wait to see him.

We finally got to see cute baby Ammon. He's adorable and Sarah looks fantastic! Ammon fits right in. He looks just like his siblings.

I was holding Ammon when we went back inside, as we were leaving, and poor little Wynn got really nervous that I was going to take his brother. He kept saying, "don't take him....Mom, get Ammon!"

{cAmp biG spRingS}

Landon was so excited this morning to be off to Camp Big Springs for a week. It was funny to see him so anxious, he couldn't stand still. There were kids from 4 schools going up, but the majority of them were from Landon's school. I think it's great that he will know so many of the kids up there. I hope he has a wonderful time.

{it wAs frEEZing}

I asked Sam how camp went and her first reaction was "It was FREEZING!" I guess most mornings it was below 30 degrees. It was really cold the first 2 days. They all knew it would be warmer Friday because that was when all the bishoprics and stake presidency was coming up.

Sam loved the food. A girl got life-flighted out. Sam was happy the bishopric brought up pizza. She absolutely loved camp. She also missed her bed and being warm.

{the LaKe}

We finally got our boat out on the lake. Nevermind that it's still freezing, by my standards, but I have fish for kids and a husband that's been itching to board!

{cAmp giRl}

Sammy has embarked on her first ever girls camp adventure! She has been so excited. They almost cancelled it. The stakes that were suppose to go last week were cancelled because there was still about 5 feet of snow up there and the water wasn't working. Now, there is about 3 feet of mud (all the snow melted in just a few short days - that's what happens when you have a stake full of people praying that camp doesn't get cancelled). I hope she survives!!!

{utAh LaKe feStivAl}

Landon, Ally and I caught the last 20 minutes or so of the Utah Lake Festival on Saturday. I guess they have done it for several years, but this was our first time. They had a fishing contest, boat tours, vendors, free food, a movie, a fishing simulator, and lots of kid stuff (games and crafts).Of course, Ally would want to paint the DEAD fish. At first I thought no way I am not taking a dead fish home. Why I thought they would even allow it, is beyond me, but that was my initial reaction. In reality they did paint a dead fish, but then they did a paper transfer. It turned out really cute and I didn't have to break her heart, by saying No!

{mY chRiStophEr}

I've seen this tag going around and now I'm it!

Here is some info about my HUBBY:

1. What is his name? Christopher
2. Who eats more? I do.
3. Who said I love you first? Chris did.

4. Who is taller? He is by almost a foot!
5. Who is smarter? It depends on the subject, but if we were in school I'd get better grades!
6. Who is more sensitive? Me, for sure!
7.Who does the laundry? I do, but he will do a load here and there.
8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? If standing at the foot of the bed looking at it, I do.
9. Who pays the bills? Mostly Chris.

10. Who cooks more? I do.
11. What meals do you cook together? None, the only meal Chris cooks is waffles!

12. Who is more stubborn? Tie.
13. Who is the first to admit they're wrong? Chris.
14. Who has more siblings? Chris.
15. Who wears the pants in the relationship? Chris.

16. What do you like to do together? Hangout, take walks.

17. Who eats more sweets? I do.

18. Guilty pleasures? Wakeboarding...snowboarding/skiing...
19. How did you meet? We met while working at the Brick Oven.

20. Who asked who out first? Our first date was by accident because everyone else bailed on us.
21. Who kissed who first? I'm sure he did!

22. Who proposed? What proposal!!!
23. His best features? Chris hates when women write on their blogs about their HOT husbands, but I have to admit his looks aren't hurting him at all!!!

24. What is his greatest quality? He's a worthy priesthood holder and has a great gospel understanding.

25. Tag? Jeanne, Amanda, Lynette, Sarah

{sUmmEr ReAds}

I am always on the look out for a good book. If you have any suggestions please let me know. I usually don't recommend books at all, but since I am asking for recommendations - here are a couple I would recommend:

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin.

Here is an official summary:

Greg Mortenson and journalist David Oliver Relin recount the unlikely journey that led Mortenson from a failed attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to successfully building schools in some of the most remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. By replacing guns with pencils, rhetoric with reading, Mortenson combines his unique background with his intimate knowledge of the third-world to fight terrorism with books, not bombs, and successfully bring education and hope to remote villages in central Asia. THREE CUPS OF TEA is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time.

The Shack by William P. Young

Official description:

Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him.

[Just fair warning - this book is highly religious in that it talks about God and his role in our lives and it obviously is not written by a LDS author, but I still enjoyed it]

{dAnciNg QUeeN}

Sammy is our dancing star! Last night was her end of the season dance recital. It was wonderful. They moved through all of the numbers quickly, which is always nice. This was Sam's first year taking pointe and I was so amazed at how well the girls did. It didn't look like anyone was going to break their ankles!!! The surprise of the night came when Sam nailed an ariel during the middle of one of the dances. At first I thought maybe I was watching the wrong girl, but no, it really was Sammy. The stinker, didn't tell us, she wanted it to be a surprise and that it was!

Great Job Sam, I'm proud of you!!!

{pArAde of hOmEs}

I love the Parade of Homes. I go every year. Chris always wonders why I torture myself, but I just can't help it. Although, this is the first year I haven't come back home completely depressed. I'm guessing it's because I moved in between this year and last year's parade. Here are some of the highlights from today. (So I looked at my pics and there were too many great things so I limited myself to only 6! The sad thing is that some of my most favorite things I didn't even take a picture of - oh well...)






The stained glass in this transom is one of the many windows that my in-laws made for several of the homes. Their windows were the topic of most conversations that we walked in on when one of their windows were present. In this house they were trying to age the house, to make it feel like you were walking into a home from 100 years ago, and their windows really helped in creating that effect!