Recognize this face???

Ok this is my face with my friend Kristen, but just check out the next photos!!! This was a night I will never forget. It was so amazing. It was great to go with a friend that is a huge fan just like me!

Um yeah we were this close. He walked right by us. We had floor seats right by the isle, and we both got to touch him multiple times. We got to be right by the stage and reach our hands out like all the really big fans. It was so amazing. The concert was incredible! Oh, and did I mention that this is the second time Kristen and I have gone to see him in less than a year. You can bet we'll go again when he comes back!
Here's proof that of how close we were-a shot with Kristen right by Tim! I would post the photo with me right by him, but it is not a good picture of me...so Kristen will have to be the proof.

Oklahoma City

So Ryan and I got to go down to Oklahoma City last weekend...alone. It was so great! I have a friend who volunteered to take them for the night so we headed down and spent a night there. We had such a fun time, but still found ourselves exhausted by 10:30.
After Ryan got off work on Friday we drove down there, checked into our hotel downtown, and went to Cattleman's restaurant. It isn't the best looking place to eat, but it was dang good. It's been around for 100 years and has been featured in lots of magazines and food shows on TV. We've heard about it so we decided to check it out. We left there extremely full and completely satisfied. We also discovered while we were here that the camera I brought alot to take pictures had a dead batter...and of course I didn't bring the charger, so we took no pictures (I'm getting all these off the internet.)
We headed back into town and walked around bricktown for a little bit. We went to see if there was a movie we wanted to catch, but didn't see anything of interest so we picked up some ice cream and headed back to our hotel room.We spent the rest of the evening eating our ice cream, watching TV, and relaxing.
In the morning we decided to check out the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. It was a very sobering experience, to say the least. This photo shows the reflection pond where the road previously was that ran next to the Murrah Federal Building. The museum gives a detailed description of the happenings of that April day in 1995. I was only 11 years old when it happened, so I don't remember much about it. I only remember seeing stuff on the news-the pictures with the building half blown away. If you ever go to Oklahoma City I would definitely recommend going to this museum. I learned a lot, and felt a lot. It was a beautiful memorial and museum! I left there feeling physically and emotionally sick. It is hard to imagine all the lives that were changed in one day, one instant.
After the museum we looked around Bricktown a little bit more then headed over to the temple. The youth of our ward were going down there so we signed up to go help. It was so nice to be there especially after the museum. Isn't it so great that families can be together forever. We enjoyed our time at the temple. Afterward, we ate some dinner then headed back home. We really enjoyed the trip-it's the first time we've left our children...we'll have to do it more often than once every 5 years!

HAIRCUT

These photos turned out darker on here, but hopefully you can get the idea of my new cut. Here is the before photo. Before the cut, but right after a shower-my hair is wet.Here is the new look. What do you think? I love it. I love having short hair. I've always been scared to cut my hair, but I finally got the courage to do it and I love it. When I go back to have it cut again though I think I want it a little shorter, and I don't want the bangs. I got bangs cut, and I just don't like them...you can't even tell that I have them in these photos though so it is ok for now.

Other happenings

We've been enjoying life since we've come home from our big trip this summer. Halli and Carson have been much nicer this week after catching up on sleeping and getting back to their regular schedules. They really did pretty good on our vacation too though, but it is always nice to get back in the routine. I went to girls camp with our church for a week 2 weeks ago. I had my friend Kristin braid my hair. I love it! It was so nice to not have to worry about my hair for a week. It kept me a lot cooler too. I think I'll have to have her do this to me once every 6 months or so. It was just a nice break from my hair.
We went on a rafting trip during camp, and it was a blast. These are the fun girls I got to spend the day with. I don't think any of them had paddled a boat before so it was fun to teach them how to control the raft. We only got stuck once!
This was after I took my hair out of the braids, but before I brushed it. It was a good bit bigger after I brushed it.
I'll be making another post soon, but I just needed to play catch up on all these posts. They aren't too exciting...the next ones will be more so-Promise.

Hoedown Throwdown

So I am in charge of teaching a line dance at girls camp next week, and I decided it would be fun to learn the hoedown throwdown from Hannah Montana movie (I know it's not technically a line dance, but I'm in charge of it so I'm choosing this dance!). I spent the last hour and a half doing it over and over in my living room. It is a fun dance, and a fun song. I think the girls will have a lot of fun with it. I'm sweating like crazy though. If anyone is looking for a fun way to exercise I would recommend learning it (via youtube with Miley teaching it). She teaches it kinda fast, but thanks to my dancing roots I feel like I picked it up quickly. Boy was it nice to dance again-I forgot how much I love it. I'm thinking I'm gonna have to sign up for a dance class this fall!
As a side note-I watched the movie Dear John tonight and wasn't happy with how it ended-was anyone else really mad?

Sweet Memories

I was folding my laundry tonight while listening to the radio when a song came on. It brought back so many memories, and many fun times. I'm sure this happens to everyone-memories from songs. So, I just thought I'd post some songs that always trigger certain memories for me (most from high school).

Shoop - Salt-N-Pepa

Something like that - Tim McGraw

No, No, No Part 2 - Destiny's Child (This one's you Heather!)

Kiss Me - Sixpence Non the Richer

Truly, Madly, Deeply - Savage Garden (Reminds me of when my dad and I drove a homeless lady to Georgia...funny story)

You Got It Bad - Usher

Who's Bed Have your Boots Been Under - Shania Twain

Raise Up - Petey Pablo

Lime in the Coconut

Diane - Guster

I could list probably 100 songs or more than bring specific memories, but these are some just off the top of my head. I love the laughs I get from all these songs! Does anybody have any songs that make them think of me when they hear it?

R-Kansas Race

Ok so people here in Kansas (or maybe it is just a Wichita thing) pronounce the state Arkansas like R-Kansas. Weird huh? Last weekend I took a trip down with two good friends to run my second half marathon. This race was tougher than the last one! The course was a lot hillier (is that a word?) than what I had been training on. I figured it would be pretty flat like Kansas, but it wasn't. The last mile was this hill that was monstrous. I didn't like it, but I did it...and I even ran it. I didn't give up, so I was pretty happy about that. I did take 15 minutes off my previous time so I was really pleased with how I did. I know I'm not a fast runner, but I figure if I keep improving maybe I will be fast someday. Here are some fun photos from the weekend....just want to say thanks again to Kristen and Mary Ann for the great time! Can't wait to do it again.

Mary Ann And I before the 13 mile run...it was cold

Kristen and I before the race

running

finishing, and really exhausted

Notice Kristen is WAY faster than I am. I think she finished 20 minutes before I did!

ok, ok, ok

I know I haven't been posting much at all lately-even though I am supposed to be posting at least once a week to report on my projects. I've been way stressed about this big service project I am in charge of for church. I am the stake YW secretary, and I was put in charge of a stake youth activity. It was supposed to be yesterday, but it snowed an inch Friday night so the activity got canceled...I guess there was ice under the snow. (still not to scary for me...after all we lived in Idaho where snow/ice covers the roads for 7 months out of the year) I was looking forward to being done with it, but now it is going to be next Saturday so...I will be stress free (haha) in a week.
I have a lot to blog about, but tonight I just wanted to report that we are still alive. I will post tomorrow about how my race went last weekend. I need to get photos from my friends so I can have so proof of my accomplishment! So for now, just know we are all alive and well.

Little Man Ties

Well Ryan brought his computer home from work with him this weekend, so good news-I can post pictures. I'll be posting all my recent projects and some recent photos of things we've been doing.
My project this week was making some little man ties for Carson. It took me a while to make them, but I think they turned out pretty good. I wanted to get a photo of Carson wearing them, but he is already in bed tonight. This is my project #10. Following that photo is the photos of other projects from recent weeks.





I just realized that half of them are unfinished. I have some work to finish this week. I have tried to put the flower on my headwrap that I made, but I can't figure it out. I have to keep trying and get the flower on there. It looks good without it, but it will look better with it. Then I don't have the face on the bear I made. I don't have the materials for it yet, but I will be getting them next week so I'll have to wait until then to finish it. Sorry for the rambling...I'm just thinking aloud.

These next two photos are just from a night we had some popcicles last week. The kids enjoyed them, and Halli was being so silly. And the last photo was from a couple weeks ago she took a nap on the chair in her instead of in her bed. I went in there to check on her and had to take a photo cause it was silly. I haven't found her like that since...so I don't think she slept very well.




As a final note, I'm running another half marathon next weekend. It's been a year since my last one. I was going to do a full marathon the end of february, but my knee wouldn't let me do a full one so I'm now doing a half next Saturday down in Bentonville Arkansas...yes, home of Walmart. I'll let you know how it goes!

I hope you think of me

You know that song by Taylor Swift? It's not titled I hope you think of me, but it has that line in it. The title is Tim McGraw....and I'm going to see him in concert on June 11th!!!!! I'm super excited he is coming to Wichita. A friend and I have floor seats to go see him because we both LOVE his music. I have loved him since high school, and now I get to see him a few short months. So, I hope you're thinking of me on June 11th while I enjoy this amazing concert!

2010 Goals

I did get sick after all. I woke up yesterday morning not feeling well, and stayed feeling that way all day. I am feeling better today, but it still stinks that I got sick. And while my sister and her family are visiting! I didn't get my AC project done this week with the leaking mess we have been dealing with, and all of us getting sick. So...I thought I would write down my goals on here so I can clarify my creativity challenge. So anyway, here are my goals for the year.

• Read one book every month (I already read The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck...very good book-definately recommend it!)
• Write in my journal at least once a month...it will beat doing it only 3 times last year!
• Do 52 house/craft projects this year. This will be my AC Challenges, but I'm changing it a little bit. Sometimes they aren't things that are super creative, but things that I just want to try to do...and some weeks things will come up so I'll do 2 projects some weeks and none other weeks (like this one!).

I have a few more personal goals, but these are the ones I am sharing with the world. I'll be blogging about the books I read and the projects I do, and this is basically an online journal (not that I am counting this for my journal entries!) so I was willing to share these goals I have set for myself.

I hope you have all set some goals to help improve and stretch yourself this year. It is looking like it will be a busy year for me!

USA Volleyball

So a couple weeks ago Ryan and I got to go see the mens USA volleyball team play the Netherlands. They came here to Wichita Kansas...I thought it was pretty random, but Ryan said they are playing all over the US to get more interest in the sport. Well, we were just happy they came here and definitely had to go! The USA beat them in 3 games, so we were happy they won! We got front row tickets and had a great time. It reminded me of old times back at BYUI watching Ryan, Johnny, Bryce, Cache, Hyrum, Josh, and all the other guys play volleyball. I miss hanging out with Ashley and chatting while watching our husbands pound on the opposing team. Oh the good old days! Volleyball is such a fun sport to watch!

I WON!!

So this news is a bit delayed because I've been at girls camp all week, but I won a drawing on the blog make it and love it. I won a $20 credit to the site Kayte Bug Boutique! They have a plethora of cute baby and mom stuff. I'm so excited to make my purchase so I can rave about how cute they are! Check out the sites-I just know you'll love them too!

Here comes June

Not much has been happening this week with us. We spent a few days scrubbing our apartment and finally turned the keys over on Thursday so we are officially out of there! We went to clean it and realized how small it really was. We thought it was huge compared to any other apartment we had lived in, but compared to our house it is just tiny! It is nice to have a bigger place-our own place. Ryan has been doing a project a day out in the yard so it is looking better and better! Some day (probably next year) we'll have enough money to re-landscape the front yard and turn the hideousness it now is into something B-E-Autiful! No real progress with the rest of the house. Except I bought some candles today to make it smell better. I think the smoke smell is almost out!

Here are a couple photos from the week.

Ready for the day

Another hair style I tried with Halli...I know it's a mohawk, but I thought it was cute

Me and Carson waiting for a parade to come

Ryan and Halli waiting for the parade

COWTOWN

This will be a short post because, but I just had to share my big accomplishment. Last weekend I went down to Fort Worth, TX with a couple friends and participated in my first ever race. I ran a HALF MARATHON! Since high school I have wanted to run a marathon, and last weekend I got half-way there! I'm definitely not the fastest runner (Someone finished the marathon a couple minutes after I finished the half!), but I came in finishing 2:18:18. Not too bad for a first timer running in 30 degree temperatures and winds blowing 20-30 mph. You'd think it'd be warm in Texas, but not that day! I had a great time, and am planning on running my next race in May!
My friend took some photos before we started the race then her camera died so we didn't get any as we finished, but here is one of me back at the hotel after it was all over!

Should Have Stayed In Bed

You know those days where you wish that you'd never woken up. Well today is one of those days for me. Both of my children are screaming in the other room right now. They are driving me CRAZY!!!! The day started off just fine-actually really great. I slept in until almost 8! Then i decided we would run some errands this morning. Obviously this was a bad idea. Carson threw the biggest fit in the world while we were at Target, but I had to get some stuff there so I couldn't leave. He kept crying and screaming while we made our way to the front of the store, and then while we waited in line at the ONLY checkout that was open. He screamed all the way home so when we got here I just put him in bed and told him to stay there. After about 15 more minutes of crying he fell asleep. While he was crying I fed Halli in the living room which lately has been so difficult. All she wants to do is play with the bottle and not eat the food. It take forever to get her to eat. Then she wanted to play after eating, but she was super sleepy so I laid her down. She started crying when I put her in the crib which woke up Carson and so now he apparently thinks it is time to get up. He came out of the room 5 minutes later and I sent him back in so now he woke up Halli who had fallen asleep, so they are both screaming at me in there. Is there anyone out there who can come save me from this madness?!?

Fall is Here!

Fall is my favorite season. I just love the cool weather, the beautiful colors, and the fun things to do in the fall. I have been walking with the kids in the mornings, and we have all really enjoyed it. Carson always loves to be outside and ask all sorts of questions about what he sees. Halli is so happy when she is snuggled in her little baby bjorn and able to look around. And I just love being outside and getting a break for the craziness of the house. The other day we walked to the park and while Carson was playing I was just really appreciating the beauty of the earth. The sky was so blue and clear as can be, the wind was blowing ever so gently bringing the wonderful smell of leaves to my nose, and the way the sun was hitting dew in the grass made it shimmer. What a wonderful time-how could I not appreciate it!!!We have been doing well. I have found somethings to do around the town that keep us busy during the week. We take a weekly trip to the library, go to cookie bookie (a nice book club for little kids where they read a book, eat cookies, and do crafts. We also get a free book each week we go which is awesome!!), Carson's swim "lessons", walks, and whatever else we find to do. I think this week I will try to take the kids to the zoo one morning. I know Carson will love it, and I'm sure Halli will be just fine as long as she is being carried around. I just hope it won't be too hard to do without Ryan. We'll see I guess.Halli is growing so fast, and learning new things everyday. I forget how fast they change. Wasn't that a wonderful talk President Monson gave today in Conference about change and appreciating each moment. That talk really touched my heart. Sometimes all I can think about is when Halli is older and can play with Carson so I can find some time to do things for myself. I know I will miss these moments that I have with her now though. Time goes by so fast, and I already miss the way Halli was last month. What great council! It is definitly something I will be working on in the coming weeks, days, and hours. We are well and happy-hope you all are too!

Air Show & Park Party

Two weeks ago we were sitting at home on Saturday and we decided to go to the park to play. Lucky for us some church was putting on a carnival thing at the park and they had tons of fun stuff to do. We all had a fun time being outside doing something out of the ordinary. It was a nice surprise! Carson was a little bit hesitant to get his face painted, so I got mine painted first then he was excited for it! He was also really really excited to see the fire trucks that were right next to the park. He has been wanting to get a close look of the fire trucks for a long time!
Last Saturday there was an air show at this small airport by our apartment so Ryan took Carson over there and check it out. They had a fun time-Carson is still talking about it. He just loved seeing all the airplanes and helicopters. Ryan bought him a little toy airplane while they were there and it is his new favorite toy. He has also been telling me frequently that daddy works on airplanes-he seems proud of it somehow. It is just fun to see the things that mean so much to him. Carson just loved this little plane he got to sit in-too bad something like that would cost hundreds of dollars. It would be a way fun toy to get!

9 months

My sister wanted to see some photos of me at this point in life-nine months pregnant. I don't have many right now, but I'll put up a few I have and think about taking a couple more. Here is a shot of me on June 1-just ignore my huge arm!
Last night we had a big storm that was expected to come through and produce tornadoes. I was scared out of my mind for a while, but everything turned out just fine-it wasn't very bad at all thank goodness! We were under a tornado warning (which means a tornado has touched down or should touch down) for about a half an hour so we hung out in the bathroom for about 45 minutes last night. Ryan thought it was funny and took some photos.
These are the only photos I have of me right now-but maybe we'll get out and do something fun tomorrow and we can take some more. Even better-maybe the baby will come tomorrow and we can have better photos than just me really big!

What we are up to

Well, we have been in Wichita for about 3 weeks now. I have started my new job and we are finally all unpacked. I am in the program working on the Boeing 747-8 passenger airliner. I am pretty bored at work since I don't go through my software training until the second week in June. I also have to get about 8 accounts set up just so i can do simple tasks. I am however able to go walk around the plant and see how each little part of the airplanes are manufactured. I think I could spend all day watching people work and not get bored. Also, it took me about an hour just to make a loop around the plant. The place is huge and I am just waiting to get lost down there. I am anxious to start some real work.

Back at home, we are finally getting settled. We actually have a couch and a washer and dryer. I think we are ready for our baby girl to come... well, as ready as we can be i guess. It will be interesting to see how Carson reacts to the new addition to the family. For the first time in his life he won't be the center of attention. We finally got our health insurance figured out and Tiffani was able to go to the doctor. The baby could come any time! Yikes!

Also, since we have been in Wichita, we have been able to go to the Zoo and go camping. Camping isnt quite the same as in Idaho, but Carson and I still had fun. I bought Carson a Batman fishing pole, but we were unsuccessful during the campout. I actually missed Idaho for a little while there. Anywho, here are a few pictures we have taken... I also got around to taking the pictures off my camera of my last Idaho fishing trip.