Top 5 Idols

Another Night of American Idol. I feel like one of the judges because I love to critique all the performances. Tonight I thought was very good. Not sure how many of you are Idol fans, but I'm a big one. Anyway, my favorite performance of the night was David Archileta singing "America." I know there was one part that his voice actually cracked, but overall, I thought it was excellent!! He has been a favorite from the begining for me. (see earlier post) So for all you who missed it...America!

Earth Week

Nick and I are NOT tree huggers. We love the outdoors and the beautiful world God created, but we don't like going overboard. However, last week was Earth week. We had the Healys over for dinner and surprised them by not using any dishes, utensils, etc. (we said we did it to save water from washing dishes, or paper from paper products) We wrapped the table in plastic wrap and dumped dinner on the table. After we drank our water, we used our water bottles to make root beer floats. (we cut off the tops) I hope the Healys don't think we are too strange, but it ended up being a pretty fun night.

Kid Magnet

Max & Nick
Trayson, Acadia & Nick
Too many kids to name & Nick at the bottom

I have always been impressed at the way Nick is with kids. For example, when we go to visit family the nieces and nephews were always most excited to see their favorite aunt Sarah until...Nick came along. Now it is, "Uncle Nick!!!!" and then, "Oh, Hi Aunt Sarah." I don't really mind though because I think it is so cute. All my nieces and nephews LOVE Nick. This "kid magnet trait seems to not only be with my family. Kids just love him. Last weekend we had a ward party. While the adults were busy chatting, Nick was entertaining. The kids couldn't wait to play with Nick. I know Max Woolf and the Wynn children were a little upset that they had to share Nick with the other kids, as they usually get Nick all to themselves. These are a few pictures illustrating my point. I can't wait until we have kids of our own. He will be the BEST dad!!

Camping Weekend

Nick with the kids, Acadia and Trayson Wynn

This weekend was so great! The Johnsons invited us, the Burnetts and the Wynn to all go camping so we left the city and hit the dusty trail. On Friday, Natalie and I left early to ensure us a camping spot. It was fun to talk on the hour drive and while we were waiting for everyone to show up. When Nick, Chad and the Burnetts came, we put up the tents and started making dinner. Then Wynns didn't make it until after dark. It was so funny when they got there, I went to get Trayson out of his car seat with Danielle and Tray said while litearlly half asleep, "I love camping." It was cute. They made it just in time for dessert.

The next morning we ate a yummy breakfast-thanks burnetts and johnsons!!

Then we went on a few short hikes. It was PERFECT weather. I LOVED most of all being with such good friends! I know we haven't known any of them for very long, but we love being in their company.

Thanks to Leisel

For all of you who don't know, I have been learning massage. My wonderful friend has been teaching me and it has been so fun. Anyway, about a month ago I bought my own massage table. It has been so fun to be able to do massages out of my home. I was missing some things though. For example I had to use a towel for the face rest and a pillowcase for the bolster because it was too expensive to buy the cases. This week, Leisel Payzant helped make me a cover for hte bolster and face rest. I am all set now. So if anyone wants me to practice massage on them, it is free! (tips accepted;)) Thanks Leisel!!

I made this carrot cake to take over. The bolster and its new cover are by the cake.

The life and Memory Of Harry Potter

About a month ago, we bought... OK, I bought 3 little goldfish (Nick). I thought it would be fun and I wrote Sarah a cute not to go with it- something about 'fishing' for the right words to say "I love you." It really only cost a dollar or so and the year supply of food was a dollar too so it was something fun to take care of. Well, we thought of names that came in threes like "John Stockton, Karl Malone, and Jeff Horny-check" then we thought of "Bella, Edward, and Jacob" but that was a little corny so we settled on "Harry potter, Hermonie, and Ron." Those names just seemed to fit because Harry was the one with black marks, Hermonie was the small one, and Ron was the big orange one. I figured one would die because we have never even been able to keep plants alive and my last fish committed suicide by jumping out of the bowl. These little guys stayed alive though!... Until today.

On Sunday Harry Potter (the marked one) got the black plague. in other words, he started to get covered in black patches all over. The sorrowful truth is, he was murdered. It is a tragic story of a boy who unknowingly poisoned our fish with remnants from my toothbrush. On a dark and foreboding Sunday morning- that was neither dark nor all that foreboding, a young lad, enthralled with watching the fish, decided to interact with them by sticking a menacing toothbrush into the bowl. The toothbrush had been tainted with dried toothpaste build-up, as most toothbrushes have. This contained all the right poison to take an innocent fish-life. The death was slow, but not painful. Once the stirring of the toothbrush had occurred, the chunk of toothpaste was ingested, and all that was left were the black patches of death.

Harry Potter has past from this life into the endless oceans in the clouds. His memories are those of swimming left and right, up and yes, down. He ate and he swam into our hearts but now his lifeless and floppy body will probably end up in Lake Mead. His spirit, however small will swim on forever...

Good-bye Harry Potter- my good fish of 2 months. You will be missed...

A Baby to Love

Posting two days in a row is a record for me, but a lot has been on my mind today. 3 months ago today we lost a baby to miscarriage. Sometimes it seems like yesterday-the pain is still so real. Other times, it seems like life has moved forward so fast and new adventures will soon be ours. Either way, today was sort of a "down day" for that reason. There is a teacher at my school that is one week behind where we would have been. Everyday when I see her swollen belly my heart just breaks. When we lost the baby, a friend of mine gave me a talk by a church leader, (can't remember who) that gave 3 good quotes. I look at them each day and they really help, so if any of you are having a down day like me, just remember..."Life is hard but I can do hard things," "Make the best of it," and "Things take time." I know I can make it through.

Tonight Nick and I rented a movie called Martian Child. It is about a man who was planning on adopting with his wife, when she suddenly passed away. He gets a call one day saying they have a child-a 6-7 year old boy who thinks he is from Mars. Sounds comical I know, but it was very touching to see how love grows for a young child that nobody wanted. It is only PG and is a must see!

Who knows what the future holds for us as far as children go. We have definitely considered adoption. I look forward with faith in my patriarchal blessing that says I will be a mother. Until then, I will just keep loving all of your children.

Conference and Stuff

I love conference! It is seriously something I look forward to every 6 months. I have to admit, I was sad to have my first conference without President Hinckley, but my heart was touched as I listened to our Prophet President Monson. I know that he is a prophet of God. How cool is that?!? Really? We are so blessed to be taught by the Lords anointed. I also feel blessed to know that he is a prophet. Sometimes I have been accused of blind faith, but I know what I feel and I am thankful for that testimony. So, as far as favorites for this time round...I really liked Bednars, Ukdorf, Monson, and Tanners talks. I also enjoyed Hollands, and Eyrings. Can't wait until they are published so I can take it all in. Oh, and I loved the song "High on a Mountain Top" by the Mo-Tab. It was beautiful!

Today I made my first ever character cake. I have been tutoring a family since we moved here. Riley-who is in first grade, just won first place in the pinewood derby. I decided to make a cake for him in his honer. It actually was way harder than I thought it would be. Anyway, here is a shot of the cake and the kids.