Merry Christmas!

This guy was disqualified from his neighborhood lights contest......

I love seeing all the lights and all the festive decorations!
Were loving having the house decorated and the music!
Sunday we spent hanging around home, and got the gifts for the
neighbors and grandparents delivered. Then we went to see the lights
at Temple Square! I love going there! Down Town Salt Lake City looks amazing!
It hasnt looked so good in a few years in my opinion! It was just Ty and I and we
strolled around fighting the dozens of people there trying to do the same! :)
We forgot our camera so we used my phone camera, but on my new phone I
didnt get the cord to hook into the computer! So we are going to try to go back!
Were excited for Christmas, to spend time with family and to see each other open
the gifts from each other! (Nothing too extravagant) But it's a blizzard outside and
we have clean air to breath again! lol It's a good day!

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

The Man in Khaki Pants & Straw Hat

Brian sent us a really neat present! He wrote a letter about some of his pondering, and put it in a really neat way. He talked about as he sits in the library or at home at the desk, he finds himself pondering about things in his past. One that comes to mind a lot for him is the man in the khaki pants wearing a straw hat and white new balance tennis shoes. As he would walk down the the lane from the orchard towards the drive way. He use to stand at the end of the drive way and be so excited to see him walking home. He ponders on the impression he left on his life, the things he did and didn't do. How he patterned his life after Christs life. He sent along with the letter a band that says "Live and Remember". I was broken down into tears as I read the letter. I find myself missing Dad more and more as the time goes on. Its easy to say that its only a temporal thing, which I believe whole heatedly. However it still doesn't fill the gap that is there. I have been pondering a lot the last few weeks on Dad's example and how he taught me to live. I am very appreciative to Brian for writing that letter. I wouldn't have been able to put it better! The man in the Khaki Pants and Straw Hat wearing white New Balance Tennis Shoes is exactly the man I remember! I cherish the memories and example he was to me. He left his example to follow the savior in all we do, to remember him and remember what he did for us, that it wasn't by chance or luck. As you ponder Dad's life, you are reminded so much of our Savior and his life.

Pictures!!

April was so kind to take some pictures for Ty and I! It was FREEZING outside, but they turned out really cute! Thank you again April!! :)

We have more, but they take a long time to load on here! So enjoy those ones! lol

Hurray for Holidays!

I am getting so excited for Thanksgiving & Christmas! Crazy to think its been a year since last years! lol. Ty and I has an exciting weekend last week. It was full of adrenaline. haha. We had a wonderful tastey dinner with Jess and Josh. They got back from their honeymoon wed. so Friday night we got together. We had dinner, went out for ice cream and then watched movies and chatted. Josh and Ty together are like little boys! lol They were so off the wall. They each had like 5 sodas. So that was part of it. lol But Jess and I always enjoy just chatting and all. So it was good. Looked at pics of their honeymoon and all. We started the second movie at like 1 am. So we decided to just spend the night. Meanwhile, before the movie Ty and Josh had been playing with the dogs. I went into bed just before 3 and Ty came after the movie was over. So about 5:30 Ty wakes me up, searching for his contact. He was really concerned. So I got up, turned the light on and OH MY GOSH. Ty's eye was HUGE. Swollen, Pussy, Red, and Sick looking. The pupil of his eye was indented! The white of his eye was SO SWOLLEN. So He thought maybe his contact had gotten stuck in his eye lid and all. But he was kinda in shock. SO I tried calling Mom and tried, finally we drove over there. She told us to go to ER. SO off we went to the New Riverton Hospital. It was a very nice facility! We walked in and walked out! But ends up his contact wasnt in his eye, BUT his eye was infected and scratched. It had a bacterial infection. PLUS the doctor numbed it so he could examine it, and used a swab to feel ALL over his eye. It was so sick. Makes my stomache turn just thinking about it. So it was MORE red from that. So it was about 7:45 am and I dropped Ty off and home and went to get his perscription and some benedryl. I go to Peterson's Market, and wala the pharmacy is closed till 9am. So I got benedryl and then was going to leave and without a second thought I went and got a Apple Fritter Donut. YUMM! Not even thinkin about Ty and home. So I get out to the truck, (Oh yeah, since we had woken up it was a BLIZZARD, and I only had slippers on). I climb in and turn it on to warm up. I get out the donut and take a bite and suddenly SO many emotions came all at once. Yet I was happy. As soon as I took that bite I thought : *Today makes it 2 years since Dad passed away, at almost the EXACT time 2 years before, Brian and I were there buying donuts cause we had all just gotten back from being at the hospital with Dad till he passed. Dad's favorite donut was Apple Fritter, I was his morning buddy, every saturday he would come in singing "Good morning marry sunshine, how are you today" (even when I was 18). and we would go to Petersons and get some stuff for breakfast, and I would beg to get a donut and we would get an Apple Fritter, BUT we had to share it. Never got a whole one to myself. * So all those thoughts in a matter of seconds as I chew that first bite. Then I find myself BAWLING in the car. People walking by. I finally got myself to come to it, and I decided to head up to wal-mart to get the perscription filled. (Riverton is still kinda small town, everyone knows our family , My dad grew up with the owner of the store and I didnt want to have to run into anyone else who might say something and make me start crying again) So off to wal-mart I went. LONGER story short. They were closed till 9. then when they finally opend the window, the perscription ended up being $119.00!!! So I didnt get it, and went to check out bank account, we would only have like $20 left AND we had bills due. So my mom gave us the $ (I tried to refuse it) and off I went. I took Ty and Benedryl and then showered ( I looked like Hell froze over). Then we went to get it, and we did. Then we got home and I went to put them in and Ty shouts "DONT". Well he was reading (with his one eye) the paper that they give you. ALL over it, it says "Do not use in eyes" "If contact with eyes seek medical attention". LOL So I call. I Couldnt get anyone at the pharmacy so I called the doctor at ER and he got ahold of the pharmacy and found they gave us the wrong one! SO we had to go BACK. Meanwhile its a BLIZZARD all morning and I was so ready to stay home in the warm house. But when we got the RIGHT one, it ended up being $12.00 !!! haha. So mom got her $ back and it did't BREAK the bank for Ty to not go blind in one eye.
So it started out crazy and sleepless, but it was a good day. We got a little christmas/wind thing to put at Dad's gave. Finally convinced mom to go with us to visit the grave, and then we stayed home all evening and got things oranized AND put up the christmas tree!! Ty decorated it and all. :) We got out the other stuff, but I refuse to put those up till after thanksgiving. lol
So far this week has been ok, I get my stitches out sometime soon, and I found out the spot on my arm is not cancerous. BUT it if I get more we need to get them tested cause it could be early signs. Tonight is relief society, and Ty gets a full 40 hr work week! So were doing good! Hope you all are doing good too!

The best way to have a little heaven in your home, is to have someone you love in heaven.

It's Monday. Joy! I really wasn't ready to start this week.

Ty and I both had a long weekend. Idaho was good, safe drive and all.

It was good to see Ty's family. Most of them (extended) I hadn't seen

since the wedding. Grandpa Bob's funeral was good. Sad, but good.

It was really nice. They had military honors at the grave. It was touching.

A few of the members of the battalion there in Richmond, UT. served with

Grandpa. So that was neat to see them honor him, and it had a personal

touch to it. It was hard for them to lose him though. Grandpa was a member

of that group for some years. The viewing/funeral/grave was good.
I'm going to miss him though.

I dont mean to sound all depressing. I really am not a depressed person. But

with Grandpa's passing and how he suffered has had me recalling what we went

through with Dad. You can't compare them as to which suffered more, thats just

wrong. But they went through some of the same things suffering physically. So

that was hard to see/hear that grandpa had to go through. Cause I was there with

Dad through it all. It's the hardest thing to watch someone you love so much and

who has done so much for you, and not be able to help them at all. What I learned

was that there aren't any words that can make you feel better or cover those emotions.

But its comforting knowing that you aren't alone and your not the only one who has felt

that way. I remember a cousin of mine that had lost her dad when she was younger, and

we hadn't really talked much at all our teenage years. But when she came up to me and

just hugged me and said eventually you will feel like yourself again. That to me was comforting.

Sometimes saying nothing is the best thing. Its weird how even though its the same person

who passes away, it effects each person so differently. Its comforting knowing that

its not the end once they pass. We will get to see them again and we can live with them again

if we so desire to, and do what it takes to get there! I use to be so afraid of death but

after watching Dad suffer and suffer and being with him as he got ready to pass, its not scary

when you know where they are going. It was a blessing to know my Dad wasn't laying there

suffering and sweating from every pour as we sat there helpless.

This Saturday marks 2 years since Dad passed away. Seems like so much longer, yet its flown by. Our family has changed so much since then, I think in good ways. We've all grown so much and matured. I think for the most part Dad is pleased. We all have our faults, and have room to continue growing. But as a whole I think we've done a pretty good job. Were all friends, we all serve each other, more willingly. We've learned what it means to serve and love our family and friends. Dad gave us that example many times throughout his life, but most while battling his fight with cancer and still continuing to serve as bishop and all of his family.

I am so grateful for all the examples of those who have gone before us. I feel blessed to have the knowledge I do of the gospel and being able to see it in my life!

Thanks for listening to me ramble! I hope you all are having a great start to the week!

Wedding fun!

This was my flower for my hair and my necklace! Jess looked so beautiful!!!

Coming Out!

Ty and I at the fountain by the conference center.

A few pics from jessica's wedding! :) More to come later! Love you all!!!

Wonderful, Crazy life!

Well Jess's wedding was yesturday!!
It went great! She was B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!
The day started out kinda sad, we woke up to a call from Ty's Dad saying his Grandpa Bob passed away. We were expecting it, he hasnt had good healthe for a year or more now.
He went through alot!!! It was hard knowing the suffering he was going through. Even though
I didn't see him these last few weeks where he was really not doing so good, I know what its like.
I wish I could have seen him again, but life is life. After watching Dad go through what he did, I
understand it a lot more. I wouldn't wish it upon my worse enemy. But its good to know he isn't suffering anymore!
Ty & I were recalling memories as we layed in bed till we HAD to get up and get ready for Jess's wedding. For those who don't know him, just a litle background; Over the past few years he's had both legs amputated. Due to gang-green and other illnesses. So he was in a wheel chair. We've all seen someone in that situation. However, normally Grandpa Bob was over 7ft tall! So he was shorten'd ALOT. ANYWAYS-
Ty was telling me how when he was younger they would go camping as a family, and his g-pa has a trailer, they would sleep in that and in the mornings he would open the top hatch for some cool air to come in. Then he would go outside and scream like tarzan to wake them all up!!! LOL. Anyone who knows him would think that was hillarious! He has struggled being in a wheelchair. He would do ANYTHING to get his legs back.
He has wanted to pass away for a long time now, his wife passed away some years ago. So we were laughing that the first thing he probably did was Jump Up, Run Around, Screaming like he was tarzan! :) It's comforting to know he is now whole!!

Jessica got married in SLC temple. It was beautiful as well. I love going there, its so pretty and unique. But it was also fun cause Elder Rector married them. Which he married Ty and I! He is a great man! I love gettging to be around him! It always make me happy to get to see him. He is a cherished friend! He has helped me to understand a lot of things in life & taught alot about life. He is basically amazing. But the spirit that was there was really strong. Jess and Josh will do good together! They were both so excited and so ready for it to happen! The ring ceremony and all went good too! It was a long day but fun to get to see old friends and participate in Jess's wedding! Her family is like family to me, so its fun to hang around them. For me I was a younger one in a family with 9 kids, She is one of the oldest. So its fun to see kinda how it might have been for my older siblings.

Today Ty and I are both working, tired but moving! Besides the day old make up (I was exhausted and totally slept in), blisters on my toes & gross hair. Its been a good day. lol
Going home to shower, straighten up and pack up! It will be nice to get away for a long weekend with the family. Celebrate Grandpa's Life!! Have a good Wednesday Everyone!

Going through some photos...

I was going through pictures and these stuck out to me today!
















Ty & I's first christmas! :)

Kenyon & I in England! He tried to throw me in the COLD ocean after this.

These are lions on the joseph smith memorial building. April was teaching Ty some in's and out's of photography and her camera. :) I like it a lot!

Dad's grave last fall. I really like the wreathe on it now, we put it up Sunday! *MOM said that her top priority now is to get the headstone. Watch for it coming to a grave near you... spring 2010! :) -Mom I had to put it! FUNNY story behind that phrase. lol!

This one explains itself. :) Happy Day!

This was a tree that is out infront of the Rexburg temple. One day while waiting for Ty to get out of class I was taking pics. I love it. So pure and white! -It was 10 am and still -6 outside!!

The Green Belt in IF. They have a trail that goes all the way around this area of the River & the Falls. We often would go walking there. When we were dating and would go up to IF we would ALWAYS go there, every time. The IF temple is right there too, its very pretty any time of year!

This was my halloween costume from last year! A lady bug! haha.

One of our engagements... I just love it. :)

Today, Yesterday and the Day Before!

So today I like this from the book Strangling your Husband is Not An Option.

" In your marriage, you must choose to be a partner in the marriage relationship- not a limited partner, not the general partner, but a full and active equal partner...
"One full partner with one full partner equals true one-ness in the marriage...
"This is the doormat principle. If a spouse (usually the wife) chooses to be a doormat- that big fat sero- the relationship will be a big fast zero as well. Do not become a doormat spouse! Do not be dependant, apologetic, weak-willed nonpartner. This is crucial for a wife. Men do not feel good about themselves when you let them be overly controlling. And they have no respect for you. A good relationship cannot result...
" The best wife is a true person... She develops own unique gifts and abilities and is constantly evolving and growing... If we make effort to truely value ourselves, nothing can stand in the way of our developing into not only a great wife nit a great woman as well. One of the great mistakes wives make is to stop growing. "


I really like that cause we do need to be continually growing and increasing our knowledge and skills. I really like the way she put it!

Well we went camping and FROZE our behinds! It was fun though and we enjoyed hanging out with Kenyon and Jeannette and Karl and Kendrea! I'll get some pictures posted soon!

Saturday Ty also helped me with cleaning our house! It wasn't disguisting but it needed some cleaning! We did the blinds, fans, bathroom, floors, I detailed the kitchen and all. It's SOOO nice to go to sleep and wake up with a nice clean house! :) Then Sunday I relaxed and caught up on much needed rest! :) Hope you all are doing great!

It says "I may not strangle my husband"... :)

So this past few weeks have been kinda crazy. I started working full time (between 2 jobs) and work late 3 days a week and I seem to be exhausted every day! haha. I know I am not a lone.
But for Ty and I this is new stage in life. First part of our marriage I didn't work. Ty worked and was in school. Then we moved and I was working and then Ty was at home doing shool. Then he got a part time job and I was just working part time. So we spent a lot of time together. It was nice and we work very well together when we spend a lot of time togther. So then last week I started working 5 days a week, and Ty was working 4 or so days a week. AnYwAyS- Long stupid story...short. I was feeling overwhelmed and was bottling it all up. Frustraited over stupid little things and I was moody and PMS'ing. To say the least. I was chatting with my sister and kinda telling her (not everything cause it's not everyones business, lol) but she said that it was just a new stage in marriage and evreyone goes through similar stages. I was feeling bad because I hadn't ever been so frustraited with things like that before. SO- I was walking by our bookshelf the other day and I Ty has our books arranged by Topic. So I just happend to glance at the "marriage" section and we have a few we had gotten for our wedding and such. So this one caught my eye. "Strangling Your Husband Is NOT an Option" and I remember getting it and kinda thinking "Great people already think were going to have problems in our marriage" haha. lol So that day it kept coming to mind. So the next day I finally picked it up one morning after Ty had left for work AND I didn't want to put it down! It is a GREAT book! It's not what you think it would be. It goes through duties as a wife and how to better ourselves and overall goal is improving your marriage. But I really like it cause it takes it from the Prophets point of views. It's not sitting there telling you to do this and do that and what your doing wrong. But suggests to read through the stories and serts from talks ect. and to listen to ponder and listen to the spirit on things you can do for your situation. One thing I really like that it hit upon was not to take your spouse for granit... That after time you just go about day by day and the same thing. You need to keep working at it and do the things you did when you were dating. Keep that spark alive. Just cause your married doesn't mean you have to stop flirting and getting excited to spend time with your spouse and all. I've heard these things a lot in my life and now more than ever they ring true. Its so easy to get caught up in the day to day and taking care of kids and work and just come home and expect your spouse to just make you happy or whatever. You need to do your part too and even if your spouse isn't responsive at first if you keep doing those things they will pick up on it. It's a good book, I think every wife needs to read it! :) I love being a wife and I'm realizing that there is nothing in the world to prepare you for it! You just have to keep working at it and when you know your self isn't perfect, you can't expect your spouse to be either! But yeah anyone can bowrrow it when I'm done! lol

There is my post for the week! Hope your all doing good and enjoy your weekend! Were off to camp for the night with Kenyon and Jeannette and Karl and Kendra! Going to be fun!

New Layout

I have discovered how fun it is to put new layouts on and all. lol
So for this week here it is!

Life is Life! Things are going great!
Feel like all I do is work and nothing at home gets done. haha
Ty has been great at helping around the house! It it weren't for
him this week our house would be a dump!

Can't believe its fall! We need to go take a good drive around
to get some awesome pictures! Well happy fall!!

It was Ty's birthday on Sept. 22. I made meatloaf! It was yummy yummy! I have been working making more things from scratch, instead of from a box. lol Doing good so far. :)

New Post

Well I just wanted to post. :) I'll get some pics on here soon! :)

What a weekend!

We had a wonderful weekend!
We started off with a busy week, getting moms garage sale ready!! Mom made over $500! Just what she needed! I think it was a little motivation to keep de-junking things and all! I felt great cause it was my idea and at first I wasn't sure if it would happen, but it did!

SO much thanks to Ty, he worked on it EVERY day last week, between the 2 storage units and the garage PLUS we went through lots of our stuff at home to sell too! Plus all the siblings that helped! Brando helped Ty lots too! I feel bad cause in my eyes he's still my little nephew, but in reality, he is a grown up! I remember being 18 and being treated like a little kid. But Brando did ALOT too! Even if it was telling me to get out of the way so he could lift something or do something faster than I was. ;) Mom was so happy with the outcome, which made it even better!

During the garage sale, Ben invited Ty and I to go down to Mt. Pleasant with them to meet up with Wendy's parents who were down there! We hurried and packed up after and headed down! It was a BEAUTIFUL drive! Brought back a lot of memories of Dad. He loved driving down there! I couldn't for the life of me remember where it was at. Ben kept telling me and then Jill told me, and I still couldn't picture the area. THEN we pulled into Fairview and it all came back! lol. It was fun though! I wish I got more pictures! We got down there just in time for dinner, and then campfire! Wendy's parents bought into the Camper World. It was WAY nice! Glorified Camping! Nice showers and swimming pool, flush able toilets too! They had other family there too, so we went to their trailer for the campfire, and we sang songs and roasted marsh mellows and starbursts! Then Sunday Morning I got up early and had a nice warm shower, and then we had a wonderful breakfast! Mary Jo (Wendy's mom) is so nice to us! Craig & Mary Jo are also our landlords. But offers us meals all the time & doesn't mind us crashing their parties. lol. But then we had a little Sunday enlightenment of watching a Church History DVD and then off to the pool!

THE FUNNIEST PART was Ty. haha. He sometimes is accident prone! We all got ready, changed and got sunscreen on, we all had our arms full of either a little one, towels or pool toys. Suddenly Ty stumbled...he ran into one of the sprinklers that stuck up out of the ground 12 inches! But it didn't just bump it, it BROKE! Water was coming out so Ty tried to screw it back down, when the whole pipe broke! Suddenly water was coming out like a rocket!! Seriously 7 or 8 feet in the air! Ty's face was PRICELESS! Ben went running to get someone to turn it off, meanwhile Mary Jo tells him to keep trying to stick the pipe back on, and so Ty in the middle of the Geyser, soaking wet, trying to see what the heck he was doing, kept trying! lol Man it was good! I felt bad! But I was laughing so hard and Abby started crying cause she was scared. lol. Good times! It was a fun last minuet camp out!

I remembered Dad driving us down there, in the big red van. Either visiting Amway people or Jill down at college. He loved that area greatly. Here is a pic of Dad... my favorite. This was taken in March of 2007. A month before he was diagnosed with Cancer. Ty and I loved the trip with him! He always talked about Moab & we had been down to Family Reunions but never to camp out! Anyways- I just had a flood of good memories and wanted to post something!

Well I will post a few pics I got this weekend! Look for them in a few days! :)

The Bucket List

(x) Been to Europe
( ) Been on a cruise
(x ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Skipped school
(x) Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico
( ) Been to Florida
(x) Been on a plane
( ) Been sky diving
( ) Swam with Dolphins FREE WATER, NOT TRAINED
( )Swam with Sharks THREE DIFFERENT TYPES, FREE WATER, NOT TRAINED
( ) Been to Asia
() Seen a live volcano up close
(x) Been lost
(x) Been on the opposite side of the country
( ) Gone to Washington
(x) Been to Vegas
( ) Climbed a lighthouse
(x) Swam in the ocean
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
( ) Seen the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, D.C.
(x) Played cops and robbers
( ) Flown a plane
( ) Owned a boat
( ) Watched (step) grandchildren grow
(x) Recently colored with crayons
( ) Been to the Kentucky Derby
( ) Been to Key West
(x) Been to a rodeo
( x) Sang Karaoke
(x) Paid for a meal with coins only?
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
(x) Made prank phone calls
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Danced in the rain
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(x) Watched the sunrise with someone
( ) Seen the green flash at sunset
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
( ) Gone to the movies by yourself
(x ) Owned a convertible
(x.. with a paintball gun. ) Been shot at

1. Any nickname? Laur, Laurie, Honey Bunches...
2. Mother's first name?Venina
3. Tattoos? nope
4. Body Piercing? Ears
5. How much do you love your job? Theres two! I love them both.
6. Birthplace? Murray, UT
7. Ever been to Africa ? YES! :)
8. Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? Oh yeah!
9. Ever been on TV? Yes
10. Ever steal any traffic sign? no
11. Ever been in a car accident? Nope, *knock on wood!*
12. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? Two
13. Favorite number: 16
14. Favorite TV show? Smallville, The news, lol. Dancing with the stars, bachelorette
15. Favorite movie:? How to lose a guy in 10 days, Made of Honor
16. Favorite holiday? Christmas
17. Favorite dessert? Ice Cream... Brownies
18. Favorite day of the week. Sunday
19. Favorite kind of body wash? Anything that’s handy
20. Favorite Smell: Summer Rain!
21. How do you relax? Go to the mountains and breathe in the fresh air!
22. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Kids running around...older.. I dont know!


Thats a big one! :)

A bunch of pictures....

Ty's personal fav. :)

We like going up little cotton wood canyon... we played around in the granite quary.

We had fun playing on this big rock!

Enjoyed a day at temple square

Ty & I found this cool canyon, then Jess I went up one day for fun!

Summer Days

are the BEST. However I feel I am missing half of summer... where did it go?

Things are going great for Ty and I. Ty finishes school this week! YAY! Until

September... But atleast we'll get to spend some evenings together without the

HUM 102 book on his lap. lol :) He has done very well again this semester!

The counselor at BYU was very impressed with him & how he keeps progressing

each semester. :) It's a good thing! Also told him to take some of his art work to

these counselors in the Animation Dept. and see what they say. He might be able

to skip a few classes.. or test right out of them! We'll see.

Were excited for August. Were moving up to Riverton next week, we drive up there 5 of 7 days

and it's a lot in gas! Working up there is nice, but I hate the drive! It's getting very old. I thought

it wouldnt bother be so much, but it does. lol Ty is looking for work up this way now. We are praying something comes up fast!

I will up load some pictures of late, in a day or so. Have a great day! :)

Days with the kiddos- :)

We had good times! I love hanging with my neices and nephews!!!

Jewelery

Here are a few pics of what I've been up to. My new hobby! :)

My camera is NOT the greatest nor even close to good. lol But

here are a few. :) Watch bands are interchangable & those are $15.

Just the watch band is $10. :) The bracelets and earings I haven't priced yet. They are for gifts right now. :) I think it's a lot of fun to create these!

Enjoy!!