family time

Between Blog-a-palooza, Women's Conference, friend gatherings and shopping...I have managed some family time!

I love my families.

Tanner and I went to see Landon's side of the family. We wish he could have been with us.

Tanner loves Grandma Jan. After we left her house I asked him what he wanted to do tomorrow and he said "Go to Grandma Jan's!"

Gma Jan

Me and adorable Bailey (Emily's daughter)

Me and cute Emily! (Landon's sister)

Jan, Emily, me and Mandy (sis-in-law)

The cousins (minus Grayson!)

Caleb and Holden-twins (Mandy's kids), Bailey and Tanner!

Boys will be boys!!

Blog-a-palooza

I have so many posts I want to do about this weekend. I guess I will start with this one.

Here are more pix from blog-a-palooza.

Holly, me, my sis and Nancy.

I obviously know my sister, have known Holly forever, but met Nancy at the party. Nancy, you are so fun and exciting! It was great getting to know you better.

Denae and Celia with me.

They are the blog queens and the one's who headed up the whole party. THANKS! It was seriously so fun. Denae it was fabulous seeing you again...still cute as ever, and Celia I loved sitting by you at dinner! You are hilarious.

More fun chicka's!! I wish I was sitting at this table for dinner!!

(no offense to my table, I loved yall too)

My sis Shauna with Angie, Denae and Julie (all who are related). Some of the sweetest girls ever!

Me and Shally! Yes, she is as awesome as she looks!!!!!!

Kara, Annmarie, Laurie and Holly. CUTE CUTE girls!

Me, Lorena, Holly and Denae! Lorena is so sweet. Thank you Lorena and Paige for our conversation!! Paige...I don't have any glamour shots of you. BOO HOO.

Me and Holly!

We started this blog thing together and she stole my friend Denae and then we stole all of her friends and now we both have a ton of new awesome friends together!!!!!

LOVE IT!

Thurs, Fri, Sat

My weekend so far has been AWESOME.

I attended Women's Conference with my sisters and mom, and it was amazing. We heard talks from Sister Dew, Sister Beck, John Bytheway, the PROPHET...and many other fabulous speakers. It was so uplifting and it was fun to be back in Provo and on BYU's beautiful campus.

Blogapalooza was a BLAST. I'll post more of those pix tomorrow. I also ran into 2 other friends from blogging which was totally awesome (Natalie and Melissa)!!

Today, before heading back to my mom's, we went to the Provo temple for a session. It had been awhile for me...it's alot harder now that the closest temple is 3 hours away. I sure took it for granted while living here before. I also got to see my grandma in Provo, and my other grandparents in Heber. They each told stories of their lives growing up and raising kids...they were amazing people and endured alot. I love hearing from them!!

It's been a good week. Tonight my sisters and I went and saw "Made of Honor." It was really cute, but there are always unnecessary parts to every movie that don't need to be there. The raunchiness wasn't cool, but I did think it was cute.

President Monson

Sitting in the bleachers listening to talks!

The group at blog-a-palooza!

Me and my momma!

Sista's. Provo temple.

Cheers to a fabulous time!

Utah time

Hello! I am in Utah. I am having a blast. I am attending Women's Conference. Sherri Dew was the best today! The prophet speaks tomorrow! Tonight we had our blog-a-palooza party. It was a blast!!!!!!!!!! Everyone was beautiful, nice, fun and it was a great girls night out. Tomorrow is girls night out with my sisters and mom...along with more classes at WC. I have a few more days in Utah. I miss my husband. I still need to see more of my friends while I'm here. It was awesome running into Jylaire! I want to see more family members. Time goes too fast. We (Tanner and I) are having fun!!!!!!!!!! (except what is up with this weather? snow. nasty)

I'll be back later... :)

Collective Soul

Lisa,

this song is for YOU!!!!!!

Lisa is my awesome friend! She lives behind me. She moved from Utah too. She has three adorable kids, and her 2 and 3 year old love Tanner and he loves them.

Her husband is cool too. He rocks out to Rock Band like he IS Collective Soul! lol

She is my YW first counselor. She is awesome and funny.

(my counselors rock. FYI)

The other night for a YW activity we had to drive 2 hours away (I miss walking down the block in Utah). Anyways...we had alot of time driving and bonding with the girls in the car. Lisa and I both LOVE Collective Soul!

They are the best band ever.

We played some of their music and asked the girls (who were 13) if they knew Collective Soul. They didn't!!!!!! It was crazy and I felt so stinkin' old. They said they didn't know who U2 was either...they might have been joking though.

We had a good laugh with it all.

You guys know who Collective Soul is? Right. You better. I shouldn't have to ask.

un-event-ful

Our day is pretty ful of un-events. It's all good.

Tanner is playing.

The rain is falling.

I am cleaning.

(and blogging)

I hope YOU are having a good day!

(sign up by tonight for the "favorite things swap" and I will post names tomorrow!! :)

so stay tuned

FAVORITE THINGS

I wish this was Oprah's favorite things...but it's not.

This is "bloggin' friends favorite things swap!"

I am too impatient to wait to do the "favorite things swap!" that I previously mentioned.

I want to get it started now!!!!

Here is the scoop:

Think of some of your favorite things.

Be it:

shopping at Target...

do you love pretty bling bling

do you scrapbook or make cute recipe books, fun projects...anything crafty and cute

can you make amazing quilts, such as this!!??

or maybe, all you like is CHOCOLATE!

Whatever your favorite things are, let's share them and swap around!

*Everyone that wants to participate will enter the swap and you will each be assigned a friend that you will send your favorite thing, or things to.

*Price range $20-25

*It can be one thing, like a quilt you made, or several things like a gift card to your favorite store, your favorite treat and favorite book you just read.

*Whatever it may be, make it fun! You can purchase or make the items you send. If you have a special talent, go ahead and use it. Have fun with it.

(just be aware that you might not particularly like the swap you get, so don't be disappointed. it is someone else's favorite thing, not yours, but maybe you will learn to love it too!)

Who doesn't like getting something new and fun packaged in the mail? I do.

Let me know if want to play!!

So far, this is who I think has agreed. Let me know if your name is mistakenly here, otherwise if your name is here you are cemented!

Jylaire http://mattandjylaire.blogspot.com/

Lichelle: private blog

Holly http://leviandfaith.blogspot.com/

Lorena http://seeleys.blogspot.com/

Katie http://mikeandkatietaylor.blogspot.com/

Ashley H http://ashleyhollis.typepad.com/joy/

Camille http://web.mac.com/cjroskelley/Camille_Roskelley/Simplify/Simplify.html

Shally http://sorensen6.blogspot.com/

Mandy K http://kirksmotleycrew.blogspot.com/

Jeanelle http://jeanelleshaw.blogspot.com/

Lindsey http://thompsonlove.blogspot.com/

Nicole http://nicolerees.blogspot.com/

Chrissy http://busylifehappywife.blogspot.com/

Kacie http://maloufish.blogspot.com/

Becky http://montjamesfamily.blogspot.com/

Please SIGN in by this Friday and then I will give you the name of who you send your package to, and who will be sending you your fun new surprise, we will mail our packages next week!

Super duper fun :)

showing "I love you"

My love language is different than Landon's love language. I am words of affirmation...you can praise me and tell me everything in the good book all day long and I will be on a high! I need to verbally hear encouragement, thanks, and "I love you."

I constantly say "I love you" to Landon...but he would rather be shown with acts of service. Words are still important to him, but they are not as meaningful as action. He always notices when I clean the house, make dinner, take the car in for an oil change...and is very appreciative of it (which makes me feel appreciated as well) and it makes him feel loved! I need to be better at doing service for him, rather than just telling him. SO. Yesterday I decided to mow the entire yard for him (.6 acres) on a slope. It was the hottest day so far (85 degrees) and I haven't exercised in months...so it was quite the task for me. I had fun though, and I also did it for selfish reasons because I needed a good work-out. It was a beautiful day and it felt good to do it out of love, when I knew Landon would come home exhausted from a long day at work and be grateful that wasn't one more task that needed to be done. I showed him his love language and he was ever so grateful!

My hips have been aching all day, but it was worth it. I love my babe and I (think) definitely proved it!

Blog-a-palooza, you ask?

Some of you have asked me what a

blog-a-palooza

is...well, I have to preface first. This is Denae

(and her cute hubby Dave):

Denae is actually my friend. I know her in the flesh. We lived by them in WyView during our BYU days and we loved their cute little family. Denae is a blog Diva. She is awesome. She is funny, entertaining, sincere and knows how to blog it right!

http://www.denaeharlow.blogspot.com/ I have found alot of her friends, and friends of their friends who blog and have them on my googlereader now, and have come to be "cyberfriends" with alot of them...such as Celia:

http://www.groundhogdaywithcelieafae.blogspot.com/

Celia is another blog Diva who rocks. She is so dang funny, everyone LOVES her. I have not met her in the flesh, but I definitely call her my friend.

Well, these two yawho's decided to arrange a blog-a-palooza party. Women's Conference for our church is in 2 weeks and alot of people travel to Utah for this event. These fabulous women threw together an event for some of us girls who blog together, so we can actually all meet in the flesh and prove to our husbands how legit blogging is and that we aren't crazy cyberwomen anymore, because now we personally, physically and bloggingly all know one another!!!!!!!

It is going to be so fun!!!!!! So you see...some of us already know each other (but haven't seen each other in years), but there are alot of us who actually haven't met, and now we have the opportunity. Now, no excuses, we will be friends forever!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the group of blogging chicks who are going to be attending the blog-a-palooza party during one of the nights at BYU's Women's Education.

Gabi http://thegabblog.blogspot.com/

Andrea http://eggplant-is-her-game.blogspot.com/

Christie http://stiesthoughts.blogspot.com/

Bridget http://bridget-adayinalife.blogspot.com/

Diane http://dianelittlebitsofnothing.blogspot.com/

Jessica http://everydayromneys.blogspot.com/

Mique http://adventureswiththeprovosts.blogspot.com/

Angie http://angieabillablog.blogspot.com/

Annie http://basicjoy.blogspot.com/

Sally no blog

Marty http://travelinoma.blogspot.com/

Julie http://julieblodgett.blogspot.com/

Tristan http://tkc615.blogspot.com/

Ilene http://greenbeanruminations.blogspot.com/

Shally http://sorensen6.blogspot.com/

KaraJayne http://crazygoodlife.blogspot.com/

Laurie http://laurieturk.blogspot.com/

Lisa http://mytrainerlisa.blogspot.com/

Holly http://leviandfaith.blogspot.com/

Rachel Hazen http://everydayhappeningsofthehazens.blogspot.com/

Anne Marie http://annemarie-livelovelaugh.blogspot.com/

Shannan http://shannandesh.blogspot.com/

Jenna http://momville.blogspot.com/

Martha http://thegtrain5.blogspot.com/

Susan http://mamasuisse.blogspot.com/

Susan's Friend

Paige http://paigeinthelife.blogspot.com/

Celia http://groundhogdaywithceliafae.blogspot.com/

Denae http://denaeharlow.blogspot.com/

Summer http://bryanandsummer.blogspot.com/

Lorena http://seeleys.blogspot.com/

Kimberly no blog

Jill http://quirkykirky.blogspot.com/

Shauna private blog…ask her if you want to see it… she's Jill's sis!

Lisa-Marie http://lisamarieandkendonjensen.blogspot.com/

Ashli http://storheimstory.blogspot.com/

Michelle Do you have a blog Michelle? Rachel Hazen's sister

Nancy http://snapshotsfromhale.blogspot.com/

Rachel B. http://bjorkfam.blogspot.com/

Anne Lee http://lifeofannelee.blogspot.com/

Heather http://motherofgeese.blogspot.com/

Heidi http://heidiram.blogspot.com/

I can not wait for this event. I already feel so connected with some of these blogging friends because we are all mom's having the same experiences, we share the same religion and values, some have dealt with infertility as well and have been such a strength to me...and we all are crazy about BLOGGING! Blogs really are a great way to connect with friends!

I love it!

Lorena, Gab, Jessica, Shally, Paige, and Celia I CAN NOT wait to meet you!!

You girls are pretty much the only blogs I read from this group (besides Shauna, Holly and Denae who I already know)...but I am excited to meet all the other ladies as well, and connect with them through their blogs too! The more the merrier :)

Happy birthday babe!

Yesterday was Landon's bday.

I've done posts about him before...so I won't bore you all with a sappy love post. But I do want to say Happy Birthday babe. You are the love of my life. You are the most amazing husband in the world, and the best dad in the universe...hence, why I am the luckiest girl alive. You rock my world! Love ya!

TOGETHER FOREVER BABY

(these are just random pix to show his cuteness, since I forgot to take any yesterday. ahh!)

Swap package

Cute Lindsey,

http://thompsonlove.blogspot.com/,

hosted a "favorite things swap" on her blog and I totally joined in! I got paired with cute Katie (her sister)

http://www.mikeandkatietaylor.blogspot.com/

and we were supposed to send each other some of our favorite things. I sent Katie some warm fuzzy socks (my feet are always cold, you'll rarely see me barefoot), a bracelet from Lia Sophia because I love bling bling, and some cards I made because I love to stamp and hand make/stamp my cards!

This is what Katie sent me that she said she loves...cupcakes! She sent me this cute cupcake kit, and I love it too!!!!!!! Really though, who doesn't love cupcakes!?

Thanks tons. I can't wait to eat!!!!!

I want to host a favorite things swap too...it's so fun. It's a great way to get to know someone better, and who doesn't like getting fun new surprises!

I can't do it right now though, alot of us are getting ready for blog-a-palooza anyways...but when I return I might try to host one. Would anyone be interested!!??