Family photo

Family photo

8/15/2012

Fun in the Sun

First of all, I just want to say I made it through my summer semester. I thought I was going to die there at the end. But I did it! I was a little disappointed with my grades. My business class was graded on a curve and I had no idea what my grade was the whole semester. I ended up with a B, which is good but I was really trying for a 3.8 again. I ended up with a 3.62 GPA. Not bad for 15 credits and some hard classes. I'm debating on doing 15 credits again this coming semester. It's horrible and not fun but then I'll be done with school sooner!

Mike and I had a lot of fun this weekend. We did an obstacle course down in Midway, UT. It was a lot of fun. We are finally not sore.. 4 days later. Let me get my complaints out of the way and then I'll list all the fun we had. 1- They did not have my shirt size. They had even asked what my shirt size was, but of course they didn't have it and only had mediums left. Good for Mike because he now gets 2 really nice dry-fit shirts. 2- They only had 1 table up for check-in. There were over 1,000 people doing the course throughout the day I heard. You'd think they would have a few more tables for check in. Whatever. 3- We missed our heat because the lines were so long, and we got there 45 minutes early. And then when we started with the next heat the guy said "This is the 11:30 heat! If you are the 11:30 heat or from an earlier heat because you were LATE, it's almost time for you to race" or something like that. Excuse me? LATE? No no. I got there 45 minutes early, like the instructions said. I wasn't late. Thank you very much. 4- Half the obstacles had lines at them. We had to wait a good 45 minutes to an hour for the zip line. Ridiculous. Put up more zip lines. Geez. Another obstacle we waited probably around a half hour. Those were the only problems I could think of. The rest of it we had a blast. As soon as they post pictures I'll put them up. It was so fun. We had to jump in waist high mud water, run up a mud hill, climb over a 10 foot wall, go through huge construction type tubes that were half submersed in mud water, go over a cargo net, army crawl and duck under boards in mud water, hold hands and avoid touching an electric line (don't worry it didn't shock too much, but it definitely shocked my arm and traveled to my leg), ride a zip line, go down a tube slide headfirst into a big mud water pit, do a three legged walk through a lot of tires and over a bale of way and do a wheelbarrow through pretty deep mud. We had a blast. It was so fun. We were soooo dirty by the end of it. It was great. They had a little shower type thing that was like a PVC pipe with holes in it, so we got to wash off a bit. I was so glad I brought us a change of clothes. We got back to the car and got out the wipes I had brought. It was a pretty decent sized bag and we went through like 3/4 of it. After we wiped off and changed we were off! We headed to Park City for a little shopping. Mike spoiled me. I love him. He got me a really nice purse with a matching little wallet, a really nice winter coat, a jacket, a pair of jeans, two pairs of shorts, and a cute purple skirt! Mike got a few nice jackets and some sun glasses. He also got a long sleeve light weight shirt, a polo, and 2 pairs of slacks. He looks so good in all of them. I made him give me a fashion show.

Funny story. A few weeks ago Mike came into our room or something and said, "Hey." And I said, "wait a minute. I don't get a hey honey, or hey sweetie or even a hey hot baby?" I was joking about the hot baby thing. So now ever since then he calls me hot baby. In fact, we were at Winco about a week and a half ago and I was in the produce section. Mike wandered off and when I was done I was looking for him. He spotted me first, so he kindly said in a very loud voice.. "HEY! HOT BABY! I'M OVER HERE!" I just about died on the spot. Silly boy. I love him.

7/20/2012

The End is Near!

I am getting so excited.

This semester is almost over. Sooo close... I only have this next week that is coming up and the one after that. It will be so nice to be done with this semester. This has by far been the hardest semester I've had. Knock on wood.

I've also learned a lot about myself, surprisingly. I learned that I can juggle a lot of things at the same time and I'm really good at writing lists of what needs to get done. I also learned I am excellent at not procrastinating when I don't have time to. I haven't procrastinated ONCE this semester! ONCE! I never thought I could ever say that. Ever. I've also learned that I like to be busy, and I feel better about myself when I accomplish something every day. (I partly learned this at work when I took a Strength Finders test, I will talk about that in a minute). I also learned how much I can miss Mike even when we are in the same house. I miss spending time with him. Sigh. I don't get to spend much time with Mike because I'm spending it with homework instead.

Last month I took the Cliftons StregthsFinder test. It was interesting. It asked me all these questions, and then at the end it gave me my strengths. It was funny to read about myself and have things click like "oh. And that is why I do this or feel that way." My top strength is "Achiever". On their site that is described as "People strong in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive." It goes into a little more depth on the paper I got after I finished it, but I can't remember much of it. It says something like these people feel like they need to achieve something each day. Which is totally true! Now I know why I HATE having just lazy days. I don't mind having like a half lazy day with Mike, but I always have the feeling when I haven't accomplished anything at all during the day. It bugs Mike sometimes that I can't just have an occasional lazy day with him. Haha. I can't remember them all in order, but another in my top 5 is Harmony. Harmony says "People strong in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don't enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement."Another one is Developer. "People strong in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements." I wish I could remember the other two, but I can't at this moment. It was really cool to figure these out so I can work at making these strengths better.


The other week, we went to the zoo. It was so fun! The new exhibit is very, very cool. I loved the polar bear. It was pretty big! And the seals were playing in the water which was fun to watch.

7/08/2012

Good News and the 4th of July

This past month has been a good one. Mike found out that he nailed his interviews at Fidelity and got a job offer. He will be starting on the 23rd of this month. I will miss having lunch with him almost everyday but I am very excited for his opportunity to move into a job where he will be paid more and enjoy it more. Hopefully he will also have more opportunity to move up and utilize his degree more. And I also hope he will want to pursue a Masters degree once he gets into this job.

 To celebrate his new job, I took him to a Real game against the L.A. Galaxy. We had a great time! Besides, of course, the retarded people in front of us that would not sit down. It was a fun game to go to, and we had a good time.

This past week some of Mike's family was out. Mike's great aunt Eva passed away, and her funeral was on the 3rd. It was a very nice service. On the night of the viewing (July 2) we had Mike's brother Brandon, dad, aunt Elva and Mike's dad's cousin Kathleen over for dinner. Mike made a wonderful dinner! He made Cafe Rio pork burritos and made smoothies for the drink. Very yummy!

On Tuesday (July 3) after the funeral we went to the Jordan River temple as a family and did baptisms for the dead. Steve had a lot of family names to get done. We had a good time and stopped by Winder Dairy on the way home. I don't ever complain about going there. Yum!

I love the 4th of July. It is my favorite holiday. I love the breakfasts, I love the BBQ's, I love the fireworks, I love the Patriotism floating around in the air, and I love the warm weather. This year was mine and Mike's first 4th of July in Utah since we've been married. In the morning Kathleen, Elva and Steve came over to our house. Brandon made crepes and I made french toast for breakfast. After that we all headed up to Ogden to hang out with my family. Once we got there, a group was leaving to go to Kirt's for lunch. I had Brandon come along, and we all went to Kirt's. There was me, Brandon, Syd, Aimee, Cody (Syd's friend), Jasi, Doug, and Jade. Sorry if I forgot anyone. I ended up getting a grasshopper cookie shake. It was really good! I really liked it, I might even get it next time.

We headed back to the house and hung out for a bit. We played bolo toss/ladder ball and we ended up getting one of the golf ball things stuck in a tree. Mike threw one of his shoes at it, and his shoe then got stuck in a tree. We ended up having to get a ladder and a long stick to get his shoe out. We also got the golf ball thing down. We then moved the game to a different part of the yard.

After the game we went inside to cool down. It was really hot out! Brandon played a few songs on the piano for us, and Jasi even sang for us. She has such a beautiful voice. I love when she sings. I always end up crying though. Every time.

Later in the afternoon Mike and I made some homemade ice cream. We also had a BBQ. It was pretty good. It was even late enough in the afternoon we had some shade to sit in and everything. After that Mike and I took a little mini hike up at the Nature Center place by the mountain above my parent's house.

After we got back we broke out the ice cream. Talk about refreshing. And cold. And delish. Mmm. After a bit we headed to Barker Park for the fireworks. I really liked them at Barker Park this year! After the fireworks we headed home where we played with sparklers and the boys put on a great firework show. They even did some aerial fireworks which did not disappoint!

It was a really good 4th of July. The worst part was going to work the next day. I was exhausted.

Yesterday, the 7th, Brandon and I went rock climbing at Momentum. It was pretty fun. I'm not as good as I used to be, but it felt good to be climbing. I ended on a 5.11a. Not bad I guess. We also went to a Real soccer game last night. Me, Mike, Steve, Brandon, Ryan and one of my friends and his wife all went. It was against Portland and real won 3-0. The goals were all pretty sweet.

I only have about 4 weeks of school left. Thank goodness! I'm starting to go crazy from all of my homework. Then I get to start back later in August. It is crazy how fast the year has gone this year!

Love you all!

6/03/2012

Summer

As I sit in my house of 80 degrees, I wish for AC. Or I wish I has a sprinkler head for my hose so  I could run through the sprinklers like I used to when I was little. I should probably do some homework, but I don't feel like it. And it's Sunday. I don't feel like doing homework right now on Sunday. I could go make some cookies.. but that will heat the house up even more. So I sit.

This semester I am taking 15 credits. It is going to kill me I think. They are all online classes though, so I can go to Mike's softball games and go to Young Womens on Wednesdays. And I got a tuition waiver, so the classes are free for me this semester.

I feel like an old married lady. We are coming up on our third anniversary. And when you are a young and naive 22 year old, that seems like a long time. It's still a few months away, but I'm stressing out because I don't know what to get Mike. I like to have a plan at least 5 months ahead so I can start saving up if I need to.

Today Mike made something delicious. I had been teasing him the last few days because he couldn't stop talking about how good it sounded. He made cheese filled jalapenos wrapped in bacon. They were amazing. It was really good, and the jalapenos weren't too hot. Maybe the cheese helped cool them down.

Yesterday while we were driving we passed a street called "Ticklegrass Road". I said, "Wow! Ticklegrass Road! What a delightful place to live! I would live on the street." I looked at Mike. He glanced at me and back at the road. I said, "it's times like these that I wish my mom was here. Because she would think that was funny." And she would think it was funny. In fact, I just got off the phone with her, and she did that it was funny. Take that Mr. Grumpy Gills.

My big thing lately is to say "HULK SMASH!" a lot. Why? I'm not sure. It started after I watched the Avengers. Great movie.

Well, I have really nothing else to say. Until next time.. may the force be with you.

5/06/2012

Hilarious

Mike and I went to the eye doctor probably about two weeks ago. I totally forgot to post about this.

We set up an appointment together, cuz that's what married people do so they don't have to waste gas with each going to the place separately. Haha. Anyway, the eye doctor called us back at the same time and I went first. Not too bad. I'm getting some lenses put in my sunglasses to see a little better while driving. My lenses I have for work still work really well and I don't get headaches so I'm just keeping those till next year when I get frames and lenses.

Mike is getting some lenses in another pair of frames he has and they will be transition lenses so he can see better playing sports. He didn't want to wear his really nice glasses playing, and plus sometimes it gets really bright in the evening when he is playing softball so he went with the transitions.

So after me, Mike gets in the chair and the eye doctor asks if he can read anything on the bottom two lines. Mike said, "I can't read those, but I can read the line above it, and it says F C". So then the eye doctor asked Mike a question and he said F C again and then had to read the whole chart, and he did fine until the F C.. and he said F C again.

Funny thing is that it was an F O. Hahahaha!

I was dying laughing on the inside! I just kept thinking, "it's not an F C, it's an F O.. you can't read it fine like you are claiming." Haha.

Also we have a birds nest in the backyard under our porch over hang cover thing. I'm going to sneak up there today with a ladder to see what I see. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll be able to get some pics with my camera.

4/29/2012

Spring.

I love spring. I love the flowers and that I can finally wear flip flops. Here is a list of things that I am going to try to remember until next year.

- Even if it LOOKS warm, you still want to take a jacket.
- If you get new sandals, don't wear them on a really long walk, or you will get blisters.
- Don't start cleaning a room unless you are positive you have enough energy to finish it.
- Don't try to pull up thistles even with gardening gloves on.
- If you pull up all the dandelions in your yard, you will feel accomplished for 2 days. Then they grow back.
- Whatever you do, after you are done drinking a smoothie, RINSE out the glass! It will smell if you don't. And if it doesn't smell, it will dry up and you have to put it in the dishwasher 2 times.
- Praise your dog even if it pees in the middle of the road, because hey, at least it's not in your house.
- Do your homework even though being outside or spring cleaning all of a sudden sounds so much more fun.
- Keep the heat on at night or your house will be at 60 degrees when you wake up.
- Just because it looks nice in the morning doesn't mean it will be nice all day.
- Take your allergy pill EVERYDAY, because your allergies will act up as soon as you leave the house.
- Take a shower after you weed the lawn or you will have hives all over your arms and legs during class and itch like mad.
- Just because September is still a few months away, doesn't mean you can't start thinking about what pics to turn into the State Fair.
- All baby animals are cute. So play with them.
-However, not all adult animals are cute or fun, so do not take them home.


I think that is about it. I hope I remember this stuff for next year!

4/19/2012

Calling It.

I'm horrible. I know it. Tell me. I'm horrible at blogging. This one is going to LOOONG. So beware.

When was the last time I blogged? Like October? Blah.

November- I don't think anything significant happened. I turned 22 though. 11/11/11! Coolest birthday numbers ever. My birthday is 11/11.. Add those together, it is 22! I was also born at 11:49 at night.. so only for realsies 11 minutes of my birthday! So cool. Mike and I stayed up to celebrate my REAL birthday minutes. He also took me out to dinner. Such an awesome hubby.

December- Mike's birthday on 12/7. He is like a bazillion years old now. Even has some white hairs. I loved his birthday this year. I love his birthday every year. I'm especially going to love his 30th. I just loooove spoiling and surprising him and his birthday is the few occasions when I can. I got to make him 2 cakes this year. I made him a Thundercats cake, and I made him a Link cake. On Mike's birthday, we went over to Amber and Ryan's house to celebrate! We had a surprise for him.. dinner and going to the Blue Man Group Concert. (thanks Amber and Ryan! That was so fun!) Anyway, we went over there and they had pizza for the kids, and Amber said the prayer. In the prayer she said "please bless that we will have fun out on uncle Mike's birthday going out for Chinese food and for the Blue Man Group Concert". After she ended the prayer, Mike said "oh that's cool, I hope you guys have fun!" He didn't get it was for his birthday. So we told him it was for his birthday, and he was excited and surprised! It was a fun night! The concert was really cool. I would definitely see them again.
I also set up a surprise dinner for Mike with some of his friends. I snuck his friend's numbers from his phone and texted them and we all met up for dinner at Red Robin. He had no idea! I think he had a good night seeing some of his buddies again.
Christmas was great like it is every year. We woke up early, and we went over to Amber and Ryan's to watch their kids open their presents. It was really fun to watch them. Kids are so fun at Christmas time! We got a dutch oven (thanks Grandma and Grandpa!), and we also got a sweet camp stove (thanks Mom and Dad!) And my grandma got me a mini food chopper that I wanted (Thanks Grandma!). This year was special because it was the Christmas right before my grandparents left on their mission. They are in San Diego, CA. My grandma called the other day and told me how she ate an orange that was fresh off a tree. I was so jealous! She lived my dream! She said it was delicious.

January- School started back up. UGH! One day I will be done! Until then.. I will keep plugging along slowly. This semester I took some more general classes to try to get them knocked out. I took Anthropology, English, Zumba and Career Development. I've really liked my Zumba class. The others are fine. I will be done with this semester the first week of May. Let's hope it comes fast.

February- VALENTINE'S DAY!!! As you all know, Mike is my Valentine. And I couldn't ask for anyone better. He is the best. I'm so happy I'm with him for forever. He is so handsome, sexy, funny, smart, kind, loving and everything I've ever wanted and more. He gives up sports games to spend time with me or to go out, helps me with my homework,  rock climbs and hikes with me,  shovels the driveway, makes dinners, helps clean, cuddles me, and plays video card and board games with me. Best. EVER.

March- Ohhhhh March Madness how I hate thee. Actually, this year wasn't as bad as I anticipated. We went to Oregon for some of the Madness. We went to some of the games. I never knew my butt could be so sore from sitting in a stadium seat for like 10 hours. I eliminated Dave (take that Dave! :D)! We went to a lot of places, too. We went to the zoo where we played with a lion. We went to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, I think) and my hair stood on end while touching a huge metal ball. We pretended like we were in chemistry together, and wore goggles while doing science projects. We built a huge bridge and made it fall and we looked at cool Lego statues. We went to Voodoo Donuts again, and they were yummy! We went to Mt St Helens and took some pictures there. I almost got car sick. So did Mike. The front driver side window got stuck down, and Mike was sitting right behind the driver seat. He was cold! Poor Mikey. We made it back okay though. We went on some hikes, and saw tons of waterfalls! We also got to go to the Oregon Temple! It was gorgeous.We'll definitely go back to that one next time we are out.
At the end of March Mike started a job at Discover. I get to have lunch with him sometimes and I love it. He is doing credit card servicing right now, but hopefully he can move to something else soon. I appreciate him doing a job he doesn't enjoy.

April-I recently applied for a different position at my work, and I got it! I'm really excited and a little nervous for the change. I'll be doing Policy and Procedures for the bank. Hopefully it will be a nice raise ;). I'm really excited, and I start May 1. I've been totally bogged down with work, homework and other things so I'm excited for the semester to end. I'll be going to school this summer too, so I can get done faster. I should have my generals done in the fall semester. I hope I finish one day.
I had another bad outer ear infection this month too. It's gone now, but it definitely wasn't pleasant. I keep hoping my ears will magically get better and never bug me again, but so far it hasn't happened yet. Sigh.. maybe one day.
We went up to my parents for Easter. It was really fun. I got some Easter Lilies from my dad (thanks Dad!) and we both got some candy! WE had a delicious dinner, and we had a nerf sword fight in the backyard.

My Random thoughts:
- The other day Mike told me we will be married for 3 years in August. I can't believe it! Time flies so fast!!
- My flowers are out now. I love flowers. I have tulips and daffodils. I can't wait for my strawberries to start coming up too. We have a lot of yard work to do this year. Hopefully we can get it done.
- I love wearing flip flops.
- The other day I had my running test in Zumba to see if we've improved. I improved my 1.5 mile time by 3 minutes and 3 seconds! Even though my new times isn't super great, I am still ecstatic I cut that much off my 1.5 mile. I've been trying to run and walk and eat more healthy, so it's nice to know that it is paying off.
- We got another dog. She is a 6 week old Labradoodle puppy and she is super cute. She's black and we named her Banshee. Perfect name for her cuz she howls and cries just like one.We weren't planning on getting another dog till later this year or even next year, but she was a really low price, and was adorable. Waffles loves her. They get along great. She is on a trial right now though, because she isn't hypoallergenic. So far my allergies have been pretty good.

That's all I can think of. Love you all!










12/26/2011

Passed.

I did it. I got through my first semester back at school. With a 3.8 GPA! Hooray! I was pretty pleased with how I did this semester, especially because I didn't like 2 of my classes at all. I'm really glad its over, but I'm sad that the net semester is coming so fast. Slow down December!

11/20/2011

Mike is Thankful for:

I Mike Lowder am officially thankful and grateful for the following line items.

I am grateful that Emily puts up with my antics and humors me with an occasional College Football Saturday and watches the Red Sox with me.  She is starting to bleed Red and Blue.
I love Emily's smile and her cheerful positiveness.  She knows what I need and she is always there for me.

Emily
You are the love of my life and I am so happy that I get to wake up to you every morning.  You have taught me how to rock climb and that there is something else to do on Saturdays in the fall than watch football all day.  Which is really hard when the weather is crummy.  You are my #1 fan and always try to be at my softball and soccer games and cheer me on.  You let me win at cards because you know I don't like to lose.  You sometimes surprise me with breakfast or a yummy treat that you have made or brought me home from work because you know that I would like it.  You let me fall asleep during movies and you don't even get mad.  You were worthy to go to the temple with me and I am so happy that we are a forever family.  I love your smile and laugh and fun spirit.  You will hike and camp and get dirty and not complain.  Thanks for the last 2 years of being my sweetie and I can't wait for the rest of them.

Waffles
You spill your water and constantly sneak into the neighbors yard.  You love going on walks and are starting to enjoy sitting down and enjoying a good movie.  Thanks for being a fun dog and a loved member of the family.

I am grateful for my parents and the things that they taught me when I was young.  You never know when you may need a particular item.

Mom
You have always been there for me.  You would take me to soccer and baseball practice and come to the games and stay for the all day tournaments.  Whenever I have been hurt you were always there for me.  Which I especially appreciated as an adult when I broke my face rather then just be on my own you let me come home and you took care of me.  I remember our fun trips to Florida and some of the tricks you taught me while flying.  I always get a full can of Soda because I ask for it rather then just saying what I want and getting a cup full of ice with two swallows of Coke.  Thanks for helping me financially through school.  Hopefully one of these days that degree will pay off.

Dad
I have enjoyed the trips that we have gone on when you took to Eastern Oregon.  Recently when we went to St. George with Ryan's family.  Remember when Evan woke you up?  I do.  Goblen Valley was a lot of fun and you taught me that even when camping with someone and they are with you when you acquire an air mattress from someone else you still need to make sure it will fit in the afore mentioned friends tent.   Also how can I ever forget the longest road trip that I have ever been on but one memory that occurred the first day still shines vivid in my head.  The van had overheated and I think at this point you were hotter then the radiator.  Shoulder deep under the hood and not really sure what you were doing I needed a laugh so I leaned forward and laid on that HORN.  That was the quickest I have ever seen you move as you got out from under the hood.  Just a little more fired up but I was at least now having a great time.  On that same stop you opened the back of the van and a whole gallon container of car wash fluid fell out and hit a rock and busted the bottom of it.  I remember you picking it up and trying to throw it like a discuss.  It was a terrible throw maybe like 5 feet but something I hope to never forget.

 I enjoy the fun Beach trips we have taken and the college basketball family reunions. MMMMSSSSSSPPPPTTTTT, What else could I tell ya?  Woah Woah Woah on to the rest of the family.

The D.J.
 If I ever need a playlist check.  If I ever need to drive a car for another 5 years after I can easily afford a luxury car check.  If I need information on stocks and bonds check.
But Seriously Dave I have enjoyed our relationship as I have gotten older and have got to come out and visit.  You have been very generous to me and have taken me to places I never would have gone.  New York, Palmyra and Niagara Falls for the first time, Cooperstown, Toronto, Baltimore, D.C. and Philadelphia to name a few.  I have some fond memories of the trips including looking for parking in the middle of down town Toronto to try and see the Blue Jays for a day game.  Paying like $8 dollars to drive across the Two Delaware bridges because we took the wrong exits to Phili because it was late and we weren't really sure how the roads intersected.  Other family members will also remember one of my fondest memories which occurred in 2005 at Sea World.  Thanks for being a great big brother and for taking me to do so many amazing things.

Ryan, Amber and the kids.
Ryan we have been extremely close from sharing a room as little kids to me being a resident in the basement for 18 months.  You have always looked out for me and I appreciate that.  I have had fun getting to play sports with you as an Adult whether its church ball or pick up ball at night, indoor soccer, or semi-competitive slow pitch softball.  We also have had some fun adventures.  We ran out of gas in the rental van while you were shoveling the sidewalks real quick.  I didn't bring shoes and you had to push me out of an icy parking lot and I was able to luckily maneuver into the gas station.  We went to Denver and saw Manny and the Broncos play the Chargers.  We have driven through the middle of the night to watch March Madness.  We have had lots of adventures and hope to have some future ones.

Amber
You have been an example of a great mother and good qualities to look for in a woman.  Many of the things that I saw in you that I thought were great, I found in Emily and lucked out by finding a great one. Thanks for your example.  I have enjoyed making jams and pie fillings and apple sauces with you.  It has been fun.

Connor
When I think of trouble I think of you.  You are always down for playing some video games.  You have given me some great mario kart challenges.

Evan
First thing that comes to mind is your ghost costume, man I love that thing.  You were always my little pal and were the only one that would stick around and watch star wars with me.  Thanks for being such a great buddy.

Maya
You are the little princess of the family and even though it wears you out you are always so happy. When Em and I come over, and you have big hugs for us.  Thanks for always being so loving.

Isaac
I love your sports enthusiasm.  I know that you would go outside and shoot hoops with me in a blizzard or take some batting practice with me in a down pour.  You are always so concerned with where everyone is and you always check on Waffles to make sure she is still at home.

Brandon
It has been fun watching you grow up in the most dynamic living arrangement possible for a teenager.  You excel at just about everything that you do but I didn't need to tell you that I am sure you already knew that.  I am excited to see where your future takes you.  You have a chance to get into a great college and to get a degree in a specialized field and to be successful.  You still can't take me on the basketball court and you are far from the best athlete in the family but I enjoy your tenacity and can't wait till we can lace them up again and play.

Elva
The Big Easy.  You always have candy which is awesome and I can always count on the gummy candies when I am there because you know they are my favorite.  You even stock the fridge with Mountain Dew because you know Emily likes it.  I enjoyed coming up late at night and watching movies and visiting when I was living at home.  I enjoy discussing the gospel with you and going over some of your view points.  I am glad you didn't fall over that one day in the MAX because I would have laughed really hard and looked really mean.  Thanks for being so fun and always being up for going to the mall or an adventure.

Grandma Carlyle
You always got us the best Christmas presents, nice name brand shirts and the Birthday money was always on time.  My trips to Florida were a blast.  I remember you and TT giving me extra seltzer water in my Soda and I always thought I was so cool when I got that.  I have enjoyed seeing you when I come home to visit.

The In-laws

Mike&Julia

Mike
You are Mr. Fix It and have helped me with several home projects.  Installing my kitchen floor and stove and dishwasher.  Without your help Emily may still be doing the dishes by hand.  I also enjoy playing cards and board games with you.  You play to win and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Thanks for always making me feel included and a part of the family.

Julia
Well I enjoy teasing you and you know that and are a great sport.  I still say your awesomeness is only exceeded by your humility.  You have raised a great family and I was lucky enough to get the best one.  Thanks for your example of love and kindness and always being happy and positive.  It doesn't go unnoticed.

Aimee
You make the yummiest desserts.  It is always nice coming over after you have made a creation in the kitchen.  You are super sweet and kind and always check to see if there is anything that you can help with.  Even when you come to my house which you barely get to do you are looking for something nice to do around the house.

Syd
Well Bugly you are quite the character.  And you are growing up so fast and will be driving before we know it.  You are always so funny and goofy.  You are also super kind and sweet and our an amazing girl keep being awesome.

Nate
You have gotten tall.  I am getting worried that you will be taller then me in the next few years.  I enjoy when you get a chance to play some video games or some Settlers of Catan.  You are always a good sport and up for a game.  Maybe one day you will be 2 times pimp just like me.

Brandon
Mr. Tool Man himself.  You are always right there ready to help whenever a project needs to get done.  I think that is great you are so selfless and willing to help and I have never heard you say "but I am doing this".  You just run up the stairs get your tool box and help.

Josh
As much as I wish you still needed a booster seat so I could make sure you had it whenever you go somewhere with me and Em you are getting grown up and no longer need it.  You always have some new thing that you have made to show us when we come over which is really cool and I enjoy the magic shows that you perform as Joshua the Magic.

Grandma and Grandpa Medsker
Are the cards dealt?  Well they better be I always enjoy a good game of cribbage with Medsker or whatever else the family is playing at the table.  Grandma you have made me some cool stuff I love my cub scout pillow and the blanket that you helped Emily make of my old T-shirts.  I have enjoyed living close to a set of grandparents because I lived far away from mine as a kid.  I have always felt welcomed and just like one of the other grand kids.  Grandma I love the grape juice that you let me take home it's delicious.  Also enjoy getting hooked up with all of the apples and apricots very awesome.

Grandma Andrushko
Emily and I always enjoy when we get a chance to see you.  Thanks for always letting us in whenever we show up because it is usually unannounced.  You are so kind to us and we appreciate your love and concern for us.

Thankful

Well, with the rate of how busy life is, I better get this post in now, or I never will! I always like dong a thankful post or list around Thanksgiving, so I can reflect on all my blessings. So here it is.
- First and foremost, I am thankful for Mike. He is such a strength to me. He knows exactly when I need to be held or cuddled, when I need to be tickled, when I need to be left alone, he knows when I need food, and he knows when I need help with homework and he knows when all I need is an "I love you". He is so loving, kind, fun, tricky and sneaky, outgoing, and smart. I'm so happy I can call him my sweetheart. I am so grateful he understands me and loves me. I'm so lucky.
- I am thankful for my mom. Although growing up was a bit rough, I am so glad I can call her one of my best and closest friends. She is an amazing woman with an amazing spirit.
- I am grateful for my daddyo. He passed on his love of the outdoors to me and I am thankful for that. I am also grateful that he is an amazing dad and he and my mom raised me and my siblings in a loving home centered around Christ.
- I am grateful for Aimee as a sister. She has a fun personality and is really funny. She has such a big heart and is willing to help anyone. I am so happy we are such good friends.
- I am grateful for Sydney. She was and is always there when I need someone to listen to me. She understands me and my craziness. She is so cute and so kind. I am so happy we got to share a room together and be sisters.
- I am thankful for Nate. He is getting so big, and he is way smart. Whenever I come over, he is waiting to give me a hug.
- I am thankful for Brandon. He is so funny! He has a contagious laugh. He is always so excited to see me when I come over.
- I am thankful for Josh. He is very artistic with his paper things he makes. He is so sweet and I love when he talks to me on the phone.
- I am grateful for my extended family and all the support and love they give me. Whether it is a hug, or a talk, or a game of cards, they are there.
- I am thankful for my mother in law, Brenda. She is always there to listen and give support. She is very helpful and has awesome recipes.
- I am thankful for Steve, he is a great handyman. He teaches Mike something new every time he comes out.
- I'm grateful for Dave and for the awesome presents he gives Mike and I. I am grateful that he let us come out and stay with him, He has a great sense of humor.
- I'm grateful for Ryan and Amber and their kids. Ryan is super funny and is down to earth. Amber is so nice and loving. I'm grateful for her friendship and the love she gives us. I'm grateful for their friendship.
- I am grateful for Brandon. He is way smart, and he is way fun to hang out iwht. Hanging out with him makes me feel not so old. I can't wait till he comes out to Utah again.
- I am grateful for Elva. She has a great point of view and is way funny. She is also very talented in her knitting.
- I am thankful for our dog, Waffles. She does some great tricks, and is hilarious.
- I am thankful for my opportunity to go to school and further my education.
- I am thankful for my job.
- I am thankful for the lessons we've learned while Mike has been laid off. Hopefully he will find a good job soon, but I am grateful for the things we have learned about each other, ourselves, and together during this trial.
- I am grateful for my testimony.
- I am grateful for Mike's testimony and faith that he has.
- I am so grateful for the priesthood and that Mike can give me blessings when I need it.
- I am thankful for all the places we have been able to go in our first few years of being married. It's been so fun to see so many places.
- I am thankful for the outdoors and the beautiful places Heavenly Father has created for us.
- I am grateful for  photography and the pictures I can take.
- I am grateful for electricity that keeps me warm when the weather gets cold.
- I am grateful for junior mints.
- I am grateful for the warm weather when it is here.
- I am grateful for the warm weather when it is not here.
- I am grateful for sunsets.
- I am grateful for the grass on my G&G Medsker's lawn between the trampoline and basketball court that grows so long.
- I am thankful that Mike and I got married for eternity in the temple.
- I am thankful that we can attend the temple and church.
- I am thankful for the walks that I get to take with Mike. I love going on walks and going with him makes it that much better.
- I am grateful for the gospel and the hope it gives me.
- Once more.. I am so grateful for Mike. The words I say really can't give him justice. I love you Mike!