Story Of My Life...

My Brother's Home!!

2012-01-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

On January 19th Gavin came home from his mission!! We were so excited and definitely so ready. My sisters and I made tons of signs for the airport, my mom got balloons, we made a sign over the overpass with cups and the whole sha-bang. I mean we only get to do it once. He came in at 3:50 pm and as soon as we saw him on the escalator we all just started crying like little babies, haha! I don't know who missed him more, us girls or dad? I just think dad missed testosterone in the house haha! Of course he hugged mom first and then all of us and Dad last. You could definitely tell that he was overwhelmed and our of his comfort zone so we tried to help him as much as we could but it was hard because we wanted to update him on everything in about 5 minutes. Whoops! :) His homecoming talk in sacrament was really awesome to. We are so grateful for all of the friends and family members who showed up to support him. We are all so proud of him and know that he did everything he was supposed to. Love you Gav!

New Years Eve!

2012-01-29T18:44:00.000-07:00

I have nothing to say for this Holiday. The picture explains it all, haha! Happy 2012 everyone!! Hope it's great! :)

Update!!

2011-12-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

So my last update that I haven't blogged about is my weight loss. Yes I am still going at it. I have recently hit my 80 pound mark! Crazy to think. I have 12 more pounds to go to hit my ultimate goal that I set for myself so I am almost there. My body is beaten down, it hates me, it wants a break and feels very destroyed but I know that I can do it. I am so freakin' close!!

Before...

...After(so far)!

December!!

2011-12-25T23:24:00.000-07:00

Let's see, the month of December started off with my birthday. I turned 25 this year. I never look forward to my birthday but this year was actually pretty good. My parents got me some new running shoes, I have trashed my other ones this past year, and some new running pants. They also got me a cake and sang Happy Birthday to me. :) And I got a first look at my dad's decoration skills, haha pretty awesome!

My Cousin Tim came home from his mission. He served in Independence, Missouri. It was really cool to see him again. I was able to see him when I drove home from Virginia because we stopped and surprised him so it had only been about a year but it was still good to see him home. They are from Figi so they had a huge Polynesian feast with all the fixings, it was Yummy!!

Also school ended for the first semester. It was a crazy week trying to get all of my finals done but I did it and actually got decent grades. I pulled B's in all of my classes which for me I think is good considering how much I took on, and to think next semester is going to be worse. :( I am just glad I have had a few weeks to re-coop from all of it.

And of course we definitely cannot forget Christmas! As always it's tradition now to get together with my Dad's sisters family. It's been 5 years now and we absolutely love it and look forward to it every year. We get together on Christmas Eve, eat lots and lots of food, open our pajamas, have a little talk about the Savior to keep the true meaning in our minds and play lots of games. Jokes, laughter and fun is the best part of it all. This year we got to sleep in a little bit since Christmas was on Sunday and we went to church so presents wouldn't be opened until afterwards. My Uncle Wise cooked an awesome breakfast though. Hash browns, eggs, pancakes and bacon!! We went to church and then afterwards opened up all of our gifts. This year I got a new keyboard for my laptop, which I am typing on right now, because Riley stepped on mine and broke it. I got new ballet shoes and dance pants. Those were the best, so excited! :) Natalie got me a new water bottle for the gym since I have already lost about 3 haha, and Shannon got me some new purple boots which are super duper cute! I love my sisters:) After that we headed home because Gavin got to call. It was so great hearing his voice. And it's also exciting because he is coming home in just a few weeks on January 18th!! My family and I cannot wait! It's getting to the point where everyone looks like him or reminds me of him. I have brother withdrawls going on right now, haha! But he is doing great and is getting ready to return home. :) Anyways it was a terrific Christmas once again, just happy to be with family and I can't wait until next year when we are all together again. :)

Our new PJ's. My dad picked them out and found matching shirts for them, haha! Love them! :)

November!!

2011-12-25T21:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in awhile, this time of year is always busy for our family but for some reason seemed to be extra busy than usual. Anyways the month of November consisted of my sister Shannon's birthday and Thanksgiving. My sister turned 19 years old and of course I got her balloons. They are just so fun haha :) I love to go all out for people's birthdays and make their gifts look pretty.

There was also Thanksgiving which we had at our house this year for the first time. It was my mom's side of the family and the majority of everyone were at in laws so there was only a few of us but it was still pretty awesome! We had lots of food, set up a place setting for everyone. Oh and side note, there is this website called "Pinterest" and my mom, sisters and I are addicted to it. We got thanksgiving treat ideas from it and actually used it haha. We made them for everyone! But anyways the food was delicious and spending holidays with any family is awesome. :)

I make my own Birthday cards. :)

These are our cute "Pinterest" treats.

Halloween at our House!!

2011-10-30T19:56:00.000-06:00

Our family doesn't do much for Halloween anymore since were all grown up. Also because my sister Natalie and I have to work Halloween night. But we decided to have a little fun anyways. Every year we go through the Halloween bucket and see if we can still fit into old costumes, haha! It's kind of a tradition. I'm pretty sure my brother Gavin started that one and we always end up looking ridiculous! haha! We also carved pumpkins that my mom bought us. They ended up pretty cool actually. We put candles inside of them and set them out in front of the living room window. So we ended up having some kind of decoration. :) It was just a fun night and we are always so busy with everything that we cherish the times we get to spend together on Sunday's. Enjoy the pics!

This is Natalie's and it's her first one. I know, awesome right?!

This is mine and Kira's, turned out legit!

This is Shannon's and it turned out awesome!

Your Welcome Mom for the Halloween decorations, haha!

My Kinda Concerts!

2011-10-30T19:39:00.000-06:00

So over the past week I've had the opportunity to go to two dance concerts. One because it's a requirement for my dance class and the other because I go almost every year because I love it so much!! The first one was for my ballet class. The company was called Azure Barton and they were phenomenal! Such good dancers and they gave me so much inspiration to be better. I didn't want to go by myself so I took my sister Shannon and Kira with me. I'm glad they liked it to, thanks girls!

Then the second was Thriller by Odyssey Dance Theater. It's there Halloween show and I love it so much. It's so fun, very entertaining and I get to take different people every year because everyone enjoys it and I just want everyone to see it. They were also amazing and I just sit in awe over them! I wish I can be dancing up to their level someday. It's the same thing every year but I absolutely enjoy it and still find it just as funny and entertaining as the first time. I would definitely recommend both of these to everyone to check out!!

Six Flags and a Wedding!!

2011-10-21T12:27:00.001-06:00

Last weekend my family drove out to Southern California for my Uncle Tom's Wedding. It was one of those things where everyone said it's about time, haha, so of course everybody had to go. We decided to go one day early so that we could get in a day at Six Flags Magic Mountain. None of us had ever gone so we made the decision to do it. We drove all day on Thursday and got in that evening to our hotel. We could see the park from our window and we were all freakin' out because of how big all the rides were. We had butterflies and were anxious! We had lots of fun though. We went on almost every single roller coaster we could fit into the day. Also it was fright fest that night so we got to hit about 3 haunted mazes to which were actually pretty scary. Well at least Natalie thought so, she actually started crying. Haha, I felt bad but I couldn't stop laughing. Kira and I had to guide her through because she wouldn't open her eyes, remember that she is much taller than us so it looked hilarious. Oh and she was grabbing Shannon's shirt so hard that Shannon was literally falling out of her shirt hahaha!! It was a good day, only thing missing was Gavin. :( He would of had fun with us.

Then the next day was the wedding for Tom and Stephanie. It took place at a Catholic church. I had never been to one of those and didn't know what to expect. It was actually pretty long with lots of singing and a preacher with an accent and all I really understood was "to live is to love" because he said it about 20 times. haha! It was very good and Stephanie looked beautifiul. The reception was delicious with catered Mexican food and an ice cream machine. It was super hot though. We all sat and talked for a few hours and played with Lucy, our baby cousin. She was the life of the party. :) It was awesome to have everyone together again. All 9 kids on my mom's side made it to the wedding, that is very rare to have them all together so it was special. Congratulations Tom and Stephanie!!

Oh geez...where did the time go?

2011-09-26T00:28:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last blogged! This last month has just gotten away from me, so much has been going on. Here it goes...

So I finally started school up at Weber State University! I am so excited! Now that I have gotten my body back into shape I decided to go get my bachelor's in Dance. It is what I have always wanted and what I love doing so I am going for it. Also with a minor in photography. Yes I know it is very far away, a 1 hour drive of 50 miles one way, but it's totally worth it. I am absolutely loving it so far! It's a little crazy trying to keep up with homework because I have a total of 5 classes but I am managing.

I am also still going to the gym and meeting with my trainer. I am now up to 68 pounds. Unbelievable if you ask me, I never would of thought when I started that I would of come this far. Only about 25 more pounds and I will have reached my goal. Wish me luck!!

I am also working a lot. Well only part time but when your working the night shifts until 11:00 at night it feels like a lot. But that's what I gotta do so I can go to school in the morning. So basically it's leave the house by 6:15 in the morning to make my first class by 7:30 then go to class until 10:00, be back down in Salt Lake to they gym by 11:00 to workout then I have a few hours to shower, eat and do homework and then it's off to work. I have become a bit of a stranger in my own house, haha! Thank goodness for texting! But I am absolutely loving it!! :)

But I have also had some fun. I got to go to the Rascal Flatts concert. Love them, it was the best one this summer!! I've been able to go out with friends and catch up with them, and squeeze in some family and sister time. So all in all it's been a busy but good month. Can't wait for the next one because there is already so much planned. And I will be blogging more now that I have my time managed, haha.

More Summer Updates!!

2011-08-19T18:48:00.000-06:00

So here are some more things that I have been up to since the last time I blogged...

-My friend Emily got married. She looked beautiful and it was awesome to have lots of the "gang" together again. I will love you guys forever! It's weird to see my little ones all grown up but it's awesome at the same time. Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Fife! I love their last name, haha!

Our traditional pow-wows before letting each other go again

- It was my BFFF's birthday and we made sure to celebrate. We went out and had some fun! We also had a birthday dinner at her mom's house and opened up gifts and had cake and all that. It was delicious! The same weekend we went to the Tim McGraw concert! It was so fun. The Band Perry and Billy Currington opened up for him. The weather was nice and I met up with a lot of people who were there. I think I was being more social then actually listening to the music, haha, oh well it was still fun!

- It was also my mommy's 50th birthday! My sisters and I got her some blue and black balloons. Blue because that's her favorite color and black because it's her 50th, haha! We also got a cake which was delicious!! Her gift was a heart necklace, I think she liked it. I hope she had a good birthday. Love you Mom!

Shannon and Nat had way to much fun with it while I was at work, haha!

So there are a few more things that have happened this summer. It's been a good one so far!

Month of July!!

2011-07-31T16:11:00.000-06:00

So I haven't blogged all month! I do not know where the time went and quite a lot happened. So here it goes...

- Our family had a really good Fourth of July. Lots of people came to buy fireworks from us and because we had a whole bunch we had a little firework party for our neighbors and some friends. They were awesome, it was the best year yet! Now it is too hard to go back and watch all the little ones, haha! I think my dad passed on his firework genes to me because I LOVE the smell of fireworks. :)

- The weekend after the fourth was very exciting to! On Friday I went to hang out with my cousin Chelsea. She is my favorite and I take advantage of every moment I get to see her. So with her and a couple other friends we went to eat, did a little hiking and watched the sunset and then we went back to her place and had a little spa night. It was fun and goofy which is why I loved it!! Then on Saturday I got to go to the Kenny Chesney concert with my friend Lacy. It was an awesome concert! Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington opened for him. I don't know his songs very well but I still enjoyed myself.

- On July 11 I started a new job! I finally got one! It feels great to be working again. Being able to make my own money, actually talk to people during the day, waking up for a purpose and all that is just great! I am working at Convergy's as a call center agent. I have been in training for the last three weeks and so I am getting nervous to get on the phones but it will be alright. I have a job and that's all that matters.

- We gave my dad a very belated Father's day gift because it was taking forever for them to get done. We got pictures taken in our Utah Ute shirts. I thought they turned out super cute. One in particular I had to post just because I laugh so hard every time I look at it. haha...it's hilarious!

- Our 24th of July was also awesome! We had so many people over at our house Monday night for a HUGE firework show! Even though it was raining and cold everyone showed up with blankets, jackets and umbrellas. I am literally talking about like a hundred people. It was great to see everyone! So just for all of your information I am positive we will be doing it again next year!

- I guess I should do a gym update to. I have lost 58 pounds so far! Crazy, I know! The month of July was a good one for me. I worked my butt off! My trainer set me a goal for the month and said that if I made it he would buy me pizza and guess what I made the goal! I even beat it by like 2 pounds! So I totally got pizza and we ate the entire thing plus an entire thing of bread sticks. I was stuffed but it felt so GOOD!! You don't even know! Now I have to go work it all off...haha!!

Well that's it for now! I will update more as I remember, haha! :)

Fireworks!!

2011-07-05T21:14:00.000-06:00

So everyone knows that Utah legalized tons of fireworks this year. You don't have to go to Wyoming anymore to get them! Also a lot of you know that my family used to sell fireworks years ago and then stopped. Well this year we are selling again but this time it's only the new legal fireworks. Also you can light them through July 26th so there is still lots of time to buy them or to prepare for the 24th of July! My dad is giving away great deals and is selling them much cheaper then everywhere else so here is the website to check everything out. www.rockymountainfireworks.com. Trust me, they really are awesome! I saw all of them last night! Best Fourth of July Ever!!

Sad Day!!

2011-06-30T18:51:00.000-06:00

So I think almost everyone is pretty aware of my situation lately. One of the absolute worst things to come out of it was that I had to give our dog Riley back to Michael. It was something we agreed upon but it still sucked! It didn't really hit me until I woke up the day that I had to send her off. I was in a horrible mood all day and I just found myself crying for no reason. That day I got her cage all ready to make her flight as comfortable as possible and that night I took her to the airport, did all of the paperwork, held her for a little bit and said goodbye. It was so sad! Yes I will admit she is a brat but she is the cutest brat so it's okay! Anyways I miss her a lot and I hope I get to see her soon!

Camping Trip!!

2011-06-30T18:35:00.000-06:00

A couple weekends ago we went on a camping trip with my dad's co-workers and their families. It's the only time they could all get off at the same time so we took advantage of it. We went to Huntington Reservoir which is down by Price, Utah. We had four families go for a total of 19 people and 8 of them were children under the age of 10. A little insane but super fun!! We took our cousin's water trampoline down with us and put it in the lake so that we could all play on it which was awesome. We did a lot of fishing but nobody caught anything. I strongly believe that there are NO fish in that lake, haha! Lots of good food was made and it was absolutely delicious!! We also brought a projector and screen down so that we could watch a movie with all the kids. Of course we watched "Tangled." What better kid movie is out right now then that one? There just is not one. :) It was also over Father's Day weekend so we got all the kids together to make cards for their dads. They turned out cute! Even Shannon, Nat and I got in on the fun and made one for our dad. We traced our hand prints just like we were five again...haha! I enjoyed it! But we had a lot of fun and got some really good pictures! Can't wait for next time!

Fun Filled Week!!

2011-06-07T14:12:00.000-06:00

So this past week was full of events and festivities. It was a little nuts! It started Monday on Memorial Day with an all day family outing. We were doing stuff all day. Tuesday was Shannon's seminary graduation. Thursday my cousin Cara got married so there was a wedding luncheon and the wedding reception that night. On Friday was Shannon's high school graduation and then the celebrations after that. Plus my other cousin Chris got married but we weren't able to make it to that. Then on Saturday was Shannon's boyfriends Eagle Court of Honor. On Sunday it was our new cousin Lucy's baby blessing and then a little get together after that. Lastly Sunday night we had friends over to plan our camping trip in a couple weeks. Crazy! We had 3 BBQ's just this last weekend! I think I set a record with how many dresses I wore this week, haha! It was awesome to see so many family and friends and catch up and celebrate with everyone! It was definitely a good week and a great start to the summer!

Cousin Heidi and myself!

The Cousin Blue Crew!

Cousin Brendan and his purple bow tie!

Baby Lucy!

Precious!

Shannon's Graduation!!

2011-06-07T13:56:00.000-06:00

Last Friday Shannon finally did it. She graduated high school and she did it as the Student Body President. That meant that she got to sit up on the stand and she had to give a speech. She did awesome! It turned out really good and she looked great to! Only because she was wearing my dress and my shoes though. Haha...your welcome Sissy! Afterwards we had a BBQ for her and her boyfriend and his family. Natalie and I had fun decorating the house with balloons and such. Oh and I guess I am at that age where I have to contribute food to these things. I can't rely on my mom anymore, haha! So I made a macaroni salad and I must brag a little and say it was a hit! It was great to celebrate! Congratulations Sissy!

Memorial Day!!

2011-06-02T10:49:00.000-06:00

This year on Memorial Day my family went to visit some family members graves. I personally had not been back since my grandma died which was October of 2001. So it had been almost 10 years. It was my first time ever visiting graves on Memorial Day so it was kind of neat. Especially being able to share it with my family. We saw my Grandma and Grandpa Fahey, my Cousin Shane and my Aunt Janet. I think it's pretty cool that they are all buried next to each other to. We love and miss you guys!

Another Missionary!!

2011-05-26T13:39:00.000-06:00

Our really good friend Christopher left yesterday to go on his mission. He is Gavin's most absolute best friend, practically a brother to him and to me and my sisters. Our families are really close so it was nice to have them come over the night before he left so we could say goodbye. He is going to Eugene, Oregon. It's funny because his and Gavin's mission basically touch so its been a joke that nobody, not even a higher power, can keep those two apart. haha! Anyways, good luck Christopher! You will do great!

Senior Ball!!

2011-05-23T12:12:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to post a few pictures of my sister Shannon's Senior Ball, her last dance of high school. I told her she was pretty and she kept saying she looked like Belle from "Beauty and the Beast." She is close, just needs yellow gloves. :)

40 Pounds!!

2011-05-23T10:16:00.000-06:00

Well it says it right in the title...I have lost a total of 40 pounds! It feels awesome! There is still a ways to go but I am happy with the results so far.

California Trip!!

2011-05-10T12:51:00.001-06:00

Last week my sisters and I took a road trip to California for our friend Nadine's wedding. We got a few of our friends to go with us. It was supposed to be a 12 hour drive there but I got it in 10 and half hours! We were all so excited to go because it was like a big reunion for all of us. By the end of the trip there was a grand total of 13 of us! We all pretty much grew up together in our teenage years and developed this, as one of our friends puts it, an "unexplainable bond." It had been about a couple years since we had all been together and for some a few years and for others about five years. For us though we can be apart for that long and when we finally get together it's like nothing has changed and we just picked up where we left off. It's crazy! We are in the time of our lives when people are leaving on missions or getting married or going to college so it's a lot of change for all of us and it's very bittersweet. It's going to be awhile before we are ALL together again.

One day we went up to San Fransisco and spent a day there. We went on the famous Pier 39 and did some shopping and had some lunch. We spent some time on a little beach that was at the end of the street. We went and ate some Ghiradelli chocolate which was delicious, we went into some fun little shops along the street and watched a lot of street performers. After that we drove around and saw some fun sights. We drove down Lombard Street, which is very steep by the way so it was kind of scary, and we went and drove by the tall triangle looking building in downtown San Fransisco but I still don't know what it's called, it's very famous though. To finish it off we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. We stopped off at a little spot and took lots of pictures. There were a few people in the group who had never been so it was a really fun day for all of us!

The next couple of days was all about Nadine! We spent all day Friday setting up for her special day. Her colors were brown and blue. We set up tables and chairs for 200 people! There was a candy table, a dance floor, the head table, the centerpieces, the wedding favors, a cheese and cracker table, benches for the ring ceremony and lots of other miscellaneous decorations. A lot went into it but it all came together so well! We had the rehearsal dinner that night and during it Nadine gave her bridesmaids gifts to open. I was lucky enough to be one of her bridesmaids. We got custom made converse shoes. They were the colors of the wedding and they said bridesmaid on the side and then the inside of them were personalized for each of us. Mine were purple of course! We also got jewelry to go along with our dresses. It was awesome! I love Nadine and her mom, Ricci, so much!!

Her actual wedding day was a lot of fun! Her and her new husband Sam, who we all approve of by the way, got married in the Oakland temple. They looked awesome and Nadine was BEAUTIFUL! We took a lot of pictures, especially us in the wedding party. After that we went back over to the reception site. They had a little ring ceremony which was really short and sweet. Then the reception was after that. It was really neat to see all the people that showed up. They had a lot of support from family and friends. There was lots of food and lots of dancing and especially lots of pictures! It was neat to have a reunion with our little "Utonian Clan." That's what we were known by, haha! It was a much needed trip for everyone, especially me, and I will never forget it! It was an emotional couple of days for all of us because we had to say goodbye again but we will be together soon. I love you guys!

Shannon!!

2011-04-28T11:53:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago my sister Shannon gave up her SBO president spot to the next person for next year. She did such a great job this past year with the school and all the activities. She was one busy girl!! I just wanted to let her know how proud I am of her and that she is a great example and leader. I love you sissy!!

New Baby!

2011-04-26T15:59:00.000-06:00

Our family finally has a new baby! So excited for a new cousin! I just had to put her adorable picture up. Congratulations Michael and Melissa!!

Lucy Kay Hurst

Updates!!

2011-04-15T12:22:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since my last post but nothing big has really happened. So here are a few updates on some little things over the past couple of months...

* My brother Gavin hit his one year mark on his mission. It is absolutely crazy to me how fast the time flew by!! I have been posting lots of his mission pictures so check them out on Facebook.

* My sister Natalie got her drivers license! Can you believe it? The baby of the family is now on the road and my parents even let her take the car by herself.

* As for my weight loss progress I have lost a total of 33 pounds so far! I am so proud of myself!

Jr. Prom!!

2011-02-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday my sisters went to their high school Jr. Prom. Natalie was so excited because it was her first date and her first school dance. So she asked me to do her hair and stuff like that. She looked so pretty and so did Shannon. They went in the same group which I thought was so funny! So I thought I would post pictures for everyone to see. Enjoy!

Dad's Birthday!

2011-02-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

My family has a lot of birthdays between October and February. Everybody's except for my mom's. February 9th was my dad's birthday. We took him out to dinner to wherever he wanted. Of course he chose Texas Roadhouse. That's his favorite place to eat! Anyways, Happy Birthday Dad! Love you!

Making Progress!!

2011-02-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

Just a quick little post for some good news. Well it's exciting for me anyways! As of last Thursday I have officially lost 10 pounds. So happy!! I have also lost a total of about 10 inches all over my body. I am just glad to know that all of this hard work is paying off. I am loving it!

Jeff Dunham!

2011-01-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

This past week my family and I went to the Jeff Dunham show. We think he is hilarious and I would recommend him to anyone who needs a good laugh! It was a good night out with great family and friends. :)

Determined!

2011-01-04T13:50:00.002-07:00

So awhile ago I posted that I was on a mission to get back in shape and to be honest it just didn't work at all. I didn't have much support, I tried doing it by myself and I had no one to be accountable to. But since I have been home I got a membership to 24 hour fitness and I got a personal trainer. I have a good feeling about this time and I can already feel it working. All I have been doing is living and breathing the gym and eating healthy. I am determined to make this work and get serious results! Wish me luck!

Happy Birthday Nat!

2011-01-03T11:34:00.002-07:00

About a week ago it was my baby sister's 16th birthday!! I cannot believe it! Just a warning to everyone, she passed her driving test so be careful on the roads, haha! Love you Nat, Happy Birthday! :)

Christmas!

2011-01-03T11:22:00.003-07:00

Christmas this year was awesome! I was so happy to be with my family including some of my extended family. The best part was our pajamas because all of us kids got footie pajamas!! Keep in mind that all of us are adults except for 3, haha! We were so excited we even did a little Christmas Eve caroling in them which turned out really fun!

Kira was excited to talk to Gavin the next day

Poor mark was the only boy this year, haha!

Cold Winter Nights!

2010-12-01T18:44:00.003-07:00

My family is kinda nuts but everyone already knows that, haha! I say this because we like to sit outside in our backyard when it is super cold outside. We start a really big fire with whatever wood we can find and get all dressed up in our coats, hats, gloves and sit around the fire. We did it this past Sunday night when we got hit with all that snow so it was really windy, the snow was deep and it was freezing! It's really fun to take all the dogs out though and play with them though. I think it may becoming a family tradition. We call them our "Winter Sit Outs." Oh and one of our dogs lets us dress him up all warm to, haha!!

Happy Birthday Shannon!

2010-12-01T18:29:00.002-07:00

On November 23rd my little sister, Shannon, turned 18 years old. She is an adult now so I guess she is not so little anymore. I just wanted to tell her how proud I am of her of everything she is doing right now. Trust me she is a busy woman! I love you sissy!!

For the Fahey's Christmas has begun!!

2010-11-19T12:16:00.004-07:00

Last sunday my dad had a brilliant idea. Why not put all the Christmas decorations up now? We know it's not even Thanksgiving yet but time goes by way too fast these days and for all the work you go through with putting up decorations and everything else there is no time to enjoy it and get into the Christmas spirit. So personally I don't think it hurts to begin a couple weeks early. Our family has accumulated A LOT of decorations over the years and instead of putting them outside we put them all inside. So here are a few pictures of our already decorated house. Enjoy!

Disney and Jazz!!

2010-11-19T12:04:00.003-07:00

So because my dad works at the Energy Solutions Arena where the Utah Jazz play he is always getting free tickets to a lot of the events there. Last weekend he got some to Disney on Ice and we got to sit in the All Star Suite. It was funny because there were all of the little kids just so excited and then you have us adults who are just as excited, haha! I wanted to see Ariel, The Little Mermaid, because that was my favorite movie when I was little. So that was really fun!

Then the other day he got some tickets to one of the Jazz games. I went with my sister and our friend. We were clear at the very top, but we weren't complaining. It was fun and free!! I love watching my Utah Jazz! Every game I have been to they have always won and I have been to quite a few. I like to consider myself a good luck charm. :)

It's Finally All Over!!

2010-11-07T20:17:00.002-07:00

Thank Goodness Everyone! I thought the stress of this past month would be never ending. I can now say though that I made it through, I am home again and Michael is safe and sound where he is at. I thought I was so on top of things making sure everything was organized and done in a timely manner but as soon as one thing gets done you remember five more that you forgot...therefore, never ending!!!

But the Morning of November 1st finally came and we were ready. I dropped Michael off at the Naval Base where he deployed out of and believe it or not this time was not a cry fest for me. I don't know if it's because this is the fourth time I have done this or if it was because I had too much excitement about being back in Utah for awhile. But I didn't feel bad because Michael was very excited to be going to an awesome place, I have heard it's just amazing so I honestly don't feel bad, I'm kind of jealous. I guess it's good that we both feel the same way, haha!! Anyways we said our goodbyes and I went to finish up a few odd ends and awaited my Dad and Kira who flew in to help me drive back home. I was so happy to see them!!

We left the next morning in my little Scion tc filled with three people and a dog. It was pretty cramped but we made it. We drove to 20 miles outside of Illinois the first night and stopped to rest but the second day we drove about 21 hours. I thought we would stop again but my dad pushed through the whole night. I made sure to stay awake with him and blast really fun dance music to keep us awake. You think Nebraska and Wyoming are boring, try driving both states in the dark. SO BORING!!! But after running over some roadkill (Kira), killing a bird (Kira), trying to find a haunted lake in the dark in Indiana (Dad), visiting my cousin Tim on his mission in Independence, Missouri and dealing with a whiny bratty dog for 2200 miles we made it home at 6 a.m. Thursday morning. That is pretty amazing if you ask me.

And now I get to sit and think....I get to do it all over again in six months. Whoop-Dee-Doo!

It's That Time Again...

2010-10-06T20:44:00.002-06:00

Well I guess it had to happen again soon. I kind of felt it coming so I wasn't that shocked or upset. When we got back from Florida a couple months ago, Michael was told that he would be deploying again. He is going to U.A.E, don't worry I had to look it up to, which stands for United Arab Emirates. All we have heard is good things about that place and it's very safe so I guess that's why this time around I just haven't been as sad as in the past. Also it's only for six months and not a year so I definitely can't complain. It's just another day and I am getting pretty used to it. He will be leaving in a less than a month. We still don't know exactly when but we are pretty prepared for whatever day it ends up being. We made a decision to move out of our town house and put all of our stuff in storage so that we could save a lot of money. We weren't quite sure it was a good decision but after Michael told everyone he works with what we were doing they all said they would do the same thing and that we were being very smart about it, so we feel a lot better about our decision. So that means for me I get to come home for about six months and I am SO EXCITED! I miss all my family and friends and it's already been a year since we moved so it's time to go home for a little bit.

So of course all this means that we have a lot to do. We have been going crazy the past couple of weeks trying to get everything packed. It's a lot harder than I thought because we have stuff going in four different directions. We have stuff coming with me to Utah, some things are gong with Michael, majority of stuff is going to storage and then one of the cars and a few things are going to Ohio to stay with Michael's parents. So it's just stressful trying to keep track of all our stuff and organizing everything and staying on top of it all. Moving really is one of the most stressful things I think. Especially when you don't have movers and you do it all yourself. We only have a couple more days though until we move all our big stuff so after that I think we will feel much better.

There is just an update with us lately and I will keep you updated as things happen. It's gonna get a little nuts!

Riley!!

2010-08-21T04:34:00.002-06:00

This last week our little puppy turned 3 years old. Cannot believe that we have already had her for two and a half years!! It is amazing to me how much joy and comfort animals, especially dogs, can bring to your life. I absolutely love her even though she is a pain sometimes and so does everyone else even if they won't admit it. Especially my sister who likes to call her a Ho...haha!! Here are some pics of her. Enjoy!

Florida!!

2010-08-09T08:22:00.005-06:00

The past couple of weeks we have been having fun in Panama City Beach, Florida! It turned out to be a really fun and relaxing trip! A lot of the time we were sitting out at the beach, swimming in the pool and getting in the hot tub. Luckily we were blessed with really terrific weather. It slightly rained a little bit but that's it. It was much better then our last Florida trip when the Tropical Storm hit so we were happy. On the beach we played a little volleyball and some catch with the football. One day we went out and rented some scooters and rode them around for about 4 hours. Those were really fun! It took me a little while to get used to them, I was so scared I was gonna wreck, but I eventually got it. We rode them all over the place.

Our second anniversary hit over the trip also. So we took the day and spent it together. We went to a restaurant on the beach because I have always wanted to do that. Michael has been to Panama City a million times so all of this was a first for me. I got to try Shark! It was actually pretty good. We went to a few other restaurants and I tried crab and raw oysters. I have had them both before but I had a lot of crab this time and decided that I was right the first time when I said I didn't like oysters. Haha, so no more of those!

One day we went mini golfing, a couple days we did a little shopping, lots of driving around looking at everything and exploring. Also a lot of the time we ended up playing lots of cards and games in the evening time when the sun went down. It turned out to be a great fun and much needed trip! I have to admit though, it's always nice to come home to your own bed.

He grew his hair out for the first time ever for me. Trust me for his this is long!

Some weird green fungus started growing in the water the second week. Still don't know what it was but I sure didn't touch it.

The sunsets are absolutely beautiful!

Happy Birthday Michael!!

2010-07-22T01:03:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was Michael's 24th birthday! It was also his brother's birthday. They have the same exact birthday and they are two years apart. Crazy huh?! Seriously, how does that happen? Anyways, I was pretty happy since he actually was here for his birthday. He seems to always be gone on important dates. The night before I stayed up pretty late after he went to bed and made him cupcakes. I put chocolate frosting with blue letters that said "Happy Birthday M!" I also made him a card, wrapped a gift and put up a Happy Birthday sign. I set it all up so he could see it when he woke up to go to work. I was pretty proud of myself. :) I asked him what he wanted to do when he got home and he just wanted pizza...haha! So we ordered Papa Johns and played games all night. He really liked it so it was a very successful birthday!!

Our Adventurous Weekend!!

2010-07-12T13:25:00.003-06:00

So this past week and especially the weekend has been pretty eventful. We got out of the house a lot more and kept pretty busy. Usually we stay in and hang out but it was nice to mix things up a little. First we saw two movies, Toy Story 3 and Despicable Me in 3D. Both of them were really good and really funny! I would recommend that everyone see both.

On Saturday Michael told me that we were going out but he kept everything else a surprise. That's pretty good for him since usually he ends up telling me everything so I was impressed. We ended up going on a dinner cruise on a big boat called the "Spirit of Norfolk." He got us our own little table with a vase of roses. They had a really nice dinner buffet that was delicious and afterwards they gave you dessert which was even more yummy!! They took you out on the water for a full three hours. You ate dinner the first hour and then the rest of the time they have entertainment, singing, dancing or you could go up on the top deck and look out over the water. It was really fun getting all dressed up and doing something I had never done before.

On Sunday we woke up bright and early to meet with some of Michael's family. His Aunt, Uncle and cousins were here on a family vacation and they asked to meet up with us so we did. Here in Virginia there is a ton of history and lots of original historical buildings and landmarks. We went to Colonial Williamsburg and walked through the original town. All of the buildings were from the 1700's. They had the court house, the bakery, the wig shop, the blacksmith, the post office, where they bound books, where they printed the newspaper, churches, the capitol, a place with all the original weapons they used in war and all of the houses that people actually still live in. Crazy!! The workers were all dressed up in costume down to every detail. It was 97 degrees and I felt bad for them but they did look really neat. We got to eat in a tiny little restaurant that served food from that time which was also awesome. It was a really good experience and there is still tons of stuff that we haven't seen but yet were surrounded by it. I would also recommend this to everyone to do on their vacation. It's pretty cool! Oh and we got in for FREE! This military thing sure does have it's perks and advantages, haha!!

Utah and Ohio!!

2010-07-08T14:26:00.003-06:00

About a few weeks ago I took a little trip back to Utah to visit friends and family. It was really last minute and after I had booked the ticket I realized that it was over Father's day so I decided to not tell my family and keep it a surprise. It was awesome because I pulled it off so well! I only told my friend I was coming out and stayed with her for a few days and we took a trip up to Bear Lake to just hang out. Then on Father's day I headed over to my family's house and totally caught them off guard during their Sunday nap time. I know...perfect timing right?! I loved putting a smile on everyone's face! During the week I helped my dad put in their new pergo flooring, we went out to eat, watched lots of movies, saw a few friends, went swimming with the girls and just had a good time. It was nice to see everyone again and just relax and enjoy my stay.

So after a couple weeks back home I flew back to Virginia and a day later we took off to Ohio to spend the long Fourth of July weekend with Michael's family. It's about 9 hour drive but it wasn't too bad. Once again not too much went on their either. Just lots of time to relax, catch up and hang out. We swam in their pool and sat out and talked most of the time. We also played lots of cards, like usual, and had a family BBQ. Then before we knew it, it was time to take the 9 hour ride back home. We enjoyed our stay though. It's always good to visit and see family.

Busch Gardens!!

2010-05-22T13:57:00.004-06:00

Yesterday we went to Busch Gardens. It is a great amusement park and it was voted most beautiful park and I definitely saw why. I had heard of this place before when people would talk about it but I always thought it was a place where you looked at trees, haha! I never knew it had full on roller coasters! It was hilarious when Michael had to explain it all to me. Total blonde moment!

Anyways, every year the military gives out free tickets to military members and their families. So it was a way for Michael to skip work and for us to not have to spend lots of money. How can you turn down free amusement park tickets? Umm...you can't! It was really fun. We went on some great rides, had some good food and saw some funny shows. Everything I did I would say to Michael, "my family would absolutely love this". The park also had lots of animals. There were bald eagles, wolves, sheep, and a lot of birds. It was also good because school is not out yet so it wasn't very busy and it wasn't super hot. That didn't change the fact though that I got fried! I think that I take getting sunburned to a whole new level. It doesn't matter what I do the sun just hates me! All of these burns are not going to add up to anything good. All in all though we had lots of fun. I want to go again!

I decided to put this video on here because it was one of my favorite rides. It was called the Griffon. Usually roller coasters climb all the way to the drop and then just drop you down but this one stops right before it drops you so you are dangling over the edge. This one also isn't a slant, it is a straight 90 degree angle. Maybe even more. So it dangles you for about 5 seconds and then drops you super fast! Way fun!

Updates!

2010-05-13T20:57:00.002-06:00

Nothing super exciting has been going on really. Not enough to blog about but I thought it was time for another post so here are a few updates over the past month and a half...

- On Mother's Day Gavin, my brother, was able to call home and call me. It sounds like he is doing awesome and enjoying himself a lot. He is taking in every minute because time is just flying.

- Back in February we were told that Michael was going to be deployed again this summer. I was so bummed! But about a few weeks ago he was pulled so he is not going anymore. Very exciting news! We finally get to do what we planned for the summer and get to spend our second anniversary together!

- For one of our date nights we totally went to the Circus! It was really cheap and Michael had never been so we went. It was lots of fun, we enjoyed ourselves.

- Over Easter we were lucky enough to have Michael's parents come down for the weekend so we could spend it with family. They are so close to us now that we can see them a lot more which is nice.

-Also since my journey started to start being more healthy I have dropped about 10 pounds. So it's slow but it's better than nothing.

That's all for now...

Time for a Change!!

2010-03-23T17:19:00.002-06:00

So between the move from Utah to Virginia and the holidays brought a lot of stress. For Michael and myself that usually means we start eating out a lot, we don't exercise and we really got off track with all that stuff. Because of that I wasn't feeling as good as I should have and I became super lazy. Not good! So I decided that it was time to get back on track and be healthier than before. Michael has agreed to do it with me just so I have some sort of support. This week we started a new diet and exercise plan. It makes me actually have to wake up in the mornings and it's teaching me how to cook with all these new ingredients. I already feel so much better and I feel that I get a lot more done in my day because well...I am actually awake longer. We also started this new 60 day exercise program called "Insanity." Let me be the first to tell you that it truly is INSANE! I think this will be my biggest test during this whole thing. You know how when people do their cardio workout there is a couple times during the workout that they have about a minute or two of using their maximum energy? Well with this workout it is the complete opposite. You have about 35 minutes of maximum energy use and only about 5 minutes of slowing it down. So I am hoping because of that I will get faster results. When I weighed myself for the first time in awhile before starting this I was shocked!! It is so easy to let yourself get out of control and not even notice. I am so determined to make this work and be ready for summer. I am going to use this blog for motivation to keep going. I want to be able to feel proud of myself in some way to tell people about my progress. It will be quite the journey but I think I am finally ready!

Virginia Beach!!

2010-03-21T16:04:00.003-06:00

Yesterday we took Riley to Virginia Beach for the first time. Well to any beach for that matter. Your not allowed to take dogs during the summer when it is busy so we thought we would bring her a few times before then. She was so funny! She loved running and playing in the sand but she wasn't so fond of the water. She would run up to it to see what it was and then as soon as the wave would start washing up she would be hauling it the other direction...haha!! It probably didn't help that the water is freezing cold! Even for us! Anyways, here are some pictures and video of our day.

Gavin's Mission Farewell!!

2010-03-02T21:06:00.003-07:00

Last week I was able to fly home to Utah to see my brother off on his mission. He did a great job on his farewell talk at church and a lot of people showed up. He has so much support from friends and family and I know that he was very grateful for it. I enjoyed watching him over the next couple of days and helping him pack. He is so prepared and you could tell by just looking at him and listening to him. Those few days he grew up right in front of my eyes. He is a great example to me and the best brother ever!

It was a happy and emotional goodbye. He gave all his sisters kisses before he left and I will cherish those moments forever! He is at the MTC right now and will be in Tacoma, Washington soon! Thanks to all the people that came to support him and are supporting him. Our family and Gavin can't thank you enough!

It Finally Came!!

2010-01-26T18:29:00.003-07:00

So I know that I got my Associates degree back in the middle of September but I didn't have my physical diploma in hand. It was so frustrating with the move and everything trying to get it to me. I am so relieved to say though that today it finally got here 4 months later!! So now I consider it official.

One Month and Counting...!

2010-01-24T21:28:00.002-07:00

The week of Christmas my brother Gavin got his mission call. He is going to Tacoma, Washington and he reports to the MTC in exactly one month. I can't believe he is finally going and will be gone for two years. Now my parents will have kids on each coast, haha! I am very proud of him and can't wait to see him before he goes! Congrats Gav!

Christmas and New Years!

2010-01-04T19:57:00.005-07:00

So after my family left for the Thanksgiving Holidays we only had a couple weeks before Michael's parents came in for the Christmas Holidays. They got in the Monday before Christmas at about 2 in the morning. The roads were really bad from all the winter storms so it took them a lot longer than expected. They brought both of their dogs, Sparkie and Sassy. They also brought a van load of just about everything. Lots of food, Christmas presents, and other random stuff. It was insane! None of us got to bed until after 4 because it took that long to unload everything and put it away. Poor Michael had to work the next morning.

During the week we took them on the base to shop and look around a little bit. They are parents of Air Force boys which makes them Air Force crazy when it comes to buying stuff. So they enjoyed that a lot. We also took them to Virginia Beach. Michael and I have now been there three times. I hope the next time it won't be so cold and we can actually swim in the ocean. haha! We ate a lot of food all week and played lots of games. We also got our guest bedroom set up because they brought us our bed and dresser for the room. So the house is officially complete. Yay!!

When Christmas Eve came we had to convince Michael not to open up all the presents. Two years ago we ended up opening them all before Christmas because of him but this year we had to put our foot down. Of course we won! We had a wonderful Christmas morning exchanging gifts! Michael loved it because he was so spoiled this year just because he wasn't here last year for Christmas. What's his is mine right? ha! I got lots of scrapbooking stuff, a purple tool set, lots of nail polish, pajamas, purple luggage set and a snuggie. Michael got a new wii game, a sword set, pajamas, a movie, and lots of Ohio State stuff. We also got a grill and some cash for our Vegas trip! It was a good Christmas!

Just a couple days later on Sunday morning we left for Las Vegas for New Years week. I felt bad that we had to leave them but this trip had been planned for about a year. We got into Vegas about 4 on Sunday. The trip was planned around my friends 21st birthday and they weren't arriving for a couple days. So we did some shopping on Monday at a huge town square they had. Tons of stores, I was in heaven! On Tuesday we explored the southern end of the strip. We went into lots of shops and into a lot of hotels and Casinos just to see what they had. It was really fun! It was awesome checking out the new hotels that they had because they were amazing and there was so much to do!

On Wednesday our friends got in and we found more shopping to do. So we shopped again. My friends boyfriend suprised me with a birthday gift and it was a ticket to the black eyed peas concert!! I was so excited!! Jessie and I went and we had so much fun! It was by far the best concert that I have ever been to. Thanks Dan!! Thursday was New Years Eve. They closed down the whole strip because there were so many people and people covered the streets. They had fireworks going off at midnight on five of the hotels. It was awesome!! We ate at the Hard Rock afterward. It was a good New Years Eve! The next couple of days we went and ate at a lot of buffets, we explored the northern end of the strip and we went to the La Reve show at the Wynn hotel. It was sad to have to leave but we had a great time down in Vegas! It was a good way to end 2009. Happy New Years to everyone! We hope that 2010 brings good to all of you!

Thanksgiving in Virginia..?! Who would of ever thought.

2009-12-04T10:50:00.004-07:00

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone and it's already December. It's insane! My family is so awesome. They drove all the way out to Hampton, Virginia to give me my car and to spend Thanksgiving with us. So after driving two cars through Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, finding our friend TJ out on his mission, visiting with Michael's parents, and losing Gavin in Washington D.C. they finally made it to our place the night before Thanksgiving.

We went to eat at Chili's that night and we listened to 4 days worth of stories from the road trip. They were pretty funny! Everyone passed out that night early from exhaustion. Thanksgiving morning I was excited because it was the first time that I ever really had to cook a full on meal, let alone a feast. It was also a good day because my parents went out and bought us new tables and chairs for our dining area. So all 8 of us could fit now! We had turkey, fruit salad, vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and rolls. It was Yummy!! We also had pumpkin pie and ice cream. As well as birthday cake because it was Shannon's 17th birthday during the road trip.

The rest of the time we played lots of card games, board games and wii games. We took them around Langley Air Force Base, we went in tunnels under the ocean, we went over the 20 mile Chesapeake bridge, we ate at the famous Max & Erma's restaurant, and of course we went to Virginia Beach to see the Atlantic Ocean. Oh and I can't forget....we watched the big BYU/UTAH game. It took a little bit to get it going but it was there in some form or another. haha! Oh and one more thing I forgot...we totally duck taped Shannon's legs together while she was sleeping and put shaving cream on her face. hahahaha!!

It was sad to see them leave but I know I will see them soon. Time goes fast these days! Thanks family for coming out, it was a good time!

We Got a Place!!

2009-12-03T15:10:00.005-07:00

Well we ended up getting ourselves a town home out here in Virginia. It's 2 stories with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area and living area. I love it!! It's much better than an apartment and it's cheaper than a house, haha! Works for me. Here are pictures of the new place. Enjoy!

Family Photos!!

2009-11-17T18:35:00.004-07:00

Before we left my family had our first professional family photos taken. They were taken by my uncle who is really talented. They turned out great and super cute! Here are a few to look at.

Husband Home, A Funfilled Week and a Road Trip!

2009-11-16T10:05:00.004-07:00

Holy Cow! That is all I have to say about the past few weeks. It has been absolutely insane!! I don't know where the time went but so much happened. So here is an update...

On Monday November 2nd at 2:15 pm, Michael came home after being gone a year. I cannot believe it still. My family and I went all out at the airport trying to embarrass him as much as possible. We had blue and red T-shirts on with each letter of his name painted on in big block letters and then we had some red and blue welcome home signs. It was awesome! And that was the beginning of a very crazy, but fun, week.

Throughout the week we went out to eat a lot because we wanted to eat at all our favorite places before we headed out. We had Rodizios, Tepanyaki's, The Roof and Chipotle of course. We also were trying to get all of our stuff ready for the movers to come. They came and took all of our stuff and shipped it out on a truck. So pretty much we have been homeless for almost two weeks, haha! Nice huh?! We had an Open House at my grandmas club house so that we could see people before we left. I had to see as many people as I could or I would of went nuts saying "oh I should of stopped by to see them" and felt guilty. Anyways, we had a great turn out and I thank everyone who showed up. It meant a lot to us! For the weekend we spent lots of time with friends and hanging out one last time. We love our friends and we will miss them! Especially me since there have been lots of good times this past year. Then Sunday night we spent our last evening with my family. We got a nice home cooked meal and my mom said we could have whatever we wanted so we made sure it was delicious, and delicious it was. Thanks MOM!!

So on Monday we said goodbye to the family and headed out early in the morning. We drove all day and made it to North Platte, Nebraska before stopping for the night and then the next day we drove all the way to Galesburg, Illinois before having to stop for the second night. The third day we made it Michael's parents house in Hebron, Ohio and was able to relax for a few days. It was a lot of driving so it felt good to just not drive. While in Ohio we saw some of his family and spent time with his parents. Then when Sunday came around we had to say goodbye to them and we drove to our final destination in Hampton, Virginia. So basically we drove across the whole country. 4 days in the car is not your typical "good times" adventure. I hope I never have to do it again. I am sick of rocks, corn, windmills and trees, haha! But I do miss my mountains, I have no reference point, ha!

So basically Michael came home, we had a fun crazy week, said our goodbyes, drove across the country and now we are in Virginia ready for our next adventure. :)

Last Few Weeks!!

2009-10-15T20:57:00.010-06:00

The last few weeks have been super fun! One Friday night my roommate and I had a girls night at our place with a few friends. We played lots of games, told stories and even waxed one girls nose. That was exciting! It was nice to see just the girls without all the guys, it's a very rare sight. I think we all enjoyed ourselves! I also went to a couple of haunted houses with some friends. I had not been in the longest time and it was very scary for me but I did it. I love Halloween time!

I have also spent a lot of time down at my parents house. It was Gavin's birthday last Sunday and he turned 20 years old. I cannot believe it!! My mom made him a cake and she forgot to buy candles so Shannon and I just put random stuff on his cake. Haha....I think we had a shoelace, matches, a bobby pin, a Disneyland pin, chapstick and some cookies. It was great! Then later in the evening we were all starting to get bored, especially Shannon and Gavin, so they broke out into a funny fight. They were finding anything in the house to use like the swiffer sweeper and the mop. It was hilarious because they like to get into my parents clothes to make funny outfits while they are fighting, haha...just look at the pictures!

On Tuesday my sisters and Gavin's girlfriend and I went out on our own little date. We went to Iggy's because Shannon has never been there. It was delicious! Then we went to the South Towne Mall to shop a little bit. It ended up being good because we all got a couple things. It was fun for all of us to hang out together. We hardly ever do that anymore so when we get the chance to do it we go for it. I love all three of them!

The next night was Natalie's choir concert. She is in Ensemble and also in an all girl Octet group. My mom made all eight dresses for all the girls. They turned out adorable. Go Mom!! I hope I got her sewing gene because I am jealous, haha! I love it when my sisters have things like this because then I get to help them get ready like doing their hair and stuff. It's so much fun!

Then to end this post. What do Gavin and I do when he has the whole week off work and I don't have a job? We go to Walmart at eleven o'clock at night and buy lots of chips, cookies, soda and energy drinks and then go rent a couple movies to stay up super late and get fat....haha!! Good times!

Updates!

2009-09-20T16:13:00.006-06:00

It's been a month since I last blogged! I guess it has just been a very busy month. So here are some updates since I last wrote...

The week after I got back from Ohio I stayed down at my parents house for the week. I got to see a lot of friends during the week and hang out with my family. I got to hang with my mom one night and my sister Natalie another day. There was a ward swimming party I got to attend also that was a good time. My dad was in charge of a Fahey side family party and it was so fun! We had lots of good food and lots of games for everyone to play for all ages. We even rented Sumo suits and my some of my aunts even put them on...haha, good times! I love Fahey side family parties because I don't get to see them very often. That same night I also went to the Tobey Keith and Trace Adkins concert! It was one of the best concerts I have been to.

The next week I also went to the Nickelback concert! That was the best I have ever been to, haha! Saving Abel, Papa Roach and Hinder also were there. I love just going out with friends and hanging out like that. I love music! A few days later I went over to my friend Lacy's house to help her paint her new place. We had so much to paint, luckily we had lots of help or it would of taken forever. Of course I got paint all over me and it was gray paint. It was very tempting to start a paint fight but I already lost with myself, haha!

The next weekend my roommate and I with some friends went camping for Labor day weekend. We went up to Birch Creek which is up north by Woodruff, Utah pretty close to Wyoming. I went fishing for the first time in a long time. I have only caught one fish my entire life so I was excited and of course I didn't catch anything. I have to say though that my new pink fishing pole is pretty darn cute and I learned how to fish. Other than that we just sat around the fire and talked, told stories, laughed and ate a tremendous amount of junk food! That's what camping is for right?!

I finished my associates degree in general studies! Super excited about that so I can finally move on to my major. It's been a long time coming. I was able to hang out with my brother and his girlfriend on his day off work. We went to the Cheesecake Factory and ate and had cheesecake and then we went shopping at the mall. I always love being able to do stuff with my brother and sisters. It was my friends 21st birthday so we got to celebrate for that and I also went to another concert. The Brad Paisley concert with Dierks Bentley. It was good, even though it started raining but we stuck it out. I have been to four concerts this summer and I absolutely have loved them. It's been an amazing summer!

Michael also sent me lots of pictures of what he has been to over there in Korea and I will put lots of them up. He's almost home and I finally got pictures, geez!

Now comes the bittersweet part. Michael is coming home on November 2. Very excited!! I can't believe how fast the year went but then on November 9 we are moving to Virginia. It is coming so fast and it's going to be hard to say goodbye. For right now though I am trying to savor every moment and take lots of pictures and enjoy the remainder of my time here.

Ohio Trip...The Second Time Around

2009-08-19T22:14:00.002-06:00

So this summer I got to go to Ohio again to visit my in laws. I was there for a week and a half and I had a fabulous time. I was a little nervous about how it was going to go, especially because Michael wasn't there. It went well though. They recently put in a pool and a new deck so we were out almost every day sitting out while talking and swimming. That is my idea of a vacation! They took me to an ice cream place and we went on a hike at a place called Old Man's cave. It definitely wasn't Utah hiking but it was still a good time, haha! I got to see lots of family members and catch up since I haven't seen anyone for over a year. It was a good week and a half. Now my summer adventures are over, no more trips for me. Kinda sad but I am sick of airplanes and I miss my bed so it's also a good thing. Just need to enjoy the last two and a half months I have left in Utah. They are gonna go fast. Enjoy a few pics from my trip!

One Year Down!

2009-07-27T13:20:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was mine and Michael's one year anniversary! It has gone by so fast and it definitely hasn't been your typical newlywed life. I just keep thinking a few more months and then we can finally start our life together, actually being together. Anyways I just wanted to tell Michael that I love him and miss him and can't wait for him to come home. Love you! Happy Anniversary!

Japan, Korea and my Hubby!

2009-07-10T02:17:00.003-06:00

These last couple of weeks have been the best I have had in a while. On June 22 I flew out to see my Husband Michael (Nick). I flew into LAX and then I got on a 12 hour flight to Korea. I was super tired but when I got there Michael was there to meet up with me and it was awesome! It has felt like forever since I have seen him. So we hung out there for awhile to wait for our flight over to Okinawa, Japan. That is where Michael's brother Dave is stationed at and we went to stay with him for a little bit. When we finally got there it was awesome to see him to. We are not able to be together all at once very often so it's good when we are. After I got caught up on my sleep I was ready to go. I met a lot of people and they made it even more fun. We went to Araha Beach, which was beautiful, and we hung out all day. We played in the water and played games on the beach. It was so hot and humid. Within minutes of going outside I would be drenched in sweat...Gross! I don't know if I could live there...haha! We also went to an aquarium. It's one of the biggest in the world. They had huge 40 ft. sharks and a whole bunch of weird creatures. It was amazing to see, I really enjoyed it! Michael touched some of the things, but I wouldn't, not after my experiences at San Diego. We also went to a place called Shuri Castle and we toured that for a couple hours. Very interesting place I must say.

Lets see...some things I learned in Okinawa, Japan:

- They drive on the other side of the road

- Their currency is Yen (5000 yen is about 50 bucks)

- Koneecheewa means Good Afternoon

- Arigato means Thank You

- They drive in clicks not mph (60 clicks is about 40 mph)

- Japanese love americans

On the 3rd of July Michael and I said goodbye to Japan and headed back to Korea where Michael is stationed at. It was finally good to see where he has been the last 8 months. It was still hot there but not as bad. We had to walk everywhere there because we didn't have a car but everything was so close that it didn't matter. I tried a lot of new restaraunts and new food. I still don't know about it, I prefer Mcdonalds, haha! I got to meet some of his friends to and they took me out on the 4th of July to check out Korea. It was way fun! I was also glad to see fireworks. I was worried about that because I love them but of course the Air force base had some. They were great! I also got to go shopping a lot for gifts and stuff for us. We got some great things, like 8 or 9 bags worth of stuff. Awesome! It was really sad when it was time to go but this time it wasn't as hard. Instead of it being 8 months since I get to see him, it's less than 4. He will be home the beginning of November!! Yea, almost done, then off to our next place. It's getting exciting. Anyways it was great to see my husband and brother in law and it was great to see them together. Good times! Love you guys! Be safe and thanks for the unforgettable trip!

Things I learned in Korea:

- They drive on the right side of the road

- Their currency is Wan (1300 wan per dollar)

- Their airport is HUGE!

- It is a lot dirtier than Japan was and the air is horrible

- Their language is completely different from Japan, even the symbols

San Diego!!

2009-06-17T22:24:00.002-06:00

Last week my family and a couple of friends went to San Diego. It was so much fun! It was our first vacation we actually flew, got rental cars and stayed in a Condo. It was nice. We went to La Jolla beach and built a sandcastle. Well actually my family built the sandcastle and I just documented it. haha...its always been something I wanted to do so I can check it off my list. We got to go to Sea World and that was a blast. My dad insisted that we sit in the soak zone on every single show. Luckily I didn't get soaked, but Shannon sure did...haha! We were all a little burnt but I topped everyone. It was horrible and it hurt! We also got to touch the Bat Rays or the Manarays. Whatever they are called. I was so freaked out by them that when I got near them I started crying. I felt so stupid because everyone else had no problem with it. Very embarrassing! We also got to go to the San Diego Zoo, a whole bunch of San Diego museums and to Knottsberry Farm. That place is so much fun. Definitely a lot better than Lagoon. We got tons of pictures and videos. It was great to spend time with my family and laugh and get to know them better. I also enjoyed having Gavin's girlfriend Kira with us and Shannon's boyfriend Aaron. They are super fun and just as part of this family as everyone else. Love all of you! Thanks for the great Vacation! Can't wait for the next!

Memorial Day Weekend!!

2009-05-26T22:51:00.002-06:00

This last weekend a few friends and I went down to Zions National Park and went camping and hiking. It was very fun! The weather was good for the most part. We left at two in the morning on Friday to drive down and good thing we did because by the time we got there in the morning all the camping spots were almost filled up. It was so packed!! I expected it though. We went and hiked Angles Landing. That was absolutely insane!! It was so high and it was rough for me. I am not the most in shape person and it was a strenuous hike. It was very hot and very steep. I was so proud of myself when I reached the top though. There was one part going up that you had to actually hold onto chains because you were right on the edge of a cliff. It was scary! Good thing I am not afraid of heights. I was super tired, very sore and very sunburned but I made it. It was totally worth it when we got to the top to. Amazingly beautiful is all I can say! It was a very good experience. I love hiking in Utah's National Parks. Here are a few pics from the fun weekend...Enjoy!

Sunburned!

We made it to the top!

Happy 25th Anniversary Mom and Dad!!

2009-05-19T13:53:00.003-06:00

On May 18, 2009 my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary!! It is amazing how it has already been that long. Where did the time go?! Our family has been through so much, good and bad, but we have become a very tight knit and close family. My brother and sisters and I decided to go all out, I mean 25 is an important number. It was really fun planning it because for once we caught them off guard and actually suprised them! My brother and I were running errands all morning while they were at work getting things done. Funny how the two oldest children have nothing to do but the two younger are super busy. How does that work? haha...very funny! Anyways, we got them a cake that had one of their wedding pictures on it. It was beautiful, the best part by far!! We had a few pink roses because those were my mom's flowers in her bouquet, at least I think...Gavin said so. We took pictures of us kids and put them in frames and we each wrote them a letter. That was great. I know a couple of us cried writing them. It was a good day. We set it all up and suprised them! Now we don't have to worry for another 25 years until they hit the big 50. haha!! Love you guys!!

We had them close their eyes before they could open. Oh and we made them kiss with their eyes closed. haha!!

It took us a long time to get a good picture to frame. None of us could do it without laughing. It was a LONG process but a very funny one. We had so many funny ones that we left a couple on our parents computer backgrounds. haha!!

Gavin and I running errands all day. We took this picture while driving down the road. No one said you couldn't take pictures and drive, you just can't text. :)

Suprise!

2009-05-07T20:24:00.003-06:00

Tuesday morning when I woke up I took Riley outside and there was a package from Michael. He sent me flowers and some chocolate. The chocolates were yummy and the flowers were gorgeous red roses. They still look good to, haha, that is a good thing for me. I always kill flowers! I love you Michael! Only 7 more months!

My New House!!

2009-04-23T15:03:00.007-06:00

When I got back from my trip my friend Jessie told me that her roommate had moved out and asked if I would move in with her. Well let's see....live by myself with a big rent payment or have one of my best friends as a roommate with a little rent payment? As you can see I chose the second option. It took a whole week to move all my stuff and it was hard work doing the majority of it by myself but I am finally done and settled in. Our house looks great and I am so happy to finally have a house and not an apartment. I have been in and out of apartments since I was 18 years old. I am also so happy to have a friend to talk to. Riley isn't the best to talk to because she can't talk back, haha! Michael says he feels better about me not being alone either and he is happy for me. I can feel the good times coming!! Here are some pics of the new place...

Europe!!

2009-04-07T12:18:00.001-06:00

This last week I had the opportunity to go visit Europe. I went with my friends Jessie, Jenn, Morgan, Meaghan and Morgan's parents. We went to Paris, France and London, England and Frankfurt Germany. It was unbelievable! There was so much to see and it was a definite culture shock. Especially because of the amount of traveling we did and we walked EVERYWHERE!
We took a direct flight from Salt lake to Paris that took about 10 hours. Talk about a long flight!

After we got settled in we went out and saw the Eiffel Tower. It was crazy how tall that thing was. We hiked up the stairs to the second level and it was 710 stairs. Keep in mind we had already been up for over 24 hours. I couldn't believe it and it was rough. That was all we did the first night because after that we were all pretty exhausted. The second day in Paris we went and saw a church where they had nuns doing a service. Very interesting to watch I must say. We then went and saw the Notre Dame. Once again we hiked the stairs all the way to the top. Another 400 stairs but these ones were spiral all the way up. That building was beautiful and you could see all of Paris. That city is HUGE! It also stinks and is covered in cigarette smoke. Everyone smokes and it's gross and very dirty. Not what you would think. We then went to an art museum and toured that for awhile.

The next day we took a train called the "Chunnel" to London. It went under the ocean which was kinda nuts. After we got to our hotel there we ended up going to eat and then going to a pub where everyone was getting ready for a futbol game. I loved listening to British people talk, it was so funny to me but I loved it. They are very nice people compared to the ones in France. After that we went to dinner and then we went to an Ice Bar. That was insane! It is just a little room but everything is made out of Ice. The floor, walls, tables, chairs, glasses, computer, etc... They only allowed you to stay in there for 40 minutes because it was like -42 degrees in the room. They give you gloves and and an eskimo coat to put on while your in there. It was absolutley crazy! The next day we went and saw alll the fun stuff. Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Big Ben, Parliment, Westminister, They Eye and basically the whole London Shebang, haha. Everything was beautiful and historic. I couldn't believe the detail and how old all the buildings were. We then went to see "The Lion King" show. I loved it! The next morning we went and saw the Tower of London. That was very big also. We got to see all the old crowns and Jewels that are down in the vaults. Beautiful stuff I must say.

After that we hopped on a plane and went to Frankfurt, Germany. In this town there wasn't a lot of historical sights to see so we did a lot of shopping for souveniers and stuff to bring home. The first night we went to a little Mama and Papa restaraunt. The food is delicious!! If you ever get the chance to eat german food, DO IT! We then ended up at another pub and did a little karaoking. Super fun! We met a lot of people because they are so interested in "Americans." The next day we went on a boat tour and saw some intersting buildings. Germany has very unique architecture which was amazing and lots and lots of bridges. We also got to go into an eight story mall. I have never seen such a thing.

The next day we had to catch another train back to Paris. That day we went to the Louve. That building had to of been 3 blocks long. It was super big! I have never seen such a think. Inside was the Mona Lisa. It is so small but yet everyone makes a big deal about it. Out of the hundreds and hundreds of artwork in there everyone wanted to see the teeny tiny little Mona Lisa paining. I found it quite funny, haha! We also went to a Hard Rock cafe. I had never been to one and it delicious food. I am so glad we went there because I need my "American" food fix. We also saw the famous Arc. It was beautiful. We got to see it at night time all lit up. It was a great way to end the trip. The next day we had to get on our flight to come back home.

Some things that I found interesting and unusual over there was that you have to pay to use a public bathroom, they don't have ice, everything is warm, their biggest drink is a 20 ounce, everyone wears converses, German dogs are huge, all the women wear scarfs (especially in France) as well as they wear lots of black, everyone is in shape because they walk everywhere or ride their bike, you have to pay for water, France and Germany's currency is in Euro's and Londons was in Pounds, if you tell them your american the first they say back to you is "Obama," they listen to american music, and Subways are their main transportation system.

I had a really great time over there. I went through tons of security, traveled a ton, my feet hurt and were swollen, I was tired but it didn't stop me from enjoying myself. I pushed myself to see everything and make the most of the opportunity. I got closer with my friends. I will say though that I am proud and glad to be an American.

Random Updates!

2009-03-10T19:20:00.005-06:00

I noticed I haven't posted for awhile so I guess it's time to update everyone on things that have been going on. I was able to go to the Draper temple open house with my family. The temple was absolutely beautiful and I was happy to be able to see my family and share that experience with them.

Just this last weekend when I went to the mailbox there was a package from Michael. I wondered what it could be because I already got my valentines gift a few weeks before. He got me the "Horton Hears a Who" book but it was in Korean. Totally random! It did make my day though.

My friends and I went to a birthday party. It was super fun! It was nice to be able to just go out and get out of the house. I love meeting new people because you never know, they may just become one of your new best friends. It's just nice to make memories and laugh a lot.

And then I guess for Riley she is just being a stinker butt. I ended up getting her a bark collar. It actually helped out a lot. I also discovered that she loves car washes. She is very entertained and fascinated by them.

Valentine's Suprise!

2009-02-19T18:28:00.002-07:00

Last Friday morning when I went out to my car for work there was a suprise waiting for me. It was all decorated in candy hearts, rose petals, heart stickers, one red rose and a card. My friends Jessie and Jenn did it the night before at about 1 in the morning. I think I almost cried because it made me so happy. When holidays are around I get kind of down because Michael is not here to share them with and they know that so they do what they can to cheer me up. I absolutely loved it. I love you guys!!

Awesome Reunion with a Sad Goodbye

2009-02-11T22:50:00.003-07:00

About 5 to 6 years ago I was in Young Womens. We had the best group of people ever!! We talk about it all the time and try to explain to people the connection between us but we never can express it. It was greater than love and greater than family. It was special. When other wards used to say they had the best youth we were like, "No, you don't understand." We hung out from deacons to laurels. We made so many memories and lifelong friendships.

Anyways eventually we all ended up growing up. Some left for college, others moved away and others went on missions. So it has been a couple years since we have all been together. Until this past weekend anyways.

Our friend TJ left on his mission and him and his family drove out to drop him off at the MTC so we got to see them. So for the first time we all got together Monday night and talked, took pictures, and had a great time. It felt like nothing had changed. I am just glad that we are all still so close even though some of us are married, engaged, going to school and far away. It's a bond that can never be broken.

I would just like to say to all my girls and guys that I love you and thanks for all the memories. Also to TJ, good luck on your mission in Independence, Missouri. We will miss you tons!!!

Our classic "seafood" picture.
The Gang

Three Girls and a Camera. Uh-Oh!

2009-01-31T10:56:00.003-07:00

So on thursday nights my two friends, Jessie and Jenn, we take a HIP HOP class together. After that was done we went back to Jessie's house and ate some dinner. We made a dance CD and were singing and dancing all night, making plans for our upcoming Paris trip, YEA!!, and stuff like that. Then we found the camera....

Oreo Cookies!!

2009-01-22T19:07:00.002-07:00

So the other day my friend Jessie and I made our own homemade oreo cookies. She learned from someone else and she taught me how to. It was really fun! We made them better though because we colored our own frosting. We had red, blue, green, orange, and purple. So we ended up with about a dozen very colorful and big oreos. It was great!

Brown or Blonde!!

2009-01-08T13:41:00.003-07:00

So yesterday I was driving home from work and I had this sudden urge to dye my hair brown. I was texting all the way home trying to get people's opinions and they said go for it and as you can see I did. I have wanted to do it for a couple years but didn't have the guts to. It's a very drastic change! I am not going to lie, it was a very scary experience not knowing what it would look like but I think I am satisfied. Somedays for me being a brunette is better then being a blonde. It's been less than a day but I am already loving it!!

New Years Eve 2008!!

2009-01-03T13:34:00.003-07:00

I can't believe 2008 is already over! I like it going by fast because that means Michael will be home sooner but at the same time I don't like it because I feel like I can't grasp anything that is happening. Anyways...I had a great time New Years Eve with my friends. It was like a progressive dinner. We had appetizers at one house, the main course at the next, and then dessert at the last house. It was nice because they were all neighbors. I met lots of new people. I also enjoyed hanging out with Morgan because it was one of the last times before she left for London. So it's bittersweet I guess. It was an all around great night with some rock band, karaoke, dancing, and pictures. I can't wait to see what 2009 has in store for me!!

Ice Skating!!

2009-01-03T13:26:00.003-07:00

Last Monday I went ice skating with my friends. It was so much fun! It was difficult this time though because I had already pulled my leg and feet muscles a couple days before. It was still fun though. We went to the Ice sheet in Ogden. One of my friends family rents out the whole place for an hour so all of us could skate for free. It was awesome! I had lots of fun!

Our Winter Wonderland....well not so much wonderland!

2008-12-28T16:11:00.004-07:00

Christmas morning we were all so excited because it was actually snowing. That never happens. But then it turned ugly. It didn't just snow we got a blizzard that lasted all day. When we got home from my aunts house it had already dumped a foot of snow. My brother and parents snowblowed and shoveled twice and it was still just covered. The roads were absolutley horrible!

It snowed all night but by the next morning it had stopped. My mom said we were expected to have only a trace of snow. Oh No....it snowed again all day. Another blizzard came through and dumped about another foot of snow. It was absolutely ridiculous. The snow plows were having a very hard time keeping up with the roads so it was scary to drive on. And that also meant that our neighborhood never got plowed. I got stuck 3 times just in my neighborhood alone. Just in the driveway my brother was stuck. It was insane. I guess you could say that we were pretty much snowed in.

For christmas I got a video camera and I took a couple videos of it. Enjoy!

I think the sad thing about this is that nothing closes or shuts down. School is still in session and you still have to be to work by 8. haha...dumb!

Christmas Week!

2008-12-28T15:42:00.006-07:00

This Christmas was a great one. I haven't been home for christmas for a couple years so it was nice to be with my family because after this year who knows what is going to happen. I stayed with my parents for about a week going to family christmas parties and just hanging out with my brothers and sisters. On Christmas Eve I had to work but when I got home the fun started. My brother and sisters and I decided to open the sparkling grape juice that we got as a gift and have toasts with eachother. It was pretty hilarious! Gavin was our fabulous waiter and he served us with wine glasses and everything! We are so dumb sometimes, haha! All four of us and Gavin's girlfriend Kira went to see a movie together. We saw Seven Pounds. It was really good, we all enjoyed it, two popcorns and five drinks later, ha! After we went over to my aunt's house where we slept over for christmas. It is a tradition now to spend Christmas with their family. We had lots of snacks, chips, dip, ham, rolls, potatoes, and drinks for our christmas eve dinner. It was Yummy!! We ended up going caroling together. My aunt and cousin made us all matching scarfs so nobody would get lost. We decided to all wear them a different way. I decided to wear it like a sash.

Later that night we had some games going. Well before that we all opened our new pajamas. Another tradition. The most important game we played was charades. I think that will be a tradition now also because my family is full of blondes! haha...it is very hard to play when people think your lungs are in your throat and your nose is on your elbow. Good times! We all eventually went to bed. Shannon and I shared my cousins bed because she works graveyards. Then all of a sudden it is 7:30 in the morning and Natalie and Aseneca are running around the house waking people up with a blow horn. I could of killed them.

Christmas morning was a good one. There were lots of presents and everyone got what they wanted. There was a lot of laughter and love. I know for my family getting presents from Santa isn't as exciting as giving eachother gifts. It means a lot to know that you are thought of and loved.

Heather's 22nd Birthday!

2008-12-09T23:04:00.005-07:00

Well this was my birthday weekend. Can you believe it? 22 years old! That is just crazy to me. There is now nothing left to look forward to except retirement. All the fun ages have passed, haha! Anyways I just wanted to say thank you to all of my friends and family who made it a great birthday. It was one of the best birthdays I have had in a long time.

This is Jess, Jenn, and Morgan (Mo). Friday night was a blast. We went to eat at Tepanyaki's for dinner and we met new friends and had a blast hanging out all night. I even got to blow out a candle, and I got sang to. These girls are the best. We all even slept in my bed, it was great how we all ended up on our left side spooning with one another, haha! Sorry Michael your side of the bed has been overtaken. Saturday I awoke to a few phone calls and lots of text messages which made me feel good knowing that I was being thought of by lots of people. Even lots of facebook messages! It totally made my day.

There is also my good friend Lacy. She took me out Saturday night with my friend Jenn. We just hung out and danced and talked. She got me a new purse and some perfume for my birthday and Jenn got me a necklace and matching earring set. My parents got me some shirts and a new jacket. I was excited for that one because it meant I didn't have to do laundry for the week, haha! I went over to my aunt's house for some birthday cake. It was Yummy!!
This is the birthday card that Michael sent me over the computer. It was very amusing I think, haha! He got me a digital picture frame and a purple camera for my birthday. I was excited because I love pictures. It made me feel good that he was still thinking about me a million miles away. I love you! So overall it was a great birthday and I just want to say thank you to everyone that was a part of it in any way. It meant a lot!

First Christmas Tree!

2008-12-09T22:57:00.002-07:00

This year was the first year that we have had our very own christmas tree. We still won't be able to share it together but it still counts. I decorated it with purple and silver ornaments and white lights and it has a gold skirt. It was fun putting it up, I really enjoyed it. Michael says that he likes it to so I guess I did a good job! Now it feels like christmas a lot more.

Sunday Boredom + Husband Gone + Animal Fest = Insanity!!

2008-11-30T20:12:00.006-07:00

So this past week has been kinda crazy, but fun! It all started last sunday when my brother and sisters and I were completley bored out of our minds. When that happens we take crazy pictures and laugh at stupid jokes. I am down there a lot now that Michael is gone so I am not alone and I bring the dog to. So they are probably getting sick of me. Some of these pictures might explain it.

Then I took care of my friends kitty for the week. Her name is Misty and my family loved her. I stayed down at my parents for a few days over the holidays and brought the kitty with me. So we had my parents dog Barkley, my dog Riley, my friends kitty and my parents brand new kitty. They decided they needed to get one after I brought the other one down. We named him Jasper. (From Twilight) It was insane!! Cats were hissing at dogs, dogs were eating cat food, but in the end they were all getting along. They became good friends. For us it was a little crazy because they all wanted attention and they all wanted to play in the middle of the night. It was all fun though!

Tag...I'm IT!!

2008-11-28T10:29:00.002-07:00

1 - Where did we meet? We met on the internet, specifically myspace. I remember clearly because he messaged me the week that I got my wisdom teeth taken out.

2 - What was the first thought that went through your head when you met? I don't even remember. I was so nervous meeting him for the first time that my brain wasn't working.

3 - What was he wearing? He had on one of his blue button up shirts from Hollister with a shirt underneath with some blue jeans and his brown shoes. Looked good!

4 - Where was the first time you kissed this person? haha...we won't go there but the second time was in his car when he dropped me off.

5 - Where did you go on your first date? This was about a few weeks after we had been talking so we had not met. Kind of like a blind date. But we each brought a friend and doubled and we went bowling.

6 - How long did you know this person before you became a couple? Probably about a couple weeks...haha, I don't know the exact day.

7 - How did he ask you out? I am not sure it just kind of happened that we ended up together.

8 - Has this person ever proposed to you? Oh yes and I am glad.

9 - Do you and this person have kids together? No and probably not for awhile. We decided that we are still young and want to be able to play and have fun for a little longer.

10 - Have you ever broken the law with this person? Umm...yep but no specifics, sorry.

11 - When was the first time you realized you liked this person? That first night I saw him for the first time.

12 - Do you get along with his family? Yes, love them to death!

13 - Do you trust this person? With all my heart.

14 -Do you see him as your partner in the future? Yes, we got a lot of plans and dreams to fulfill together.

15 - What is the best gift he gave you? He gave me a gift card to get a massage and then some spa things I could use at home. He makes sure that I am taken care of, and my ring of course!!

16 - What is the one thing he does that gets on your nerves? It bothers me when he will not fight back with me. He just takes it and then I feel guilty but that is definitley a tie with all the utah jokes he makes. They are getting kind of old.

17 -Where do you see each other 15 years from now? I have no clue, with him in the military it is kind of hard to see even where we will be living. But I hope that we have a couple of kids and that we have completed our school.

18 - What causes the most arguments? Probably me flipping out over stupid things.

19 - How long have you been together? I met him on April 28, 2006 so almost 3 years. Crazy!

20 - Are you married? Yep, 4 months and still going, haha!

21 - Who do you tag? Erika, Allyson, and Whitney

Twilight Prom!!

2008-11-25T15:25:00.005-07:00

Oh my goodness!! This was such a fun night! My friend at work, Tammy, told me about this twilight prom that they were having at a few Megaplex's before the movie came out at midnight. Of course I was all over it. So we managed to grab 6 tickets before they sold out for the one up in Ogden. She got three and I got three. I took my friends Jenn and Jess. I love them so much! We had a lot of fun getting all dressed up again in dresses, doing our hair, and all that stuff. We all looked so pretty just like in highschool. We met up with my friend and we all had a great time! They had dancing with a live DJ, food, desert, prizes, red carpet photos, and all these vendors came with free stuff. I even did the Boot Scootin' Boogie in my huge heels. I felt skilled. It kept us busy. They gave us goody bags with lots of stuff, even a twilight hat...haha. We got free popcorn and drinks so we were set with our reserved seating. We even got a fashion show of all the new prom dresses from Alyssa's bridal. In the movie theater!!! Cool! I absolutely loved the movie! It was totally worth staying up to watch. I enjoyed every minute and it was worth every penny. I cannot wait for the next one to come out. We got a lot of pictures which I am so happy about, we even got one with Edward and Bella. Fun! I just want to say thank you to all my friends for making this such a great night!

Getting pictures of everyone in their dress before leaving!

Getting ready to drive to the theater in my sweet car!

We had lots of fun dancing and needed to take a picture!!

We got a picture with Bella and Edward and our cool VIP passes...haha!

We took a lot of pictures of our funny faces. We were very impatient!
These are our vampire teeth...haha, it was hard not to laugh.

Carrie Underwood!!

2008-11-21T21:13:00.006-07:00

Finally!! I have been waiting to write this post for awhile. I have been keeping this concert a secret for two months and it was complete torture. I decided to take my sisters to the Carrie Underwood concert for their birthdays this year. It kind of felt like a present to me to. haha....it was so hard to not say anything. I thought someone would eventually spill the beans because my family cannot keep a secret but no one ever did. They were both still totally cluless as we pulled into the E Center parking lot. Shannon finally looked up and on the Marquee there was a sign saying "tonight at 7:30, Carrie Underwood." If she had not seen that I don't know if they would of figured it out. The concert was amazing. Little Big Town was there opening act and they were awesome. I freaked out when they sang "Boondocks." Carrie took the show for the next two hours. I think all three of us strained our voice we were singing so loud. I had a really great time spending some time with my sisters and taking lots of pictures. Love you guys!!!

Two Great Games!

2008-11-11T14:05:00.006-07:00

So last wednesday, after Michael left, my brother asked me to go to two sporting events with him to make me feel better. The first one was a Utah Jazz game at the Energy Solutions Arena. We brought a couple of our cousins and also met up with an old friend. It was super fun and we won! The second one was a University of Utah football game. That was the best game I have ever been to. It was a "blackout" because the team unveiled for the first time their black uniforms. It was crazy to see over 45,000 people dressed in black when it's usually red. My brother bought me a new black shirt and a new Utes beanie. I was very cold but I had layers of clothes on and it was all worth it. We won that game to and the fans stormed the field. I really enjoyed cheering, laughing, and listening to how loud it was. I even lost my voice a little bit. It was fun spending time with my brother and I really appreciate him taking care of me for a couple days. He will always be my "big little brother."

Both of my free tickets!

My Adorable Brother Gavin

The Black Stadium

Me and Gav at the Ute Game!

A Sad Goodbye!

2008-11-06T10:08:00.004-07:00

Well everyone, Michael is officially gone. He left yesterday morning at 8:25 to Korea. He will be there for one whole year. I don't even know what I am supposed to do with myself. This last weekend was pretty hard. Watching him say goodbye to my family and friends was very emotional. Every day it was more goodbye's and I kept breaking down because it was so overwhelming.

On Monday his work had a luncheon for him to send him off after being at Hill Air Force Base for 3 and a half years. It was bittersweet for him. He was sad and nervous to leave all this behind but excited to travel and experience new things.

The first two times he left, only for a few months, I only cried for a few hours but this time around I cried all weekend and was emotional all day tuesday. I was a mess. I think because of the fact that we are married changes things and I feel different about him now so it is harder.

Anyways, please keep him in your prayers. Especially during this holiday season. Hopefully the time goes by fast and we will be together again soon to live our newlywed life that had to be put on hold for awhile.

Halloween Fun!!

2008-11-01T15:07:00.006-06:00

I think it was awesome that Halloween was on our last weekend together. It gave us a chance to see friends and to have a good time together!

Michael was a hippie. He looked so funny with flare pants. I think they are now pajama pants because he thought they were so comfy. I was dorthy from "Wizard of Oz" and I even had the sparkly red shoes. It was so fun to dress up!

We absolutely love our friends! They always have fun with us and are there for us. They are very kind and accept us for who we are. Jessie was a dark fairy, very cute! Our friend Lanning didn't have a costume so we through something together and he ended up being a girl with a go go girl outfit...haha!!

I am trying to give him a very memorable last weekend and I hope that this helped a little bit. It was fun dressing up again and spending out first halloween together!

New Blogger!!

2008-10-28T16:01:00.002-06:00

I was just informing everyone that my brother Gavin and his girlfriend Kira have got a blog going now. It is in the works but it's coming along so go check it out at www.kiraandgavin.blogspot.com!

Fun Weekends!

2008-10-19T19:14:00.006-06:00

So the past few weekends have been pretty fun for us. We are trying to make our last few weekends together fun. A few weeks ago Michael suprised me with my first trip to wendover. We stayed there just one night, but it was really fun. We had a couple of our friends with us that also made it enjoyable. I really just don't understand how people can just sit there in front of a slot machine forever and gamble all night long. It boggled my mind! I thought I would try it for fun for beginners luck but learned real quick that I don't have any luck. My first cash out ticket was $2.36...haha!

I mostly enjoyed the food and the big huge bed. It was really fun! Last weekend we ate a very delicious mexican restaurant called El matador in Ogden. It was some of the best mexican food I have had. We also went into Salt Lake with some friends and enjoyed the city. It's nice getting away from our apartments and driving into Salt Lake every once in awhile and getting all dressed up. It was also Gavin's birthday so I made him a birthday cake and we went down to my parents on sunday. This weekend we we went to the "Thriller" dance concert at Kingsbury Hall on the U of U campus. Michael loves it and I love dance so we went again this year.

Before this we went to the Cheesecake Factory which we love. It is delicious. Michael actually ordered a whole cheesecake this time. I tried the Oreo Cheesecake and it was Yummy!!

Then the last thing we did was we had some friends over to the apartment and we played games. We found out that our friend got married and so we had a little get together celebration for him. We love our great nights with our friends. We love them!!

Hopefully we can make the most of the two weekends we have left together and make some fun enjoyable times!

Riley!!

2008-10-14T20:25:00.013-06:00

I thought it would be nice to share some pictures of our puppy Riley. We got her in February and she just turned 1 year old in August. She is a pomeranian and she is quite a handful but she is adorable.

We have learned that she does not like bath time. She tries to jump out of the bathtub. Then when she is done she runs around the apartment trying to dry off for at least a half an hour.

Then Michael went to take her in to get groomed. Keep in mind we wanted a trim but she came out and they had completely buzzed her. I wanted to cry because she was so ugly!

Michael also taught her how to stand in the corner when she has been a bad dog. It is hilarious!

We love Riley! She is very cuddly and she will be nice to have around for comfort when Michael leaves.

Bear Lake

2008-10-02T20:14:00.005-06:00

Last weekend Michael and I drove up to Bear Lake with our friends. We stayed in our friends family cabin. It was absolutley gorgeous! I have never been up there so it was nice to share it with Michael. The water was so clear, the lake was huge, and there were so many stars at nighttime. All of us just basically hung out and were lazy. It was fun! We brough up the four wheelers and took turns riding. I love looking at the trees in the fall and all the different colors. Michael drove and I rode on the back, I am still not comfortable driving myself. You can call me a chicken, ha! We watched lots of movies, ate lots of food and went to the beach. The water was too cold for us girls but the boys got in. Probably so they seemed tough right? It was a nice relaxing weekend for both of us. Now we want a cabin of our own. Hopefully in the future that will happen.

A Different Kind of Honeymoon!

2008-10-01T19:15:00.013-06:00

In August Michael and I went on our Honeymoon to Florida. We went to Daytona Beach and Orlando. We were there for about a week and let me just say that it was a week we were not expecting. We arrived on a Saturday and the weather was sunny and very humid. I decided that I do not like humidity, there is no point in doing your hair. Anyways we picked up our rental car that I absolutley love. It was a jeep liberty. Nice! We stayed in a Condo that was very nice also. The first couple of days were excellent. Sleep in, go to the pool, hit the beach, back in the pool, lay out, back to the beach and so on.

Then it hit....Tropical Storm Fay. I mean seriously, of all times we plan to go to Florida we get stuck in a stupid tropical storm for the duration of our honeymoon. They had to put our hurricane shutters down so we couldn't see outside, and it was always dark. We would wake up at like 11 in the morning and the whole place was pitch black. It was weird! Definitley not utah weather...haha! It was scary going outside because the rain was horizontal and the winds were about 65 mph, almost enough for a hurricane level 1. Luckily it never reached that point. We would walk out to the railing of the condo to look at the beach often and there was one particular time that we went out late when the tide was high and we looked down and the water had reached the wall. The sand was gone and there was absolutley no more beach. It literally scared me to death, I thought we were going to flood and drown. The storm had stalled for a couple days and so some parts were getting literally 3 feet of rain. Craziness huh?!

Luckily it was during the Olympics, so we spent a lot of our time watching that. We ate lots of junk food and went through a lot of mountain dew. Michael is addicted to that stuff so we had to make sure we had plenty, haha! We did drive around a little bit in the storm and we went to the mall and some shops and tried to keep ourselves busy and enjoy it as much as we could. Neither of us packed for storm weather so it was kind of funny. The storm eventually passed on and so we attempted to go to Unviversal Studios and Tropical Island Adventure. We got through about 5 rides until the storm hit again. I hate getting rained out! It was so retarded! We were absolutley soaked and we both got bad rash burns in between our legs from our wet shorts. Not so fun! We were pretty dissapointed that we weren't able to do all that we wanted to.

We finished our honeymoon by staying in a hotel in orlando watching movies, eating pizza, and not being able to walk because of our rash burns. It was fantabulous as you can tell. We both did enjoy not having to work and getting away but it wasn't the honeymoon we expected. Mental note for everyone, don't go to florida for a vacation during hurricane season. Not worth it, unless you like that kind of stuff I guess, haha! It was also a coincidence that the tropical storm was named Fay, haha my maiden name. Coincidence or no? You tell me. I must say though, I was glad to land back in Utah. I don't know about Michael though. Home sweet home!

The Big Day!

2008-09-30T20:09:00.008-06:00

So on July 26, 2008 it finally arrived. My wedding day that I had been so dilligently planning for months. It was a bittersweet day for me. I was glad that the planning was over and the stress was gone but on the other hand I was sad that my single life was over. In the end it has all been great though. No regrets! I learned that just because you are married doesn't mean you can't have fun. I am still the same exact person I was before the wedding, I just now have a special someone to share all of my fun time and weekends with. Everything went amazing!! Things were put in place, people were on time, music was played right, and everything arrived when it was supposed to. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

The ceremony went better then expected. All of my family was there to support us and some close friends. All of the wedding party looked beautiful as well as the parents. It was just as I imagined. Our reverend did a beautiful ceremony and everything went smooth. I must admit I was very nervous. Everybody told me I looked like I was going to pass out. Well guess what.... I was. I just got done letting my tears go, I had heels on, and a tight dress. What do you expect...haha? Nadine was the maid of honor and my sisters were the bridesmaids. I decided to not pick between my sisters to be the maid of honor so we upped it to three people...it wouldn't of went over well. My brother and Michael's cousin daniel were the groomsmen and his brother Dave was the best man. I also had two flower girls...andrea and shayla jessup. Adorable!!!

After the ceremony we danced our way down the aisle. It was hilarious!! We danced to the song "Everybody Dance Now" and it went awesome. I was so nervous I totally forgot we had planned on doing it so when the music came one I had to hurry and get in my dancing mode. It added a little touch of our personalities to the ceremony. Unforgettable!! If you want to see it let me know!

The reception went really well also. We started out with a traditional reception line for about an hour and a half. A lot of people came. I was a little confused though because some people that RSVPed me didn't show up but those that didn't did. I don't really care because it all worked out in the end and there was a perfect amount of food and space. I saw elementary school friends from years ago, old young women leaders, and close friends of my parents that I had not seen in a while. It was great to see them. A total of 23 people flew out from Michael's side of the family. It meant a lot especially because they are from out of state. We had people from Ohio, California, Arizona, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and even Japan. That is where his brother is stationed at right now in the Air force. I was so grateful for them to come. It truley made the day that much more special. Everyone was so supportive, even if things were a little different then what they were used to. I now feel closer to his family since I have spent so much time with them this past year. My favorite people I saw though were my friend Natalie who drove all the way up from Cedar City and my old youth group who I grew so close to over the years. I love you guys!!!

During the reception we had the cake. Michael and I made sure to smash it good in each other's faces. I would say that we both succeeded. Him a little more because it went up my nose. The bouqet toss was funny. We had been teasing Nadine and Dave the whole time about getting together and stuff and Nadine ended up catching the Bouqet and Dave ended up catching the Garter. It was such a coincidence and it wasn't planned at all. It was very memorable! It made everyone's day that their teasing came true. We also had a lot of dancing. Michael and I danced to "So Close" for our first dance. It's the one on Enchanted. My dad and I danced to "Butterfly Kisses" and Michael and his mom danced to "There'll You'll Be." We had some swing with "Footloose" and some line dancing with "Cotton Eyed Joe" which was taught by my friend Natalie. It went well except for the fact that I didn't know it was going to be so hard in a dress. I will have to remember that next time.

Everything went really well. The food got eaten, the cake was cut, people were socializing and both our families were coming together. One of the biggest reliefs was having two completely different families from different backgrounds come together for this special occasion. It really made the day and it took a lot of stress that I was so worried about away. The night before we had a BBQ with both families in my parents backyard and everone got introduced then. So I think it helped that they all knew each other and were a little more comfortable. It was perfect!

It has been awhile....I know!

2008-09-30T18:57:00.006-06:00

Hey! So it has been awhile since I have written. Things have been a little hectic the past couple of months. No excuses though...time to get back to blogging. I guess I will start from the beginning.

At the beginning of July my family and I, along with Michael, went to California. It was my first time. We drove to Henderson, Nevada to visit some friends and take a break from driving. Boy was it hot!!! The next moring we continued our journey to our hotel in Orange County. We spent a few days there going to Disneyland and California Theme Park. It was a blast!! There were fireworks, fun rides, a good parade, and the weather was amazing!

After all of this fun we drove up to Oakley, California to visit some more friends. I love them so much! They are like a second family to me. Nadine, the oldest, was my maid of honor if that tells ya anything. We caught up on a lot of stuff since it had been a couple years since we had seen each other. Lots of memories, jokes, funny moments, and yes a little gossip. Oops! We spent a couple evenings at their grandmas house and swam in the lake and crammed in her hot tub. We also played some darts, sat around a campfire and talked and we roasted smores to. What kind of a vacation is a vacation without smores?!

We also went up to San Fransisco and went shopping on Pier 39. It was actually very cold up there. Probably about 55 degrees. The shops were amazing with a lot of fun stuff. We saw alcatraz out in the distance and we also saw all of the bridges. We crossed a few of them including the Golden Gate bridge. It was beautiful even though my mom was scared to drive across it...haha. If your afraid of water I would not recommend driving across bridges over an ocean. All 12 of us ate at a pizza buffet place. Delicious!! And of course we had to get the picture of everyone's mouths open with food hanging out...haha!

California was very fun, except for all of the driving. We probably put over 2000 miles on my parents vehicle. We also went to Huntington Beach. It was my first time seeing the ocean. That is probably one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and being able to touch it was weird. Also being able to share that moment with my family, especially my brother and sisters was priceless. We buried shannon in the sand. Yes it is possible people!! I also learned that sand is hot, it hurts your feet, and is hard to walk in. Just a heads up! On the way home we were trying to entertain ourselves in any way possible because it was a 12 hour drive. We did pretty good. We were all trying to rap with a topic that someone picked out for us. Here is mine...hopefully you can understand me, I was laughing pretty hard! California was so much fun! Best family vacation ever! I can't wait to go back again!

2008-06-20T20:24:00.007-06:00

Riley

My Sister Natalie

My Brother Gavin

My sister Shannon

Trip to Ohio!

2008-06-04T20:52:00.002-06:00

Alright so this next blog I thought I should share my experience to Ohio. I mean it was my very first real vacation, my first airplane flight, it was over christmas and new years, and to top it all off I was meeting the in-laws and all the family. Let me just tell you that it was a very interesting and nerve racking couple of weeks. It was a very different expecially because there was no mountains. I kept telling people that I felt naked...haha! I thought it was funny. I really discovered in myself that I absolutley love to travel and I am so excited to start. Getting to see new things, and discover new places is going to be awesome. Michael's whole family over there was awesome also. They were very inviting and nice. Being away from home, especially over the holidays was hard but at the same time being with him and his family I felt very loved and accepted. Some of the exact words were "I passed," "He picked a good one", and everyone approves. haha...it was awesome!! I can't wait for them all to come out here where I am from for the wedding this summer. In Ohio though I ate at a lot of new amazing restaraunts and at one they even suprised me by saying it was my birthday. I got some chopsticks, pineapple, and our picture taken. I was so suprised that I even forgot how old I was. haha! I also learned that I do prefer the utah scenery over the flatlands and the cornfields. I guess you could say that I am a city girl and always will be.

The Unexpected Wedding Drama!

2008-06-04T10:51:00.002-06:00

So back in April when I first got engaged I was very very excited and happy because it finally happened. Of course being a girl who has always wanted that perfect cinderella wedding I started planning thinking it was just going to be a smooth sail all the way through. I guess I was wrong though, because I started to learn all the things that just go wrong. I have a visual in my head of what I want but everyone else seems to have to put in their two cents. For certain people it's not just sharing an opinion or giving input, it is actually demanding stuff and telling me what to do. Uh-uh!! I really do not appreciate it since it is my day, I am the bride, I am planning it and paying for it. They had their day and if they did not get what they wanted then they are out of luck. Currently everything is going alright but I am still dreading the wedding day when people come in and start moving stuff around and rearranging and ruining my day. It is my wedding day, I mean I am supposed to be happy, excited, and stress free but right now I am anything but that because I am so worried. Am I wrong to think like this, am I selfish, or am I right?

Trying Something New!

2008-06-03T22:26:00.002-06:00

I thought I would try something a little different this time. I am new to this whole blogging thing and I thought I would give it a shot. To me it is kind of like keeping a journal, having a place for all your favorite quotes and sayings, and really sharing your true thoughts and feelings. It isn't myspace or facebook so I guess we will see what happens.