The Plaster Family

New Blog

2011-04-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

We have a new blog! And we are going to make it private so if you want an invite please leave me your email address in the comments! Thanks!

brandonandkarenplaster.blogspot.com

Here we go again....

2011-01-21T14:25:00.000-08:00

I signed up for the Rock n' Roll Seattle Marathon again! This year I am only doing the 1/2 marathon and Brandon is not doing it with me. I couldn't convince him to do it again. :( Oh well...it is still fun to have a race to look forward to. Wish me luck (especially since I have only run 1 mile since marathon day last year!)

Mexico Trip 2010

2010-12-15T07:15:00.001-08:00

Here is a photo entry of our recent cruise to Mexico with my family. Here is my mom and dad on the tender going to Cabo San Lucas.

Me and Brandon

Josh and Clint Brigham, Jacob, and Alicia

I love this picture of my dad. This is what he is doing anytime we are together.

The whole gang at Cabo!

In Cabo there were those people painted all gold that acted like statues until you gave them some money. Here is Josh with a pirate.

Here is Isaac with GI Joe.

At Cabo, Clint, Brigham, Brandon, and I went on a sea kayaking/snorkling adventure. We started by taking a water taxi to another beach. Here is a sign onboard our water taxi. 'Live Chakets' were under our seats if we needed them.

Here are the boys on the water taxi.

After kayaking across the bay to Pelican Beach we then boarded a glass bottom boat to go around the famous Cabo arch.

While we were on the glass bottom boat we passed by Lovers Beach where the rest of the crew was playing in the waves.

Brandon and me at the arch.

The next day we went to Mazatlan. Here are Alicia and Jacob with Senor Frog.

We went to a great resort and used their beach chairs/umbrellas. Here is Isaac, Brandon, Alicia, and Josh.

Me and my mom (photo taken by Josh)

Brandon and me (photo taken by Josh)

Brandon's sand creation.

Josh's castle

The men showing their muscles.

My mom

My mom, Suzy, and Scott

The kids had 'mud fights.' Here is Isaac showing off.

Clint and Brandon went parasailing. This is Clint right after take off waving to everyone on the beach.

Brandon just before take off.

The ship was beautiful. It was probably my favorite ship I've been on. In the center there was a huge open promenade with shops and cafes. At night they would have parades down the promenade. One night the kids did a pirate parade. Here are the spectators.

Isaac and Josh, the pirates!

Last stop was Puerto Vallarta. Here are Suzy, Isaac, Scott, Jacob, Alicia, and Brigham by the flea market.

Brandon on the beach.

Alicia, me, Isaac, Brandon, and Jake.

We played on the beach for a little while. Clint also rented a wave runner that the kids and Clint and Brandon went on. After we were done with the beach everyone raided the nearby resorts awesome pool. There was a checkers board where the guys played a few games.

The fam in Puerto Vallarta.

Brandon and me

Like I said the ship was amazing. There were a lot of activities to do on our days at sea. Here is Isaac and Brandon on the climbing wall. Isaac was like spiderman. Once he climbed the wall he would get off and get right back in line to go up again. He probably climbed it 8 or 10 times.

Here is Alicia, Grandpa, and Isaac at the ice skating rink. They had an ice skate show we got to watch one night. I'm impressed they could do so many crazy tricks with the boat swaying.

Scott, Clint, and Brandon played in a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Another evening the kids were in a circus. Here are Jacob and Isaac as clowns.

At one end of the promenade there was a huge Christmas tree. The last night we took some family pictures in front of it. Here is the Plaster Family.

The originial Cannon family (except for Chris and Janae--we sure missed having you all there!)

The Halverson Family (except Jake--he got a little sea sick the last day)

Mom and Dad

The Morris Family

It was a great week!! We ate a lot of food and played a lot of games. I think I was more tired on this trip than when I am in my routine at home. I love spending so much time with my family. It was hard to come back to reality and the rainy weather in Seattle. Thanks Mom and Dad for a great week!

Brandon's birthday and Halloween

2010-12-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from Brandon's birthday dinner. We had some good friends come up from Redmond. It was a fun night. Lindsey and her kids were here for the weekend. This is little Evie. We got to meet her for the first time. This is Brody. He got to go out Trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. I love this picture of him because it shows how happy he was to be in his costume, answer the door, and pass out candy.

Birthday Boy

2010-10-30T09:16:00.000-07:00

Ten more things you may not know about this Birthday Boy!

1. He is turning 28 today. I can only say two words: Old Man!

2. Hiking is one of his favorite pastimes. Unfortunately we are both too busy we can't get out there as much as we would like.

3. He loves doing yard work. I don't mow the lawn on purposes because I know he would be sad if he got home and saw it was done.

4. He is a great neighbor. The other night our neighbor's garage door was open when we were on our way to bed. He called them and left a message. But he couldn't go to bed knowing it was open. He ended up going over there to shut it but they got his message and closed it.

5. Some of the things on his wish list include a truck and a gun. I told him I would buy him a gun but he hasn't taken me up on my offer. :)

6. He owns about 30 ties. That's a lot, right? Or is that pretty typical?

7. He bought boat shoes the other day and now really wants linen pants. Does that scream Old Man to anyone else? Don't worry everyone; I said NO to the linen pants.

8. He is still a perfect gentleman. He hasn't missed opening the car door for me in over two years.

9. He would be an excellent game show contestant. He knows all the puzzles on Wheel of Fortune before I do and can answer random questions on Jeopardy. I really need to get him on one of these shows.

10. He gives great foot and back rubs. And he does them all the time without me asking. I love it!!

These are just ten more of the hundreds of reasons I love this Birthday Boy!

Happy Birthday Brandon!!

Fall City Farms

2010-10-26T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we made our yearly trip to the Fall City Farms to pick pumpkins. We walked around the pumpkin patch and finally picked our pumpkins. This year we got bigger ones so I made Brandon carry both of them to the car. We also sat and ate their homemade doughnuts and drank hot apple cider as we listened to the live Cuban Salsa band. This year they added an air cannon and would shoot small pumpkins and squash about 100 yards across an empty field. Here we are sitting at the mini concert.

This is Brandon's pumpkin.This is my pumpkin.And here is the finished product. Sunday afternoon we carved them for our 2nd Annual Plaster Pumpkin Carving Contest!! Please cast your vote in the comments: Jack or the haunted house.

Happy Halloween everyone!!

What we've been up to

2010-10-04T17:34:00.001-07:00

PUYALLUP FAIR:We went to the Puyallup Fair again this year. We ate at Longhorn BBQ and then walked through all the vendor booths. We were suckered into buying 'Purple Polish' which cleans stainless steel appliances (it works alright). And you can't go to the fair without getting your picture taken by the big carrot. WALLACE FALLS:
Friday afternoon we went on a short hike up to Wallace Falls. It was a beautiful day and a fun, easy hike. Here are the lower falls.

This is the view from the Middle Falls.

Here is my handsome husband.GARDENING:

Saturday afternoon Brandon and I worked in our yard as we listened to conference. We planted 50 tulip bulbs and 100 crocus bulbs. It is kind of sad to work so hard all day and then not have any flowers right there to show for it! But come spring it will look amazing! We also replaced three dead bushes in our backyard and planted three viola plants in the front. And we planted a peach and pear tree out front. So excited for those! :) And look at our sad lawn. It has officially seen better days. Our backyard doesn't get direct sunlight so the grass never dries out. It has been a constant swamp back there and this is the result. We re-seeded it but it probably won't come around until spring (if at all).

GENERAL CONFERENCE:

Sunday we watched conference via the internet! We had peach and banana crepes in honor of the Cannon family tradition. We sure missed being with family! Conference was amazing! If you missed it you can listen here.

Utah Trip 2010

2010-09-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

The main reason for our adventure to Utah this summer was to see two very good friends FINALLY tie the knot. Marcy and Johnny-- CONGRATULATIONS on being married in the temple. It was an absolutely beautiful day and we couldn't be happier for you.
Marcy was a beautiful bride! They had LOTS of family and friends there to help celebrate!This is Jana and me waiting outside the temple for the bride and groom to come out! Marcy, Jana, and I were roommates in the Enclave 2+ years ago. We were all dating our future hubbies! We have tons of crazy/funny memories together! Next time we are all together we will play Bocce! ;)Isn't my husband HANDSOME!?!The first 2 days were in Utah were dedicated to the wedding but after the bride and groom left on their honeymoon Brandon and I were able to spend some time with my family. Saturday my parents took us to the Mayan Restaurant and Inception on the IMAX. The Mayan has a fun atmosphere and while you eat there is a diving show. And for anyone who hasn't seen Inception...you really need to. It is the best movie I've seen in a long time.

Sunday was the day we got all of the family together (except the Shamos who are still in CT) for a big dinner and fun. It was great to see everyone. Here is Brandon and Brigham throwing the football. (Brig and Jake just started their 1st season of contact football!)

Kail showed us how to play baseball. He is a good hitter and throws a wicked curve ball!Kalvin found this feather. He would chase (and scream) after it whenever the wind would blow it away!The kids flew kites. The wind was touch and go so it required a lot of FAST running!Watch out Isaac...

And of course a kite ended up in a neighbors tree. Here is Clint getting it down (Clint is SO tall!)

And most importantly I got to meet this guy! Nathan Grant Brown was born in July! He is a very special and beautiful baby! Congrats again Chris and Greg on the new addition!

I thought this was a really cute one of Nate and his mom!

And here I am with little Nathan! So tiny!Brandon and the kids. This picture is strangely familiar. (Check out this post) I don't know what it is but kids love to pile on top of this guy!Monday I went golfing for the first time in my life. I shot a 129! I can only describe my skills in one word: AWFUL!!! I'm glad we only counted the swings were I actually hit the ball. My score might have been over 200 if we included all my 'strikes!' For Family Night my parents took us to a Bees game. It was a close game but the Bees came out victorious!

Tuesday morning we got up extra early so Brandon and Clint could go golfing before Clint went to work. School started Monday and because I was there early in the morning I got to walk the Halverson kids to their brand new elementary school. The special treat of the day was that Brigham was in the school assembly. He is a member of student council and they did a skit to introduce the school rules. Brig's performance was OUT OF THIS WORLD!

That night Brandon and I went on a date. He took me to Costa Vida...our favorite Mexican place that is no where near Washington State. It is always a must on our list of things to do when we come to Utah. After dinner we went to the Drive-in. We watched Toy Story 3 and Despicable Me. It was a perfectly warm summer night and a fun night out!

Wednesday I had a lunch date with all my beautiful high school friends! I really wish I would have taken a picture. I loved sitting, snacking, and catching up on each others lives. I miss you girls! That night we went to dinner at the Market Street Grill.

Thursday we spent the morning visiting my sweet Grandma Cannon. We sure love her and still think about Grandpa Cannon every day! Then Brandon was off to Provo to go to lunch with some friends and then participate in a EY recruiting event at BYU. I went to Kaysville to go shopping for home decorations with mom and this lovely lady! Lisa has a great eye for cute stuff at a great deal so I was happy to have her as my personal consultant for the entire day!

That was it for our time in Utah. Friday morning we packed up and headed to Boise! We spent the weekend hanging out with the Meyer family. We got a private tour around Boise, saw Bronco stadium, played at a few beautiful parks, and had lunch at Fuddruckers! Thanks for letting us crash on your living room floor for a few nights. It was great seeing you guys!

My parents visit

2010-07-28T17:36:00.001-07:00

My folks came to visit last weekend. They wanted to check up on us and see our new home. Brandon and I picked them up from the airport Friday night and then came home and gave them the grand tour. Sorry I still haven't taken any pictures of the house since we moved in. We haven't really decorated or hung any pictures so it doesn't look like our home yet. I promise I'll post some soon.

The next morning we woke up and Brandon and my dad worked around the house while my mom and I talked and cooked lunch. That evening we went downtown. After all, what would a trip to Seattle be without going to Pike's Market? We ate dinner at this delicious crepe place and then headed to Safeco Field to watch the Mariners and Red Sox game. Miraculously the Mariners won! It was a great game and perfect weather.

Sunday we went to church, went on a walk around the neighborhood, had a BBQ, and played some games. Early Monday morning I took my parents back to the airport. It was great to have them here even if it was just for a couple days. I'm so happy they would take the time to make the trip. Thanks Mom and Dad and we'll see you in August!**Here is my dad buying post cards. He does this everywhere he travels and sends them to all the family. My dad has been traveling a lot lately so we have quiet a collection.**

Rock n' Roll Seattle Marathon 2010

2010-07-01T09:18:00.001-07:00

We did it! We finished the Rock n' Roll Seattle Marathon! It was so much fun and such a beautiful course.

The night before the big race we went down to Qwest field to pick up our bib numbers and goodies bag. We then shopped at the huge Expo where we bought shirts, fleeces, and running socks...and of course ate all the free samples of power bars, granola, etc. Jim and Debby were over this way because of some work meetings and decided to stay the weekend to help cheer us on at the race. After the Expo, we all went to The Old Spaghetti Factory to carb load!! Then it was off to bed. Brandon and I had decided we wanted to get a hotel downtown the night before because we didn't want to wake up extra early to fight traffic and parking. We stayed at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle and had the most awesome view overlooking the city and Sound.
The next morning we woke up at 4:30am to catch the 5am shuttle to the start line in Tukwila. The shuttle pick up was right outside our hotel lobby (soooo great). Once we got to the start line we sat and waited with the other 27,000 runners for the race to start. Finally we were all off and running around 7:30am.

The course was beautiful and the weather was perfect. We made our way along Lake Washington and Seward Park. We even got to run on the I-90 floating bridge. We then went up by Lake Union and the Space Needle. All along the way were local rock bands and cheer teams to pump us up and keep us going. I loved the energy of this run. It felt so much bigger than St. George and the time seemed to pass by much faster.

We finally made it back to Qwest Field in 4 hours 30 minutes and enjoyed all the free food and rock concert by Tonic! It was so much fun to run this race with Brandon! He was a rock star! The longest run he had done before the marathon was 14 or 15 miles. That's a big jump to go from that to 26.2 miles. He did get sick to his stomach afterward but by the next day he was fine. And then within a couple days he wasn't even sore anymore! He left for Alaska again Monday morning and the other night when we were talking on the phone he said he wanted to do another marathon! ;) Now we are getting ready to move on Saturday! I have been slowly packing up the apartment over the last couple weeks. I can't wait to be done with transition and just be in our new home. We are so excited for this change but so sad to leave our good friends in Redmond!

Tulum 2010

2010-05-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

For Valentine's Day and our Anniversary, Brandon took me to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. This year we went to Tulum which is about an hour and a half drive south of Cancun. The weather was PERFECT....90 degrees and sunny! The resort was great! A little more crowded than last year when there was the swine flu epidemic scaring everyone away. We really didn't do much. We pretty much sat on the beach and read books and soaked up the sun! It was SOOO RELAXING!! One day we went to the Mayan ruins of Tulum. We walked around the ruins and then went swimming at the gorgeous Tulum Beach which had warm crystal clear waters.

This is Tulum Beach...

The Tulum Ruins...

The entrance to the ruins...

At our resort...

We drank a lot of Pina Coladas and Daiquiris...

This is our view as we sat on the beach...

The only down part of the trip was coming home to 50 degree weather and rain! Thanks for the wonderful trip Brandon!! I loved spending the entire week with you!

San Juan Islands

2010-05-09T18:15:00.001-07:00

We went to the San Juan Islands this weekend with some friends and had oh so much fun! The weather was perfect and Lummi Island was gorgeous!

Friday afternoon we drove to Bellingham and took this ferry! It only held 15 or 20 cars and the ride lasted about 10 minutes.
This is the house we rented.We could see this from the front porch...We walked along this rocky beach...

...And skipped a lot of rocks.

We saw cool sea life. Everyone touched the purple starfish...

We roasted marshmallows...But mostly we just RELAXED!!

Thanks Babbitts and Millars for a great time! We love Lummi Island!

Sold!!

2010-05-01T22:24:00.001-07:00

We bought a house and couldn't be more excited! We just went up to see it again today and it looks great. It is a new development in Mill Creek, Washington called Broadview Heights. They just put in the carpet and finished the hardwood floors this week. It is almost move in ready for us. Too bad we don't close until June 18th. I think this is the first time I am actually excited to move. Here are some pictures... Front door...Front hall...1/2 bath on main floor...Family Room...Kitchen/Dining Room...Stairs... Master Bedroom... Backyard...

The happy owners...

Spokane

2010-04-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

Over Easter and Conference weekend all of the Plaster family gathered in Spokane. Everyone was there except for Peter, who we really missed. You can see more pictures on Lindsey's blog.

Here's the whole gang together.

Here is the original Plaster 7!

Saturday morning the kids woke up to discover the Easter bunny had come a day early. They had a little easter egg hunt around the house. They were very proud of all their loot.Here is Uncle B playing with some of the neices and nephews. I don't know exactly what they are playing?!Saturday night we had a little watch party. Here is everyone modeling the watches they picked.

Sunday afternoon all the little girls made bracelets.

I admit I didn't hear a lot of conference and am excited to get next month's Ensign. But I am proud to say I finally learn how to crochet...thanks to Lindsey and Angie's patiences! And I also turned 26...man I'm getting old. It was a fun weekend! Thanks for everything Debby and Jim! We were so glad to be able to spend time with the fam!

My 2 favorite things right now...

2010-04-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

First this... Then these...

Surprisingly I have never owned or really listened to a lot of Taylor Swift until Brandon got me this CD for my birthday. I soon discovered I LOVE her! I also just picked up these shoes for the marathon at a steal of a deal. Only paid $9 for them when they usually cost $125 (I love coupons and gift cards). And they are absolute heaven to run in! You never really know how worn out your running shoes are until you go for a run in new ones. Together these two make for happy training!

Poll

2010-03-24T12:28:00.001-07:00

Lisa and I are starting up a small jewelry business and need your help deciding on a name. We mostly make beaded watches but also make necklaces, earrings, and a few other miscellaneous things. We've come up with a couple names but just can't decide. So take a second and vote for your favorite in the poll on my sidebar or leave a comment with your own suggestion! THANKS!

2010-02-14T15:13:00.000-08:00

HaPpY V.A.L.E.N.T.I.N.E.'.S DaY!!!
I love you Brandon! Thanks for making me laugh everyday!

Mexico

2010-01-25T15:43:00.001-08:00

Last week my family and I went on a vacation to Mexico! My Mom, Dad, Halverson Family, and Brown Family were all there. We missed the Shamo Family, Morris Family, and Brandon! Hopefully next time we will all be together. It was a lot of fun and I thought I would share some of the pictures I took on the trip.

For the first couple days we hung out on the boat. We ate lots of ice cream and pizza. On Wednesday we made it to Puerto Vallarta. Clint, Brigham, Dad, and I went on an outdoor adventure where we ziplined and repelled in the jungle. We did this a few years ago and it was a lot of fun. They added a few new lines and obstacles. We had a good time! I got eight bug bites on one of my legs. And those crazy Mexican mosquito bites itch like crazy!!

By the time we got back to the boat everyone was ready to go to the beach! This beach had big strong waves which the kids loved to body surf.

One of the main attractions on the boat was a huge waterslide for the older kids and a slash pad for all the little kiddos! Here are some pictures of the kids playing around on the ship.

The next day we were in Mazatlan! This was our big BEACH DAY!! We took a taxi to a hotel which had access to the main beach. They had chairs and an umbrella for us. The waves were not quite as impressive as the day before but we had a lot of fun in the sand.

Crazy Isaac loved to play in the sand and even put it all over his face. Josh was completely covered in sand except for his finger nails which wouldn't let the sand stick.

Here is the big hole and burying Isaac and Josh. Josh jumped right out after we were done. Isaac had to be pulled out by his dad.

Josh is such a cutie even when he is covered in sand.

After the beach we went SHOPPING! The girls bought some beautiful swim suit coverups. Kail got a T-shirt. I think the beach and shopping wore Grandpa out and he slept on the bench as we waited for everyone to make their purchases.

Here are some random pictures of us around the ship. Every night we would come back from dinner and find a towel animal on our beds. We had a lobster, frog, dog, and flower. And look at poor Alicia's burned back...ouch!!

Friday we went to Cabo San Lucas! We didn't go to the beach that day. Instead we just went walking around the docks and shopping at the flea market.

To get to Cabo we had to take a tender. Here are Greg, Lisa, Dad, and Mom on the tender.

Here are Grandma and Grandpa with most of the Grandkids at the flea market.

All of the Halverson boys bought Mexican wrestling masks. One night while I was watching the kids for Lisa and Clint we had a wrestling match. Alicia was the referee and called the match. It was hilarious! I probably shouldn't show these pictures because then Lisa and Clint will never let me watch their kids again.

On Carnival they had a kids program. It was a big hit and all the kids loved going to 'GROUP.' They would come home everyday with T-shirts, artwork, pens, hats, bags, or FACE PAINT. Here is Josh as a tiger and Isaac as a rock star!

This is the only picture I have of me on the trip. I had to include it to prove I was there. (Thanks for posing with me Brig!)

After Cabo we headed back to California. Because of all the crazy weather in Southern California last week the seas were a bit rough. This made the captain slow down quite a bit which made us a couple hours late getting into Long Beach. I had an 11:15 flight and was already going to be cutting it close before we were delayed. They didn't let anyone off the ship until 10:20 and I was booking it to the airport. I honestly felt like I was on the Amazing Race! I barely made it on the plane but everything went smoothly from there.

Brandon picked me up from the airport and I was so excited to see him. When I walked in the door I saw this huge bouquet of red roses on our kitchen table. Brandon is so sweet. It was a fun week but I was definitely happy to see my handsome hubby!

Thanks for the great vacation Dad! I'm so happy I was able to go and spend time with the family!

Luck of the draw!

2010-01-12T15:00:00.001-08:00

I can't believe it but I won this ipod shuffle at a work meeting today! I NEVER win anything and was shocked when they picked my number for the raffle.

Looks like 2010 is going to be a lucky year!

We signed up...

2010-01-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

...and we are 100% committed! Wish us luck as we train for the full marathon in June!

Brandon really is the inspiration for us running this race. He's been talking about running a marathon together ever since we got married. He's the one that signed us up and I couldn't be more excited. I need a race to look forward to and make me run. I honestly haven't run even one day in the past few months so this should be interesting. But it will be a lot of fun to train and run this race with my best friend.

The course looks amazing. We will run from Tukwila to Seattle along Lake Washington, Lake Union, and the Sound! At every mile along the course there is a different band playing. Then at the end of the race there is a huge concert for the runners. It should be a lot of fun! I just pray for a nice sunny day with no rain!

Christmas in Utah

2010-01-04T11:14:00.001-08:00

We had a FABULOUS Christmas in Utah this year! It was packed full of fun activities and being with family and friends. To start off the week we went up to the Cannon cabin in Brighton. We had a little surprise when we arrived and found the water pipes had frozen. The kids loved to 'cook' snow for us to wash our hands and flush toilets. I think Brigham stood at the stove for hours on end boiling buckets and buckets of snow. He loved it for some reason! Monday we went skiing/snowboarding at Brighton. Brigham and Jacob are expert snowboarders and would cruise down the Explorer hill. Alicia had her first skiing lesson and loved the speed!
After skiing we came back to the cabin and went sledding before it got dark!
The next couple nights we made our way up to Kaysville to watch the BYU and Utah bowl games. This is Brigham's shirt he wore on Christmas day...I LOVE it!!
Christmas Eve we went over to my Grandma Cannon's house for food, a program, and a white elephant game.
Christmas morning we slept in and then opened presents until everyone got to my parents. My mom and dad gave us Rock Band which Brandon has been wanting for months. (Thanks again!)
When everyone arrived we opened more presents and had a delicious dinner.
Here's a picture of all the grandkids minus Wyatt and Owen (we sure missed you guys but were glad we could see you on Skype!)

The day after Christmas we went to a brunch with all my high school friends. It was so fun to see everyone and catch up. I sure miss all you girls! Thanks again Katie for hosting!

We had a great time in Utah! We are so lucky to have these fun times with family and friends! The only thing that could have made this holiday season better would have been if we were able to spend some time with Brandon's family.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

It's that time of year

2009-12-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

Here is our Christmas tree! My sister, Lisa, showed me this great idea many years ago. I cut up grapefruit, oranges, and limes and then dried them in the oven (if you have a food dehydrator it works much better). Then you string them together and hang them as garland. I love how the white lights shine through the citrus and make them glow different colors.

Last weekend Jim and Debby came to visit. We had a lot of fun going out to eat, going to the movies, playing golf, talking, and of course....working (at least the boys did)!

This is what Brandon and Jim did Friday night while Debby and I sat on the couch talking.

...Like father like son...

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Connecticut

2009-11-18T12:01:00.000-08:00

I just got back from a 2 week vacation in Hartford, Connecticut! I went to visit my sister Janae and help her get ready for the arrival of her little Baby Owen. Brandon was in Alaska for those two weeks working on a new client. It was the perfect time to go!

Most of the time I got to hang out with this super hero. Most of you know him as Wyatt and I think he is pretty cute (I mean cool!).

This is the Staked Coin Quilt I made for baby Owen. Wyatt still uses the one I made him when he was born! Hopefully Owen will like this one just as much.Janae was definitely looking like she was ready to have this baby. Her last ultrasound said the baby was 8lbs 7oz. They were pretty close.I was also there for Wyatt's first day of Pre-school. Janae has more pictures on her blog.I think he is so funny! I love his cross eyes!

We went to many museums while I was there. This is the New England Air Museum.

We played a lot of Rock Band at night!

Baby Owen finally made is debut Friday Nov. 13 at 11:05am. He was 8lbs 9oz and 21.5 inches long. He is very cute and I am so happy he arrived before I had to go back to Seattle. Congrats to Rick, Janae, and Wyatt and Welcome Owen!

Since we've been back, I have been a little sick with off and on fevers, headaches, and congestion since. I blame it on the guy I was sitting next to on the plane (we call him 'the cougher'). Other news is that I got a new calling in my ward. They released me from Cub Scouts and put me in as Mia Maid advisor. I am so excited...and a little nervous. So many things have changed since I was in Young Womens (man... I'm getting old)! Other exciting news is that we are getting the internet on Thursday. It has been four months since we moved into this apartment and we have been 'borrowing' the internet from the coffee shop across the street. It's getting too cold to sit out on the balcony and blog! Our next post will be from the comfort of my warm apartment! Hooray!

One Year Older

2009-11-09T15:41:00.001-08:00

...and wiser too!! Brandon turned 27! To celebrate we went to Chipotle for dinner and bowling with some friends. Happy Birthday Brandon! Thanks for all you do for us!
This is Brandon's Halloween costume. I made it the night before his work Halloween party. Can you guess what he is? He is a 10-key. (Pretty funny accountant costume, huh?...well it's the best I could come up with at 10:30 the night before)

OH...and thanks to those who voted for their favorite pumpkin carving! The winner was the bat. I carved the bat and Brandon did the spider. Looks like Brandon is doing dishes for a week. Thanks everybody!

Pumpkin Pickin'

2009-10-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I got called off work so Brandon took me to Fall City Farms to go pumpkin picking. I don't think I have ever been real pumpkin picking before. I can only remember getting pumpkins from Albertsons or Smiths growing up. So this was a totally new experience for me.

It was a really cool farm and it was pretty busy with lots of little families getting pumpkins. It was fun to watch everyone decide on which pumpkin was "the one" and even more fun to watch them load up their wheel barrows and make the long trek back to the barn in the mud (it has been very rainy over here!)Some of the guys were demonstrating how to make apple cider. There was also a live country band (banjo and all) that we got to sit and listen too. While we listened we drank hot apple cider and munched on homemade doughnuts. I had a lot of fun!

Here is my pumpkin

And here is Brandon's pumpkin

We had a lot of fun picking them....

...and even more fun carving them.

Now we need your help. We thought it might be fun to have a friendly carving competition. Best pumpkin carving wins. (I don't think we ever settled on a prize...but I was thinking loser gets dish duty for a week!) So vote for your favorite and then we will let you know who did which one: bat or spider.

Puyallup Fair 2009

2009-10-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

We went to the Puyallup Fair again this year with Brandon's parents. This time Lindsey and Brody joined us all the way from Texas. It was a lot of fun to have everyone here for a weekend.

Here we are eating elephant ears. Two very handsome boys...Brandon and Brody

Brody eyeing Granny's corn dog...

Listening to live infomercials

Check out all the crazy food people eat at the fair. I like the one that says, "Buffalo Chicken, Egg Rolls, and Pizza...ALL ON A STICK!" Can you say gross! But the one that takes the cake and my all time favorite is the Totally Fried stand where they serve deep fried twinkies, chocolate covered bacon, crispy creme chicken sandwiches, and deep fried cookie dough. Delicacies you can only find at a good country fair!

Until next year Puyallup!

ALASKA!!!

2009-09-15T11:16:00.001-07:00

At the end of August Brandon and I went on a cruise to Alaska with my Mom, Dad, Aunt Nancy, and Uncle John. It was so much fun and Alaska is beautiful! I have hundreds of pictures from the trip. Here is just a sampler to help show all the beautiful sites.

The cruise began in Seattle so my parents came up the night before to see our new place and hangout out. (My Mom is very good at Mario Kart!) Saturday morning we all boarded the Golden Princess and set sail for Alaska. Here are some pictures from the bon voyage party on deck. Notice my Dad still working on the phone while he had reception. :) As you can see the weather was perfect and stayed that way the entire week. We were so lucky to have no rain! (well...maybe just a few sprinkles)

Sunday was a day at sea which gave my Dad plenty of time at the slot machines! ;) And everyone really got into dancing to YMCA by the pool.Monday we made it to Juneau, the captial of Alaska. It is a goregous town squished up next to towering mountains. There are no roads in or out of Juneau. You can only get in my boat or air. We took a tram ride up about 1800ft to the top of Mount Roberts. There we got a good view of Juneau.We went hiking around the top of Mount Roberts but only came across these friendly animals in the gift shops!Next we loaded onto a big blue bus and headed to Mendenhall Glacier. Brandon and I took a hike up to the top of a waterfall by the glacier.

Tuesday we were in Skagway. This was as far north as we would go. Skagway is a very small town that is famous for the White Pass/Yukon Route railroad. This was used during the 1848 gold rush. We took a ride on the train up into Canada. The train tracks lied right up against the steep mountain walls and crossed what looked like richety old bridges. Again, it was a gorgeous day and we got many great views of the city.

The next day we went up a narrow fjord cut by glaciers. We woke up early and stood at the bough of the ship in the freezing cold. The scenery was fantastic and well worth enduring the cold. At the very top of the fjord we came within a mile of Sawyer Glacier. We stood and watched as huge icebergs fell off the glacial wall and crashed into the ocean. It sounded like thunder when the ice hit the water. I have never seen anything like it.

Thursday we went to Ketchican. We woke up extra early and met a guide who would take us kayaking. I don't have any pictures from this trip (we took Brandon's camera) on my computer right now. Brandon will have to post some later. This was by far my FAVORITE part of the cruise. After we took a short boat ride to get to our kayaking spot we got in the water. The water was surprising warm and again the weather clear. Soon after we started we were about 100 yards away from about a dozen killer whales. I even saw one jump! The salmon were running and the water was full of jumping salmon. We saw bald eagles and star fish as well. I loved it!!!

Late Friday we arrived in Victoria, British Columbia. Even though it was dark we made our way to the Butchart Gardens. The gardens are beautiful with all the colored lights.

Saturday we made it back to Seattle and back to reality. We had an AWESOME time. Thanks Mom, Dad, Nancy, and John for being great company. Thanks again Dad for planning everything! It was unforgettable!

Grandpa Cannon

2009-09-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa Cannon passed away at the beginning of August. I can't even begin to express how much I love and look up to my Grandma and Grandpa Cannon. They have always been my heros. I already miss him but I know where he is and that I'll see him again. I am very grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and that families can be together forever. How lucky I am that I get to be his granddaughter forever!

I am so grateful I lived close to him growing up and was able to spend so much time with him. He and my grandma were always there for birthdays, school projects, awards assemblies, recitals, performances, graduations...you name it and they were there. My grandpa was the one to give me my patriarchal blessing and to seal Brandon and me in the temple. During one of our last visits he gave us some council and advice. He told us to always remember that the gospel and family are the most important things in this life.

I wish everyone could have known my grandpa. He had a way of making everyone feel special and important. I have been reading through notes, talks, and cards he has given me through the years and ran across this. I think it shows what my Grandpa Cannon is like.

Guidelines For A Fulfilling and Happy Life

From One Who Has Been There

(written by George I. Cannon at age 63)

1. Have faith in and follow Jesus Christ. It will bring you eternal happiness.

2. Love and listen to your spouse. Have a second honeymoon at least once a year.

3. Take time to teach and enjoy your children. They are a lot more important than a clean house and yard.

4. Think: "How much can I give?" not "What can I get?"

5. Buy only that which you can afford. Don't envy others.

6. Seek for and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

7. Be a "Bebiggler" and not a "Belittler." Look for the doughnut and not the hole.

8. Be a helpful and concerned neighbor.

9. Listen to good music. Read good books. Engage in stimulating conversation.

10. Be a participant, not just a spectator. Don't be afraid to say "I'll try."

11. Don't expect perfection of anyone until you have achieved perfection.

12. Make a contribution in your work or any assignment you accept. Give credit to others. Show appreciation and compliment others.

13. Work is a blessing and not a curse.

14. Be an honest person.

15. Plant some pansies every spring and get your hands into the soil.

16. Own a popcorn popper and an ice cream freezer.

17. Enjoy being alive!

Grubbs Family Reunion 2009

2009-09-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

The day after my sister's wedding we drove to Durango, Colorado for the Grubbs Family Reunion! We had a lot of fun visiting with family, eating yummy food, taking beautiful hikes, going 4-wheeling, and of course...playing FIREBALL. Fireball is a Grubbs family tradition where you light a ball of twine on fire, go into a large empty field and play catch at night. Oh...and you do it with your bare hands. It seems a little crazy...okay VERY crazy but once you get over the fact that you are playing with fire (something your parents always told you never to do) and realize that you won't get burned it is actually really fun. These are some of Brandon's uncle's pictures of the game.
The players. Don't worry...all of the little kids stood on the side lines and watched. Some of the daring ones however did get a chance to throw one or two with the help of their parents.

It was a fun reunion! Thanks Bill and Diane for hosting it this year!

Suzy's Wedding!

2009-09-14T13:26:00.001-07:00

On July 25 my little sister Suzy married Scott Morris. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple and it was a beautiful wedding. Here are some pictures of their big day!

The night before any of our sisters get married we have a special Family Home Evening (no grooms allowed!). We all gather in my parents front room and give the bride-to-be a scrap book page with some fun pictures of us with them and a wedding gift. My dad reads from the Family: A Proclamation to the World and then plays the Moonlight Sonata. This time was special because it was Pioneer Day and we had a huge firework show to finish the night.

Here are some pictures of everyone waiting for the happy couple to come out of the temple.

The Morris's eventually came out and we took lots of fun pictures.

They had their reception at the Carmelle. It was beautiful!

Here are some silly boys watching as the bride and groom get pictures taken outside the reception hall.

It was a great day! Welcome to the family Scott!

The latest and greatest

2009-07-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

Wow...it's been a whole month with no update from Seattle! Not too much has happened but I'll give you all a quick update on our lives.

A couple weeks ago we went to the Bellevue Strawberry Festival at Crossroads Park. The lawns were full of booths selling random stuff. I got a free back 'message' but they were pretty much trying to get me to go to their chiropractor. We ate Hawaiian Shave Ice and a Dingleberry (chocolate covered strawberries on a stick). We also watched a few bands perform on the Main Stage. But the highlight of the day was watching the kids strawberry shortcake eating contest. Some of the kids were a lot more into it than others. There was this one little boy that just started crying when all the other kids face planted right into their food.

For the Fourth of July weekend we headed over to Spokane (sorry no pictures). The plan was to go to Priest Lake and go camping but I was a party pooper. I haven't been feeling that well for the past week...I've been having migraines, fevers, muscle aches, and just recently developed a cough...YUCK!! But I think I'm on the recovery! So because I wasn't feeling the greatest we just hung out in Spokane with Jim and Debby, Rich and Debbie, and Grandma Beth. The boys played two days of 18 holes of golf while us girls tagged along to walk the course, drive the cart, find their wild balls, and hit a few of our own. The night of the Fourth we went to Coeur d'Alene to watch the fireworks over the lake! It was gorgeous. Jim sneaked our way into the absolute BEST spot right along the lake for the show. Some of the fireworks were so big they felt like they were right over us...it was incredible.

Now we are back in Seattle and getting ready to move next week. We love our apartment but to save a few hundred bucks a month we are moving to another complex in our area. Hopefully next year we will buy a house so our next move will be a little more permanent. I think moving is one of my least favorite things. Especially the thought of going from one third floor apartment to another third floor apartment! But we will survive and it will definitely be worth it in the end.

That's it from us. Here is just a random picture of Brandon I took when we were at the mall the other day. There was a little kid riding in this helicopter and Brandon wanted a turn.

A Little Miracle

2009-06-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has taken me so long to write this post. I don't know how many times I have sat down to write about this experience but I just couldn't think of the words. But I knew I needed to share my thoughts with all of my friends and family about a little miracle we were able to witness.

Over the last month and a half Brandon and I have had the opportunity to work with the missionaries in teaching a young mother about the gospel. The missionaries tracked into Angela one Saturday after we had them over for dinner. Angela lived in our building with her 3 year old daughter and her boyfriend. She was at a crossroads in her life where she was looking for something more and thought religion was the answer. I was lucky enough to tag along to all the discussions. Last Saturday Angela was baptized!! I can't tell you how excited and happy I am for her! I wanted to share a few things I learned through this experience.

I have never been on a mission and have never have had many opportunities to help teach the gospel to an investigator. I was very nervous that I would not know what to say or how to answer her questions. During discussions the missionaries would ask me to bare my testimony. Then as I would be hanging out with Angela she would ask me some pretty tough questions. I was surprised at the words that would just fall into my mouth. I now realize that it is not the person or the words that matter in preaching the gospel. The Holy Ghost is the most powerful teacher and testifer. I will also never forget the spirit I felt as Angela prayed aloud for the first time or when she bore her testimony for the first time.

I also began to really understand how faith is the first princle of the gospel. I grew up in the church and have taken for granted my testimony, beliefs, and how I live my life. As I sat in the discussions I tried to put myself in Angela's shoes. What would I think about faith, prayer, the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, prophets, the law of chastity, or the word of wisdom if I was hearing about it for the first time? Would I believe any of it? I was amazed at the giant leaps of faith Angela took as she learned a principle and then would chose to apply it into her life not knowing from previous experience the happiness it brings by living that principle. Things that seemed so simple to me would require her to make huge life changes. I was constantly surprised by Angela's faith despite all the resistance from family and friends.

I also learned a lot about my own faith. The missionaries challenged Angela to be baptized on a certain date. That date came and went with no baptism. There seemed to be too many obstacles standing in her way making baptism seem impossible. The missionaries then challenged her to a new date of May 30. While we were in Cancun, Brandon and I would talk about if we thought Angela would be baptized on that day. I expressed my doubts and we both agreed it probably wouldn't happen. Then to my big surprise I had a message from Elder Livingstone on my phone when we got back. It pretty much said, "A lot has happened while you've been away. Angela wants to be baptized on Saturday and she would like you to give the closing prayer at the service." I called Brandon at work and said, "You will never believe what has happened!" I felt so humbled knowing my doubts had overshadowed my faith. How did I not have enought faith to know that everything would work out? I learned that with God nothing is impossible.

I am so grateful for the joy of missionary work. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ restored church on the earth today. I am so happy to have been able to see a friend come to know of this truth.

One Year Down

2009-06-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I got married one year ago yesterday! I can't believe it. Sometimes it feels like it just happened but then I think about all that we have done in the past year....new state, new jobs, new apartments, new wards, new people, new adventures, a whole new life. I am so glad Brandon has been by my side for it all! To celebrate Brandon came home a little early from work and took me to the temple. We then went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner.

I love you Brandon! Thanks for marrying me!

Cancun

2009-06-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

We finally went on our trip to Cancun and it was absolutely AMAZING! After months and months of waiting it finally came...and went a little too quickly. I am also happy to report we made it there and back without any scary encounters with drug cartels or coming down with a nasty case of the swine flu. It was actually quiet nice down there because of all the bad PR Mexico got on the news this last month. The resort was not crowded and we never had to wait for anything. There were maybe 10 people on the beach at a time and we always had about 5 servers waiting on us hand and foot. Let me tell you...a girl can get used to that.

There is too much to write about so I thought I would just use pictures. (That's all I really look at on blog anyways.)

This is our hotel: Dreams Cancun all-inclusive resort and spa. I have never been to an all-inclusive resort before but let me tell you that is the way to go. Everything was free game: water sports, restaurants, entertainment, drinks, even the mini bar in your room.

Our room was pretty awesome. We stayed overlooking the dolphin pool. In the morning we would either wake up to crazy chirping birds or the dolphins splashing in the water.

Here is where we spent most of our time...THE BEACH!! The water was clear, blue, and WARM. They had floaty toys and tampolines to play on, kayaks, and snokel gear.

One day we went to Chichen-Itza, an ancient Mayan city. Here we are in front of the famous temple. You can no longer climb the steps up to the top. The craziest thing about the plaza is that when you are standing in the right spot and clap the acoustics somehow make the echo sound like a chirping bird. When our tour guide told us that I didn't believe him but he was so right...it really does sound like a chirping bird and nothing like a clap. CRAZY!

All of the stones had engravings on them. This was on the walls of the 'ball field.' Notice the stick that pierces his nose and the huge earrings. He is thought to be royalty.

The Mayans practiced human sacrifices and are often thought of as violent people. These skull carvings line a huge stage/platform where they performed some of these sacrifices. They also would make human sacrifices by throwing people into a large Cenote, or sink hole, where the person was unable to climb out and would eventually drown.

Before we went to Chichen-Itza, we first made a stop at a Cenote to go for a swim.

Doesn't he look excited to jump in? Or is he scared?

Here is what it looked like from ground level. We then had to make our way down a tunneled stairway with chains as handrails to get to that platform below where all the people are standing.

It was really cool when you got down in there. It was fresh water and there were hundreds of little fish swimming around.

This is a really ugly picture of me but I thought it looked cool with the vines all around.

Here is Brandon jumping from the highest platform. I am proud to say I jumped from there too but mine wasn't nearly as graceful as his dive.

Here we are back at the hotel. There was a light house on the point. We would walk along this path looking for hermit crabs every night and iguanas during the day.

Can you see the iguana?

Sunset!!

This is Brandon at our favorite bar...the Sugar Reef. We would lye on the beach and our friend Jimer would come by every so often and bring us Pina Coladas, Tango Mangos, or whatever we wanted. It was bliss!

This was one of the four restaurants at the resort. Most of them were on the beach.

Well that is about it! We had a wonderful time just relaxing and hanging out together. It was the best 2nd honeymoon any girl could ask for! Thanks again Brandon for taking me!

Happy Nurses' Week! :)

2009-05-04T19:24:00.001-07:00

Tip-toe through the Tulips

2009-04-26T16:25:00.001-07:00

Saturday Brandon and I went up to Skagit County to see the Tulip Festival. It was beatiful!!! First we made our way to Hillcrest Park to have a BBQ salmon dinner. Mmmmm....I'm still thinking about how tasty it was. I think that was the BEST salmon I have ever had.

Then we made our way to the Tulip Fields. Traffic was horrible and it took FOREVER to get there but it was well worth the wait. Brandon was so patient with me as I played with my new camera and took a MILLION pictures. Here are just a few of my favorite shots.

Loved it

2009-04-25T20:30:00.001-07:00

...If you like watching the Discovery Channel you will LOVE this movie. It is fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone!...

Don't I look smart?

2009-04-24T08:55:00.001-07:00

Here's Brandon modeling his new specs. He only uses them for reading and working on the computer...which I have calculated to be 62.3% of his day. (See... I'm good with numbers too!) I think he looks great and super smart!

Ames Lake Fire Station

2009-04-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

We took the Cub Scouts to the Ames Lake Firestation last Friday. We had a great time!

This is Firefighter Brian dressed up in all his gear.

Talking about fire saftey!

All the kids got to go inside the fire truck!

Thanks to all the moms and dads that stayed and helped!

Easter

2009-04-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from Easter. Growing up my dad would always hide our Easter basket and send us on a search through the house. So I decided Brandon needed to work for his Easter candy and search for his basket too. It took a little while (and some hints) but he finally found it...in the bath tub!Instead of dying Easter eggs we decided to frost sugar cookies. My sister Janae gave us a killer recipe that makes the softest cookies ever. And my mom had mailed us a package with cute Easter cookie cutters. Here are the results. It's just few days later and almost all of these cookies are gone. I think we only have 7 or 8 left.

He is not here: for He is risen!

2009-04-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

I love Spring time. It is a time of new life and new beginnings. I love the warming weather and the new buds on the blossoming trees. I also love that it is again time for General Conference. This months General Conference was amazing. I particularly enjoyed Elder Holland's talk about the final week of the Savior's mortal ministry. His talk lead me to study and ponder about my Savior and the event leading up to the crucifiction and the resurrection.

I don't talk a lot about my work on my blog but I want to share an experience I had the other day. For those of you who don't know I am a Registered Nurse. I work on a Cardiac Step-down Unit in Bellevue Washington. Last Friday (Good Friday), I was working a short 'princess shift' from 3pm-7pm. The day was going routinely and I only had a couple hours left until my shift was over. I had an empty bed after discharging a patient and as all you nurses out there know an empty bed never stays empty for long. My charge nurse informed me I would be getting a patient from the Emergency Room and minutes later the ER nurse called up to give me report. This patient was very very sick. He was battling brain and liver cancer along with multiple other conditions secondary to his cancer. He was unresponsive and had many critical clinical and lab findings. I will spare you all the details but before too long the patient was being wheeled down the hall on a stretcher heading for my one empty bed. By the time I arrived in the room the tech and transporter were already moving the patient from stretcher to bed. As soon as we had him in bed I noticed he was not breathing. I could not feel a pulse or hear a heart beat. He was a DNR/DNI or no code. This meant he did not want any life saving measures to prolong his life. His journey in mortality had ended. The family had followed the patient up from the ER and were in our waiting room. I called the doctor and he came up to break the news to his wife of more than 60 years. The family wept together. I felt terrible for the family's loss. It hit me at that moment how devastating death would be without a testimony of the Savior and the resurrection. My patient's journey in this life had ended, but I knew that this was not the end for him. I knew that Christ had broken the bands of death and had overcome the grave so that we might live with Him again and with our families forever. I wanted nothing more than to give the family the peace that I had felt during times of death in my family that comes with a knowledge of the resurrection.

"We solemly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

"He rose from the grave to 'become the firstfruits of them that slept' (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His 'other sheep' (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised 'dispensation of the fullness of times' (Ephesians 1:10)." --The Living Christ

I am so grateful for the Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. I know Christ leads His church today through modern day revelation given to our living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I am grateful for the blessings the restored gospel brings into my life. On Saturday morning Brandon and I attended the baptism of one of our friends. Hanna and her husband had moved into our ward from California. Her husband had been brought up in the church but had become inactive. They moved into our ward and came across the missionaries. Hanna is every missionary's dream...a real 'golden contact.' She was so excited about learning the gospel from the beginning and still continues to have that excitement to learn more everyday. Together her and her husband have taken the missionary discussions and have become active in the church. Just today I went with the missionaries to teach a young mother living in our building. She has many questions and really wants to find the truth about God and religion. I love how the spirit fills the room when we talk about the Savior and the Restoration of the gospel. I love the light that the gospel brings into the world and into my life. I love my Savior and I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His church on the earth today!

"He lives! All glory to His name! He lives, my Savior still the same. Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!"

Happy Easter!

I'm getting old!

2009-04-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

So I hit the BIG 2-5 on April 3rd and am now a quarter century old!!! It sure sounds a lot older than it feels. I had a great day! Here it is...

TOP TEN THINGS THAT MADE MY DAY

10. I didn't have to work!

9. I got to sleep in...well at least until Brandon had to get up to go to work.

8. I went for a good run...about 5 miles. Even though it was on a treadmill it still felt great despite my aging body.

7. I got an unusually high volume of phone calls, emails, voice messages, cards, and facebook posts from friends and family! THANKS everybody!!!

6. My parents sent me a surprise package with a Wii Fit. I think Brandon likes it more than me!

5. I got to spend some time downtown at the Market. Surprisingly I don't make it across the lake very much.

4. We went to Mc Cormick's and had delicious fish. Mmmmmm!!

3. My amazing husband gave a me a Canon Rebel camera that I've wanted for YEARS!!! Now I just have to figure out how to use all the gadgets and buttons.

2. We stayed up late watching Marley & Me and eating freshly baked brownies from a box...two of my favorite things!

1. THE SUN CAME OUT!!! Just like I was hoping! I think Brandon pulled some strings with Mother Nature. It had been weeks since we'd seen the sun and I couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift.

I miss the SUN!!

2009-03-24T06:50:00.001-07:00

Here is our 10 day forecast! I am really craving some WARM UV rays but they are nowhere in sight. Mostly I am tired of running on a t.r.e.a.d.m.i.l.l. and want to go outside without getting wet. Good thing we are headed to Cancun in less than 2 months! (I know that is still pretty far away but something to look forward to, right?)

I don't have too much to report. Brandon is through with busy season. Hurray!! Now he comes home around 6 or 7pm. I am still working per diem at Overlake Hospital on the cardiac unit. Some weeks I work over full time and other weeks I barely work part time. It is nice to have the variety and I definitely like this job better than my old job in the radiology department.

This weekend one of my old roommates from BYU was in town so I got to go out to lunch with her and catch up. We live in her home ward so it is fun to know we will stay in touch whenever she comes back to visit. She and her husband are living in Texas and just bought a house. We are super jealous!!

Brandon also spoke in church on Sunday. He did an amazing job and didn't even write anything down (I could never do that because I would lose my train of thought too easily)! He talked about preparing for General Conference which is coming up in just 2 weeks--I can't wait.

One year ago on March 22 Brandon asked me to marry him. It is crazy to think about all that has happened in one year! I remember the first time he ever mentioned the "M" word. It was a Sunday evening in my apartment. We were sitting on my roommates love sac watching a CES fireside. Of course the fireside was about eternal marriage which I'm sure helped encourage him to start a converstaion we both had been avoiding for some time. Brandon had accepted his job with Ernst and Young and needed to make a decision about when to start---either in August or October. He had told me he needed to make a decision on his start date about a week earlier. He had mentioned it casually like he was telling me what he ate for lunch that day but obviously it was a big deal because it meant we had decide what was going to happen to us at the end of the summer. I knew he was thinking about it and I DEFINTELY was thinking about it but I was NOT going to be the first one to bring it up. So for over a week I skirted around the issue by changing the subject every time he mentioned his job with E&Y. I'm not exactly sure how the converstaion started that night but before I knew it we were talking about our options for when he needed to move up to Seattle. First he started talking about doing the long distance thing...I immediately vetoed that idea. We are both not good phone talkers and there was no way our relationship would last through that...so honestly what would be the point. Then he suggested I move up to Seattle and we could continue dating. Yeah right!!...my life was way too great in Utah (family, friends, job) to move and then have Brandon and I not work out. I guess he realized at that point if he was going to keep me around he would have to make a bigger committment. So then he pulled out the big guns and mentioned the "M" word. As they say...the rest is history. I'll have to post about when he actually proposed to me another time.

Blue and Gold Banquet

2009-03-04T13:45:00.001-08:00

So my calling right now is with the Cub Scouts. I am the Wolf den mother so I get to hangout with about a dozen 8-9 year old boys each week. It has been a great calling for me to learn about little boys. I have no brothers and had no clue what they do in scouts so I have had to learn quick. Thankfully I am not totally alone. We combine with the Bear den and their leader, Molly, has been at this for about 2 years now so I would consider her a pro at it and I definitely learn a lot from her.

Little boys are so funny. There have been a few instances I couldn't help but laugh my head off at what they said. One little boy was acting up and his father is in the bishopric. We asked him to settle down and called him "Brother Smith" (names have been changed to protect the innocent). He kept acting up and we finally got him to look at us. We said again, "Brother Smith, can you hear what we are saying?" He said, "What?!? Brother Smith is my dad." He really had no idea we were talking to him. To him Brother Smith was only his dad and not him. It was hilarious...maybe you had to be there to grasp how funny it was. Then around Thanksgiving we were playing a Bingo game I had made up where we put different things we were thankful for in each of the squares: family, friends, house, food, school, games...etc. We were pretty far into the game and it was getting close to someone winning. One of the kids just kept saying over and over again "I need friends! I need friends!!!" I don't know why but it just sounded so funny because he was so excited to announce it to the entire den!

This past week we had the big Blue and Gold Banquet. I was lucky enough to be in charge of the food. It was a little stressful but it turned out to be a big success. We combined with another troop and had all their families come. We ended up serving about 90 people...it was a lot of food. All the boys had a great time. Here are some pictures of the evening. I forgot my camera so these were emailed out to us by our Cub Master.

The theme was ABC Across America but we kind of changed it to Celebrating the State of Washington. The decorations were amazing. They made Mt. Rainier out of butcher paper and had trees all over the gym. It looked great and the boys loved it.

We made these fish the week before for decorations. They are salmon and orca. Do you remeber the art project in elementary school where you get little squares of tissue paper and put them on the end of a pencil. You then dip the end into some glue and put it on you project. The boys did a great job as you can see.

Mormon Messages on YouTube

2009-02-24T14:35:00.000-08:00

Today I found the coolest thing. I was searching on lds.org for something uplifting to read because I was just feeling down about a few things. As I was scrolling through the homepage I noticed at the bottom there was a link to Mormon Messages on YouTube. You all probably have seen these before but it was brand new to me. Mormon Messages is an official channel of the church on YouTube (who would have thought). Each week they post messages about basic gospel beliefs and other inspiring stories and uplifting messages. I clicked on the link and began watching a clip of Pres. Uchtdorf talking about creativity. I spent the next half hour watching all the other short clips. Each had beautiful pictures, scenery, music and of course inspired words from modern day prophets that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I just wanted to share my discovery with everyone because it made my day and I hope it makes yours!

a GREAT weekend

2009-02-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

This weekend Brandon and I went up to Arlington to stay with Grandma Beth. It was a fun weekend. On Friday Grandma Beth and I went out to lunch at Arby's and then shopping at Target while Brandon was at work. That evening we had a great surprise from Brandon when he got home. He bought us both some beautiful flowers for Valentine's Day. Grandma kept saying how beautiful her lilies were. I absolutely loved my roses...this is the first time since we got engaged that Brandon has given me flowers and being the huge Bachelor fan that I am I told him I felt like I had been to a dozen rose ceremonies and that he must really love me. Saturday night we all went out to dinner at the Eaglecrest Restaurant. Sunday we got up early and went to our ward in Redmond and then drove around to look at a few condos for sale in Issaquah. I had a great time this weekend talking and getting to know Grandma Beth better! Thanks for hanging out with us!

Grandma's calla lily

My roses

Brandon and Grandma at dinner on Valentine's Day

Just for Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

I thought for Valentine's Day it would be fun to reminisce about when Brandon and I were dating. Here are a few fun memories...

...Staying up most the night watching shooting stars...Burning CDs for the Music Fireside...Light sabers in the courtyard...Becca's Cuddle Bag...Viva Las Vegas!...Speed Scrabble...Surprise--meet my parents...Nerf gun wars...Cursed Thanksgiving basketball game...Throwing throw-up on you...Road trip to Boise...Debating Utah vs. Washington as best state in the continental US--I think you won since we're here...Talking on the couch in the 5th floor break room at 2am...Costco hot dog anyone?...'Hey brother! (Buster's voice)...'It is sweltering in here!'...Grill Master...Jericho--why did we waste our time on that show?...Meeting Little Red...Snowshoeing to Stewart Falls...Sudoku and Crossword puzzles...Making smores over the stove...'What white patch?'...Bocce by Helaman Halls...Bird poop and cheesecake...Early morning runs after work...Spinach mushroom ravioli--your favorite!...Rock Band featuring Johnny Got A Haircut...Waterproof Uno in the hot tub...Tennis (real and on the Wii)...Gorilla Glue and a half empty Propel bottle...

These plus HUNDREDS more little moments like these added up to one thing...me falling in love with the man of my dreams.

Happy Valentine's Day Brandon!

I love you!

(and thanks for not having surgery this Valentine's Day!)

I have the best husband ever!

2009-02-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

This is where he is taking me at the end of May... sunny CANCUN!!!! And I am soooo excited!

A couple weekends ago Brandon asked me if I wanted to go on a vacation with him. I told him I would if it was somewhere warm and sunny. I have never been so pasty white in my life and I just need to look forward to some time in the sun! He suggested Cancun and I was thrilled. I've never been there before and it met my two requirements perfectly. We will have more than 4 months to plan this trip which is longer than we had to plan our entire wedding but I've discovered you should always have a vacation or something to look forward to...especially during busy season.

After looking through dozens of different hotel options we finally decided on the Dreams all-inclusive resort in Cancun. The pictures make it look amazing and I catch myself looking at the online brochure a little too often thinking of the day I will be lying on the beach soaking up all that sun. There is tons of stuff to do...snorkeling, scuba lessons, kayaking, yoga, spanish cooking classes, tennis, biking, ocean trampoline, euro-bungee, golfing, laying on the beach, swimming with the dolphins, shows, live music, big screen outdoor movies, pool volleyball, dining...you name it. It all sound like so much fun. We are super excited!!

We just got our 'tickets' (really just a pamphlet about the resort and our reservation numbers) in the mail yesterday so it is official. Mexico here we come!!

earthquake

2009-01-30T14:14:00.001-08:00

This post is mostly to get that ugly picture of Hot Topic off the top of my blog. But also to let you know that we had an earthquake this morning. Around 5:25 am the Puget Sound area was shaken by a 4.5 earthquake. I know...that's not big at all. They say it lasted for 15-20 seconds and that people as far north as Victoria, British Columbia could feel the tremors. I slept right through it...I had worked a crazy 12 hour shift yesterday and was exhausted. Brandon claims it woke him up but he didn't know what woke him up until after he heard the news report. I'm bummed I slept through it. I guess I will have to take everyone's word for it that it really happened.

busy season starts

2009-01-20T16:45:00.000-08:00

Do you guys remember this store? I have never shopped here but I remember the good old days when I would go hangout at the mall and passed by this crazy place. Lucky for Brandon he got to spend the night here for his first inventory. From 5:00pm Monday night to 9:00am Tuesday morning Brandon was at the Olympia Hot Topic counting studded dog collars and Twilight paraphernalia! Talk about a good time. Poor guy was so tired by the time he got home he crashed until later that afternoon then woke up and started working again. I think this has been the worst part of busy season so far. Other than that I can't really complain. He has been home by 9:00pm everynight and hasn't had to work on weekends...I have been the one working Saturdays :( But now watch...I probably just jinxed myself and he won't come home until 11:00pm.

Families are forever!

2009-01-18T15:44:00.000-08:00

January 10, 2009 was a very special day. After more than 6 months of having Kail and Kalvin in our lives, these two cute little boys were sealed to their parents for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. What a special occasion to have all my family together in the temple as my Grandpa performed the sealing. I'm so happy I was able to be there. Congratulations Greg, Chris, Liz, Kail, and Kalvin! You guys make a beautiful family!

Love it!

2009-01-06T11:59:00.001-08:00

I LOVE this cookbook! All the recipes in here are simple, easy, fast, and only take a few ingredients. Plus it is really healthy...if you follow the recipe perfectly. Confession: I don't! Whenever it says to use fat free this or that I use the fat full stuff...it tastes better that way. I guess I am defeating the whole purpose of the book and Bill Phillips would be disappointed in me...but hey I could be eating a lot worse. I also love that the serving sizes are for 2-3 people which is perfect for our little family. Whenever I make a lasagna or casserole it seems like we are eating it for a week just to finish it off. Anyways, just had to tell everyone how much I love this book. I would recommend it to anyone. Sorry Debby...I promise to give it back soon. Thanks for letting me borrow it. :)

Garden d'Lights

2009-01-05T21:54:00.001-08:00

Every year around Christmas, hundreds of volunteers transform Bellevue Botanical Gardens into a festival of lights. They take thousands of commerical Christmas lights and tightly bundle them to create flowers, vines, shrubs, and little critters. I have been wanting to go all season and thankfully because of the snow they extended the show through the first couple weeks of January so we could. Pictures can't capture how cool the displays are but here are a few attempts.

Some of my favorite creations were the palm trees, sunflowers, fountain, frog, monkey, squirrel, parrot, grapevines, tomato plants, and of course Willie the slug. In the clubhouse there was an 'aquarium' full of fish, plants, bubbles, crabs, and seahorses. It was amazing and I absolutely loved it. We are definitely making this a Plaster family tradition as long as we are in Seattle.

Two thumbs up!

2009-01-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

On New Years day Brandon and I went to see Marley and Me and I have been thinking about it ever since. It was such a good movie! I had tears streaming down my cheeks at parts and then laughing my head off at other parts. It stars Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. As a newly married couple the Grogans decided to adopt a cute yellow Labrador. Soon the puppy grows to be a 100 pound ball of energy that turns their house into a disaster zone. What I really loved about this movie is how it portrays lifes ups and downs. It's not just a show about an unruly dog but a show about marriage and balancing family life and your career...something I think we can all relate to. Brandon was the one to suggesst going to this movie...I think he is trying to convince me to get a dog. And it was a very good attempt.

Round 2...

2008-12-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

...was a little more impressive than Round 1. On Wednesday everyone was so worried about the snow but it never came. Then we woke up to this Thursday morning. The freeway I take to work had completely been shut down because of an accident. Brandon was so nice to drive me to the hospital on the side roads. And that excerpt from the metro article was completely accurate. We saw BMWs and other fancy cars abandoned on the road. And the most annoying part was when people hit each other they didn't take their cars to the side of the road they just left them there, got out to stand in the middle of the road, and stared at them. The funniest part of the drive into work was that we saw probably the only two snow plows Bellevue owns just sitting in a parking lot doing nothing.

Today the sun is out and it is beautiful. It will be a white Christmas after all!

Snow!

2008-12-16T19:23:00.001-08:00

It 'snowed' this weekend...if you can call it snow. The winter weather has been the topic of conversation all week and people are freaking out. Here is a picture fom our balcony of the 'snow.'. Sorry...I have to laugh. Go to Utah if you want to see real snow and winter weather.

The weather man says that 'Round 2 of this Arctic Blast' is coming in tonight and will stay through Thursday. This is a excerpt from an article on the King County Metro website telling how drivers can get ready for the upcoming storm. "And of course, the county is again reminding motorists to be prepared for winter driving. That means: having plenty of gas in the car; driving with all season tires, chains and warm clothing; and please don’t abandon your vehicle in the middle of travel lanes." I guess the have had problems with this in the past. It amazes me that people here do not know how to drive in the snow and would just give up and leave their car in the middle of the road only to create more of a headache for other drivers. Too funny! I'll let you know how we survive this winter storm.

Happy Anniversary

2008-12-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

6 months down...forever to go!

Heads or Tails

2008-11-25T08:40:00.000-08:00

When we moved to Washington Brandon wanted to get Direct TV for the sole purpose of watching BYU football. I didn't know this but I guess you need to have a south facing apartment to position the satellite dish. We have a north facing apartment. Needless to say Brandon was a little sad that we only got to listen to the games off the internet.

But last Saturday was the big game and we had to take drastic measures to help support our alma mater. Our friend Nate called every sports bar in Seattle to see who could show the game and finally found it... Heads or Tails. There were about 8 or 9 of us Cougar fans in this cold and drafty one room bar. We wish the team would have played better. What was up with Max Hall throwing all those interceptions? Anyways, all the bar goers were very friendly and helped cheer for BYU. One of the regulars even jumped off his stool to come over and say, "I thought Mormons don't drink." We assured him it was only soda and that we weren't drinking. Maybe next year the Cougs will play a little better. Here are some pictures.

CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS!!!

2008-11-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a shout out to my super smart husband who just passed his fourth and final CPA exam! Congratulations Brandon...no more tests ever!

Apples, Ducks, Mist, and 007...

2008-11-18T16:28:00.000-08:00

...who knew that was what Seattle has to offer? My parents came to visit last weekend and that pretty much highlights what we did while they were here. Brandon had been in Spokane all week on business so I picked all of them up at the airport Friday night. We went to dinner at Claim Jumper and then showed them around Redmond and our new apartment. Saturday morning we headed downtown to walk Pike's Market. There we watched the famous fish throwers and perused all the booths. We bought Honey Crisp Apples which were delicious and then went to lunch at Pike's Market Grill. This is one of my favorite little places to eat at Pike's.

We couldn't have asked for better weather for their visit. Everyone kept saying how it is never this nice in November. With the sunny skies we decided to go on a Duck Tour. I've seen these Duck Boats cruising around the city but have never been on one. The tour starts by driving around to historical sites downtown while giving a little history and ends up as a cruise around Lake Union. Somehow, the bus becomes a boat. I've always wondered how that works. I didn't really figure it out but I know it does...thankfully. It's a weird feeling being in a large bus driving straight into a lake. We then walked around the Seattle Center and looked at the Space Needle. That night we relaxed at home with a home cooked meal and a show Casino Royale to prepare us for the new James Bond movie that came out this weekend.

Sunday morning we headed up to Snoqualmie Falls. Again it was a beautiful day but the Observation Deck at the Falls was completely covered with a cloud of mist. You couldn't see the Falls unless you went up by Salish Lodge which only lets you see the top of the Falls. Still it was beautiful; I just wish my parents could have seen the whole thing. After church we took my parents to the airport. It was a short weekend but I was so happy they would come and see where we lived. Thanks Mom and Dad for coming. We hope you had a good time.

Birthday Boy

2008-10-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ten things you may not know about this Birthday Boy1. He is turning 26 today. That’s right…he is closer to 30 than 20 and it is a BIG deal!
2. He’s the smartest man in the world. Whenever we play a trivia game he always pulls random facts out of nowhere. Honestly I don’t know how he remembers everything he has ever heard or read. And he has passed all of his CPA tests so far (we are still waiting for the results of the last one but I know he passed)!
3. He loves the Discovery Channel and Man vs Wild. I think him and his dad could sit in front of the TV with a Dr. Pepper and the season of Planet Earth and be perfectly content with life.
4. He has an eye for home décor. When we moved to Redmond with nothing but a couple of old camp chairs I was surprised at the furniture and decorations he picked out. He’s even talking about finding drapes for our windows…I haven’t even thought of that.
5. Even though he claims to hate dancing he really loves it. And he loves to do it in public. When we are walking around a department store Brandon will spontaneously start to do his dance. I think he thinks it embarrasses me but I absolutely love it. He makes me laugh so hard.
6. He is an accountant at heart. When we were registering for our wedding Brandon made a spreadsheet of everything we needed to register for. We printed out the sheet and checked off the items as we scanned them into our registry. Talk about detail oriented!!
7. He went through a phase where he grew out his hair. And no this wasn’t when he was a teenager; it was last year when I met him. He had just got home from an internship at Ernst and Young in Seattle where he had let his hair grow for 3 or 4 months without cutting it. Sometimes he talks about growing it back…we’ll see.
8. Kids adore him. I think every toddler at church is in love with him. They always stare at him, make faces with him, and laugh whenever he raises his eyebrows or gives them a funny look. There was this one little red head girl in our Provo ward that particularly took a liking to Brandon…we still talk about her today.
9. He is a perfect gentleman. He always opens the door for me every time we get in the car.
10. He loves music. As a kid Brandon played the trumpet in his junior high marching band. Now he just serenades me with his guitar and ukulele.

These are just TEN of the HUNDREDS of reasons I love this Birthday Boy.

I love you Brandon!!! Happy Birthday!

Obsession

2008-10-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I have a new obsession. We are addicted to the game Twirl on Facebook. We play this game almost every day together. The game is simple. They give you six letters and you need to create three, four, five, and six letter words out of those letters. To qualify for the next round you must get the six letter word before the two minute timer runs out. It doesn't sound like much but it is so addicting! If you want to give Twirl a whirl you can go to either mine or Brandon's facebook page. If you look at our mini feed you will see that we probably played Twirl today. Just click on the link and have fun. But watch out...it's addicting!

General Conference

2008-10-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to make this post for over a week now. This was my first General Conference away from Utah and it was a little different than most. In my family, General Conference is like another holiday...almost as big as Christmas or Thanksgiving. Our tradition is to have a huge breakfast of crepes, breakfast casserole, fruit, and juice....ALL YOU CAN EAT (and believe me we all eat a little too much)!! We eat as we watch Music and the Spoken Word and then watch conference all together as a family. This year Brandon and I were in Seattle but of course we tried to keep the traditional alive. I made crepes and we watched Conference with just the two of us. Thankfully we were able to see it from home and did not have to go to a Stake Center. It wasn't the same without everyone there but I absolutely loved Conference. I was able to listen to the talks instead of reading them later (kids can be very distracting on conference day.) My favorite talk was Elder Wirthlin's--his are always my favorite. I love hearing all of the apostles and our prophet speak. They always seem to know exactly what I need to hear or think about. Here is a link to the conference talks if you missed any of it.

Also a side note from my previous post about the electric can open. I fixed it...well sort of. It wasn't really broken. The day after I posted I tried to use the toaster and it wasn't working either. The electric can opener and toaster are plugged into the same outlet. I just pushed the reset button and voila they both worked. Silly me!!!

A good thing to have...just in case

2008-10-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night I was making dinner for Brandon. I was even testing out a new recipe for spaghetti. In this recipe there are a lot of canned goods--stewed tomatoes, tomatoe sauce, etc. We got an awesome electric can opener for our wedding in June and have been using it without any problems ever since. I was using the can opener and successfully opened everything I needed except for one important ingredient. Before I could open the 2 cans of tomate sauce our electric can opener broke. I don't know what happened. I thought I was using the can opener correctly but apparently not because when I placed the can under the cutter nothing happened. At first I thought I didn't have it in the right place because you know how picky they are and how the can has to be exactly in the right spot to work. But nothing happened, it wouldn't even make a sound like it was trying to open it. Brandon, my own personal in house fix it guy, even tried to get it operational but couldn't. Here's where the important lesson comes in: Always have a manual can opener as a backup just in case your electric one brakes. I know, I know! We really should have one. What would we do if there was an emergency and had to live off our 'food storage.' But we just haven't gotten around to buying one yet. So Brandon carefully stabbed the cans with a pocket knife and I spent some time trying to shake out all the contents from a tiny puncture site. The spaghetti turned out great and it is so delicious. (Thanks Lindsey) But this little incident just goes to show you that everyone needs a manual can opener hidden somewhere in their kitchen drawers...just in case.

A Two Man Tent

2008-10-05T12:41:00.000-07:00

We finally went camping! Brandon and I have been talking about going camping ever since we got married but there always seemed to be some excuse: I am working this weekend, or we are going up to Salt Lake that weekend, or we better do that before we move and this is the weekend to do it. But we finally did it and it was a blast. We went to Twin Harbor State Park along the coast. When we arrived at the park we went straight to the beaches. We walked along the beautiful sand beach for miles and became professional beachcombers. I think we collected over 2 dozen whole sanddollars.

The best part of the trip was our tent. As you can imagine we do not have a lot of camping gear but believe me if Brandon has anything to say about it we will be collecting camping stuff over our entire life. We did have one vital piece of equipment: a two man tent. Brandon bought this tent for a boys only campout he went on with all his guy friends the summer before we got married. They called it Man-richment or Man Games 2007. Now you can only imagine the exciting activities they had planned to prove their manhood: fishing, shooting guns, playing King of the Raft in the freezing cold lake, 4-wheeling, throwing large logs, seeing who could lift the heaviest rock above their head...all of which they did with their shirts off to be more manly. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall during that campout; I think I would understand boys a lot better. The two of us barely fit inside this tent. But it was a cold misty night by the water and we were grateful for our little home away from home.

Whidbey Island

2008-10-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

While we were still living the good life of unemployement, Brandon and I took a day trip up to Whidbey Island. I guess Whidbey Island is the largest island in the continental US (50 miles in length). The early explorers thought it was another peninsula in the Sound which is why it is called Deception Pass. The only way to drive onto the island is over one bridge otherwise you take a ferry. We spent the day hiking around Deception Pass State Park and ate lunch along the beach.

We then drove down to Fort Casey to explore and watched the sunset on the beach. It was gorgeous! I have fallen in love with the sunsets here. Brandon always would tell me how Washington sunsets couldn't be beat. I think he might be right.

The Replacement of Little Red

2008-09-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

This was a difficult night for me; as evidenced by the frown on my face. The car pictured here was my first car. I purchased "Little Red" after being without wheels for a semester after my mission. I decided that buying a car would help my dating life and just make life a little easier. This hot, little Corolla was quite the chick magnet. Karen couldn't resist the car but shortly after getting married she (we) decided that we should replace Little Red. Karen told me that she wants me driving a safer car to work in Seattle but I really think she just wanted me to drive something a little less flashy.
In moving to Redmond we left Little Red with my cousin Chris in hopes that we would find a good car prior to starting work. Shortly after moving here I received a call from Chris letting me know that Little Red's clutch had gone out. I knew it was going but didn't know how close it was to going out. (Sorry about the dead car Chris.) Karen is very glad now that we decided not to bring Little Red up here. However, we are not sure exactly what to do with the car now. We are trying to sell it at a really good price if anyone is interested in an '89 Corolla.

We found a car! After many days of looking at cars and many test drives we found a car that will work at a decent price. I am currently in the process of naming the car. I will unveil the name sometime in the future. Our new car is a 2002 Acura 3.2 TL-S. Karen felt like this would be the perfect car to provide a safe commute and reduce the chick magnet appeal that Little Red previously provided. We have owned the car for almost two weeks now and we are really enjoying it. Thanks for the new car Karen!

Our New Life

2008-09-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

We made it safely to Washington and are finally starting to get settled! Here is what we have been up to since we left Provo:

August 13th was my last day at work in Provo. I was fine all day but when I walked off the floor I started to cry. I am really going to miss all the people I met and experiences I had. It was the perfect job for me right at that point in my life and the best place to work in all Provo. Thanks to all my CPCU friends who have made the last 2 years so much fun! The next several days were spent packing, cleaning, and moving everything. Tuesday morning we started the 2 day/900 mile drive to Redmond Washington; Brandon in a 16 foot Budge truck and me in my little Mazda 3 following behind. Our first stop was Idaho Falls to meet up with Tyler, Chelsie, and Debby. We had lunch and met little Hadley Jane for the first time. Debby was so nice to drive my car up to Spokane while I rode in the truck with Brandon. That night Brandon got really sick with a sore throat but we were able to get up the next morning and drive both the truck and car over to Redmond to check into our apartment and make sure everything was alright. We are so grateful for the help from Jim and Debby, Rich and Debbie, and Tommy in moving all of our stuff up 3 flights of stairs in the pouring rain. THANK YOU--we couldn't have done it without you!!

The next several weeks were full of one of my least favorite activities--shopping. The only furniture we brought with us was the bedroom set we found a great deal on back in Utah. There was no place to sit down in our apartment except two old camp chairs Brandon and I have had since before we started dating. So over the first week we were able furnish our entire apartment. To be honest I was a little worried about finding furniture that both of us would like and agree on but to my surprise we always feel in love with the same things. I am quite impressed/surprised with Brandon's homemaking skills...he has a good eye for home decor and is even talking about finding draperies for our windows (I honestly didn't even think of that). Oh how I love my husband and the new things I learn about him everyday! Jim and Debby were so helpful that first week. I think Debby washed every dish we owned by hand and helped organize the kitchen. Thank you guys!

Our couch (Brandon's favorite purchase because now he as a place to sit to watch Sports Center. It is microfiber and super comfy.) and our Coffee table/ottomanChina cabinet (my favorite purchase!)Kitchen table and chairs (It is counter high and has a leaf that will expand the table to a square to sit 8 people)

We bought our couch at Macy's on sale. It was actually one we saw in Utah that we liked but we were unsure whether or not it would fit. So to be on the safe side we waited until we were here to make some measurements. Finding a kitchen table was our biggest challenge. Everywhere we looked tables cost over $2000 and we didn't even like them. One morning we were on our way to take the moving truck back when we got off the freeway and saw one of those dancing billboard people on the side of the road advertising a retirement sale at a furniture store around the corner. We decided it wouldn't hurt to go look around before we took the truck back. We walked into the store, saw the table and chairs, china cabinet, and ottoman and within 10 minutes had paid and were headed to their warehouse to pick everything up. Thank goodness we didn't take the truck back! That afternoon we had all our new furniture in our house. It is so nice to have our own stuff and now I can say that I am grateful for those crazy dancing billboard people on the side of the road.

This is the view from our balcony. We live right next door to the Genie Lift Factory and there are a million semi trucks that go by every day...it gets a little noisy. On really clear days we can see Mt Baker.

With being a little more settled we decided to have fun and see the sites. Our friend Nate was in town for a job interview so we were able to go around to the sites with him. One night we went and saw the Freemont Troll. This is a large statue of an ugly 'thing' under the Freemont Bridge. I guess it is pretty famous...but I have never heard of it before. We then went and saw the downtown Seattle skyline from a park. It really is a beautiful city and I love how it is right on the water.

One morning we went to Pike's market downtown. This was the day before the big BYU vs. U of Washington game so the entire market was swarming with cougar fans. It is amazing how we stand out like a sore thumb wherever we go. We even ran into President Samuleson a couple times. Pike's market is so much fun to walk around. It definitely smells like fish everywhere you turn. We saw the famous fish throwers and I was able to have my first taste of the fresh seafood at a market grill. It was the best clam chowder I have ever tasted. After wandering around the market for some time we then went down to Waterfront park and walked watched the boats in the Sound. Brandon even pointed out his office building. See if you can guess which one it is in this picture.

That evening we went to the Puyallup Fair with Brandon's parents. They were over in Olympia for some business meetings and were planning on going to the BYU game with us the next day. I think I have only been to the Utah State Fair once in my life and it was to look at some art work my sister Suzy had on display. On the long slow drive down to Puyallup I asked Brandon what people do at fairs. He said you walk around the vendor booths, eat food, and look at animals. And that is exactly what we did for the entire evening. After that discription I surprisingly had a lot of fun.
This is the only picture I took that the Fair. We look pretty good huh?

Saturday was the BYU football game. The kickoff was at 12 noon so we left our apartment around 10:30 thinking we would have plenty of time to get to there, park, find our seats and maybe even meet up with a few friends from Provo who were at the game. Boy were we wrong...the 520 turned out to be a parking lot and we didn't park the car until kickoff. After our 2 mile trek from our car, we finally got into the stadium half way through the first quarter. It was a close game but the Cougars came out on top with an amazing play to block the extra point in the final seconds to win the game by 1 point. Walking to our car we got some lip from the Husky fans. I just keep thinking, "We definitely aren't in Utah anymore!" There was so much swearing and drinking and comments about our church being made I was a little surprised.

One night we drove up to see the Snoqualmie Falls. (Sorry no pictures...they just wouldn't turn out in the dark!) They are a 300 foot waterfall just a few miles away from our house. There are a couple hikes around the falls that we will have to go back and try out sometime soon. We then headed off on our most random adventure yet. Whenever we drive to and from Spokane to our apartment we drive the back roads through North Bend, Fall City, and Snoqualmie. Along the road there is a giant log under a pavillion. We have been so curious as to what it is and why it is so important that they built a little enclosing around it. It turns out that it is not important at all. It is just a giant log about 10 feet in diameter that everyone carves their names on. Even though it has no signifiance we took our pictures by it and can now tell all our friends and family that we have been to the giant log in Snoqualmie!
The weather has continued to be absolutely beautiful this week so we went to Safeco Stadium and watched a Mariners game. We bought tickets from some guy off the street for really cheap. Our seats were amazing right behind home plate. Honestly baseball is a little boring for me but I absolutely loved the atmosphere inside the stadium. I can't believe how many people were at the game on a Wednesday afternoon....shouldn't they all be at work somewhere? The Mariners beat the Rangers 8-7. After the game we went for a walk to Pioneer Park.
We have also been able to go the Seattle Temple in Bellevue a couple times. They are doing some construction work on the Angel Moroni which is why there is that beautiful scaffolding all around the spire.

Other big news is that I am official a Washingtonian (Brandon says that is what they call themselves). I now have a Washington state drivers license and Washington plates for my car. Crazy! But I think I will still claim being a Utahn...that's some much easier to say than Washingtonian.
Other big new is that we bought a car yesterday. It is an Acura 3.2 TL-S and Brandon loves it. I told him he will have to make a post about it.

So that is pretty much what we have been up to since we left Utah. Brandon doesn't start his job until October 1st and I don't go back until Sept 22nd. I'm sure we will have lots more adventures to report on before we settle down and get back to our normal boring working lives.

Fry Sauce

2008-08-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

For people in Utah, fry sauce is a normal part of life. If you go to any restaurant you can have fry sauce with your fries rather than just the regular old ketchup. I think fry sauce was one of Karen's favorite things about Utah.

Most of you know that Karen and I moved to the Seattle area about a week and a half ago. More posts will come to tell you all about the move but I want to relate just this one story which happened the second day we were in Washington.

Thursday was a long (partially succesful) day of furniture shopping. Since we rented a furnished apartment in Provo we did not have any furniture for our dining room or living room. We needed to find a couch and a dining room table so we could have a place to sit in our front room and a place to eat. (We did find a couch this day but I will leave it to Karen to write about the furniture). It was about nine at night when we finally decided to get some dinner (it was a long day of furniture shopping). My parents decided to take us out to dinner to celbrate my passing of another section of the CPA exam. There was a Red Robin close by so we went there. Red Robin is one of Karen's favorite places to eat. (There fry sauce is her favorite - it is a little different than everyone else's).

After completing our orders the waitress kindly asked if we would like anything else. Karen's face lit up as she asked for some fry sauce. The waitress got a somewhat confused look and I immediatley knew what I had done. Not only had I brought Karen all the way to Washington 900 miles from her family but also from her beloved fry sauce. The waitress informed us that she was not sure what fry sauce was and my heart sank. I knew that Karen was crying although there was no evidence of this on her cheeks.

One week later...

We are in Spokane with my family for the blessing of Hadley (my little brother's daughter). For a celebratory dinner Tyler's inlaws took us all out to eat at Red Robin. As the waiter was taking our orders he asked each of us if we would like any sauces (included in the list of sauces was fry sauce). We were skeptical at first but hopeful. Karen ordered some fry sauce. Our food was brought out along with the fry sauce. It looked exactly like the fry sauce at Red Robin from Utah (which is Karen's favorite). Karen anxiously dipped a fry and took a bite. It was a little piece of Utah right here in Washington.

I have no longer separated my wife from two of her loves (her family and her fry sauce). She is now just separated from her family but close enough that we can visit everyonce in a while. I am grateful for the sacrifices which Karen has made in moving with me to Seattle. It has not been easy for her but she is adapting very well. We are enjoying the area and Karen will make a post soon about the entire move.

For all the Utahns out there removed from their home state - you can find fry sauce at any Red Robin restaurant. (It is disguised as onion ring sauce.)

The 'Utah Date'

2008-08-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

Today Brandon and I were able to go on what I call a 'Utah Date.' We started the day off with a 3.5 mile run. We are wanting to run a marathon next year so we are slowly starting to train. Brandon is doing great considering he had knee surgery in February and only started running a few weeks ago. We then headed up to the SLC temple to see our friends Jana and Scott on their wedding day. They look so happy. After taking pictures on the temple grounds, Brandon and I were planning on doing a session but as we were walking into the dressing rooms we were asked to do proxy sealings. It was a really cool experience because we were able to do the sealings in the same room my Grandma and Grandpa Cannon were sealed in 51 years ago. After the temple we headed down the street to the Lion House for lunch.

We then went and test drove cars. We have been trying to sell Brandon's car before the big move and then get a new one when we get up to Seattle. If any of you have any suggestions on what kind of car to buy or know any great deals we would love some input. To finish off the 'Utah Date' we went to Jana and Scott's reception. It was an garden reception at Thanksgiving Point and turned out beautifully. It was fun to see lots of our Provo friends one more time before leaving. Marcy and Me

Marcy, Jana, and me

I'm so happy we were able to do this 'Utah Date.' I'm sad to think that we are moving away from all of this in less than two weeks. But we are both really excited for the chance to go to Seattle.

Fun at the Cabin

2008-08-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

Wednesday afternoon Brandon took off early from work and we headed up to Brighton to spend some time at our cabin. Right when we got there we took off on a hike up to Twin Lake. All of Clint and Lisa's kids, Grandpa, Brandon and I made the trek (Isaac walked the entire way by himself...we are so proud of him). The lake was beautiful.

Somewhere along the hike I got bit by a mosquito or some other bug and developed a golf ball size lump on my forehead. No pictures were taken to document this mysterious aliment but it was pretty ridiculous. I took some Benadryl that night and it went down quickly...and I slept really well that night. (This is Brandon's face when he saw my bite. just kidding.)

No trip to the cabin would be complete without an intense game of Settlers of Catan. I had no where to build cities and was pretty much stuck in a corner the whole game. Clint finally came out victorious.

The next morning we walked around Silver Lake and watched Grandpa and the boys fish. They didn't catch any fish...I guess they just weren't hungry.

Throughout the day we watched movies, went to Solitude, and had an awesome Foosball tournament. Brandon ruthlessly dethrowned Brigham as the champion. You can see on their faces how intense the games got.

An unexpected surprise

2008-07-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

So as we have been getting ready for the big move coming up, Brandon and I have realized that we have absolutely nothing to furnish our new apartment. Right now we are subleasing from a couple who has been in Thailand working for the summer and they left all their furniture and kitchen stuff (appliances, plates, pots, pans) for us to use. It has been great to not have to worry about all that stuff right after we got married and to keep all our new stuff we got for our wedding packed away for easy transport.

For the past week we have been pricing furniture online but yesterday we thought we should just go out and look to see if we could see anything we liked. We went to Ashley Furniture (thanks Lindsey for the suggestion) and fell in love with one of the first bedroom sets we looked at. The funny thing is that we were not planning on buying anything! But to our surprise it was such a great deal we couldn't pass it up. We ended up buying a headboard, footboard, 2 night stands, dresser and mirror. Here are some pictures to give you an idea of what they look like.

Grubbs Family Reunion and Open House

2008-07-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

Last week I made my first visit to Spokane for the Grubbs family reunion. We had a week full of fun and excitement. We canoed the Little Spokane, went shooting, flew model airplanes, crashed model airplanes, went to Riverside park, ate lots of yummy food, and had great company. It was a great week to spend time with Brandon's family. The Saturday of the reunion Debby and Jim hosted a wedding open house for Brandon and me. Lots of friends and family of the Plasters came. Thank you to Debby and Jim for all the good times we had last week.

Ragnar Relay Race

2008-07-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

The week after we got back from our Honeymoon to Hawaii, I left Brandon for 2 days while I ran the Wasatch Back. This is one of the famous Ragnar relay races starting in Logan and finishing in Park City. Every team has twelve members running a total of 182 miles. I ran Leg 6 which was 15.7 miles. My first run was 6.9 miles down a dusty, rocky road in 80 degree heat. My second leg was around midnight straight uphill for 5.2 miles. My third leg was 3.6 miles on a flat road and should have been easy but I was so sore from the day before it took me much longer than it should have. Despite my slow feet on leg 3 our team finished in just over 27 hours. I wish I would have trained for the run but with all the wedding planning and trips I had no time. The day after I got home I could barely move but I am so happy I did the race. It was a great opportunity to be outside doing one of my favorite things and to meet new people. Thanks to my Uncle Wayne and the Morgans for letting me tag along.

Wedding Day

2008-07-17T10:57:00.001-07:00

After much waiting and counting down, the big day finally came. On June 5, 2008 Brandon and I were married in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity! We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The ceremony was awesome and we were so happy to have my Grandpa Cannon perform the sealing. It was great to see all our friends and family in the temple. I was a little worried about the weather but thankfully the rain stopped and the sky was overcast and perfect for pictures by the time we came out of the temple. After pictures we had a delicious luncheon at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Later that evening we had a beautiful reception in Sandy where again many of our friends and family came to celebrate and wish us luck on our marriage.

Here are some pictures from the temple. I still don't have the ones from the reception.

We are so grateful for all our family and friends who came to support us! Thanks to my Mom and Dad and Jim and Debby for all their help organizing everything. We can not say thank you enough for a wonderufl day!

Bridals

2008-07-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

Here are some bridals for all of you who have been begging me to post some pictures. Sorry I didn't do them sooner. I couldn't post them until after the wedding because I couldn't let Brandon see my dress before the big day.

18 days and counting

2008-05-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have not made a post in while. Life has been a little crazy. Here are some highlights from our lives over the past month and a half. Brandon graduated from BYU with his Masters of Accountancy. WooHoo!!! I am so proud of him. That same weekend I was able to go through the Salt Lake Temple for my own endowments. I love the temple! It is such an amazing place and I've loved going back. Suzy turned 21 on April 27th! Brandon's cousin, Stefanie, got married on May 16th to Will. We were able to attend the marriage ceremony. There has been so much more I can't remember it all.

Only 18 days until Brandon and I get married. We couldn't be more excited!!! It feels like our engagement has gone by so fast. For the most part all the wedding plans are done. Only a few odds and ends to finish up. Everything has seemed to be working out perfectly with the short time we had to plan...I guess it is just meant to be.

One Year Older...

2008-04-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

...and hopefully wiser too! Yesterday was my 24th birthday! Wow...I am one old lady. It was a great day. First off I didn't have to work. I have been working a lot lately and this was my first day off in a long long time! I went up to SLC to do some wedding stuff in the morning. My sister Janae is in town from LA for conference weekend so she and my mom were there to help pick flowers and a cake. I think what we picked will look really good. Then my mom and all my sisters (except Suzy) went out to lunch at the Red Butte Cafe. Mmmmm...it sure was tasty!

That night a bunch of friends went to Red Robin for dinner. Then we had strawberry short cake at my apartment to top off the evening.

The best part of my birthday was my present from Brandon. Ater we got home from dinner Brandon asked me to grab my computer because he wanted to show me something. He wouldn't let me look until he had whatever it was pulled up on the screen. To my surprise it was a slideshow of pictures of our proposal! Brandon had one of his roommates hiding up near the rock where he proposed. I had no idea someone was there taking pictures. It was the best birthday present ever! I am a lucky girl to be marrying such a thoughtful guy! I put the slideshow to the side...take a look.

We're engaged!!

2008-03-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

It's official! We are getting married! Saturday night my boyfriend, Brandon, asked me to marry him and I said yes. We are getting married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 5th and I couldn't be happier!

For the past week he had me believing he would not ask me for 3 weeks. He had an awfully busy week with school and I thought there was no possible way he had time to get a ring and plan a proposal with everything he had to get done. About two weeks ago Brandon invited me to a work dinner up in Park City and we were planning on going. We got all dressed up and headed up Provo Canyon. As we were driving Brandon made an unexpected turn towards Sundance and Aspen Grove. I was a little confused but Brandon assured me you could get through to Park City this way. Then he turned into Sundance and I knew immediately something was up. We walked through the resort by the river and waterfalls. Finally he asked me if I wanted him to end my confusion...of course I did. He had me sit down on a rock as he pulled a dozen beautiful red roses from behind a lamp post and a gorgeous ring from his pocket. He then got down on one knee (a bigger task than usual with his recent knee surgery!) and asked me to marry him. I said YES!!! and haven't been able to stop smiling since. We then ate dinner at the resort. As we drove back to Provo we called all our family to tell them the news. Then we headed back up the canyon after a quick change of clothes to have a fire. It was a perfect evening and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!!!!

Here is a picture of the ring. Brandon did most of it on his own...I just told him what I liked and he did the rest. It is beautiful and I absolutely love it!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

2008-03-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

Sunday was my Grandpa Cannon's 88th birthday. We had a special family gathering to celebrate!!

At the celebration everyone told why grandpa was their hero. My grandpa is my hero because he always takes the time to make everyone feel important. My grandpa has a lot of kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, friends, etc that it must be hard to keep track of everything. But he is always there for you no matter what. He came to all my vocal performances, awards assemblies and graduations! Whatever I'm doing in my life he is genuinely interested and so supportive! Thanks grandpa!

Here are more pictures of the family party:

talking to grandpa

hanging out downstairs

brandon and isaac's scary faces!

Stuffed Peppers

2008-03-05T09:46:00.000-08:00

Here is a recipe I love!! They take a little time to prepare but they are very tasty!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 cup water
6 green, red, or yellow peppers
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Cook rice.
Brown ground beef.
Remove tops and seeds of bell peppers. Arrange peppers in a glass baking dish. (Slice the bottoms of the peppers so that they will stand upright.)
In a bowl, mix browned beef, cooked rice, 1 can tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Fill each hollowed pepper.
Mix 1 can tomato sauce and Italian seasoning in a separate bowl and spoon over the top of the stuffed peppers.
Bake for 1 hour in preheated ove, basting with sauce every 15 minutes.
Top with grated cheese.

Try it!! You will love them!

An Update

2008-02-26T12:12:00.001-08:00

It has now been a little over a week and a half since Brandon's ACL surgery and he is recovering very well. About a week after surgery he was only using one crutch to get around and now he is only using one crutch to help him up and down stairs. The best day ever was last Saturday when he actually wore real pants (not basketball shorts or warm-ups). He is still very good at doing his PT. Here is a picture of him doing one of the stretches they told him to do at home.

And here is a picture of how his knee looks now. The swelling has gone down a lot.

Handicap and loving it!

2008-02-26T11:38:00.001-08:00

It is really nice having a 'handicap' boyfriend. It definietly comes with some benefits. For one thing we have been able to sit in the handicap section for the last two BYU basketball games. These seats are awesome because you can sit down for the entire game which isn't the case if you are in the student section. Another benefit is that I no longer feel guilty pushing the handicap door opener at stores. After all these buttons were made for people like us who need a little extra help getting through the heavy department store doors. When I was a little girl my mom always told me not to play with those buttons because the were there for people who really needed them. I can't say I'm happy that I've needed that kind of assistance at the age of 23. Another good thing about Brandon being 'handicap' is that everyone is more friendly. People are always coming up to talk to us and tell us their story of when they had knee surgery or were on crutches. Plus people will open the door for us and allow us to go first. Last but not least is his handicap parking pass. We have only used it a few times at the movie theater and grocery store but let me tell you it is very helpful. The pass is good through August and I can already tell I am getting attached to it. Even when I don't have Brandon in the car I check out all the handicap parking spots available. But no matter how hard I try to justify myself using it without him I can't...I would just feel too guilty without him there.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

Brandon's knee has somehow founds its way to be the center of attention for two holidays now. Thanksgiving morning Brandon tore his ACL playing basketball with my family. Then on Valentine's Days, Brandon finally had his surgery to repair it. Dr Kimball said everything went well and that he expects a full recovery (6-12 months). We spent several hours in the recovery room until Brandon was awake enough to take home. That night Brandon did very well and nothing too unusual happened. We ate dinner, watched a movie and he fell asleep quickly.

Friday was another story. It all started when we got up to go to Physical Therapy. The entire session Brandon felt very sick to his stomach and the nausea did not go away when we came home. The Phenergan and Percocet they had prescribed was not helping. He was sick to his stomach and in more pain. He even spiked a temperature and was so uncomfortable he was unable to sleep. It was a miserable afternoon. Luckily Brandon's brother Tyler and his wife Chelsea were in town from Rexburg. Tyler stopped by and gave him a blessing. As soon as they left Brandon was able to fall asleep for a couple hours and woke up feeling much better. The worst was over.

Saturday Brandon did very well. He is very good about doing his Phyical Therapy exercises at home. I think he has a lot of motivation to get better soon and make a full recovery to return to his pre-injury abilities. We even went to the BYU basketball game where we sat in the handicap section with all the old people in their jazzy wheelchairs. :) The Cougars continued their home winning streak as they beat UNLV 74-48 thanks to my favorite player, Lee Cummard, who had an amazing game!

Here are some more pictures of Brandon's knee:

Mayday Parade

2008-02-11T11:06:00.001-08:00

Ever since driving 14 hours to Mexico in a car where I was exposed to every punk band imaginable (thanks Algot for being our DJ and serenading us the entire way), I have been a huge fan of Mayday Parade. Saturday night Brandon and I went to see them play at the Avalon in SLC. They were amazing live!! The other bands were more emo and screamo which is definitely not my favorite but it was worth the wait to hear Mayday Parade. They played my favorite song, Three Cheers for Five Years, which you can listen to on my playlist to the right. Here are a few pictures from the concert. Of course they are not high quality because of the lighting but you get the idea. I really wish I would have got a good picture of the bass guitarist from the band Cry of the Afflicted. His hair was unbelievable!

Sea lions

2008-02-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

On the glass bottom boat in Cabo San Lucas we passed by a large rock with dozens of sea lions and Isaac wanted to talk to them!

Please sanitize your hands!

2008-02-01T18:06:00.000-08:00

Last week my family and I went on an 8 day cruise to the Mexican Rivera! It was such a fun trip because all 17 of us were there together! And I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was to leave the snow and 30 degree weather back in Utah while I soaked up all the sun on the beach!

Friday we flew into LA and had a big sleep over at Janae and Rick’s. I think we had 3 or 4 air mattress that took up most of their free floor space. It was fun to have all of us in one apartment and Janae and Rick were great hosts. I hope Wyatt didn’t mind us invading his territory.

Saturday morning we woke up early (kids are an early alarm clock on vacation!) and headed to the pier to board the Norwegian Star. If you can imagine 17 people can have a lot of luggage! But we all made it on the boat without much trouble.

The first couple days were at sea. We ATE, explored the ship, ATE, played games, ATE, read, ATE, ran, and then ATE some more. Rick, Wyatt and I played ping pong. Wyatt is a good player and seemed to enjoy chasing the ball more than hitting it. Tuesday we arrived in Acapulco. The weather was beautiful and we spent the day at the beach. Brigham and Rick were expert body surfers and catching all the waves. Wednesday’s port was a small tourist town called Zihautenejo. We played at the beach and buried Brigham, Alicia, Jake, and Isaac in the sand. Puerto Vallarta was our shopping port. We walked around looking at cheap trinkets and trying to barter prices. Lisa kept laughing at the lowest prices the Mexican men would offer because she claimed she could buy anything we saw for much less in the States. Friday we arrived at Cabo San Lucas. All of us took a glass bottom boat around the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean. We then spent an hour playing on La Playa de Amor (Lover’s Beach). We did our last minute shopping by the pier where I made the best purchase of the trip…a large Mexican hat. You can see how much everyone loved to wear it!

The most memorable part of the trip was the Norwalk-like Virus. It seriously was an epidemic on the boat. Out of the 17 in my family 7 got the bug and were quarantined to their cabin for 24 hours. The captain kept coming over the PA system reminding people to wash their hands and every time you went to the buffet line or a restaurant there were several crew members asking you to please sanitize your hands. I am happy to report that I never got the virus and was perfectly healthy the whole trip. However when I got back I came down with a little cold where I lost my voice for a couple days.

Now it’s back to normal life with early mornings and long 12 hour shifts. Thanks dad for taking all of us!! It was definitely a trip to remember!

Stewart Falls

2008-01-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

On Saturday afternoon, Brandon and I headed up to Aspen Grove to go on a little snowshoeing adventure. Our plan was to hike up to Stewart Falls but neither of us really knew where to find the trail head. For the first hour we blazed our own way up the mountain through fresh powder. Man, what a work out!!! Luckily we stumbled across the trail and the rest of the trip was easy! There were some great lookout points where you could see all of Sundance...it looked so beautiful with the fresh snowfall from that morning. We also saw an area that looked like an avalanche had passed through. All of the aspen tree were bent or snapped in half. Finally we made it to the falls. Wow!! Stewart Falls is beautiful in the winter! Most of the waterfall is frozen solid. This was Brandon's first time up to Stewart Falls and my first time in the winter. We took a few pictures and ate some yummy Krackle chocolates (my favorite) and then headed back. By this time the sun was down and we made most of our trek home in the dark.

Little did I know, our adventure was not over when we got to the car. After turning the first bend in the canyon road we met up with a momma and baby moose. We slowly followed them from Aspen Grove to Sundance where they finally decided to get out of the road. The funny thing is on our way down from Stewart Falls Brandon asked me what I would do if we turned the corner and saw a giant moose in our path. How did he know!

First Post

2007-11-30T14:52:00.000-08:00

It's true. I have finally joined the wonderful world of blogging. This is a big step for me because I always said that blogging was for married couples to show off their kids. And since I don't have any kids of my own to brag about I was quite content with staying connected to everyone through facebook. But I folded under the peer pressure and decided that blogging can be cool for single people too.