The Davies

The very long End of a long beginning.

2012-02-10T03:10:00.000-08:00

Bryce is sleeping soundly next to me. As he should be. It's 3 AM. This is the third night this week that I've woken up around 1 AM completely awake and no signs of falling back asleep. So I've been trying to fall back asleep for 2 hours and finally gave up and here I am.

Now to go back to our trip!

Another piece of background that you have to understand before this next part:

Bryce and I started the cash envelope system of budgeting last year in Feb and we've really loved it and it's worked great for us. We save a ton by only paying in cash (other than monthly bills). So we usually have a good sum of money in there. But in preparation for the move out of UT, we had to close our Zions Bank accounts and just pull all our $ out in cash. Not that it was much by any means but it was all we had. We kept it all safely tucked away in the cash box. .....

We said goodbye to Kimi and Rob and baby bump. I still can't believe I didn't cry when we left. I think I was so relieved to finally have everything done that I was more relieved to pull out than anything. We left around 4 PM I think. We were just chatting and talking about how crazy all of this was when around 5 PM I realized with horror that we had left that cash box at Kimi and Rob's house. We had literally No Money other than what was in that box.

We turned around. (Not so easy with the beast...) I called Kimi. They met us about half way in Brigham city. Bless them for forever.

We started off again.

I called my sister, Jen to tell her we wouldn't be making the detour to see them on our way out because of all the delays and the beast. After talking to her I bawled. I was leaving her and Kimi and my nieces and nephews I'd been around for the last 6 years. I'd miss their sweet faces.

The drive went well....until about 11:45 PM. We were south of nowhere....in southernish UT. Bryce suddenly turned off the book on cd he was listening to and pulled over. We had felt a big thud in the back somewhere. We got out and pulled out the maglight flashlights. One of the trailer tires on the passenger side had completely blown. Probably at the weight of all we were carrying and the tire right behind it was pretty well trashed as well.

I'm trying to remember what our initial response was. I know we got back in and truck and said a prayer together before I crawled through the tools in the back of the pickup to get Bryce a few things he needed. We jacked up the trailer to take off the tires. But apparently his 2 ton (I think) jack wasn't enough to do it. We bent it.

yeah.

Bryce bent it back in place and pulled out the 1 1/2 ton jack and we used both at the same time. It worked....barely. We got both tires off and brainstormed on what to do. We only had one spare and as it turned out it had a bubble in it. Not good. Even if we tried to use it we still needed a second one.

Bryce had hauled two huge axels with wheels and tires on them from an old van he once bought and sold. He just hadn't sold them yet. Luckily he had pulled them apart and shoved it all under the black flatbed on the trailer. We had no idea it they'd fit so we pulled one out and measured. It looked close but we weren't sure. So we tried it.

The bolt pattern was perfect but the tires were too tall--they would scrape the under part of the trailer.

We pulled them back off.

Around this time a cop car pulled up behind us. His name was Kevin and he was on his way home for the night when he saw us. As much as I try to help Bryce with the car stuff, another man was way more helpful than I could ever be.

We ended up trying the spare tire from the truck and (I think) the spare from the trailer with the bubble). Surprisingly the one from the truck fit ok. We knew it might get us a few miles but we weren't sure. Kevin said the next exit was his exit for home and there was a hotel right off the exit. He said he could follow us so we could drive extra slow. We talked with him quite a bit while dealing with all of this and then cleaning up. By the time we were ready to leave he had offered twice to let us stay at his home with his family. We had found out he was LDS and had two younger kids still at home and a daughter about to leave for college as well. We both trusted him and he felt the same towards us.

We ended up taking him up on the offer. He said in the morning he'd help us find a tire shop to get it all fixed. As we followed his directions to his home, it was as he had said the very next exit and only a couple miles total to his home.

(We realized later that if we had broken down just a few mins later, we would have been past his exit and he never would have seen us.)

Now, this whole thing honestly makes me teary eyed just remembering it.

When we arrived, he had called his wife to let her know he was bringing home strangers. When she opened that door she treated us as if she had known us for years and also as if we came to her with nothing. She had made up a bed in an extra room and put out bathroom things for us-everything you could possibly think of. She offered for me to take a hot bath about 3 times. :) She was the sweetest woman I have ever met.

They stayed up and chatted with us for probably an hour before we went to bed. She offered something to drink about 4 times before we figured she'd keep offering til we said yes. So we did. She wanted to make us food but we told her several times we had been eating in the car and were fine. Remember this was about 1:30 AM Sunday morning.

Like I said, they treated us like friends and were so sweet. We finally went to bed and I texted mom and dad to let them know in short what had happened and that I'd call in the morning. We slept wonderfully that night. The next morning we got dressed and went downstairs. I showered and then Bryce did while I did my hair. While I was finishing, he started talking to Desiree. Then I got a text from my sister saying that the town we were in was where our great aunt and uncle lived. She had served her mission with them for a time and loved them. She said my great uncle had been in the policeforce in that town for years before he retired. So we asked Desiree if they knew of them.

They lived two houses down the street and knew eachother very well.

In fact, while feeding us a ginormous breakfast, she grabbed the phone and called them up. She talked with them and gave me the phone. We ended up going to see them a little later. It was so wonderful! I hadn't seen them since I was really little. We exchanged info for my parents so they could get back in touch. I just wish we had taken a picture with them!

So they fed us breakfast and then Kevin offered again to take Bryce to get new tires. Apparently, on the way out the door he told Bryce he had two old tires up the the rafters of the garage and didn't have anything for them to go to. He had inherited them from a friend several years before and had no use for them so maybe we should at least try them.

The were 100% perfect fit.

And he had two.

No one will ever convince me God wasn't interfering for us. He was in everything on that trip.

So he and Bryce hopped in his cop car to go find a mechanic. It was sunday. The two shops were, of course, (small town) closed for the day. He called the owners of both but neither answered. Bryce was a little confused about what they were doing exactly but they drove around town and within a couple minutes Kevin turned on the police car lights, pulled a U turn and pulled over a car.

It was the mechanic of one of the two tire shops. He asked if he would do some friends a favor. The kind man opened his shop and put the two tires on the trailer for us and said just to pay him what we could. (makes me cry)

We offered to pay Kevin for the tires 3 times that morning. He would hear of it. Said he had no use for them and we'd be taking them off his hands for him. Anyone who's ever had to buy tires knows how expensive they are. We would have had to use our precious gas money to pay for them. My heart feels the gratitude of that day.

Meanwhile, I was back at the house chatting with Desiree and having my toenails painted by their 8 year old. She does all their nails every sunday morning. I couldn't convince her not to. (I kept that pink nail polish with sparkles on my toes for almost three weeks.) She showed me around their backyard--they girls' playhouse and the boys' fortress. They were awesome. Desiree did all her own landscaping and gardening. It was so beautiful. I want a backyard like hers one day. She's completely amazing.

Desiree showed me around the house as well after I asked a few questions about her decor. She was also an art major in college and has used it to do all her own decorating from scratch in ways I had never even thought of or heard of. The little girls' rooms were awesome---one had a castle painted on an entire wall, even with the texture of the stone. The other room was a fairy room and even had a giant swing hanging in the middle of the room from the ceiling.

The little boy's room had rock climbing walls and a fort area built into it. He even showed me the glow in the dark stars he put up himself in the fort. :) He was adorable.

Bryce and Kevin got back and as we got our stuff together so we could get out of their hair she insisted she was making us lunch before we left. "we're going to be eating anyway! Just stay. I'll just do something simple like sandwiches"

Spaghetti and garlic bread with fresh fruit from the garden. Not exactly sandwiches. There is no stopping that woman's kindness.

She wouldn't let us leave without sending new cold water bottles with us and tons of ice. Which was so wonderful. With everything that had happened, all ours had melted and our water hadn't stayed cold.

Before we left we took pictures with these 5 angels in front of their home.

They are the most beautiful people I have ever met. We still keep in touch with them.

As we drove away that day, we kept looking at eachother and (literally) laughing out loud at the enormity of the blessings and miracles we'd received and witnessed. I think we were still both in shock over all of it. But we just couldn't believe any of it.

We said so many prayers of thanks of the course of those two days. It was amazing.

We called my other sister to tell her we also would not be driving their way to see them on the way---again because of all the trouble and they have a steep hill going up to their house and Bryce wasn't sure about bringing the beast up there.

You think it's over? No way. We still hadn't gotten out of Utah yet.

About 2 hours into the drive that day, we were coming out of nowhere (again) into the smallest town you've ever seen....well just a gas station and a restaurant or two. Right as we we pulling up the last hill Bryce felt (I couldn't even tell) the truck steering/driving funny. He knew it wasn't right so we pulled over just before the gas station. We took deep breaths and got out.

That dang front right wheel. It's the one that we replaced the tire on before we set out on this adventure. It hadn't been torqued down completely. SO it wasn't tight enough so that thing was rubbing and wiggling so it completely tore up the bolts that hold the wheel on. (I'm not using technical terms because honestly I can't remember all of them and the two people who even read this won't care anyway. :) Two of the bolts were gone (fallen out about 10 feet back). and three were so loose that two fell off in my hand when I went to wiggle them. That left three holding that entire wheel on. (Remember Bryce freaked when we lost ONE back in Las Vegas a few months before)

Honestly, it was a miracle he pulled over as soon as he did.

Don't tell but Bryce was at the breaking point. Although we'd felt so blessed and we knew we'd figure something out--he was so tired. He'd been working so hard for weeks to get everything ready for this trip and everything under the sun was going wrong. It killed me to see him so distraught at that moment.

I remember him saying, "Fine. We'll just live here then." (I'm guessing he realized with no car shops and no Cabella's it just wouldn't do. ;)

We went into the gas station to ask if there was a car shop in town or in a town close or an autozone or carquest or something.

Nope. Nope. Nope. Oh and tomorrow's a holiday so nothing would be open tomorrow anyway. Well, wonderful.

We got in the truck and prayed. Again.

We got back out and Bryce leaned against the back of the truck and just thought while I picked up the bolts a few feet back.

He remembered that back in Las Vegas a couple months before when this happened the first time, and he replaced all of them, he Saved Every Single One---even if the threads were a little chewed up. He has no idea why he would save them but he had.

We had just enough of them to replace the ones that were trashed. A couple of them, like I said were a little chewed up but Bryce was confident we'd get by it we were careful and we planned to stop often to check on them. While putting them on another cop car stopped behind us.

He chatted with us when he saw Bryce had it under control. We told him the hilariousness of all that had happened and mentioned about Kevin. He said that he knew Kevin well and that if anyone found us like that, he'd be the one to be so generous and kind. He wasn't surprised. He said, also, that he'd let Kevin know he'd found us strays on the side of the road again but that we were ok. :)

He was also very nice and stayed until we were sure everything was good.

I laughed again as we pulled out. We again felt that we'd been helped.

After that we stopped every two hours to check the wheels. Every one of them. Just to be safe.

We never had a problem after that. It was just getting out of Utah that was the problem I guess. It just didn't want us to leave. :)

We arrived in Flagstaff late that night. Mom and Dad were of course there, and my brother Eric was there visiting for the week. And Jana came up so she could see us too. It was so wonderful to be with family!!

We stayed up late telling them our tales. :) It was so nice to be with family. The stress of the move was so much that it was heaven being there.

We stayed an extra day.

I inherited an old bike while we were there which was great because I'd been planning and saving to buy one the months before moving but when we found out we would be moving, the money went towards that.

Also, Eric travels alot and in our preparations for leaving the next day he offered for us to use some of his points to get a hotel in Amarillo, TX--where we planned to stop. (Oh man, no crying Cherise) I know financial blessings aren't the most important and usually not the most memorable but for us during that time, a free hotel was a HUGE thing for us.

We love him for that.

As we left the next morning and said goodbye to everyone, Dad of course slipped us some cash for gas as he always does. He pretends not to and is so nonchalant about it but I know what a big deal it is. I love him dearly.

We never had any problems on the drive after that. We still continued to be careful and check and double check everything. But we were finally ok.

The hotel in Amarillo was really nice and no one even stole anything from the truck. (My nightmare I couldn't stop imagining)

When we arrived the next afternoon at Bob and Lori's, I pretty much slept for a week. Bryce as well. It took a while to recuperate but felt enormously blessed to be able to do so.

Last thing, I keep thinking. When we got home and looked again at our cash box and our log of what we had spent, where, when and what for----the math still doesn't add up. We should not have been able to pay for all the gas and for the car parts we had to pay for. Even after all the gifts and warranties and all, we shouldn't have been able to pay it all. I think we had something like $8 left over or something. I shake my head every time I try to figure it out.

The Lord is very aware of his children. Although we do have to go through difficult times and sometimes horrible things, He is there through it all and will pour out His blessings if you try to listen and do what's right and second, if you look for the blessings, you will be amazed at what you see.

Hopefully soon, I will get to do a post about our stay with Bryce's family, finding jobs and about our new house we are now moved into and renting. Oh and about our ward and callings. :)

Life is good---You just might have to look a little harder sometimes to see it. :)

The craziness of the middle

2011-12-16T10:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm not very good at telling everything perfectly in order, especially since it was all such a whirlwind but I'm attempting and just getting it all down is the point. :)

Well another way we found to supplement the cost of the move and make it a little easier was having a garage sale. We had a couple friends include their stuff as well to make the overall sale bigger and more appealing to stop and look at. I think it helped a ton and our friends were able to make a few bucks as well.

My oldest sister Jennifer came up to see us the night before the sale. Kimi and Rob came over and we all hung out and then went out to eat. It was awesome. Then she helped in the morning with the sale. It was so nice to have her there!!! Especially since we didn't end up stopping on our way out of town. I was so glad I got to see her!

We were able to sell our couches, entertainment center, end tables, coffee table, tv, dvd player, two chairs, a lamp, desk, clothes, a ton of my left over Mary Kay products, and lots of odds and ends. It was amazing. We got rid of so much and made it so we could fit all our essentials and things we actually wanted to keep inside that box Bryce made. I'm still amazed at how much two people can acquire in a few short years.

{Miracle} The amazing part was how much we made from the sale. And keep in mind most of the furniture we sold was not new or in amazing shape. We made just short of $800. It paid for the cost of building the box and half of our estimated fuel cost. HUGE sigh of relief that day. It was so much work but so so worth it!

Another hurtle we had in that last week was that Bryce had been trying to fix a car for a family friend for months and months and still had a lot to do on it before we left. He spend so many hours on it that week but got it running and ready to be picked up. Yay!

Also, in order to be completely out of our house for the cleaning check, and for reasons yet to be explained, my sister let us stay at her house and shower there and everything two days before we left. It was so nice!

{Blessing} I don't think I mentioned in the last post---- in regards to the cleaning of the house and all the help I got in packing and cleaning--- We past our cleaning check 100% and got our entire deposit back (except the expected carpet cleaning cost). This was another miracle to us after receiving the two page list of very very detailed cleaning instructions. We were able to use that to pay off remaining monthly bills and cost of food etc.

Speaking of $$$....

Let me tell you about some ridiculousness we had with the truck before leaving.

We LOVE this truck. Bryce has had it since high school It's amazing and has over 320,000 miles on it. When it rolled over 300,000 miles I even baked a crazy delicious chocolate cake and put those number candles on it to say "300" and we blew out the candles out at the truck and took pics...unfortunately I can't find the pics. LOL We're nerds but you gotta have fun with the little things!

(This pic is actually from a trip 3 months prior to moving)

SO, you have to understand that three months prior to moving we went on a big road trip in the truck. When we arrived in Las Vegas, Bryce just *happened* to notice something wrong with the outside driver's side back wheel.

It was missing an entire bolt/lugnut set. Completely gone. Now, this was a little worrisome to me but then Bryce explained why this was a big deal. Pretty much, by missing one, the entire wheel starts to get shaky....and driving long miles at 60-80 mph it can rattle so much you could easily lose the entire wheel....losing a wheel while driving in a truck that big on the kind of roads we had been driving. Honestly, we likely wouldn't have survived something like that.

(Here's my hubbers taking care of the missing lug-nut and bolt in the parking lot of the Pawn shop from the History Channel's show, Pawn Stars. :)

I feel very blessed to have a husband who knows car stuff and who's so prepared to be able to fix anything on the side of the road by himself.

So, speaking of fixing cars....

The last couple days before we were supposed to be out of the house were very tightly scheduled for what had to happen and when because of the cleaning check and everything. As a result of that wheel issue, he had to change out the studs and nuts on that wheel with new ones and do an oil change and other basics to be ready for the long haul...

The day before needing to be out, the water pump on the truck went out. That means, $$ and Time. Plus it's all time that I can't help with; only Bryce can fix that stuff. (I know, I know, you all thought I was Mrs fix-it. Sorry to burst your bubble...)

{Blessings} Mr Bryce is actually Mr Warranty. If he can get one, he does. If one comes with a warranty and the other one doesn't (Cheaper), he'll still get the one with the warranty. He saves receipts on big or expensive items and the box it came in so that if something happens, he can take advantage of the warranty. (He even did this on the really nice hair dryer and straightener he bought me for Christmas 2 yrs ago....we used the warranty on the hair dryer a year later)

He does the same thing with the truck. Any part he buys to replace, he makes sure to warranty it and save the info.

The $250.00 water pump was free.

The time it took to fix it made things very stressful but he did it and his awesome friend Rob helped him do it.

Then after hooking up the trailer to the truck we found out that the front passenger side tire was dead...or something. $$ So while he fixed the water pump, we put the old tire in Kimi and Rob's car (other BLESSING: my sister and her hubby let us use their car that last day since we only had the trucks and they were all hooked up. We LOOOVE them!!! We were so grateful for all their help!!)

So while we was doing the water pump, I took the old tire to the tire shop and got a new one and brought the old water pump back and got all that money back for it. :) and then brought the tire back for Bryce to put on. I tried to run as many errands as I could since I couldn't help with the actual fixing of the truck. Then Kimi came with me and we bought food and snacks for the road trip.

Because of the water pump and tire, we left a day and a half late. But since Kimi and Rob let us stay there, it made everything work out ok.

Saying goodbye to Kimi was hard. We'd lived close to eachother for so long, I did not like leaving her. And she was pregnant too! :( I had expected to be there when she had her babes....

The Davies, ready for their first big move as a married couple.....

if only we knew how long the trip would turn out to be...

We'd still do it again, exactly the same way.

At the start of a very short end to a long beginning

2011-12-16T08:48:00.000-08:00

So here I am....finally. 2 weeks after I planned but here nonetheless! I have so very much to cover so that I'll have all the events, blessings and miracles documented since I don't do a real journal.

The last 4 months have been life changing and have brought so much strength to our marriage and definitely to our testimonies of the gospel and of answered prayers. We talk so much about the blessings that come after trials and the blessings we can see so clearly during the storms of our lives but I think I have a hard time really believing that sometimes.

The last few months have taught me so much about trials and how the Lord wants to bless us. We wonder why things are happening and why things are so hard?! And we can't see how they'll get any better and even if they do eventually, they seem so hard Now!

At least that's how I am. I admit it. :)

I guess I'll start at the start. I'll leave many details out mostly for the sake of privacy but I will cover everything truly important to me and that I want to share with others because of the truths and miracles I've experienced. It's going to be long. Please don't feel like you have to read it. :) It's for me to remember more than anything. :) Much of this may not feel or sound as miraculous to others as they do to me, but that's ok. It doesn't lessen their impact on my life.

So the start. In Aug of this year Bryce and I were doing well. We loved where we lived in Logan and I thoroughly enjoyed my job and my calling especially. I was working full time and was the RS pres in our married student ward. Bryce was doing online classes and working part time. We were paying the bills, putting a little aside to save and budgeting like crazy to pay off some debts. We were going to a fertility Dr that we loved and feeling like we might move forward with our lives and our family. We were going camping on the weekends a lot and had another 4 campouts planned with friends and family in the coming two months.

We had been feeling like it was time to move on and move somewhere but didn't know where or why we would do that. We've been a little stuck where Bryce's helicopter school is concerned and also looking into the military life in order to get that finished but still hadn't received an answer. Without a definite plan....at all -we were staying where we were and trying to move forward in other things. But we were doing well and we loved our home.

The day we left town for a family reunion, Bryce told me we had received a letter in the mail indicating that we needed to be out of our apartment in 4 weeks. They had to get new renters in before the new semester at USU would start. They said it would be impossible after that. This came as a shock to both of us and was very frustrating. Where would we go? How would we possibly afford to move on our budget? We were hoping to move on to some other place eventually and how would we find a contract short enough?

The one thing we felt very quickly was that we weren't to stay in Logan. (not that Logan was bad, just that there was somewhere else we were supposed to go. But where?? We thought and thought and went through everything we could think of that would factor into the decision. I stressed so bad. I cried about a billion times. Meanwhile we started to pack up the house for when we left for...wherever.

We had been looking very seriously at the military the month before and started to think that simply moving to SLC and joining there would be a good way to go. My sister lives there and I could be around them if/when he went to boot camp etc since I don't like being alone. I love SLC. I loved living there back when I was a single lady. :)

So that was the plan. For about a week.

Bryce brought up the idea of Texas. I've Always felt like we would live there

eeeventually. Not now.

Not. Now.

In fact, a year or so before I was trying to get Bryce to move to TX and he was very against it at that time.

But now, I was so completely against it. He kept asking me to just consider it for one minute and talk to him about the possibility but I was very closed to the idea. We had already decided on SLC and I was excited about it and once I've made a decision I do not like to change it.

Bryce's family just happened to come to visit that week. They walked in to see boxes everywhere. Surprise! We're moving.... oh Where? Well, we don't know. Probably SLC but it's not for sure right now." ha. I felt so stupid and lost. I did not like the feeling.

But Lori (my mother in law) was amazing and spent her entire (practically) visit packing up my shelves and shelves of books and all my wall hangings while I was working. I love her! She's a master packer, being a veteran of the military lifestyle. :) She saved my bootie.

While they were visiting she told me that from the moment we told them we had to move she felt like TX was where we should come. It made me laugh because of course she'd want her only married son who'd eventually (hopefully soon) be giving her grandchildren, to move close to home! Certainly didn't sound like revelation.

Oh so little do I know about a mother's intuition!!!

They headed home and we continued to pray and house hunt and obviously job hunt in SLC and ... a little in TX too. Over the next few days of packing and working and praying and worrying it naturally moved into just looking at TX jobs and apartments. It ended up making more sense but I was still really hoping for a sudden revelation of somewhere else.

We gave our two weeks notice and told friends and it was sad. We cancelled our camping trips and we were sad again. We told our Bishop and I cried and cried. Actually Bryce told him while I sat in the car and cried and cried. I couldn't tell him. I just couldn't do it. We loved our ward so bad and he had been such an awesome bishop and not only with my calling but he had counseled with us in the difficulties of infertility and then in military decisions. He was the perfect bishop for that time of our lives.

Anyway, we packed and got the insanely long list from the rental company of the cleaning duties that had to be done. I started getting up an hour+ in the mornings to pack before work. We started talking to Bob and Lori of the possibility of living with them for a few weeks once we got here while we found jobs and found a place to live. So we agreed on that and really started planning more.

This brought up the issue of how we would afford to actually make the move....the 1600 mile move. How would we take our F-350 Dually, old Ford flatbed, even older Ford truck, and the 24 ft gooseneck trailer all out to TX with pretty much no money. Ha!

{Blessings} Well my husband is amazing and allowed me to convince him to ditch the even older Ford truck at the scrap yard and got the $400 back that we had originally bought it for. (he cried when we left it there-don't tell). It was a very sad day. Then he, with a ton of help from two of his friends, planned and built an 8 ft x 8 ft x 8 ft wood box with huge doors on the front half of the gooseneck trailer to put all our furniture and boxes in. So all our things were safe. Yay! and we didn't have to rent anything! Then he built a small version of another box on the back of the flatbed and loaded that as well. Then we pulled the truck up onto the trailer behind the box. This made it extra safe to keep the box from being broken in to or breaking open on the long trip. Then he loaded all his car parts underneath that truck. (phew! tons and tons of work!!)

Bryce was the mastermind behind the packing of the moving makeshift moving truck. Meanwhile, I was in charge of packing most of the house and cleaning. Even though I started the packing process a couple weeks ahead, it just wasn't possible to live in it until the last day and have it all packed and cleaned by that last day as well. Especially since Bryce had so much to do outside so it was up to me to do. It was just insanity trying to do everything in so short a time period. Insane. But we did it.

{Blessings} Well let me tell you. My beautiful pregnant sister came and helped me pack a couple times---not only giving me the much needed help, but gave me someone to chat with and enjoy during the hours and hours of cleaning and packing. (I cannot believe how much stuff two people can aquire after only 3 years!!!) My best friend Darcy was a miracle worker, let me tell you. She came multiple times for hours on end.....I still can't believe how many hours that girl helped me clean. She's wonder woman. I literally couldn't have finished on time without her. The last day of deep cleaning....seriously, she's the best friend a girl could ask for!

{Blessings}Then my wonderful compassionate service leader, first counselor, and also very pregnant visiting teacher all came over to help me as well. These women are all wonderful wonderful friends and I feel so blessed to be friends with each of them. They've all taught me so much about service and charity and fulfilling callings and being the amazing women they are.

{Blessing} Also, several couples had us over for dinner in those couple days, saving us from having to go out to eat on $ we didn't have and saving us from having to unpack food.

{Miracle} One day at work I ran into a high school friend's brother and his new wife that I had never met. I recognized Clay and we started talking. I had no idea they were living in Logan. They had just moved there and his wife was looking for work and I was leaving my job and my supervisor just happened* to get to talk with her and hear about her and what she was like and that she needed a job. Long story short, she took over for me when I left and it was so completely divine intervention; I still can't get over how the Lord works. {Blessing} Also, we were so sad to have just run into them right as we were moving! We would have had so much fun getting to know them better and hanging out. They have such wonderful hearts--Clay and Dallin came and helped us pack one night as well, making the ordeal, again, so much easier to deal with when you have company. :) Anyway, Dallin taking my job made me feel so much better leaving my job so they weren't short staffed. I loved my job so so much---mostly because of the amazing women I worked with there!

I SO wish I had taken more pics on my last day!!! But I'm glad I have a couple:

During this time I was trying to wrap things up that I'd been working on for my calling. Doing new sister visits with my presidency and checking on sisters I'd been concerned about and putting sisters in touch to be sure everyone was covered. There was so much I was going to miss. So many wonderful girls I'd grown to love.

Our last Sunday at church I was released from my calling. I had been dreading this because I had loved it so much. I had grown and learned so much. My testimony of RS grew leaps and bounds in the short 9 months I had served. Those sisters taught me so much, I hope I was able to make a difference for one of them as well. Sacrament was last and I dreaded it all day. We sat down and I was holding it together pretty well considering. But as the Bishop got up and said the words releasing me from my calling, the tears spilled over and I cried the rest of the meeting. As difficult and heavy as a calling like that is, the blessings you feel during the time you serve are so strong that when I was released ... I could just tell and I wanted it back so bad. It had been an amazing experience.

It's 10:30 PM. Time to go to bed. I'll finish...soon I hope. Life gets in the way of the blog usually. But I haven't even got to the biggest of our miracles and the other angels we met along the way. I'll be back for sure because even if no one ever reads all of this, I want my Heavenly Father to know how grateful I am for those miracles, blessings, and angels He sent to our little family.

Soon

2011-11-25T17:31:00.001-08:00

I'm hoping to sign back on in the morning and do a little catch up...or a lot actually.

Here's a sneak peak:

I'll tell you about this beautiful view.

And this one too.

I'll tell you about this angel family.

I'll tell you about this unsightly haul.

and I'll tell you about all the blessings in between.

~cherise~

AZ Trip

2011-04-30T05:22:00.000-07:00

We were able to go down to AZ in March to see both my parents (living in Flagstaff) and Bryce's family (who drove up to meet us). I took a week off work and total we we on vaca for 10 days; it was Fab.

I will now condense out trip for you in a list so I don't talk your ear off....here are a few things we did and saw...

*longer scenic routs

*dam at Lake Powell....whatever it's called

*Bryce's brother Brandon

*Aunt Mel

*indian ruins

*my sister Christine and her fam!!!

*frozen waterfalls

*my parents!!!

*Sedona hiking

*Bryce's parents and two siblings!!!

*Lowell Observatory (moon, stars, and a really cheesy film :)

*Grand Canyon

*my sister Jana & her fam (including baby Annie I had never met- most adorable baby ever!!!!)

*held a baaaaby :)

*HUGE cactus

*water fight

*made a huge breakfast for Bryce on his birthday (25!!!)

*picked grapefruit from my sister's tree

*tried a new recipe with Jana

*shopping with Jana

*three airplane museums (Let's be honest, I'm a Gem of a wife)

*Las Vegas (lots of pros and cons in that city....definitely ready to leave when we did)

*THE Pawn Stars (TV show on history channel) pawn shop

*Fountains at the Bellagio

*Blown glass flowers on the ceiling in the Bellagio

*Hoover Dam

How COOL is this up close???

In Duck Creek canyon

Indian ruins that are probably more new than

anyone realizes

Bryce and my dad being brave. I would never in a million years

go out on that little lopsided rock ledge!

Mom, Dad, Bryce, and me. We L.O.V.E. hiking with them!!

The view from this little archway was AMAZING

Above: Bryce's siblings (Brett and Briley)

Briley and me

Me under the blown glass flowers

Sorry for her exposure. :)But it's a

gorgeous statue.

We watched the fountains twice

Bryce and me at Hoover dam

Summer full of Family

2010-10-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

This summer was so fun! Lots of family...how could it be better than that?

Here's all my fam at Bear Lake.

Why do we always have to be so serious.

Geeze, like stop taking life so seriously guys...

The evenings we beautiful!

We got to see Bryce's fam as well! I wish I had a pic of all of us! :(

But here's a couple shots from our kaiaking trip down the Narrows up in ID.

Bryce, Brandon, Brett and I kaiaked down the river and Briley and Bob met us down at the bottom to pick us up! We had a blast!

The water was soo clear and it was such an amazing day!

We went to Bear Lake for the day and Bryce and Brandon made this

awesome car around briley. She was so patient and thought it was

pretty dang cool. :)

Here she is all covered in sand after she was

pulled out of the sand car. :) She's hilarious.

Hike with D & J

2010-09-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago Darcy and Justin decided to hike the mountain behind their house and let us come with. It was really fun and so much harder than any of us anticipated. We'd take about three steps up and have to stop to catch our breath! Ah!

And poor Darc, her shoes about killed her! They turned out to be awful for hiking and made it so much harder on her but she's amazing and went the whole way anyway. :)

(If I talk to you much you probably know I'm working on a painting I promised Darcy about a zillion years ago. It's based off of the picture above and combined with about three other pictures from this hike. I have GOT to get my act together and finish it!!)
We brought lunch and fruit and the ever famous and beloved Fat dip...soo delish!!!! We had a blast-We love you Darcy and Justin!!! THanks for letting us come!

2nd Anniversary (II)

2010-09-20T21:51:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures we took while chilin' in St. George recovering from all our hiking. :)

2 Yr Anniversary (4 months ago)

2010-09-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

Bryce and I went to Zions National Park on our HoneyMOOON. :) It was fabulous and so much fun that as soon as we left we started talking about when we could go back again and do a few hikes we didn't get to do. ... Angel's Peak being the main on.

We finally made it back for our TWO year! It was a blast and totally worth the wait. We stayed in St. George at the summer home of a couple Bryce met on his mission; the Armours. They were the financial couple who worked in the Mission home in Madagascar. They were so sweet and allowed us to stay in their beautiful home while we were down there.

We went on 5 different hikes--all different lengths and different levels of difficulty. The hardest and longest and most worth it was Angel's Landing. (All pics are from that hike) Honestly we didn't make it to the peak. The last half mile was the most Terrifying experience of my life.

Honestly.

<--- See that smile? Yeah, no. I was about to pee my pants.

That dropoff was so terrifying and that chain moved so much and would smash your fingers against the rocks and when someone else pulls the chains it moves under your hand where you're trying to steady yourself....*shudder*

So after going a good (If you can call it good...) distance with the chain we got to an overlook with normal ground where I wasn't going to have a heart attack. We stopped and ate lunch so I could decide if I was ok to keep going.

Bryce would have kept going and I told him he could go without me because I knew there was no way I could finish. But he said he was happy with where we got to and he was happy with that. (He's so sweet to me. I will love him eternally for that)

It was a completely beautiful day and we couldn't believe what an amazing view it was. We took about a zillion pictures. :) **Notice my sweet Helicopter shirt--it's from Bryce's school. :)

SUnBUrns. are. NO. FUN.

2010-07-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Darcy don't even read or look at this one,

I know you don't like feet....

So about a month ago we went to Bear Lake and had an AMAziNg day! It was beautiful and we were with Bryce's family and some friends of ours. It was great....til we got home.

OUCH!

And honestly I don't think this even does it justice.

Do you see how sWOllEn they are???

Ever step felt like the skin was going to sPLiT open across the top.

ow.

I felt like I was a pregnant woman with swollen feet and ankles.

It. was. HORRIBLE.

3 weeks later:

I'm a little tanner on top but I'm healed and no longer swollen!

HEAVEN1

Just a little of everything

2010-07-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

So it's been a week since Bryce cam down with this horrible horrible stomach flu thing. I'm so glad it's over. I hate seeing him in that much pain. It was so sad. And the entire time I was going behind him disinfecting EVERYTHING and spraying everything down. I couldn't get sick-I just got back from a vaca from work-I couldn't take more time off! So as soon as he started feeling better I did about 10 loads of laundry including all our sheets, pillowcases, blankets, clothes, and towels. Everything felt much better after.

I've found a love for dish-ware. Random. I was saying yesterday that we just can't move ever because we can't afford any other house that will have the size and space our current kitchen has. We got lucky with this house. I love dishes. I love just looking at the stacks of matching plates and cups and bowls. I love have serving dishes and serving spoons. I love that I have most of the kinds of pans I could possibly need. Now, I certainly don't use them as much as I should or as much as I want to. I come home from a 9 hour work day and just want to sit. But when I do bake, I love it. And we both love to have people over and so baking and cooking with all my fun stuff and then serving it in a pretty way is just exciting.

I've also returned to my paint. I'm not fully recovered from my painting class with crits from H***, but I'm on my way. I'm so close to finishing a painting for Darcy. I's 2 feet by 4 feet on canvas...not wood like usual. And I used my Own pictures that I took myself and combined 4 of them together to make the composition. The second half has been alot harder than I had anticipated and every stroke is a struggle but I'm getting there.

I miss working with the middle schoolers. That kind of surprises me. But I really did enjoy tutoring and listening to their middle school drama.

I have dreams about school lately. Not a lot but every once in a while. I think about going back and finishing what I worked so hard on. But it's hard to imagine doing For Real. And doesn't seem like it would be helpful to me financially. But maybe just knowing and being able to say that I have a Bachelors degree would make a big difference to me personally...? I don't know about that. I guess I'll just give it more time and see; we'll see. Oh and I emailed my Adviser and asked about online classes and night classes to see what my options are; again, we'll see.

The house is dark. The sun is almost down and I just have one lamp on here in the living room. I love how it makes the rooms look with that yellow glow. It feels really welcoming and that's what I'm in need of.

We put lights up in the trees overhanging the backyard a couple weeks ago. We haven't been out in the evening to use them. As soon as we got them up things got so busy. I hope we get to do a BBQ with them on soon.

We didn't get to go to Mada like we had hoped this summer. Things fell through. I guess it just wasn't the right time. I wasn't meant to be. It will be some day though. We'll go. I know we will.

We talked with a couple who just got home from a two week vacation to Paris this morning. They were telling us all about their trip and what they saw and did and how amazing it was. It made me think of when Dad and Mom brought Kimi and me to Paris is Geneva and how amazing it was too. But during that conversation I was so frustrated because I just don't remember names and info about what we saw or didn't see. They asked me if I had seen this or that and I couldn't recall. How ridiculous is that?! I got to go to a place like that and can't even remember what I saw?! I looked one up on my phone to see a picture of it and realized that No I hadn't gone there. I knew a lot about it from my art history classes after seeing the picture. It sounds so simple but it made me realize what a visually oriented person I am. I see and see and see but the words and names and dates don't really stick with me. But if you show me something I can tell you a lot about it. I'm not sure how to deal with that or how I feel about it but I guess it is what it is right?

Whenever I think about how I think about something or how I'm feeling, I wonder if I'm normal. Is that normal? Do other people constantly wonder if they're normal?

Lemonade

2010-06-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

Today Bryce and I were chillin in the front room after a long morning of cleaning. I had been hearing the neighbor kids outside for quite a while and I finally looked out the window and saw this:

and this:

Hahaha. They were selling lemonade in our front yard and yelling at cars from our corner. lol

We went out and bought a couple glasses for a couple bucks. I came back inside to get something so I took this pic of Bryce chillin a their stand:

They just brought a couple glasses of lemonade when they shut down their stand. For free. :)

I knew buying chalk to share with the neighbor kids would pay off!

They love us now. :)

A Little Help?

2010-05-16T16:22:00.001-07:00

I need some help from You! :)

Please comment (anonymously if you prefer) and tell me

what question(s) you would ask a panel of couples who's

marriages you admired.

So the questions can be about communication, finances,

raising children, spiritual issues, establishing a Christ Centered home,

establishing specific good habits...etc.

The reason I ask is because the next activity I'm planning that

is taking place at the end of this month is on this topic. We will have a panel

of couples (3 maybe 4 couples)--our Bishop and his wife,

2 high councilmen who serve in our ward and their wives, and

I'm trying to get in touch with the second counselor in the Stake

Presidency so he and his wife can join us as well.

Although this is a RS activity, we are inviting the husbands

to come as well.

So I am gathering questions that we can ask them that evening.

Because I'm guessing we'll have lulls in questions

that night from those who attend so I want to have some prepared

PLUS I want to give a list of questions to the panelists

so they will be prepared to answer the kinds of questions

that will come up.

I gathered questions today at church but would

LOVE

MORE!

This Mothers Day

2010-05-08T15:26:00.000-07:00

First I do want to say Happy Mothers day to all you wonderful women out there who do such an amazing job at raising your children and playing such a vital role in the lives of children around you!

And of course, to my Own Wonderful Mother, whom I love so very very much! - Happy Mothers Day!

And this part is for me -

Last year on Mothers Day I thought I was pregnant. I was SO SURE that time. I just knew that 6 months of trying would the magic month-plus it was Mothers Day! It was perfect. But I ended up crying in Bryce's arms. Again.

So, this year on Mothers Day, I am going to be happy. I am going to be positive and I'm not going to even torture myself with another test. I am going to go be around lots and lots of people with children and not feel bad for myself...even though I begged Bryce that we Not go. But now I want to go and I'm going to be happy.

I LOVE my life. I have a wonderful thoughtful husband and a beautiful home and an awesome job. I have the blessings of the priesthood in my home and the beautiful knowledge of the gospel and the plan of Happiness on my side to remind me of what is important. I have a Temple of the Lord within walking distance where I can feel His love so tangibly.

SO, tomorrow, Mothers Day, WILL be a wonderful happy day.

Premortal hearts

2010-04-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

I don't like posting about negative things. I like to be positive and fill my life with positive things and thoughts so I certainly don't like negative ones on my blog. But today it's just gonna have to do.

The last week...or maybe two...plus a few days a few weeks ago I've felt my mind slipping into the old anxious/negative/mOODy ways. As soon as my mind has some down time all my thoughts and all my feelings seem to scream Negative.

It's been awful.

And about half of that time it's not Because of anything in particular. Already today Bryce has said to me after recognizing my mood was going down hill suddenly,

"You've been so happy all morning. What's wrong? We've been having so much fun.".

All I can do is shrug and try for the thirtieth time this week not to cry.

(I won't tell you how many times I fail at those attempts)

I could list all the things that are going on --

with me or with Bryce or with friends or with family or with work or with whatever trials and difficulties I am facing right now--

that could be contributing to my bad-moodness but really I don't think that they are the cause of this particular evil that has beset my lovely mind of late.

I don't. Because it just feels like that same old anxiety/depression that I just really loved dealing with back in the day. And honestly I would really rather not go there right now. Sorry to say- but that's just not in my schedule.

Like I said-- I don't think my current life difficulties are causing this...stuff, but it's got me thinking--

I've been trying to think of ways to look at my circumstances in a different light...

From a gospel standpoint, we are all here to gain a mortal experience.

I am here to gain a mortal experience.

I know that I chose to come down here and live through difficult things.

I feel it inside me that I chose my particular circumstances.

(and for some reason I included lots of "waiting" experiences...not sure what I was thinking ;)

I know that I was so anxious and excited to come to earth and prove to my Father in Heaven that I had the faith and the courage to overcome and endure the difficulties that would come with a mortal experience. To show Him that if Jesus Christ could come and live a Perfectly sinless life and offer Himself up for the rest of us, that I can come down and try my hardest and when I fall short, I can allow Christ's infinite Atonement to wash it away. And though I'm sure I knew it would be difficult, and that I would try over and over and fail over and over, I also knew that if I stayed close to the Spirit and Repented of my sins that I could in fact return to live in my Father's presence once again.

So I've been thinking--I have that knowledge. So shouldn't I be more able and willing--with a positive attitude and a willing heart--to endure these trials and do those things I was so excited to prove before I came to earth?

I read a quote (from an apostle I think) the other night in scripture study while studying in Alma-- about how there is a space between death and the resurrection. And it said that we will not be completely happy in that state -- even if we are in Spirit Paradise -- because we will not have our mortal bodies which are so very precious to our spirits. (I'm guessing that is something we will feel even more tangibly when we don't have them.) So the next day I ended up sharing this with a coworker because it just struck me as....almost as new information. I'm not sure I ever knew or realized that before. So in talking about it she was saying that Because our bodies are so precious to our Spirits (particularly once the veil is taken away), when something goes wrong with our bodies (broken or ill) it's Traumatic to our Spirit. That's why when our bodies can't or won't function properly, it's such a frustrating and difficult thing to face-our Spirits know how important and special our bodies are.

Anyway, I have a hard time connecting all the dots. But the ones I have been able to connect so far are that--

First: I simply need to remember to keep an Eternal perspective when things don't go so easy.

Second: while keeping my perspective in check, I need to remember that I chose these things and I need to Remember now what I knew back then. {I.E.: the Premortal Existance}

Third: although I may feel frustrated to not have control over my feelings, I can at least find peace in the knowledge that it's natural for my Spirit to want to have control...It's just wanting to maintain it's Equilibrium--to have calmness and stability within itself. (sorry if it doesn't make sense...)

And Last: to have a more willing heart--ready to prove to my Father in Heaven that my life has purpose--that I will do all I can to return to Him better and stronger than when I left.

What's been on my mind...

2010-04-08T19:07:00.000-07:00

(don't judge me-It's just my mind just...going. My grammar is awful, I'm sure, as is my spelling and just the overall format but it's just what I've been thinking about. That's all...and the quote at the end is the best part. Don't miss out on it. I have no idea where I got it from. I found it in an old email I sent to Bryce when we were dating.)

Everyone has a story--one that just naturally formulates and evolves throughout their lifetime. No one makes it through this life without scrapes and bruises. Plan A just never really happens. Yes, in my case, I married the man I planned on marrying but certainly not how I planned. I had no idea the things I would go through in order to get here or there or wherever we're referring to at the moment. Plan A turns into Plan Q faster than you realize. And that's where the story really takes place. In that time where you realize that nothing is going the way you thought it would go... Why do so many couples end up divorcing? And how can I prevent that? It takes two to tango. Yes, so we should each take responsibility for our actions so we can be sure our part of that Tango is fulfilled. Right? Why do people hurt each other? How did the world go to pot so fast? And why do people lie? It doesn't get you anywhere. Yet it's amazing to me how much good there is in such an evil world. Satan must think he's winning, but guess what: he's not. Go sit in the conference center during a General Conference Session and think about how many other people in the world are watching and thinking about the same eternal things all at that same moment and feel what you feel while you're sitting there and you tell me that he's winning. You can't. Despite the discouragement I feel at the amount of despicable acts that go on in the world, I know the righteous are becoming more so and they're doing amazing things and coming closer to the Lord and they're teaching their children eternal saving truths. ... Within those stories we create are, not only those plans that you make but also, your failures and successes, your disappointments and fears, your moments of complete confusion and your moments of stark realization. Like the reality of the fear of infertility that you've had since your teenage years or that moment you've been waiting for for two years when the love of your life walks back into your life and all that pain-all those tears are gone and it's like they never happened...that pain that you felt in your chest-you know the one-that feels like your heart just got ripped in two? or maybe twelve. That one. Remember how when it was over you have the memory of the pain but, because it's over and in the past, the pain seems so insignificant now-even worth it- that it's just that-the past?

For all these reasons and so many more, I have this quote at my desk at work...

"True, enduring happiness, with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the greatest difficulties, will come as you center your life in Jesus Christ. Obedience to His teachings provides a secure ascent in the journey of life. That takes effort. While there is no guarantee of overnight results, there is the assurance that, in the Lord's time, solutions will come, peace will prevail, and happiness will be yours. The challenges you face, the growth experiences you encounter, are intended to be temporary scenes played out on the stage of a life of continuing peace and happiness. Sadness, heartache, and disappointment are events in life. It is not intended that they be the substance of life. I do not minimize how hard some of these events can be. When the lesson you are to learn is very important, trials can extend over a long period of time, but they should not be allowed to become the confining focus of everything you do. Your life can and should be wondrously rewarding. It is your understanding and application of the laws of God that will give your life glorious purpose as you ascend and conquer the difficulties of life. That perspective keeps challenges confined to their proper place—stepping-stones to further growth and attainment. Jesus Christ possessed merits that no other being could possibly have. He was a God, Jehovah, before His birth in Bethlehem. His beloved Father not only gave Him His spirit body, but Jesus was His Only Begotten Son in the flesh. Our Master lived a perfect, sinless life and therefore was free from the demands of justice. He is perfect in every attribute, including love, compassion, patience, obedience, forgiveness, and humility. His mercy pays our debt to justice when we repent and obey Him. Since with even our best efforts to obey His teachings we will still fall short, because of His grace we will be "saved, after all we can do."

Read it again.

And maybe a third time.

That quote becomes more and more amazing to me the more I read it...

Progression of The Hair

2010-03-28T17:46:00.001-07:00

So my hair has had a bit of a rough go the last 6 months or so. Before that I was somewhat happy with it but never like, WOW I love my hair. Never had that, TIL I went to my AWESOME hairstylist here in Logan at the Leilani Salon (above). Her name is Cori and she's amazing. She's SO good at doing exactly what I want even though I can Never explain what it is that bugs me about my hair. She just knows. She's amazing.

ANYway, I thought I'd do a little "Hair Progression" just for fun because I know how interested you all are in My hair. :)

Here's what it was like when we got married. Pretty but I've never liked my BIG forehead. :)
Then the color started to wash out and let's face it, I can't always wear my hair extensions! Plus NO VOLUME. lame
Then I got this cut. Which initially I loved, (Thanks kimi and jen!!) but as soon as it started growing out and couldn't figure it out. and it grew out even more and was ok here and there but was always frustrating....
Then I was REALLY stupid....as you can most assuredly tell, I bleached the heck out of it and looked like a freak. Good job! (But aren't Lessie and Sophie ADORABLE???)
Then I found Cori at the LaiLani Salon and she helped me out alot. But I still had my wreched blond hair with my roots 3 inches out and it just needed help.

Then it grew out again and I had issues with all the volume being in the wrong place. yuck
SO I went in cuz she had 10 min in between appts so she was just gonna do my bangs but when I told her I was frustrated with it she was like, ZING! and fixed ALL of it in 10 minutes! I love it!. She's crazy awesome! She just cuts and then plays with it for a bit and cuts some more and just repeats that a bunch of times and she's done!
At first I didn't like the shorter length of my bangs but I actually really really like them now because they fall naturally exactly where they should be. AND I can do a Full Bang if I want but Bryce hates the Full Bang....so maybe i'll move them over after I leave the house... (don't tell hiM! It's going to be my secret full bang life!)

And HERE is the AWESOMEly CUTE skirt I found at this adorable shop in TX with Kabria!! She knew all the places to go!! So this is me before church this morning. :)

YAY for self esteem boosters!!!

SLC Aquarium

2010-03-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

Bryce and I went to the aquarium a couple months ago. SO fun and SO cool!

These were SO tiny! I wish you could tell.
This thing was HUGE. Look at it compared to Bryce! It's an octopus, by the way. It had it's tentacles sucked onto the glass. We couldn't get a better picture because they have to keep that area dark for it!
I had never seen these in real life! SOO pretty!

THey had the coolest aquariums set up!

and the strangest creatures!
and Dori.

Pretty huh? We want to go back and spend more time there!

Decorating

2010-03-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

I didn't actually REdecorate. I just redecorated. lol I incorporated Purple into the front room and redid the wall hangings and stuff....

I put this together. It has a couple pics of each of us before and during Bryce's mission and then a couple of us after and then one wedding pic! :)

We redid the bookshelf. Bryce's idea. He made me take down all my books. lol oh well.

This is the Madagascar shelf.
Here's the spiritual shelf...or something. :)
Here's the top shelf-our special stuff: wedding pic, engagement pic, "bryce + cherise" written in the sand by me in Mexico before Bryce's mission, a present Bryce gave me in 2005, and the box that my Wedding ring came in with all the other rings he's given me inside. :) oh! and a bracelet made in Mada with Davies stitched into it.
The beautiful clock that Lori got me for Christmas (she is SOOo good at giving gifts! She always knows what to get!) and the purple candles I got at the Dollar Store!
My new purple blanket from TJ Max on the couch, the awesome magnet board that Kabria decorated for me and gave to me for Christmas, a wooden letter D from Hobby Lobby-painted Purple with a green ribbon down the side and VELCROed to the wall. haha. and an adorable heart wall hanging that says "you hold the key to my heart"....along with some other things I already had.

The lamp Jen gave me. Yay! and the Vase(s) I got at TJ Max ($6 each!!) with the dollar store greenery. :)
A better look...
The bookshelf all together.
I didn't get a pic of the mirror Lori gave me for Christmas that has hooks on it for jackets etc. That's awesome too! :)

Anyway, I'm loving my house even more now and I didn't spend very much money! (I love the dollar store! :)

Kitchening

2010-03-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

We LOVE doing dinner and dessert with Darcy and Justin! Here are some pictures from one of our dessert-attempt-makings. :)

Darcy told me about this recipe she wanted to make-Cake Balls. :) So we did it that night.

You just make a cake (whatever kind you want. Bake it, let it cool, THEN comes our favorite part-- crumble it all up with your hands or whatever. and then dump a thing of frosting in and mix it all up. then you pack them into small balls and dip them in melted chocolate. :) yummy!

So here are some pictures that me Made Bryce take for us. ha!

And obviously we were very proud of our creations...we took about 10 pics of the milk and cake balls...hahaha. Here's one of them. (oh Plus one of the roses Bryce gave me for Valentine's day!)
oh and us! :)
BEAUTiful Darcy, modeling our BEAUTiful cake balls. :)
Another one of us! We're so cute. I know you know it.
I bet you Really think we're Beautiful now! hotties!
See those flowers in the background? AAAALLLLL Bryce. Good Job Babe!
Wow, we made him take A LOT of pictures of us!
And this little GEM I made in one of our RS Activities. Sis. Cook, our Bishop's wonderful wonderful wife did a class on making home made fruit pies! She did the activity like a cooking show and we all had our ingredients and everything to make one ourselves during the class and then we got to bake it at home! Yay!
And if you look in the back of this pic you can see home made bread .... ALLL Bryce too! Surprised me with it when I got home from the Pie activity! LOVE him!

Crocheting

2010-03-26T16:19:00.000-07:00

Well, here's the deal.

My calling in my ward is the RS Activities Coordinator. So the presidency tells me what types of activities the ward sisters need and I Coordinate them. :) Pretty simple.

Darcy, my Fabulous Best Friend, volunteered to teach crocheting for an activity. It was so fun and she did an Amazing job of teaching the girls that came! I'm loving it now and starting to get better.

Here's my first attempt. he he he...I know you're laughing. But that's ok. I laugh too.

Here's my second attempt. Which, really, is a lot better than my first! The stitch go way way more strait. My issue was just the ends. lol it was rough. It took me quite a while to figure out how to get them strait. If you can't tell, the bottom is the start and the top is the end. See how the last few inches at the top started to be strait? kind of... :)

(PS-the top corners are curled over. They're square, I swear!)
Here's My next attempt. :) It's going to be a baby blanket!! I'm going to add on a white trim! I'm so super excited! It's not perfect still but I'm proud that I'm getting better!
And this is my 4th attempt. But it's a different stitch. Darcy showed me another stitch and it's so fun! I really like how it looks. And again, it's not near perfect. There were two spots I messed up so I went up to my mother in law's fabulous craft loft and found some blue thread and a needle and just sewed it together so there wouldn't be a big hole. hahaha. :)
That's how it's supposed to be when you're learning, right?!

Everything's BIGGER in TEXAS!

2010-03-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

This is just a conglomeration of the pics we took while in TX visiting Bryce's family last week for Brock's homecoming from his mission in SLC South.

Briley sportin' her awesome St. Patrick's Day outfit in the Wal-Mart parking lot...

Brock, the returned Missionary with Briley at the stockyards.

Only SHE can find a horse in the shopping area.

Bryce's classic Thumbs up. Very Important.

Need I say more?

He was really taking the picture seriously.

Only BRYCE would find a *special* car at the stockyards...

We went to the Stockyards for the day and watched the longhorns come down the street and then did some shopping :)

See the whipped topping sprayed on his shirt? That was just the start of it. :)

Us girls waiting in the car...

Briley again. :)

After shopping all day. Grammy, Briley, and Kabria

Brock with Brett behind at the Stockyards

My new Purse!

Briley, Bryce, Bria, and Brett

Bob. My FAVORITE father in law! :)

Brett realizing that he will have to eat all the whipped topping he put on his Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake.

The Davies Ladies!

Bria, Grammy, and Lori (my Favorite Mother in Law!!!), & Briley

Briley and Bob, showing "The Golden hand of sprachery" (scratchery). It's just a back scratcher but they renamed it. :)

Bob helping Briley demonstrate her pose. Oh I love this family!

Last Saturday

2010-03-26T15:17:00.001-07:00

We went on a hike last saturday.

3 min drive from home.

(as you start out, you look behind you & see this...)

(about 20 min later...)

(another 10 min or so.)

Isn't it so

beautiful?!

A Working Girl

2010-03-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

I L.O.V.E my job.

It's not super exciting but it's just an awesome job. It has so many aspects that are just perfect. Perfect for Me.

1. I work at a computer. I've always been good at finding

my way around a computer and I enjoy typing and using

different programs. Plus I have the most amazing view!

(see bottom pic)

Check!

2. I have my own desk. My own space. It's not huge by any means but

It's my space and no one else uses it-just me. So I get to put up quotes I

Love and pictures I Love around my computer.

Check!

3. Post-its! I LOVE post it notes! I think I use as many post its in a week

that the three other ladies I work with combined. It's cuz I love lists.

Check!

4. Speaking of the ladies I work with. :) They're all Fabulous! And we're all

so different! There's me-still kinda newly wed and just figuring out life.

Then there's Jenny who is a couple years older than me and

loving single life and just is really fun and talkative.

Then there's Susan-she's around my mom's age, all her kids are moved out and she's very mom-like. I love it! We talk about Visiting Teaching alot. :) And then there's Pat. She's my supervisor. I've never had such a fabulous boss! She's so sweet and understanding and so fun to work with! She's been such a great teacher. She's very thorough and is Awesome at complimenting a job well done and is really nice when she tells you when you did something wrong...

not that I Ever do that!... ;)

Check!

5. Everyone else I work with! They're all so great!

Check!

6. My best friend Darcy works there and I get to go to lunch with her

a lot. :) It makes the day so much better! I love walking thru her office

and having a friendly face there.

Check!

7. Catered lunches every so often. :) yum yum! need I say more, it's food!

Check!

5. The People. OH the People! I am such a people person and a people pleaser.

We see upwards of 150 patients per day, plus all the patients who

come in to pay bills, make appointments, or to pick up prescriptions etc.

So I get to do alot of talking and A LOT of listening. Which is great.

People are So Interesting.

I love hearing about their lives and the things they've experienced

and just finding out little details about them. I learn so much from

them on a daily basis. LIKE TODAY--

we had an older come in who had been run over by a car 3 months ago.

They told him he would never walk again but he walked in on his

own for his appointment and smiled through all the pain

he must be in and told me about how many amazing things have come

from going through this whole thing.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE. I love it.

Check Check!

LAST--That I HAVE a job. I try and remember every day and thank

my Heavenly Father every morning that I have a job to go to.

I know So many people are out of a job and have been looking for a long time.

I've been very blessed.

It looks a little barren this time of the year but the mountains are always so beautiful! This is the view from my desk at work. No I don't have to walk to the window. I just look up from my computer screen and that's what I see! :) I wish I could get a pic that would do it justice but alas all I ever have at work is my phone so that's what I got for now. :)

For Sara

2010-02-03T15:15:00.001-08:00

I have not taken a single picture in...

a long time.

So here's a little touch of the past,

with a promise to myself

that it will not be lived in but learned from.

Not that these pictures are of any importance

in the grand scheme of things

but they speak to me of the ever changing

days that life most certainly consists of.

Sportin' shades in the Beast the first time I saw Bryce after his mission.

Ooh. Me sportin' some awesome hair action. This was on the Wind Cave Hike here in Logan right before Bryce put that ring on my finger.

When the hair calmed down a little apparently...

This is a hard one to put words to.

I just love his smile to pieces!

(Taken by Jana outside the Bountiful Temple

{where we would eventually get married!}

Another favorite of mine!

This was just us outside my apartment building one Sunday night.

(Taken by Kimberly!)

We love the snow

and wanted to show Grammy so of course, Picture time!

Above is a pic Bryce took of me out in the middle of no where-the Res-in between Flagstaff and Logan. This was a big day! I had FINALLY *seduced* Bryce into moving to good ol' Utah!
And who wouldn't be seduced by such a skinny legged girl?

Me in front of my lovely apartment in Logan. Again, taken by

The Bryce.

This was during those drive-me-crazy days of waiting for him to

just stinkin' propose already!

This is on a hike we took with my fam down in Sedona

from the week before Bryce stole me away to UT.

(yes that's what happened)

Same hike. Us in our sexiness. We are BOUND to make some Beautiful children!

This last summer at the Rowley Family Reunion we went

hiking at the Twisted Forest.

Lessi was such a trooper and hiked with Bryce alot of the way.

She's so stylin!

I'll do another post soon and go even further back.

Sara I hope this satisfies you!

Loves!

2009-11-13T16:21:00.001-08:00

A little bit of a tribute to my favorite Friday the Thirteenth I ever or will ever have..

I Love Love Love this man.

That's all there is to it.

Real Quick

2009-10-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

We had a Halloween Potluck at work this week...

I got this recipe from Mer! I just added the bloodiness... ;) It's broken pretzel sticks, a mixture of PB, pwd sugar, butter, and vanilla. Then the nails are slices of almond. i just put some red food coloring on a qtip and dabbed it onto the ends...hehe.

I got this one off line. Sorry about the crappy pics. I was in a hurry and didn't pull out the camera til I had already put plastic wrap on. This is just a mini watermelon--carve off the green skin with a potato peeler and then carve it!

They were both a hit (we had the Doctors at work vote for several categories) and I won two of the categories! (brain- most creative and fingers-spookiest) so I got halloween dish towels and play dough! yessss. major score.

New with us...

2009-10-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

A few things going on in the Davies' home these days...

*I'm enjoying my job where I get to wear scrubs everyday! Plus I get to have lunch with Darcy several times a week because she works in the same office. :) Yay!

*Bryce is coming up with new business ideas every week but has come up with one that he's pretty sure will work amazingly well and give him way more time to to go school. So we're hoping with that he'll be able to quit his towing job...at least the day time part of his job to do his business idea! Yay!

*Bryce had is first Solo Flight last week!!! It was a total surprise. We weren't expecting it but during one school session his instructor got out and let him go. He had an amazing time and is so excited about progressing and being able to fly a HELICOPTER all by himself ;) He's amazing.

*I finally got curtains up in the two bedrooms and it makes them feel so much more homey....I love it!

*I'm loving Visiting Teaching and I'm getting so excited about getting to know each of them better! And I love my visiting teachers who are so dedicated and amazing!

*We bought a 65 lb pumpkin from the Farmer's Market (after Mom bought a 76 lb one when she was here last week! :) but I have No idea where to put it. It's now just sitting on our little coffee table....I'm a little worried it's gonna break it! haha

*I keep having Really weird dreams. Like last night for example: ... dreamt I was pregnant but I got to see like...a video of the egg and the sperm.... awkward. hahaha!! and then I had to reach into my throat and move my tonsils so they wouldn't hurt the baby.... weird. hahah!

*We're FINALLY figuring out what we have to do to be able to say prayers morning, night and be able to read scriptures every morning. We've been struggling with it all since we got married and have Finally come up with a way that is sticking! I'm so so very grateful. It's making a world of a difference in our relationship. man...the gospel is true!!! :)

*ALSO!!!! I've realized that None of Bryce's family history has been done yet for his dad's side! You have no idea how excited I am! There's so much to do! I talked to Bryce's mom, Lori and she said I could get started whenever and do whatever. So I'm just gonna be talking to her about what I'm doing and it's going to be awesome! I hopped on to Family Search today and tried to figure things out...let's just say I'll be paying several visits to the family history couple in our ward to help me out!

*Along with Bryce's awesome business ideas, he's been buying cheap cars, fixing them and selling them for pretty good profits...for example: he bought a 2002 Ford Taurus that was wrecked in the front for $80!!!! He sold it for... DRUM ROLLLLLLLLLLLLL....... $2,000! Talk about paying off debts! Yay!

*Plus, we rolled Bryce's truck over 300,000 miles!!!

*We now have health Insurance so we're back to trying for a baby. :) In case I haven't mentioned it, we tried for a baby from Nov. to Aug. and took a break while we figured out Insurance and so now we're just hoping it'll happen soon.

But in the mean time I'm loving work and Bryce is loving school and making alot of progress and we're learning more and more about how to communicate better and love each other more. Can't go wrong with that right?

So that's what is new with us! Just lots of randomness. :) I need to take more pictures so I have more that are relevant to what I write about! :)

Mountains Movies and Paint

2009-09-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Here's my current project. It's pretty much done. I just have a few minor things to do still.

Here's my FABulous aMAZIng bESt Friend Darcy, who paints with me! I love her to death and I have so much fun when she's around!

I need to get a picture of her with her painting as soon as she'll let me. :)

As usual I've watched Several movies while painting. Luckily Darcy brought over King of Queens one night and we watched probably half a season in one sitting. yikes :)

Logan Landslide/flood/mudslide..they're calling it a lot of things...

2009-07-14T13:08:00.000-07:00

So Saturday, Bryce and I were at the Bountiful Temple at a friend's endowment. Little did we know, back home our neighborhood was turning into a swamp of both muddy water and people.

See, we live on what is called "The Island". It's really just a neighborhood in Logan where the land is lower than surrounding areas. Particularly just North of us....That's campus. The USU Campus is up on the hill. Well, that "hill" (much more than just a hill) cuts down very steeply into the island. On that ridge is...WAS a canal of running water that has been there for decades. And right below it, at the bottom are tons of houses. Our house is located 3 blocks south of that ridge.

SO, that canal, around noon on Saturday, burst ... after the water had started to leak out, causing weakness to the land on the ridge. So when it burst, all the water and all that land came crashing down -- right on top of a house directly below.

From what we understand, the house completely sunk into the ground and then collapsed in on itself. Unfortunately, they've come to find out that there was a 39 year old woman and her two kids, 12 & 13 inside when it happened. :( So they've been looking for their bodies for the last 3 days. There's a lot of speculation as to whether they found them already or not. But everything in the news says that they are still looking.

Also, many of the houses on that street have been condemned because they were filled with mud and water. And farther from there(closer to us), many houses have flood damage etc. The roads are all blocked off and there are dozens and dozens of City trucks, police cars, fire trucks, flood clean up trucks, and just....a ton of emergency and city vehicles. It's craziness.

If you can believe it, This pic is from TODAY

(no I did Not take it)

After 3 days, it still looks this bad.

That used to be the house....

We were extremely lucky ... there's a river directly behind our house-North of our house. So the neighbors on the other side of the river channeled the water thru their yard into the river! Thank goodness for that!

Go here for a full article.

"This is no longer a house with some dirt in it. This is a mountain of dirt with pieces of house in it," said Logan Fire Chief Mark Meaker.

More Anniversary Pictures

2009-06-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help it! Here are a couple more pictures from our trip!

The Job Hunt/1st Anniversary Trip

2009-06-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

So I've been looking for a job since the first of the month....so about 4 weeks? I've been applying to at least 2 jobs per day (M-F)...I'm lazy on the weekends :I I got one interview the first week thanks to Jennifer! After that I didn't get anything until last week. Khol's called me for a group interview and it went really well. So well in fact, that they called yesterday to offer me a job! Unfortunately, It's only a Part-Time job...only 10-15 hours per week and I'd be working afternoons and evenings...that's exactly what I Didn't want. Not that I want to be picky. But I'd really like to see the Hubs sometimes, you know?

Also, yesterday morning, I talked to a woman at a place called Majestic Mountain Sage, an {ingredients} supply warehouse for the cosmetics industry. I had applied there the week before so I went in to see if they had had a chance to look at my resume. They Had AND they had looked at my website too. :) happy day! So I let her know I was still really interested but that I'd be out of town this weekend. So she called me a few hours later (still before Khol's called) to say they'd like to interview me tomorrow at 11.

So when Khol's called, I told her that I had an interview scheduled with a company that could give me the hours I Needed. (M-F: 8:30-4:30 sweet hours, huh?) so she put me on the "no" list but that if anything changed to give her a call.

Perfect.

I had the interview with MMS today! It went super well! I have all the skills to work there and there weren't Any conficts....with anything! The two ladies that interviewed me were so so nice and I'd really like working there!! So I'm hoping and praying that I'll get it.

They said they'll let me know next Tuesday or Wednesday if I got the job and if I do get it, I'd start on Wed. or Thurs.!

PERRRRFECT!

Seriously though, the hours would be amazing. M-F: 8:30-4:30. That's exactly when Bryce is working/at school. And I'd be home in time to make dinner! But I'd still be working 8 hours per day, 5 days a week at about $9 per hour.

Yeeesssss!

(she asked what pay I was looking for and I told her $9 because at my last job they were paying me $8.84....she said that $9 is right in the range they'd be paying so let's hope! )

THEN, to make it even BETTER, I get 5 holidays off per year. 4th of july, new years, christmas (starting on the 18th!!), thanksgiving, and I can't remember the other one. haha. Talk about AWESOME! The Khol's job said I'd have to be available to work EVERY HOLIDAY including BLACK FRIDAY.

yuck yuck YUCK!

In conclusion,

for the next week, please please PLEASE PRAY FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!

I would really appreciate it! :)

kisses!

cherise

______________________________________________________

*FIRST ANNIVERSARY TRIP *

So for our anniversary, Bryce planned a weekend for us!

We drove down to Park City (where we spent some of our Honeymoon) and stayed in an awesome hotel for super cheap (Love Hotwire.com.....Darcy, you're the BEST for helping us with that!).

See...Here's our hotel! :)

Our Room...and me playing with my camera while Bryce reads some magazine... :)

The second day, Darcy and Justin drove down to go to Heber with us to ride the Heber Creeper for their Special BBQ Sunset Buffet Trip. You ride the old fashioned train up Heber canyon and around a lake, where they stop and do a big BBQ buffet dinner (that was completely AWESOME food!!!) and they have a three man band playing while you eat! So much fun!

So here's Darcy and Justin being little kids at the train station gift shop

and of course, we had to get in on that action! Course we aren't as cool cuz we didn't get the hats!

Awe...tender! :)

Don't worry, I KNOW you're jealous right now. Beautiful, huh?

Isn't that a SWEET picture!? Bryce took it!

I included this right here because the next couple of pictures may be

*shocking*...

Yes, there was a Proposal....

Some VERY scandalous make out sessions....

some awkward moments...

and a LOT of tenderness. :)

Then we got to the BBQ!!! We were the FIRST in line! ha! Sorry, we just REALLY like food...
While we ate a 3 man band sang and played! They had a guitar, a fiddle, a banjo...and something else but I can't remember. :) They were Very entertaining and we had a lot of FUN!
The FOOD was Amazing!

See those smiles? It's just cuz of the food. ha! :) jk. it was awesome but we really did have so much fun! We were so glad that Darcy and Justin came down for it!

My man...he's such a cutie! I love it when he smiles.

Here's the barn we passed on the Train that made us decide that we'll have one Just like it one day...

Woohoo!

Darcy, I wish I had gotten one with your WHOLE face! LOL the other one I have, you can't see the train behind you but you Can see your face better.

Isn't it an awesome looking train? Mom, you would love it! It's very Old-Time-ish
We met two super nice couples on one of the cars on the way home. They were older and got a kick out of how lovey we were. hahaha! :) Love it. They were awesome people and they were nice enough to try to figure out my camera enough to take a couple pictures of all four of us! YAY!

So, I look bad in the first one and Darcy, you look ... surprised or something in this one. hehehe.

The CONDUCTOR! He was so cute! He was very Conductor-ish. He would walk back and forth thru the cars on the trip.

Happy Anniversary!

I'm so lucky to have a husband to plan such a fun and Beautiful trip for us! :)

This picture is actually from the drive home on Sunday-in Morgan. I LOVE Morgan!!! Jana, Jeff was so lucky to live here!

We stopped for a few to take some pictures of the lake on the drive home!

I know, I'm hot huh?

I know, THAT's hot huh?

More fun on the drive. :)

This was BEFORE the Heber trip. We went into downtown Park City and walked up the Main street where all the little shops are.

We found this bear. We became friends.

I don't know how Bryce makes friends so easily. Geeze, they're like Best Friends already...

Isn't it so cute?

HOT

I think I'll just end (finally) with that picture of Bryce. :) He'll appreciate it.

MARY KAY 40-50% OFF-who could ask for more?

2009-06-23T06:56:00.001-07:00

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!!

Come Stock up on Mary Kay products!

EVERYTHING 40-50% OFF

I'm trying to get rid of all my inventory and pay off that Dang credit card. :)

Open House:

10 am- 1 pm

THIS Saturday, the 27th

Refreshments... ;)

If you can't come but would like something,

just shoot me an e-mail

artlarue@gmail.com

or give me a call

435.754.6026

If I don't have it in stock, I WILL be making an order next week!!

ATTENTION!!! ALL OF MY LOVELY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO USE MK!!

If you're running out of anything that you are wanting to be replaced, MAKE SURE to e-mail me or call me and let me know so I can add it into my order. :)

BIG KID Couches!!! :)

2009-06-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

So this was my living room a few months ago.

See my couches? Yes, that futon is broken-it's just leaning up against the wall...haha.

And that other couch is pretty dang cute but it's from the DI

and Bryce is so dang tall, it just wasn't workin

out so great for us.

These are the Two MATCHING couches I bough on KSL for

$150

YUP, $150 for BOTH couches!!! :)

Now, don't look at the stuff of the walls though, I'm in the middle of rearrange it all. :)

FATHER'S DAY GIFT IDEA

2009-06-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

So this Father's Day, I'd LOVE to do a drawing for

your Dad,

your Husband,

your Grandpa,

your Father-in-Law!!!

Whoever

it is that you need a present for, I'd love to do a DRAWING just for them!

This is an example of one I did THIS YEAR for a Client for FATHER'S DAY!

It's from a photo of my Client's Grandfather and they are giving it to their Father...

Talk about an awesome present! :)

If you're interested, please please contact me! I'm wide open for work right now!

I'll be SUPER FAST getting it done

so you'll have it IN TIME for Father's Day.

click here:

WWW.ARTLARUE.COM

****

ARTLARUE@GMAIL.COM

****

OR just leave me a Comment with e-mail or whatever!

For PRICES: go to WWW.ARTLARUE.COM and click on Pricing

How Much Better Can It Get Than This?

2009-06-05T07:45:00.000-07:00

pink

2009-06-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

I am like a falling star who has finally found her place next to another in a lovely constellation, where we will sparkle in the heavens forever.

-Amy Tan-

I know the picture has nothing to do with the quote really...but they're both here for today.

Intro to a Talk

2009-05-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

"Good Morning Brothers and Sisters. I'm quite nervous so please bare with me. I'm not wearing shoes. (pause) In my nervousness I put on two different shoes this morning"

See the difference in these shoes? Yes well I apparently didn't notice this morning.

And of course It happened the day I was giving a talk.

But you know what?

I'm pretty dang grateful. It was actually a blessing in disguise. I was so Horribly Horribly nervous...it was awful. But saying that got people to laugh and I laughed at myself and it actually went pretty well. :)

Oh and my sweet husband... :)

He got up after me and said

"I'm wearing shoes; I only have one pair"

That boy makes me laugh. I love him. I really really do.

This was on the airplane coming back to Utah around the time he Proposed.

A Long Time Coming

2009-05-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

After almost a year of deliberation and going back and forth and trying to find the loans and the time....Bryce started Helicopter School at Mountain Air here in Logan this morning! He has to get 6-8 hours of ground school done before he goes up in a Heli so after his two hour session this morning, he wiggled his way into another one this afternoon. He's bound and determined to be able to start flying by Monday or Tuesday.

He's been sitting around the house all weekend READING his new "textbooks"...they certainly don't look anything like mine! :) It's amazing to see him so excited. His class was this morning at 8:00 AM and it's about a 15-20 drive so he had to be out here around 7:30. He is NOT a morning person....at all. But there he was this morning, practically whistling while he got ready; it was strange. But it made me so happy. He's been waiting so long.

Just before he left he said,

"You know what would be cool?"

"What?"

"Once I get my instructors license, you could go learn to fly because I could just teach you ground school at home and you wouldn't have to pay for it."

I nodded and asked if that was allowed.

"I don't know but would you if it was?"

"Totally."

Bryce has brought this idea up before of us Both being pilots. I think that would be So Dang Cool. It wouldn't work too great with raising a family but we can dream. ;) haha

Not to mention the cost would be ludicrous...it's awful enough just for Bryce but for a slow learner like me...yikes. ;)

ANYWAY, We are so excited about this new phase in our lives. Our one year is coming up fast and I'm finishing up my job (I'll be done there for sure by June 6th) and I'm just looking looking looking for another full time job. I've decided to not go back to school in the Fall so I can keep working full time. We're hoping I can go back soon though and finish.

In other news, we are still LOVING our home. I think we'll be renewing our contract when it's up in November. I just can't get enough of this place. Since SPRING has SPRUNG, the river in our back yard is so FULL and we leave our window open all night. And the TREES are BEAUTIFUL!!! :)

These trees are in our front yard next to the driveway.

This is our backyard. The River is just beyond the pink tree to the right and the yard past the fence is our neighbors' yard. They have lots of dogs and lots of kids too. It's so fun to live in a neighborhood where kids play outside all the time. :)

Oh! and one of my favorite parts about our back yard is the bench right there in the bottom. There's another one of the other end of the yard too!!

And here's a pic of our BEAUTIFUL bed! I did some rearranging of my throw pillows after we got our 500 thread count chocolate brown sheet set!!! So now the colors are choc brown, sage green, and white. mmmmm...it's like mint chocolate..... ;) And maybe you think it's bad to put that choc brown with our black furniture .... but I LIKE it.

2009-05-12T16:11:00.001-07:00

I just need to tell the world

(...or at least the few people that read my blog...:) that

I love my Bryce-o

He's this super cute boy who says his wife is adorable when she's crying mascara tears. Who tries so hard to understand this ball of estrogen he lives with. Who has a perfectly good explanation for every frustrating or disappointing mystery in her Universe just to make her smile again. Who cleans and organizes and does dishes and laundry so she won't have to. Who fills her car up with gas and vacuums it out because she's clean-car-disabled. Who is so willing to love so completely.

Oh, you didn't ask why? Well...I'm telling you anyway.

Briley

2009-04-23T14:52:00.000-07:00

So Lori and Briley (Bryce's mom and 4 year old sister) came up to visit this week! :) It was so fun having them here!

The purpose of this post is just to show a couple little things Briley left for me....

The first is that she ALWAYS finds my modeling doll for drawing and plays with it like a doll. So she had it and every time I came into the living room it was set up somewhere in a different position.

This is how I found it this afternoon (she and Lori left this morning to head to Provo...)

This was the other thing she left here. They're coming back and she has big plans to finish it.

It's the painting she worked on while I did my final painting. This is probably the 4th layer of her "door" that turned into a Maze and when I asked her where the door went she said that it was a "maze door". But then she did THIS painting over it and says that when she gets back on Saturday that she'll paint the door. :)

Final Painting

2009-04-17T14:31:00.000-07:00

My final painting for the semester is due on thursday. It's 5 ft x 4 ft. I've been working on it for a while...

Today I painted from 9:30-2:30.

I finally took a break and cleaned the house. woohoo! Anyway, here's what I have so far.

Her face and...an explanation

2009-03-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a detail of her face and hair for you all.

Jana suggested last night putting in more detail in her hair...individual strands in her highlights and stuff. So...I did. Just like two minutes ago. :)

I know I've posted like 50 times...I apologize. But...whatever.

So her hair--you like?

My explanation is that of the symbol. It's the African symbol meaning Unity.

It'd made up of to alligators-one with the head at the top, tail at the bottom and

the other with its head at the left, tail at the right. It's a really cool symbol actually when you

can see then entire thing.

So between her and the symbol you can make it what you like...

St. Patty's Day....but more Importantly, my HUSBAND's birthday! :)

2009-03-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

So Bryce's birthday is TODAY!!! He's turning the BIG 23!!! Not that 23 is really a particularly important birthday but it's still BIG! Especially because it's the first birthday he's had since we've been married. And of course EVERY first is special once you get married!!!
So I gave him his main present last week before I left to go to Jen's. (Background: for Christmas I got him subscriptions to several car magazines and used my e-mail to order them so I get promotional e-mails ALL THE TIME) so one of them was to personalize your own magazine cover. It was for ... a hot rod magazine I think...I'm bad I don't actually remember. Anyway, I used one of Bryce's MANY pics of his BELOVED truck and put it centered on the cover and put headlines like "Get in Gear with Bryce Davies" and "Fast and Furious" or something....lol I'm awful! I really can't remember. Anyway, it was fabulous looking. So I ordered it, got it and put in in a FANCY frame with a triple mat and everything. ;) The funny part about it all is that I managed to put his FORD truck on a GM magazine. Laugh if you want. Apparently that's practically TABOO! His dad wants to send it into the magazine because it's "so funny". They're convinced they'd put a pic of it in there.....whatever. It was cool anyway. It's already hung up in our LIVING ROOM right next to our wedding pics.
Then today I'll bring him out shopping at like Car Quest or Home Depot or something and let hem spend a little Moolah. :) Our WONDERFUL friends, Darcy and Justin brought him a cake last night that was so awesome and YUMMY! It was a hat shape with a clover on top and was GREEN. :) we put one candle on top and sang to him a day early. It was fabulous. Plus just before that we got to hang out with our other WONDERFUL friends, Shanda and Ashton and their little girl Aspen ( she's our surrogate daughter...that's how much we love her!) because it was Aspen's birthday! And that was so fun! WE LOVE FRIENDS!!!!
Anyway, so I was told that Lori always hides those chocolate coins all over for Bryce on his birthday so, keeping with tradition, I did that and left a card for him before I left for school. We even had a fun sleepover in our front room! haha. It was great.
So (by the way-he never reads my blog, plus he's at work...) I have decorations and TONS of balloons to put up when I get home at noon today. and I'm going to go get him a CHEESECAKE since we got to have two cake-cakes last night.
Dinner is what I'm trying to figure out now.... I want to do all green for St. Patty's day. Maybe green mashed potatoes? and I have chicken....I don't really want to dye the chicken...that sounds gross. Hm. anyway, I'll be figuring that out when I get home. OH and I even bought a St. Patrick's day apron to wear while I cook! ha! Awesome.
What else, what else? OH I got two cards for him. The first one said that I wanted to give him money for his birthday...but that the mall security pulled me out of the fountain before I could scrape up a respectable amount. hehe.
The second one Says that I was planning on having a Sexy woman jump out of his cake...but that I didn't want to get frosting in my hair. Heck yes. I'm so sexy. I can't help it.
Anyway, I've been sitting here reading blogs for the last hour but I STILL have another hour to kill before my next class. Lame. I hate breaks between classes! Maybe I'll look up ideas for dinner...
(If you have any ideas for me, leave me a comment!!! I'll check them later!... I know it's last min but that's ok. I'll figure something out!)

painting

2009-03-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the ideas! (but) I need to do something less literal. That's been my apparent downfall for the last....forever. Pretty much I get bad critiques EVERY time and I'm sick of it. So I need to get away from painting things that are so literal.... that probably doesn't help.

OK-Christine said more direction would be good...

I want to do something that is not directly from observation or directly from a photo. I could use a photo or whatever but I want to add an abstract concept or idea or something to it so it's more "original" and not just copying....I don't really know how to explain it. I just know if I do what I have been doing I'll get another bad crit.

I just need something different

Help rectify my horrible state of uncreative-ness

2009-03-13T12:14:00.001-07:00

I need IDEAS for my next painting! I can do whatever I want so...give me some ideas! I have a creative blockage in my brain lately.... so leave me a comment with any ideas! :)

ok. I had an hour between classes...

2009-03-03T08:31:00.000-08:00

is this any better? (I only worked on feet)

Last Night

2009-03-02T15:58:00.000-08:00

haha, sorry about the pic. I'll get a better one on here soon. I thought I'd be able to photoshop myself out of it but I don't know how to get the pic into iphoto... blah blah.

ANYWAY here's the painting I did last night...after much much much deliberation and stress over What to paint and How to paint it while following the parameters of the assignment.

The feet on the far right are my fav. and the middle ones I just can't get right...maybe i'll get them figured out one of these days. and the foot on the left, I don't mind.

Tell me what you think (honestly) of

1. the floor

2. the skirts

3. the feet

4. anything else...

The critique is tomorrow at One so I might have a little bit of time tomorrow to work on it...

after bein home sick today

2009-02-17T16:31:00.000-08:00

Wow, I feel disGUSTing!! I've been laying around the house since I came home from school this morning at 10:30....it's now 5:45.....talk about

Gross.

Anyway, I Had to feel productive and this painting(s) is due on Thursday so I put in a few more hours and a few more layers.

I know it doesn't look like it, but there are around six layers of different colors on pretty much every piece of the canvas (es).

So this pic is backwards because Bryce is a punk

and always takes his camera with him...Everywhere.

So I had to use IPhoto but you get the picture.

and I'm a blogging maniac lately...sorry! ha!

I just Can't help it

2009-02-17T13:29:00.001-08:00

I love beautiful things.

I pretty much drive Bryce crazy.....I use his laptop instead of mine (mine's a BRICK!!) and when I find pics or whatever that I like, I put them onto his desktop for the next time I have extra time to translate them to paint or graphite. :)

But Bryce loves to keep a clean clear desktop...hehe

He loves me

At the moment, I'm interested in India, Australia, and Africa

Apparently, orange is part of the equation lately too...

My new love

2009-02-16T11:37:00.000-08:00

My LovER, Bryce LOVES me SO MUCH!!!

For Valentine's Day:

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CHERISE PURSE IN THE WORLD!!!

This is my new love.

Bryce is my LOVER

This purse is my Love. :)

hehehe

PS: this is all ok because Bryce's Love is his truck and I'm HIS lover. :)

Currently...Pointillism

2009-02-11T20:13:00.001-08:00

The current assignment I'm working on for my painting class is a "pointillism" or "visual color mixing" painting. We have to spent at least 16 hours on it so he said I could split it up if I wanted....

So I found a beautiful pic of the ocean/beach.....

and I had a 4 ft x 2 ft piece of hardwood cut into 3 pieces....

Gessoed all three and started to paint...

This is the far left piece..

(I've done the most on this one, of course...It's the one I started with)

This is the center piece...

And of course, this is the right piece...

And here's what they look like TOGETHER

...so far

It's an interesting project and ALOT harder than I ever imagined. It's pretty dang technical. The sky so far has purple, green, blue and white and all the mixtures in between.

The sand is mostly made of purple and orange...

I'll keep updating as I go.

FINALLY!!! HOUSE PICS!

2009-02-10T17:37:00.001-08:00

So since I finally got more pics etc up on the walls and the house is Semi-clean, I decided I just needed to take some pics or else it'll just Never happen.

My painting stuff is out on the living room floor...it's not supposed to be a permanent part of the house but Bryce feels like it is.

Sorry baby!

The futon is Totally broken. I has to stay against the wall because

the main frame for it pretty much broke in half. lol. so it has to lean against

the wall. One day we'll get a big comfy real COUCH! :)

I just brought all those paintings home today after my meeting

with my professor....they're not supposed to be there. ;)

The Green painting on the left is one Bryce brought home from Madagascar

that we both LOVE.

That's the front door...and the TV that Annette and Cam gave to us

that we LOVE!!

Down that hall at the very end is the guest room

(or rather the junk/cherise's art/cherise's unfinished puzzle/mary kay room)

The bathroom is on the right in the hall

and our room is on the left

Our Fabulously HUGE kitchen with So Many cupboards I hardly

know what to do with them all!!

The door on the very left goes out onto a small small side porch

thing, we don't use it much. It stays locked

Here's our room with the hideous 80's/90's curtains that came with the house.

It's hard to get a good pic of the room cuz it's kinda small

and I haven't even put pics up in there anyway...

HAHAHA! This one makes me laugh! It's so ridiculously PACKED with stuff

Including my dresser (because there's not room for it in the master room), two big bookshelves, and one small bookshelf, all my MK stuff (that you can't even see because its on the other wall), my drawing table, my half-finished 2000 piece puzzle, printer, ...and just all our STUFF!!

And here's our bathroom. lol its weird putting a pic of it on here but...whatever.

Nothing special but it's a little bigger than our old one so that's nice.

ONE DAY I'll get a pic of the outside of the house. :)

..... one day.

A few ... interesting paintings

2009-02-10T16:01:00.000-08:00

So this first one....

This is MADAGASCAR

It's from one of Bryce's mission pics

Assignment: monochromatic, no paintbrushes

(I used: sponge, cue tips, cotton balls, and feathers)

This is from the same assignment (no paintbrushes, monochromatic)

Also from one of Bryce's MADAGASCAR pics.

but I changed it a bit

The First Assignment:

Paint two opposite emotions, non-representational space

SO, my first emotion is

Anxiety/Frustration

(but it turned out to be more like...Awake)

Supposed to be

Calm

(but more like Asleep)

GRRR-eateful !!!!!!!

2009-02-10T15:11:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling to need to post...so here I am lying underneath our kitchen table blogging. (no worries, it's where the heater is ;)

Short Version (for those of you that don't LOVE reading my long anecdotes):

I've been CrazyStressCase for the last few weeks over school.....

I went to a meeting with my Painting Prof. today and, AMAZINGLY, he says he's been impressed with all my work so far this semester and gave me some pretty freakin' awesome grades! The BFA (Bachelors of Fine Arts) review is coming up on the 20th, and I've been worried about if I would make it thru (this is where they decided if they'll let me into the program or not. I have to bring in 10+ of my best pieces (drawings and/or paintings) and I sit with them and they ask me questions and they decide if I get to stay or not). So I asked my Prof. about what he thought about how I'll do, and he said very plainly that I have Nothing to worry about..............................AHHHHHH!!!!!!! makes me feel SO MUCH better! :)

Long Version (for ... those of you who are so amazingly patient with me and my stories) :

A couple of my amazing sisters have been kind enough over the past few weeks to listen to my woes about school and how frustrated I was getting. This semester has been extremely difficult for me. I'm only taking 12 credits: Painting II, 20th century art history, Archaeology of N America, and Math 1050.

Painting has been interesting. He likes to push us and stretch us to our limits. At least mine. Then critique day comes and my work gets hung next to everyone else's and I become even more frustrated. I have been wondering what my professor thinks of my work and if he thinks I have "it" in me.

SO today we each met with my Prof. separately. During the meeting, he has us pull out all the work we've done in the last 6 weeks. He returned the test (that I got 100% on by the way ... only one of two in the class....hehehe) and my graded paper that I wrote for him a couple weeks ago....(Jana- he laughed when he gave it to me and said he could tell that I didn't have any respect for the author of the book. hahaha. I apologized for...it...but he really didn't care that I wrote what I did. haha)

Then he stands up to look at my work again and shows me the grading sheet for them. He pretty much grades them while i sit there....yikes!

But LUCKILY he gave me pretty much perfect scores on EVERYTHING! it was such a miracle. I can't believe he likes half of what I did!

It comes up in most critiques that my style leaks into everything I do and somehow I can't get away from it. I worried that that fact would be my doom .... but it wasn't . phew!!

ALSO: The BFA (Bachelors of Fine Arts) Review is coming up on the 20th, and I've been SO worried about if I would make it thru (this is where they decided if they'll let me into the program or not. I have to bring in 10+ of my best pieces (drawings and/or paintings) and I sit with them and they ask me questions and they decide if I get to stay or not). So I asked my Prof. about what he thought about how I'll do, and he said very plainly that I have Nothing to worry about... talk about feeling grateful.

So all in all, I'm feeling So Much Better about school right now. Let's just pray it lasts.

Painting nightmares

2009-01-31T21:05:00.000-08:00

The Criteria:

*No Paintbrushes allowed

*You must do an underpainting first-using the complimentary colors.

(So under the Green is red and under the red is green

and under the yellow is purple and under

the orange is blue etc. )

*BUT the complimentary colors must also match in intensity.

*other than that, paint whatever you want...whatever way you want

THE PAINTINGS THAT GAVE ME AWEFUL NIGHTMARES ABOUT PAINTING FOR A

WEEK.

THAT'S WHAT PROCRASTINATION DOES...

Kimi dyed my hair!!!

2009-01-25T13:58:00.000-08:00

Kimi and I finally found the time to dye my hair! sweet.

Anyway, it's way darker than usual because they were out of one of the colors I usually use in my little mixture.... :) so we got the darker one...the darkEST one actually. ...

Two things I never blogged about that I meant to...

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

So in case any of you never saw Kimberly's car after she totaled it.....

This was after Bryce ripped off what was left of the bumper and hood (not much)

Her windshield was completely busted too....you can't really tell how bad it was without seeing the bumper and hood along with the rest but...you get the idea.

As for Bryce...he's been at his new job for a couple months now--drivin the tow trucks and doing maintenance on all of them too-- and he's LOVING it! :)

Back in the Day... (4 YEARS AGO!!!)

2009-01-14T21:43:00.000-08:00

Lake Mary

The Grand Canyon

(a few months later)

99 things I may or may not have done

2008-12-31T21:45:00.000-08:00

I got this from Christine's blog who got it from Marylynn's blog. The Bold ones are things I Have done, and the Red are things I want to do

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning...HAHAHA just kidding! ;)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run...does wiffle(wiffel...sp?) ball count?
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain ... my first kiss was in the snow, but of course I've kissed in the rain too :)
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business... www.artlarue.com
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem.....I REALLY REALLY WANT TO!!!

84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating....bryce has!
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous...I'm counting an apostle :)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby ...
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake .... gross!
97. Been involved in a law suit .... almost
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

One Harry Potter movie later...

2008-12-23T14:21:00.001-08:00

For Jana. What i have so far...(My 100th post....sweet!)

2008-12-23T10:52:00.000-08:00

Hey Jana! So I've been working on your painting this morning and I wanted you to see what I have so far

Two feet by four feet

hardwood panel

acrylic

My latest drawings...

2008-12-22T15:19:00.002-08:00

So I FINALLY finished this drawing!! I'm so excited about it!

So here's the finished product...

Here's what it looked like this morning...

And here's what it looked like last night. :)

2008-12-22T15:19:00.001-08:00

six....are you sure?

2008-12-12T12:44:00.000-08:00

So I'm posting today because tomorrow we will be at the cabin with Annette and Cam.

Here's to SIX months of marriage! Can anyone else believe we've been married for HALF a YEAR????? We can't! We both are of the opinion and belief that we have still only been married for Two months.

Jen asked me the other day if it was harder than I thought it would be. Of course it is! :) There is SOOO much that seems harder. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. I don't care that we disagree about 75% of the time. So what? We're meshing two lives into one and two upbringings into one. Now we have the chance to do what we want with OUR home. We get to raise our children our way. Whether it's how I was raised or how he was raised or how neither of us were raised. How cool is that? PLUs, when we DO agree, it's like...the best thing ever!

Now I'm not sure what Bryce would say about how I've been since we've been married but all I know is that Bryce is the KINDEST person I know. I'm always amazed at his attitude. He always wants to do things for EVERYBODY! He loves to help people. I realize how selfish I am sometimes because he is so giving. I love him for that.

One of the other HUGE things I've learned about Bryce since being married is what a missionary he is. There's always two are three friends that he's talking to about the gospel. For example, we have the Book of Mormon Study Guide...I bought it for Bryce for his last birthday. It went missing last week and I finally figured out where it went. Bryce brought it to work and he and one of the guys he works with is inactive, but for the first few mins everyday before they have cars to work on, they flip through the book and find stuff about the Second Coming. I don't know why it makes me laugh but when he told me....just imagining him doing that at work. goodness. Anyway, but I love how he shares the gospel. He doesn't just try to reactivate or...whatever...he becomes friends with people and then eventually he finds that they have something in common that provides means to enjoy the gospel with others.

Anyway, so here is another LIST...oh how I love lists...(no that was NOT sarcastic!!! I REALLY do!! :)

Things I love about being married:

*We can go to bed at 8:30....who cares?

*I get to go everywhere with my best friend.

*I have someone else to make a decision for me if I can't decide.

*I have someone to tell me I look beautiful (even when I know I look awful).

*We get to make out during movies

*There's someone right there every time you wake up and can't sleep

*There's always someone to look forward to seeing at the end of a hard day

*There's always someone to look forward to seeing at the end of a wonderful day

*I get to say, "I'll have to talk to my husband first..."

*At work I get to watch each kid go wide eyed when they find out I'm married(it's quite a scandal to an 11 year old)

*There's always someone to share food with :)

*There's always someone to congratulate you on good grades

*We get to read scriptures together and Pray together

*We get to laugh so hard that my stomach hurts

*There's someone to do the dishes for (by this I mean that I can get the motivation to do dishes or clean the house before he gets home so that he'll be happy and proud of my WIFE-iness)

*I no longer have to move by myself!( I was practically an expert by the time i got married-at moving on my own)

*We get to try to find some names we agree on for kids....(wish us luck! :)

*There's always someone that knows where you are and what you're up to. I don't know, some people might not like that but I LOVE IT. I love that someone is aware of me... makes me feel important

*We get to look forward to being parents someday together. I love seeing Bryce with little kids...makes my "heart swell and burst"

...I could put down so much more. I've just been so blessed!

I just want the world to know that I LOVE MY BRYCE-O!!!!

questions

2008-12-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

This is what happened today when I let Kimi come over to my house....

She decided I need practice being a Mommy (no not prego). So she's now my 6 year old with a billion questions about where money comes from and how much water costs-especially how much it costs when Dad takes extra long showers. She wonders how grape jelly is made and if it's the same as when I make casseroles.

Even her eating habits are that of a 6 year old...

Apparently she even licks the jam off of the cream cheese.