it was my birthday!

I had a birthday and I shouted hooray! I am one year older but not sure about wiser! HA!

My birthday was on a Saturday this year and it ROCKED! It was a great weekend. I got to spend it with my family and friends. I actually got to spend the ENTIRE weekend with my brothers which was AWESOME!

My whole family stayed overnight at our house on Friday and Jace stayed until Sunday afternoon.

Friday night we went to Shane's football coaching debut at Logan High. He was coaching their safeties this year. They won! In double overtime! It was very intense!

Saturday morning Daren made us all breakfast and we kind of hung out for a few. Then we went miniature golfing and LAUGHED AND LAUGHED! Oh my abs hurt from laughing so hard! I didn't even take any pictures of us there. We were having too much fun! After golfing, we had lunch and then back to our house for birthday singing and dessert! My parents had to leave after that so everyone took a nap until the next set of festivities.

When people asked me what I wanted for my birthday, you know what I thought? I just want people to help me with yard work. HA! That's how OLD I am! I surely wasn't going to make my parents do yard work for me. But my brothers...haha! Luckily, they love me and were willing to help! I only asked for an hour of their time and they gave it. They rock! We are still cleaning up the  previous owners garbage in our backyard. I think we have it all gone now! WOOT!

We went to dinner at Costa Vida...YUM! And then we went over to Annie and Harley's for a fire and a PINATA!! YEP! Daren bought me a pinata for my birthday. It was AWESOME! He knows me so well!

Look how cute these 2 look! We must have worn them out over the weekend! It was church time but I didn't have the heart to wake them!

It was a wonderful week! I had so many texts, phone calls, videos, Facebook messages, visits at my house. It just warmed my heart to know so many people love me! SO GRATEFUL!

This last week, Annie and I went to a Girl's Night Out for my birthday. It was at Freckle Farm, which is a greenhouse type place. It was SO fun! We did a lettering/chalkboard class...that was LITERALLY in the middle of the garden. It was actually quite magical. After the class, they had a garden party with food trucks and vendors. Super fun! After the party, we got some fro-yo and had some good girl talk!

Grateful for my life. And super thankful for this beautiful life!

youth conference

Saturday I went to youth conference and it was wonderful. We spent the entire day on Temple Square. The church has 1 and 2 day youth conference events and we did a 1 day. They put everything together...food, speakers, activities...everything. It was so nice to not have to plan anything!

We met at the church at 6:45 am and we were off!

We were involved with about 4 other wards at various times of the day. Most the time it was just our ward though. We got to tour the Church History Center, we had TC Christensen speak to us. He has done several church movies including 17 Miracles and The Cokeville Miracle. He was excellent! He spoke mainly about the Cokeville Miracle and the interviews he did with the children. Most of them said relatives were there to protect them. They didn't know that at the time but after going through old family photos they figured it out. He said, "Who else would protect you like that? Family are the only people who would do that." How true it is! I am grateful to have grandparents on the other side who I know are watching over me and my family and protecting us from who knows what!

We also had some presentations from the sister missionaries. One of them was talking about The Living Christ. It was wonderful! Really, just wonderful! We also got to visit the Family Search Center and I just couldn't believe how much there is to do down there. Technology provides us with so many tools. Our youth just ate it up! I could have spent so much more time there! I didn't even get to play with all the fun apps they have!

We also had a cooking demonstration which was HILARIOUS! It actually may have been my favorite thing we did. The chef was awesome! He gave some great advice dating and courtship. He talked about how important it is to cook together and to have family dinner, which is something Daren and I talk about and definitely want for our family. He also told a story about a man on his mission that I believe he baptized. He went back to visit 5 years later and the man had not missed a single week of church in 5 years. He said, "We are Mormon and we go to church." This was after they had spent all day and all night traveling from the temple after being sealed. He told his family it was okay to sleep in and miss church. But he got about a few hours later and said NO...we go to church. It really hit me. Even that afternoon, during youth conference, I was thinking about how exhausted I was going to be when 9 am church came around and how I was probably going to sleep in. But I thought. No. "I am Mormon and I go to church." It was very powerful and I really appreciated!

We ended the day with a nice dinner and testimony meeting involving the other 4 wards. For the most part, it was a really nice evening. There is always one that has to detract from the spirit. Luckily, this one person wasn't from our ward. I will tell you though, I would have been absolutely mortified if they were! But I digress...

We ended the evening with a stop at Trader Joe's and McDonald's for diet cokes! Our bishop is a diet coke addict. Maybe that is why I like him so much...

We really have such fantastic youth in our ward. Both Daren and I feel so blessed to be able to teach them and help them grow. Although, I think they are helping me grow more than I am helping them! I am super grateful I was able to go and spend some more time with people from our ward. Every time I am able to be around these people I really do feel so uplifted. It's crazy to think we have only been this ward for a year and I we feel like these people are already family! We love it! We are so blessed!

summer shenanigans

We have had a fun summer! I can't believe it's almost over with! I definitely need more snow cones...

Let's start with the 24th of July...Daren took the day off (WOOT!) and we went to the parade! It's one of my favorite parades...actually it might be my favorite. It's just small and quaint and doesn't ever feel like there are a million people there. Plus, the parade route is mainly shaded. Bonus!

It was HOT though. Some of the kids needed a drink (for some reason nobody had water) and were starting to have melt downs so Daren walked almost 2 blocks to get some water at a local restaurant. He didn't tell us he was leaving, he just did it. I couldn't believe it! He is so amazing! He was the hero of the day! Plus, he played dad for the kids since neither of the dads could make it to the parade. He helped collect candy and held them. I tell you...these kiddos love their Uncle Daren!

Later that night we had some friends over for pizza and fireworks. Annie and Harley made us a new golf ball game! I was SO happy! I have missed playing. We have such great friends! We had homemade pizzas and then went and got some ice cream before the fireworks. I didn't really think the firework watching through too much. I figured we could see them from the top of the hill into Hyrum and we could. We could actually see a ton of fireworks going off...but...it was FREEZING! We only stayed about 10 minutes, just long enough to eat our ice cream, before we were all too cold to keep watching. But now we know! It's a great location, just need to bring some blankets!

Last weekend we went down to celebrate my cute mama's birthday! I got my haircut Friday night. Marci ran to get some dinner so while Daren and I waited for her he decided to try and do my hair. It was quite hilarious actually! I sure do love him!

Saturday we went out breakfast with the fam. We drove to breakfast with Shane and Jace and it was probably the most hilarious ride ever! Shane's gas tank isn't working up to par. It said he had gas but really didn't. All of sudden he says, "We need gas." and SWERVES into the gas station that we just happen to be passing. The car died like 5 feet from the gas pumps! So the guys get out and push up well the dang gas tank is on the OPPOSITE side! We tried to see if the pump would reach and it wouldn't. So the guys had to push it back and over to the other side. We had to have this older couple move their car for us. They were quite nice and were like, "Oh this has happened to us." Once they move the truck Shane yells out the window, "YA'LL are great!" Oh man I was dying! So much laughter! We also jammed out to some Backstreet Boys. It was seriously a great 15 minutes!

After breakfast mom and I went to IKEA! Oh boy was it wonderful! I have had a list in my month for about 6 months and a gift card ready to get used! And it got used! We had a great time!

Later that afternoon, my mom wanted to go up to the mountains for dinner and games. So that is what we did! It was super fun! We had dogs and mallos and played the golf ball game! Jace and Shane had to play a couple rounds before there was actually a winner. Jace finally won.

Guys, I really love my family. Like a whole lot. We have so much fun together and area always laughing. It's just really great! I kept trying to take a family picture with various objects we had lying around but all I did was cut everyone's body's off. Daren came to the rescue and finally set up a good one!

Here is my cute mom with the cake she requested. She wanted a german chocolate cake and she told me she would just buy one. Um. No. Not happening. So I made one. With homemade frosting. And I have to toot my own horn..it was DANG good!

I am so grateful we got to spend a few days with my family. It seems our trips to see them are getting few and far between. Definitely need to change that!


This last week we went on an adventure out to Clarkston to see the Martin Harris pageant. I had never seen it...well at least that I can recall. My mom says I have but I have no memory of it. It was quite lovely actually. It was a beautiful night and I enjoyed myself. We went out with Annie and Harley. Grateful for friends so will go on adventures with us! They really are the best!

I was going to blog about youth conference but I am too tired. I will do it tomorrow hopefully! Just know...it was awesome!

Instead I will leave with a sunset picture. The pictures never do it justice though!

 Until next time!