You will die!

I'm looking for videos for class tomorrow, and youtube decided to recommend this video to me. I saw it a few years ago, but I had forgotten about this treasure. I've watched a few times tonight:)

Mom and Aleasha, this is for you! All those years of ballet...

chopped

I chopped off my hair. This seems to happen every 3 or so years, and the time had come

The night before, post gym time. I was going to miss a long pony tail

Deneal literally just cut off this ponytail

While I was in the process of mailing in my donation I was playing with my cut-off ponytail, I had it draped over my shoulder like it was still attached. Stephen was a little grossed out (I guess it does sound a bit weird). I just had too many years of fake braids with BYU dance to even think it was weird to touch my own real hair. It was just so long and I missed the ponytail

ta-da!

I'm not very good at the self-mirror shots

I should ask my students for tips - they are pros at it!

Aleasha - the back layers

No I don't miss my hair, I love it short. Yes I donated it. To Pantene Pro-V's Beautiful Lengths, I like it over Locks of Love. It goes only and specifically to women who have cancer. On Friday I found out that a girl I had danced with when I was little was diagnosed with Leukemia which just made this chop job even more rewarding. I'll grow it back someday, but for now my heart is happy knowing some woman can feel beautiful with 13" of my help.

Here's a link about my friend, her family needs financial help to pay for chemo. Be charitable, even $5

The ultimate playground

My parents bought an awesome playground about a year ago, but it's never been put together because it was such a big project. So over Christmas break Stephen said - let's do it...but really meant, we're gonna get this done!

So the project started. Stephen is learning that when my dad does something, he does it all the way, no skimping, so it literally took days to complete.
1. clear away the sand
2. build a brick wall (I think the only hired step)
3. dig holes for shade poles
4. drill holes into poles
5. cement poles into ground
6. level ground
7. pick up, shovel, spread, level, compact "quarter minus" (aka fancy dirt) over the whole area
8. lay and nail non-woven textile over dirt
9. order, pick up, lay, cut, nail, smooth, sand/rubberize astro-turf
10. assemble playground (sounds easy...not)
11. raise shade covering

It was a huge project that involved the WHOLE family, it was very bonding!

digging holes

sometimes they went so deep into the ground they needed all 4 men to lift this machine

at least they were laughing while they did it:)

we separated into teams - astro turf & play set assembly

the turf took ALL day but it looks professional!

Caleb and Livvy were such good helpers

day 2 of assembling the play ground

Carlen was the mastermind behind it all

I think there were about 40 pages of instructions

the family finished it this week after we left

best play set I've seen!

It looks so warm there...

my mom sent this to me

That's Cohen, he's my soon-to-be nephew...he's crazy and oh so funny!

A car story

Back in early 2008 I was about to graduate from high school and had been accepted to BYU. I had been "the only child" at home for three years, so my parents and I were buds. I was driving a really cute yellow Nissan Frontier truck that was a hand-me-down from my sister, and two cousins. My dad asked if I could have a new car, what would I want. I told him I wanted a black Ford Fusion. I made it my background on my computer and saved money to help pay for one. I would look at pictures online and wanted it so much.

I went on a choir trip to NYC and when I got home my dad said, will you go get "something" (I can't remember what) from the garage? I said sure, but it was very odd for my dad to ask this. So I went out to the garage and saw a small black car. I thought it was my brother's Infinity that I had totalled a month before...that's a different sad story. But my dad said - look a little closer. It was a black Ford Fusion!! One of the best surprises of my life...right after being proposed to:)

So my love connection with Fusion started. I didn't drive her to school for my last few month of high school because I didn't want it to get banged up. But in June I loaded her up with everything I owned and moved to Provo. Fusion carried me through all of college, never seeing AZ again (until this past summer, once I was married)

Well, from the last post, I got a new car - a Ford Escape. Which I also love, so the Fusion had to be sold. Yesterday we got a call from someone wanting it, and today the Fusion is with a new owner. This family was like - a breath of fresh air, like heaven, like angels. He teaches Seminary at Am. Fork HS, the wife had difficult pregnancies so she can't have more children, but encouraged me that my pregnancies would be great. As Stephen sat in the car with her and showed her how everything worked, she said she has never had such a nice car. As we were saying goodbye to them and Fusion, she said this to me and it really hit me - This time of your life is magical. The time you get to spend together as partners is so sweet and you never get it again. And then when you have that first baby, it is just heavenly. Treasure this time!

Then her two kids hopped in the "new car" and she drove away in Fusion. My heart is happy to know that someone so deserving is driving her now. Thank you Fusion, Thank you sweet family for touching our hearts! Happy New Year - it's going to be a good year:)

we shined her up real good - she's a beauty!

We're alive!

I guess we went into hiding for the last two months. I was (am) finishing my first semester teaching - way harder than any college semester and Stephen finished one semester of his junior core. We've been a little boring, but here's some of what we have done...

Stephen was hired as an Intern for Apple. He's elated!

We will be moving to Cupertino, CA this summer while he works for them.

This was the info they sent, of course with their signature front and center

This is Stephen's new car. During finals he got a little distracted looking at cars. But he sold his old car in a few days and found a great deal for this car. It's beautiful inside and is a great ride. Yes - we have the same car...for now

We went to Temple lights, but didn't stay for long - we were freezing!

The Christmas Carol at the Hale Theatre

This has been a tradition for the past few years

I'm crazy I know!

I had a "Preschool Activity" with my 7th grade class

We were learning about child care careers, so they brought 20 3-4year olds to class 

and the students taught them, read to them, and ate a snack

It was a big success!

Stephen came because I was very nervous, but he just manned the timer and took pictures - thanks babe!

We went down to AZ for Christmas

I took Cami and her kids to the Princess Resort where they had 

a train that went around their grounds where they had lots of lights

My new car! 

Stephen is really loving car shopping, and he's good at it. 

My Christmas, birthday, anniversary, everything... present.

 I love it, I love being a little taller and room for babies (someday!)

christmas present from Stephen with my mom adding the monogram - l LOVE this!

My sweet mom is so willing to do projects. I told her I wanted to re-do my AZ room and she helped me all day. We are great painters together! It's now cream, but I didn't get a finished picture because I didn't finish it yet:)

This was a very typical view of my parents house. My brothers were over almost everyday, it was a blast. We all spent a lot of time building a playground in the backyard - pictures to come later

Driving back to UT - it is ARCTIC here!

Thanks Dave & Cami for the Jenga game

My students are loving it!