new york!!!!!!

mike and i did a quick weekend trip to new york and it was hands down the best trip ever

we had an absolute blast!! 

it was my first time going and mike goes all the time so it was good to have a tour guide

we saw and did everything i wanted to do and more

my friend josh was even there at the same time visiting so we got to meet up with him for a night

it was such a good trip and so glad we went! i for sure wouldn't mind going again :)

ps...there are a lot of pictures!!! and they are not in order...

i have always wanted to see the statue of liberty, but the ferry was closed down so this was as good as i got to it! i promise it was cooler in person

empire state building was for sure my favorite part. seeing the view was so refreshing and so neat! 

riding the subway literally made me nervous, all the weird people

it was also so humid and hot waiting for it

but it was a lot cheaper than taxis!

we stayed right in times square...it was so pretty!

i even loved it when it rained, the weather was still so nice 

we went to the rockefeller plaza and walked around inside

josh and i being tourists 

we went on a nice little tour around central park with some cheesecake

this guy had a cart hooked on to his bike and rode us around he was so out of breath we could barely understand him 

the huge toy story on 5th avenue. i could really spend all day there, it was so neat! 

and they have life size candy 

finally went to the real serendipity from the movie!! i was so giddy and went to the real spot where they actually filmed it

i couldn't believe that these were actually onion rings and not doughnuts.

they were huge! and not very good 

the new world trade centers, it was so neat to see this sight! and all the new buildings 

finally saw wicked!!!!! 

this was as much as i got to the statue of liberty, a black man in the costume

still felt pretty cool 

ummm i was pretending to kiss his cheek and he turned his head

his breath stunk so bad. we really aren't kissing, the flame just makes it look like we are

met up with josh and his friends, a lot of fun!

saw the night life of ny 

loved this show, i could so go again

i am not a huge fan of plays but i actually really enjoyed this one! 

after 09/11 after everything was removed this was the only thing still standing, so they moved it to battery park. thought that was pretty cool

it was so pretty at night when it was raining, i couldn't get enough of the scenery 

hands down the best pizza i have had, i loved all the pizza we tried!

and all the slices were so big 

mike hates pictures, it was pulling teeth trying to make him take one with me

this is pretty much all i got

we had a lot of fun and were sad to go home. 

can't wait to see where we go next! 

labor day weekend!

eating

riding the tram

hot tubing

eating

tv

walks

going to the park

shopping

church

drives

it was an awesome labor day weekend, nice relaxing time with the fam. park city was so beautiful! the weather was perfect. it was nice to have the whole fam together 

favorite part was watching stace freak out on the tram, i was scared also but she was terrified beyond words. there was a point of tears and anxiety. we were scared to move a muscle so that the cart wouldn't rock back and forth. we couldn't even hold a conversation cause we were too scared to talk. she really did think the cable was going to break and we were going to die. on the way back we thought it was smart for her to ride with dave and for me to ride with my parents ha and it worked. we were just fine after round 2. glad we survived :) 

it was a fun weekend! park city is never a let down

past due

yeah....I won't say how long its been since I last blogged or what the excuse is.
doesn't everyone just take a break during the summer? you are just too busy
I will just say that was my summer break and now I am back up!

I don't even know where to begin on this post cause seriously so much has happened and changed...its actually been a pretty rough summer. But I have enjoyed it as much as I could and am ready for whats ahead of me! To start off the summer I got hit with a pretty nasty break up. And I don't want to get all mushy and all but I have got to say its been the toughest one yet! Something I was not planning on nor wanting. But there comes a point when you gotta realize if both of you guys want the same thing. And unfortunately that was the case with us. We realized we weren't on the same page anymore and wanting different things. It also sucks cause we are in the same ward and same group of friends ha. I have had to distance myself completely. Which is why I think I got a new job in slc. I kept praying to get me out of so jo and to start a new chapter. And I was very blessed when it did happen. I got a new job in slc and decided to move up there and be out on my own again. I absolutely love this new job and the people I work with, it is challenging and keeps me busy all day. It has seriously been such a huge blessing and I am so lucky I got it. It was really tough in the beginning cause all my jobs have been pretty easy and laid back ha so it was a lot to learn and get used to. Its funny what the lord has in store for you, this is not at all the way I wanted my life to go nor did I see it going but I am loving where I am at now and everything I get to learn and experience each and everyday!

I was able to attend a beautiful funeral this summer. One of my best friends Tiff, from hair school, was married for about a year and a half and her husband was battling cancer for quite some time. It has been a tough road for them and she has stayed so strong. They came to Vegas to see some family and friends and I knew it would probably be the last time I would see him. So Mike and I went up there just for the day and was able to see them and hang out with them. He passed away the next month. I am thankful I was able to see him one last time and be able to see the happiness he brought to Tiffs life.They buried him here in Utah in Morgan and I was able to attend it. It was quite the emotional funeral but yet so peaceful. Everyone was just so thankful he was finally out of pain and in a better place. It has been tough to see such a dear friend go through this and especially his family. But sometimes its just part of the plan, whether we want it or not. And besides the funeral I am so glad I was able to spend some time with Tiff during this hard time and be there for her. I could not even begin to imagine what would it be like to have to bear her trial. She is a great example of strength to me and to know that for me it could always be worse.

Besides all of this I have had some really neat and fun experiences. Mel also had her baby this summer which was so exciting! It was a tough pregnancy and delivery but we are so excited to finally have baby Ivy here. We are all so obsessed with her and can't get enough. Then we found out Stacie is pregnant with another girl! We are excited to have another addition, it is so fun watching the fam grow. I feel like I can just keep going with all my updates. But I will slow down and just say that life is great and I am loving slc. I have met some pretty awesome people and been on some great dates with great guys. This summer has seriously flown by and has been so fun.

Anywhooo...enough of all this serious talk and lame venting. I am sorry for all who had to read this long novel.  I will share some of my favorite highlights from this summer though :)

moving out

day trip to vegas with mike

new job

katy perry movie!

lots of play time with chara

time with the fam

endless trips to sno shacks and frozen yogurt

weddings

dates

hanging out with tiff

zoo day with my work

boating

going to the canyons

swimming

temple trips

having meg come into town a few times

fireworks

hanging out at the park

scooter rides

movie nights

fires

obsessing over ivy

sleepovers

memorial day weekend

i always want to take a hundred pictures but i always forget to. here are just a few from the weekend!!
i am so thankful i was able to spend so much time with meg and chara and for their friendship, words cant explain the giddiness i get when i know they are coming into town. it was so much fun and so good to talk with them. as hard as this past month as been i know i am still so blessed for what i have and the people pulling me through.
it was a fun weekend indeed. i did get sick though, right in the middle of it which sucked cause i hardly ever get sick so i think the world is ending when i do. mel and brad took good care of me and gave me all the best meds. so lets hope it clears up! sure love the long weekends :)
here are just some highlights from it all....

game night with chara's boy and mike

endless food

sleepover with megan and chara

movie night

bumming around all day saturday with the girls

good music 

parents out of town

having dinner with mel and brad 

long drives

talking for hours at the park

nice weather

long walks

picnic with chara and her dog 

swimming

surprise wedding trip

another amazing canada trip down!!
man, i am obsessed with the people in these pictures...what i would give to be close to them

so i wasn't even planning on going to this wedding and the night before i packed up my car and decided last minute to go. it was great fun. I picked up megan in idaho and we were on our way! i didn't tell anyone that i was going so i was excited to surprise everyone. and i sure did, everyones reaction was priceless. seeing kristens face coming out of the temple was already so cool, then her spotting me in the crowd thinking i wasn't coming was even better. i absolutely loved meeting her husband and thought he was so awesome. i am beyond words happy for them and so glad i was able to be there on their special day. we spent the first day at their wedding and doing all their festivities. it was great seeing everyone and being a part of it all. the dinner was fantastic and the speeches made me tear up.

the next day we of course went to waterton, it is always tradition. even when it is snowing and i don't think i am going to make it out alive, we still go. i was finally able to meet celeste's new man and visit all the shops. we tried to take a few photos but none of us could feel our hands ha but we did get a few! we saw bears, rams and lots of deer. the drive was so beautiful in the snow and all the scenery. we ended the night watching movies, getting warm, cuddling up with my grandma, eating popcorn, talking for hours and just being hyper.

my trips are always just a few days but it is always what i need. i am so glad i decided to go up there, i would have regretted it big time. it was so fun escaping and getting away for a bit. i am beyond thankful for my extended family and how close we are even though we live so far away from each other. i love spending time with them and being with them. i am so happy for kristen and jon and so excited for their new life together!!! thank you family for the good times.

welcome warm weather

did a little kite flying this weekend, i think us 3 are making a tradition 

carson said he is too cool to fly kites

but we sure had a blast doing it...took a while to figure out what was going on but we succeeded!

we loved the warm weather and all the kids running around, lets just hope it stays that way. it sure lifts your spirits, it was refreshing!

it was a great weekend

megan is finally home and i was finally able to see her! looong 18 months

we had a sleepover that weekend and she reported that sunday

it was so crazy to see her again, we kept laughing asking if it was for real

i am so thankful for her and her example of serving

i didnt get much time with her cause she is back in canada but i am glad she had a stop here! 

i sure love her to pieces and dreading the next goodbye i have to make with celeste here in a few weeks...

freak, life is good and so are missions :) 

my heart will go on

maybe....

what do you not see in these pictures?

yeah, no celine...I was debating if i should even blog about this trip cause of how excited i was

got an email a few days before the trip saying she has cancelled all her show until June 18th

we did get refunded for the tickets, but still. such a letdown

buuut we still went! we still wanted a trip and we were still excited

it was a total blast and we still made the most out of the trip

we are still wanting to go in june when she comes back though

natalie, from st george, came and met up with us for the day 

we ate, shopped, vegged, went to the wax museum....which i totally loved! then we went to another show

i'm glad we still went, i always love a good roadtrip, especially with chara! 

thanks filthy vegas for entertaining us, and thank you celine for breaking our hearts. you should be thankful you still have us as fans