Price is Right?

Flex Spending… Sounded like such a fantastic idea when I signed up for! I herd so many wonderful things about it, and I here I am with a surplus of $250.17 ( if you do not understand what a ‘surplus’ is watch the Office episode where Michael is explained what it is like a two year old! It is also the same episode where Dwight secretly marries Angela, one of my favorites!) I was worried that I had used all of it, from when I was in the hospital back in July for “Helga” (my unwanted cyst that causes way too much pain but they will not remove!!!) so I was super frugal when it came to using that account. I paid a lot of it upfront in case I needed it for an emergency! Well here I am stuck with having to spend all this money by midnight tonight!


I decided to go on a shopping spree as one might call it last night… I still have $88 left to spend. UGH! I feel as though I am being super wasteful and buying careless things! Granite I always needed a first aid kit for my car and other items, but still! I was online last night with my roommate and we found a list of things my account covers. Here are few items that I m ay possibly look into:


Eye Patch – Who wouldn’t want one? They are the coolest things out there!


Artificial Limbs- Just in case that one day when do some serious damage to myself. I am a klutz, and it is bound to happen sooner or later!


Incontinence Products- My dad is getting old, and Depends should be in the near future… :P


Wart Removal Medications- What more can I say?


Urinary Pain Relief- It is always nice to have something laying around, however I am not too certain what or where I would get something like this.


Speech Therapy- I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, and I tend to stagger sometimes



Wheelchair- One of these days I may need one, and like Boy Scouts always said, it is better to be prepared!


Pregnancy Tests- My roommate and I thought it would be neat to have closet just full of them, and I can always give them away as wedding presents! WATCH OUT!


Artificial Teeth- I think that would make a wonderful Christmas Present :D


Guide Dog- I had a friend growing up who trained them and they are awesome pets! Especially for the lazy! Oh I mean blind…


Hopefully I will be able to meet my goal by midnight. I had fun last night with one of the Pharmacists trying to figure out what in my cart was not covered by my plan. I felt like I was playing the Price is Right.

Snowed In!!!

Christmas was interesting to say the least this year… In the morning I was at my Aunt and Uncles in West Jordan, where we snowed in. The clouds opened up and completely dumped on us! With the wind blowing as hard as it was in combination with the snow, the power went out! It was kind of fun, until we where starving and realized that there was no way to cook the French Toast! Thankfully after an hour or so, the power came back on and we had a yummy breakfast!

Sadly the next issue was trying to leave! With the storm as bad as it was, they had to close down all the roads going eastbound from West and South Jordan! This meant my Aunt was stuck and could not take her family to Henifer, and we didn’t have any food for Christmas dinner. Oh well, it all worked out in some strange way!

By about 6pm, I decided to try to make it to my side of the valley. Thankfully the roads had cleared up some, and I made it home safely, then I honkered down for the night. Totally strange though, when I got out to Sandy, it was just Rain, and a lot of the snow had melted.

After a hot shower and random food compiled together, my roommate and I decided to watch Pride and Prejudice. I have seen the LDS version and the Kira Knightly version, but never the BBC 6 hour one before, until now. I loved it! It was everything I had wished for and then some. I watch the new one now and I feel like it is on fast forward!

Anyway, about an hour and half into it, my roommate had to bring the dogs in for the night, and that was when we noticed the storm! We got about 6 inches in just a few short hours! It was horrible! When I went to bed, the snow was level with the highest parts from shoveling before!

As I woke up the next morning, we had at least a foot of snow! This was by far the most we have gotten in one down pour this year! My roommate tried to shovel the driveway, and only made it in one stripe. It was quite comical! She told me to leave it, and that hopefully the neighbors will feel bad and come help.

I have this crazy phobia of not being able to get out, and have an exit strategy at all times, and I felt really claustrophobic, and needed to dig our way out. Plus I felt like I needed a nice workout, so I went out anyways! She was right… The snow was heavy and more work than I thought it would be! She felt bad and decided to come out and join me. It was a great bonding experience and about an hour of tough work!

When we finally got my car dug out, we decided to finish the whole driveway. However, one of my wonderful roommates left her boyfriends car in the driveway. Since they where not coming back until Sunday night, we thought it would be fun and less work to bury his car. It gave us a good laugh!

Mr Potato Head

I made a new best friend this year, and his name is Mr. Potato Head! Oh how I love him, and I have a few new outfits for him!

I am not a huge fan of him dressed like a woman; in all actuality it is quite scary! I almost had nightmares last night so I had to quickly change him!

He sometimes has a funny nose, sort of like Frosty...

But I think he breathes the best and looks the best dressed like this!

Roni's 1st Christmas

Baby Cousin Roni had her first Christmas this year. Oh how cute she really was! She is only 9 months old but she seemed to understand opening presents and playing with things. On Christmas Eve we always get to open PJ’s. She was so adorable opening her first present!

Later she decided to get into the box and just play! She would get so excited and her cute little hands would start clasping together! Oh How I love my baby cousin!

Christmas...

As I was getting ready for Christmas Eve yesterday, I herd a song on the radio that broke my heart. It was a little 4 year old boy singing about all he wanted for Christmas was his older brother home from Iraq. I was trying so hard not to cry. I understand Cody is in the “safe zone” but it still hurts to know what could happen to him.

So here we are with another Christmas behind us… and yet it doesn’t feel any different. I understand that the true meaning of Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, however I feel that family is a huge important piece of it. It has not felt like a true Christmas for awhile, especially since my brother Cody joined the military, and after my father moved out. This year is different, Cody has been deployed back to Iraq, but thankfully he is in holding in Kuwait, waiting for clearance to cross over into Iraq. My father decided to stay back in Idaho this year, so it is just me and mom like it always is. Which is totally fine, I just wish that my whole family was here!

The Gift of Service

It’s the most wonderful time of the year….. What a true and wonderful song/ saying! I have been trying to think of things that will make me happier in my life. I read in this crazy old book multiple times that service is the key to happiness. Which by any means I have been trying, but it seems like nothing is happening. Then again I have been blessed for so much, and I feel like for the first time I live at a place where I actually enjoy going home!

My latest adventure has helped me really try harder to think others and those that may be not blessed with as much and who are struggling. My amazing roommate came at me on Saturday morning and asked if I would go with her to the food co-op. I had no idea what was going on. On the drive over she shared with me a story about this lady named Karen. I guess she babysits for the neighbors every now and then and when she was called on Wednesday night she said “oh good now I have money for food”. This broke my roommate’s heart when she herd about this (and mine too!), so she decided to ‘adopt’ her and bring her food and what not.

We went and got her tons of amazing food, meat, produce, breads and grains, and food storage stuff. We had an entire blue Ikea bag filled to the top! There was also a Christmas present in there for her (a nice thermal jacket, purple her favorite color). Since she has seen my roommate play with the girls, and I had never met her, I had the joys of hiking the heavy heavy bag of goodies up 3 flights of stairs! When she answered the door, she was overcome with joy and I had a hard time trying not to cry myself! She grabbed me and made me come inside. She was so welcoming and wonderful!

She wanted to show me her little mini Christmas tree and everything about her. She loves animals and there is not an inch on the walls that is not covered by a cut out picture of a dog or any type of animal! She also loved anything church related and troll dolls. I felt like I was back in the early 90’s with how many troll dolls there where. I visited with her for over a half hour, mind you my roommate sat patiently in the car this whole time!

I guess last year she did not have any money to pay for her gas bill, so she went the entire, horrible stormy winter without any heat. This year her Bishop is forcing her to keep it on. My roommate is going to try to figure something out so we can secretly help as well.

There is too much that I take for granite. I have food in my closet, clothes on back and thankfully since the gas prices are low, fuel in my car. I just have to keep thinking that the Lord has plan and that He is watching out for me. It will all work out in due time.

All at once... Understanding in a car crash

In the words of Pete Yorn, “Every now and then I get like this. And it isn’t hard to see. That the old man in the kitchen, I think he is part of me. Don’t think nothing about the old house, cause I burned it to the ground. And when the darkness comes I lie awake… Playing lost and found.” Nobody says it better than him… But why does it always come down to this? Why is it that when it gets this rough I push people away? I was always told to not show emotions, don’t let people know, but times have changed and I just seems to get worse and worse the more I bottle it up inside!

This week seems to be like a nightmare. More and more things keep happening and I wonder why me? When is it going to stop? Why can’t I breathe and just escape the world around me. Just for one day to be and feel free? I want to scream at the top of my lungs and try to heal and get past everything, but I am stuck in my office right now. Going insane, wracking my brain to try to figure this out.

"Understanding In A Car Crash" by Thrice

Splintered piece of glass falls, in the seat, gets caught
These broken windows, open locks, reminders of the youth we lost
In trying so hard to look away from you
we followed white lines to the sunset
I crash my car everyday the same way Time to let this pass (the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time runs through our veins. (it starts and stops and starts and stops again)
We don't stand a chance in this threadbare time (the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time to let this pass (the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done I don't want to feel this way forever
A dead letter marked return to sender The broken watch you gave me turns into a compass
It's two hands still point to the same time 12:03, our last goodbye So push the seats back a little further
I can see the headlights coming
So push the seats back a little further
Roll the windows down and take a breath
I can see the headlights coming
They paint the world in red and broken glassTime to let this pass (the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time runs through our veins. (it starts and stops and starts and stops again)
We don't stand a chance in this threadbare time (the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time to let this pass (the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done I don't want to feel this way forever
A dead letter marked return to sender The spinning hubcaps set the tempo, for the music of the broken window
The Cameras on and the cameras click
We open up the lens and can't stopStaring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage doneI don't want to feel this way forever The lights are on and the cameras click
We open up the lens (to broken glass!)Staring at the setting sun (And it's over!)
No reason to come back again (In a flash!)
The twilight world in blue and white (and I'll never!)
The needle and the damage done (ever understand!)I don't want to feel this way forever (Understanding!)
(In a Car Crash!) A dead letter marked return to sender (In a Car Crash!)
(In a Crash!) In a Crash!


Will this feeling ever go away? When is it my turn to finally be happy?!? Haven't I suffered and been though enough yet?

Laziness...

I have become more and more frustrated in recent months of people and their stupid laziness. It baffles me how people cannot do things for themselves anymore. We have tons and tons of new gadgets that are ridiculous and quite frankly a waste of time and money. For instance my roommate, bless her because she is amazing, she bought this crazy gadget on QVC that looks like a gun, and you stick it in where the dead Christmas light would be, and pull the trigger and then magically make the light work again. Kind of far fetched I would say, but I went along with it out of curiosity. I am likely to say that my suspicions where right and it was a waste of money. Now it had actually worked, then I would have thought that was kind of cool, and may pay off over time the cost of it. Yet again, only using it really once a year would make me question the expense again.

This brings me to another part of wondering why people are so lazy! Whatever happened to homemade things, like bread, a toothbrush (why spend money on something electric like that?!) or sewing your own clothes, etc? Why not take pride in knowing that you created or did something on your own? Is it the way children these days are raised that they do not know the concept of taking the garbage out or emptying the dishwasher? I wonder home many times my lazy roommates can trip over the garbage bags until they realize that they have to take it outside? And this also means to me, ALL the garbage. I feel that you should make sure to take out all of it, and not leave another bag because you feel like it! It is not like we live in an apartment, or we have to go for a hike to dispose of it. It is two feet away, next to where we park our cars!

This experience totally killed me though! One of my roommates saw clearly that I was doing my dishes, and came up behind me and asked if the dishwasher was clean or dirty. While asking the question (not like we do not have a sign on the dishwasher that says if it is dirty or clean mind you) she opens the dishwasher up to see for herself. It was clean in fact and you could tell by opening it, since just the faintest amount of warmth came from it. She then turns to me and says “oops, looks like its clean; I will wash my cup by hand!” I then wonder how she feels it is fair that everyone pick up after her?! I on the other hand love where I live and try to clean up after myself as much as possible. I also have decided though that I am not everyone’s mother, and am done cleaning up after those that live there that think everything should be done for them.

The other thing with this is quiet service. If you take out the garbage or empty the dishwasher, do not make it into a Broadway production. Good for you, you finally lifted a finger to show a tiny sign of respect for where you live. Would you like a gold star? How you keep your room is your business, but common area’s pick up after yourself! I also do not care for knowing how much money you are spending on your family for Christmas, or how you pay their bills. It frustrates me to no end to hear all about this stuff, to try to make you look like a saint! To me, that is honestly just more self centered and rude. Silent service is what counts! Other than me stating this here, I do not tell my roommates or anyone when I go out of my way to help out, like when I scrape the ice of their cars, bring the dogs in and out for bed or bring the garbage cans to the curb. I am a happier person when I know I do something good for someone else and don’t say anything, it defeats the purpose!

This is what got me truly thinking about this subject today though. Today I had the joys at work of calling an agent in Florida about one of properties. From dealing with multiple issues at this one address, I am aware that the home has been vandalized. Holes in the drywall, broken mirrors, glass etc. Now when I asked our local agent back in October to clean it up a little, she told me that the property has always been like that. With foreclosures, you expect certain things and have an idea of what to expect when you go inside. Drywall and holes, you can deal with. I could fix that (thank you to my Father who taught me a few weeks ago how to repair the hole in the wall. Long story…), but the mirrors and glass is something anyone can clean! I sat there for at least 5 minutes listening to this German gentleman yell and curse at me on the phone about the issues. At that point I had had enough of this! Instead of emailing or calling our local agent again, I went to the Asset Manager and person over the Local Agent. My logical thinking is that he can make them grab a dustpan and broom and clean it up. It is a safety hazard to have that all over the property. What is someone fell and got cut? The response I received was, “can you get a bid on the cleanup?” HELLO?! It would take like maybe 5 minutes tops to clean up some glass! I will even clean it up for free if you fly to Florida! The pure laziness of this upset me! Not to mention the fact that I do not get bids, that is not my job! So I tried to as kindly as possible reply back to him, that is not my job, teach me how, and how I thought they could get off their ass and sweep it up. He of course apologized about the mix up.

Sorry for my rants and raves. I am honestly going to be a much happier person in January once things change at home. I love where I live and most of the baggage that comes with it… I have been so blessed with certain things, and wonderful people to try to help me in this large world that I feel lost in.

Wishes...

For those of you that really know me, I am a huge music buff. Not so much in the past few months (since the death of culture attacked me here in Utah), but I enjoy listening to new things and experiencing everything there is to offer. Yes, sadly I am listening to a little bit more to the country genre, and yet another thing that I have to thank wonderful Utah for…

When I was driving home from work last night I herd this new song come on the radio by a group called ‘Point of Grace’. As I was listening to the lyrics, it made me think about a lot that has been going on in my life right now. Up to about a month ago or so I felt like I was on top of the world… I felt like for the first time in a long time that I was happy and things where going great for me. Then it was a tornado effect as to everything being ripped and torn apart. Yes I am guilty of keeping things bottled up inside. It was how I was taught. There is no difference. I think that is one of the reasons as to why I was sent here to Utah, to be able to depend on my family more and being able to turn to them in times of trials and struggles. But how can I do that when I feel as though I have a huge weight on my shoulder?

Here are the lyrics to the song:

I wish I didn’t feel so helplessI wish I didn’t act so selfishI wish I didn’t wring my hands night and dayMy hair was a little bit smootherMy jeans fit a little bit looserAnd I always knew the right things to sayAnd I wish I wouldn’t hide what’s been going on insideAnd I wish you wouldn’t get scared and run away

Chorus: I wish I was doing betterWith all the things that matter,I guess I got some learning to doI wish everyone had someoneTo hold em and to love emThe way I’m always gonna love youI wish wishes came true

I wish there was a cure for cancerI wish somebody had an answerAnd all God’s children, never got hurtI wish Eve never bit that appleYou men never went to battleAnd I didn’t get so mad at the worldI wish I was more like JesusAnd could pick up all the piecesAnd make a better life for my baby girl

Chorus: I wish I was doing betterWith all the things that matter,I guess I got some learning to doI wish everyone had someoneTo hold em and to love emThe way I’m always gonna love youI wish wishes came true For everything I am wishingI know someone up there is listening So, I say my prayers when I go to bedAhh, ahh, ahhOh pray my wishes come trueOh

Chorus: I wish I was doing betterWith all the things that matter,I guess I got some learning to doI wish everyone had someoneTo hold em and to love emThe way I’m always gonna love youI wish wishes came true I know wishes come trueI wish, I wish

There are so many things that I too wish for. So many things that I want in life. Yet, one of the three things that I want most right now, I feel as though I cannot attempt to reach out for it, if by same fate I do then I will loose a part of my family. Sure this person has not been the most supportive figure in my life, but I would think that one could only dream that they would be, to be loved unconditionally and not care how “crazy” ones decision may be. I feel as though I could maybe work on being happy if that is the case, but the fear is what’s keeping me back.

Besides from that if I could have anything in the world I wish I knew how the outcome of my brother would be. He is getting ready for his second deployment to Iraq; I can’t help but shake this horrible feeling inside that it’s not going to be alright. I treasured the time I spent with him in January, and the wonderful conversations that we have shared. I thought that it would make it easier having a relationship with him, but I think it only makes things worse. Just to be able to see him one more time, to be able to hug him and tell him how much I care. That no matter what happens in life I will be there for him. But I worry and I stress, and I this is the one thing that I have to keep from my family. Seeing my parents with the last tour was hard enough. To have to be the strong one and say that it is alright and everything is okay. I don’t want to have to put that fake smile on again. I am done with feeling like I have to please everyone. I don’t think I will be able to drop everything like I did last summer to drive almost 5 hours to just be with my Mom, no matter how much I hope and wish that I could.

I wish I could find what will make me happy inside again, without hurting those around me. I am nothing like the person who I used to be from high school or my lifestyle in Vegas. I’m done with living my life for others, and trying to pretend that everything is alright. I would love to say that no one is worth my tears, but can you really say that if most of it is from your family? I need to live in the moment and worry about myself, and not always wonder if I am stepping on anyone else’s toes. I guess time will only tell what will happen, and how things will pan out…

Free Taco's and Black Cats

Free Taco, Why yes please! So this week has kind of sucked. Well, like my life in general! I have been sick since Saturday, but things I just have come accustom to! When Penny got off of work, we decided to play a wonderful game! A Taco Bell scavenger hunt for free Taco’s. Did you know that during the World Series, if someone steals a base, that they give away free taco’s? I totally learned something new, and had a blast going from Taco Bell to Taco Bell. Of course by the time we got home, the first trip was soggy, but it was still the joys of trying to find Taco’s. Too bad we threw half of them away and the everything else. I have not really had an appetite lately to begin with, let alone being sick…

Later after that adventure I went with my Mom and Aunt to go see Mamma Mia. Of course I went in my pj’s and slippers, why would I get dressed up to go see a movie? On the way home, I was driving from Jordan Landing down 90th south heading East, and I kid you not a black cat with glowing green eyes darted out in front of my car! I swerved the car, and totally felt like I ran over a paw! I screamed into poor Laura Lou’s ear, and looked back into the mirror and saw the cat starring at me! Totally freaked me out! Or maybe it was a sign saying I should not have been driving…

Hayrides and Pumpkin Patches

What an interesting night! Well week for that matter. I think I have eaten a lifetime supply of chocolate! Things are looking up, and I am trying to be happy with life again. Last night I went to Santaquin with my Mom to visit my Aunt, Uncle and baby Cousin. Little Roni is getting SO big! He is 6 months old now, and it is scary how fast she is growing! She is really smart, and if you ask her to clap her hands, she does! She also is really good at standing and sitting up! I guess Amber said she gets to frustrated trying to crawl, so she might even skip that whole step!

Joe wanted to take us to a place called the Red Barn for Ice Cream. It is on a farm in the outskirts of town. When we pulled into the driveway, Kimmie (Amber’s sister) and I where totally bombarded when we got out of our cars! This older lady wanted to know if we where with the Singles ward. I guess they where having a Multi Stake singles shin-dig. They had a hayride and pumpkin picking activity, and then hot cocoa and donuts afterwards.

Surprisingly it was way fun, and a blast to hang out with Kimmie! I have to be honest it was a bit chilly, and I was still in my work clothes since I had left straight from work to go down there! When we got to the pumpkin patch, I found the perfect pumpkin right away! It literally looked like it had a glowing light around it calling my name! I named it Herbert, I really don’t know why, it just spilled out when my moms crazy driving mad him fly across the back seat! We got a few funny pictures, which should be posted soon. I have to have her email or Facebook them to me!

When we got back, we basically ran in, stole some doughnuts and left. Well, in a nut shell of course! For the record, really yummy doughnuts. I normally don’t like doughnuts, since they are so much sugar, but these where amazing! Homemade! We then drove down to Payson and went to a Mexican restaurant. I have not had good Mexican food in a while, so it was such an amazing experience. We ran into some of the guys that where on the hay ride with us, and one was not too shabby… We talked for like a split second, but I will be honest, I was totally hungry so the conversation did not last too long!

Since I am well, let’s be honest… Lame, we decided to go home after dinner. I had to get up early for work, so I felt bad that we did not go back to play games and watch movies. It is honestly an hour drive, and I was already so tired! I guess when I don’t get my afternoon nap; it takes a toll on me. Not to mention this week has been an emotionally draining week.

Corn Maze

So Last night had the joys of going to the Corn Maze at Thanksgiving Point with some friends from my old singles ward in Centerville. It was the perfect night to go, and it was so much fun! Dallin convinced me to go, and it was totally worth my time. We went through the Haunted Maze and House. WOW! I can typically watch any scary movie and not scream or get scared, however last night I have no idea what came over me! I am totally loosing my voice from screaming so much! Dallin and I grabbed each other so tight, which made me feel better since he screamed too! To bad my screams drowned out his! In the haunted monster house thing, He totally made me go first, and it was pitch black! I get way claustrophobic in certain areas and that was one of them!

After the haunted stuff we went into the regular maze and it was in the shape of David Archuleta. I could not tell when we went through it, or even at the above lookout but it was kind of cool. Last year when we went, it took almost an hour and we got lost a lot, but this year it was fairly basic. Maybe it was because I was leading ;)

All in all it was a fun night, the only thing I didn’t do that I wanted to do was ride the Bull. It looked like too much fun, but some people wanted to leave. Then again, they drove from Centerville so an extra 45 Minutes than I had to drive. As skeptical as I was to move back to the Salt Lake Valley, I have really enjoyed it. I have the world’s best roommates, great friends, and I am happy once again. Now if I could just let my guard down let someone special into my life, everything will be perfect!

Roadtrip To Idaho

So it has been awhile since I have been up to my parents house. I needed a weekend to get out of Salt Lake and breathe. I forget how nice it is to be out of the city, even if it is Salt Lake! I left early Saturday morning, and made my normal stop in Arimo. This is a tiny town between Malad and Poccatello, if you blink you will miss it! My mom grew up there, along with all of my mom's family. I stopped by to see my Grandfather's grave. I drive by there a lot, it is just really hard for me most times to get out and walk around. I miss him so much, but I spent a lot of time there. A lot of great memories, that are now tarnished by my extended families need to argue and create more issues. I also stopped at England's gas station there in town and bought all of the circus peanuts. I find them to be gross and way way too much sugar, but it is a family tradition to always buy them there.

I met up with some old friends in Rexburg. My old neighbor Emily (well twin sister, I am just exactly 2 years older than her :D) and Lindsay went to lunch at Bajio. It was so great to catch up with them! Em and I figured it had to have been almost 3 years since we had actually seen each other. She is 8 months preggers, and totally adorable! I forgot how much energy she has, and just like her mom! We all used to have so much fun together, and I loved just seeing them. It makes me less homesick. I has been almost a year and half since I have been back to Vancouver, and I need some fresh clean air before the desert kills me!

After almost 2 hours, I finally made the drive up to Island Park. I was kind of trying to push it off, cause it is the normal conversations with my dad that makes me go crazy, what I'm doinng wrong in my life, Why am I not cooking, my choice in religion and the new one, Politics. I have views that most LDS faith based do not believe or stand for, and I just don't like to deal with defending my beliefs. I believe we are all children of Heavenly Father and that HE is the only one to judge us, so why does that give me the right to say if it good or bad. Live your life to the fullest, and whatever makes you happy! Wow, nice soapbox... So I may have forgot to tell my Dad that I was coming up, and I scared him when he saw me trying to nap on his bed! I could only laugh. Thankfully he has not been that bad this time.

When I woke up, I was told I had visitors. Crystal, her husband and their baby came up for a visit! They also brought Summer, her hubby and baby! I had no Idea she was living in Rexburg, or had a baby! It was so great to hang out and catch up! This was the first time I got to see Raquel, Crystal was preggers when I saw her last. She is the cutest baby ever! She looks so much like her dad and has the same personality! Summer's little guy Paxton looks so much like her as well. He is a cute little chunky guy! After my mom made them a pizza, we got in our cars and drove down to Mesa falls.

The sun was setting, but it was still pretty. On our way out of Island Park, we saw 2 moose in the River. We stopped and got some great pictures! Then on old highway that takes you to the falls, we almost hit a deer! I am always the person to never see it, not to mention I have the worst eye sight EVER! It was like Bambi, I only wish I got a picture! By the time we got down to the upper falls, it was really dark. The falls was still as beautiful even in the dark. We got some group photos, I need to get a copy of them! We hiked back up to the cars. It was such a great night, and something I totally needed to clear my head! Plus not to mention I was able to talk to Cody through IM this morning. He said he packed all of his gear, and will be In Iraq around Thanksgiving. I hope this deployment goes okay.

I really am not looking forward to the drive back, it is only 4 1/2 hours, but It makes me think of my life that is there waiting for me. I have to remember that as nice as it is to getaway for a day or two, life and reality is always waiting for you. Good news is, my Mom is coming down for the week. I enjoy her visits more so when she comes alone. Plus we can go shopping and I can relax!