Well...hello again! I've been thinking a lot lately about the need to keep up with my journal and I haven't been doing that, so maybe continuing with my blog with help me get into the habit again? We'll see...since it's been almost a year since I last posted, I'm sure I won't include everything that we've done this year.
I'll try to break it down month by month...that might help :)
February:
The first thing I can think of is Valentine's Day. Brad had been interested in going to school to become a Helicopter Pilot. So on V-day we went on a helicopter ride! It was so much fun! Needless to say, that sealed the deal and Brad has been going to school. He loves it and is doing really well at it!! He's done his solo flight (some of his family and my family were able to go see him fly!) It was nerve-wracking, but he did awesome! I was so (am still) proud of him! He's done a few solo flights and is almost ready to take his check-ride flight to get his Private Pilot license. That's been a lot of fun so far. I've been able to go on a couple rides with him and his instructor. We flew around Pineview, Morgan and OVER a mountain (with the doors off...I was a little terrified at that point haha). We also flew to Provo one night and that was cool. We made a detour to fly around Salt Lake and see the temple. (back to V-day, we also had some delicious bacon wrapped steaks, but that's besides the point, but still worth mentioning haha)
March:
We remodeled our front room (I can't remember when we started and when we finished exactly) and it looks great! We took out the carpet and used the hardwood floor underneath. Painted walls, and re-did baseboards...it was quite the project, but we had a lot of help from family and friends. It's a lot of work and I don't know if I want to do any more remodeling for a while...
April:
My birthday. It was fabulous. We had a bbq at our house and hung out with family. Also in April we made a trip to see my dad in Cheyenne. We did a lot of shopping (right down Brad's alley...haha) and saw WICKED! It was awesome. Brad said it "wasn't too bad". I saw it in New York a few years ago and this one was just as good. We of course got our mug (that's our thing: buy mugs or glasses at different places we visit or things we do).
May:
I hate that I don't really remember much of what we've done other than the big events...our lives have mainly been, work, school, house projects...We were able to go to my cousin Jordan's wedding...not sure if it was June or May...so I'll stick it here. It was really special. I can't believe that we are all old enough to be getting married and having babies!! My cousin Andrea is having a baby (even though she's still like 12 in my eyes...haha)!
June:
Brad's birthday. We went to Maddox and the Crystal Inn. We were going to Logan on Sunday for our nephew's blessing, so we decided to stay the night in a hotel. It was a lot of fun. And Maddox never disappoints. I started teaching piano lessons. That's been a learning experience for me! I like it and the kids are awesome and fun to see each week. It's something to do while Brad is at school and to provide some additional income. My parents gave me their piano! I love that thing, so it was a great gift!!
July:
Family reunions. We went to Bear Lake with the Baxter's. SO fun except it rained one day and was cold. But we played a lot of fun games and ate great food.
We had the Hill family reunion as well and partied it up. We had games and played at the Syracuse fun center. We played lasertag and that was so much fun!! Dillon and Hallie played with us too and loved it. I'm thinking that when Brad and I are super rich (lol) that we should have a lasertag area in our basement.
August:
ANNIVERSARY! 1 year. We made it. It has been a great year, full of major ups and major downs, but we are learning and it gets better every day! I love my husband. He is so good for me and one of these days we'll get the marriage thing down...haha We went to the Alaskan Inn and then up to Tony's Grove for camping. I was an Assistant Camp Director and so we went up the day before to get the spots and set up camp. I love that Brad is a mountain man. :) Girls camp was amazing! Heidi Thornock was the Camp Director and she is one of the best people I know. It was great to serve with her and Emma. We have such a good group of YW too. They all love and support each other. After girls camp, I got released and put in as 2nd Counselor in the YW's! I'm so grateful for my calling. I love the ladies I serve with...Emma Finger, Chelsea Kartchner and Esther Emerson. I love the Beehives that I'm over!! they are so cute and full of energy. Good examples to me!!
September:
We went to Lake Powell with some friends. I had no idea that Lake Powell was that big!!? It was a blast and fun to just hang out in our swimsuits the entire time and boat. I was still battling a cold (that makes it sound like a big deal, it wasn't that big of a deal) but it could have been more fun not being sick. Nothing that some good ol' NyQuil can't fix :) I slept like a baby :) We went to our neice, Ellie's bday party. Can't believe she's 4!
October:
General Conference was awesome. They announced the age changes for missionaries! 18 for boys and 19 for girls!!! That was so inspired and I think it will help the good work move along! October was a busy month! We bought a new car (well a 2001 Honda Civic, Natural Gas car), which will save us a lot of money in gas since Brad drives to Bountiful and back every day. It's been kind of a pill though, with different maintenance things we've needed to do, but I think we're at a good place now. :) We went to Beckham's 1 year old bday party. He devoured the cake. haha he's a cutie pie. Halloween was great! I was slightly disappointed with our costumes, but I guess they turned out alright. We were Mobsters. Our friends Shad and Karlie had a costume party, which was fun. We ate and watched a scary movie. Then my parents had a Halloween party. I loved everyone's costumes. We are a pretty creative group! haha We were able to chaperone a Youth Dance in our Stake. Brad actually got up and did the YMCA and danced. It was incredible. Our actual Halloween was very relaxed...we had fondue with our fondue maker we got for our wedding. And handed out candy, then watched the last bit of the Jazz game. It was nice to relax since we've been going going going so much.
Some cute trick or treaters :)
November:
This past weekend we went to Logan and stayed with Mark and Nicole. Brad went hunting with Mark and some other of Nicole's relatives. It was opening weekend for the Pheasant hunt. Brad shot one and was able to bring home 2. Last night he was getting them out to put in a bag to freeze them and I saw the pheasants and just started to cry...not just one or two tears, like sobbing...it was embarassing haha I don't know why it made me so sad?! poor little birds...:( I kind of felt like Kristen Bell and the whole sloth thing haha. Brad just laughed and hugged me haha oh man...I don't think it would be a good idea for me to GO hunting...
Well, that pretty much sums it up!! We are loving life and working hard. We are putting in a fence and widening our driveway, so those projects are consuming our next 2 weekends...we're excited for the holidays. They are right around the corner. Oh, and I'm kind of excited for snow this year...JUST because Brad's great aunt and uncle gave us season tickets to the Park City ski resort! How nice is that?? They totally didn't have to, so it was a great gift to us. It'll get Brad out on the mountains still (even though he won't have a motor this time...he's pretty sad that he sold his sled...).
I'll see if I can post any pictures...if not, sorry for the boring update!!
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