Adventures of Jess

Coming up for air...

2011-03-17T20:50:00.003-06:00

Well, I guess I never dreamed it would take me almost 2 years to post again, but I think it's taken that long for me to figure out who I am and what I think again. Motherhood is so rewarding and I wouldn't change a thing about it, but I've finally realized that I am more than just a mother and a wife. I'm still the girl who...
loves to be outside
loves to play volleyball
loves animals
loves to write
loves to run (more the feeling when I'm done)
loves to spend time with family and friends
and loves to laugh.
And now I'm also the girl who...
loves to cook
loves to scrapbook (I know...who would have thought!!?)
loves to play with Cory
loves to snuggle with Cory and watch Peter Pan over and over and over
loves to try new and healthier foods
loves to shop
and loves to peak in and watch Cory sleeping at night.

I was far from prepared for the emotional shift having a baby would bring, but I'm resurfacing a better person, a more fulfilled person, and a more talented person.

Girl Time

2009-05-15T15:52:00.000-06:00

Last night I had a few friends over for dinner, and it was just what I needed. We ate, laughed and chatted the night away. Meleana and Darah brought their new baby boys who are 5 and 7 weeks old. It was so fun to hold them, and I can't wait for them to meet my little guy.

Kahiki, Meleana and Darah:

Kahiki holding her new little nephew:

The Homefront

2009-05-15T15:49:00.003-06:00

Here are a few of the camera phone pictures I've recently received from the homefront~

Cute little girls:

Ready for Myrtle Beach:

Enjoying the Shoney's buffet:

2009 NBA Drive to the Finals

2009-05-07T16:49:00.002-06:00

You'll have to click on the picture to really see it, but I'll fill you in.
I'm currently ranked 353 in the nation in the 2009 Drive to the Finals NBA Fantasy Basketball league. I have 660 points so far and am in the 98% overall percentile. Funny thing is...I don't really like NBA basketball all that much. I don't follow the games or the players. In fact if my co-workers didn't tell me that being ranked 353 in the nation was good...I would have no clue. My player picks are mere guesses (with some guidance from a co-worker), but I seem to be on a roll. Hey...maybe I'll actually win the $25,000 towards the car!

Only 3 more weeks

2009-05-07T14:27:00.003-06:00

I had my 37 week check up this week, and learned I am 50% effaced, but have not started to dilate yet. The baby is at a -2 station. I was a bit disappointed to not be dilated at all, but at least I'm effacing. I'm trying to appreciate the final weeks of this pregnancy and feel guilty when I complain about it. I really have had it easy. I love feeling his movements, even when his hiccups keep me awake at night, or when I feel like he is pushing against my skin so hard that he may actually thrash his way out of me. I love talking to him when no one else is around. I'm constantly praying for his well being. I'm feeling really great for being this far along, but am growing more and more anxious to meet him. I’m consumed with how life will be in a few weeks from now, and I love to just stand in the nursery and look at all of the baby stuff. I day dream about holding him, dressing him, feeding him, rocking him and even changing all of those inevitable diapers. It's amazing how much I already love him.

Layup Gone Wrong

2009-02-20T09:28:00.003-07:00

So funny story....
On Wednesday night I was at our church for a youth activity. At the end of the night a bunch of the kids started a game of full-court basketball in the gym, and I can't stand missing out on a fun game of ball. I slipped off my clogs and started playing in my socks. I'll let you watch the video to get a better idea of what happened next, but be aware of a few differences/similarities....

1) The guy in the video is not pregnant - I am 6 1/2 months pregnant
2) The guy yelled profanities - I kept my profanities to myself and smiled
3)The guy didn't have an audience - About 30 people witnessed me fall
4) The guy slipped on ice - I slipped on a slippery gym floor, wearing socks
5)The guy thought he was really cool - I thought I was really cool
6) The guy landed flat on his back - I landed flat on my back
7) It's funny to watch this guy eat it - I'm sure the entire youth group thought it was funny to watch me eat it

Charlie bit my finger

2009-01-20T16:20:00.001-07:00

Ridiculous

2009-01-16T11:15:00.003-07:00

It’s no surprise that we have a ton of snow and that is cold here; I live in Utah. But, even I was shocked when I fed the horses this morning. I was outside of my toasty car for maybe 5 minutes, just long enough to throw some hay and check on the water, and when I got back into my car I realized my hair was completely frozen. Granted, my hair was still wet from the shower, but I looked like Medusa….instead of snakes coming from my scalp, I had rock hard strands of frozen hair. It was weird. I wish I had a picture of my frozen locks, but instead you get a picture of my frozen pony.

Note to self…..blow drying my hair is mandatory when it is below 32 degrees.

Taking my daily dose of realization

2009-01-07T16:03:00.002-07:00

So when does one realize that they are in fact going to be a parent? I always thought it was when the pregnancy test comes up positive, but I'm finding that our minds can't actually wrap our brains around the concept all at once. The three positive pregnancy tests were just the beginning. All of the physical symptoms, the 3ultra sounds I've watched, and the tiny movements I'm starting to feel are helping reality set in. In fact, I just made my first post-birth dentist appointment and the hygienist actually asked me "so what time do you think will work best for you and your baby?" Me and my what!? Oh yeah that.
I haven't been this excited since Kevin asked me to marry him! I've also never been more nervous in all of my life. There is a tiny person growing inside of me, and it's the most exhilarating feeling in the world!

Looking Forward

2008-11-25T16:11:00.001-07:00

I found out I was pregnant September 17th and time is flying by. The last 10 weeks seem more like a month. Yesterday was the first day that it hurt to button my pants, and I’m currently sitting here with my pants unzipped enjoying the much needed breathing room. It’s official….I’m getting bigger. I’ll spare my 2 blog readers of all my pregnancy “ailments” and focus on how exciting it is to be in my “condition.” Most days I forget that there is really a baby in me, but every once in a while I have these intense realizations that make my heart skip a beat and the blood rush to my head. I’m so thankful to be blessed with this experience in my life right now. I love having so much to look forward to.

Girls Night In

2008-11-10T13:18:00.005-07:00

Kahiki hosted a girls' night at her super cute house last month, and here are a few pictures of her, Ana, Wendy and me embarrassing ourselves. Kahiki made an awesome "clean" dinner, gave us cute candles and we played Dance Dance Revolution and Rock Band.

Carolina Campfire

2008-11-06T17:10:00.003-07:00

One of my favorite nights in SC, we decided to have a gathering on my parent farm. We had a bonfire, Pop grilled up some delicious burgers, we roasted marshmallows over an awesome flyer, and the kids had a blast riding around on their Gators and the golf cart.

Soccer Games

2008-11-06T16:59:00.004-07:00

While in SC I had the chance to go and watch 4 of my nieces and nephews play soccer. AC and Blake played on one team and Hailey and Ben played on the other. Here is a picture of AC and Blake after their game:

Action shot of AC and Blake

AC makes a break away

Hailey and me waiting for her turn to go back into the game.

Ben was so cute playing goalie. He would look at us after every one of his plays, to make sure we saw him. In this picture he was waving to all of his fans.

A Carolina Halloween

2008-11-06T15:38:00.004-07:00

I recently flew to SC to surprise my family. It was fun to see all of their reactions when they first saw me. Here are some pictures from Halloween night.

Stevie, Steven, Melanie, Reid

Jeremy and Lexi

AC

Cameron and Ben

Julie, Dad, David, Steve

Me and Emily Jo

Hailey, Steven, Landon

Blake

Lexi

Natalie and Nicholas

Camille

Karson and Lainee

First known picture of Michael Phelps

2008-09-08T10:50:00.000-06:00

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

2008-09-08T10:33:00.003-06:00

With our garden in full swing, I've had tomatoes, squash, zucchini and jalapeño peppers coming out my ears. When we planted the garden, I insisted on lots of tomato plants so that I could can them and use them throughout the winter for chili and soups.

Here is what I've learned about gardening/canning:
-14 tomato plants is insane. 4 would have been plenty.
-8 jalapeño plants is insane. 1 would have been plenty.
- 14 squash and zucchini plants is insane. 2 of each would have been plenty.
- When canning, the jars don't come out of the water bath sealed already. You have to let them sit for hours. (This was the most devastating mistake of them all)
- You do need to boil the tomatoes after you blanch and peel them.
- At first I put all of the snails in a bucket and let them go free across the street....now I throw them against our house or smash them with rocks.
- Squash bugs all deserve to die miserable deaths
- One pumpkin plant needs A LOT of room!!!
- It's fun to throw the rotten tomatoes
- Weeding is overrated. My garden is full of weeds and still produces more food than I know what to do with.

Bentley, oh how I love thee

2008-08-15T16:50:00.003-06:00

Kevin and I bought a new horse recently and I call him Bentley. I'm totally loving this horse. He has such an awesome personally and he has been so patient with me as I play trainer with him. I've been working him at least twice a week in an arena, and his mind is like a sponge. So far he's learned to spin to his right (still working on the left), he knows his leads, he'll do simple lead changes, roll backs, and he's developing an awesome slide stop. I'm really focusing on training him to be a pleasure horse and I'm trying to figure out how to get him to slow his jog down and drop his head at the trot.
He was in his first competition last weekend, when we competed with the Hobble Creek riding club. He did his 1st drill routine, poles, barrels, and a few other random events. I miss Dollar, but I haven't had this much fun on a horse since I was riding my childhood horse, Crystal.

Taking sexy back

2008-08-15T16:30:00.002-06:00

Well, I've really neglected this blog since getting married. My life is now so intertwined with Kevin's that everything post worthy has gone on our blog. As much as I love sharing a blog with my best friend, I'm just not ready to let the Adventures of Jess die. So be prepared to read about all the facets of my life that are unique to me. Happy reading.

Fishin' with Papa

2008-05-19T11:51:00.005-06:00

I stole this picture off of Martha's blog, but I had to post it. My dad and brother (Cory) took 5 of my 6 nephews fishing in my parents' pond. They caught a ton of fish and from what I hear the boys had a blast. I can't wait to go home and spend some time with these cute fellows!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

For my momma

2008-05-12T10:24:00.001-06:00

Of all the mothers in the world, He knew I needed you.
Through storms and troubled waters your faith has seen me through.

Your loving acts and testimony have helped me to believe.
Your many talents radiate, for everyone to see.

You are a great example of compassion and love.
You taught me how to put my faith, in the Lord above.

You taught me the commandments and about Jesus Christ,
You helped me develop talents and find my inner light.

You showed me how to serve my family, teach others, and to lead.
You somehow always know exactly what I need.

You serve your family endlessly no matter just how tough.
You live the gospel full heartedly and are a diamond in the rough.

I hope you know how very special you are to me, because
You’ve given me an amazing example of what I want to be.

Nothing like techno in the morning

2008-05-06T09:39:00.002-06:00

I've always enjoyed spin classes at the gym, and I've recently started going to them regularly again. At 6am I was in a dark room with black lights, psychedelic fans, lots of spandex and 16 other early birds ready to get their workouts on. It's such a motivating feeling - riding a bike as hard as you can with techno music pounding, and everyone's white shoe laces making hypnotic swirly patterns. Whenever the music kicks up in tempo and intensity you'll see everyone's speed pick up. Of course the instructor can make or a break a class with their motivating dialogue throughout the class. Spin class kicks my butt and is so relaxing at the same time!

Walking the dog

2008-04-29T10:26:00.002-06:00

I've been waking up really early each morning and going to Gold's, but this morning the temperature was actually bearable and I decided to go for a walk with Belle. Belle is Kevin's cougar/bear hunting dog and isn't really accustomed to going for "walks." She keeps a brisk pace with her nose to the ground, until she smells something of interest. Then I end up trying to drag her down the side walk, while keeping my arm in its socket. The worst is when she sees or smells a cat; it takes all of my strength to hold on to her.

I have to throw a predicament out there though. I know that it is proper etiquette to pick up your dog's poop, but Belle is huge and as you may expect....so is her poop. It's so embarrassing to be standing on the side of the road watching your dog make a mess in someone's yard. And then you're left wondering..."do I get a stick and try to push it into the bushes? do I walk away? do I come back with a shovel?" The little poop bags people use would never work for Belle. I'd be lugging 10 lbs of the worst smelling stuff in the world around. I'm just not willing to do it. Belle may not get invited on anymore of my walks around the neighborhood.

(Belle is the one on the right)

The aftermath

2008-04-18T10:29:00.002-06:00

I didn’t mention in my previous post about the aftermath of that beautiful sunny day up at Snowbird. I often feel as though my skin craves the sun (which is why I occasionally find myself in a tanning bed- bad I know.). When the sun was shining last Saturday, I couldn’t resist. I spent the day skiing in a t-shirt, gloves and beanie. I was in heaven. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized my mistake…..................................

I had been smart enough to put sunscreen on my face and part of my neck, but not smart enough to realize I needed it on the rest of me. I was fried! Poor Whitney and Tyese didn’t have sunscreen on their faces and they got fried as well. I think Tyese even had blisters on her face the next day. Lesson learned.

To ski or not to ski? That's still the question.

2008-04-18T10:25:00.004-06:00

I did it…finally. I tried to ski for the first time. My cousin Whitney and her friend Tyese, wanted to learn how to snowboard, so it was the perfect opportunity for me to try on Whitney’s skis and give it a go. The weather up at Snowbird was gorgeous and the snow was still great. I jumped on the lift and headed up the mountain. Getting off the lift was surprisingly scarier than I thought. Skiing “looked so easy” but I was quickly learning my lesson. My first 15 minutes on those da-gum things were horrible. I looked like Goofy and ended up stuck in some powder and then in a tree right off the bat. “Why? I thought…why am I doing this to myself?”
I picked up my left turn right off of the bat, but the right turn was so awkward for me. I hated the snow plow/pizza move everyone told me to try. It doesn’t work at all. My first run consisted of me skiing sideways to my right, making a turn to my left, skiing sideways to my left and then laying down, flipping my skis around and skiing back to my right. I was scared of my right turn and did the whole lay down and flip my skis around routine to avoid it.
My second and third runs were much better and I was able to make it the whole way down, turning both ways. It was fun to “figure it out” but I’m not sure when I’ll reach for the skis over my board again.

Harlie Ann

2008-03-21T15:27:00.007-06:00

My little brother and his wife just had their (2nd) baby. Harlie Ann was born on March 10th ~ 8lb and some change. I hear she's really cute. Maybe SOMEONE will send me some pictures of her. That would be cool.
******update*******
Martha and my dad were kind enough to email me some pictures, so here she is!

True Horsemanship

2008-03-07T10:59:00.003-07:00

I love this video! This impressive performance is so motivating to me.

Walk, Trot.......Canter!

2008-03-06T10:32:00.004-07:00

I woke up at 5:30 this morning and went to my friend’s work to ride Dollar in the heated indoor arena. I absolutely love the facility! It has multiple barns with heated wash racks, tack rooms, and probably 40 stalls. I went and got Dollar out of his paddock and headed over to the arena. He did really well. For my horse wise friends, I’m trying to teach Dollar to canter/lope. The first 2 years I had Dollar I was teaching him to walk and not runaway. Now I’m trying to get him to break out of his speedy trot into a controlled canter. He is slightly gaited and cantering is so unnatural to him. He’s doing really well on his left lead, but he kept picking up a cross canter on his right lead. He’s so funny and I love to see him learn new things. He’s such a cuddly horse and always wants to be right with you. I felt so energized when I got to work after such a fun morning riding. Here are a few pictures of my buddy Dollar.

The "Stare" Machine

2008-03-04T13:55:00.002-07:00

My favorite machine at the gym is the rotating stair machine (aka stare machine). Not only does it give me an awesome workout, it puts me high above everyone else at the gym and provides the perfect people watching/staring location. While on the “stare” machine I don’t even need headphones or a magazine because the entertainment is already provided. I love watching people and try to imagine what they are like. Now I know I could really write a fun story about the guy with the mullet or the girl wearing the see through spandex pants and the sweat bands, but this post is actually inspired by a teenage girl running on a treadmill. She was about average size, but she was making this horrible loud pounding sound and her machine was rocking wildly about. She would just slam her feet down with each stride. It just looked so awkward and painful. My knees always hurt after about a mile and it got me thinking….do I run like that? I was really curious at this point….how do I run? Like the girl stomping on the treadmill? Like Phoebe Buffay? I would really like someone to tell me, but please do it kindly.

El Diablo Update

2008-02-11T16:36:00.000-07:00

I got to meet and spend a little bit of time with my dad’s new pony El Diablo while I was in SC. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with little Diablo. He is a gorgeous pony and a beautiful mover. He was stubborn, like every other pony I’ve ever met, but was willing to learn. What it comes down to is that Diablo is not trained whatsoever and there is no one around with the time to train him, so if you’re looking for a pretty prancing pony – I know of one for sale.

AC’s Big Game

2008-02-11T16:35:00.000-07:00

While I was in SC I had the opportunity to go to my nephew, AC’s, basketball game. AC is such a great little ball player and he hustled up and down the court only stopping when his Band-Aid fell off his knee. He immediately ran over to his dad for some advice. Once the Band-Aid issue was resolved he was back to business. At one point AC stole the ball and in the process his super cool red sports glasses got ripped off. Did that stop him? NO!!! AC ran down the court, dribbling every 4 or 5 strides and without his glasses he sank a basket. That a’ boy! It was an awesome play to watch! AC is my hero.

Columbia, SC LDS Temple

2008-02-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to go to the Columbia, SC LDS temple with some of my family members earlier this month. The SC temple is about an hour and a half from my hometown, Rock Hill. We were running late on the way down and it was so funny to be reminded of one of my dad’s personality traits. The man WILL NOT speed!!!!! The speed limit was 70 mph and he never went over 73 mph. Luckily we made it (no thanks to him…..j/k dad!). The temple was beautiful and I loved seeing the palm trees on the grounds.

Voting Adventures

2008-02-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

So I voted today. The voting wasn’t that exciting in itself, but the experience was certainly blog worthy. Normally only two precincts vote at my voting location, but for some reason unknown to me, they weren’t using the normal location and they made us drive across town. (Across town in Springville means 2 miles away.) I’m a little put out by wasting 10 minutes of my lunch break at this point. When I finally get to the correct place there is a huge line. Deep breath.
Soon after I got in line, a lady behind me starts encroaching upon my personal space. Next thing I know she’s right beside me. I think, “Is she really trying to cut in front of me?” I hate when people get really close to me in lines. I have crowd anxiety and hate to be crowded. I’ll even leave a few feet between me and the person in front of me to hopefully help the rude person behind me understand my need for personal space. If this doesn’t work I’ll look over at them and let out a big, I’m so annoyed right now, sigh. Now back to the lady.
I couldn’t believe she wasn’t getting any of my usual hints. Not the sighing or the glares. Eventually she passed right by me. When the poll worker came to ask her for her name I raised my hand high and said, “I was next.” He looked at the lady, now totally in front of me, as if asking her permission and she nodded her defeat. Come to find out she wasn’t even at the right location and left, but her replacement wasn’t any better. Now I had a kid decked out in Abercrombie from head to toe with shaggy hair behind me. His appearance wasn’t what annoyed me; his mom was a little ways up in line and they were arguing over his choice in candidates to vote for. Everyone in the line was forced to hear the two of them making jabs at each others choice in candidates and defending their own. It was extremely tacky. I finally made it to the front of the line, cast my vote, and headed back to work. To keep from being grumpy I just think of what an awesome Seinfeld episode this would make.

Getting my read on....

2008-02-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

Some members of the LDS church are reading the Book of Mormon in 97 days to honor President Hinckley, who died at the age of 97. I'm already reading it right now, so I thought this would be a great way to track my progress and honor the man who has taught me so much. Here's a graph of my progress- you can click on it to join the challenge.

Graph is currently not working. The website is www.hinckleychallenge.com

$2 REWARD for MISSING SUNGLASSES

2008-01-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

I purchased a $5 pair of sunglasses back in 2006 and have worn them religiously ever since. My eyes are extremely light sensitive and I'm particularly attached to this pair of $5 glasses. The right lens pops out when dropped, there are numerous scratches on the lenses and there are teeth marks on the ear pieces (nervous habit). Please return them if you know where they are.....if not for the $2 reward, then for the love and respect of the relationship between a women and her favorite pair of cheap sunglasses. The glasses are pictured below on me and then again on Kevin.

To sled or not to sled?

2008-01-17T15:19:00.001-07:00

Growing up in SC I didn't have many sledding opportunities, but in the winter of 98' there was just enough snow to head to the biggest hill we could find in that there parts of the south and take a shot at sledding.
This is when I learned that sledding wasn't very fun. The 5 second thrill of being completely out of control wasn't worth the hike back up to the top. To make matters worse, I slipped and fell while trying to climb back up the hill and a 6 inch piece of metal stabbed me in my knee. When I turned over and looked down, I saw the piece of metal sticking out of my snow pants. It took a bunch of stitches and a very inconvenient urgent care center wait to repair the damage.
I had formed an opinion- I hated sledding. The only semi-positive sledding experience I've had since that time, was in 2005 when I took my mom to Soldier's Summit. They tow your rear end to the top of the hill each time. (Pics below)

El Diablo - Here I Come!

2008-01-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

Mrs Bird is flying south in two weeks! My dad recently bought a pony named Frankie, and Frankie has since been renamed El Diablo the Devil. Now Diablo had to earn his new name through devious acts such as kicking, biting, charging, and pretty much any other possible bad pony behavior. He even bucked off my niece Karson. So, I've taken on the challenge. El Diablo better enjoy his unruly ways while he can because when I get home I'm going to rid El Diablo of his satanic spirit and turn him into the sweet Frankie my dad thought he was buying. (For the record...I may be in over my head...we'll see just how big and bad this 4ft pony is when I get there.)

Whatever you do...keep your eye SHUT!

2008-01-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

After boarding on Saturday, I had some time to kill before Kevin got back from hunting/snowmobiling. I heated up some wax and attempted to wax my own eyebrows for the first time. Now isn't that a fantastic intro to this short story! This could go in so many directions!
Well, I heated up the wax and was really careful to test the temperature first and what not. Then I smeared wax over my right eye; I was scared. I couldn't really see if I had covered all of the area, so I opened my right eye to have a better look. IDIOT! All of my lashes immediately got sucked into the hot goop of wax quickly hardening above my eye.
Think fast Jessica! Think fast! I quickly separated my lashes from the main section of wax and yanked it off of my eye. OUCH! No time to think about the pain. I dunked my wax covered lashes under the faucet, trying to heat the wax on my lashes up. I gently pulled, twisted, and plucked the wax from my lashes. When I was all done, I was missing a section of my lashes. Lesson learned.....when waxing your own eyebrows.....keep your eye SHUT!

Snowboarding Adventures

2008-01-14T14:58:00.001-07:00

I met my friend Jenny (fellow wrangler from Zion Ponderosa) last Saturday at the mouth of Big Cottonwood canyon for an awesome day at Snowbird. There was so much snow! Even the groomers had 6 inches of powder on them. By 2pm we were both wore out and called it a day. I was just glad there were no injuries. A few weeks ago, an out of control snowboarder jumped a natural feature in the middle of a run, lost control of his landing and he crashed into me, sending me to the ski patrol office. My elbow still hurts and my helmet has a nice gash on the top of it. Two weeks after that incident, my brother in law, Jorge, took a bad fall and cracked/bruised a couple of ribs. Needless to say...I was due for a drama free day on the slopes.

This picture is of me and co-workers, Doug Long, Mike Dover, and Brad Stewart at Sundance, the day I got hurt.

Time for some Southern Comfort

2007-12-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

I just purchased a round trip ticket to South Carolina. (Actually Charlotte, but close enough.) A few weeks after Christmas, I'll spend 5 days with my wonderful family. It will have been 7 months since my last vacation there. We're not counting the 36 hours I spent there in September for our wedding throw down. We literally flew in, threw down, and flew out. Exhausting. I plan on spending some much needed time with my wonderful nieces and nephews and of course my trusty childhood steed,Crystal.

I like to bring out the crazy in my siblings' younguns!

Poll Results are in....

2007-12-12T16:21:00.000-07:00

I guess polling the 9 of you who responded isn't exactly accurate research. But in a world based on the 9 people who are bored enough to check out my blog (mostly cube monkeys), 66% of you get your best ideas while laying awake in bed. Is that why all of my co-workers can be so grouchy? Just messin'! I definitely get my best ideas while writing, traveling or driving. When it's time to go to sleep there ain't nothin' that can keep me up. I may cry myself to sleep, but it never takes more than a few minutes. Certainly not enough time to come to any epiphanies. Maybe that is why I like to blog so much. Writing takes all of the crazy random thoughts and feelings in my head and somewhat organizes them on paper. (The word "somewhat" being a complete disclaimer if I ever write stupid stuff). I keep my blog posts light and fun for the most part, but if you ever got a chance to peek into my journal...whoa now buddy...ya better hold on tight.

Learning from others instead of finding out for myself - I didn’t know I was capable

2007-12-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

So I have had this major itch to get a little tiny house dog, and Kevin and I have been considering getting a Chihuahua. We even went and looked at puppies on Saturday. After talking to my mom, I decided that instead of making an alright decision to get a little dog (we’re at a great time in life to have a puppy), I’d make a better decision and not.
My mom said that before she had her first kid…she got a dog…..during gaps between kids….she got a dog. In fact, every dog she ever got was when she was waiting to have a kid. After she had each kid she regretted having the responsibility of a dog. So mom, for once, I’m going to take your advice and put off an alright decision for a better decision. (Realize if Kevin gets me a puppy for Christmas, I’ll totally delete this post and pretend I never wrote it.)

Life of a 9-5er in Utah in December

2007-12-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

Winter is hard for a 9-5er. When I leave for work, the sun is barely rising. When I get in my car after a long day in the office, the sun is saying her goodbyes. My restless body retreats to the gym for stimulation.
I look around the gym for an open treadmill and race another office rat for the open spot. I spend only a second thinking about all of the germs living on the buttons as I start the machine up and try to ignore the sweat drops staring at me from the control panel. I slowly increase the speed on the treadmill and start to take a good look around. After a moment of people watching I look down….only 2 minutes. This is going to be a long work out. I aimlessly flip through the channels on my monitor and settle for a Friends rerun. A few moments later I resume my people watching. I wonder if she would wear those shorts if she knew how much of her cellulite was showing? Does he realize that every time he walks past that mirror he pauses and stares for a minute? Do they ever workout when they come here, or do they really only come to talk? Aww, I hope when I’m that old I’m still that physically fit. Man I’m so tired, how long have I been on here? Do they still make neon biker shorts, or has he really kept those since the 80's? I can’t believe how much I pay to run on this treadmill like some kind of a lab rat. Only a few more months of frigid temperatures and icy side walks and I’ll be free again!

CP costumes

2007-11-01T14:57:00.001-06:00

Pirates and power rangers and skunks....Oh MY!!!!!

2007-11-01T14:46:00.000-06:00

Falling and falling and falling....

2007-10-31T12:16:00.000-06:00

Life has been really great lately. Not to be cliché, but I really do feel like I fall more and more in love every day with Kevin. I had no idea I could love someone so much. I miss him while we’re at work and it feels like Christmas each night when we both get home. We feel so lucky that our passions in life are the same. We love to be outside, we love to be in the mountains, and we love animals! Kevin has gotten to know Dollar and now agrees that Dollar has the most personality of any horse he’s ever been around. We bought a horse trailer and plan to make horses a major part of our life- something we can do together.
After the reception in SC, I was really sad to leave “home” and my family. Kevin had a 4 day hunting trip to WY scheduled the week we returned to Utah and I didn’t know how I was going to manage. Things always seem to work out the way they are meant to and I learned that Kevin leaving was a great blessing. I suddenly realized…as much as I missed my family….I missed Kevin even more! Him leaving for a few days helped me know that I was where I was meant to be and with who I am meant to be with. I feel so lucky to have Kevin in my life.

Hunting

2007-10-31T11:50:00.000-06:00

I posted some pictures of me with a dead deer on mine and Kevin’s blog, so I figure a rundown of what went through my head that day is in order. I’ve gone hunting with Kevin numerous times, but nobody ever shot anything. I was getting pretty comfortable riding Dollar up to some peak in the wee hours of the morning and then looking for deer and elk through binoculars and a spotting scope. I love to see the animals! After a long day on a really rough trail, Brock, Kevin, and I began our long ride down Maple Mountain. All of a sudden, Brock jumped off of his horse, grabbed his gun from his scabbard, and he took a shot. I barely had time to jump off Dollar and grab his lead rope before the beautiful and graceful buck standing on the knoll ahead, looking over the beautiful valley below, hit the snow with a mighty thud. At first adrenaline surged through my body as I calmed Dollar down from the shot. Then the realization hit me; the deer was dead. Kevin told me to stay back as they went to make sure that the poor animal wasn’t struggling. The buck wasn’t, Brock shot him straight through the heart. Over the next thirty minutes or so, Brock skinned and quartered up the deer. It was very solemn for me. I had an intense realization of how fragile life is. With a pull of a trigger life can be lost. In one instance, the world can be changed forever. As I saw the inside of the deer’s body, I realized how amazing our bodies are, yet how fragile. I wasn’t so much sad for the end of the deer’s life, as I was amazed at God’s creations and God’s plan. Every living thing born in this world will return to the earth. So I know you're probably wondering...I have NO desire to shoot anything living but I love being in the mountains with Kevin. Seeing Brock shoot that deer didn't upset me as much as I thought it would. It was almost spiritual in some weird way.

PG-13 for brief nudity.....butt very funny!

2007-10-15T15:01:00.000-06:00

Pics from Myrtle Beach Summer 07

2007-10-09T16:26:00.000-06:00

Take me to the beach momma!!!

My 3 favorite Power Rangers

Nothing worse than sand in the crack!

Baby Yoga on the Beach

Beach Boys

A new season

2007-10-03T08:33:00.000-06:00

We’re right on the cusp of winter. As my body adjusts to the cold, I spend every day sitting at my desk, wrapped in a fleece blanket. I’m freezing. Even at midday, there is a chill in the air. This has been a hard couple of days for me. I just flew back from SC on Sunday. I’m always a little sad when I leave “home” and fly west, but I’m over it before the plane flies over the Rockies. This time was different. The realization finally hit me. “Home” is now Utah. SC is just where I grew up. As happy as I am being married and as much as I love Utah, I feel as if part of me is lost. The cultures are just so different. Whenever we make decisions, no matter how wonderful they are, there are always sacrifices attached.

Bridezilla!!!!

2007-09-24T16:17:00.000-06:00

So I never turned into Bridezilla for real....our wedding was just perfect! Low stress and only family and a few local friends. The second picture is for my dad; it is of him and his favorite Catawaba indian. : )

Locked out

2007-09-18T10:26:00.001-06:00

Today started out like a normal day. Kevin left for work and I set out for a run. I grabbed Kevin’s keys instead of mine, and when I got back from running I had 10 minutes to get ready and get out the door. The house key on Kevin’s key ring wouldn’t fit. I started to freak out a little bit. Here I was in running shorts and a soaking wet t-shirt locked out of the house. What were my options? I’m pretty good at breaking in if I have a credit card or library card so I thought I’d start there. I searched Kevin’s truck for anything thin and plastic. Nothing. Blast. Next option…..I could drive to Kevin’s parents house, and see if they have a spare key, or spare change of clothes I could work in; then I looked at the clock 8am- they were surely already at work. Think Jessica- THINK! Kevin said he was working for an hour or so in Springville and I thought I knew the neighborhood they have been working in, so I jumped in his truck, wiped the sweat off of my forehead and started searching for his work van. It didn’t take long before I found him. Thank goodness he was outside. I would have died if I would have met his co-workers for the first time wearing running shorts, a shirt with sweaty pits and a nice sweat mark running down my back. Sweet Kevin met me at the house, and after a few minutes of battling with the 1950’s lock and key….we were in! Whew! I was so relieved I didn’t have to show up to work in my sweaty running clothes and nappy bed head.

Pearl Harbor and Sept. 11th

2007-09-11T15:08:00.000-06:00

While visiting Pearl Harbor, I realized this tragedy in our country's history was so emotionally traumatic to the people who lived through it, whether they were there when it happened, or not. Anyone alive on December 7th 1941 will never forget where they were when they learned of the devastation. I have to admit, every December 7th passes and I never associate the day with Pearl Harbor- I didn't experience it first hand, but I bet my Grandma makes the connection each year. She would have been in high school.
Now for the rest of my life....I will always think of the terrorist attacks when I hear "September 11th." Six years later and the date is just as, if not more, engraven on my mind. I don't know why I did, but I pulled up some footage of the planes crashing into the towers on YouTube today. I guess I wanted to stir the emotions within me, I wanted to feel some of the sorrow I felt six years ago. History will always provide us with stories of tragedy and devastation; the scary part is that history will be made in our lifetimes and our children's. What dates will be burnt into the minds of our children?

Adventures of the Mom and Dad

2007-09-11T15:02:00.000-06:00

My parents just got back from Mexico/Guatemala. They toured around all of the historical sites and archaeological digs that support the stories in the Book of Mormon. John Lund, a prominent LDS church historian was their personal tour guide. The fact my parents went on this trip is not the least bit surprising to me, but I was shocked when they reported the 9 zip line rides they took through the jungle. My mom said, "I was standing in the top of this tree, well more like hugging this tree and I look over and there are monkeys swinging from tree to tree. That's when you know you are not where you are suppose to be." Mom is scared....no petrified of heights, so I was proud of her for facing her fear and allowing some adventure in. They seemed to enjoy their time there and are planning a trip with John Lund to Israel next year.

Run Forrest Run!

2007-09-07T09:49:00.000-06:00

I have definitely regressed in my running abilities since high school cross country, but I hit a mile mark today. I've had knee trouble since 05' and it got a lot worse in the last year so my runs are always cut short with knee pain and I end up walking a lot. I've been running/walking a 2.5 mile loop everyday but could never run after this long downhill slope that killed my knees. So I came up with a plan......knee braces. I look and feel like Forrest Gump, but a miracle happened! My knees didn't hurt until the last little bit. I finished the loop for the first time without walking. I feel like a cripple now and can barely walk down stairs, but I did it! I never thought I'd be excited to run 2.5 miles, but then again I never thought I'd have bad knees at 24. : )

We're alive.....

2007-09-05T10:09:00.000-06:00

It’s been over a month since my last post. Kevin and I got married, spent a week cruising around the Hawaiian Islands and are slowly but surely adjusting to married life.

Kevin and I have had fun making his bachelor pad into a “home”. We’ve had quite the adventure trying to find a mattress that we both like, that doesn’t kill our backs. Kevin brought the latest one home yesterday. I feel like Goldilocks. This one is too hard….this one is too soft…..and hopefully this new one will be just right!

Next weekend Kevin and I are heading up Nebo. We’re going to take Dollar and camp in luxury. We’ll load Dollar down with all of our gear/food and the three of us will make a weekend of it.

I'll try to post pictures soon. You can find our wedding proofs at www.haleyannwarner.com. Just go to online proofing.

Final Count Down......

2007-08-01T15:12:00.000-06:00

With three days until my wedding, I feel surprisingly calm. Kevin makes it easy though. Mom, Grandma, Heather, and Aimee fly in tomorrow, and I am looking forward to spending some time with them. I love you all! I’ll post pictures as soon as we’re back from Hawaii!
Here are some pictures from Myrtle Beach:

Bridesmaids!!!

2007-07-24T12:45:00.000-06:00

I flew to SC last weekend to be in Isabel's wedding. It was super busy, but the wedding was gorgeous!!!

Elder Scotty- Alive and well!

2007-07-10T13:56:00.000-06:00

I’m off to Colorado for a 3 day work trip, but I just heard from my dear friend Elder Scotty, who is serving an LDS mission in OK. Here is a paragraph from his last letter:

“I used to like dogs before my mission. Now I hate them.

I nearly got swallowed by a humungadunga german shepherd in the ghetto a few days ago. This HUGE unchained and uncollared dog tears out of a front yard after me on a bike (I was on the bike, not the dog), with a guttural growly bark and tail firmly planted in a fixed and unfriendly position. This wasn’t a “Look! Something fun to chase!” bark, it was a “MURDER DEATH KILL AAARGH!” bark. I was much more scared than the raccoon incident. I did the smartest thing, yelp and tear off quickly on the bike. I had to be rocking at 25+ MPH and the dog was right behind me, timing his head to the pedaling motion of my sweet, succulent calf. As proof that mercy is an operating law in the universe, after 300 yards the dog slowed off and went his way. Another 300 yards away was a brave, strikingly apathetic Lawton Police officer parked under the shade of a tree picking his nose, who was shocked to be bothered with such unimportant reports of a man-eating dog on the loose. I’m going to start carrying “strong enough for a man, but made for a dog” pepper spray. Or maybe a machete.”

I love this story for many reasons but a few of my favorite reasons are:
1- There was a raccoon incident not expounded on that really stimulates my imagination!
2-Scott used the adjective “humungadunga”
3- I can picture Scott in his missionary attire pumping his legs like crazy, tie flapping in the wind.
4- The police officer wasn’t eating donuts or talking to a fellow officer; he was picking his nose.

Thanks for the laughs Elder Scotty!

Kevin and Me

2007-07-09T13:56:00.000-06:00

My biggest adventure yet!!!!!

2007-07-06T14:28:00.000-06:00

If I told you I was getting married in four weeks would you believe me? Well, if I would have told myself I would be getting married in four weeks just 4 days ago, I wouldn’t have believed me either, but it’s time to believe! Kevin and I will be married on August 4th in Salt Lake and will fly to Hawaii on Sunday for a week long cruise around the islands. No one thought we could plan a wedding in 4 weeks, but things are falling into place perfectly and with every day that passes we are more and more thankful we chose not to wait longer. We’re not having a reception, but if you want an announcement, email me your address! Love you all!

Back to Work

2007-06-28T11:16:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm back from what was the best vacation I've ever been on! It's hard to put the nose back to the grind stone. Maybe if some famous rapper would come and pimp my cubicle, I'll feel more motivated to be at work. Does anyone know how I can apply?

Stormy Weather? I sure hope not.

2007-06-15T08:07:00.000-06:00

Kevin and I leave for the airport in a few hours and the weather doesn't look good. 4 straight days cooped up in a beach house with 12 kids and 14 ADHD adults = disaster.

Krull 1983

2007-06-14T17:43:00.000-06:00

You may have a movie from your childhood that you watched repeatedly. At our house, one of those movies was Krull, released in 1983 (the year I blessed the earth with my presence.) I grew up playing Queen Lyssa and thought I would find true romance when I could look into a man's eyes and say..."Take the fire from my hand." Now a big pull for me to this movie was of course the horses. They were called the "Fire Mares" and were Clydesdales that could run so fast flames shot from their hooves. The Cyclops and Ergo the magician were two of my favorite characters and I had nightmares about the Lady in the web and her evil Spider. Colwyn was my second movie crush. (Val Kilmer in Willow being my first.) Here are some fun pictures from this classic 80's sci fi film.

It's all coming back.....

2007-06-14T17:01:00.000-06:00

Ain't- am not, are not, is not, have not, has not

All y'all- Intensive form of y'all

Fixin'- about to, to be on the verge, or "We had burgers with all the fixins."

Ill- in a bad mood, ornery

Cut the light on- People in the south cut things on and off, they don't turn them on or off. Occasionally they flip stuff on and off.

Water Spicket- water faucet, water tap

Mash- the south loves mash potatoes, but Mash made my list, because the south is the only place where you mash buttons.

Feel free to add more.......

6 Months

2007-06-12T11:59:00.001-06:00

It’s been 6 months since I last stepped on to South Carolina soil. I’m so excited to be with my family and loved ones, and I can’t wait to wrap my arms around Crystal’s neck and look into her great big eyes. The babies will now be walking, the toddlers will now be children, and Crystal will have a few more gray hairs mixed in her dark black mane. She turned 19 this year. I’ve had her for almost 16 years now. Things will be different, but it will still be home. My room will still have my king size bed with the best mattress in the world. The kitchen will still be the gathering place after every meal, the fields will still be lush and green, and the humidity will still be there to greet me each time I step out of the shower. I can not wait to wake up to the sun beaming through the window in my east facing room or for the sound of crickets singing as I rock on the porch at night watching the fire flies. Returning home will be just as amazing as it always is, except one thing…..this time I get to bring the most wonderful person in the world with me.

We miss ya Blue!

2007-05-31T16:17:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite people in the world, Jess Blue, recently moved to MN. Here are a few pics of her last week in town. We miss ya Blue!

Eric Jackson, Blue, Dodson, Wendy, Steph

Me, Blue, Wendy, Steph

Wendy, Dodson, Blue

Memorial Weekend 2007

2007-05-31T10:30:00.000-06:00

Busy, Busy, Busy!
Friday~ Rode four-wheelers up Diamond Fork canyon with Kevin, Jake and Melissa.
Saturday~ Hiked up Y Mountain, rode horses up Mapleton Canyon with Kevin, Jake and Brick. Dollar had his best day ever! It was such a gorgeous trail and we saw a bear and her two cubs (but they were really far away).
Sunday~ Great dinner at the Bird’s house
Monday~ Trail running with Tatia up to Stewart Falls, rode four-wheelers with Kevin, Brandon and Luke up Spanish Fork canyon, cooked out with Kevin and his family.

Things I should have done but didn’t over the weekend~
Clean house, do laundry, go grocery shopping, wash my car, pay bills, shop for summer clothes/bathing suits, give Dollar a bath, organize the stacks of papers on my desk, etc…..but it really doesn’t matter because it was the most fun Memorial Weekend I can remember! I’ll post more pics when I can!

Moni's Wedding

2007-05-23T14:14:00.001-06:00

My good friend from work, Leamoni Leauanae, married his sweetheart on May 19th. Here are pictures from the reception.
Natalie, me, MJ, Kahiki, and Janelle.

Kevin and Me

Birthday Fun!

2007-05-23T14:13:00.001-06:00

Here are some pics from Steph's Vegas b-day party and my b-day celebrations. We pretty much partied for 2 weeks.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

2007-05-17T15:12:00.000-06:00

So I made it to 24. My body aches and I’m much more tired today than yesterday; I will attribute these symptoms of an aging body to the softball games I played last night and the gobs of Italian food and chocolate cake I just ate, not to being a year older.

For some reason I’m happier today than I’ve been on recent birthdays. Maybe it’s the great friends in my life, the handsome guy who sent me flowers, or the way it feels to be full of Italian food and chocolate cake. Yes….life is great!
So if any of you have read my "poetry" you know I hate rhyming and seldom do. However, I decided to be crazy and write a poem about being little in the same rhyming style I wrote poems when I was little. Enjoy!

Little Dirty Mitts:
I talked to the wind as she traveled by.
I saw wild horses and dreamed I could fly.
I played outside with out a single care.
I loved to smell each flower as I placed them in my hair.
I spoke to the birds and listened to the trees.
I crawled with the ants and ran from the bees.
I named the purple flowers and had tea with the squirrels.
Oh how I miss the joys of being a little girl.

Softball Time

2007-05-10T15:12:00.000-06:00

We are for sure in "a league of our own" this year. We had our second work softball game last night. We won our first game and lost last night. My hamstrings and hip flexors are so sore!

Idaho Adventure

2007-05-03T16:43:00.000-06:00

Courtney and I drove up to Rexburg, ID to pick up my cousin Whitney from school. On our way up we made the mistake of eating at a gas station diner in Preston, ID (home of Napolean). We had to pull over at the next exit because I was so sick and Courtney was sick the next morning. Once we got Whitney loaded up and on the road, we had a great time. We even trespassed into BEAR WORLD, which is this random place in ID where they keep bears in fenced in areas that you can drive through. They were closed, but we drove in on a back road and saw a few bears.
It was a fun trip!

Family Updates

2007-04-26T14:19:00.000-06:00

Some of you are great about sending pictures from home, some not so much. Here are some recent pictures I've received from the home front.

Kaitlin, Jeremy and Lexi

Jason's sweetheart, Lainey

Hay Bug eating breakfast

Myrtle Beach 2007

2007-04-26T13:39:00.000-06:00

It is official. Kevin and I are flying to SC for 10 days in June for the family beach trip festivities! Kevin will get the crash course in southern culture as we explore from Charlotte to Charleston. Load up the boogy boards, start boiling the peanuts, pass the sun screen, Here we come!

Muddy Creek Ride

2007-04-09T10:29:00.000-06:00

I recently spent a day riding horses in the Muddy Creek Wilderness area in central Utah. 10 horses, 10 riders, and 3 dogs rode back and forth across the Muddy Creek in a beautiful canyon. We made our way to a cabin well over 100 years old and it still had a cast iron stove sitting on the buckling floor with the year 1899 on it. It left my mind full of questions about the people who lived there and the sacrifices they made to live in such a beautiful yet remote place.
About 4-5 hours into the ride our group separated into two groups and we kept our eyes open for the wild horses living in the area. The scenery was beautiful and the terrain rough; the horses worked hard for us. The final few hours of a 10 hour day in the saddle is a little “uncomfortable” and the horses were really tired. We kept getting cliffed-out and finally decided to maneuver down a sketchy drainage off of the plateau. As I led my horse, Laredo, down the steep and loose boulder filled drainage; it was a bit scary. Laredo would begin to lose control of her footing with me standing in front of her. A few tense moments later, we were all safely at the bottom.
When are spirits needed it the most, two wild horses put on a show for us. They ran away down a side canyon and circled in front of us. After watching us for a few moments they ran straight towards us, stopping a couple hundred yards away. My childhood day dreams were being played out in front of me.
Although it was a great day in the saddle, my body has never been so glad to see the truck and trailer. We were all walking a bit funny the next day.

Dear Kaitlin

2007-04-05T16:35:00.000-06:00

~John Mauney Jr.

Life has always been a gift to cherish,
The pains of death are proof.
Live each day with strength and hope,
do more than simply breathe.
Succor yourself with meditation on blessings bestowed by God
The more you smile the happier you’ll be.
and the grief will slowly leave.
There’s joy to be found in the path you take,
wherever it may lead.

New Jersey Adventure

2007-03-16T14:25:00.001-06:00

I flew to New Jersey Monday for work and flew back Tuesday evening. A lot happened in that 24 hour time span. I rented my first car, I learned that when people say you can only turn right in New Jersey- they are being literal, I figured out what a “jug handle” is, I spent my first night sleeping alone in a hotel room, I got lost in New Jersey and spent more than I want to admit on toll roads, and met an amazing family from Liberia, Africa. Now I could elaborate on everything mentioned above, but I won’t. However, I have to tell you about the family I met.

I got to my gate 2 hours early for my direct flight to Utah. I witnessed 2 guys about my age trying to understand what the gate attendant was saying and they were obviously having a hard time. I walked up to the attendant and said I’ll take them to their gate because I was really early. Come to find out, they were also flying to SLC and we were all at the wrong gate. I led the mom, dad, two sons, and young daughter to the correct gate. The little girl is 8 years old and has a disability; her face is severely disfigured, but she would smile when I would talk to her. They were dressed humbly and only the 2 boys spoke English. We struggled through conversation and we were each very curious about the other. When I pulled out my lap top they stared in awe. I let the little girl watch a horse DVD I had with me and the dad kept thanking me over and over. They started in Liberia, traveled by bus to a larger city, flew to Europe, and then flew to Newark, NJ. They were exhausted from such a long journey. I helped them find their seats on the flight and changed my seat to sit with them. When we got to SLC I tried to lead them down the escalator. They were very hesitant, but I eventually coaxed them on. The mom and daughter fell down a few stairs and the boys caught them; the dad’s eyes got really huge. When we all safely reached the bottom they let out a nice laugh and sigh of relief. They had never seen an escalator before. An African man named James who moved to the US 13 years ago greeted them. They had never spoken before. The mom started crying and the boys and dad couldn’t stop smiling. They had made it. For the entire family of 5, they only had two small suit cases. A Catholic center in SLC is housing them in a 3 bedroom apartment. I just can’t imagine what it has taken for them to get here and how scary it must be for them. It was a great experience traveling with them.

Fighting Sleep- 2am

2007-03-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

So, do you ever have such a wonderful day, you fight your body's need to sleep? You don't want the day to end; you don't want to lose the feelings radiating from you. You're scared your dreams won't be as kind to you and the risk of not remembering your sweetest dreams is all too real. I suddenly can't remember how it feels to be sad or lonely. Sometimes life is wonderful. That sometimes happens to be now.

Different Strokes

2007-03-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

So as friends from work and I sat in the back of Subway munching on our lunches, Gary Coleman walked in. He was wearing all camo, black moon boots and a depressing scowl that kept any of us from talking to him. As he walked outside to his sporty Saturn Sky, you could only hope you might hear him ask, “Whatchu talkin’ about?”

Boardin' with the CEO

2007-03-06T11:20:00.001-07:00

I spent Saturday snowboarding with a group from work, which included the CEO and COO of CP. It is fun to work for guys who would spend their Saturday on the mountain with their employees. We all had a really fun day.

Isabel and James

2007-03-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Engagement photos:
http://indigo-photography.blogspot.com/

Boarding at the Bird

2007-02-26T18:09:00.000-07:00

I went to Snowbird with friends on Saturday. Three of us didn't have to pay because we didn't get checked on the bottom lift and we stayed on the upper lifts all day. That right there made it a good day and all of the powder qualified it for a darn tootin' amazing day. These first two pics are me coming off this cliff in Mineral Basin. Too bad my head got chopped off. Look at how much powder was at the bottom though. It was a blast!

Here is to putting the cart before the horse.....

2007-02-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

I was recently chastised for not updating my blog enough, so since inquiring minds are searching for answers, here is the latest:

My company recently restructured its departments and all of the job titles/responsibilities. Translation: I’ll do more marketing and less customer service and a few of my co-workers are looking for other employment opportunities. Bitter sweet.

I went boarding again Saturday with friends from work and then took a personal day from work on Monday when I woke up to a foot of fresh powder outside. Some of the best boarding yet! I finally purchased a helmet but can’t decide if it will prevent injury due to the philosophy I have adopted since buying it. “I can go off that jump a lot bigger now that I have a helmet,” or “I can go a lot faster through the trees now that I have a helmet.” I’m hitting my head more frequently now that I have “protection”.

On the way down Big Cotton wood canyon Moni tells us his Durango is running out of gas. With "0" miles till empty flashing and the needle below the E, we coasted into the 7 Eleven at the mouth of the canyon. Good thing for gravity!

For those who know “Elder Scotty,” he says he is lonely and wants letters.

Elder Bertoglio
1300 Crownpoint Ave. #17
Norman, OK 73072-5875

Snowboarding at The Canyons

2007-02-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Saturday I went snowboarding at The Canyons Resort with a group from work. It was one of the most fun days I've ever had snowboarding. There wasn't a ton of snow and some of the runs were crowded; however,last weeks storm dropped 8 inches of fresh powder and you couldn't have asked for a more fun group of people. I am sporting a nice cut on my face from a guy jumpin off this small ledge through the trees and smacking me right in the side of the head with his board. I think it's sexy. Left to right: Tyson, Eric, Leamoni, Kahiki, Bryan, me, MJ, and Tyler.

Ahhh....breath of fresh air!

2007-01-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

Snowmobiling up at Strawberry Reservoir/Daniel’s Summit. First time out of the inversion in a week. I’ve never seen Utah Valley so disgusting before. I want to get one of those SARS masks to wear around. Up at Daniel’s Summit, I sprawled out on the ground, took a deep breath of clean air and enjoyed feeling the sun on my skin instead of the sticky grey air in the valley. Snowmobiles are so much fun!

Oppressive Utah winter

2007-01-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

Those aren't highlights in poor Dollar's hair.

I'm an aunt (for the 12th time)

2007-01-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

Lainee Scott Whitesell was born early this morning and weighed 6lbs 6oz.

Moon's injury- 2 weeks later

2007-01-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

It will be a long road to recovery.

Ode to Macy

2007-01-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

Macy left us to go play rugby for the BYU Hawaii team and things aren't the same without her!!!!

Camera phone pics

2007-01-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

Me and Courtney

Country dancing with Courtney & Lindsey

Me and Dollar

Not for the weak stomach...

2007-01-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

Moon got his hind foot stuck in the slats of an extremely heavy metal gate out at the farm last weekend. Guessing by the massive trail of blood he left in the snow…we figure he drug it around for a while before freeing himself. Three of his 4 legs were thrashed and swollen larger than I’ve ever seen before. Jake, Courtney, Melissa, and I have spent countless hours playing vet with him. We’re hoping the coronet band won’t be too badly damaged and that he’ll walk away with no long term problems and just the inevitable scar.

Brrrrrrrrr!

2007-01-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

The weather has turned quite bitter here in Utah Valley as of late. James, Courtney, and I went riding down by Santaquin on Saturday, and it was the coldest ride of my life. When we finally got back to the trailer and dismounted I realized my feet were completely frozen. Ok, maybe only my boots, but they were literally frozen stiff in the position I'd ridden in. Anyone who has ever jumped off of a horse in cold weather knows of the shooting pains I experienced when my feet made contact with the ground. Ouch! I waddled like a duck around as I unsaddled and put Dollar's blanket back on him. He's pretty miserable too. The icicles hanging from his whiskers have now been there for 4 days and I can’t keep the water troughs busted up. I hear it is the upper 60’s in SC.
Things I enjoy about this weather:
-Watching people slide around the roads is really fun and exciting to me
-Obviously snowboarding
-The feeling of taking a hot shower and rediscovering my hands and feet
-Making snow cream for Utah natives who have more snow than they know what to do with but somehow never thought to make it into the amazing dessert we southerners love
-Sleeping in hoodies and sweatpants
-The way the mountains look covered in white
-Wearing my favorite green hat (I know it's not stylish, but it's my favorite hat-enough said)
-Saying "nice toboggan" and watching the confusion
(BTW- Toboggan is what you westerners call a beanie, a sled is, well, a sled)
-Cuddling (I miss you Amanda!)
-Seeing my breath and quoting Sanka in “Cool Runnings”

Sam Walton owes me!

2007-01-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

So I took my car to Wal-Mart to get my oil changed. When I went to pick it up, I paid and then the gum smacking teenager told me the manager wanted to walk me out to my car. I thought great….here we go; he’s going to tell me I need to buy this fluid and that fluid, or my car is going to blow up. Well, I was wrong. As we walked he said, “we had a lil’ accident with your car.” I said, “you’re pulling my leg right?” He said, “no” as if thinking what kind of stupid joke would that be!?! The video shows they dropped a wheel off of this machine and it crashed into the side of my car. My favorite part of the story- they actually charged me for the oil change before telling me they had an “accident” with my car.

Catching up with an old friend~

2007-01-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to go and visit Josh Cramer three different times while I was home. The visits were such a big part of my trip home, I wanted to write something about them. The first visit was quite intimidating, contrary to what I had expected. I walked up to a door amidst towering fences heavily covered with razor wire. As I stood in line I observed the other people waiting and imagined what tragedies they had been through that brought them to such an uninviting place. We all had something in common; we cared about someone inside. After being searched and checked in, I was then shuffled through numerous doors/rooms and down a long walkway. I finally made it into the visitation room. I checked in there as well and took a seat. I was then informed by a friendly fellow visitor that the tables were assigned and there was a correct and incorrect side of the table to sit on. Once I was compliant with all the rules, I found myself internalizing the thought that I was about to see Josh face to face. It had been over 9 years since I had seen him and probably 7 since the last letters were exchanged. I was nervous. What if there wasn’t anything to talk about. Do I hug him? Will conversation be forced or easy? What will he look like? In about 10 minutes he walked through the door and we both had enormous smiles spread across our faces. (I’m sure partly from being nervous) I could type ten pages of the rest of this visit and the following two, but I’ll just share a general overview.

Conversation was never hard; Josh is a great conversationalist. He was extremely happy, upbeat, and positive to be around. He is writing a fictional book based on some of the characters and events in the Book of Mormon, and has become a superb wood worker, building anything from clocks to mini pool tables. He told me all about the jobs he has in a wood work shop making specialized/custom flooring. There’s much more to it than that, but I’ll play the girl card; I don’t know exactly what he does, only that it is very labor intensive. Companies pay the state $7 an hour for labor, the state keeps like $2 of each $7 and after an augmented amount of tax dollars are withheld, he keeps $1.50. You may ask…what does he need money for? A lot! For example, to keep pictures he receives he needed an album. The only way to get stuff like that is to order it from an approved catalog. The catalog charges $X and then the state charges Josh $X plus whatever profit they want to make. They can’t get fruit because too many people were making wine, and they lost their thick wool blankets to a much thinner version because people used it to escape the vicious razor wire. They have rules for everything because you can assume someone abused the freedom somehow.

We also spent a good bit of time reminiscing about high school days: Mrs. Gutierrez and the antics we each pulled in her Spanish class, Josh’s wrestling days and his numerous state championships, football games, and common friends. After my visits I felt a real love for Josh. I’ve always loved his family, but had now had a chance to get to know him all over again and in a more real way. 10 hours of talking had felt like 4, and I drove away with a new and better perspective of the blessings in my life.
I wanted to share my experience for 2 reasons. 1) As I said earlier, it was an important part of my visit home 2) I encourage all of you who knew Josh or would like to know him again to write or visit. It was a very positive and enjoyable experience.

Christmas Slide Show

2007-01-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

| View Show | Create Your Own

Good-bye 2006!

2007-01-02T17:34:00.001-07:00

1/2/06 oops I mean 1/2/07
Welcome 2007!
I was reading through my journal on my plane ride back to Utah. What a crazy year! I went on some fun trips (Moab, Zion, Goblin Valley, San Rafael Swell, AZ, NM, WY, ID, FL, SC, NC etc…), I moved Dollar up from AZ, descended my first class C canyons, got a chance to be an assistant canyoneering guide, purchased my first mountain bike, learned to ride in powder, learned to ride regular and goofy on my board, hitch hiked numerous times, experienced my first aneurism, got to wear a neck brace, ran up Y mountain, threw up on Y mountain, went through 10 roommates, moved twice, went white water rafting without a guide, slept on the sand by the Virgin River all alone, didn’t fall off a horse, get bitten by a horse, or kicked by a horse all year long, bought my first Australian saddle, landed my first salaried position, received flowers from a guy I liked, attended my grandpa’s 100 birthday party, made my first batch of rice krispy treats ever, danced on a table, slept in my car, did not get a parking or speeding ticket, I did laugh so hard I peed my pants, I cut my own hair, raced a train on Dollar, went running bare back through hay fields, jumped off cliffs, went sea kayaking, went surfing, napped by the ocean, went to Disney World, met lil’ Lexi and Nicholas, I’ve been happy, I’ve been sad…..I could go on for quite a while! 2006 was amazing and I can’t wait to make 2007 even better!

I'll be home for Christmas!

2006-12-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

I'm extremely excited to go back to S.C for the holidays. I'm taking a red eye 12/20. The last few weeks have been really great. I've gotten some days in snowboarding, transitioned back into having a horse in Utah in the winter time, returned to a regular workout schedule, and taken some time out to spend with friends. I love when I feel like I have control over my life and I'm not just hanging on for the ride. It is all about simplification.

We were asked to submit 2 pictures from when we were little at work for the surprise Christmas party. Here are some Dad emailed me.... I love that Mom dressed me in a sweat suit with black platinum leather shoes and white socks for the one picture.

Nate's Aconcagua Trip

2006-12-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

For anyone interested:
My friend Nate, who I climbed Rainier with, is in Argentina climbing Aconcagua. It is his first solo big mountain climb. 2 weeks ago, the temperature on the summit was -70. It is now -20. I've included updates from his girlfriend Claire.
Dec. 9th
Hi Everyone:

Nate has made it to Argentina! After a ridiculous morning of calls to Argentina, dropped Sat phone calls from Nate, missing permit offices and other complications, Nate is all settled in Mendoza with his climbing permits, and will be leaving tomorrow morning to trek into base camp. The permit office has recently moved, throwning a kink into Nate's plans, but it has been all worked out, and he will still be leaving to get to the mountain tomorrow morning! He has very limited internet access at his hostel in Mendoza, so though he may not be able to
answer, he may be able to read his emails if any of you would like to drop him a few quick lines. Tomorrow he leaves for his two day trek into base camp, and will rest there for a day. After that, he has several solid days of climbing, with summiting projected on the 16th. He will return to the states on December 23rd.

Thanks
Claire

Dec 10th
Hello Everyone:

I heard from Nate this afternoon at about 4 pm (Which is about 8oclock in Argentina), and he was settled at his first camp, Confluencia, about half way into his trek to base camp. He started climbing at 4 30pm today (after leaving at 10 to drive the 170 kilometers out to the beginning of his journey) and made it to camp by 7pm, and apparently in a rather miserable snow storm. He says most guided groups usually take 3-5 hours for this portion, with mules, so he was very happy to do it in 2 and a 1/2 unsupported. He says it is cold at his camp, but the storm subsided, and he is now all settled in his tent and warm. When he called me he was getting ready to make dinner, and sounded great. He says he feels strong, and is excited to start climbing tomorrow and make it to base camp, where he will spend two days. He says hello to everyone!

Claire

12/15/06

Hi Everyone:

I apologize for not emailing you all sooner with updates, finals and wrapping up at my job for the semester have kept me rather busy. I heard from Nate on the 11th, and after a grueling 10 hour trek, he made it into base camp. There he spent a much needed day resting, and then pushed on to his first camp that was actually on the mountain, Camp Canada, at 16,108 feet. Apparently there is a small storm on the mountain, and he said his push to Camp Canada was very cold. As of now, I have not heard from him since 2 days ago when he made it to Camp Canada. I know he was going to push to his second camp, Nido Des Condores (17,552ft), and then wait out the weather from there, and then attempt his summit when it was clear. The satellite phone does not work when there are clouds in the sky, so I am hoping that the reason I haven't heard from him is the lack of reception due to the storm. Please send happy thoughts towards Argentina, let's all hope this storm subsides! He has several weather days built into his schedule, and the proper gear to wait out a storm, so I know he will be safe. I will email you all as soon as I next hear from him.

Claire

12/16/06
At this point, I had hoped to be emailing you all to tell you that Nate would be attempting his summit tomorrow. However, I have some different, and more critical news. Today at 11 30am I recieved a call from a group of Australians climbing who had found Nate at Camp Canada (approx 16000ft), suffering from what they believed to be Pulmonary and Cerebral Adema, both basically very very severe forms of high altitude sickness. He went on his climb with medications for both of these, and I was able to direct the men that found them to where the meds were, and get them administered to him. After that, with loads of help from lots of people, namely my father, we managed to get an evacuation coordinated, and approxamatly an hour and a half after I got the phone call, a rescue team had reached Nate, and brought him back down to base camp. I then got another call at base camp from the Australians, letting me know that Nate was in seeing a doctor. This was the last communication I had with anyone down there. On the descent, he regained consciousness, and was able to talk again by the time
he reached base camp. Thankfully, the way these illnesses work is that the instant you start to descend, you begin to feel better. As of now, that is all the information I have. As I get more information, I promise to pass it along as soon as I know. I wish I had more to tell you all, but as of now, take comfort in knowing he is at base camp in the hands of the medical team, which is the best place he can be right now. He will be ok. Again, I will email the instant I have more information. Please keep Nate in your thoughts and prayers.

As of this morning, I heard from the Australian fellow who was at Base Camp with Nate. He is doing well, and according to him, he was leaving base camp today on mules. However, after speaking with some other people involved in this situation, they seem to think he was going to be helicoptered out of Base Camp to Mendoza. Despite the conflicting information, all reports indicate that he is safe, and doing well. I have still not talked to him, and we believe this is due to the storm currently on Aconcagua (clouds obscure the sat phone reception). When I hear more, I will be sure to let you know, but we know that he is conscious, coherent and safe at this point. Now it is simply a matter of getting him back to Mendoza and then back to the USA. Again, I feel bad that I don't have more information for everyone, but I promise that as I do get it, I will pass
it along. I am back in Colorado for break now, and hopefully will be flying to wherever it is that Nate comes back to in a few days.

12/17/06
I have wonderful news! We have found Nate, and I spent about 20 minutes on the phone with him this morning! After much searching, we discovered that he made it to a hospital, not in Mendoza, but in a suburb about 30 miles out from the city. We finally found the number, and after a few tries, I was able to get in touch with the hospital, and finally, for the first time since Wednesday afternoon, talk to Nate! He sounds good, and just wants to get home to the states. His father and I are working on getting him out of the hospital and back to Mendoza. He is doing ok, and says that he currently is just feeling some back pain (apparently when he was moved
from Camp Canada to Base Camp, it was on a sled, and was a rather rough ride). He is still at 12,000 ft, so when he makes it all the way to Mendoza (4000ft) he should be feeling even better. With any kind of luck, he may be back in the USA as early as Tuesday. Right now we just have to get everything squared away with getting him out of the hospital and to Mendoza to a hotel. I made sure to pass along all the supportive emails that I have been getting to Nathan. As soon as we get him out of the hospital and to Mendoza, I will let everyone know.

Another email with good news! Nate called me a few hours ago, and has made it back to Mendoza, and was eating at a restaurant when he called me. Though the connection only lasted for about 20 seconds, he was able to tell me that he was getting some food, had made it to his hotel, and got back in touch with his wallet and plane tickets, so things are looking up. From here, he just needs some rest, and then when he is ready, he will fly home. I know I can rest a bit easier now, knowing that he is safe, and has access to food, a shower and a nice clean bed. I can only imagine how much better he feels. Again, thank you for all the kind words, I will be sure
to pass them along to Nate when we get to talk for longer than a minute!

Eating Raw

2006-12-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

It has now been 3 weeks eating only raw foods, with the exception of crackers and canned chicken noodle soup when I was sick. Let's just say vegetables didn't sound very good. I made it through Thanksgiving, a Whitesell family vacation, and living with roommates still in college. I've lost weight, have more energy, and best of all have gained a great deal of self control.
New favorite snacks- almonds, dehydrated vegetables, rasberries, and sugar snap peas

Disney World Trip

2006-12-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I flew to Orlando for our family’s Disney World trip.
12 adults + 11 kids (5 in diapers) + 5 strollers + 1 wheel chair + 2 “How to get the most of your Disney vacation books” = a typical Whitesell family vacation
The trip went pretty well except for a horrid stomach virus that began making its rounds on day 3.
Trip back to UT:
3am Sunday morning I met my cab driver to make the trip back to the airport. As we chatted my stomach began churning and I started to look for the button to roll down the window, then noticed the floors were plastic; no worries. By the time I checked in and walked to the gate my stomach and I were hating life. I sprawled out on the gross tile floor in the handicap stall and waited for my flight to take off. The flight to Denver was bearable- I had the entire row to myself and slept with the occasional rush to the bathroom. When I landed in Denver I had exactly 30 minutes until my connection to Salt Lake left. The flight attendant announced the Salt Lake flight would be leaving from concourse C23; she was even nice enough to clarify with, Charley 23. Blast! I was in concourse B. I grabbed my throw up bag and ran for the tram, and then ran down to the end of concourse C. But wait! What did I find? There was no gate C23. My flight to SLC was departing, now in 10 minutes, from gate B23. With throw up sack in hand I ran back to the tram and then down to gate B23 and boarded as they shut the doors. Within 12 hours of being home one of my roommates started throwing up, and last night the other one started as well.
Even with all of the stress of such a large group and the horrible trip home, I enjoyed myself. I love spending time with my quirky family!