Memorial Weekend

So much happened this weekend that we are going to have to go day by day:

Friday:

We got out the door around 5:30 pm and headed towards the booming town of Oxford, Idaho.

 

On our trip down to Oxford we planned that we would get hungry so we stopped at a really cute Mom and Pop sandwich shop called "The Works" in Pocatello, Idaho and then pressed on our way. 

Once we got to Oxford we quickly unpacked, chatted with the grandparents and went exploring. I always forget how beautiful of a place Oxford is. It is so breath taking. I think I just might love the country.

Even though the cabin is big enough we can all have our own rooms we crammed into 2.One of the rooms had 2 queen beds and the other had one queen bed. Janae, Addie Bailey and I slept together while Lizzie and Kathy slept in the same room. Lizzie and Bailey brought super small sponge curlers for us to use. 

Saturday:

I swear they are the most uncomfortable things to sleep on and I was awake like every five minutes while they were in my hair. I pulled one of the curls down so you can see the contrast of lengths. My hair was so curly that I put black girls to shame. It was a total fro.

We had a competition for the nastiest picture. We only had one chance to capture the nastiest picture of ourselves and without looking at the pictures of the people who took pictures before. 

Bailey won... no surprise there.

Lizzie did take one but it wouldn't upload onto blogger. 

We went on a morning walk after breakfast. Look how lush those hills are. I swear it was like we were in a European country.

We went into Preston for a few hours. It was awesome. I love that town. We walked up and down Main Street, Lizzie got a hair cut, we spent countless hours in DI and we had a picnic in the park.

While at DI, I remembered that there is a hot springs near by. We all bought nasty DI clothes to wear there. These hot springs were a hoping place. They had water slides, a hot tub and then one large naturally heated pool. We all tried out one of the water slides and I zoomed down that sucker because my shorts were so slick. Lizzie had problems and Kathy ran into her. 

All the girls except Bailey and I went down another one of the slides. It was so funny because Lizzie seriously could not make it down and she had to scoot herself out of there and it took like 5 minutes. The whole time we are all cracking up while the lifeguard at the top was rolling his eyes. 

On the way home Idaho did it again and was so breath taking. I wish this picture truly captured the essence of how beautiful it was. The hills were so green and everything looked like it was touched by the finger of god or something. My conclusion so far is that Idaho was not made by the devil.

 

We stopped at Papa Jays on the way home so Addie could fill up with gas. 

This picture is so funny because I was putting Addie's hair in curlers and she was basically crying like a baby the whole time and I was laughing in her misery. I am so cruel. Janae and I had the hardest time sleeping with the curlers in our hair and so we wanted to pass on the good fortune to the girls we loved. 

We ended up taking nasty pictures after that for an hour or so. You need to click on the beauty to get a closer look at it. Addie's chin looks like it is not part of her body and everyone except for Janae and Lizzie just look plain nasty.

Sunday:

This is how their curls turned out... some are a little more funky than others.

Bailey transformed Addie into a beautiful butterfly. She seriously looked like Lucy from I Love Lucy once she was done. We went to the local ward in Cliffton. It was SO good. Of course it was a mission farewell and everything revolved around missionary work. I was in heaven. I really think it was exactly what we all needed to hear because we are all at the ripe age of starting and turning in our papers.

I don't know how to turn a picture on Blogger... I should have just done it before I uploaded them, oh well!

After church we ate with Grams and Graps. Because we had eaten so much we decided to go on a little walk to find the hidden swing up in the mountain range somewhere. After a good few miles of hiking everyone pooped out except Kathy and I. We never found the swing but we did have fun on our extra little gaunt. 

Later that night while playing games we took out Addie and Bailey's hair and just went crazy. Because the curls were so tight we made these masterpieces. Paul Mitchell has nothing on me.

Monday:

Lizzie and Kathy woke up bright and early. They went on a run and started cleaning before I even stepped into any consciousness. I seriously slept like a baby that night. The rest of us woke up, ate breakfast and then started with the cleaning and packing. Kathy and Lizzie left while the rest of us finished up.

Once we were finally all packed and about to drive down to the fire pit to say goodbye we all looked at each other and contemplated staying an extra day but our laziness over came us and it was quickly vetoed because of the un-willness to unpack the car.

We made a few pit stops here and there on the way home. Addie wanted to jump from haystack to haystack, Addie and I both wanted to visit the famous Papa Jays one more time, there was a cool geological site that we stopped at and then of course a perfect photo op place we HAD to stop at too. 

We also adventured in Idaho Falls for a few hours. I got to experience 5 Guys for the first time and it was so yummy. I also bought a new dress and shirt at Target. They rang up at $10.56 together. I know you want me to shop for you now. 

This weekend was awesome. I am so glad I got to spend it with these lovely ladies and would change a moment of it for the world.

My Husband

I want to marry this kid....

Pictured: Elder Jeremy Struk

I was looking at the Dallas Texas Mission Transfer Pictures today on facebook and ran into this beauty pictured above and I decided that I am going to marry Jeremy Struk. He is so dang cute all the time and we have always joked about it. 

In all reality he would be the perfect husband. Why would I want to pass that up? 

The first time I met him was the first day of seminary freshman year and I was about ready to shank him. He was just way too much energy for 6:00 am. Little did I know that he would sneak into my heart and become one of my best friends. 

We have been there for each other in the ups and downs. I love him so much it is ridiculous. 

That is it! I have made up my mind! We are going to get married once I can convince him of it and after he returns with honor. 

Swollen Eye

It might just look like a large bag under my eye to you but my eye swelled up a ton last night while I was sleeping. It reminded me of the time that my ear swelled up. I just like to make my body parts larger than they are supposed to be.

Don't worry, my eye de-swelled and before church was over today it was almost back to normal.

Waxing my Legs

I tried waxing for the first time ever. It wasn't that bad. There is a video of it all happening but it isn't that entertaining because it didn't hurt that bad. Maybe one day I will go get my legs done professionally. I sure do hate shaving a lot.

Feeding the Ducks

For FHE we went to go feed the ducks at the local duck pond. Above is Kat and Tiffani. I love that picture of Tiffani because it looks like she is doing a gay man throw. 

Here is more of the group throwing bread. It was quite enjoyable. I don't remember who took my camera a was taking pictures but there I am on the right.

Pictured: Taylor, Kyle, Kat, Sonya, I forgot his name, Spencer, Brooke, Me, Kevin, Jeff (I think) and Tiffani

This is part of my FHE family... I guess most of my FHE family. We are only missing Alexa. The boys are really starting to grow on me. I think that the Sheffield boys really love FHE and want to hang out with us girls all the time but Spence and another one of the boys just aren't up for that. Kyle and Kevin are brothers and Jeff is their cousin. They are my 3 favorites, if I could pick favorites.

Brother and Sister: Jeff and Tiffers.

Ghetto-fied

This is what Bailey does to my late at night. I like to get intouch with my black roots everyone once and awhile.

Mother's Day

I was asked to give a talk on Mother's Day.

This is part of what I said:

My mother is the slow rush of ocean water next to the newly built sand castle.

She is the constant blurry view out of the window during the often twelve hour plane ride to New Zealand.

She is the zesty smell of freshly pealed oranges on Christmas mornings.

Mom is the sound of fast ticking computer keys in the middle of the day.

She is the flesh colored band-aid on my new booboo.

She is the social activity happening at the church building in five minutes.

She is meal made for the missionaries on the dinner table and the laughter filled conversation that intertwines.

She is open arms ready to take in her daughters or anyone who needs love.

Mom is the backpack full of activities, the rush of the wind hitting passenger seat door in the Arrowstar Van, and the hotel stop in Winnemucca full of swimming on the long ride to Utah.

She is the undiscovered piano sheet music just waiting to be played to sooth someone’s heart.

She is the phone call that makes my heart mend back together after a long hard day away from her.

Mom is never changing, always busy, and always there.

I also substituted the phrase "a mother's love" instead of charity because Gary totally gave me the idea.

Moroni 7:45-47

45 And a mothers love suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not a mothers love, ye are nothing, for a mothers love never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto mother, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail-

47 But a mother’s love is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.