Joel's Wedding

Last weekend I went home to attend my cousin Joel's wedding. The wedding was a major HIT, and tons of FUN. It was held in Livermore at a winery. The country was beautiful for the wedding and the barn/shed were great for dinner and dancing. It was one Sweet party. It was great to get to see my extended family.

I didn't get a great picture of the bride and groom because they had a photographer of their own so this dark one will have to do.

This is my cousin Ty, Allison, and their cute baby Autumn. Below are the proud parents of the groom, my dad's sister Janice and her husband Lou. I was hoping to get a picture of Lou dancing because he has the worlds best moves but my camera was not cooperating in the dark without the flash so I didn't bother. Lou is one of my favorite people. We both teach, he is now retired, coach basketball and love to hike and bike. He is also hilarious.

Me with my parents. My Dad looks good considering his health issues as of late. His garden is amazing and my parents yard looks the best I have ever seen it. He even got rid of all the old cars that don't work because I told him I wouldn't get married until he did.

Both of my Dad's sisters Janice and Virginia.

All of my brothers minus Anthony were at the wedding. It was fun to hang out with all of them and to laugh with them. Me, Sam, Aaron and Caleb all swam at the hotel before the wedding. It was fun but I was reminded why I don't particularly enjoy swimming with them. One I was drenched after about 10 seconds and two Aaron tossed me right into Caleb and we butted heads. That one hurt.

Me and my grandma Brown. She looks so good. Looking at my parents and extended family I feel like I look the most like her. I actually don't see it as much in this picture but I have a picture from two summers ago and we look so similar. I like looking like her because I think she is so cute. She is a great person too and I wish I could see her more often.

Ben and Katie. What I learned at this wedding is that Katie can DANCE. I hate dancing and Aaron hates dancing. We got out of it as long as we could but when everyone at the wedding is dancing it can only be avoided for so long. I kept watching Katie and wishing I could dance like her. One can only dream I guess. I was bummed that I didn't get a picture of Cody and Jen they were the photographers so I don't have any pictures of them. LAME!!

Last but not least this is my Dad asking Caleb to take out the trash. Caleb has been so great lately. He is the only one home and so he mows the lawn and does whatever my parents ask him to do. Acording to my Dad he doesn't even complain. I like this picture because my Dad is giving Him the don't mess with me look and Caleb looks scared. They are joking around but I thought it was an awesome picture. Dan is laughing in the background thankful he wasn't asked to take the trash out!

All in all a great weekend. I hate the short trips. I am sore and really tired but it was worth it. I should fly but I am too cheap. When you can rent a car and pay for gas for around $50 each there is no other way to go, right? Maybe someday I will post the video of what Sam and Dan were doing in the car at 2:00am that kept Mikila laughing for over an hour, we shall see.

My new hair

I did it, I really did it!! I have needed a hair cut for sometime and a little color to cover up my 12 gray hairs, YIKES!!! I have been nervous about it because I have not put color in my hair since before my mission and that is a long time. (not that I am counting.) This time my wonderful sister inlaw, Katie, did the cut and color and I love it. Even this morning after the excitement wore off I still love it. I think I may be a color girl for some time now due to the gray. I still feel so young because I can do all the things I have always done, why does my hair insist on exposing me?

I Love Spring!!!

This week has been good for so many reasons.

• The weather has been soooo nice. 70's all week. I feel like I have heat exhaustion after work because I have been outside all day.


• I biked 54 miles the last two days. I am falling in love with my pink bike all over again. Still one of the best purchases I have ever made. I even had a basketball game after one 26 mile ride and I was still able to run. This is good because often I have an awkward biker run that my softball team laughs at all season.


• Softball season started today. I was so nervous because I have not hit a ball since October. To my suprise I hit and even snuck in a triple.


• I bought new cleats, my old ones were six years old and killed my feet. These ones are awesome and there are these little color flaps so that I can make my NIKE sign eight different colors. The cool thing is that I didn't even know that until after I was in the car putting them on. Of course I choose to have a pink NIKE sign.

• I watched The Boy in The Striped Pajamas last night. Really good movie. Sad, but made me think and strangely enough made me appreciate Heavenly Fathers plan more, especially the atonement.

• I turned in the rough draft of my final thesis today. YIPEE!!! I know there will still be some revisions but this is a major milestone.


• Last but not least tomorrow I am headed home for the weekend. The car ride should be great me, Dan, Sam, and Mikila. I can't wait to see all these people

as well as Angelee and her sweet little baby.

SwApPiNg

This last week was awesome!!! I swapped cleaning and sitting inside with friends . . . .FOR



laying on the beach and hanging out in the beautiful weather!!! (Notice my new swimsuit, my first ever tankini and the bottoms are so cute!)



I swapped being in the snow . . . FOR . . . being in the sun



I swapped Dan finding my camera and taking 30, yes 30, pictures of himself . . . . FOR . . .



actually wanting to use my camera to take pictures of my fun friends and trip.



Addios vacation and now it's back to real life

MISSION: Drop That Winter Weight

Every year I gain 5 pounds in the winter. I do really good until Christmas and then all of a sudden I can't get out of bed and go to the gym in the morning and I am exhausted (even more than normal). So now that spring is fast approaching I am pumped to take a hold of my life and lose that winter weight. In order to help myself I learned how to teach kickboxing and am teaching it to all of my classes. On a- days that equals 3 hours of cardio and on b-days about two hours of cardio. It is awesome!!! It is tiring but it feels good to get to workout with my classes. It is also nice because the students have to work really hard because they are in partners and I am by myself so I do double the work they do . . . . . . .which means I can get on them if they aren't working hard:)

Oh, and I just have to get through this week and then it is spring break and I will be going here



to visit Katie for a couple of days and here



to visit Jen. The above picture is my favorite kayaking spot!!!!