Cameron and Katie Hunter

Baby Hunter

2011-09-25T19:19:00.001-07:00

Cam and I are finally going to have a baby! Baby Hunter is due March 31st and we're completely excited! We are feeling ready to embark on this new adventure! One of the coolest things is that my parents will almost double their total amount of grandchildren within one year. Up until this year, they only had 4 grandkids, but with Audrey having baby Millie in June, Jen being due with her baby in December and me in March, they will go from 4 grandchildren to 7!

Of course, we'll be keeping you updated with all sorts of news, especially when we find out the gender (I'm really thinking that it's going to be a boy, but we'll see).

Some More Pictures

2011-09-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures from the last several months of the good times we had over the summer. I'm a little sad that summer is over, but Autumn is my favorite season and I'm very excited for the cool weather and change of the leaves.

Quite a while ago, we went kite flying with our friends Ryan and Tiffany Scholes. We always have such a blast with these two! We're glad to have you guys as our friends!

Millie was blessed in July. It was really neat to see Cameron participate in the blessing. I can't wait until I get to see him bless our own children.

We went on a the Union Falls hike and had a marvelous time. We all got eaten alive by mosquitos. In fact, I think I had about 20 bug bites on one leg alone. Poor Daven's little face must be delicious because he had a ton on his forehead.

We spent a lot of time just enjoying one another's company at Audrey's house. They have the most amazing back yard with a pond and everything.

We also went hiking with Cameron's sister Elise and her husband Steven. We bought a year pass to Zion and we've made pretty good use of it. I feel like we need to go a few more times just for good measure.

Cam and I are so lucky to have such wonderful family! We've had such a blast spending time with all of our friends and family this summer. We consider ourselves very blessed!

The Beginning of Picture Overload!!!

2011-08-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

Hey all! It has been quite a while since I have posted anything on my blog and I have oodles of pictures I want to get out there. I decided to first post the pictures I have taken from my travels to Idaho. Cameron and I went up first over Memorial Day Weekend. Little Millie was not born yet, so you get to see some prego pictures of Audrey.

I went up with my mom when Audrey had her baby. She's beautiful and such a wonderful addition to the fam. Last, we went up for the Lewis Family Reunion. It's the first official Lewis family reunion that I can even remember and it was a blast and a half.

Enough talk, here are the pics.

This is my dad's old Honda motorcycle.

It wouldn't be a great trip unless there was some reading involved.

Of course, you have to make a stop a Big Jud's.

And tackle the one pound hamburger.

We got to welcome Camilla (Millie) Sheryl Miller into this world on June 18, 2011.

The Family Reunion was so amazing! I have such an amazing family and my predecessors were pretty amazing too!

You gotta love golfing at Aspen Acres!

Playing some 'Minute to Win It'

Taking a little rope swing break as we float down the gorgeous Snake River.

What a blast! A little part of my heart breaks every time I have to leave Idaho. For some reason, it feels like home. I can't wait to go up there again!

Sea Breeze

2011-04-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest song I wrote. I've been seriously slacking on my music posts, but I'm blaming it on school. :) I love this song, probably because it's my newest, but I've gotten quite a bit of positive feedback on it, so I hope you like it too.

She travels alone by the seaside
Sea breeze tussles her hair
The tide crashed gently
Sand between her toes that are bare

She quietly day dreams
About far away lands
And cool sacred kisses
With firmly clasped hands

And she waits for the day
That she can run away

Her heart feels like bursting
When she thinks of him
And how he was taken
It seems on a whim

And she waits for the day
That she can run away

His ghost seems to haunt her
At every turn
His honest kind passion
Lit a flame that always will burn

And she waits for the day
That they can run away

Dedicated to My Hubby

2011-04-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

I've been having so much fun posting my songs every week. It's been good for me to get my music out there and to share it with anyone who wants to listen. While I have been doing this, I have realized that my blog is all about me and my music. I am married and have been for a year and a half now, and I felt it was time that I posted a little something about my wonderful husband.

Where to even start? I married the perfect man for me. He's patient, kind, hard working, loving, gentle, honest, sincere and so many other things. He always wants to brush my hair, give me foot rubs or serve me in any way he can. He is getting straight A's in school because he wants to be the best he can be for me. He's working towards being a Physician Assistant so that I can stay home when we have kids. He's been so supportive throughout our entire marriage and has provided the comfort and support I have needed through my challenges. He's my best friend. My confidant. My rock. I am so blessed to have him in my life!

So It Goes

2011-04-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

Here's number 14 of the NYR. Sorry I missed last week, finals are coming up and I have a lot to do for class. I'll make it up to you though. I promise.

This week I started recording a more upbeat song, but I was feeling a little melancholy so I went with this song instead. I wrote it when I was living in Logan in 2009. I also decided to embellish it a little bit. I hope that you like what I did.

Scars reduced to tears
I walk to keep me pacified
I hadn't felt this way in years
Still I failed despite my tries

We did all that we could
I loved him just like I should

Striving for perfection
Weighed down by what is real
I see him in my reflection
My heart belongs to him still

We did all that we could
I loved him just like I should

Peace in what we chose
No feelings of resentment
Don't know what the future holds
I'll settle for contentment

We did all that we could
I loved him just like I should

Lew the Mumblebee

2011-04-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

Here's #13 of the NYR. This song I wrote when I was attending Utah State University. I was in their Music Therapy program (which was so fun) and one of our assignments was to write a children's song. This is the result. I have performed it in a few preschool classes and it went over pretty well with the children. They really seemed to enjoy it and I hope you do too!

Once there was a bumblebee
He went by the name of "Lew"
He was often found mumbling
What he said no one knew

He sounded a little like this:
Mmmbzzz mmbzz mmbzz
Mmmbzzz mmbzz mmbzz
Zai Zope Zoop Zap Zope Zoop Zay

A ladybug came by
She went by the name of Bree
She said "I can't understant what you're saying
when you're mumbling"

You sound a little like this:
Mmmbzzz mmbzz mmbzz
Mmmbzzz mmbzz mmbzz
Zai Zop Zoop Zap Zope Zoop Zay

A spider crawled along
He went by the name of Jake
He said "When you're mumbling
I can't understand what you're saying"

You sound a little like this:
Mmmbzz mmbzz mmbzz
Mmmbzzz mmbzz mmbzz
Zai Zop Zoop Zap Zop Zoop Zay

The mumblebee decided
That it was time to change his ways
So he cleared his throat and he recited
"I hope you have a great day"
They threw a celebration
They shouted "Hip Hip Hooray!"
Lew smiled in jubilation and thought
"I'll always clearly say"

Bzzzzz bzzzzz bzzzz bzzzz
Bzzzzz bzzzzz bzzzz bzzzz
I hope you have a great day!
I hope you have a great day!

All I Want

2011-03-24T11:15:00.001-07:00

Here's number 12 of the NYR. Because last week's duet was so well received we decided to do another one. This is another song that Steven wrote. It's beautiful! I hope you like!

Elusive Love

2011-03-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

I made a mistake on the last post, it wasn't number 11 it was actually number 10. This one is number 11. :) I have to thank my wonderful brother for sharing a song that he has written. I know, I know, I said I would use only songs that I have written, but this one is just so good. I couldn't resist.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

ELUSIVE LOVE

Dreams never last the way they should

No life escapes the pain

It's just something that we all go through

I've been lost in a saddened state

Of an irreplaceable heart break

Don't look back on the things that I've done

I've just got to say goodbye elusive love

Time passes by in shades of gray

Without your smile everyday

Baby they just seem so blase

I've been lost in a saddened state

Of an irreplaceable heart break

Don't look back on the things that I've done

I've just got to goodbye elusive love

Cold and stained are the feelings that I've retrained

There no good for you there no good for me

I'm swept into a tide of cold and foolish and selfish pride

As I'm drawn into an island of solitude

I've been lost in a saddened state

Of an irreplaceable heart break

Don't look back on the things that I've done

I've just got to say goodbye elusive love

Lot in Love

2011-03-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

Here's Number 11 of the NYR.

This song I wrote the summer before Cameron and I got married. I felt that I'd had bad luck in relationships and I wanted to write something about it. This is one of my favorite songs because of the lyrics.

I'm so glad that my luck in love turned around and that I married such an amazing man. I'm so blessed to have him as my wonderful husband. He's been my rock throughout our marriage and I wouldn't be as happy as I am today if I didn't have him.

P.S. Tune in next week for a duet with my brother. :)

LOT IN LOVE

I fell in love with a boy who was untouchable

And always just out of reach

His skin was luminescent I feared it might

Shatter with just a brush on the cheek

This is my lot in love

The depth of mine and his lack thereof

But I've got to be okay

With the lonely alone me today

If he were to ask me to "jump" I'd say

"Where, when, how far and how high?"

He'd say "I need to you to love me without my love in return."

I would softly reply

This is my lot in love

The depth of mine and your lack thereof

But I'll try to be okay

With the lonely alone me today

I can see he can't be all that I need

But unfortunately that doesn't change a thing

With one glance of his my heart winds up

It grows tense just like a top

He pulls the string and my heart starts spinning 'round

It twirls and twists as it lights up

This is my lot in love

The depth of mine and his lack thereof

But I have to be okay

With the lonely alone me today

Everything I Wanted

2011-03-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

Sorry I missed last week. I was sick and was waiting to get my voice back. Because I did miss I will be posting two videos this week to make up for it.

This first one is another one that I wrote when I was living in Arizona. I was in a relationship with a nice guy, but I found that things just weren't working the way I had hoped. Long story short I'm married to an amazing man and I got a great song out of it.

I really like the lyrics to this song and I hope you do too.

EVERYTHING I WANTED

When I'm with you I'm breathing without air

I'm gazing at you without the stare

Feel like a ship without a harbor

Is this too much too fast?

When I talk to you I'm frozen without ice

I take a double take without looking twice

Feel like a door without a handle

Could you get a handle on me?

'Cuz you are everything I wanted

You are all that I could see

You are everything I needed

So what's wrong with me?

With your arms around me I'm singing without sound

I'm falling backward without hitting the ground

Feel like a storm without the thunder

I'm floating on top but sinking under

'Cuz you are everything I wanted

You are all that I could see

You are everything I needed

So what's wrong with me?

A sunny day without the sunshine

A clear night with no stars

A letter without writing

An "us" that isn't "ours"

I'm tangled in confusion

I'm dancing with my dreams

Sometimes the thing you wanted

Isn't what it seems

As I walk away my heart beats without a care

My back is burning from the warmth of your stare

My opportunities are knocking

Goodbye my love

'Cuz you were everything I wanted

You were all that I could see

You were everything I needed

And that's enough for me

Not a Music Video but Another Hobby of Mine

2011-03-04T10:02:00.001-08:00

I'm going to post a video tonight or tomorrow. I've been sick all week and have been waiting to get my voice back.

In the meantime I thought I would post about another hobby of mine. I enrolled in a photography class this semester and have been learning so much about photography. I got a new camera for Christmas and I've been having so much fun using it (Thank you Cameron!).

Our latest assignment was portrait photography, which is my favorite. I love capturing people in the moment and portraying them as they are in every day life. I took some pictures of my Aunt Eileen and I'm pretty happy with how they turned out.

Her latest funny quote was:

Eileen: "I have a headache!"

Mom: "How come?"

Eileen: "Because it's fattening" (she was pointing at the hamburgers we were having for dinner.)

Me and My Friend

2011-02-23T17:42:00.001-08:00

Numero 8 for the NYR.

This song I wrote when I was in Phoenix in 2008. I love this song because I wasn't dating anyone at the time and I wrote what I hoped my love life would be like when I found the right one. This song definitely fits mine and Cam's relationship. It really does feel like it's perpetually spring.

ME AND MY FRIEND

It is perpetually spring

The trees are in bloom

I lay on his chest all afternoon

We watch as the clouds puff on by

In the bluebird sky

I see a kite soaring high

The wind does a waltz with the grass

We find time to pass

I'm in his arms at last

I know that this dream will not end

As long as my friend

Has a heart and a hand to lend

Complete Honesty

2011-02-16T21:36:00.001-08:00

Numba 7 of the NYR. This has been really fun for me so far. I really hope that whomever is watching these is enjoying them too. :)

This song I wrote when I was living in Logan in 2009. It's short and very simple, but I feel like this is one of my most heartfelt songs that I've written.

(P.S. I don't know how to change the image that shows when the video isn't playing. Let's just pretend that it's a more flattering frame than it really is.)

COMPLETE HONESTY

It's easier to blame you than to put it all on me

It's easier to change you than to say honestly

That you hurt me

And I hate to see you displeased

It's harder not to see you my lungs can hardly breathe

It's harder to believe you than to say honestly

That you hurt me

And I hate to see you displeased

Where Do You Come Off?

2011-02-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

Number 6 of my NYR. I'm pretty proud of myself for actually keeping up with this thing. Aren't you? :) A little tidbit about this song:

1. All the mean things said to me in this song are based on true events. Some happened to my friends and most of them happened to me.

2. It is a bitter song, but I wouldn't have written it if there weren't rude people out there. So here you go rude people, I'm actually thanking you for being overly blunt.

3. This is one of my favorite songs, and it's often requested when I play at open mic nights. Surprisingly, many boys like it. I thought it would appeal to mostly women, but I do realize that we can be pretty cruel too, and despite what we may think, we can be overly blunt and leave any trace of "sugar-coating" out of it.

4. Someday when I'm big and famous (grin), I will send some token of my appreciation to those that helped contribute to this song, both the victims and the perpetrators. :) Someday.......someday.........

5. Enough said. Enjoy the song!

WHERE DO YOU COME OFF?

Let me tell you a story about a boy

Who thought that my heart was his toy

He said "You have the wrong shape of eye

and because we don't wear blind folds you will never get a guy"

And I said:

"Where do you come off?

You blew me away

With those stupid things you say.

They're not okay.

Where do you come off?"

Where do you come off?

He went on to tell me

"I don't think I'm sorry to lose you now"

I think "I think I'm okay with that, I'll just move on."

Then he said "I think I'm more sad to lose your mom."

And I said:

"Where do you come off?

You blew me away

With those stupid things you say.

They're not okay.

Where do you come off?"

Where do you come off?

I don't know why they think they can tell me anything they want.

Can't they see it's not okay to say these things to anyone?

Where do you come off?

You blew me away

With those stupid things you say.

They're not okay.

Where do you come off?

You look pretty but maybe 'cause I'm in a good mood today.

I really like you but I just can't seem to get past your weight.

You remind me of my little sister.

Then why'd you kiss me the other day, little mister?

Where do you come off?

You blew me away

With those stupid things you say

They're not okay

Where do you come off?

Lighter Than Air

2011-02-01T20:25:00.000-08:00

#5 of the NYR

They went to the football field where it all began

They sat on the bleachers, reminisced as they held hands

They talked about time

And how much they'd changed for the better

He asked her some questions to see if she still felt the same

He wasn't surprised to find that for him she was made

They talked about time

And how they were so in love for forever

"To grow old with you would be the highlight of my life" he said

They popped the question, looked to her eyes and he read

The answer was clear

They were lighter than air together

Echo

2011-01-26T17:39:00.000-08:00

Here's #4 of my N.Y.R. This song I wrote right after I moved home from Arizona. It's one of my favorites. :)

I walk the edge of this canyon

Staring down in the ravine

Planted on this plateau

People like you my companion

Are few and far between

And still I feel alone

My soul screams and all I hear is an

Echo, Echo, Echo,Echo

I want you standing beside me

Walking on the edge

Holding my hand

Unless, instead, you're below me

Waiting to break the fall

And helping me to land

My soul screams and all I hear is an

Echo, Echo, Echo, Echo

Are you with me or on another mountain far away

Are you reaching? I want to reach back but I can't stay

My soul screams and all I hear is

Let go, Let go, Let go, Let go

I can't let go, let go, let go

Typing the lyrics made me feel kind of silly. Writing down the word "echo" over and over, really feels like you're hearing an echo. :)

Ice Cream

2011-01-20T17:26:00.000-08:00

Here's #3 of my N.Y.R. I decided to post this one because of my other N.Y.R. to lose some weight. There are some things that I should give up, but I won't. The beauty in this song, is that it could really pass as a love song about someone...not something. :)

ICE CREAM

You satisfy my every craving

With just one taste

Can't help but feel that you're always worth the saving

One day with you I would never waste

And I know I shouldn't love you, but I won't give you up.

My sister says that I should stay away

But I can't let you go

I need you in my life each and every day

You're worth my weight in gold

And I know I shouldn't love you, but I won't give you up.

Even on the darkest of nights

I can turn to you

I open the door and you are "Baskin" in the light

There's nothing I can do to resist you

And I know I shouldn't love you, but I won't give you up.

Locket

2011-01-15T17:22:00.000-08:00

Here's #2 of my N.Y.R. I wrote this song when I lived in Arizona around the same time I wrote the last song. Enjoy!

You left me unwanted and bruised

Four years, why should I feel used?

You haunt me in my waking sleep

My heart is ripping at the seams

Where do you go when you're already gone?

How do you run away when you're already away?

You left the treaty unsigned

From your respected position you have resigned

This locket weighs heavy in my chest

Disillusion and cool collection I regret

Where do you go when you're already gone?

How do you run away when you're already away?

I'll give my soul to the stars

My life to the heavens

This chance to show all my scars

I hold in sweet reverence

Where do you go when you're already gone?

How do you run away when you're already away?

Set me free. Let me be. Release me.

Fade from my memory. Let me rest in peace.

Set me free. Let me be. Set me free.

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-04T21:37:00.000-08:00

I've never been one for New Year's resolutions. I always thought that they were for old people or crazy people. How do you make a goal for a whole year? I always felt that I could only do a goal for maybe a week (and that was only if I could get past the first day).

I do feel the winds changing, and I found two things that I really want to do this year.

Number 1: It's pretty cliche, but I want to lose weight. I want to look like I did in high school, but older and much more mature. :) I guess I've never been super overweight, but I feel like I could use fewer pounds around me. Cameron wants to lose some weight too, so yesterday we signed up for Weight Watchers. Already I've been a little depressed because I feel like I haven't eaten anything, but I'm still going over my daily limit. I'll figure it out, it will just be a little process.

Number 2 (This one I'm really excited for): I'm going to post one of the songs that I have written every week this entire year. I'm fairly sure that I have about 50-ish songs, so that allows me to post one every week. I'm not gonna lie, it's going to be a little tough. I tend to get busy and caught up in life, but once upon a time music was my life and I want to get that dedication back. Also, I've always wanted to get my music "out there." I almost moved to Nashville, but marrying Cameron became my priority. I'm so glad I chose to stay with him rather than go out there, but I still want to do my part in sharing my music.

Keep in mind that most of these recordings will be done using my laptop. The sound won't be magnificent, the video quality may not be the best, but it will suffice. I hope that you all enjoy this and I hope that I enjoy it too. I have a feeling that I will.

Here's the first post: It's a song I wrote when I lived in Gilbert, AZ back in 2007. It's also one of my favorites.

IDEAL

Halloween Post....a Little Late

2010-11-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I must admit, this year I celebrated probably the most fun Halloween I've had since I was about 10 years old. I'm sure that Halloween will get more fun with children that I can dress up and make cute costumes for, but for now we get to just have fun with the two of us. I've wanted to dress up as Mario and Luigi for over a year now, and that dream finally came true. Not only did that dream of dressing up as an Italian plumber come true, it was added upon. Our friends, Ryan and Tiffany Scholes dressed up as well. They were Peach and Bowser. Yeah, pretty much we had the most AWESOME costumes EVER!

Yeah I made those hats. :) Tiffany made all of Ryan's costume, her crown and jewelry. She already had the dress and I think that it's pretty cool that she can still fit into a dress she wore in high school.

We volunteered at an elementary school. While we were there, we saw about 3 or 4 Mario's and Luigi's. A couple of kids came to tell me and Cameron, when they saw Ryan and Tiffany leaving, that Bowser had kidnapped Peach and that we were to save her. It was such a fun night, and we almost won some costume contests. I don't want to go into that...it's a sensitive subject.

We also carved some pumpkins and decorated cookies. I discovered that Cameron is quite creative when it comes to icing sugar cookies. Crazy what you learn when you're celebrating Halloween. :) Being married is the absolute best! Everything seems to be more fun and exciting. It's also way cool to dress up together. Who doesn't want a legitimate excuse to do that?

Autumn Song

2010-10-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest invention. The recording isn't great, and I don't sound perfect, but I am just happy that I've written a new song. I hope you like it!

Queen Eileen Quote of the Day

2010-09-12T16:29:00.000-07:00

Today my dad asked my aunt Eileen if she wouldn't mind giving the prayer. After a little coaxing she agreed to do it, as long as my dad agreed he would help her. Here's how the prayer went:

Dad: "Bless the food."

Eileen: "Bless the food."

Dad: "Bless it to our good."

Eileen: "...to our good."

Dad: "Help our family to make good choices."

Eileen:"....to make good choices."

Dad: "Including me (meaning Eileen)."

Eileen: "And Tim too!"

I have to confess, at this point I had my eyes open and I saw Eileen point to my dad. We all started laughing and, of course, Eileen giggled too. The rest of the prayer was rushed because we couldn't stop laughing. Leave it to Eileen to tell us to be good, when we're trying to tell her to be good.

A Quick Update

2010-08-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

Well, life has been crazy (as usual) for both me and Cameron. This past month has been a busy, but eventful one. We went up to West Point for the 24th of July with Cameron's family. We had a really great time up there! We went rock climbing, shooting, swimming, and a whole bunch of other fun things. We always have fun with his Uncle Russ and Aunt Sarah when we go up there. They have such a great family! I really lucked out with all of my in-laws.

Just last week, Cameron and I went on a quick little getaway to Mesquite. We only went for one night, but we had a blast. It was nice to have a little adventure with just the two of us. We haven't gone on an overnight trip like that since our honeymoon.

I sure am glad I married him! He is so patient and kind. He's hard working and he loves me more than anything! We're coming on 9 months now and I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. It's really neat to see our love evolve and grow. The little trials of marriage can really bring a couple together. I'm glad to say that we still haven't had a full-blown fight, and I'm not so sure that we'll ever have one. Neither of us like confrontation and we'd rather get along than argue. I couldn't ask for a better husband or friend. He makes me strong when I want to be weak and he reminds me constantly of who I should be by being a great example of being diligent, kind, loving, patient, and Christ-like.

Life is beautiful! There are always ups and downs, but all in all the journey is spectacular!

This here is Zeus, Russ and Sarah's new pet horse...I mean St. Bernard. He's HUGE! He's a really sweet dog, with lots and lots of slobber.

Yeah, I didn't hang upside down like this, probably because I value my life.

Work it baby! Work it!

Cameron's dad, Jeff shooting a 22 pistol.

Cameron purchased a new 40-caliber handgun and his Aunt Sarah was a little surprised by the kick.

Good ol' sisterly goofiness. I personally loved my safety goggles.

Idaho? No, U da ho!

2010-07-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

Oh Idaho! The land of potato fields, milkshakes, river runs and happiness. Our family went up to Idaho for several days, and what a blast we had! We went to see Beauty and the Beast at the Playmill theater and we were all very impressed with the production they put on. The costumes were impressive and the performers were quite talented. We swam in the beautiful Henry's lake. And we also played many games such as Bohnanza! Qwirkle, Set, and Strip-Bo...I mean Skip-Bo. I love Idaho, and it was really fun to have a companion up there! Cameron and I truly had so much fun and we have all of my family to thank for it! We sure had a great time with everyone! Enough talking, here are the pictures!

The Dav-Man working on Grandpa Jud's truck.

I tried to get him to do a silly pose, but he ended up just doing a crazy dance. I guess that's silly enough.

Barrett's parents have this great pond in their backyard. Cam and Daven took a canoe trip around it, and Daven is quite the canoer...canoist...whatever.

This is Mr. Buffalo just traveling to see Old Faithful.

Old Faithful really is a cool, natural phenomenon. Even though I've seen it quite a few times, I'm always impressed.

We stopped at some hot pots along the way to Old Faithful. They're pretty neat....and stinky!

Many much Moosen in the woodes...in the wooden!

Barrett brought some guns and we all went shooting in the forest. The weirdest part, I ran into a girl I knew when I lived in Arizona. What a small world and a large forest!

Jen gets so sad when we put her in the stocks.

Oh yeah! That's my hubby!

In case you couldn't tell, Audrey is the one with the hood, Jen is the one awkwardly holding the gun. Te he he!

The trip to Idaho isn't a trip unless we hit up the Aspen Acres Golf Course. It's the most quaint little course and always a blast. It was Cameron's first time golfing and he did remarkably well!

I love my mom even when she's only wearing one earring!

Baby Afton sitting in the grass. This little one is growing so fast and so is her personality. She's a hoot and I love her!

Wasatch Back

2010-06-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

Well...I finally completed a goal of mine, I ran a race. And it wasn't just any race, it was the Wasatch Back. 188 miles of beautiful scenery, hills, little towns and pain. My cousin Bryan got a team together of a few cousins on my mother's side and some of his friends. I was in a car with my cousins Scott and Allen McCracken and Jay Larson. Also in the car were two lovely ladies, Savannah and Jamie. Over the course of 29 hours, we came to be very close. You kind of have to get close when three of the six people are over 6'4" and you are all squished in a 4-Runner. I'm so thankful to Jamie though for the vehicle!

The race was everything I had hoped for a more. It was really hard for me. I wouldn't consider myself a runner by any stretch of the imagination, but that's why I've always wanted to run a race. I planned on running a half marathon or something of that nature, but I was never motivated to do it just for myself. When Bryan proposed the idea of me running with a team, I found the motivation I was searching for (I also paid the fee before I could talk myself out of it). I had the best people in my car and I'm so thankful to all of them for making this such a wonderful experience! They were all so optimistic and positive. Nothing could bring them down, and it helped me to keep myself upbeat.

Even though I threw up on the side of the road twice, got only two hours of sleep, and hurt really bad afterward, I still would recommend this race to anyone. I'm already planning on running it next year. Cameron is going to run it with me and we both have our individual goals with it. I want to be able to run the whole thing next year. I ran most of it, but not all of it and I know that I can do it. Cameron wants to run the hardest leg of the race next year. That leg is called the "Ragnar" for it's challenging 6.9 miles up a mountain. The poor person that runs the leg before doesn't get much credit because they only run 6.4 miles up a mountain. Heck! I think that any leg uphill should be called the "Ragnar."

Thanks everyone for such an awesome experience! I'm so glad I did it! Thanks Bryan for all your effort to get a team organized! Thanks Allen for doing so awesome with no training! Jay and Scott, thanks for buoying me up and for helping me through my first race. It was nice to be with people that had done a relay before. Savannah, thanks for helping me on my last leg. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't helped me run that last EXTRA mile they added onto my leg last minute. Jamie, thanks for taking pictures and for being so optimistic even though you weren't feeling well. I truly admire you! Thanks to the rest of the team for running!

You can see more pictures of my race on my facebook.

6 Months to the Day!

2010-05-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. Cameron and I have been married for 6 months today! I can't believe that it's been half a year already, but at the same time, it feels like we were married yesterday. I'm still as happy, if not happier, as I was on that wonderful day. I really lucked out with my hubby! He's patient, kind, funny, spontaneous and loving.

We have been really busy lately with school and work. We got a little break and went down to Arizona to visit Jen, Alec, the kids and Steve. We really loved the warm AZ weather, seeing as it's been snowing in Cedar all throughout May. Cameron finished off his first semester of college with great grades (did I mention that he's also smart?). I'm still working at the Dermatologist and loving it. Who wouldn't love taking out stitches and holding down screaming babies while we give them a shot?

Here are some pictures from the last few months of our blissful marriage. People keep telling me that we're still in the "Honeymoon Phase" but I think that this whole married thing gets better and better. I recommend it to anyone single out there!

Steve and Lily. It's always so good to see them!

Lily officially has Cameron wrapped around her finger. He's a big fan of her, probably because she says "Sank (Thank) You" anytime you say anything nice.

Work it brother....work it!

Jen made these AMAZING chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes for my birthday. Does that sound like a heart attack in a cupcake or what?! They were so amazing

We've done some camping too. The Fred Lewis clan gave Cameron and me some sleeping bags that zip together for our wedding. I never knew that camping could actually be warm. :)

We're still so happy and plan to be happy forever!

Just so you know, the fire eventually became a huge, manly pile of ruggedness. We roasted our hot dogs to perfection. I thought I'd mention that because the fire in this video....well....doesn't seem that great, not because of Cameron, but because of the wood...and the wind...and the dirt...and stuff....

Wedding Pictures

2010-03-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

Yep...4 months (to the day) have I been married now and I still haven't posted my wedding pictures. I have them now and I shall post them. All of you should be hearing the "Hallelujah Chorus" in the background. :)

Life is still amazing! Cameron and I fall more and more in love with each other every day. We're so thankful for each other, and I'm especially thankful for him. He's perfect for me in every way. Neither of us are perfect people, but we make each other complete. I love him to death!

Thanks again to Bryan McCracken for the lovely pictures. You helped make our day even more memorable!

Bridal Pictures

2010-01-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

I know that I have been the worst blogger EVER lately, but I have a really good reason...marriage. It keeps you busy, and just when you think that life is going to slow down you realize that the combination of Cameron's school, my two jobs and holiday events make it hard to find time. Most of my spare time I try to devote to Cameron. We're still getting used to the whole living with someone of the opposite sex. :)

Married life is absolutely amazing! It's so great to come home to my best friend everyday and to have someone to laugh with and to wipe away my tears. Cameron is the best thing that has ever happened to me and he truly makes me happy. We've had some wonderful experiences in the temple, with our families, and each other. He is even patient enough to deal with me and my hormone roller coaster that I'm constantly on. Go figure I get all emotional the second I become a wife!

Quite a few people have requested that I post my bridal pictures and I just realized that I didn't even post any of my engagement pictures. You can find the engagement pictures on my facebook if you really want to see them. I also wanted to give a quick shout-out to Bryan McCracken, my cousin and fantastic photographer. He and Rachel did a fantastic job! I'm sure making Cameron look good was a piece of cake though. :) Also, I need to thank my best friend Darci Batty for doing my hair for every picture session. She even drove all the way up to Bountiful to do my hair on my wedding day. Thanks to everyone who attended my wedding and reception. It meant a lot to me and Cameron. To those of you who couldn't make it, we wish you could have been there, but understand the circumstances. Hope you enjoy!

My Newest Adventure

2009-09-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

Although I'm pretty sure all of you already know, I thought I'd make it even more official by posting it on my blog...but I'm getting married! His name is Cameron Hunter and he's WONDERFUL! I've known him since 8th grade and we even dated in high school. We dated off and on, and even when we weren't dating we stayed really good friends. He's always been one of my best friends and he's helped me get through a lot of trials and challenges.

He got home from his mission the day after I moved home and things just fell into place. We got engaged 6 weeks after he got home. I know, I know, it was quick, but I felt like it was okay because we've known each other for almost as many years as we didn't know each other. We're getting married on the 27th of November, the day after Thanksgiving, in the Bountiful temple. I hope to see all of you there!

Here are some pictures of our adventures together. He's a cutie, or as Aunt Eileen puts it "He's handsome!" We have a ton of fun together and I enjoy every second I get to be with him.

We went up the mountain to take pictures of the fall leaves. They're not all quite there yet, but we sure had fun taking pictures anyway.

This picture is from Lagoon. This was taken on the very day he said "When we get home, I'm going to talk to your dad." That was it. Technically he never asked me and I never said yes. :)

We went on a night hike up at the "C"...I guess we were scared or something. I don't really know why we're making these faces.

He borrowed one of my sweatshirts...and well...it was a little small for him.

These are our super hero faces. Yes, we're conquering the world one mexi-mustache at a time.

Hello Seattle

2009-07-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

Steven was a trooper and joined me on my adventures to Seattle and Idaho. We drove over 2000 miles but it was a blast, at least for me. We visited Audrey for almost a week and we got to see some new things, including her new baby. I'll post the pictures from Idaho in a couple of days, I don't want to overwhelm all of you with jealousy. :) It was so good to see Audrey, Barrett, Daven and new little Afton. She's a beautiful baby with TONS of hair! Thanks again Audrey and Barrett for letting us crash your apartment!

TWIN FALLS

On our way to Seattle, Steve and I stopped in Twin Falls to have some dinner. We crossed this huge bridge and at the bottom of this gorge there was the most beautiful golf course. It was sweet!

IN SEATTLE

I seriously could not get enough of Afton's hair. I love it!

PIKE'S MARKET

In my personal opinion, Pike's Market is a must see if you're visiting Seattle. There are tons of fruit stands, honey stands, fish stands, flower shops and any other shop you could possibly imagine. There are people singing on the street and hippies everywhere. It's great!

LINCOLN PARK (no not the band)

This is the "Sandcastle Beemine" as Daven named it. We took the only patch of sand we could find on the beach and built a fantastic sandcastle. Good job Steve and Daven!

We saw two jelly fish in the water. One was dead and just floating along, and this red one looked as if it were dying. I didn't think they came this far north. Shows you what I know about jelly fish.

On our little hike to the beach, we spotted a spotted owl. I've never really seen one, so I thought it was pretty cool.

I just love this picture. Afton sure is a great baby! She didn't even cry when Steve held her. :)

THE FERRY

We rode the ferry to Vashon Island and it was one of the highlights of the trip. There was a street fair and we walked around for a while, passing little booths as we strolled up the street. I really love street fairs, mostly because they always have live entertainment. There were a few bands and singers that I really liked, and there was even an old man dancing/doing Tai Chi under a tree. I wanted to take a picture of him, but I didn't really think that it would be appropriate. He seemed really into the music.

I officially love Seattle, and I hope that Audrey and Barrett enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed theirs!

Wendover and the FUNBUS!

2009-07-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago a few friends and I paid $15 to ride the Fun Bus out to Wendover. It's actually a really good deal. You pay the $15, they drive you to Wendover and back, you get a $25 all-you-can-eat buffet, a little coupon book for free drinks and discounts at stores and $5 to gamble. So, if you don't take any more money than the $15, you get a full belly and a few bucks to blow on Black Jack or Craps.

I realized that I really hate gambling. I don't really like spending money or shopping, and just blowing money on a card game was silly to me, but the whole experience was really fun. We also decided to dress up, and when I heard this I thought "I'll go as a cowgirl." Everyone else went in 80's outfits, so we looked pretty silly walking around the casinos. Who am I kidding? All the old people there looked way silly, we fit right in.

So, if you're looking for a cheap date or just something fun to do, hop on the Fun Bus to Wendover. It will be well worth your $15 and 6 hours.

Fun Fun and More Fun

2009-06-23T09:52:00.001-07:00

For my birthday I invited my roommates, cousin Brittany, my brother and some other friends to go camping at Zion National Park. We had such a great time and got to enjoy the beauty of southern Utah.I love Brittany to death! She's super hard-core, but is also very sincere and genuine. I consider her one of my best friends.

Blowing out 21 candles.

My roommates Liz and Kiley.

Hey my good lookin' brother!

I must admit this is probably one of my all-time favorite pictures of Steve!

A few weeks after school got out, my friends and I went camping and rock climbing. It was rainy and cold, but totally worth it!

I figured everyone wanted a good picture of my bum. Well, here it is. I really love rock climbing and want to get better at it (*hint* *hint* Steve).

A lot is going on in my life, but because I have to go to work right now I will have to wait until another day to update you. Life is good, I'm happy, I love my family, and I'm extremely blessed!

Her Morning Elegance

2009-05-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to make a stop motion music video, and I think this one is beautifully done. The song is pretty awesome too, or at least I think so.

Life is good in Logan, and I will be posting more pictures pretty soon. I just don't have the internet at my apartment so I have to use my friend's computer. All I have to say is "Hooray for Summer!" I'm going camping tomorrow and went camping at Zion's for my birthday a couple weeks ago. I'm so excited to spend lots of time outdoors. Logan really is beautiful at this time of year!

Spring is Springing!

2009-04-17T23:11:00.001-07:00

I, along with everyone else in Logan, have been complaining about the poor weather. Just two days ago it snowed and covered all of our beautiful green grass with a white blanket of coldness. I figure I can't control the weather, so there really is no point in making a big deal out of it anymore. If it's gonna snow, it's gonna snow so why not enjoy it?

We have had some beautiful days sneaking in every once in a while, and on one of them we (meaning Marisa and I) decided it was time to have a BBQ. So, we called and text all the roomies and some other friends and embarked on a park adventure. It was so nice to be in the sunshine again, even if it was a little chilly still.

They totally weren't posing for this picture......well....kind of.....

Marinda, the light of my life and one of the happiest people I know.

Liz and Marisa....they look like this probably 90% of the time.

It was actually quite remarkable that Tasha ate a hot dog, considering that she hates them.

Chrissy and Tanner playing catch, only appropriate on a beautiful day in the park.

Colby was kind enough to watch the grill and flip the hot dogs with a stick (I forgot a spatula).

I can't remember why Liz posed like this, but I sure like it!

And this picture has nothing to do with the park, some of us just decided to hit up the hot springs a few days earlier. It's really nice to have friends that like to do fun stuff. I'm really lucky to have them!

Oh Arizona!

2009-03-26T13:30:00.001-07:00

As most of you already know, I went down to Arizona with the family last week. It was so wonderful to see the sun again and to attempt to get a tan. On our way back we stopped at the Grand Canyon, and I must say it is pretty grand!

Steve looks so much in awe...or like he's about to sneeze, I don't quite know!

Now, I look like I'm in awe. I've been working on my facial expressions lately.

This is where everyone else is putting theirs.

I'm so glad that my parents still like each other. They are a really good example for me.

Posin' by the watchtower. Work it baby! Work it!

We spent a morning at the riparian preserve and it was way fun. The kids discovered a couple of dinosaurs while we were there. Good work kids!

Two of my favorite girls in the whole world!

We went to a spring training game in Scottsdale. We watched the Giants and the White Sox play. It was really fun to be in the baseball atmosphere, with all the salesmen yelling about peanuts and beer. We also had awesome seats on the second row right in between home and first base.

Workin' the shades as always.

Mmmm! Hot Dawg!

Swing batta batta, swing!

Lillian Eliza...one of the most precious little girls I know, even if she is posing on a dirty truck in the parking lot of Lee's Asian Marketplace.

Dad's been searching and searching for herbal laxatives. Finally, he found some.

It was so wonderful to be in 85-degree weather and to go swimming. I didn't think that Logan was that cold until I came back. The day after I got back it snowed 2 inches and has continued to snow all week. Yeah...I wasn't too happy about that. :) I guess we do need the moisture so I shouldn't complain.

Thanks again Jen and Alec for letting us stay with you. Thanks mom and dad for letting me read out loud to you on the drive back. And thanks Steve for taking silly pictures with me and being the best brother ever!

Happy Morning...Too Happy

2009-03-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Mornings - The funniest videos clips are here

I must say, this is a brilliant commercial. If I drank coffee I would go and buy me some right now, but since I don't, I'll just watch this video a few more times.

Pretty Much Wonderful!

2009-03-02T09:40:00.001-08:00

So, I have some of the greatest friends and family in the whole entire WORLD!!! Last week I was reminded of how much I am loved and it was a great feeling. My family cares so much about me and I am so lucky to have them to turn to. I also have great friends like Katie Elizabeth Hawkes, who take time to make me posters. I was having somewhat of a downer day on Saturday and I got a little package from Katie. This is what she sent me.
I actually started crying a little bit when I put it all together because it made me so happy. I've hung it on my wall and that it where it is going to stay. I really am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life and Katie is pretty much wonderful!!! Thanks Katie and the rest of my family for caring about me so much!

President's Day Weekend

2009-02-27T10:23:00.000-08:00

A bunch of friends and I went down to Cedar City for President's day weekend. We went hiking at Zion National Park, visited the St. George temple, and ate at In-N-Out. We also celebrated Valentine's day and gave each other Valentines. It was such a good weekend! Being in the sunshine did make me a little excited for spring and summer. Logan isn't as cold as everyone told me it would be, but a little green and sunshine could do me good I think. :) Here are some pics from the weekend.

I love the St. George temple. I think I always took it for granted when I was younger, but I really do think it is a beautiful temple.

Katie Elizabeth Hawkes...always keeping me on my toes.

We had to do a classic/modern staircase picture...I mean who wouldn't?

I thought that the green trees scattered amongst the red mountains and snow was so beautiful. I've never been to ZNP in the winter...funny how I lived only 45 minutes away my whole life!

Kelsey...I just love this girl!!!

Lauralee is kicking the mountain...who needs Chuck Norris when you have her?

Um yeah...Jared is sitting on the edge of a 150 ft. cliff. Of course I was comfortable letting him do that!

Some nice woman eating an apple took this for us. It's the only picture we have with everyone in it.

We almost slid off the mountain hiking to this specific spot...hence me holding on for dear life.

Marisa is hugging the mountain...she's such a hippie!!!

Trying to take a candid picture...yeah we're all genuinely laughing...well genuinely forcing our laughter.

Katie and Marisa two of the cutest girls.

I thought this was a cool shot...boy do I have an eye for photography! :)

I was actually trying to do a toe-touch, but it just looks like I'm riding an invisible bull.

Hooray for Zion!!!

I Believe I Can Fly!!!

2009-02-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

I have officially become blog happy! I guess because I have been seriously slacking these past months, I thought I would try to make it up to you and myself. I haven't been taking many pictures lately, but in the past week I remembered that I kind of love to document every crazy, silly, random thing I do. I really hope you don't mind. :)

These are of me and some of my roommates and friends flying. If you really wanna know the secret you can ask, but for now just look and enjoy. Laugh out loud if you so desire.

Marinda...and I don't think I have ever seen her so happy.

Kiley and Marinda...once again Marinda looks like a kid that just found a swimming pool full of their favorite candy.

Sarah (the beautiful one on the left) is the one that inspired these pictures. You can thank her if you really feel the urge.

Tasha, always looking good, even if she's flying through the air.

Super Kiley to the rescue!

Hai-Yaaa!

Marisa just casually doing a bum drop. What else would she be doing?

Colby and Marisa just taking a little nap while levitating.

Super Colby! I seriously wish I could just lay out like he does!

Timberrrrr!

I don't know how this one happened, but "Holy Air!!!"

I don't think I have ever seen Kiley so petrified.

This one really accents my albatross arms. No wonder I can fly so well!

This is probably one of my favorites, because Sarah looks like she's flying towards the camera at 500 mph.

I'm sure that you're truly amazed, and hopefully somewhat entertained. We spent probably a little too much time taking these, but it was absolutely worth it!!! Watch out Super Man, KK10 can fly too!

Jowling

2009-02-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay! I know I'm in college and that I'm supposed to be acting like an adult, but sometimes I like to remember what it is like to be silly. One of my friends showed me how to take crazy pictures last summer, and I asked if any of my friends had heard of it. My good friend Katie Hawkes informed me that it's called "Jowling." Basically you shake your head back and forth really fast, while relaxing your face muscles then take a picture. If you do it right it looks like someone just punched you, or in my case, like you're retaining water in your face. I hope that my friends don't hate me forever for posting these. :)

This is Marisa Johnson...more flattering pictures of her soon to come.

This is Lauralee, Katie Hawkes roommate. She did a fantastic job, if I do say so myself.

I know....nothing really to say about this one.

The beautiful Katie Hawkes trying her best to relax her face. She tried so hard so I'm giving her an A for effort.

I hope you're not too grossed out, but I just laugh so hard every time that I look at them that I couldn't help sharing them with you. Also...I want you all to notice that I've updated my blog twice in the past week! That's right! Thank you all for looking and commenting! It always makes my day.

Sun! Sun! Glorious Sun!

2009-01-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

Logan was cold, Phoenix was warm and I happened to have a round trip ticket in my name. My good friend Jesse Pettit got married last week, and I have been aching to return to the land that I fell in love with last year. It was so fun to see Jen and Alec and the kids! I also got to see Austin, the little boy that I worked with when I lived there, and it made me unbelievably happy!

It never fails to surprise me how much I really do love the desert. There is a beauty about it that is indescribable. At first I didn't think much of the desert, but I found myself appreciating the cacti, dust and palm trees so much more. I really hope that I can return soon, but I am still happy in Logan. :)

Here are some pictures from our hike at Papago Park.

Have I mentioned lately how much I really adore these kids?

Eric donned my favorite boots and tramped around the house a little bit. I think they look pretty good, maybe a little too warm for Phoenix, but stylish all the same.

Here's the artsy side of me coming out. I thought that this dried up Saguaro cactus was beautiful and haunting all at the same time.

Christmas Wishlist

2008-12-05T20:58:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is officially here! Because I am so ridiculously popular, tons of people have been asking me what I want for Christmas. I'll save those of you who actually check my blog the pain of asking me. So, here they are. I've narrowed it down to three things:

This really is no secret. I have wanted a bloodhound ever since I watched The Fox and the Hound. Copper is just so darn cute when he trips over his own ears and howls that little howl of his. I'm also kind of frustrated with the dating scene, and keep thinking that a constant companion, such as a dog, would bring me more comfort than any old boy (no offense to all those boys that read my blog).
I decided that I'm not green enough! These shoes are made out of 113% biodegradable material. Shoes that you can put a penny in...advertise your enviornmental beliefs....and throw out your car window without worrying about littering...could one ask for more? I submit that one could not!

Now...last but definitely not least. I really, really, REALLY want a beard hat. I am so pro-facial hair that I'm considering starting a website that promotes beards. Unfortunately I don't have enough testosterone in my system to grow one myself. Well, that problem can be solves with the "Handy Dandy Beard Hat." It not only keeps your face warm, but it also accentuates your eyes. Color choices include: mustard yellow (as pictured above), sea green, magenta and cornflower (blue)

I did try to pick things that aren't too expensive. I will also accept cash or credit donations. To donate please call me at (555)-555-1212 or send your donations to 1234 Mystery Lane, Lewisville UT 90210.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Family Pictures

2008-11-19T19:23:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I have awesome roommates! We spend so much time together, we laugh probably a little too much and we don't fight over the dishes. It's amazing how wonderful life can be when you're surrounded by good friends. Because we're all away from home, we have turned to one another and have become like sisters, which is why we decided it appropriate to take some family pictures. All of the following are now hung by the fireplace with care. I can't wait to hang stockings underneath them when it gets a little closer to Christmas!

Naturally I cropped this one, so it looks better on our wall...but you get the picture (no pun intended).

This is Marinda...I love her. She is always the one person that sees me do something stupid. I love it, because it gives me someone to laugh with. You know when you trip and no one sees, so you laugh at yourself and everyone thinks you're wierd? Yeah that doesn't happen to me anymore because Marinda always sees. :)

Yours Truly

This is Kandalee. She is a work-aholic and we don't see much of her around the apartment, but she is one of the sweetest people I have ever met.

This is my actual "room" mate Liz. Days with her are filled with laughter, skinny jeans, and an alarm that goes off every 5 minutes.

This is Tasha, the peacemaker in our apartment. If ever our conversation leads in the direction of gossip or mean things, she turns it 180 degrees into a conversation about happy things like ice cream and unicorns.

Kiley is a beautiful girl that is such a hard worker. She's also very clean and sometimes I feel like she does too much for our apartment. She is strong and knows exactly what she wants from life. I have such a great respect for her.

Sarah Jane, our adopted roommate. This girl is an amazing artist with a fabulous personality. She meets me in "The Hub" (a.k.a the foodcourt) every Tuesday and Thursday for lunch. We usually share pizza and breadsticks. Mmmm! So good!

I am so unbelieveably lucky to have the roomates that I have! They are my best friends and I love the fact that I am excited to come home to see them every day.

Luau

2008-09-15T19:36:00.000-07:00

Our student stake had a Luau for family home evening. They were awarding 12 tickets to the nicest steak house in town and 12 tickets to a corn maze to the apartment that was best dressed. I was thinking yesterday about what I would wear and it hit me! I was inspired to be a......

That's right....I chose to go as a pig to a luau! Apple in the mouth and all. I bought the sweats today and found it to be a win/win situation. I got to dress up as a pig, and I got some wicked sweet pink sweats.
You see Liz to the left going as a surf board. Kiley next to her as a Hula girl. Myself as a pig (yes that is a red curly tail on my behind), and Sarah was a Tiki Man. Seems like a champion team, right?!
Sarah had absolutely no peripheral vision with this mask on, and it was awesome because I could make fun of her when I was standing by her side and she had no idea. I didn't really have any reason to mock her either, I was the one in the pig suit.

Sadly enough, we didn't even get an honorable mention in the costume competition. The three groups that took 1st through 3rd consisted of people on a cruise ship, men in banana suits, and girls in full out scuba attire (minus the air tanks). Their costumes were awesome, but I was just so proud of my witty idea that I felt gypped. On the drive home I was wallowing in my sadness and exclaimed "I'm going to wear this to school tomorrow just to spite them! I'm sure I'd get at least one date out of it." Right then, I realized how awkward I looked while driving my car and my roommates thought the same. But come on! Who couldn't resist this?

The process of finding our costumes was fun and it was a great excuse to hang out with my roomies that I love so much! At the party supply store we saw these awesome glasses and had to take a picture. I am having so much fun here in Logan! I love all the people (minus the judges at the Luau) and am really feeling good about where I am in life.

Foot and Life Update

2008-09-04T14:53:00.001-07:00

I'm sure that all of you have been concerned about my poor little foot and here's the update on it. It's still ridiculously purple all over, but I can walk at a brisk pace now and can get to all of my classes without any problems. I've been trying to wear pants that don't draw attention to my boot, but all my bell-bottom jeans are dirty now, and today I wore my skinny jeans. It looks pretty funny with this gigantic boot over top my skinny jeans on my left leg, and a cute little sparkly flip flop on my right foot. Here's a picture of it.

This is my foot all purple-y. It's bruised on the sides and on the bottom. I didn't even know that a foot could look like this. It has been pretty fun trying to coordinate my clothes with the shades of purple and blue on my foot. I noticed that I sure have a lot of gray stuff.

I also went home last weekend for Labor Day. I wasn't planning on going home quite so soon, but Steven was in town and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to hang out with him. While I was home I spent a lot of time with Suzanne Wood too. She's leaving on her mission in less than a month, and time with her is precious as well.

Suzanne makes some of the best cookies I have ever had. This woman is like a modern day Betty Crocker!

Possibly the last cookie we'll share before she leaves. That's ok though, we'll have plenty more to eat once she gets home.

Mom has taken up knitting. She's making beanies for babies and I think it's so great that she's doing just another thing to make the world a better place. She's such a great woman!

Here's one of the beanies that she made, it's quite colorful, and selfish little me requested one for the upcoming winter season.

Steven played Ultimate Frisbee (what's new?) and ended up hurting his shoulder. He wore this hot pad for a few hours, then very lasciviously ripped it off and tied it around his head. Is there any wonder why I love him so much?

I kinda love this guy!!! He's the best brother I could ever ask for(don't worry Barrett and Alec, you two are the best Brothers-In-Law I could ask for!).

So, I'm doing really well. My foot gets sore after walking around campus all day, but because I haven't started work yet, I've had a lot of time to rest it. I had so much fun in Cedar City over the weekend, and I'm so thankful I could have spent so much time with my family. They're pretty great!

One Time...In Tumbling Class...

2008-08-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

So, here it was. The third day of school. I'd spent my day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. walking to classes, taking notes, singing arpeggios and scarfing down a PB'nJ. I decided to work out at the campus gym for the first time. You know, to scope out the guys checking themselves out in the mirror, while lifting weights. I came home, ate a wonderful dinner (homemade BBQ chicken pizza made by my very own roommate Tasha), and did some dishes. Earlier, in my ceramics class, a girl told me about a free Adult Tumbling class being offered that night. I thought "I've always wanted to know how to do a back handspring." So Liz (my roommate) and I ventured off towards the Hyper Building.

Things were going great. The coaches were cute, my form was decent (or so they said) and I was going to achieve one of my life goals. With some spotting, I was able to accomplish a fairly decent back handspring. After everyone in my group did one, he asks us "What would you like to learn next." I'm thinking "How bout we learn how to do one without spotting? I'm not ready to learn anything else." "How bout backtucks?" He asks, with little to no enthusiasm. He demonstrates and the one boy in my group goes crazy and starts gabbing about how he's always wanted to do one. I watched a couple more demonstrations and thought, looks easy enough. I tried one, and landed roughly on the spring floor. I had done one! Horay! I backed away and let others in the group try.

As I sat there observing, another thought came to mind, "Hmmm...I haven't had a good injury in about two years now. Maybe I should finally bill those stinking insurance companies and get my parent's moneys worth. I'm sure the E.R. is looking for patients tonight." I step up to the instructor (who, by the way, looked like he just recently had his wisdom teeth removed), and asked what would help my form on my back tuck. "Once you jump up, grab onto your knees." Sounds simple enough. One...two...three...jump...flip...POP...SIGH..."Are you ok?"

To make a long story short, I hobbled home, called my Mom and asked if it would be cheaper to go to the Urgent Care or the E.R. My awesome roommate Liz accompanied me to the Logan Hospital and we spent a good hour and half giggling and taking pictures. I didn't break my foot, but the doctors think I tore some ligaments. Wahoo! I will be going to the Podiatrist soon to find out exactly what's wrong with my foot, but for now I have a splint and crutches. My roommates have all been so helpful, and it's be really good for me to humble myself and let others help me.

Here I am in my wheelchair getting my hospital wristband put on.
My swollen foot and the bag of ice that I got with no help from the Tumbling Instructors.
No words.....
My fabulous roommate Liz. Oh how I love her.
Woe is me!

Yep, that's the foot.

It's a sad day in the neighborhood, despite what Mr. Rogers thinks.

I'm In Logan!

2008-08-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

The birds are singing, the temperature is cooling, there are people everywhere, school has officially begun! I moved to Logan five days ago, and guess what. I love it! It's absolutely gorgeous up here! You can drive 10 minutes in any direction and be in real-live, genuine farm land; cows, manure, fields of wheat, barns, horses, the works. The actual city of Logan has some pretty beautiful houses. Pretty much it's my dream town, filled with vintage, brick houses and fields for miles. I think I could live here the rest of my life. I guess I should give it some time huh!
Anyway, here are some pictures of the place that I live now. It's called Kampus Korner. Isn't that so cute how they use two k's instead of c's? Oh wait...we're in college not 2nd grade. It makes for a wonderful joke though. "I'm Katie from Kampus Korner, spelled with two K's. Isn't that Krazy with a capital K?" Te he he! I think the older I get the more and more lame my jokes get. That's ok. Maybe someday I can be one of those cute and annoying old people that always makes bad jokes, but because I'm so cute everyone will laugh at them.

This is the hill I have to climb to get to campus. It doesn't look too intense from here, but I will eventually put a picture on that gives you a better idea of the torturous treck to campus.
Here's my building. Hopefully, no one will stock me now that they know what my apartment building looks like.
This is an awesome tree that's just outside of our front door. It's the best thing to climb in and we plan on taking a family picture (the roomies that is) in it.
K.K. 10 That's my place.

This is my cute little room. You are actually seeing more than half of the room in this picture...and I share it with another girl. I shouldn't complain though. My mom had to share one room with 15 siblings...well probably not that many, but somewhere around there.

Anywho, this is my new home, for the next 3 years at least. I think I will be really happy up here. If any of you want some awesome cheese, please just give me a call. :)

Fun with the British

2008-07-20T18:39:00.000-07:00

Oh my holy fudge! I know it's been too long! I have many excuses, and all are legitimate, but I won't lay them on you. One of them was that nothing too exciting has been going on, until lately.

My friend Dani just returned from living in England and visited Cedar. She called me one day and asked if I would like to hang out with some of her English friends that she met overseas. Naturally I agreed, and came to find out I already knew these gentlemen as well.

Well...a night that began with a friendly hike evolved into a crazy game night that included ice cream, tongues (I won't go into detail with this one), bum wars, portraits drawn by other people, sniffing necks, cereal boxes, and dryers. Needless to say, it was one of the craziest and funnest nights I have had in a very long time.

Now that I've got you intrigued, here are some pictures from the Game Marathon.

Here's a sunset from the top the mountain that we hiked. The sunset was beautiful! Unfortunately it was so beautiful because of the smoke from the fires in California.

The circle of life.

'Nuff Said....

Here's the whole group that went hiking. The two boys in the striped shirts are the ones from England. They're pretty cool and they have sweet accents.

Kevin Kofford (one of the ones from England) bought these Luchador masks in Mexico. We had some pretty intense bum wars with these bad boys on.

This is a game entitled "Self-Portrait." You write your name on a piece of paper, and pass it to your left (obviously a group of people is sitting in a circle). The person you passed the paper to draws the outline of your head, then passes the paper to their left. That person now draws your eyes and passes it and so on. At the end you get a beautiful (or not so beautiful) picture of yourself.

We then played a game called "Do" where everyone writes down five different things to do on five different pieces of paper. You put the strips of paper into a bowl and pass it. You draw a paper and have to do what it written on it. On this one, Tyler had to sniff my neck. It was a little awkward, especially since I smelled funny from the hike. Also, we're holding hands because I drew one that said "Hold hands with the person sitting to your left for 15 minutes."

Then I had to lick Tyler's knee (yes we became close friends during this game). Notice how I'm clenching his leg for fear that he will kick me again (he kicked me in the head on my first attempt).

Someone drew a paper that said "Try to fit yourself into the dryer." Dani, Kevin and I became extremely intrigued and tried it ourselves. Here's Dani's attempt.

Here's Kevin's attempt. As you can see, he needed a little help from Dani.

Because I'm super competitive, I had to get in the furthest and, as you can see, I did. Next time, I will do my best to actually get my head in, but I was a little focused on the the little wing inside the dryer that was uncomfortably nestled in my butt crack.

Here are some Bum War videos. It was pretty intense, as you will see.

I tried some different tactics, but I think I just need to work out more, then maybe I would be able to beat people that aren't only under the age of 5.

Because I'm so behind on my blog, I will probably be updating it quite a few times this next week. So, if you're bored and you want to see how crazy I can truly get, just check my blog. I love you all!

"Good Job Eileen!"

2008-05-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, my Aunt Eileen lives with my parents. I recently moved back to Cedar City, and have had the opportunity to spend some time with her. She has always had a habit of internalizing the word "good." If ever we're talking about how the movie was good, or how the food was good, she will always say "Good job Eileen!"

When my Dad was serving as a Bishop of a married student ward, he spoke one time about this habit that Eileen has. He made a wonderful point, and these past few days I have really thought about it. He said that instead of being so pessimistic about ourselves, we need to internalize the word "good." We need to tell ourselves "Good job Katie!" or "Good job _______ (fill in the blank)!" Instead of beating ourselves up about little mistakes we make, we need to remind ourselves that tomorrow is a brand new day, and that we can continually try to change and become more like our Father in Heaven.

So, the next time I'm feeling down on myself I'm going to say "You're doing good Katie!" I think that by doing so, I can be a happier person and have a more optimistic perspective on life. Feel free to join me in the "Good Job!" movement. :)

Sombrero Expedition

2008-05-24T17:39:00.001-07:00

My cute friends Katie Lee and Katie Hawkes and I went on a sombrero expedition. We went to the mall and tried on every hat we could find. There are some cute ones, some ridiculous ones, and some crazy ones. We had so much fun! Horay for the Katies!

Classic!

2008-05-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

So I work with a little boy, named Austin, and his family has a pool in their back yard. We spent a whole day in their swimming pool and were doing tricks and making up games. MacKinzie, Austin's older sister, and I were competing to see who could stay on this beach ball the longest. Here is my attempt...and the fact that I'm putting it on the internet for all to see proves how the entertainment of others is much more important to me than my self respect. Feel free to watch it numerous times.

Great Friends

2008-05-15T12:59:00.001-07:00

If I have learned anything in this past year, it is that I have fabulous friends! In Arizona and in Cedar, pretty much everywhere. I am so grateful for them all and don't know where I would be without them. Here are some people that mean the world to me.

The Ranch Chicks. I worked with these girls in Idaho two years ago at Elk Creek Ranch. Some of my best memories have been made with these girls. By the way, their names are Brianna Haynie and Krista Isom.
Kendra Haynie, I don't need to explain why I love her.
My new friends Katie Lee and Katie Hawkes, who both informed me of a little known fact: Everyone needs a Katie.

My friends from left to right: Corey Gillett, David Packard, Rustin Foster, and Tyson Hugie.
My cousin Brittany Lewis at my Aunt Eileen's 50th Birthday party.
Austin (the love of my life and little boy I work with) and his sisters MacKinzie and Madison. These people have become my second family here in Arizona and it is going to be hard for me to leave them.
My awesome friend Annalies (a.k.a. Bib)
Jerika Barnes, Saryn Haynie and myself at my birthday party in Cedar City.

I love reflecting upon my life and recognizing how truly blessed I am. I feel so loved by everyone and it's a good feeling. I wish I could put a picture of everyone that has changed my life on here, but I know there wouldn't be enough room.

Raspberries!

2008-05-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Lillian is by far my favorite niece...ok she's my only niece, but I love her guts! Because I love Jen and Alec and their kids so much, I basically live at their house about 2 days a week. I was babysitting Lily whil Eric was at Pre-school and was blowing raspberries on her tummy. She was laughing that genuine gut laugh and I couldn't resist getting it on video. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Safest Bathroom Ever!

2008-04-23T19:54:00.000-07:00

I recently embarked on an adventure that included wheels, a couch, people, and a giant hill...yep you guessed it, we rode the couch down the hill. It was all fun and games until our last run, when we tried to fit as many people as we could on the couch. I chose the front, on the bottom, thinking it would be the safest. Boy was I wrong! Half way down the hill the homemade dolly shattered, causing everyone to catapult forward and land directly on me. My left leg is a gigantic bruise, but it's a great story.

After our grand adventure we went to Filiberto's, a mexican restaraunt where you can play "What's in my meat today?" I made a visit to the restroom to check out the damage from our crash, and felt very secure in this ghetto little restaraunt. Three locks on one door. I've never felt so safe in my life...then I left the bathroom.

Boys and their Pyromania

2008-04-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

One very important lesson that I have learned over the years, is that boys like to play with fire. It doesn't matter whether it's an actual fire, fire or relationship fire, or flirtation fire, etc. Someone managed to bring an extra dresser (or they stole it from some homeless guy in the mountains that only had a dresser and a fish-hook to his name) and decided to put it onto the fire. A common equation for boys: Fire+Something to make it Bigger=Happiness.

Now, not only do they have to make the fire bigger, they have to profess their manliness by hitting it with something, physically jumping over it, or seeing who can handle the heat the longest. Do I understand it? No. Do I laugh at it? Yes.

HUZAH FOR FIRE!

Camping! Camping! Camping!

2008-04-16T21:42:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I love camping. I love smelling like campfire and bushes. I love singing and coughing on the smoke. I love squatting 18 times by 17 different trees to relieve myself. The whole experience is just....(sigh)...wonderful!

Jesse Pettit is playing my guitar behind me and it looks like I have a wad of gum in my mouth...but I don't.
Very few people know what this is. It's called a campfire. According to the Merriam-Webster's dictionary it's: "a fire built outdoors (as at a camp or picnic)." Also, few people know that fire has the magical ability to blow smoke in the very direction that you are sitting. No matter how many times you get up to move, it follows you, just like that weird boy at church.
Oh look at me, looking all mildly amused at the fact that I'm taking a picture of myself by a fire. How cute!
Jesse and I. Random pose....
Just finishing up the peach cobbler left-overs from the night before. Yummm!

New Updates

2008-04-15T10:45:00.001-07:00

I realized that I haven't put too much on here since I started blogging, and thought maybe people would want to know what's going on in my life.

Some of the most exciting new I have is:

I got mooned recently.
I decided to move back to Cedar City this summer.
I had a weird dream last night that made me mad at a few friends of mine.
I have a new obsession with Slushes from Sonic.
My dodgeball team is doing fairly well.
I rented "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"

Some people might think that it's sad that my exciting news isn't all that exciting, but sometimes life doesn't hold surprises around every corner. Growing up I always wanted to be older, I always thought that life would be more exciting with age, but unfortunately I have found that it's harder to be surprised. When I was a kid, everything was invigorating and exciting. I always had a new adventure every day. Trials were more of a challenge than a burden. Now, I feel like I have to lower my expectations if I really want to be pleasantly surprised about anything. This comes off as pessismistic, but it's actually the opposite. If I lower my expectations before I go to a movie, I come out thinking "That was what I expected" or "I loved it!" Before, I would go in thinking it would be a great movie and came out mad that I had wasted 9 bucks on a film.

I expressed my new view of life to my sisters and brothers-in-law, and Barrett kindly responded: "Just don't do that when looking for a husband." He made an excellent point. I need to expect more from things that will altogether change my life, and expect less from everyday indulgences.

I hope this doesn't sound like I hate life and I am disappointed all the time. I am actually loving my job, my ward, my family, my friends, and so many other things. Life has been very good to me, and moving to Phoenix has given me a greater appreciation of that. I feel like I've changed for the better down here, and I will continue to grow and change no matter where I live, or how many times I am mooned.

Ideal

2008-03-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

I wrote this song a couple of months ago, but I still really like it. It's a simple song; one about falling in love with the idea of someone and not the real person. I have been guilty of falling for the idea of a person, but this song is about being on the receiving end. It's hard to let go of someone that thinks so highly of you. I wondered if anyone else would ever think that way, but I knew that staying with this boy wasn't the right thing, and it wasn't fair to him. Long story short, I broke up with a great guy, and wrote this song about it. Enjoy!

I've Finally Joined Blogspot!

2008-02-25T10:48:00.000-08:00

Hello to all my beautiful friends and family! I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of your blogs and learning what's new and changing in your lives, and I figured it was about time for me to follow suit.

For all of you who don't know, I am currently living in Gilbert, Arizona, and I really love it. I live about a mile and a half away from Jen and Alec, so I get to see them just about every other day. Audrey and Barrett live only a couple of hours away, so I get to see them about every three weeks. I love being close to them and in a new place.

If you are wondering why I moved to sunny Arizona, I will tell you. I was going to school in Cedar City, and I liked it, but I felt like I needed a change of scene, and I also wanted to see how I would fit in in a different community. Moving here has been one of the best decisions of my life. It has definitely been a challenge, especially with the roommate scene, but I feel like I have grown a lot. I have also learned a lot about myself.

I am attending Southern Utah University online, and I am supposed to graduate in May with my Associates of Science. I am also working for Lauren's Institute For Education (L.I.F.E.). Through them, I work with a little boy that has Down Syndrome. He is basically the love of my life, and the only boy that I truly understand. Once I started working with this little boy, I realized that I would really like to work with people that have disabilities for the rest of my life. I checked out my options and found the best possible fit for me. It's called Music Therapy. For those of you who don't know, I write music and am currently working on a demo CD to submit to recording companies. Music is my life and I have always wanted to do something with that as well. Music Therapy is pretty much summed up in its name; you provide therapy through music. It focuses on speech therapy, physical therapy, fine motor skills, self-help skills, cognition, social interaction, and communication. I auditioned at Utah State University for their program about 3 weeks ago, and I have an audition this weekend at Arizona State University. I am hoping that I get into at least one program.

That is about all the important stuff that is going on in my life. I don't have a boyfriend, nor am I really interested in anyone, so there is portion of drama that I don't have to deal with right now. :)

I hope that all of you are as excited as I am to continue to see your blogs and keep up with everyone!