Feeling a bit nostalgic

Last week I came across one of my mission companions (Emily Tibbits) on facebook. I was so excited to get re-acquainted with her. We have been sending messages back and forth to each other remembering our experiences from our mission. It got me thinking back on my time as a missionary. I will never regret my decision to serve a mission. It has served as a foundation for my testimony throughout my life. I look back at the time that I spent as a missionary in South Carolina as some of the best time spent in my life.

After finding her I tried to find my old mission journal, I couldn't find it but I did find my journal from after my mission and from before I got married. During that time I had a lot of fun. I went on lots of fun trips, had lots of fun adventures, and had many good friends. It was a great time of life, but I found that instead of fully enjoying that time I was always worried in the back of my mind about getting married. I was worried that I would never get married and so I didn't feel like I truly enjoyed this time of life like I should have. If there is something I could go back and change is that. I would just enjoy and quit worrying.

Of course, I wouldn't want to go back to that time of life. I am glad that I am now married and raising a family. But I am so glad that I can look back on those experiences with happiness. I am happy that I married Reid and that he came along at the right time. I am happy that I have Savanna, Mitchel, Treyton and Carolina. I feel like right now I am doing the most important thing that I should be doing. That beats sky diving in Vegas- a least for now.


Me and Stevan sky-diving after sky-diving. We went with some friends and drove to Vegas to go sky-diving. It was a total blast!

On a P-day in Windsor Lake South Carolina with our whole Zone.

Sister Tibbits and I with an investigator and her children.

Sister Tibbits and I with an Elder- don't remember his name

Me and my roommates on a fun trip to Vegas

My sister Sara and I on our Carribean Cruise

New Family Pictures March 2011

I have been wanting to get family pictures taken for a very long time. Last summer I had my sister do some snapshots outside, but the lighting was really bad and they didn't turn out great. So for Christmas I told Reid that all I wanted was family pictures. So he gave me a gift certificate to JC Penney's to get pictures done. I have been putting it off because I wanted to lose another 20 lbs. Well, it hasn't happened and I decided that my kids were growing up and we needed to get the pictures no matter what.

I was really happy how they turned out, I could spent a fortune buying all the pictures, but with the gift card it covered most of the cost- thank goodness! I love how they all turned out- except my stubborn little Mitch who wouldn't smile for any of the family shots. We didn't even know he wasn't smiling until we were all done. Oh well, it really shows what his personality is right now.

Yearly cabin trip

We just returned this last weekend for a little trip to Salt Lake to go to the Hamilton's cabin in Park City. It is a trip that most of Reid's family goes on each year. I haven't always gone between being pregnant or having a new baby, but this year we all went. It was fun to get away from home for the weekend and spend some quality time with our family. On friday we stopped in Salt Lake and got to have lunch with Sara and Shane before we headed up to Park City. There was tons of snow there so we had to snowmobile or snowshoe into the cabin. It is quite the hike for those that hiked it (I lucked out and got a ride up). The kids love going there and playing in the snow with their cousins that they don't see very often.

We got to go ice fishing, and Savanna even caught a couple of fish, she was so excited. Reid had a lot of fun riding his new (used) snowmobile. After we left the cabin on Saturday we stopped at the outlet mall in Park City so that we could do a little shopping. We didn't buy much, and because we were so tired we didn't get much time there, but that is my idea of fun.

We went back to Salt Lake saturday night and celebrated Lori and Aaron's birthday at the Hamilton's house. Then Sunday morning Reid and the kids and I went to temple square and enjoyed our visit to the visitors centers there and got to see lots of cool things about our church. Then we headed home, it was a very enjoyable weekend.
Reid, Mitch and Carolina in the cabin

Uncle Danny taking a much needed nap

Treyton all smiles

Carolina on the floor, she was having a bit of a fit

Savanna getting ready to go and play

Reid and I in front of the cabin

Reid, Mitch and Aaron working on the snowmobile

Reid with his snowmobile and the sled he got all set up for the cabin.

3 of my cute kids

Savanna and Carolina ready to go for a ride

Corri and I took a little walk down the mountain on snow shoes for a bit of exercize.

Savanna ice fishing

Corri on the pond

Savanna's first fish she caught, with Aaron and Addison

Carolina, Anna and Mitch on the pond

Reid and Treyton getting ready to fish

Mitch and Aaron with the fish that Mitch caught

Treyton fishing

Reid and Carolina

Mitch and Treyton trying to get warm by the fire

Yes, my husband changes diapers