Devan and Ginny

Smokin' Hot Fire Chicks

2012-01-11T18:26:00.000-08:00

Tonight we went to the American Fork fire station and had a total blast. We went as wolf den. While we were there we watched 2 separate calls. The first call came in and just a couple of guys ran off in the ambulance. But then a second call came in and we were able to watch about 10 guys run right in front of us, hurray in to their gear and then race off in the firetruck sirens a' blazin'.

We all got to try on the uniform. Here I am with Shauna & Chandee.

I hate that this came out blurry...man I need a new camera. Here we are, our great little wolf den in front of the 1929 firetruck.

Ringing In the New Year w/ a BANG!

2012-01-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

We spent a good portion of New Years Eve shooting. This winter has been exceptionally warm (like upper 50s warm.) So this Saturday we thought "what the hay, let's go shooting." Apparently everyone else in Utah County - and possibly other neighboring counties as well - had the same idea. I don't think I've ever seen that many people out there, which, if you've ever been on the west side of utah lake shooting you know that can be terrifying. It was me, Devan, Sam & Price. We found a great spot and had a great time. Oh, and I shot my first AR15. PS...I think I need one. In case anyone is thinking of buying me a really nice present in the near future...this would be great.

The boys doing a little "off roading". We drove our truck around - on the road.

I love how the lake is in the background. It was such a pretty day.

Devan was thoughtful enough to bring me a chair to sit in. I rather enjoyed it. I might look a little less than thrilled in this pic but I promise I tried to smile but the sun was blaring right in my eyes.

This is what happens when you mix Price, an AR15, and my camping chair as a gun rest.

I'm sure that this sign said something very important as some point.

The boys decided to go mountain biking on Friday. It wasn't necessarily a good idea. The temperature was great...but the mud was not. They came back filthy.

I just couldn't resist putting this one in here. She is so darn cute. Plus, I'm a sucker for a little kid in a sweater, jacket or vest.

While I'm Just Sitting Here

2011-12-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

We left my parents house a bit early because a storm coming and now we are just chillin' at the airport. Oh yeah...and our flight is delayed. Lucky Us :) So while I'm sitting here I thought I would blog a bit. We had a ton of fun in Oregon. I always love coming home.

This is was at our Christmas Eve breakfast. Here is Billy & Devan.

Me and my favorite Auntie Di.

My seriously cute parents.

All five of us on Christmas morning.

Christmas presents!!!!

We went for a little drive/hike to the Youngs River Falls. If they look familiar (which they probably don't) it is because they were in the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3. You know...the one where they go back in time to Japan or Mongolia or something and save that little village. In one part of the movie they find this tranquil little place and meditate there (I think)...it is a pretty place. Dang it, I forgot to meditate here. Oh well, maybe next time :)

Me and my mommy love love love love the ocean.

Are You Sure That Isn't Morgan?

2011-12-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

We try to always catch the byu basketball games on tv. One of the up and coming stars of the team is young fella named Nate Austin. Devan, myself and Sam all call him Morgan. I mean, seriously...does this guy not look like Morgan?

What do you think?

Shooting

2011-11-19T08:02:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we went shooting. Sometimes when life gets frustrating it feels good to just go out and blow stuff up. I have found that shooting and shopping are very therapeutic for me. Here are some fun pics from our day.

Scott & Jackson

Devan shooting the 300

Devan, Sam & Jason (he works w/ Sam)

Devan shooting an ITTY BITTY little gun

Devan's Birthday

2011-11-02T18:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Devan's 31st birthday. When I asked him what kind of cake he wanted he said "a mountain bike one." Here are some pics of the cake and his party.

This past weekend I went to the Oregon State/Utah football game. My boss, Jason, is a season ticket holder to the Utah games. He had 2 extra tickets to the Oregon State game and gave me first dibs on them. Cyndi came with me. Now, Oregon State is AWFUL...but....the game was way fun. I loved hanging out with my friends.

Cuttin' Wood

2011-10-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a man just has to chop down a tree. Devan told me on Friday that he wanted to go get more wood. Now, while we probably don't need more wood for this year...I guess it's never a bad thing to end up with too much. Plus, cutting wood is something Devan greatly enjoys. He definitely caught the wood cutting bug from his dad. We decided to drive up to a new area before Daniel's Summit. We found a great place just 10 minutes up this dirt road. Problem was...it was so good that everyone else had also gone there. We were pretty hard pressed to find a dead pine tree anywhere. Then, we found this gnarly fat daddy tree.

He was very proud of the wedge he cut in it. Unfortunately I am somewhat handicap when it comes to running a camcorder and totally missed the actual falling of the tree. I felt really bad. This was after all the biggest tree Devan had ever cut down.
After we got home we watched the football game. I snapped this quick shot while Devan and Sophie were playing on the laptop. Man, I have never seen a child so enthralled with technology. She is ADORABLE!

Side note...I am thoroughly obsessed with baking cupcakes lately. Today I tried the Orange & White Chocolate recipe. Devan said they were just as good the Andes Mint ones. So so so good. I highly recommend it.

Oh...I almost forgot. I snapped a few pics (yes, they were taken while we were driving) of the trees changing colors.

Cupcakes & Computers

2011-10-05T20:54:00.001-07:00

Devan recently rebuilt his computer. After getting it all setup he thought it would be cool to be surrounded by monitors. Silly kid

This weekend I made the Andes Mint Cupcakes from a great website called www.yourcupofcake.com. They turned out to be delicious...like...crazy good. I'm excited to try more recipes.

Here is a video of Devan falling a tree. He already used the chainsaw...this one was trying to perform a balancing act by not falling over.

Here is another random video. A couple of weeks ago for pack meeting we made swords out of water noodles and pvc pipe. The boys have so much fun. Here they are broken in to 2 teams charging at each other.

I just noticed that there is no sound...sorry. Technical difficulties.

Our Journey With Infertility

2011-09-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

I have written and re-written this blog many times. I want to convey to you what is going on in our lives, but I don’t want to seem bitter or angry. I want my family and friends to understand how I feel and what I’m going through, but infertility in and of itself is such a intimate subject. Plus, finding a balance between being truthful and optimistic is very difficult.

President Howard W. Hunter once said "I think it is incumbent upon us to rejoice a little more and despair a little less, to give thanks for what we have and for the magnitude of God's blessings to us, and to talk a little less about what we may not have." This quote reminds me of what President Uchtdorf said last night at the Relief Society conference about appreciating the blessings in our lives now and not reserving our happiness for our "golden ticket." I can honestly say that most days Devan and I are happy. We recognize all the good and wonderful things in our lives. Granted, there are days when seeing the good is difficult and I'm just down right sad, pissed, and ornery.

Here is a little background on our journey thus far. In January I started a study called EAGeR. I was on that for 6 months. Even though it has an 80% success rate for pregnancy it didn’t work for me. Our next step was IUI. Not artificial insemination, not IVF. We have had 2 fail and are in the middle of the 3rd round right now. We think will try this a total of 4 times before starting to look at IVF but who knows. If we find ourselves having to go down that road we are not really sure when we will start mostly because IVF is quite expensive and we will have to save up our money first. Depressing isn’t it? Since we started this journey we have watched every single one of our friends get pregnant. We have watched 8 nieces and nephews come in to this world. And while that hurts way more than anyone could possibly understand it is also exciting and fun to be able to bond with their kids. I joke that it is a goal of mine of mine to be the “favorite aunt” but there’s a lot of truth in it. In many ways my nieces, nephews & friend’s children help fill a deep void in my life.

I think one of the more difficult things to deal with is what other people say. I can try to control how I feel and act but I can't change what other people say. Here are some things people sometimes say that either hurt my feelings or are generally not needed. Before I start listing some common phrases please know I don’t get mad when I hear them. And if by chance you have said one or more of these things to me I don’t hold it against you. I know for a fact that my family and friends say things because they love me and that there are no ill intentions behind their words. This is meant to be purely educational.
Here we go:
** “You don’t know because you don’t have kids.” - We may not have kids and don’t truly understand the inner workings of raising kids, but hey, give us a little bit of credit. We’ve observed a lot of people raise kids and we have been raised by wonderful parents ourselves.
** “It finally feels like you guys are doing something about it.” - Devan and I have proceeded down this road of infertility at exactly the pace that suits us best. I needed to take time off after Charlie died and Devan got sick. I needed to take time off after my miscarriage in order to get my feelings in check…in order to not be so bitter. To this day we do what we feel is right for our family. I look to Devan much of the time for his opinion. He is the priesthood leader in our home and I fully support, believe in, and have faith that he is receiving the guidance we need.
** “Relax and it will happen.” – Devan and I are well beyond “just relaxing.” Granted, being overly stressed doesn’t help with infertility and trust me when I say that we work really hard to not be stressed out. A cruise or massage isn’t going to fix my partially block fallopian tube or the fact that I don’t ovulate on my own regularly.
** “Adoption” – This is something that Devan and I are not ready to look at or even consider. Hopefully we never get to that point, but if we do it will be because we feel like it is right for us.

Now that you know what’s going on I just wanted to thank all of you for your prayers and support during this incredibly difficult time in my life. I know I’m not the best at showing my emotions or asking for help when things go bad. I have learned over recent years that when I’m faced with something difficult I tend to hold it inside and deal with it all on my own. Often times I hesitate talking about it because I don’t want to come across as being whiny. I don’t want people to think that all I want to talk about is my infertility issues. I don’t want my inability to get pregnant to define me. After so many years, I would imagine it gets old for everyone to hear about it…I know that I’m getting tired with having to deal with it. It’s also difficult to discuss the issue when I feel like nobody knows what it’s like to want to be parent and not be able to get pregnant. I often turn to books, blogs and online forums in order to see how other people deal with all this. I guess what I’m trying to get at is that while Devan and I might be quiet mourners we appreciate all the love that we receive from all of you. I’ll usually talk about anything going on in my life with anyone who asks. If I don’t want to talk about it at that moment I will simply say so - but know that I’m usually ok within a couple of days.

Devan and I have a lot in our lives that is going great. Life it good 95% of the time. I am lucky to have such an amazing husband. With everything that has gone on these last 3 years I truly know that we can make it through anything when we stick together. We are lucky to have wonderful family & friends!!! We love you all so much!!!

Thank you for being there for us!

Devan Jumping

2011-09-02T20:33:00.001-07:00

DEVAN

Click on the link above to watch Devan mountain biking at the Canyons.

Bluffdale Parade

2011-08-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

Pics

2011-08-13T12:46:00.001-07:00

What I did this past week.

I took my scouties to Kennecott Mine.

I made some delicious summer borscht.

Welding

2011-07-26T19:16:00.001-07:00

We spent a good portion of Monday working on Devan's trailer. Here are some pics of Devan, Sam, Doug & Mya.(Mya's job was to spray the water...she did a great job.) Check out Devan's new welding mask.

Aunt Karen's Water Slide Party

2011-07-26T19:09:00.001-07:00

Devan was "driving" the plane and this is him telling all the girls that they were "going down."

First Wood Cutting Trip of the Year

2011-07-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

These last couple of weeks have been stressful, unknowing, scary, and frustrating. I was excited to hear Devans idea of just the 2 of us going camping and filling the truck up with a load of wood. We woke up early yesterday and headed up to Strawberry Res. We then took the road up in to the woods where we all usually park to go snowmobiling. We had a bit of truck trouble on the way back and the bugs were horrible. However, everything else went great. It was nice to spend a quiet weekend with my sweetie. I think that after all our hard work we ended up with a little over a cord of wood...not to shabby. Here are some pics of our adventure.

Our Sunday Best

2011-07-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Me and my sweet Momma wearing out Doris Day dresses. Check out our matching nude patent pumps!

Jackson's Shark Cake

2011-07-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

It is becoming a tradition that I make Jackson's birthday cake every year. Last year it was Beetle. Today it was a shark. And not just any shark. He told me he wanted a mean shark...with fish and blood coming out of it's mouth. Here was the finished product. I'm glad my mom was here...she was a huge help!!! By the way, before they had cake, the kids had a pudding food fight in the back yard. That's why all the kids are sticky icky.

After a Long Day

2011-06-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

These past couple of days have a fun, wonderful, and very tiring :) Here is the proof. This is what the back seat of the car looked like on the way home from Logan.

Today I Felt Gourmet

2011-05-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

We recently watched Ratatouille the movie. Devan and I both love it. So cute! Whenever I watch it I always think "man, that looks tasty." Finally today I tried it. Here is the recipe. Can I just say that it was DELICIOUS!!! I went back for seconds...and I licked my plate clean.

I Have Grass!!!

2011-05-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

I finally have grass...well...in the front yard at least...and a little bit on the side. It only took a year and a half to get to this point but it was definitely worth it. Devan and I want to thank all those that showed up to help. You are all WONDERFUL!!!

BEFORE

AFTER

Here are some additional pics...(the cute little kid helping Devan is our neighbor. His name is Riley and he is 3. Whenever he saw us out in the front yard he would literally run over with his toy shovel, rake and wheelbarrow to help us out. It was adorable.

Mother's Day Should Fall on a Saturday

2011-05-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

I think I might start petitioning for mothers day to fall on saturday. That way I could at least go out and by a new pair shoes to cheer me up. Let's be honest here...today ranks up there with my top 2 least favorite days of the year. In fact, I HATE TODAY!!! Here is link to a website that I find can cheer me up. I hope all you mothers have a great day. I, however, will be avoiding all things mothery and hopefully going for a bike ride later today (weather pending).

My First Patch Quilt

2011-04-22T18:39:00.001-07:00

When Devan got his job at BYU we were left with a pile of brown pants (most of which had huge holes in them) and a bunch of gray and blue shirts that had his name embroidered in to them. One day I had the thought..."Hey, we should make a quilt out of these clothes." At first it seemed like a good idea. Then about 2 months in to the project I thought "this is a horrible idea." But now that everything is finally all done I'm glad I did it. I had a lot of help along the way. One day Massiel and Cyndi came and helped me sew squares together. Massiel at one point also helped me cut the squares out. Plus I had a great little helper names Devan. He did a lot of sewing. Plus he is a pro at quilting. I'm proud to say that we are finally done. I think the whole thing took me about 4 months to complete. Here are some pictures.

Scott's Birthday

2011-04-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

This is the year that most of the "friends group" is turning 30. Scott's birthday is just 2 days before mine. This year we did a quaint little dinner at Olive Garden and then the Scott, Sarah, Devan and myself headed over to the shooting range. Here are some pictures from our evening.

I love pictures that catch Devan laughing.

Devan and Sarah are great at reloading magazines.

Check out that one right in the middle. That was my money shot of the night.

Meet zombie Bin Laden. Sarah aimed high...I aimed a bit lower.

After the Pageant

2011-03-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

After all the glitz, gowns & crowns Devan and I decided to take Kirrah and Ryan out for some fun.

Just Some Random Stuff

2011-02-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

I just pulled some pictures of my camera and I thought I would post a couple.

The other day Devan made the bed. I'm assuming that most men don't understand having lots of pillows on the bed. Devan frequently complains about it. This was how I found the pillows after his handy work. I got a good laugh out of it. I told him it looked like abstract art.

A few Saturday's ago I made my frozen meals. Here are a couple of pics from that little experience.

I had to cut up 5 or 6 onions...and I hate how they make my eyes water. I tried this new little trick. GOGGLES.

A couple of weeks ago we got together with some of our friends to watch one of the BYU basketball games. With the exception of sweet little Wyatt Wright, all of the babies were there. Here we have Sydnee(Darin & Toni's Baby), Paul (Russ & Natalie's), Vera (Zeb & Megan's) & Sophie (Sam & Massiel's).

On Monday night we had a snow storm blow in that was wicked fast. Our power flickered on and off for about an hour. While I was making dinner I saw something dark move across the lot next door. It was this little deer.

When we went outside to shovel the driveway we discovered that our house was no longer green...it was white.

Boom Goes the Dynamite

2011-01-12T17:24:00.000-08:00

Last night Sam, Devan and myself went to the BYU/Utah basketball game up at the Huntsman Center. After hurrying to get ready, eating in the car, picking up Sam, finally finding a parking space in front of the Stadium, and jogging/speed walking for what felt like 5 miles we finally walked through those crimson doors to root on our Cougars. After a slow first few minutes our cougars started to pull away. One of the highlights of the game was right before half time. Jimmer got the ball with 4 seconds left in the first half. He was able to make it half court and then through the ball up. Of course...it swooshed in in true Jimmered fashion. I believe the end score was BYU 104, Utah 79. The only down side to the whole night was that we wished Garald could have been with us. The dad would have really enjoyed not only watching Jimmer score 47 points, but also, Jackson Emery broke the steals record set by Danny Ainge back in the early 80s. Oh, and in case anyone was wondering...we were as obnoxious as non home team fans can be. My favorite chant of the night was "This is our house." I also really enjoyed the end of the game when the running Ute fans were running away from their defeat and all of the BYU fans sang the cougar fight song. Here are a few pics of our evening.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T21:28:00.000-08:00

If you click on the slide show it should pull up a bigger version.

Watchin' Football

2010-11-14T20:16:00.001-08:00

Here we all are watching the football game.

Here is baby Sophie. She was passed out on the couch for a couple of hours.

After the game Devan and I went out to look for a new recliner for our living room. Our old one was ripping apart in the seat.

There are so many different types of chairs to choose from. Micro fiber or leather. Light tan or brown. Then I came across this beauty...a beautiful camo chair. And the best part, it comes in about 5 different types camo.

We ended up getting an oversized recliner. So so comfortable.

Devan's 15 Minutes of Fame

2010-11-13T21:31:00.001-08:00

Last week Devan was interviewed for a story by the Salt Lake Tribune. Here is a link to that story.

Click here for the link.

There are some pictures that he submitted on the left hand side. Below the pictures are a few quotes from him.

Halloween & Devan's 30th Birthday Party

2010-11-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

Many things happen on Halloween. We eat too much candy (who doesn't), we avoid our house (we don't like to buy candy just to turn around and give it to other kids), and we visit our friends in Draper. This year we spent a good portion of our time over at the Dunfords. Here is Devan, Sam, Massiel & Sophie with Kendra. Yes, Sophie is most definately dressed up like a pumpkin. Too Cute!!!

Sweet little Sophie just hangin' out, watching a football game on the TV.

**********
Today we celebrated Devan's 30th birthday. He started off his day with some hot breakfast. This is a special occasion since I never make breakfast. Yes, I know...I'm a bad wife.

What were his requests for birthday food? you might ask...his mom's beef stroganoff and a castle cake. I'm so glad our friends were able to make if over to dinner, dessert and a good time.

Devan really wanted a castle cake for his birthday. I had no idea how to make that happen. Good thing Buffy made one for Tyler...she introduced me to the wonderful world of Wilton Castle Cake Kits.

Something doesn' seem quite right with this picture. What is Zeb doing?

Jackson kept saying how nice of a baby Sophie was. I'm sure Georgia stepping on his face had nothing to do with that comment.

In a matter of seconds Georgia & Whitney go from friends to enemies.

That's about all I got for tonight. I am very sleep and need to go to bed now. Thanks again to all those you came to Devan's birthday party!!!

And They're Off Like a Herd of Turtles!

2010-10-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

This past week the Gregory family and friends said their "goodbyes" to Elder & Sister Gregory. We laughed, we cried, we cried some more. While Devan and I (especially Devan) are sad to see them go we are so so so so so proud of them for doing it. They are setting such a great example of sacrifice and service to anyone who knows who them. I know that for me personally this whole ordeal has increased my desire to go on a senior mission someday.
Massiel, baby Sophie, and myself drove Garald and Nyla to the airport yesterday morning. The car ride was nice-we didn't cry. I think we were just excited. The journey was about to begin. The next chapter in their life was soon to be one of grand adventure.
Right now it is 9:20 am on Sunday. We dropped them off at the airport 22 hours ago. And here comes the crazy part....ready for it?....they are not even there yet. They will finally get in to Singapore within the next 2 or 3 hours (hopefully.)
Garald & Nyla, we love you. Thank you for going on a mission!!! Last night Devan and I were talking about how great it is going to be when you come back. I thinking HUGE party :)

Here we are dropping them off at the airport:

This one is kind of blurry...but hey...it was taken with my phone:

My New Baby

2010-10-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

While my new baby may not be made of flesh and bones it is still beautiful, wonderful and I love it. This past week marked Devan's first week at his new job. He now works for BYU. We have been waiting, hoping and praying for this job for years. I can't believe it has finally happened. However, there was more things than just new employment that changed for us. We had to get Devan a phone and a we needed to get our own truck. I HATE BUYING VEHICLES!!! I can't stand dealerships, car salesmen, and trucks that smell like an ashtray.
But then, a certain truck caught my attention on KSL and I fell in love. Our new truck is a 2006 Ford F150 Lariat. The previous owner took excellent care of it. We lucked out. We found exactly what we had been looking for. Here are some pics.

Oregon Pics

2010-08-23T16:12:00.000-07:00

Some More Trek Pics

2010-08-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

Trek 2010

2010-08-01T20:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Devan and I got back from our Trek. This was the first one I had been on. And while we were technically on a farm just on the west side of Utah Lake, the experience was great. Devan and I had the "cool" family. We had great kids!!! We were assigned to 8 kids. However, the average amount of kids hanging around us was between 10 and 18. We also were lucky enough to be paired up with Sarah and Scott. Our 2 families together...it was a match made in heaven. Here are some pictures from our journey. The one with me drinking my wonderful CokeZero was taken right after the womens pull. It was the best soda I ever tasted :)

Eat More Sushi!!!

2010-07-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

About once every two or three weeks Devan and I have "Sushi Night." I call a little place called Tokyo here in Lehi right as I'm leaving work then swing by and get it on my drive home. They have several different rolls that are 1/2 off Monday-Thursday 4-9:00pm. Whenever I go in there to pick up my order the place is empty. The problem with that is this...I really don't want the place to shut down. The sushi is great and the price is wonderful! After I get home we make some rice have a little date night.
I need more people to eat there!!! Please don't let Tokyo shut down!!!

On a side note, I got a sewing machine. And here is the real kicker...I actually knew how to use it.

Baby Vera

2010-07-11T21:01:00.001-07:00

Today little Vera Reeves joined this bright, loud and cold world. She weighed 5 lbs 5 oz and was 17 inches long. One other thing...she is pretty dang cute :) Zeb and Megan are going to be great parents!!!

Firewood, Camping & A Thunderstorm

2010-07-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

Today we got back from our wood cutting camping trip. Garald, Sam, Devan, Price and myself left yesterday afternoon and headed up to Kamas to cut some firewood and do a little camping. We worked hard and got a lot done in a short amount of time. Everything was going great...until a thunderstorm decided to roll on in and park directly above us. It rained, thundered and lightninged for about 2 hours. A couple hit EXTREMELY close. I'm not a big fan of thunder and lighting, but put me in a tent with the ground shaking from the thunder and I'm officially freaked out. Oh well...what can you do.

Baby Sophie

2010-07-05T20:22:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, July 3rd, Devan, Sam, Massiel, Betty and myself went to the "Herriman Ocean." We enjoyed the water, the beach, the company.

And then just 24 short hours later..

I would like you all to meet Sophie Elizabeth Gregory. She was born on the 4th of July. Weighed 5 lb 14 oz and was 19 inches long. She has a full head of gorgeous hair and takes my breath away with her beautiful face. I was given the most amazing gift...I got to watch her birth. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed in my entire life!!! Here are some pictures of my new niece.

Ukraine Donetsk Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

2010-07-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

The papers finally came. Devan's parents are going to the Ukraine Donetsk Mission. Here is the link the mission home page. They leave October 18th.

Massiel's Baby Shower

2010-06-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

Here are a bunch of pictures from the shower. No, the boys were not there the whole time. They went out shooting...you know...man stuff :)
Thank you to everyone that helped! I thought it was a smash hit and so much fun.

Book Review

2010-06-14T16:21:00.000-07:00

I recently read 2 books that were quite different in almost every way imaginable.

The first was “War” by Sebastion Junger.

Mr. Junger traveled with a unit of marines through the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan for 15 months while filming combat, interviews and just every day life. His movie “Restrapo” made it’s first appearance at the Sundance film festival. The book is basically just the written version of the movie. It is hard to read sometimes and the truth about war sometimes slapped me in the face. The quotes from the soldiers almost always have the “f” word in them…but I found myself thinking that it would be weird if it didn’t. I like to think of myself as a pretty realistic person, life is not always about roses and pleasant things. I know war is hard and combat is unimaginable (I can say this because I’m a normal citizen never having engaged in a fire fight and I can not even comprehend being in that situation.) This book put me into combat. It helped me understand what our soldiers are doing over there (and I don’t mean from a political stand point.) In fact, I think it helped me realize that war and fighting really doesn’t have anything to do with politics at all. It is just our boys & girls over seas putting their lives at risk to help better the lives of others. The other thing this book helped me realize more is how hard it is for soldiers to come back and live a “normal” life. The psychology involved with both fighting other human beings and then coming home to be “normal” civilians is something that again, I can not even comprehend. Above all else though, it made me APPRECIATE the men and women in our armed forces even more. The words “thank you” can not fully express the gratitude I have in my heart for you. Thank you!!!

The second book I read was called “The Girl Who Chased The Moon” by Sarah Addison Allen. It was light hearted, easy to ready, full of whimsy and magic. I have to admit, it was a nice mental and emotional vacation from “War”. It’s about a 17 year old girl whose mother just died and she goes to live with her grandfather whom she didn’t even know existed. The finds herself in a small North Carolina town where cakes call to people and the town secret is magical. She discovers the mysterious past of her mother and makes some great friendships. This book is fun and easy to read and I would recommend it to anyone just looking to be entertained.

Just Sittin' on the Deck

2010-06-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

I think one of my favorite places to be in my house is actually not in my house at all. I love my deck!!! (Soon to be wicked awesome man-cave if Devan has anything to say about it.) The storm clouds are rolling in and while this picture doesn't even come close to doing it justice, it is down pouring. There is a slight rumble of thunder every now and then, but other than that all I can hear are crickets, some birds and an occasional frog. No, I don't live in the middle of Nowheresville (even though I would like to)... so, yes, there is also a car driving by every few minutes. This is the view from my deck...I wanted to share it with you.

This is the view from the front of my house right now...I was driven to the covered deck in the back because of the rain.

Now on to other matters. This weekend marked a big day in the life of my good friend Megan. We had her baby shower. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the picks from the shower (Megan if you are reading this...please forward a couple to me :) ). My job was to make her cake. Lately I have been diving in to the wonderful world of cake decorating. It really is much easier than I thought it would be. Here is my first attempt at using fondant. The colors were my attempt at matching their baby's room.

While we are on the subject of cakes, this is the Bleeding Armadillo I made for Price and Cyndi's wedding. And yes, the inside was most definitely homemade red velvet.

While my cake skills still need quite a bit of work I really enjoy doing it. I don't mind that they take several hours. I love the idea of creating something out of food. And I love seeing the look on the face of who ever the cake if for. So, if anyone wants a cake made...let me know, it might not be perfect, but I promise I will try my very best.

Some Pics

2010-05-11T18:08:00.000-07:00

We had our Easter weekend in Goblin Valley.

My rocket ROCKED IT!!!

The family just chillin' in a slot canyon.

Man this rock wouldn't be so heavy if Sam wasn't on top of it.

Everyone...I would like you to meet my birthday present...Sally :)

We got a bunny...his name is Peter.

Devan loves his new bunny.

THE END

Gentlemen....Start Your Rockets

2010-03-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

While the plans for this upcoming weekend still might be uncertain one thing is for sure - THERE WILL BE ROCKETS. Devan and I decided yesterday that no matter where we are we will light something off at least once. If it is here I hope family and friends can get their rockets together. If it is in Goblin Valley then so be it. Here is a sneak peak of the wonder that I created yesterday.

My Phone is Broken

2010-03-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

I dropped my phone on the floor this past week and broke the screen in it. So I can't see anything. However, the people I call most of the time are on my speed dial and my phone can still send and receive calls. I can get a new phone on the 5th (that is when I can "upgrade")...so until then...don't send me any texts. Well, you can if want to...but I won't be able to see them.

When Things Go Wrong

2010-03-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it feels like the heavens have opened up and unloaded a steaming pile of crap on me. So while I'm pretty sure that 4 of the 5 people who might actually read my blog knows what's going down...here is a summary of events. About a month ago Devan and I found out that I was pregnant. We have been trying to have a baby for close to 4 years now and were recently told that our chances of ever getting pregnant naturally was most likely never going to happen. It seemed as if our time for expanding our family had finally come. Our prayers had been answered!!! Then just over a week ago I started bleeding...one thing leads to another...and poof...I'm no longer pregnant. I feel as if the one thing I have wanted more than anything else in this world was dangled in front of my face and then ripped away from me. Devan keeps reminding me that "at least we got pregnant", and no matter how many times I tell myself that it doesn't make me feel any better.

So...that's where we sit now. I go back to work tomorrow and pretend as if one of the best things that has ever happened to me never did. If there is one thing I have learned over the last couple of years it's that time moves forward no matter what is thrown at us. All I can do is deal with it. I'm thankful for the wonderful family and friends that have been there for us during this rough time.

Oh, by the way...at one point this past week I was sitting at home in a considerable amount of pain relying on my Ibuprofen to take the edge off. I wanted to take even half of one of Devan pain pills from his surgery last year but couldn't...because someone has STOLEN THEM. Lovely, isn't it?

I realize this isn't the most pleasant of posts and I'm sorry for that. It is hard to be happy right now. But I really am incredibly thankful for everyone who has been there for me this past week. I have been blessed with prayers, fasts, flowers, lunches, dinners, gift cards, hugs and even entertainment. I know things will get better and that I will not be quite so bitter and angry as the days pass.

Devan says I should end on a good note and that I should tell everyone that he got a chainsaw. He is super excited about it. It's a Husqvarna. I like how boys in general have to make such serious faces when they have pictures taken with either guns or anything that has an engine.

It Has Been a While

2010-03-03T12:18:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay since my last post. I'm going through a "I hate all things social networking" phase right now. This includes blogging and facebook. But my hatred is very one sided though. I enjoy reading other blogs and checking occasionally on my friends via facebook...I just hate posting anything myself. I'm leaning more towards just being lazy, but hey, I'm no doctor so who knows :)

Just this past weekend I finally made a purchase that has been 7 years in the making. A CHINA HUTCH!!!!!!! Shortly after Devan and I got married we inherited quite a large china set from my side of the family. It has however been sitting lonely in boxes ever since then. That is until we finally bought it a home. Behold...

Devan's 29th Birthday

2009-11-08T13:38:00.001-08:00

Last week Devan turned 29. We celebrated his birthday last night by having some friends over, eating some panda express, eating some sushi, & eating some homemade red velvet dragon cake. Here are pics from our evening.

Sushi Nite

2009-10-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

Last night we had a sushi party over at Cyndi and Price's house. Attendance included myself, Devan, Massiel, Sam, Cyndi, Price, Maggie (Petzl Girl), Ann and Reed (Ridiculously good climbers.) The fish was fresh and the company was great. Who could ask for more? While most of us made your typical sushi roll...Devan created what could possibly be the first meat lovers roll :) It included Salmon, Crab, Shrimp and Egg...that's it. Oh and did I mention that he then deep fried it. I made one with Tuna, cream cheese and then Kiwi, Mango and Strawberry. It was delicious. Then to top it all off we ate the strawberry birthday cake that I made for Massiel's birthday.

This morning we woke up and helped Garald take care of some trees in their front yard. Let me tell you...cutting trees and moving wood piles is exhausting. I forgot how tiring it was. I haven't done anything that regarded cutting trees down for a long time. This evening we had a last minute and very fun girls night for Massiel's birthday. She turned 30 today. She wanted to go and eat at Buca di Beppos in Union Park. It ended up being Massiel, Cyndi, Anna Louis and myself. Again, the food was great and the company was even better. WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Devan learning how to make a sushi roll.

This is probably one of the biggest pieces of cheesecake I have ever seen.

Let There Be Fire

2009-10-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

Today we finally got our wood burning fireplace. This past weekend Devan, Price and myself worked on the rock landing that the fireplace would sit on. We "borrowed" the rocks from a place in Utah that was named something like Large Type of Tree Canyon or something like that ;) Once we figured out how big it needed to be Devan went to work placing the big rocks just right...cutting them to size...and then filling in the other spaced with smaller rocks. Then after a little bit of cement and and whole lot of time we completed it. Here are some pictures of the process and the semi-finished product.

House Video

2009-10-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have been such a slacker on the whole pictures of the house thing. Here is a video of it. Enjoy!!!

So Much Has Happened Lately

2009-08-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

Within the last month we have been to Oregon and back, almost finished building our house, and spent lots of time with family and friends. Here are some pictures of our recent adventures.

Cute little Mason in his new chair the Grampy bought him.

Beer pong was the game of choice at the family reunion :) I participated...but with apple juice. We did well, but it is a lot easier when you can actually see how many cups at the end of the table.

After a long 16 1/2 hours on the road, we blew out a tire on trailer 15 minutes from home.

We spent quite a bit of time at the beach. Devan touched sea urchins and a starfish for the first time.

Sam, Massiel, Devan, Price & Cyndi got to go down Englestead Hollow in Zions. The first rap is 300 hundred feet long. Oh by the way...Price is now dating Cyndi. They are way to cute around each other all the time :)

While my parents were in town I went fishing with my dad and Garald. Another day we did the temple work for Charlie. It was really nice to have so many family members and close friends there at the temple with us. It was a wonderful experience...just too bad it had to happen under these circumstances.

House Progress

2009-07-06T20:32:00.001-07:00

I hardly ever have to break out the whip and tell them to get back to work.

Behold my wire masterpiece. My job was to be the grunt and spend all day in the basement pulling the home runs to the panel.

Team Gregory arriving for a fun filled day of pulling wire and other electrical what nots.

On Friday we started roofing. By Saturday Devan, Price & myself had it all dried in. Let's be honest though...they did most of the work :) I just fed them and kept them hydrated.

I Think I Had the Swine Flu

2009-06-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

Today, for the first time in a week, I don't feel like crap. Unfortunatetly though, Devan and Price are both sick now. Other than being sick, life is just moving right along. I will post some pics of our house. On Saturday Devan, Price and myself went down to put in the flew for the wood burning fireplace. A couple of hours in it started raining. First lightly...then the monsoon started. Pretty soon not one square inch of flooring was dry.

Here is our living room. This is where the gas fireplace will go.

A Mix of Emotions

2009-05-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

A lot has been going on lately. Let's get to the good things first. Devan and I started building our house yesterday. I can't believe house fast it is going up. Our builder, Steve, is amazing. He has been at the job every day and lining up the subs as fast as he can. At this rate we will be at our part within a couple of weeks. Devan and I (along with the help of Sam, Lance, Price and everyone else who has volunteered) are doing the heating and air conditioning, electrical and roofing. It all hits at the same time...so we are looking forward to being incredibly busy for several weeks.

It is hard to imagine that we are finally are building our house. It seems like we have been trying to get to this point forever. We started this process 3 years ago. That is when we started looking for our lot. Crazy!!!
Something not so wonderful going on is that tomorrow is Charlie's birthday. He would have been 25. This first year of holidays has been really hard. Plus, Sunday is Mother's Day...another not good day. No matter where we were or what we were doing, I ALWAYS talked to Charlie on his birthday. I'm sitting here trying to figure out what to write, but I can't seem to find the words to express how sad I am.

On Sunday Devan and I are giving talks. How do you talk about Mother's Day in a positive way over the pulpit when you know your own mother is having the worst Mother's Day of her entire life. I think I am going to stay away from anything personal...I'm not quite ready for all of that yet. Devan and I are going to go to the temple tomorrow. I hope afterwards I feel a little bit better.
Thanks to everyone for all of your support still. I might not show it all of the time, but I am still sad a lot. Just hanging out with friends and family help me out. Life is not as sad when I am around great friends to share my experiences with.

Come On...Seriously

2009-03-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

Today while in Sacrament meeting something happened. It happens about every other Sunday. No one says anything about it...in fact, I'm starting to realize that these events have happened so frequently that most are starting to accept them. There are justifications as to why it happens: "It's the trendy thing right now," "What if there is an emergency and someone needs to get a hold of me," "You can't actually see my thighs." What am I talking about you might ask...

MINI SKIRTS & CELL PHONES

I have learned over the past couple of months that it is totally okay to turn your back on modest dressing if you are wearing non see through tights. Women and girls of all ages come to church every week wearing itty bitty mini skirts...but it's okay...they have tights on. It is as if they feel they have found a loop hole in the gospel contract. I don't care if everyone else is doing it...I don't care if it's super trendy...can't we all at least try to dress as we should at church. There are 168 hours in the week...we can't put the mirror down long enough to obey gospel standards for 3 of those. It is quite sad.

My next beef is cell phones. I have major problems with cell phones on 2 levels. The first is at church. If you are super paranoid and think that you have to have a link to everyone you know every minute of the day...PUT IT ON VIBRATE!!! Devan and I go to church every Sunday and we leave our cell phones at home. This is what most people I know do. I know some that choose to take their phones with them to church, but they put them on vibrate. Today in sacrament meeting yet another obnoxiously rude, completely retarded, ridiculous human being had their phone go off. It interrupts the talks and spirituality of the meeting.
My other problem with cell phones is when they are in the possession of young kids. Ten year old children have no reason to own a cell phone. "But I always need to know where they are." Guess what, so did my mom. It was my responsibility to call her from my friends house to check in. How about we reinstate that little rule.

If I had to sum up my hatred towards mini skirts and cell phones I would say this. When we all pass from this life...we will not be able to take our trendy clothes and our little gadgets with us. They are mere conveniences and luxuries that we have here on earth. It is nice to treat ourselves with them now and then...but more and more we becoming dependent upon on them to help define who we are.

That's it.

Las Vegas

2009-03-16T21:11:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Devan and I went to Las Vegas with Sam and Massiel. We left Thursday after work and stayed in the booming metropolis of Mesquite, Nevada. Friday morning we woke up and drove in to Sin City. We couldn't check in to the hotel until 2ish...so we stopped by the outlet mall off of Charleston and did a little bit of shopping. Once we checked in to the hotel we all took a nap. Well, everyone else took a nap while I watched Big. When everyone woke up we had a choice...go see a show...or go to the BYU/SDSU game. Since I was there with Devan and Sam, we ended up going to the game.

It is amazing how much I don't know about basketball. I also realized how much I really don't like basketball. Every now and then Devan would explain to me why the players shooting the number free-throws they were throwing and I would then tell him what the dancers were doing wrong and the difference between a liberty and scorpion move done by a cheerleader. Up until half time I couldn't see much going on because the idiots in front of my sat on the very edge of their seats trying to find people they knew. This is the view I had for the first hour of the event.

After the game, which by the way BYU lost, we ate a little In & Out...watched the TI girls hooker it up in front of the hotel...and called it a night.

The next day we went were killing time before we could meet up with our friends Jesse and Lindsey and thought, "Wow, Vegas has a zoo. Let's go check it out." The next picture is one I took through the fence. After we discovered that the zoo actually consisted of pigeons, chickens and fake plastic animals we decided not to go. Plus it cost $8.00 to get in.

Well, more happened...but I'm too tired to type about it right now. Peace Out :)

Warning: Icky Pictures Displayed

2009-03-01T18:37:00.000-08:00

Devan has been doing a bit better lately. In the past couple of days he has been able to go a couple places including the library, grocery store, and of course...the hobby shop. His recovery has been very slow. We were released from the hospital a little over a week ago and just can't keep complications from haunting us. Exactly one week after the surgery we removed the surgical tape from Devan incision. Under orders from the surgeon we were told that at this time for him to go into the shower and slowly peel away the tape. The first problem occurred when Devan almost passes and had to call for me to come in and help him. Once we got him seated down on the toilet he start to take the tape off. All seemed to be going well; the incision looked clean and healthy, not red or swollen in the slightest. Then we got to the bottom...this is the part that gets really gross. When the tape was finally peeled off the bottom of his incision starting gushing with puss. The pressure coming was so much that it actually blew out a stitch. We guessed that approximately 4 to 5 tablespoon came out in the initial "explosion." Of course we initially terrified. Devan looked at me like his guts were about to come falling out.
After consulting with the surgeon over the phone and picking up a heavy duty anti-biotic...the situation became quite a bit less dire.

A couple after the "puss explosion" incident we went in for a consultation with the surgeon for him to look at Devan incision. He said that his hole would heal and that in a couple of weeks he should have a basically normal looking stomach. Here is what his stomach looks like right now. The redness has gone considerably and the swollen has gone down also. It also isn't pussing as much any more. However, he does have a hole about the size a dime located just below the belly button.

On the bright side...I did give Devan a haircut and he looks much better.

Another great thing going on right now is that Buffy is in town with her cute girls. For her birthday we went out to eat with Kendra, Nyla, Massiel & Danna Lee...we went out for SUSHI!!!! I loves me some Tsunami. While eating out was fun, the best part about having her in town is just generally hanging out. I have been able to make cupcakes with the girls, read them books (many, many, many books), watch movies together, and eats lots of pizza. In fact, I think we might get more pizza tomorrow :)

This past Friday the whole family came over for homemade Cafe Rio salads. We have a night of good food, great company, and lots of loud kids. Whenever we all get together we always end up busting out the rock band. Here are my cute nieces rocking out. I love this picture for several reasons...Kai looks like she is really rocking out, Mya is always concentrating so hard to not miss a note, and for some reason that only she understands...Afton is eating the drum sticks.

Life just keeps throwing me curve balls. It seems like just when things start getting better another bad thing happens. I wonder if what I'm doing right now is handling whatever Heavenly Father feels like throwing at me or if I am just starting numb out. It is hard to feel so good about Devan getting better only have my heart broken again. At some point all of the madness needs to end. I hate ending on a bad note...so here are some things that making me pretty happy right now:
*Devan *Family *Friends *Salt and Vinegar chips being dipped in sour cream *Diet Pepsi *Movies that don't completely suck.

Back At The Hospital

2009-02-17T17:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a horrible day. All morning Devan's pain kept getting worse and worse. Then he started vomiting again. At about 11:00 we had to rush him back to the emergency room. After some x-rays they were able to tell that nothing was internally wrong with his surgery sight. The first thought was that maybe one of his internal stitches ripped because of the prednizone that he is on. After the happiness wore off of knowing no stitches ripped we received the bad news...he had to have the tube put back up his nose and in to his throat. Lets just say that yesterday morning was filled with a lot of frustration and crying...from quite a few of us...and not just me. We were lucky in that his surgeon came down and oversaw everything that was going on in the er. He was the one who put the tube back up his nose...MUCH BETTER THAN THE FIRST TIME!!!
Then he admitted back in to the hospital. All of our favorite nurses welcomed us back and we fell in to a feeling that we just couldn't get ahead of the game. Once he got all settled in we all just sat around and waited for him to start getting better. Sam and Danna Lee stayed with us almost all day along with Garald and Nyla. I went home last night to try and get some much needed rest. One Ambian and 11 hours later I woke up and got ready for work. After work...I came back to the hospital to spend the afternoon and evening with my cute hubby again.
He is doing much better today. The surgeon says that the pain and vomiting might have just been caused by an air bubble and that is was a total fluke thing to have happen. Hopefully we will going home tomorrow (again). Till then...here are some shout outs...

Danna Lee - Thank you for giving me the sleeping pill. Without it I would have been up all night worrying about Devan. Also, thank you for staying with us all day yesterday and taking me to go get food.

Sam - Thank you for staying with us most of the day. Also, thank you for staying late with Devan last night and then coming again today while I had to work.

Garald & Nyla - Thank you for everything!!! It is too much to write down, but know that we appreciate it all.

Price - Thank you for coming last night to visit and just generally being one of the best friends we have ever had.

My Mom & Dad - Thanks for letting call and cry to you (about 4 times yesterday.)

We are so blessed to have the family and friends that we have.

Keep Your Fingers Crossed

2009-02-15T09:33:00.000-08:00

Today just might be the day that we go home. I know that Devan is starting to feel better because he is now starting to complain about everything. He hates the oxygen tube because it smells like vinyl...he hates being woken up in the night...he hates the leg things he has to wear in order to avoid blood clots. I can tell that he is doing much better and ready to get out of here.

Yesterday started out pretty rough but changed course once we were able to take the tube out of Devan's nose. He stopped getting nauseous..and most importantly...he could start a clear liquid diet. The first thing he wanted was some apple juice. He said it was of the best things has ever tasted. After a couple of hours with no nausea or pain he was updated to full liquid diet...mean he could now eat pudding. I haven't seen him that happy in along time.

After we talked with the doctor I went home to take a shower. I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few visitors in Devan's room when I got back. Danna Lee and Adam brought us some Valentines treats to give to our nurses and also something very special for me...SUSHI!!!!!!! Danna Lee knows I loves sushi, especially the Don Juan roll from Tsunami. She also figured that I probably wouldn't be going out for a nice dinner with my husband to celebrate the holiday, so she brought the nice dinner to me. I think i inhaled that poor little sushi rool within about 5 minutes. I should have taken a picture of everyone that was here along with all of food that was brought...but I ate it (the food...not the people.) One visitor that we got that we were not expecting was Jared Johnson and his sweetheart dance date. What a pleasant surprise. It was really great to see him. We also had Russ, Natalie and Whitney come by...they brought some ridiculously delicious cookies. Loe and Evelyn came to see Devan, and Price and Sam stopped by on their way home from the airport.

Overall I would say that yesterday has been the best day yet. He improved a great deal both in health and moral. He started eating food...and we had some great visits. Now all we are waiting on is for the doctor to come in and to give us the go ahead to go home. This morning Devan was able to get up and eat breakfast while sitting in the chair and we were able to give him a much needed shower :) He only has one IV left in him and they have officially stopped giving him narcotic pain medicine. Like I said...today will hopefully be the day we go home. Peace Out!!!

Hospital: Day 6

2009-02-14T08:22:00.000-08:00

Devan had surgery yesterday on his tummy. The surgeon, Dr. Hashimoto, was able to get all of the infected, inflamed & blocked areas out. He ended up taking out about 10 inches of intestine. The operation took about 2 1/2 hours, which was a little longer than we expected. But the Dr. did a great job and Devan pulled through like a champ and here we are today recovering.

The first couple of hours after the surgery were the hardest part of the recovery process. He was in a lot of pain, sweating like crazy (he didn't have a fever), and completely incoherent from the all the drugs. It was hard to see him go through all of the pain...but I know that in the long run things will be so much better.
One major bonus we got yesterday was that they moved us to a single room. Hurray!!! Let me just give you a brief run down of the 3 different roommates we had. The first one watched TV (very loudly) until 5:00 am. I actually had to ask him to turn it off...I'm not sure exactly why he that was cool or considerate thing to do since the guy, who is also, is laying right next to you. The second guy was by far the best. He was quiet and very consciencense about he actions effected us. Then we come to roommate number three who was by far the worst. The old guy was hard of hearing, so he yelled everything. Plus, in the middle of the night he grunted, snorted, and talk in his sleep about every ten minutes. He was a really nice guy...but incredibly obnoxious. So here we are in room 2112 all buy ourselves. Plus our room looks out toward the west so we have a beautiful view of the valley. It is especially pretty right now because it is snowing.

The nurse yesterday was able to redo tape his nose hose with something a little more comfortable which has been even just a little bit more bearible. Plus, once he was out of surgery, he could start eating ice chips (he hasn't even been able to do that since we've been here.) He said it was the best ice he has ever tasted. He also came out of surgery yesterday sport a new IV, cathater, and some leg wrap things that inflate and deflate to help keep the blood circulating. I personally wish they had an extra pair for me because Devan says they lightly massage his legs all day.

Last night we got a visit from Scott, Sarah, Jackson & Price. When Sarah told Jackson that they were going to come visit Devan in the hospital and that he was very sick he immediately ran and grabbed a back pack and started filling it with things he thought maybe he would like to have while he was here. These items included some "billy bob" teeth, grimlin stuffed animal, Backyardigans memory game, big fake diamond, toy t-rex, and the movie Madagascar. He wanted Devan to know that these were just for when he was sick and not for keeps.

Last night the nurse brought me in a roll-a-way bed for me to sleep on. Now, it is not the best bed and I might get Tetnis from it because of all the springs and the bailing wire holding it together...but it felt fantastic. It definately beats sleeping in a chair.

At about 8:30 this morning our nurse, Seiko, came in and got Devan to go for a walk. This was the first time he has gotten up since his surgery. He walked all the way to the end of the nurses counter and back. He did great!!! The walking will not only help keep any blood clots from forming but it will also help him heal faster. He is going to have to do is a couple more times today. The down side to walking is that it hurts and also makes him nauseous and dizzy. But the more he does the easier it will get.

That's about it for now. I am blogging, Nyla is sitting in the chair by the window freezing, and Devan is half sleeping half watching Pokemon. Thank you for all of your prayers, thoughts and visits. We appreciate them all.

An Update on Devan

2009-02-12T13:48:00.001-08:00

Well, we are still here in hospital...it is day 4 (I think. It's hard to keep track of the days here.) Here is a quick breakdown as to what exactly is going on with him. His crohns is located within 5 inches of his intestines...I think it is in the small intestine right after his colon. As most of you know we have been battling a "flare up" of his crohns for about 4 months now. We have tried numerous drugs...everything from steroid based prescriptions to drinking coconut milk. Nothing appears to be working. This past weekend he started to go back down hill and not even his Lortab could keep the pain away. Monday night at 11:00 we were admitted into the emergency room at Alta View hospital. That was a horribly long night filled with Morphine, x-rays, vomiting and nose tubes. Once the imaging results came back we knew that his intestines had actually closed themselves off. This could happen for 2 reasons.
1.) The infected was so inflamed and swollen that it closed right up. or...
2.) After years of flare ups and generally pissing off his intestines, his crohns had built up so much scar tissue that it closed itself off.
This is how doctors go about fixing this issue: They shove a tube up Devan's nose that goes down in to his stomach. This alleviates the pressure by removing gases and fluids trapped that can not get out because of the blockage. Then, through an IV, they start pumping him with steroid drugs, antibiotics and antifugus medicines. Then they watch you for a couple of days. The the blockage starts to go away we know that is was just swollen and the medicine has done its job. If it hasn't, which is where we find ourselves right now, you know that it is probably scar tissue and surgery is necessary.
So here we are...day 4...and the x-rays show that his blockage is actually getting worse, the tube is sucking even more stuff out of his stomach...and he is generally getting sick and tired of having a tube in the back of his throat causing him to dry heave a lot. The surgeon, Dr. Hashimoto, came in today and we all decided to go for the surgery. We also decided to have it done on Friday versus having to wait until Tuesday because of the long holiday weekend. We are not sure when exactly it will be but it will definitely happen tomorrow.
We appreciate all the calls and general concern from all of our family and friends. I love knowing that if I ever needed something there is small army behind willing to do whatever they could. Right now the best thing is just get some company. It gets a tad boring just sitting here and it is nice to visit with people. That being said, we are still at Alta View hospital in Sandy room 2141. This is where we will remain until either Sunday or Monday.
I hope I wrote down enough of what was going on to give you all an idea as to what we are going through. Devan let me take a picture of him...he looks so sad. I feel bad that he has to go through this.
Thanks again for all of the love and support!
PS: The guy in the bed next to Devan is possibly the loudest snorer I have ever heard...even louder than my dad...and that is impressive :)

I am attaching a couple of pics...These are all the drugs Devan has recently been on to try and get this all cleared up.

At the Hospital Again...Boooooo

2009-02-10T15:29:00.000-08:00

Well, we are here at the hospital again. Only this time instead of being in and out withing 4 hours and only visiting the emergency room...we get to spend a couple of days here. Devan's Crohns is being quite the little pest lately. If anyone would like to visit we are in room 2141 at Alta View. I think we might move down to the American Fork hospital either tomorrow or the next day because it would put us a little closer to the specialist who has been working with us. I will try and put updates here on my blog...so far we are in the "wait and see" mode of all this craziness. Blah

I Can't Think Of A Title

2009-01-08T15:39:00.000-08:00

I wish I could write about all the good things that have gone on since Thanksgiving, but in truth, it seems like all we ever get anymore is bad news. We were able to spend Christmas in Oregon, and while it is always nice to see family, it was hard to go through it without Charlie. The weather wasn't very cooperative while we were trying to get there either. Our flight was delayed, then we circled the runway, then our bags took over an hour to get to the baggage carousel, and finally it took about 2 hours to get to Buffy's house. The next day, we had a long drive ahead of us to get to my parents house. I wish we could have stayed with Buffy and her family longer, but the weather just wouldn't permit it. While we were there Devan progressively got worse. Mostly because we had forgotten his medicine at home.
Devan's medical condition has gotten worse every day it seems. Just this morning I had to take him to the emergency room. That is probably why I'm not being very cheerful in this blog. A day full of doctors, IVs, tests, and more prescriptions does usually make me want to dance. I wish that someone would figure out a cure for Crohn's and then we could all put this behind us.
Alright...I am going to try to end this on a positive note.
*I have an amazing family that is constantly praying for us and wishing us the best.
*I have great friends that cover for us at work and that bring us string cheese and warm tacos to an emergency room waiting room.
*I've been able to hold a little baby (even though it pains me to see an infant, I can't help but melt when I kiss their little cheeks.)
and
*I know that I only wasted one dollar on the movie "The Mummy; Curse of the Emporer" or something dumb like that.

Happy Gobble Gobble Day

2008-11-27T17:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! Today was a wonderful day. I got to spend it with my family and friends. I got to eat as much food as I possibly could. And I don't have to work for 4 days. What a great holiday.

After dinner Devan and I played rock band with Jena. She was being so cute. She kept saying how happy she was and that she absolutely loved Bon Jovi. It was really funny. After rocking out for a while we watched "The Neverending Story." Kirrah and Ashley had never even heard of the movie. I think it might be their new favorite :) Devan and I are trying to convince Sam & Massiel that they should name their baby Atreyu.

Panda Cakes & Crack Climbing

2008-11-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday was Devan's birthday. He turned the big two eight. We invited some friends over for a kick ace party on Saturday night. The evening was mixed with highs and lows (and I'm not just talking about Zeb's vocals on Rock Band.) On the plus side, the party went well, people had fun, the food was great, and my panda cake actually turned out. You see, Devan's favorite place to eat in this whole wide world is Panda Express. A couple of weeks ago Devan and I saw a picture of the cake Buffy made for Tyler and Devan knew immediately that he wanted a big, fun, and animated cake just like it for his birthday. Now, I will gladly throw it down with just about anybody in the kitchen when it comes to cooking...however, baking is not my strong suit. Needless to say, many hours and multiple cans of frosting later, I achieved my panda cake.
Now for the bad part of the day - Devan was sick. He had a rough 'bout of crohn's Friday and Friday night and was then very sore and still a little sick on Saturday. So while he was not able to jump around and eat lots of food during the party, he was able to get up and walk around and talk with people.

On the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month, Momentum climbing gym lets members take a friend for free. We somehow managed to get Scott, Sarah, Stephen, and Ksenia in all at the same time. We had a ton of fun, even though Stephen was wearing his spider man leotard (j/k...but that's what it looked like.) Sarah showed us how she is naturally good at anything athletic, Ksenia was her cute and adorable self, Stephen impressed us with his "spidy" skills, and Scott rocked his 1980's high top crack climbing shoes. Now onto the crack climbing. Pricey has been getting really involved into trad crack climbing lately, so I thought...let's give a try in the gym. After being taped up so nicely - thanks Price - I attempted my first crack route. After going two thirds of the way I realized that my ankles were killing me, my tape was wearing off and I was starting to rub the tops of my hands raw. While that doesn't sound like a good time to most, I would actually have to say it wasn't all that bad. With a little help from some callouses I think I would be quite fun. Anywhos...that's about it for now. This weekend I have tickets to the ballet with Danna Lee. Oh ya...IT SNOWED TODAY. I only had about 8 inches of snow on my car this morning. Gang Draper and its ability to attract so much lake effect snow.

Pun'kin Carving Time

2008-10-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

Last night Devan and I talked Ksenia into carving pumpkins with us. This was her very first time carving pumpkins. She was being so cute. We showed her how to cut open the top wide enough to fit her hand in for cleaning. When she finally got the top off she didn't like all the guts inside that you have to clean out. Unfortunately for her, she happened to pick out an especially juicy pumpkin. She had pumpkin guts all over her hand. Devan carved a little Kitty. I carved a little boy and a little girl. And Ksenia carved a silly face.

A Simple Life

2008-10-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

I love it when I get a chance to enjoy the simple things in life, such as spending time with friends and family. As most people in Utah know, right now "The Hunt" is going on. I'm lucky enough to see my dad twice while he was down here hunting. When it comes to family, the things I enjoy the most are the simple things. Sitting on the couch watching TV together or driving around and talking top the list of great things to do with my dad. Last weekend I was able to spend some time with Massiel, Sarah & Megan while the boys were hunting. We all went out to eat and them came home a watched a movie. After the movie we all went to sleep. Sarah slept with me and we spent 2 hours talking. I hope Sarah knows how much I appreciate her listening to me. She knows so much about me...and has for so long. I enjoy listening to the things going on her life. It is good to have such a great friend.

Like I said before, the boys were up hunting. Devan, Garald, Sam, Price, Lance and Zeb all went up Friday night and camped towards the top of Lone Peak. What a wonderful thing to be able to spending time with friends & family, enjoy the outdoors and being able to provide for your family all at the same time. In such turbulent times as this, it is great to know that we are able to provide for ourselves. Sam was able to shoot a deer. Now he and Massiel will have ground meat for a good portion of the next year. What a wonderful source for food storage.

Normally I try to keep my blogging to what's going on in my life. However, while I'm sitting here blogging about the simple things that I enjoy, I feel compelled to also write about my opinions. I AM SO SICK OF ALL THE STUPID, DUMB, ASININE POLITICS OUR COUNTRY IS GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW!!! What ever happened to simple things in our country. *Getting into houses we can reasonably afford. *Only loaning money to people who can reasonably afford them. *Standing for a marriage being between man and woman. *BEING GOOD PEOPLE. I look at the 2 candidates running for President and I can not relate to either of them. Neither of them represent what is best for America, they both represent what is best for themselves and their party. The government is stepping in to bail out lending institutions that gave out loans that they never should have given out. I think this bailout is exactly what is wrong with politics today. I agree that it should have been done...but they had to attach how many ridiculous "add-ons" in order to get people to vote for it? Here is an idea, vote yes or no based on what you honestly think is best for the country, not because they added on giving money to a certain organization that maybe you lobby for. We need politicians that believe in the same things our grandparents believed in...the same morals and beliefs that our founding fathers believed in.
Here is my idea...vote Ginny Gregory for President. Here is my platform: Reward the middle class for all their hard work with tax breaks, rewards big and small businesses and major corporations for how well they pay their employees and whether or not they provide them with health insurance. Arrest the CEO's and all those getting filthy rich off our high oil prices simply because they are bad people. Enforce a "do unto others as you would have them do to you" rule. Oh ya...and we definitely would start having siestas. Everyone needs a good nap once in a while. Hee Hee.

Alaska The Beautiful

2008-10-05T13:11:00.000-07:00

At the end of August my wonderful family all went on an Alaskan cruise. Devan parents made it a retirement goal to take all of their kids and their kids spouses on an Alaskan cruise. And thank goodness for that goal!!! I was also fortunate enough to be able to talk my parents into coming. The lovely ladies down the road, Loe & Evelyn,(long time friends with the Gregory's were also able to come. The total count for our cruise party was 20 people. We were a sight where ever we went. We all met at the Salt Lake Airport at 4:30 am on Saturday, August 23rd. We met up with my parents in the Vancouver, Canada airport. We cruised on the Sapphire Princess boat...it was huge and beautiful. We all had rooms with balconies...all lined up in a row. We opened up the dividers and had one long balcony in which we could roam free. This proved to awesome except for early in the morning when people would come and knock on our window to wake us up to tell us that we had finally come in to port.

Instead of trying to post all of the pictures on this blog...click on my Flickr link and see them all lined up. We did so many great things on our vacation. The scenery was gorgeous. I thought that maybe it would look a lot like Oregon. I could not have been more wrong. I have seen the the shoreline of the Pacific coast, and I have seen the high, snowy mountain tops of Utah. But nothing could ever compare to the rugged, majestic, and picturesque beauty of Alaska. It truly is a sight that I think everyone should see at least once.

The trip was amazing. It was a much needed rest from normal life. I think it was exactly was my parent's, Devan, and myself all needed. The scenery was wonderful, the food was delicious, but the company was as great as it could have possibly been. I am blessed to have such a wonderful family. After 8 days and 7 nights, we all still got along. No one was yelling at each other.
Thank you Garald and Nyla for taking us on the vacation of a life time. The memories created will stick with us for the rest of our lives.

Life After Death

2008-10-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't been in much a "blogging" mood lately. However, I feel that I need to write something happier. I wrote my last blog while I was back in Oregon, only a few days after Charlie died. It was somber, sad, and devastating...but understandably so. But I need to tell everyone that I am not sad all the time...Yes, I do cry a lot still...but we are trying to make good memories so that the days go by a little easier. Right now I am in my basement dwelling watching the BYU football game with family and friends, who might as well be family.

The grandest thing we have done since "The Incident" was go to Alaska. However, I will blog about it next. That is a story all in itself. We have been busy lately trying to get our house ready to build, working, and rock climbing. Devan and Price have been to trying to do more mountain biking and are usually accompanied by either Russ or Callie.

Russ also spent one Saturday utilizing Devan's welding expertise. Last year Russ rolled his four-wheeler and scrunched it into a ball of plastic and steel. After much work, it is starting to resemble an ATV again.

My parents are doing as well as can be expected. Becky and kids are living with them for time being until she can get into her own place. It is weird to think that life goes on. We all still want to stay home and pay respect to Charlie by thinking only of him...24/7. But we can't!!! There is life after death. We have gone back to work...back to the hum drum of our every day lives. It is a weird feeling that I wish I could express. We all continue to progress here in our earthly state...being tested...sometimes by things that we think there is no way we can handle them. I try to think of all the great things in my life that I should be thankful for. I have a wonderful husband and a great family. My friends are wonderful and very near and dear to my heart. I still have a job...and let's face it...in this economy, that is a miracle all in itself. I have many things to make me happy...and so I try to focus on them. This picture for example makes me laugh out loud.

I think my cat is yawning, but I prefer to think that she is sticking her tongue out at that camera.
Some words of advise to end this hopefully happier blog. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS tell those that you love that you "love them." Both my parents and myself were fortunate in that the last words we all ever said to Charlie were "I Love You." REMEMBER HUGS. The last physical contact I had with Charlie was a hug. I gave him a huge hug when he was leaving to go back home to Oregon. Those 2 things give me great peace of mind. I am blessed to have those memories of him just as much as I was blessed to get to live with him and know him for 24 years.

In Loving Memory

2008-07-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

Most anyone who actually views my blog knows by now that my sweet brother Charlie passed away on Sunday, July 27th. I'm sitting here trying to figure out what to write because this all seems so surreal to me. So far this week I've had to help my parents pick out Charlie's casket, grave plot, and even the cloths he will be buried in. "Did I really just help decide what songs we will be singing at my brother's funeral?" This is the type of question I keep asking myself. I would explain what we have doing day to day except there seems to be no such thing as time lately. Sunday was honestly the longest day of my entire life. I got the ever dreaded phone call at 6:15 in the morning. "Hello?"..."Hi"..."How are you,,,sleepy?"..."Ya"..."I've got some bad news"..."Oh"..."Charlie killed myself last night"..."What???". My heart was racing, I can remember thinking that my heart would pound out of my chest. I couldn't control my breath. I remember whispering to Devan "Charlie killed himself." Even three days later I still can't believe it has happened. I'm hoping it will all sink in a little bit tomorrow; that is the when my mom, dad and myself all go to the mortuary as a family to view him. I'm torn as to if I want see him, if I want to hold him. Who knows, maybe I will just sit there and scream at him to wake up.
Charlie had dealt with depression most of his teenage and adult life. It is unfortunately something that runs on my mom's side of the family. Much like her dad, Charlie became very angry when he drank. Saturday night he took a lethal combination of alcohol and other controlled substances. I know in my heart that he had not contemplated suicide before he fatally pulled the trigger. We had talked about it in the pass and he always said that he would never do it because he loved his son so much. He didn't leave a note...he never said goodbye...he just left us. My heart breaks to think that he was home alone, sitting in the corner of his bedroom, thinking that the only way out of the situation he was in was to end his life.
One of the only things keeping everything "real" is his son Mason. One can't be too sad all the time when a two year is hurling Mr. Potato head around the room and pretending he is a tickle monster. Yet, I look at him and all the things he will do in his and know that his dad will not be at his side...physically. Tonight I had to email a picture of Charlie to the mortuary and the second it popped up onto the screen Mason said "DADDY." My heart broke. He was such a daddy's boy.
One thing that still seems amazing to me is the outpouring of love that our family has received. We never knew we had this many friends. The cards, phone calls, and visits are so appreciated. It's a little easier to get through the minutes when we are not alone.
Devan and his parents fly in tomorrow and I can't wait to see them. I need Devan so much right now. I need him to help me endure the greatest trial of my life so far. I'm thankful for the gospel. It is the light at the end of tunnel to know that I will once again see my dear brother again.
This was the last picture I took with my brother...If I had only known I would have taken so many more.

I LOVE YOU CHUCKLES!!!

Everything Lately

2008-04-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, the rocket went off without a hitch. We decided to light it off over on the west side of Utah lake by Carrie Lyn & Jeff's house. The most important thing about the entire rocket situation is that we can use it again next year. I know what you're think...WWWHHHAAATTT...use a rocket 2 years in a row. Beautifully enough, the rocket only incurred small damages that were easy to fix.

Earlier that morning we had the usual easter egg hunt at Garald and Nyla's. I've decided that it is quite profitable to help stuff the eggs before the actual hunt because then you can just take the candy you want without all of the "go and find it" fluff.

After the candy eating and rocket launching we went to go shoot things. Have you ever thought to yourself what it might look like if you shot a TV with a .257? Well, you are in luck...I have pictures.

Shooting also gave me some extra practice shooting my hand gun. I am the proud mama of a .32 beretta. I just turned in my papers 2 weeks ago to get my concealed weapons permit. However, the BCI is at a 60 day turn around time. I won't be able to carry until June.

All in all, it was a fantastic day. I have a lot of photos from that day posted on my flickr account. The link to that can be on the left side of my blog.

The Rocket

2008-03-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

The last couple of years, we started a family tradition of making rockets and lighting them off during the family easter egg hunt. Our previous rockets varied from four to twelve inches high. This year Devan decided to take it to a whole other level. Our rocket this year stands 4 feet tall and 4 1/2 inches in diameter. It rockets to an impressive 3,500 feet up in the air.
We will be lighting it off this Saturday in Draper...hopefully. The weather conditions will have to be perfect, i.e. no wind, and no low cloud cover. We also will probably try and go to a park to light it off. If something were to go wrong and the chute were to not open...lets just say...I hope it doesn't land on someones car, face, or little dog.
I will let you all know how it goes next week. Wish us luck and clear skies!!!

5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

2008-02-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that Devan and I have been married for 5 years. It really has gone by very fast. This year was my turn to plan our anniversary. (We trade off every year. After all, why should the guy always have to come up with something.) I decided we were going to spend it in style. Friday morning we left for Viva Las Vegas. 6 hours later we arrived at our destination...the Planet Hollywood Casino & Hotel.

This is a picture of our room. It was so nice. It had a flat screen TV, a soft king size bed, a tub big enough for 2, and partial view of the fountains in front of the Bellagio. And the best part...wait for it...wait for it...it only $149. And that was on a Friday night. I know...AMAZING.

After checking in we went over to the Bellagio to see "O" The show was incredible. The next morning we went shopping down in Primm, Nevada (great outlet malls.) That night we hung out and stayed with our Friends Jesse and Lindsey who live in Las Vegas. It was great to see them again. This is us waiting outside their house for them.

It was really great to see them again. We haven't been able to make it down there for a couple of years...and every time we leave we wonder why we waited so long. Jesse and Lindsey are so fun to hang out with. Their little boy, Corbin, is almost one and one of the cutest kids I have ever seen. I wish I had taken a picture of him to show you.
The next morning we woke up and drove the 6 hours back home. We were sad to leave our friends but glad to be heading back to our own house with our own bed. That's the best part about vacations...coming back home :)
My present for our anniversary was to add an extra band on my wedding ring. Here is a picture of it. I LOVE IT!!!

That just about sums up my last weekend. We had a WHITE OUT BLIZZARD last night...so scary. Tomorrow it is supposed to be 40 degrees and sunny...aahhh...Utah.

Sorry It's Been A While

2008-01-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

First and most important...I cut my hair. I love it...plus I love the fact that I was able to donate it. Next...I've lost about 8 pounds by eating healthier. Who doesn't enjoy looking better and feeling healthier??? I don't have much time to type right now, so I will leave you with a picture of my office. We had to submit a picture for our yearly meeting...they would let us use this. Freakin' ridiculous. It took a long time to do...and it is awesome. Oh well. Here it is...LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Picture Time

2007-10-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

Since I don't really have the space or the layout for posting all of the pics of my cute brother and his family, I have created a Flickr account. This allows me to post a bunch of pictures at one time. I have created a link for that in the left hand column.

Another Day @ The Park

2007-10-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

As of Sunday, October 21st, Charlie moved to Utah!!! He is currently residing at my house with his girlfriend Becky and their 2 kids, Haileigh and Mason. Yesterday we went to the park...here are some pics from that. Enjoy...

Conference Weekend

2007-10-08T17:46:00.000-07:00

I love conference weekend!!! I enjoy being able to get a spiritual message while still being in my pajamas. I took this picture of Devan and the cat during the Sunday afternoon session. I'm not sure he heard much of it :)

Babysitting and Our Big TV

2007-09-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

We finally upgraded our television. Here is it. What a beauty. We also had to buy a new stand...I LOVE IT!!! My living room looks about 10 times bigger.

We also watched Scott and Sarah's kid Jackson on Friday night. This picture was when we were playing with the headlamp. He is way cute and behaved very well while he was at our house. He even ate his veggies first at dinner.

Oh ya...it was 80 degrees outside yesterday and today it is 37 and snowing. Gotta love that Utah weather. TaTa For Now.

Climbers vs. Bees

2007-09-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

Too Long

2007-08-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't written anything in a while. The lovely company that I work for has decided to block all blogs, so I can only do it when I'm home. To catch everyone up, we have done a bit of boating lately...and not much of anything else. A couple of weeks ago Devan and I went up to Bear Lake in Idaho.
We stayed at Tex's family cabin in Fish Haven. We were joined by her brother Mike, Tessa, her guy friend (I can't remember his name) and Scott, Sarah, and Jackson. While the water was cold, it was absolutely beautiful. This picture doesn't even do it justice.

This last weekend we went our young mens and young womens group to Yuba Lake in Utah. I had never been there either, the beaches were nice and the water was farely warm. We had a fun filled weekend of wake boarding on the glass like water and tubing. I think it is important at this point to say that we don't just "tube" we extreme tube. You know, the usual, jumping from one tube to another and all while trying to rip the others off.

I also need to remember to take our camera...that way I can prove we were there. Instead of just finding a picture on Google and sticking it on. I promise to work on that. Peace Out :)

Family Photos

2007-07-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my mother-in-law gathered up all the kids (7)...their spouses (7)...and all the grandkids (14) and took another family photo. Growing up, family photos were a pain in my proompa. So much to worry about. Do we all match? Did Charlie comb his hair? Are we going to be on time? What, everyone is complaining that we have to go? Quick, smile and pretend that at this very moment we all love each other. And we only had 4 people in my family growing up. Now times all that stress by about 8 and that would explain family photos with Devan's family of 30.
I hate to complain too much, but let's but honest...family photos are a necessary evil of the world we live in today. We hate planning them, we hate taking them, we especially hate trying to make all the kids smile and look forward and not lift their shirts up and not pick their nose. But the end result is something that we cherish. Our last family photo is hanging proudly in my living room. I plan on replacing it with this new one. People who come and visit love to look at them, "wow, there are so many people in your family."
My favorite line of the day was when my mother-in-law said "We are not going to have another family photo taken for 75 years." Yes we were all grumpy, but let's be honest. We had to hike a 3rd a mile up hill when it was 95 degrees outside in the sun. Most of the kids were crying at the end...and maybe some of the adults...but we all still want to take another one in a couple of years.

Blondes...With Red Lowlights...Do Have More Fun

2007-07-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

I got my hair done a couple of weeks ago. Megan, Zeb's fiance did it. She is spectacular and I would recommend her to anyone. She works at The Brick House Retreat Salon and Day Spa http://retreatsalonspa.com/. Megan has an amazing eye for color, tone and shape. I told her "If you could do whatever you wanted on my hair, what would it be?" She picked the color and the cut...including my bangs. I hope she never quits. It always seem like as soon as I find a great hairdresser they either move away or have babies and quit the biz.

My mom says that red hair matches my sassy behavior. Personallly, I kind of feel like a rock star. I think it gave me plus 5 rockstar power on guitar hero :)

???Mid Life Crisis???

2007-07-03T12:14:00.000-07:00

What is the difference between a mid-life crisis and finally rewarding yourself for years of being a great mother, friend, co-worker, wife, sister, and aunt? My favorite Auntie Di recently purchased this beautiful baby blue BMW Z3. There are few people that are as caring as she is; when she's not talking about Sss. She is a phenomenal cook, a knowledgeable escrow officer, and a mean (both figurative and literal) day after Thanksgiving shopper.

So I say "Congratulations!!!" Enjoy your new car..YOU DESERVE IT!!!

First Time Blogger

2007-07-02T19:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Ginny and Devan show. Hopefully this sight will be a place where friends and family both here and abroad can see what we are up to. Which is usually no good. I hope you all enjoy it!!

I would like you all to meet my absolutely adorable niece...Haileigh. She's two and belongs to my brother Charlie and his girlfriend Becky. TaTaForNow