Dance Fundraiser

Ellie has been in dance for a little over 5 months now and she's getting ready for their annual concert. This year the Dance Showcase Company will be performing Toy Story.

We're looking forward to her very first performance! We've set up a blog where our family and friends can help us raise funds for Ellie's concert fees. At the same time, you'll benefit from some DELICIOUS carmel corn from my FAVORITE popcorn company, The Nutty Kernel. If you'd like to help, or just want some dang good popcorn check out Ellie's Dance Fundraiser!

Halloween 2010

This year we decided we should spend Halloween with the Sheffers. So we packed up and headed out to Vernal. We visited family and friends. We carved our pumpkins (Shawn, by the way, was an excellent craftsman...haha). and enjoyed a pizza hut dinner. We dressed the girls and took a million pictures. Grandma, Lindsay, the girls and I hit some of our family and friends houses before we met up with Shawn and joined Heath and Megan for a ward trunk-or-treat.

As we were leaving the church, Ellie asked, "Is Halloween over?"
Me: "Yes."
Ellie: "Is it Christmas now?"
Me: Laugh. Laugh. Her little mind always racing!

And now, the evidence of Halloween 2010!

PUMPKINS! And the master carver!

My little stinkers

A true tinker!

We're outa here!

Lil Witch

Trunk-or-Treat

Toot Toot Tooting my Own Horn

It was an exciting morning this morning. But first, let me back up to Monday. We received an email from a Michelle of KSL's Studio 5. She wanted us on their show the following Wednesday for the segment "Love List." We, of course were happy to travel to Salt Lake to provide a couple samples for the segment. We parked under the LDS Business College and walked on over to the set of Studio 5. We thought we'd get to watch the segment right from the set, but ended up watching it right outside on a big screen tv. None the less, it was a lot of fun seeing the different people who make the show happen, set up and do their parts. And now,  see the segment for yourself...

Five Years

It's hard to believe we were joined together for eternity 5 years ago today. I've been thinking a lot about those first days that we met. He SWEPT me right off my feet. I was home from BYU-Idaho in between semesters and he was making his final preparations for his missionary service. We only knew each other for 10 short days before we had to say our farewells. He was off to Resistencia, Argentina where he'd spent the next two years. (Well, until he got transferred to Anaheim, California half way through. But that's a story for another time). I was left to my studies at BYU-Idaho.

The few sweet memories we experienced in those 10 days were strong enough to carry us through 3 1/2 years apart. That's 1277 days! I couldn't explain why the attraction was so incredibly strong but deep down, we both knew we'd be together much, much longer than we spent apart and I think that's what made it bearable.

Then came difficult decision time! I always knew I wanted to serve a mission of my own. When I reached the age of 21 I was completely torn! Should I wait for Shawn to get home or should we just go for the long stretch? After MUCH thought and at least 27 times changing my mind, I decided it was now or never. And so I put in my papers. I was called to Colorado Springs, Colorado. I left just 2 months before Shawn returned home.

And so, we continued our letter writing saga. After what felt like an eternity, I returned home and we were reunited. I was surprised by how how much it felt like we had known each other. He was everything I remembered. Handsome. Thoughtful. Endearing. Patient. Hard Working. LOYAL.  He was right.

We married 8 months later in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. It was everything we had waited so long for! And I love him even more deeply and maturely than the day we married (and that was a lot more than words can explain).

I wouldn't say that the past 5 years have been bliss, but through the difficulties, disappointments, trials, challenges, and problems, as well as the joys, we have ALWAYS had each other. I'm looking forward to the next five! Thank you Shawn, for being you!

Sisters at Play

First Time Sleepover

Click on the image to read about how it went...

Back When We Colored Eggs

So we didn't completely skip over Easter this year. We did manage to get some eggs colored (the day after Easter) and it was fun! The Easter bunny did come and leave a few goodies and a photo of Christ after he was resurrected (well, an artist depiction of it anyway...hehe). Now let's get to the warm weather already!