taps

My cousin passed away two weeks ago and we just had his funeral on Saturday. Funerals are always so hard, but this one really got me. Not just because he was my cousin and he was so wonderful, but because he was also a soldier and got military honors at his funeral. I burst into tears when I saw the American Flag draped across his casket, but surprisingly I kept my composure during the funeral. I thought the worst was over but at the burial he was honored with a 21 gun salute and taps. I couldn't contain my emotion at that point.

Not only was I overcome with sadness for my dear cousin, but I couldn't stop thinking about the possibility that I could be in this same spot again anytime in the next year since I just sent my husband and am about to send another brother to war in the middle east. Between my husband, 3 brothers and 1 sister-in-law our family has been in Iraq going on 8 times. After a while you start to wonder if your luck has run out and one of your loved ones might come home in a casket.

Please support the troops and pray for our soldiers!

Buddy

When my husband left I confessed to one of my girlfriends that although I was sad that he was leaving, I was excited for Payton to share my bed with me again.

{He's just so cute and cuddly}

Pure Vanilla. From Mexico

Since my husband is gone I went to my parents house this year for my birthday. My dad also invited my other siblings over for the weekend to celebrate my birthday and go to his ward father and sons camp-out. There just happens to be 10 grandsons in the family.

My brother Jacob was there and loves me for so many reasons. #1) He loves to listen to me play the piano #2) I give his wife and daughter beautiful hair-dos #3) I'm funny #4) He thinks I'm a wonderful baker.

It seems that every time we're in the same house I end up finding all the ingredients for cookies or a cake or some other treat neatly placed out on the counter and he's got a big smile on his face like a little boy waiting for Christmas.

My birthday present from him this year was another one of those not-so-subtle hints that he'd like me to do some baking for him.

He travels a lot for his job and recently found himself very close to the Mexico border. He brought me a little souvenir from his trip that could be used to make him many little treats.

I feel like I'm buying a lot of Vanilla when I buy the 8 oz. bottle of Imitation Vanilla.

But he went all out and bought me 32 oz. of pure vanilla.

And I feel super cool because not only is it pure vanilla. But it's pure vanilla From Mexico.

eclipse-ish

since yesterday was my 28th birthday i had a girls night with my mom and my sister. We went out for buffalo wings and saw eclipse. I find the best thing to do when going to watching any movie from "the twilight saga" is to go with absolutely no expectations at all, then you'll really find that you enjoyed yourself!

for real though, the part that really excited me about the whole eclipse experience was the harry potter trailer!!!!!! Yeah I've already seen it like 29 times, but I can't get enough of harry potter. if he were a real live person i would stalk him. i would be his biggest fan and i would beg him to have babies with me. that's how much i love harry potter. i've read all 7 books at least 10 times each, but really probably more.

after we watched the movie i went home, went to bed, then got out my ipod touch and watched the harry potter trailer in bed for another twenty minutes. i get chills every time. then i fell asleep and had harry potter dreams. he's my dream lover.

so, who wants to see it with me when it finally comes out in theatres?!?!?!?!

{Goodbye}

My husband got deployed a week ago. I'm not supposed to say much about his deployment. In all honesty, I don't even know where he's going. I mean, I know the country, but I don't know what part he'll be in or what he'll be doing. (And that's not because I don't pay attention, it's because he can't tell me)

It's really comforting sending your husband off to war when you have absolutely no idea what's going on!

In a weird way it's been a relief to have him go. Not because I want him over there, but because it just feels like we've been waiting for this and working towards it for the last three years of our lives and now he's finally going and we can get it out of the way.

I only took a few pictures while we waited for their plane to arrive. One with Jackson, Payton and some of the nieces and nephews. And the last one is Nate with his Mom and 3 of his sisters.

Good Luck Nate! We're proud of you!

Just complaining

My computer is G-A-Y

Not in a homosexual way, just in a "I'm a crappy PC and I freeze up all the time and won't let any programs open because I'm a loser" kind of way.

I was sitting down at my good ol' lame face computer to edit pictures of my husbands departure for all of you to see and once again it's pulling the same crap as usual. I'm about ready to throw the thing over the balcony and wash my hands of it. But, I'll wait to do that until I can buy a MacBook Pro

{Apple rules all}

Family Photos

Before Nate left on his deployment my dear friend Natalie took some cute family pictures of us.

Enjoy!