Jackson Hole with the Taylor's

2 weeks ago we decided we needed a family reunion between the Taylor family before David (Joe's youngest brother) leaves for his mission. We all gave the deciding choice of where to go to David and of course David choose the wonderful thrill seeking adventure to white water raft with the whole family! We all drove to Jackson Hole Wyoming where we camped for 2 nights and while we were there went on a white water rafting excugin! The vacation was so much fun and so relaxing to be sourrounded by nature! I loved being able to sit around the camp fire as a family and just chat with one another. I want to say a special Thank You to Dorothy (Joe's Mom) for setting up such an amazing trip. She really went above and beyond to make this trip so much fun and Joe and I really appriciated the time and energy it took her to organize all the small details! Thank you so much dorothy! So all in all we had a great small family vacation with the Taylors this year and hope to make this a yearly tradition, so Cassie, Dave, Cody & Ginger, plan accordingly so you can make it next summer! It was a very long drive to Jackson Hole with no radio because i forgot my ipod and not much senory for us to look at but so relaxing to just leave life behind and finally go on a vacation with no computers or cell phones! :) I cant wait for next year!

Here are some pictures of us white water rafting and going over what they call the big kahuna! David fell out of the boat but my quick thinking and fast reactions from practicing with the kids at my work from falling over, I caught him barely by his leg and helped pull him back in! It was such a fun trip!

Hiking Mt. Timpanogos

About a week ago Joe and I decided we would take a day off of work and go and do something fun together just the two of us, since we haven't done really anything with just us two in awhile. So we decide we would take the 14 mile trek up Mount Timpanogos to the lake at the very top! Starting out on this hick I don't think either of us REALLY realized what we were doing, but it is pretty much 7 miles straight up hill and 7 miles straight down hill. It was extremely beautiful and took us 9 hours to complete but definitely worth the time and energy! We had one experience that I can say not many people get the opportunity to have while on this hike and it was that about 3 miles into our climb up the mountain Joe stopped very rapidly in front of me, as I proceeded to ask him why he stop he said "look ahead" and right in front of us about 5 feet away was this HUGE wild moose (bigger then a horse with antlers like chairs). I think this was one time that I have never been so sacred for my life in a long time. These wild moose are very dangerous if they feel threatened in ANY WAY and because of the wonderful animal planet that Joe and I watch quite often, I knew we were very close to their mating season which makes moose especially male moose( which this one was) extremely aggressive. So after we waited in frozen movement, another hiker came up behind us and decided he would be stupid and luckily for him and us the moose moved off the trail into the bushes to eat and we were able to pass unharmed.
I'm glad Joe and I got a chance to climb Mt. Timpanogos and even though Joe, two weeks later to this day is reaping the pain still of the 14 mile hike it was definitely an experience we will never forget!

**Beautiful waterfall that passes threw the trail

**Me standing in SNOW almost to the top of Mt. T in the middle of August......CRAZY!!!!

***The beautiful lake where we ate lunch at the top of Mt. T (there was still ice that covered the top of the lake)

How im feeling...

*Tired
*Bored
*Relieved that my summer classes are over
*Sad I didn't really get a summer
*Frustrated that I never have time to work out
*Excited that I go to Boston to see my best friend get married in 16 days
*Jealous that my sister and her husband and my mom and dad went on a cruise to Alaska last week
*Tired
*Excited my nephew David is coming to stay with Joe and I next week
*Sad that my brother moved to Oklahoma
*Happy my brother got into law school and is pursuing his dreams
*Frustrated that we don't have a lot of money because of school
*Happy I see an end in my schooling career
* Annoyed I don't get enough sleep at night because my wonderful husband kicks and rolls and I am an extremely light sleeper :/
*Tired
*Happy, excited and joyous that Christmas is in 143 days (the happiest time of year)
*Worried that we have no Idea where we will be going for Thanksgiving with Joe's family and we need to buy plane tickets soon...eeepp
*Pumped about my money plan so I don't have to work next summer
*Thrilled that our trip to Disneyland at Christmas time is a for sure!
*Tired
*Enthusiastic about the new school year at my work
*Frustrated that my computer gives me problems daily (even though we got it a new power cord and battery...finally)
*and oh... did i mention TIRED!!!!

That's all for now....

Family Fun and Goodbyes :(

So last Monday my siblings and I decided to get together with our spouses and go to 7peaks in Provo as a LAST get together before my brother Jason and his wife Shelly and my nephew Mathias move to Oklahoma for Jason to attend law school at the University of Oklahoma for at least the next 3 years. All of us couples are very very close and get together every first Sunday of the month, so it will be very sad to not see 1/3 of my family for along time. Due to Jason not being able to work while in law school will result in them having very little money during this next 3 years to go and visit anyone. So as a last little fun trip before they move this weekend, we went to 7 peaks and had a blast. We all got some beautiful color from the hot sun and rode every slide in the park! It was such a fun time and a good last memory to have for awhile. Joe and I are going to miss Jason and Shelly soooooo much but hopefully some time in the next few years we will get a chance to go to O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A ;) and visit them!! yay
Good Luck Jason in your last few years in school! :)

ANNOYING!!!!

This is my computer and its a really great computer so don't get me wrong! It helps me do all the things that are important to me like make movies, recordings with my guitar, photography and music uploads into Itunes. HOWEVER, I think I have had more troubles with this computer them I truly need! Right now my computer is once again down because the other day in class, minding my own business my computer charger cord broke (a little peice that comnnects the positive to the positive component inside my computer broke off inside) Funny thing is this is the second time my computer has done this so this was the scond charger that broke on me in one year! Ok so if you dont think that is enough, about a year ago there was a manufacture call back on the batery for my computer (because MAC said they were blowing up or something, weired cuz mine worked perfect, that is untill I sent it back to them gerr) So they sent me a whole new battery and ever since then the new batery that they sent me holds lake a 8 minutes of charge and then dies without the power cord sooooo I could pluge my computer in for a whole night or even a whole week for that matter and no matter what when I try to use it without the power cord it tells me im out of battery and is going to dye in 8 minutes! ANNOYING RIGHT!!!! So the other day when my charger cord broke we finnally go to try and send back my battery because we need a new one anyway and I cant find my apple ID (which probibly got lost somewhere during us moving) which is something you absulutly need before the manufacture will send you a new part. So long story made some what short, im out of a computer right now and I cant post any pics of our fun activity with my family this past weekend until I get my computer back! BUMMER! Not to mention, I find it extremely ironic that fixing computers is what my husband does for a living everyday all day and yet the only problems I get with my computer are ones that just need to be replaced by the manufacture!!! gerrrr!! haha

Creativity and Cognition Class

So today in creativity and cognition I think I had the best experience in my older school years that I have ever had. My teacher John Funk is the most awesome teacher I think I have had yet, and there is variety of ways that he teaches that helps people like me (right brained creative individuals) to absorb the information being taught with hands on creative ways. His tests are very well written and make you feel as if he is right there giving you a verbal quiz.
Every day we do something hands on that expresses in some way what we have learned during the lecture or text. Today we were able to build our own classroom out of playdough that encourages creativity in young children. My team choose to build a early childhood classroom that express ways like painting, books and active play that encourages creative learning. We do something creative in class everyday such as painting and construction paper cut and glue building. I love this class and Professor Funk is one of the most influential teachers I have ever had!

**Our active play and art area
**reading, peace corner and circle time area
**kitchen and creative cooking area

Janelle's Bridal shower

**Janelle and I at her bridal shower ^
So those that know Janelle and I we are like twins born from 2 different mothers. Our moms were best friends before we were born and had Janelle and I 4 months apart. From then on we have always been inseparable. We always had twin clothes and hair cuts and even went to the same special education preschool ( which by all contrary beliefs we WERE the only normal ones in the school!) So when we were about 7, Janelle's family decided to move away to Michigan because her dad got a better job there that California was just not able to offer him. However despite all the stories of old friends loosing touch, luckily we were blessed with the best families that found it important to keep your old friends and Janelle & I were able to beat the odds and STAY best friends all this time. We have been fortunate enough to visit each other at least once a year and talk very often on the phone. Now, Janelle and I both got engaged at Christmas time 2008 and are now getting married 3 months EXACTLY from one another (Our wedding 5/22/2009- Janelle & Hoeun wedding 8/22/2009) and ALSO to the Mormon rarity, both dated our men for 3 years exactly before getting married! SO, last Friday was Janelle's bridal shower and man was it a flash back to my childhood for me... the shower was held at her grandmothers house in Provo Utah, were her family was visiting for the week, ( this is also where Janelle and I would take many vacations together because it was kind of a central location between our two homes and lets be honest... CHEAP!)
It was very fun for me to be at her bridal shower and be able to spend such fun and important moments with my best friend and all the people that are close to her. It was a Hawaiian theme shower and she got many things to help her and Hoeun start their life together and many many many recipes for her to learn to cook with. :) (bless her heart, she hates the kitchen... the only thing we differ in I think) :) It was such a wonderful night and so much fun. I love Janelle so much and wish her the best with all her life endeavors!! Congratulations Nellie and see you in Boston in 1 month!!! :)

**Carolee (Janelles mom AKA my second mom) & I
** Barbra (Janelle's grandmother) she still looks the same from when I was a kid ha-ha!! Oh ya and so does her house , I don't thing ANYTHING has ever been moved lol :) Love you Barbra
** Sydney and I (Janelle's little sister)
**Janelle socializing with her guests and eating way yummy food :)
**Yay open present time (Thats the fun gift I gave her) haha
** I was the lucky person that got to write down everything she got and who it was from

**Guest group shot, sooo fun!

CONGRATULATIONS JANELLE!!!!!!!