Wow It's Been AWHILE!!!

I haven't written on this blog since August...WOW!!! I'm sorry it's been so long, but needless to say A LOT has been going on and has happened since than!!! For a lot of things it's been dealing with my health issues, but like I stated in my previous post I'm keeping all of that on my new blog and trying to keep that one up to date (so please feel free to look at that one, read, comment, and things anytime you'd like...I appreciate the comments and support)!
Anyways...on to this blog though and fun stuff! So in September I was able to have all my older sisters and their families, my little brother, his girlfriend (Rachael), my mom, and one of my best friend's (Jenna) over to celebrate my birthday and have a yummy dinner, cake, and ice cream!!! It was so fun and just great to spend time with them--I absolutely love my family and friends!!! I can't believe I'm actually 25 now too--sounds kinda strange, but time flys!
In October my family had our like annual family Halloween party! It's so fun and I love seeing everyone! My mom is so awesome with all the work she puts into it too! Everyone came over all dressed up in their costumes, we had dinner (hamburgers, hotdogs, some side dishes, and homemade rootbeer...yum!) and then my mom puts together all of these carnival games for the kids! Their were games like a big cardboard thing with pumpkins on it and their mouths were cut open in circles and the kids had to throw a ball through the openings, a board with this giant spider web drawn on it and the kids took these sticky frogs and threw them at the web trying to hit a 'bulls-eye' in the middle, 'skull basketball' where they took these skulls and shot them in the hoop, these ring toss games, dart games, bowling, guess how much the pumpkin weighs, and all sorts of stuff (there were like 15 games)! Then, at each game the kids win a prize and they're all these Halloween treats and toys (like these rubber ducks that were vampires, witches, and things, jumping spiders, treats, they each got a little pumpkin, whoever guessed the closest to how much the pumpkin weighed won that big pumpkin, and things like that), so they bring their Halloween buckets and fill them with their prizes! It's SO MUCH fun to watch them and see them all dressed up, because we don't get to see all of them always on Halloween! (Sorry I didn't get any pictures--I totally was thinking I need to take some pictures but I never did! Next year.)
Now, it's getting time for Thanksgiving and I'm super excited for that...getting together again as family and eating lots of yummy food is always fun!!! This year my mom, Taylor (my little brother), his girlfriend Rachael, and I (and possibly my sister Jill and her family) are all going over to my oldest sister Janeice's house for Thanksgiving, so it should be way fun!
I hope you are each doing well and enjoying this wonderful time of year!!! I love this time of year--leaves changing, snow falling (although I prefer to be inside just watching it fall...it's gorgeous), remembering those things we are grateful for and how blessed we are, and to spend time with loved ones!!!

Additional Blog...

This is just a quick little post to let you know, in case you're interested, that I have created another blog...in ADDITION to this blog--I'm not getting rid of this one. This blog will still continue to be updated with my fun adventures and things going on. However, for those of you who don't know, I just found out that I have an uncommon bone disease that is in my ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows, so I have created another blog for a few different reasons:
1-To keep those who would like to be up to date on things going on with everything
2-For a place to allow me to write each day (or most days) how I feel and things (whether some days may need to be a venting day and days of just gratitude and exciting things)
3-For a support system...where people can comment and leave messages and things if they would like
This blog will be private though, so if you would like to read and things, please leave me your email so that I can send you an invite! Thank you! :)

I Bet You Thought It Would Never Happen...I Did!!! Haha

Saying it has been FOREVER since I last updated this blog and that I've been slacking on doing so is probably like an understatement by now!!! I'm sure you guys probably have thought by now that this is probably like out the window, but, it's not...I'm SO GOING TO GET BETTER AT THIS!!! I know, I know, I've said that a ton before, but maybe if I say it enough it will actually happen this time! haha!!! I hope so...no, it will!!!
So, since it has been FOREVER, I was trying to figure out how best to update this....do I do one LLLOOONNNGGG post, a bunch of posts over a few days or weeks or however long it takes to get updated, or what?! Well, I came to my conclusion from a few other people's blogs that I've seen do this (so if you've done this before, thank you for helping me in make this decision :)  ), so I just have done a bunch of different posts, and then this one, and you guys are more than welcome to scroll back and look through all the past posts to read through the updates (you'll probably have to even go back to some of the "older posts" because I'm sure they won't all fit on one page...how pathetic is that, I know!) until you get tired of reading through them and you can quit or read through all of them if you so desire! haha :)
Anyways...I hope this finds all of you guys doing well!!! I love to read each of your blogs, I love to read your comments (so if you so desire to comment on anything, I do love to get and read those...plus then I know someone's at least reading these to keep updating things for too...haha!), and I hope that everyone is doing well and having a great summer!!!

Summer Time Fun (Kind of a Long Post...Sorry--I just Combined Everything!)

So for my final post of catching up, I've kind of combined a few things (all summer activities) into one...hope you don't mind! This summer has been super fun and full of different things happening!!! I guess the best way to portray everything and to catch-up is to just show off each event with the pictures from them and then just describe everything as it goes along! So here you go (there's a little blurb about each event followed by the pictures from that activity)....

"Tangled Look Alike?!"
I just had to include these pictures in for an activity, because I thought they turned out so fun! My niece is such a cute little girly-girl with thick, gorgeous blond haird that goes clear down to her waist, she loves to go shopping, have her nails painted, and getting all dressed up.So with these pictures, in the first couple, they're from her being over one day and having a "make-over" where we did her make-up and things and then had to take some pictures....which is where the title of this little blurb came in--does she not look like Rapunzel from the new Disney movie "Tangeld"?!  The other pictures are, just some, from a little "photo shoot" we did right around her birthday this summer on a day that she came over...I told her I wanted to get a couple pictures for her birthday (she turned 6 in June) and we ended up taking lots all over throughout the yard--she started having so much fun with wanting to take them by certain flowers, on the swing, on the trampoline, by the trees, etc...It was great! So here are the pictures and you can judge for yourself if she doesn't look like a mini little Rapunzel!
"Make-Over" Day...Can you not see the "mini Rapunzel" from "Tangled"?!

 A fun picture...always loving to make faces...

Her cute pictures that we went outside to take for her 6th Birthday

 Mom (my sister Jessica) and Sammy...

 Kaleb (such a great big brother) and Sammy...

Aunt Jackie and Sammy (had to get a quick pic of the two of us)...

"BIRTHDAYS!!!"

There are LOTS of birthday through the summer in my family, they include: my little sister, Kara (who turned 16 this summer!!!), my niece Sammy (who turned 6 this summer), my Grandpa Anderson (who has passed away but would've been 102!!!), my niece Ashley (who turned 8), my nephew Justin (who turned 10), my Grandma Liptrot, my mom, my nephew Corey (who will be 12 in August), my Grandma Anderson (who has passed away but would've been 98 this August), my nephew Nixxon (who will turn 3 in August), and my nephew Jonathan (who will be 6 this August)...like I said LOTS of birthdays, but it's so fun!!! Some birthdays I've been able to have my camera for, some I haven't, and some birthdays have happened yet, so I will take pictures when they do and I post again (keeping my blog updated ;) )!

For the birthdays that have taken place....My little sister Kara turned 16 in June!!! She lives in California, so I was unforntunately unable to take in pictures, give her her present in person, or attend her "Sweet 16," but we (my sisters and I all here in Utah) were thinking of her constantly and love her TONS!!! We were able to send her a fun present for a 16 year old girl...a shirt, scarf, and some jewelry (all things a teenage girl definitely needs)...and I was able to talk to her on the phone which was the best of all!!! Kara is such a sweet young woman, and I can't believe that she's already 16 years old!!! Kara, I love you TONS, miss you, and am glad that you were able to have such a wonderful birthday!!!
Since I wasn't able to be there to take any pictures, here's a picture at least of my sweet 16-year old sister for you to see how awesome and gorgeous she is--this is from her homecoming this last year :)

My niece, Sammy, turned "6" and we were able to have a fun day together just before her birthday! My sister, Jessica, and her two kids (my niece and nephew), Kaleb and Sammy, came over for a little "birthday party"!!! Sammy decided she wanted to make confetti cupcakes (the confetti cake mix as cupcakes) and she wanted to have meatballs and rice for dinner! (Which was DELICIOUS, but it made me laugh--not too many 6-year olds choose that for their birthday dinner...it's usually chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, or stuff like that.) But, we had tons of fun and did a little "princess pampering" time too where she laid on my bed (which she loves because it has a remote that adjusts the head and feet and has a massage), turned on the massage, and I gave her a pedicure (with the lotion massage, painting her nails, and everything). It was a fun day! Here's some pics from the cupcakes and massage (the pics above in the first post are include one's from her birthday as well):

Cupcakes are all made...Kaleb, Sammy, and I made them together and they had fun decorating them! 

 "Princess Pampering" time...

 Time to blow out the candle...Make a wish...

My niece Ashley turned "8"!!! We were able to go over to their house on her birthday, and give watch her open her birthday present, see what she got from my sister and brother-in-law (she got a new bike, with pegs...which is what she was wanting--she was super excited!), and have some cake and ice cream with them! It was so fun and she was so cute!!! She had a tiara on and everything when we went, and the cake was so fun with a tiara, wands, stars, and stuff all decorated so girly and cute (my sister did awesome and it tasted DELICIOUS!!!)!!! She loves horses, so my mom found this super cute and fun horse bank that you put the coin in the horse's mouth, push down on this part by the horse's tail and the head moves and drops the coin into the bank...she loved it and it will fit great with all her horse stuff! Ashley is such a sweet and fun girl, and I'm so grateful to have her as my niece and I love her tons! Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any pictures from her birthday (I didn't have my camera with me), but here's a recent picture of my sweet niece Ashley...

My nephew, Justin, just turned "10" (his birthday is actually just the day after my niece Ashley)!!! I can't believe he's already 10-years old, and he is such a great kid...very caring and so willing to help out!!! We had a family BBQ earlier that week and gave him his birthday present than. He's turning into such an amazing young man, and I am so blessed to have him as my nephew. Here are some pictures from him opening his presents...
Justin smiling real quick before he opens his present

Opening his present...

 Giving Grandma (my mom) a big hug after opening his present...(I love this picture!)

The next birthday, only about 3 days after my nephew Justin's, was my Grandma Liptrot's. She turned "89" this year! We had a fun evening--we picked my grandma up and took her out to El Matador for dinner to celebrate her birthday! My grandma is so sweet and always thinking of others! Again, I didn't get any pictures and can't find a picture on my computer to upload! (I'll have to definitely get one soon and put it on!)

My mom's birthday is the next...which happens to be the day after my Grandma Liptrot's--like I said, LOTS of summer birthday's all together, but it is SUPER fun!!! :) We celebrated my mom's birthday as a family the week before with our family BBQ, and it was TONS of fun!!! My older sister's were all able to come with their families, we had dinner, cake and ice cream, then we did fireworks for the 24th of July, gave my mom her birthday present (we all went in together to get a Kindle), and just had a great time!!! I can't tell you how much I love and appreciate my mom!!! She does SO MUCH for me...she's always there for me, she helps me through everything, she's so strong, and such a great and amazing example to me!!! The day after her birthday she and I went to Kirt's and got ice cream to celebrate her birthday (as a little present from me to her), and that was fun...we always love going to Kirt's together, watching Hallmark movies on TV (I'll record them, and then on the weekends mostly we'll sit down after dinner and watch one together), and just sitting and talking!!! Mom, I hope you had a great birthday--I love  you!!!
I didn't get any pictures, of course, of my mom at the BBQ or when we went out to Kirt's!!! But, here's some pictures that I did get from the BBQ and a picture that I do have on here of my mom, Taylor (my little brother), and I at the Ogden Temple right before it closed:

Some of the kids playing with their squirt guns and these blow up like animal beach balls that my mom got for each of them...

Some of the kids playing in the water and with their toys...

 Abbie and Nixxon (my sister Jill's two kids) playing in the water...

 All of the adults relaxing after eating...

(From the left...) My sister Jessica and her husband Jake, my brother-in-law Bryan (my oldest sister Janeice's husband) in the back, and my brother-in-law Jack with my sister (his wife) Jodi (and Janeice is in the back turned around)...

 My dog Barkley laying down relaxing...

My mom, Taylor, and I at the Ogden Temple right before it closed...

The next birthdays that I've mentioned--Corey's, Jonathan's, and Nixxon's all fall in the month of August, so I'm going to wait until their birthday's, TRY to take pictures, and post about them after!!! (This should help remind me to keep things updated now too! haha!)

"Cherry Day's Parade"

Each year my family goes to North Ogden's 4th of July Cherry Day's Parade for as long as I can remember! My mom always goes and saves us a spot (usually in front of the IHC North Ogden Clinic), and then that morning we go and all sit together and watch the parade. It's so much fun!!! When I was little my sisters and I would all decorate our bikes and ride in the kid's parade that they have just before the regular parade, and then I remember running out and getting candy; now, I get to watch my nieces and nephews ride their bikes and run and get candy--it's SO MUCH FUN!!! Here are some pictures from the parade:

Our neighbors Nate and Peyton (his daughter) came and sat with us as well (Kate was home with the new baby, Easton), so here's Peyton...

 My nephew Nixxon (My sister just older than me, Jill's, son) watching out in the street waiting for the parade...

 My cute little niece Abbie (Jill's daughter) waiting for the parade to start...

 My niece Ashley (my oldest sister Janeice) just getting back from riding her bike in the kid's parade...

 My nephew Corey (Janeice's son) just getting back from riding in the kid's parade... (Janeice and Ashley are with him in this pic too)

 The kids (from left...Ashley, Abbie and Peyton--Peyton's hugging Abbie--and Nixxon) out catching candy from the floats...

 All of the kids that were there for the parade--my sisters Jodi and Jessica didn't make it this year with their families (from left Corey, Ashley, Peyton, Abbie, and Nixxon)--getting candy from the floats...they were so cute!!!

 A quick picture of my patriotic toes, while I was sitting watching the parade...

"Fun Summer Activities and Sister Time"

I LOVE summer time!!! It's so much fun to go out and do fun things, spend time with family and friends, enjoy the sunshine, and the list can go on! In particular during the summer, one of my sisters, Jessica, is off all summer (she works at Ben Lomond High School), so during the summer she's able to come over with the kids and hang out quite a bit...it's so much fun--we're close and I love her (and her kids) TONS!!! Also, on Monday's, she has student government meetings she helps with, so I get to watch her kids for a couple hours and we get to do some fun activities/projects and things! So here's some fun pictures that I've got from some of our activites:

Kaleb and Sammy getting ready for our "Water Day" (we tossed water balloons back and forth with towels, played water kickball--where THEY, my job was just rolling the ball to them and getting the ball after they kicked it...with the help of Jessica who ran on the far ones, kicked the ball and ran to the different "bases" which were buckets of water they had to put their foot in, and then get back to the home "base"--, they had a water balloon fight, and then finished off running through a sprinker thing my mom had that was fun)!!!

 Sammy all ready to go...

 Kaleb with the water balloon all ready for water day...

 Running through the sprinkler...

 Sticking their feet in the sprinkler (they kept adjust the heigth of the water)...

Other fun activities that we've done (but I haven't gotten pictures) include: making homemade bread from scratch, making cookies, making a giant sign for Grandma (my mom) for her birthday (we hung it outside for the family BBQ because I actually had them earlier in the day before the BBQ) that they wrote out "Happy Birthday" and had their hands and feet prints on it--it was cute--, and then this week we're playing in the water!

I've also been able to go out to my sister Jodi's house a few times this summer, and it's been SO MUCH fun as well!!! Her four boys are home, and they've been making survival bracelets (it started with my oldest nephew Jeremy wanting the stuff for his birthday--this past April--to make survival bracelets and we got it for him...well, he taught his brothers, they taught my sister Janeice's kids, and they taught my sister Jessica's kids...so now they all make survival bracelets--even necklaces, keyrings, and a couple of my nephews are working on belts--and sale them!!! Cute, huh?!); but since they're home I get to see them more while I'm over, get giant hugs from all of them, sit and talk, and it's just so fun! I love being able to just sit and visit with Jodi too--it's GREAT!!! We always take time and just sit together and talk about all sorts of stuff, we go run errands (she's been so sweet to help run me places--as well as ALL my older sisters and my mom have been SO AMAZING...THANK YOU!!!...to run me all over while I haven't been able to drive), go to lunch together, and all sorts of stuff...I LOVE her TONS and appreciate her letting me just come and spend like the whole day at her house and then my mom picks me up after she gets off work!!!

Wednesday's are also fun, because my sister Jill (who is just older than me) has off work, so we've been able to spend some days together if it's running errands, to an appointment, she was SO AMAZING while I could (I can't at the moment), but she would take me every week to get my allergy shots which was SO MUCH appreciated!!!

Janeice, my oldest sister, even though I may not be able to go over their and hang out (she works full-time) during the day, she is still so helpful to me and I can't thank her enough!!! My sister works in the pharmacy at the hospital, and she is ALWAYS there when I need her help with stuff up there...she'll come to my appointments if I need her, help me fill out paperwork, she's there waiting with me for surgery and/or when I come out, while I've been in the hospital she comes and sees me everyday (even when she was off), and while I was in the rehab center she'd come out TONS!!! I love and appreciate ALL her help!!!

Baby Shower Time

It seems so funny to be writing this post since I was just holding my friend's 4-month old baby, but, since I'm super behind on posting, it's a baby shower post, haha!!! In February though, we were able to have a baby shower with all our friends for my best friend growing up, Tiffany and her cute little guy Tristan!!! She had him on March 19th, and he's the cutest little guy...has the cute little chunks, with the little rolls they get on their legs and arms, he's super strong, and just such a cute and fun baby!
The shower was so fun! It's always a blast to be able to have an excuse for all of your friends to get together, have lots of yummy food, and then to watch her open all the fun baby presents was great...I love little baby stuff--all the clothes and everything are just so cute, little, and fun!!!
Here are pics from the shower:

Tiffany--so cute all pregnant with little Tristan!

Britney Schultz, Jill Barker, and Kelsey Lattin

Annie Banz

Sarah Nielsen and Denise Shelton

Tiffany opening some of her fun presents...

All of us that were able to make it (in the back, from the left, Jill Barker, Kelsey Lattin, Denise Shelton, me, Sarah Nielsen, and Annie Banz; in the front, from left, Britney Schultz and Tiffany Stahl)

Best Friends...

Janet and Kara's Visit...

While I was in the rehab center in January, I got a HUGE surprise, my little sister, Kara, and my step-mom, Janet, came for a visit from California!!! It was SO GOOD to see them!!! I'd talked to them on the phone, sent letters and pictures back and forth, emailed, facebooked, sent packages, and everything; but we hadn't physically seen each other for about 2 1/2 years, so it felt AMAZING to finally see each other again and give actual hugs, sit and talk together, and everything!!! I LOVED it!!!
They came out to the rehab center for the morning and we spent it visiting, catching up on things, laughing, and taking pictures together! Then, that evening I was able to leave the rehab center for a little while, and we went to my oldest sister Janeice's house and all of my older sisters, most of their families (a couple of the kids and husbands couldn't be there because they were sick), my step-mom, little sister, and I spent hours just sitting and talking, laughing, and taking lots more pictures of all of us together!!! It was such a great and fun evening!!! When it came time to leave there were lots of tears with the hugs and good-byes, but it was just an AMAZING weekend that I am SO GRATEFUL I was able to have!!! I'm SO GLAD that they were able to come up...I MISS them and LOVE them TONS!!!
Here are pictures from their visit:

My little sister, Kara, and I...

All of my sisters (in the back, from left...Jessica, Jodi, and Janeice; and then in front, from left...Jill, Kara, and I)

My brother-in-laws and step-mom were taking pictures with all our cameras and my brother-in-laws were getting into being "photographers" and telling us what to do--this was the 'strike your model' poses and things...haha--it was so funny, we were all bursting up laughing between pics (and in some pics)

Funny faces...

Kara with all of my our nieces and nephews that were able to make it (in the back, from left, is Corey...Janeice's son and Justin...Jodi's son; then in the front, from left, is Sammy...Jessica's daughter, Ashley...Janeice's daughter, Kara holding Abbie...Jill's daughter...Jon and Jace...Jodi's sons