My Best Friend Renae

This weekend I got to spend a day down in Provo.  I don't get down there as often as I would like, but once I'm there, man do I miss those good ole' BYU days!  Brian gets a big kick out of my nostalgic excitement.  But holy cow, It's been 5 years since I graduated!  Anyway,  I got to spend a little bit of Saturday catching up with my cousin Brenden who is back from his mission and attending BYU.  I haven't seen him since before I left on my mission, and it was nice seeing him again.

Then I got to spend the rest of my day with my best friend Renae!  I realized I hadn't been down to see her in Provo since our other best friend Kim's bridal shower.  Too long!  Renae and I have been best friends since middle school.  Spending the whole afternoon talking and eating pizza was exactly what I needed!  I hadn't realized how much I needed some girl time!  Anyway, in honor of my friend Renae and our awesome Saturday together,  I decided to pay tribute to our friendship in pictures...

I couldn't find a picture of us in middle school, but we do look really young in this pic!  P.S. This was taken junior year of college...

 

Renae and I love the lake.  In fact, I mostly love the lake because of her.  That is probably why most of the pics of us together are in bathing suits.

Renae and I before I left on my mission....

 

This one was taken right after my mission.  Still friends!

I like to think that I was a major contributor to Renae's decision to come to BYU...

I have always aspired to be as tan a Renae...

Over the years, sometimes my hair has been lighter...(remember my pink phone?!?)

Sometimes it's been darker

And then there was this one time, we had the same hair color!!!!

 

 Best Friends Forever!

 The End

sick...i mean quick update

So, I haven't felt much like blogging or really doing anything this week.  I'm going on week three of this perma-cold/sinus infection that I'm starting to fear will never ever go away.  Pretty much every morning this week, I woke up pondering how nice it would be to have a job where calling in sick didn't require sub plans.   Seriously, teaching has got to be the worst profession to get sick in.  It is simply easier to drag my sick body to work than to deal with the hassle of missing a day of school.  Maybe it's a good thing...if it were easier, I'd probably abuse the privilege.  At least Brian hasn't contracted my disease yet...

Anyway, despite being sick, half marathon training has begun. I am up to 4 miles, although I'm running slower than molasses.  I seriously hope I can pick up the pace some once my lungs and respiratory system are back to 100%.   A  healthier diet has also begun, consisting of high protein power foods like cottage cheese, greek yogurt, meats, veggies, cuties, and protein shakes.  We also tried to introduce quinoa (see picture below) into our diet.  I thought it tasted pretty good, but Brian hated it and thought it tasted like what he imagined latex gloves to taste like.  Either way, I've lost 2 lbs, so it's a start.

Grilled Chicken with zucchini, roasted red peppers, and pine nuts with a side of quinoa 

 

 

 

 

 

So that's really just about all that I have to update.  I did get a chance to use my Christmas present (a UV shellac nails and glitter toes kit) from Brian over the three day weekend.  I went over to Whitney's on Monday and did her nails too.  I didn't take any picture of hers but here is a pic of my nails one week after I did them.  Still no chipping!

So that's the update.  Brian and I are going to see Footloose today at the Dollar Movie. And tomorrow is Ward Conference!  I'm excited to see what that means, if anything, for primary.  THE END

Brian in the Kitchen

Brian is a big fan of cooking and experimenting in the kitchen.  This was one of his most recent endeavors...

Homemade Potato Chips!

One of my favorite snacks for any holiday really is potato chips with Lipton recipe's onion dip.  This year we ran out of chips before we ran out of dip, so this was Brian's solution.  And let me just say...it was a pretty delicious solution!

Let Us Move Forward and Upward

In 2011 - Brian and I spent our first year together as a married couple starting with a wonderful honeymoon cruise to Mexico and Grand Cayman.  We also vacationed in GA, St. George, went camping in the Uintahs, and made several weekend trips to Highland. :)

In 2011 - Brian and I moved three times from Park City to Georgia and then back to Park City again.  We were in three different wards.  And I went from being a beehive counselor to a primary chorister.

In 2011 - Brian and I went indoor surfing, ran a 42 mile rely race, and went skydiving for the first time.

In 2011  - Brian and I became Aunts and Uncles to now 1 niece and 3 nephews when the twins John and Eddie were born.  We finally got to meet them in December at Christmas!

And In 2011 - The last of my siblings was sealed in the Bountiful temple, and we were blessed with a very special opportunity in my family to have us all with our spouses together in the celestial room and to remember the greatest blessing of all...Eternal Families.


As part of my present to my mom, grandparents, and siblings, I made a photobook emphasizing how grateful I am for our "forever family."  I took pictures from my parents and all my siblings weddings and engagement sessions and combined them all together into one book celebrating our ever growing family established in 1983.  Anyway, it was a lot of fun to work on.  Take a look!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly offers exclusive photobook layouts so you can make your book just the way you want.

I got the title for this post from a talk given my President Spencer W. Kimball in 1979.  In it he states, "The gospel gives purpose to our lives. It is the way to happiness. Our success, individually and as a church, will largely be determined by how faithfully we focus on living the gospel in the home."  With this as one of my personal themes for this year.  Here are some of my New Years Resolutions...

Spiritual
1. Finish the Book of Mormon
2. Start the Old Testament
3. Say my prayers morning and night (We are really good at nightly prayers, but the morning ones need some serious work.)
4. Continue monthly temple attendance
5. Have a good attitude and do everything I can to magnify my calling as a primary chorister

Physical
1. Run 1/2 marathon in a faster time than I did it last time 2:23:47
2. Lose all my post marriage weight
3. Do a triathlon with the Moote side of the family
4. Take my juice plus and women's daily multi-vitamin consistently

Work
1. Survive teaching supplemental math
2. Finish all the professional development I need for PCEYE 2
3. Start studying for the Praxis II exam
4. Remember when I am stressed to be grateful for full-time teaching status

Financial
1. Have the most organized and planned out year of swim lessons ever.
2. Save! Save! Save!
3. Apply for grants and scholarships for Brian

Family/Other Goals
1. Don't watch rated R movies even when other people recommend them.
2. Save up for our vacation to Hawaii (Amy get excited) at the end of July/beginning of August.

P.S.  I'm sorry this is so long....