The Big 2-7

Today was my 27th birthday. I wanted some pictures to commemorate the festivities, but I got nothin! Well, I do have some, but they are just proof that I am the most un-photogenic person ever. I am also very awful at taking selfies. Here is what we got after 48 attempts (please keep in mind that I REALLY was trying to look good):

Yeahhhhh, there aren't really words, right? Finally, after SO many more attempts, we got this one and called it a night. I worked on lessening my surprised eyebrow face.

Anyway, I had a good birthday. They fed me pizza for lunch at work. My mom decorated my apartment. My parents took Adam and I to dinner and I got to pick ANY place that I wanted. I jokingly told my mom that I wanted to go to a sushi restaurant just to see/hear her reaction. She has never had sushi before and her reaction did not disappoint me! We really did end up going to get sushi at Sumish. My mom was a great sport and even tried sushi. Too bad that she wasn't really impressed and that she didn't realize that even non-raw sushi is cold. Love her though! Afterwards we came back to our place for presents and carrot cake.

THANKS FOR MAKING IT A GREAT DAY EVERYONE!

P.S. Adam actually kept my presents a suprise this year. Keep watching for more birthday updates. Adam and I are celebrating my birthday this weekend because it is finals week right now. We will also be having our last hoorah before he heads to Utah for his 6 week clinical. 

Pre-Halloween Festivities

This has been a Halloweenie week for our family. On Thursday, Adam and I got together with some of his friends from the PT program for a pumpkin carving contaest. We didn't win, but of course we should have! (JK! JK!) But seriously, look at this thing!

In case you couldn't tell just by the amazing artistic ability, ours is the awesome Frankenstein face. I drew it and Adam carved it. Others used Pinterest and stencils, but all we used is my brain! Maybe we should turn to Pinterest next year!

I mean, look at all of our tough competition! We are good losers though and we had a lot of fun. We can't wait until next year!

Today, Adam and I volunteered at the Student Physical Therapy Association's Costume Fun Run. Both of us had family come to do the 5K with us. It was my first 5K ever and it went partly through an old cemetary. I mostly walked, although I jogged down 2 hills. Yay me! My dad and I finished in about 45 minutes and Adam, Alesha, and his dad finished in 50. Then we all ate lunch at Butterburrs. Yum, yum!

 Adam's costume of choice was a hunter and I wore his very large soccer ref clothes. The others didn't dress up, but my dad did buy one of the run's t-shirts. Adam and I created the shirts and my brother-in-law Nate drew the picture. He really is artistic, unlike our attempt with our pumpkin.

Cross your fingers and wish Adam good luck. This next week is finals week. He is done with 1 1/2 years of his program. Halfway done!!!

Peg Leg Sue

Peg Leg Sue is one of the nicknames I had for my sister Abby growing up. That and Big Boob Bobby, Suzie Q, Abby YoYo, etc. Some of them are more fitting than others. I'll let you pick which ones, but no matter what you call her, Abby is one of a kind.

I had a great time on Friday night going to my parent's ward chili cook off with Abby and my parents. Good thing my parents brought us because our votes probably tipped the scales to get my dad's chili 2nd place! WooHoo! Go dad!

Later, Abby and Nater took me to the Book on Tape Worm and Mindy Gledhill concert that Abby's employer was partially sponsoring for breast cancer awareness. So glad they included me! It was great!

I love Mindy Gledhill and it was so cool because we even got our picture taken with Mindy afterwards!

Pardon Abby's CRZY eyes in this pic. They usually aren't like that. Maybe her new nickname should be Eerie Eyed Abby. Yup, made that up myself! (I also wanted to name her Ketchup before she was born)

More About Abby:
- Her burps can rival any man's.
- She is a medical assistant.
- If you ever have to get your blood taken, Abby is the one to do it. She is seriously the best. It is something about her tiny, cold hands.
- Abby's middle name comes from our Great Grandma Susie
- Abby and I got our black belts in Taekwondo together.
- Abby has always been obsessed with ketchup. So really, Ketchup WOULD have been a good name for her!

P.S. Do you want to know what was NOT fun about this weekend? Adam trying to teach me how to drive stick shift!!!

Savanna Banana

My older sister's name is Savanna. Savanna got married shortly after I graduated from high school. She lives in New Mexico with her husband Joe and daughter Nora. Savanna is a dental hygienist. As such, she has to take continuing education classes, the most recent of which brought her back to Idaho. My mom and dad, Abby, Locklynn, Adam, and I packed up and headed to see her for the weekend. It was a lot of driving and too short of a trip, but very worth it.

I always wished for a brother while I was growing up, but I think I am pretty blessed with the family that I have. I know we will all be together forever, but I sure wish we were closer together now!

More about Savanna:
- She is obsessed with teeth. Even her nightmares are about teeth.
- Her curly hair... it is all natural and gorgeous.
- Abby and I once tied Savanna to a door while she was baby sitting us.
- I will never eat a meatloaf that Savanna cooks. Once she had to put one in the oven for our mom and she left the plastic wrap over the top.
- She sings and plays the piano. She even dabbles in the violin. She was in several choirs and plays in her teens.
- When she was little, she had to get stitches after she ran into the corner of the wall and split her head open.

Anyway, here is another Before & After photo edit for my class. Feedback is always welcome.

The assignment was to edit out a power line by using the "clone tool". Plus, I tried to bump up the color as much as I knew how. Can you tell that there used to be a power line?

Photo Shoot

This last weekend, after General Conference, I took Locklynn's one year pictures. I am excited because I think I got some good ones. I am trying to edit them little by little. This is the first time I have done that outside of my class. What do you think?
Before:

After:

Any suggestions? There may be more to come from Blue J Prhotography. 

Girl's Night

This weekend I went to the conference center in Utah for the General Relief Society Broadcast with Adam's mom, Karen, and his sisters Tiffany and Alesha. It was really nice to be there in person and I was so glad that they invited me to go along with them. I had never been to any conference session before!

After the conference we went to dinner at this cute little place called Ruth's Diner. It is an old fashioned diner in a trolley car. Fun and yummy!

While we were in Utah, Adam and I took little Sam (Tiffany's son) out shopping with us. On the way home we stopped at Zuppas for lunch. He loved his kids meal. He was super excited that his sandwich had cheese inside of it (it was grilled cheese). He also loved his chocolate covered strawberry. He ate all of the chocolate off first and then ate the strawberry. After our last stop for the afternoon Sam said, "Let's go to another store and have a good time!" Later, when Tiffany asked what he did with us he said that he had just gone to lunch and got pop! I guess we know the way to that kid's heart!

The Post In Which Locklynn Turns 1

Our nephew, Locklynn, turned 1 a couple of weeks ago. He is such a cutie and he is growing up so fast. So is Nora, our niece. For example, Lock is on the verge of walking. He took 4 steps the other day. Nora is sleeping in a big girl bed now because she learned how to climb out of her crib.

Abby and Nate went all out for Lock's party. There was a photo booth, cupcakes, popcorn, and a lion pinata (which Lock was scared of). What a lucky little boy! I think he got partied out!

 He was really funny with his very 1st birthday cake. He wouldn't really put his hands in it, but he dove in face first.

He even shared with his Grandma.

We sure love our nieces and nephews!