2nd Anniversary

Dave and I tried to re-live our honeymoon for our 2nd wedding anniversary.


Here was the view from our room.






But here was the view from our car.




Yep, snow in Hawaii. Go figure.

Gifts

Twice this week I walked into my office to find gifts sitting on my desk.



from the Young Women board



from my sweet husband

I'm still accepting presents. Just leave them with our front receptionist or in my office in the back corner.

Thank you!

Lavender

This weekend I had the unique opportunity to scan tickets on the east ramp of the Conference Center at a couple of general conference sessions. This morning our office intern and I showed up at our post there on the ramp and noticed we had a very similar color scheme going on with our clothes. I was wearing a purple blouse with a black sweater and grey skirt. She had on a black skirt, grey blouse, and purple sweater. We laughed when we saw each other -- great minds think alike!

A few of the sisters who came in mentioned our matching clothes. Then just as the morning conference session was about to begin, the presiding authority walked toward us. He pointed to me and said, "Lavender." Then to the intern, "Lavender." And then at his own tie, "Lavender!"

Yes indeed, great minds think just alike!

photo credits

Pi Night

I'll come up with any excuse to make and eat pie.

Pi Day = 3.14
(or March 14)


Shepherd's Pie



Banana Cream Pie, Lemon Cream Cheese Pie, Apple Pie

YUMMY!

Happy Birthday Dave!

We celebrated Dave's birthday last week with a delicious chocolate cake (by Megan). Dave spent his birthday at the dental convention downtown so we thought it only fitting to decorate the cake with a giant molar and toothbrushes. He LOVED it!




Did you know that my sweet husband is very hard to shop for? He doesn't need clothes. He really doesn't have very many hobbies - other than his iPhone. He would rather rent a movie than own a movie. What was I to give him for his birthday?

I ended up with a few gift cards which are great but they don't have any substance to them and I wanted him to be able to open some presents on his birthday.

The night before I began rumaging through the house trying to find things I already had on hand that would augment the gift cards.


I paired the iTunes gift card with a maraca and flute from the toy chest, a CD off the shelf, and Dave's own iPod. He was pretty excited to be re-gifted the iPod.



The Brick Oven has finally made it up our way to Layton and we've been needing an excuse to go try it out. This gift card came complete with a Macaroni Grill pasta dish, ranch dressing, and Dave's favorite candy bar.



And our season passes to Seven Peaks Salt Lake landed at the bottom of the bag under a bottle of water, Dave's favorite pair of goggles, and a blow-up toy for the pool.


Silly, I know. But it was a very good day for my very great man!

Happy Birthday Dave!

Still Here

I know what you're thinking. Where have you been?

Life is so incredibly busy and stressful right now. You know the saying that goes something like, "it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength"? That is how I have felt over the last few months - trying to run faster than I have strength.

We shuffled up our departments at work and now I feel like I have twice as many events as I used to have. My days are crazy trying to just keep up with it all. General conference is just a few short days away and I still have so much to do.

Young Women's has also had its ups and downs. I don't know if I ever mentioned it... Last summer the stake split our ward. But President Packer would only approve the division if our youth stayed together for mutual activities. I love getting to see all my girls each Wednesday. They are so good for each other and I know they are helping one another to remain strong and true in the gospel. Sometimes it is a little more difficult bringing together the leaders. I worry so much that I am stepping on the toes of the other ward's leaders. I want to be good friends with them and work well with them for the sake of all our youth. Sadly, the ideal is not always achievable.

Then comes the stress of Dave's dental practice. My heart is there. I wish I had the time to really focus on building it up and bringing in patients. I would find new ways to advertise, run specials, bring his office up to the electronic age, and more. It is my duty as his wife to be his business partner but right now I don't have more than 20 minutes a week to think about it.

The fourth, and most debilitating, stress in my life these days is a little thing called infertility. I bet many of you--all my hundreds of devoted readers--have been wondering why we don't have any children yet. We found out just over a year ago that we were going to have some problems getting pregnant. After many tests, surgery, and a few months of healing, we finally went through an in vitro cycle. Things didn't go as well as we had hoped and at the end of the cycle the results were negative. We were devastated but decided to move to a new doctor and try again. Last month we started the process for a second time with a new protocol of medications. When things didn't look any better than the first time, the doctor canceled our cycle. He put me on a new medication for a few months, which will hopefully improve conditions, and then we'll give it another go sometime this summer. Dave and I never thought infertility would be one of the challenges we would face. It has taken a toll on our emotions. Sometimes it is all we can do to stop our moping and think about the many good things in our lives -- and there are many good things. Such as lots of nieces and nephews whom we adore!

Yes, I am still here. A little worn down but definitely here.

So Very Glad I Went to the U

Paisley Skye - Now Open

My cousin Aly just opened the cutest shop in Woods Cross.



It is full of fun and beautiful home decorations, jewelry, purses, Christmas decorations, and much more. Look at this great piece I bought for our master bedroom:



Check out Paisley Skye's website for a $5 off $20 coupon then come on out to the shop at:

1492 South 800 West in Woods Cross
Wednesday - Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday 10am-3pm

Thanksgiving Boxes

Once again our ward was very generous this year at the Young Women and Young Men annual Thanksgiving Box Scavenger Hunt. We were able to fill SIX boxes to overflowing with cans of vegetables, fruit, yams, stuffing, potatoes and gravy, turkey, rolls, and all the fixings for pumpkin pie.

Thank you Foxboro!
Your generosity has greatly blessed many families in need.

Virtue Project

Back in January 2010, as a Young Women group we made it a goal to read the entire Book of Mormon this year as our Virtue Project in Personal Progress. Then in May our stake president challeneged us to finish the Book of Mormon by November 21, the day of our next stake conference meeting.

I am happy to report that I accomplished that goal - about 30 minutes before the general session of stake conference began!

And as I finished the last chapter in Moroni, I also finished this beautiful Book of Mormon Reading Chart flower.




I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the strength and power it gives me as I read and study its words. I know that it is true and that it helps us to know and keep the commandments of God. Through the beautiful words of these ancient prophets we can feel the love our Heavenly Father has for each of His children. I know I am a daughter of our Heavenly Father and that He loves me, and I love Him.