One Giant Update

Yeah, we haven't posted in a while. Life has been kind of crazy and I've also been a little lazy. I have this thing about not wanting to post unless I have pictures to go with it, too. But anyway, here's what's been happening the last few months:

I went to a Jon McLaughlin concert in November. I had nothing but my phone on me so my pictures aren't super. I found out about Jon because he sings "So Close" from the movie Enchanted, at the part where Giselle and Robert are dancing at the ball. I love that song and I was so happy when he sang it at the concert. A kid named Benton Paul opened for him and he did a great job.

For Christmas, Jared and I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning with his family and then we drove to Southern Utah to visit my family for the rest of the weekend. My sister Megan and her husband bought my parents a Wii and the rest of us kids pitched in to get my mom the Wii Fit. We had a lot of fun playing the Wii the whole weekend.

Jared rocked it on Shawn's Guitar Hero World Tour. Kristin, Michael, Tanner, Dad and Mom all had fun singing and playing the drums.

Before we left we went to Three Peaks and rode the ATVs in the snow. We had innertubes and sleds that we pulled behind us. It was a lot of fun, but sooooo cold.

Awwww, Shawnie and Megan

Michael got a little frosty.

Mom pulling Jared on the sled.

Me sliding down the hill.

Some of the scenery at Three Peaks.

Jared found the swings.

In January, my friends Megan and Malene and I went to Adele's concert. She was amazing. If you haven't heard her sing, you really should. She's only 20 and she has such an insane voice. A really great singer, James Morrison, opened up for her. He was wonderful and it was fun to hear them speak because they're both from England.

Megan and Malene all squishy.

The three of us all squishy and sweaty. It was jam packed with people.

James Morrison

Adele!


For Malene's birthday, she wanted to go to Wendover, so last Saturday we drove out there. For those of you who don't know, there is this really strange sculpture out in the middle of nowhere just off the I-80 between Salt Lake and Wendover. I've been wanting to see it, so we pulled over and took some pictures.

Megan and half a ball.

Malene and half a ball.

There was a picture of me, but my eyes were closed and it just wasn't worth posting.

The sculpture itself.

The tree of balls.

And this is where we went to spend our evening.

The three of us stood on the line that separated Utah from Nevada.

The birthday girl playing the slots.

She won! And then she lost.

Megan playing the Cherries slot machine.

There is an actual line in the street that tells you what state you're in depending upon which side you stand on.

In other news (translated: stuff I don't have pictures for), my younger sister Megan was diagnosed with Breast Cancer just before Christmas. It's pretty lame, but she's doing really well so far. She had a lumpectomy (or two) and has started chemo. Hopefully she will keep doing as well as she has with it. She's really strong and one of my heroes.

Jared started school for the first time in probably 16 years. He's really nervous about it, but excited at the same time. He likes being on the campus and being a student, but he's not too jazzed about the math. I'm just glad I'm able to help him out with it. Amazingly, I remember enough from when I was in school to help out.

I have decided to try a form of veganism. I read a book called "Skinny Bitch" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. In it, they tell you just how to get skinny (and healthy)! If you read it, it will change your life. But also, it's pretty rude so if you're offended by crude language, I wouldn't pick it up. Anyway, I want to be healthy and skinny and I really think this is the best way to go about it. A lot of things I try with regards to eating and health pretty much fail. Hopefully this one sticks because I really believe in it. Jared is kind of doing it with me and he's being a good sport about drinking soy milk and eating stuff that doesn't have any meat in it. I have the best husband.