Sunday, August 31, 2008

Activities, Sunburns and Politics

I haven't written an update lately so I thought
I would let everyone know what we've been up to.

Last Saturday the kids had a primary activity
at the park and the ward did a corn feed.
The activities were really cute. They did a
"Missionary Training" where they split the
kids into 3 groups with activities. The first
one is a race around the fence and then to
be the first one to pick out the gummy bear
from a pile of whip cream without using hands.
This video shows little Treven. :)

Then they had a race with suitcases. They had
to pack the clothes into a suitcase, run down around
the tree, come back and unpack the suitcase so the
next person could go. There were 4 kids in each team.
Treven is pulling the suitcase back to unpack. He was
a fast little guy.

The third activity was to ride their bikes down to a
lady in our ward, get off the bike and introduce themselves
while shaking her hand and then ride back.
The kids had a lot of fun.

We had to leave early because Jez had to work,
but the ward did a pot-luck dinner where they
boiled a bunch of corn on the cob
and everyone brought something to share.
They had some of the leftover corn the next day
at the linger longer, so we still got to try some. :)

Treven gave his first Primary talk last Sunday too.
He was so excited and he did really good. I love his
bright twinkly eyes and smile.

Yesterday Jez's dad and brother came and we went
to the Minnesota State Fair. We got there early so the
first couple of hours were great, but the later it got
it was more and more crowded, not to mention hot.
Most of us ended up with sunburns of some sort.


Jez's dad and Talden looking at the map.

The kids hanging out with their uncle and cousin.
(The girl in the brown shirt is Jez's youngest
brother's daughter not the brother that was there).
Her and Jacie had so much fun together.

Jez is eating a cashew nut roll on a stick dipped in chocoate...
If you've ever wanted something deep fried, or on a
stick, or both... the state fair is the place to be.
(And check out the guy's corn in the blue shirt!)

What a good brother. :)
He was begging to carry her all day.


Jacie and Talden are in the red one and
uncle and cousin are behind them in the yellow.


Rides, rides, and more rides...



Treven is in the back of the orange plane.
If you look really fast you can see him
waving to us.


They also went on a ferris wheel, but I don't
have a good picture.

Then today, Talden gave his first primary talk.
He always does a great job and is so grown up.
Our church was full today because we had all
the republican delegates here visiting for the
convention this week. Our area authority was
here and his family who were all visiting from SLC.

There are a lot of people in town for the RNC
but it is crazy too because the state has so many
democrats. There have been a lot of riots and
arrests because of it. Even at the fair there was
contention around all the political booths. Jez's
family votes democratic too so we even had the
political debate in our own front room. :]
I try to avoid talking politics with Jez whenever
possible. It is just one of those things that he
is a little too passionate about. :)

Then Jez had to work tonight. He was excited though
because there is a CivicFest convention at the
Minneapolis Convention Center with vendor
booths and his store was the one selected to provide
the booth for Verizon and his boss chose Jez to be the
one to go with him to represent the company. Jez
was glad to get the experience and also to spend the
time with his boss. It gives him the chance to get to
know him better and to talk about some of the things
at work that he has questions about. He called me
around 5 and said it was going really well. Their booth is
right by the entrance so they see everyone as they come in.
He was able to hand out a lot of business cards, which is always
a good thing when you are in sales. He called because they
had evacuated the building to do a security sweep and
they were prepping it for the republican VIPs that were
supposed to be there. He said security was really tight
and there were government officials everywhere. The kids
decided they wanted one of the carpet blowers Jez told
us about (that they had to make the carpet look nice)
because then they wouldn't have to vacuum anymore. :)
Anyway, they were anticipating all of
the delegates as well as President Bush and his wife,
and VP Cheney. However, with all the cancellations
to the convention because of Gustav, I don't know if
anyone will be there. It has caused quite an uproar here.
I haven't ever been a huge politician so I don't pay too
much attention until I see all the buzz. :)

The convention center is in downtown Minneapolis so it
will probably be late when he gets home. I can imagine
that the traffic will be a nightmare.

Because of my love for architecture and design I wanted
to post pictures of the center. I thought the building was
pretty amazing.







How would you like to cater at this place???

Anyway, the kids are excited to start school this week.
They got to meet their teachers and a couple of kids
that will be in their classes so they can't wait. Both of
their teachers look like they will be really great.

I think this post is long enough...
So, we hope you are doing well. We miss you all. :)

Monday, August 25, 2008

Fall is my Favorite

The leaves are starting to change colors here and I, like Felicia, love the fall.
I was trying to write about the reasons I love fall and then I realized that Felicia said it best and so I am copying this from her blog.

"I don't care what the calendar and the thermometer say...it's time for pumpkins, apple desserts, cool crisp air, changing leaves, and my very favorite Strudel and Spice Candle from Scentinel Candle Co." (Thanks Felicia, I hope you don't mind)

I also thought about changing the title of our blog once again, but then I thought of Malik's observation that everything in life can relate to a Garth Brooks song and decided to leave it.

I'm glad I have good friends so that I can use their wisdom when I can't find my own. :)

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Raising Great Kids

Ok so I've been reading a lot lately and another great book I have found is "Everyday Parents Raising Great Kids" by James D. MacArthur, PH.D. I like this book because the author focuses on the ten scale to help us avoid black and white thinking. He writes "...everything about developing families is regularly in process. That is one of the fundamental concepts of healthy family life. We know we are not "there." But we care about working hard at getting "more there."
(I hope I'm not infringing on copyright laws, but) one of the concepts is about creating a family vision. He asks "Do you have a vision of why you are a family?" And "A family vision is a great thing to work for. It really is why you are together." I've always somewhere in my mind known what I want for my family, but actually writing it down makes it more clear and realistic to me. I am excited about talking to Jez and the kids about what they think our family vision is.
I have many days that I feel overwhelmed with my children, maybe more so than most parents... I'm not really sure... but I am curious as to what some of the things are that you do pretty consistently in your families that you feel are good/positive qualities. I love reading about what makes a good family great. It inspires me and encourages me to try a little harder. :)

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Perfectionism...

So I have read a lot of people's blogs lately about how they feel about the "mormon" culture. I have also seen references to the blog "seriously so blessed." I guess the theme I am seeing is that everyone is sick of trying to live the "perfect" life and feel overwhelmed or excluded because of it. I believe we were all sent here to do the best that we can. What that means to me is that the things I struggle with in my life may not be the same as what you struggle with in yours, and vice versa... but the important thing to remember is that we ALL struggle in some ways... if we didn't, we wouldn't have any need to be here. I am grateful for my friends who share their real struggles with others and for those who don't have huge trials right now that they are willing to listen and encourage without judging.

I have been reading the book "He Did Deliver Me from Bondage" by Colleen C. Harrison. It is an amazing book that has strengthened my testimony of the Savior and his Atonement. I started reading it back in March and I think I would credit a lot of my growth in the last few months to this book. It is a book based on the 12 steps and deals with overcoming addictive behaviors. I truly believe that somewhere inside all of us we do have addictive behaviors in some form or another... (TV shows, eating, shopping, blogging, sleeping, controlling desires, etc.) if you don't have one I would be interested to talk. I found Principle (step) 5 to be particularly interesting and crucial to my success.

Some interesting tidbits I wanted to share...

"One of the worst things the Saints can do for each other is to appear to be too perfect-that by refusing to admit our struggles and maintaining instead the appearance of perfection, we sow seeds of discouragement."

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." (James 5:16)

"I still hid behind a 'Sunday smile' refusing to allow others to share and bear my greatest burdens and sorrows - my own fears and feelings of inadequacy."

"To admit no need of repentance to one another, to thus promote a program of perfectionism to one another, instead of promoting Christ's gospel of repentance, is seriously near an anti-Christ position. We, of all people, should desire never to give this impression to each other."

"I was promoting the gallacy that Christ's gospel is a program of self-sufficiency and self-perfectionism, when in reality and truth, it is a program of humility, repentance, personal atonement and remission of sin."

She also refers to the scriptures being full of the humble admissions of the frailities of the prophets: Peter, Paul, Amulek, Ammon, Alma, the brother of Jared, Nephi... and others. Even the prophet Joseph Smith was recorded confessing his weaknesses and I have personally heard President Hinckley do the same. I admire all of these great prophets and she says it this way "They did not desire to be portrayed on pedestals, but rather on their knees."

Each chapter has scriptures and questions to ponder and one of the ones in this one was this:
D&C 59:12
How do you think it would help our congregations if we shared more openly from our personal experiences and challenges? Do you think it would strengthen or weaken us as a people to be more vulnerable and self-disclosing with each other? Why?

I pondered this a lot and realized that the times I have really grown in my testimony are when I have shared with others, or heard others share their challenges. I know that I am not alone and you can know that you aren't either and that we can best "lift up the hands that hang down" when we are honest with each other and that we don't have to be the image of perfection to be an amazing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I served for over 2 years in the Stake Relief Society Presidency and I have a very strong testimony of the gospel. I had amazing opportunities to spend time at training on Temple Square with the leaders of the church. I have met Sister Beck and her two counselors and they are AMAZING! I have spent time with honorable priesthood leaders and I will never forget the time I spent there and the peace and serenity I have felt there. I know without a doubt that I am a child of God and that Jesus is my older brother and Savior. I can't imagine my life without it and I am so grateful for it. I will continue in my faith and I will continue striving to serve and do my best, but I also have Sundays where I don't want to go. Who doesn't?? I have also been guilty of being relieved when my meeting got cancelled, or when someone else volunteered to help out before I felt obligated to. None of us are perfect, and the only person who can truly judge us is our Father in Heaven... it is because he knows every part of us and He knows the desires in our hearts. The Stake R.S. President I served with was awesome. I was telling her once how I always felt like my best wasn't good enough when it came to raising my kids and she said to me "Sometimes just getting them in bed without killing them first is doing our best." :) I love her.

Anyway, this is really long I know, but I just have to agree that the church needs real members who are aware of their weaknesses and doing what they can to do their best, and how important it is that we are respectful and welcoming to ALL members from any walk of life. We had our first child before we were married, and my husband never served a mission. I have done things in my past that I would never do again, but I can't regret those things because they have made me who I am and I am a much stronger and open-minded person than I could have been without having experienced the effects of those choices. I can also empathize with and understand other people's emotions having had the opportunity to use the Atonement (regularly) in my life.

I am grateful for the gospel and I am grateful for all the saints out there who are just doing their best. When Jez got called to his new calling the High Councilman (who is a very successful person in many aspects) made a comment I loved... he said, "We're just a bunch of imperfect people trying to do the Lord's work."

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

I need to clarify...

So I realize that there are some things I need to clarify from my last post... Yes we had a great time at the beach (Shauntae please come anytime!) but did the people around us enjoy it so much??? Not really sure. I guess if you like listening to mothers getting after their 9 and 7 year olds about their responsibility to watch over their 2 year old sister after they "promised" (when you know they didn't really promise) to help her. When mom isn't in a swimming suit (because she hasn't gone swimming since her high school days) and the 2 year old doesn't want to stay where she can touch the bottom, and doesn't know how to swim, it can get a little frustrating to mom and everyone at the beach... including the life guard... who are all wondering why I would expect my two older kids to take on responsibility like that. I just have to say I was more than excited to see Jez walking down the beach. :)
Second, when I commented that I appreciate Jez and that he doesn't complain about working a lot did I mention it was because I usually do enough complaining for both of us?? It is really hard to have him working so much (Amber I don't know how you do it having Chris gone for days at a time). It is such a toss up because I have always been a working mom and it has been nice for the income, but there comes a time when you wonder... is it worth it? I have definitely had my share of frustration at being home with the kids 24/7 but it is so good to know that I am the one raising my kids... if not a little scary too. The hardest part is that we have been (barely) living on two incomes and now we are relying on Jez's income alone. As anyone who's been a student knows it is sometimes hard to make ends meet, and thus we also have credit card debt on top of student loans. We have a house that is still not sold so we are paying a mortgage AND rent, and double utilities. And after having almost 2 months without income we are a little short on the savings, which brings me to my next point...
Our quest for the MBA. I like to look at the bright side of things so I gladly accept Jenny's comment of working toward our "dreams" :) For me right now I am seeing it more as our survival. I am grateful for Jez and his hard work (not to mention his willingness and excitement to do it) but things aren't exactly what we had hoped for financially. His intentions with his degree have been to find something with a little higher pay so that we could meet our obligations. The hard part is that what he wants to do isn't an option right now. He talked to a guy from UBS last week who said they were hoping the hiring freeze would be off in 6-8 months, but he wasn't sure. Just depends on the market, which isn't looking so good. The pay and benefits he would have there would be more in the range of what we need. That is why the journey towards an MBA would be helpful. I don't know how people do it. I see families whose kids have so many things and are in all kinds of extra activities... and I just think to myself... how do they do it all?? My kids would love to be in gymnastics, dance, swimming, baseball, karate, etc. but how do we pay for it? I know they enjoy the time here with the family, and at the park, and swimming, but soon the bad weather will set in and everyone is going to go stir crazy.
And as for Michelle's comment about me being a brave hero... I just have to say "Thanks for your kind words of encouragement!" :) I needed to get out of the house as much as they did. Last week during FHE I had an inspirational thought to start our sticker charts again. They faded last time because it never really worked, but this time I had a new idea. Instead of getting a sticker every day they were a great listener (they needed 7 stickers to fill a chart at which point they could redeem it for a reward or save it up to redeem a greater reward) I changed it to be every time they listened the first time they were asked, without arguing, they would get a sticker and they now needed 80 stickers to fill the chart. At first glance they were discouraged because that could take 80 days to get... but I got to explain that there was no limit to how many stickers they could get in a day. Let's just say that they earned lots and lots of stickers on "trip to the city" day. :)
Sometimes it might seem that we live a bright sunny life all of the time, and I really enjoy those times, but they are definitely mixed with many other emotions. We all struggle in our own ways and I am glad for family and friends who can understand that we all having blessings to be grateful for and at the very same time we all have challenges to overcome. That is the greatest part of this journey and I am glad you are in my life to share it with me.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Our Adventures

So Wednesday we ended up going for a walk and went to a new playground. It was fun, but we did get some afternoon showers so it was cut a little short. Then on Friday it was Jez's last day of training and he got out a couple hours early so I took the kids over to the beach and he came and surprised them when he came home. They played for awhile before he got there and then got to spend about an hour playing water football with him before we had to come in. I ordered pizza before we went over and had it set up to be delivered when we would need to get back since Jez had to go to work at his other job. We had just enough time to get everyone cleaned up before the pizza came and then we ate and Jez went to work. I appreciate him so much. He never complains about his responsibilities of working. He is just so excited to make money and support our family. It was a good day.



Then today Jez had signed up to go to an information session at the Carlson School of Management at the University of MN in Minneapolis. The kids hadn't ever been in the city and I thought it would be a good opportunity to get out of the house with them so we all went (to the city, not the class...haha). The session was 2 1/2 hours. The first hour they went over the programs and admissions and then the second hour they had a presentation by someone from The Princeton Review who went over information about "demystifying the GMAT." The prep course they offer is just over $1200 and has a class that meets once a week for 3 hours for 7 weeks. He would have hours of homework every day to complete the course. So... if any of you have ever taken the GMAT test and have any thoughts on it, we would love to hear about your experiences.
Anyway, here are some pictures/videos of our experience...
Minneapolis Skyline


Treven had to go to the bathroom so we got to
see inside the school. Anyone who knows me
knows how much I love architecture and design,
so I had to get some pictures of the interior. :)



Then we went to the top parking deck to see the city.



We decided to go exploring on the other side of the building.
The skyway is what connects the parking garage to the
school. The kids had fun watching the cars go under them.
Talden said he could sit there all day. We didn't try it. :)


Josie smelling the pretty flowers



Jez is glad he went and he got to meet Patrick, (if you are wondering who Patrick is, see the comments on the Jez's New Favorite Colors post) and the kids and I had fun exploring too.


Video Messages from the kids to Grandma & Grandpa...

And yes Julia is crawling...


(Sorry the video is dark - my camera doesn't
make good videos when we're inside)

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Random Weather Alerts

I woke up this morning and saw a weather alert on my computer so I thought I better check it. Advisory: Dense Fog. Hmmm I've never seen fog in MN. That should be exciting I thought as I walked to the window. Ok.......
Seriously sometimes I double check my settings just to make sure it's the right zip code. Partly cloudy sometimes means downpour of rain, severe thunderstorms sometimes means partly cloudy, sunny can sometimes mean tornadoes... j/k :) But seriously this zip code area must be pretty big because half the time I don't know what they're talking about.

Anyway, we did get a little partly cloudy rain storm yesterday and it's looking like foggy blue skies today. The kids will be begging to go for a swim, or a walk, or the playground - or library, or all of the above. :)

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

The Helper

You Are 2: The Helper



You always put on a happy face and try to help those around you.

You're incredibly empathetic and care about everyone you know.

Able to see the good in others, you're thoughtful, warm, and sincere.

You connect with people who are charming and charismatic.

At Your Best: You are deeply giving, altruistic, and humble. You devote your life to others while caring for yourself too.

At Your Worst: You are manipulative and enjoy making other people guilty.

Your Fixation: Rejection

Your Primary Fear: Being unworthy of love

Your Primary Desire: To be loved unconditionally

Other Number 2's: Mother Teresa, John Travolta, Princess Diana, Dr. Phil, and Mr. Rogers.

I think this actually sounds a lot like me.
What do you think and What Number Are You?

Fill in the Blanks

I saw this on my friend Jenny's blog.

Copy and paste this into a comment
and then fill in the blanks. Try not to look
at other people's answers. I can't
wait to read the comments... and make
sure to post it on yours too so I can
fill in your blanks. :)

Where did we meet:
Take a stab at my middle name:
Do I smoke:
Color of my eyes:
Do I have any siblings:
What's one of my favorite things to do:
What's my favorite type of music:
Am I shy or outgoing:
Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules:
Any special talents:
How many children do I have:
Describe me in three words:
If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what is one thing that I would bring:

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Good Weekend

It has been a good weekend here. Jez and I went on our first date here last night. It was so good to get out of this apartment for a little while. We went to Outbacks and it was so yummy. Sometimes us moms forget what it is like to have hot food and your own soda. :) Usually mine is cold by the time I help everyone else and of course all the kids just have to try my drink, even when it is exactly the same as theirs. It was just good.
Then we went to the Kohl's sale and got Jez some much needed work clothes. It's been a long time since I shopped at a store like that (we usually go for Wal-Mart, Ross, etc) and I was reminded that some people wear slacks that are $75 and ties that cost about that much too. It was a good thing we found things on sale because I just can't justify that. I'm not sure how my parents did it, but we were pretty spoiled kids (4 of us) because I used to wear brand clothes every day and didn't think twice about it. We did our school shopping in SLC at Nordstrom's, GAP, Vanity, Lucky, etc... In just one day in high school I could be wearing $400 worth of clothes!! (Dr. Martin shoes, socks and Girbaud's from Nordstrom's, designer belt, a Lucky Brand Dungarees shirt, Swatch or Guess watch, other jewelry, and a leather coat). It makes my mind reel, and I also understand now why my mom got so upset when she saw my clothes all over the floor (sorry mom). I am so grateful for the good parents they were (not because I had everything I thought I had to have - which I don't think is good for anyone) but because I realize now the sacrifices they made for us kids. I'm sure there are a lot of other things they could've (and should've) done with the money. It makes me realize that I am not alone when it comes to sacrificing for my family.
Ok sorry that was a random side note but I thought of it last night when we were shopping... We also went to Bath & Body and I finally got to use my gift cards I have been holding on to for way too long! Ty & Nicole gave me one for my LAST b-day over a year ago and Jez gave me one for Christmas 2 years ago... that's how long it's been since I've been shopping at a mall. :) And I got to smell lots of yummy candles in the Yankee Candle store. I found one I love that is not a seasonal smell which is slightly unusual. I love candles, but usually the fall and Christmas ones are the best.
Then we went back to get the kids from our neighbors. They have 5 kids too so they had 10 kids!! They have a backyard AND a basement (2 bonuses) so the kids had a lot of fun.
Then we slept in this morning and had breakfast at Denny's. The kids love that place and we haven't been for awhile. (Now we remember why... and not just Denny's, ANY restaurant!)
We also did other random things but it is really exciting because you know when you have those "to do" lists in the back of your mind and they keep getting pushed aside and then you FINALLY get them done... it's amazing how such simple things can make you so happy. :)
And now Jez has to go to work and I will make dinner and spend some time with the kids before getting them to bed. Tomorrow is Sunday so I have to get lots of sleep tonight and be ready for a 9am Sacrament Meeting with the kids. This will be the first week back after my crying in the van episode. (If you missed it, read the end of the post entitled "Jez's Mom's Baptism")

Friday, August 8, 2008

Mint Chocolate Chip

You're Mint Chocolate Chip.
Mint chocolate chip ice cream wakes up people's taste buds, and you do the same thing when you walk into a room. The chocolatey bits represent your sweet, flirtatious side, and the minty flavor represents your high energy level. You are smart, witty, and you make a great first impression. Your friends value your advice, because you tend to see things from a fresh new perspective.
......................
Maybe I'm still in a high school mentality because this was definitely me back then. How else do you think I won Jez over?? ;)

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Life Before Kids...

(Ok so I decided it wasn't good that I had "Gangstas Paradise" stuck in my head all day, so I changed my playlist back... sorry if you missed the memory lane one... it would've taken you back a few years. :)
.
Last night Jez and I stayed up (a little too late) watching Step Up 2: In the Streets. It prompted a trip down memory lane. Most of you didn't know me back in High School, but I used to be a dancer and I loved street dancing and hip hop. (I know it's crazy) So I was looking at some of my old pictures today. I don't miss being young and irresposible, but it is fun to remember that part of me.

I was thinking about all the music I used to listen to and it is such a random mix. I'm sure most of you remember these...

Dance Music
Heavy D and the Boyz (Now that we found love), Salt n' Pepper, TLC, Snap (Rythym is a Dancer is one of my favs), C+C Music Factory, Wreckx-n-effect (Rumpshaker), The Real McCoy, House of Pain, Will Smith, Tag Team , and lots of others that I don't know the name/artist
Random High School Music -
I know some of these are older, but they had their comeback when I was in school: Jewel, Billie Myers, Meat Loaf, REM,U2, Bon Jovi, Smashing Pumpkins, Guns n' Roses, Depeche Mode, Scorpions, Seal and lots and lots of others - there was a lot of music in the 90's
Hanging out with friends
Live, Metallica (Jez & I even went to the concert), Bone Thugs n' Harmony and lots of other really inappropriate music...

OK - So here's some of my pictures from
back then (Junior & Senior in H.S.)...
Junior Year
Spring Break - Lake Havasu, AZ

MGM Theme Park - Vegas
(Notice the lovely tiny braids...)
Janiel was my best friend in H.S.
This was summer break the year
I turned 16 (between Junior & Senior Year)

Hard Rock - Vegas

Excalibur - Vegas

Laughlin, NV
(Yes we hung out in casinos when we were 16)

Driving through the desert.
In this picture we are in Janiel's Honda
In high school I had a black Probe (see top pic)
and Dodge Daytona. Janiel had a
red Mustang, navy Honda Prelude, and
dark green Mitsubishi Eclipse.
All were 2 door sports cars with sunroofs.
We thought we were pretty cool back then. ;)

Early Morning - Spring Break - AZ

Janiel at Sigfreid & Roy's - Vegas
Me & Janiel
at Toby Keith/Tracy Lawrence Concert
SLC Summer I turned 16
I was on the Utah Dance Team for the Down Under Bowl. 2 Weeks before we left we found out the Cheer Team out of SLC backed out so we got to dance and cheer. :) We spent 2 weeks in Sydney, Australia and a couple days in Honolulu, Hawaii. There was a Utah Dance team and Football team, and we went with the Texas Cheer and Football teams. We performed at the league games between Utah/Texas, in a parade, at the league games between Sydney/Utah and at an Australian Rugby league game. We were on the news and in the local papers. It was really a great experience. I had a lot of fun and made a lot of new friends.

Utah Girls at LAX
Texan Football Players
Some of the Utah Boys Texas Cheerleaders
"Ice Cream Boy" - This is one of the only pictures I have
of our dance costumes. We were getting ice cream on
the beach. It is gorgeous there!
Rugby game

Australian Reptile Park

View of Waikiki Beach from Hotel Room Saying good-bye to some Texans at LAX
Chicago O'hare Airport
I went on a business trip with my mom.
I met Jez just before this trip.
Jez with long hair!!
He usually wore it in a ponytail... haha.
Love you sweetie.

Janiel & I's apartment in Scottsdale, AZ.
(I had just turned 18 when we moved in-
Jez was there visiting with Janiel's boyfriend)
It cracks me up to see these. It seems like such a long time ago. I'm sure my parents will cringe at the memories. But we all turned out OK in the end. :)

I have lots of other pictures of when we were dating, but I don't know where they are. We are very different people than we were back then.

What do you remember about your younger years??
I think everyone should do a memory lane post with pictures. :)
I love to see where people come from.