Look Who I Got to Cuddle With - One Happy Gal!

My cousin Summer just had her second child, a two month early miracle, a little girl named Peyton, after Peyton Sawyer on One Tree Hill (had to add that). Since her little girl was two months early she is not really allowed out of the house for six months. I've tried to do all I can to help out, but am pretty busy myself. However, today after I got off work I went right over to her home and picked up her little boy, Trace. The weather was amazing here today, so Trace, my brother Cash, and I played with him for hours outside. After about three hours outside Trace started to get sleepy. I took him in and laid him down, and lo and behold the cute little bugger who 90% of the time can't stand me let me lay with him and cuddle. Of course the minute I hit the pillow I was out!!! After about thirty minutes of a nice power nap, I heard the little man snoring away. I had to document this rare moment, and remember it forever. I had so much fun playing with him today, but I'm always grateful when it's time to give the little ones back to the parents. Got to love my single life!

Why Can't My Life Just Calm Down???

Here's to another weekend of fun filled good times! My word, I would love to just sit and not do anything for some Saturday and Sunday! I just keep counting down the days until Christmas break where I will be three weeks of no school, and no work. Not really looking forward to the no work, but what do you do?

This last weekend a dear friend of mine, Edmond, came up from San Diego and spent two days with me. He was driving through Utah to get to a ski resort in Colorado that he will be working for, for the next six months. He had never seen the parks here in Southern Utah, so I showed him what I could with the time I had.

Sunday when he arrived I sent him to the St. George Temple Visitors Center and then I met up with him and had him follow me home. We got to my place and headed off to Kolob to see the "Five Fingers." He thought it was magnificent! We couldn't do any hikes, to which I know he was bummed about, but we saved our energy for the next day. After Kolob we came back and I cooked him dinner, and we stayed up into the late hours catching up and chatting the night away.

Monday morning - thank goodness for the "Deer Hunt" I had no school, so we packed up and headed to Bryce Canyon National Park. To much of our luck the weather was beautiful - just a bit on the cold side. We got to the park, had lunch and then began our hiking. Not sure how many miles we did, I let Edmond be in charge since I have seen Bryce Canyon before and I wanted him to experience what he could. On our hike we met up with some cute Swiss boys and ended up hiking with them. I'm pretty SURE they thought I was crazy, but whatever, I had fun! And, FUN is what it's all about yo! After our hiking and seeing the park it was time to come back to reality. We ended the night cooking dinner together, and chatting the night away once again. The next morning I sent him on his way with my National Park Card (that expires the end of this month) with hopes that he'll get to see Arches National Park.

It's always great to have friends and family from afar stop in for a visit! Just know you all are always welcome, and I'll try to party it up like it's 1999. But, do know I'm ready for a vacation from all my vacations...does that even make any sense? Basically I just want life to slow down a bit.

Whirl Wind Weekend - Part Deux

Well as sad as I am to say goodbye it's much relief to get back into my "real" life. Holly's Mom and friend Crystal left on Monday, but we packed in a very fun weekend before they left St. George. On Friday we went to the St. George temple and did sealings since Linda (Holly's Mom) has never done any besides her own. Plus it's fast and quick. Short story to add to my blondness, after we were done with sealings I asked the Sealer if we could take the short cut down to the Celestial Room (the hidden stairs) he said no, and that they weren't allowed to take people that way anymore. I, out loud said, "Shoot!" Then I felt bad and started to ramble off, "Dang it, I mean darn it?!?! I mean...SORRY, I am going to go now because everything that is coming out of my mouth is not Temple Worthy..." With that said, Linda was laughing, she got so "tickled" as those Kentucky Folk say. After doing our service for the day we went to the visitor center heard some stories about the building of the Only TRUE Temple and then went for ice cream.

First thing Saturday morning it was off to Zion's National Park to see the beauty right in our backyard. We drove through the park, and tunnel, then hopped on the shuttle to hike the sidewalk version of the Narrows. After our "long" hike we went for some lunch at a fun little cafe in Springdale. However, as we were riding the shuttle back to our car we had to make all the stops along the way of picking people up. At one stop this group of four women got on the shuttle. The five of us were split up in between cars, I was in the back car just chilling. As I glanced up at the women who had just got on the shuttle I looked at the one woman and immediately said, "Are you a Lewis?" She said yes, and then said, "You are Sister Williams!" Sister Lewis was from Utah, but had moved to Beattyville, Kentucky (Where Linda and Holly are from) and were living there as I was serving as a missionary. I was so excited!!!! I immediately said, "You will not believe who is up in the next shuttle?" "LINDA AND HOLLY AKEMON!" Sister Lewis was so excited that she tried to get off the shuttle at the next stop to run up and see them. (They had become dear friends in Kentucky, and just the week of conference we had talked about them and their family.) She waited until we got to the parking lot and then we went and surprised Linda and Holly. It was an awesome little reunion, and totally random!

Kai (Stacie's son), Crystal, Stacie, Holly, Eliza (Crystal's daughter), Me, and Linda.

Me, Linda, Jodi Lewis, and Holly

After our adventures in Zion it was off to a show at Tuachan. Bless my sister Jessie's heart for getting us free tickets, and AWESOME seats to Aiada. We were four rows from the stage, and I had the BEST view of the shirtless lead man, who made eye contact with me several times during the show. He really did! I'm sure it means nothing, but it got my heart thumping and Holly laughing pretty hard. Her and I shouldn't go to shows, I think we laugh too much, and are very distracting. After the play it was goodbye, they were leaving Monday to fly back to Kentucky. It was bittersweet, but I know I'll see them soon. (This year for spring break Holly and I are flying to Nashville, TN then driving up to Kentucky to stay with her parents for the week, with a side trip to North Carolina to visit Linda's cousin who is a High School principle so I can meet her and talk about student teaching/working at her school when I graduate SUU. Gosh that was a mouth full, and probably a grammar no, no!)

Anyhow, life goes on, time was well spent, with a lot of fun! Now in two weeks I have another friend coming through town on his way to Denver that I'll get to play with. Stay tuned for that fun adventure!

Whirl Wind Weekend...and Another one this weekend???

As many of you know I was once upon a time a tour guide. Well, this weekend I put the act on again. I had some dear friends from my mission (Kentucky - Ohio Cincinnati Mission) in town for the next two weeks. Our first order of business was for Holly and I to go straight to the SLC airport and pick them up! We picked them up a little after 12:00pm and headed over to the super cute Gardner Village in Midvale - correct me if I'm wrong. As it would be, the place was jumping with little goblins and lot's of Mom's. We ended up eating at the tasty Archibald's and then wander through the cute little boutiques. One in particular was the candy shoppe. I have a new favorite dessert, which is sinfully sent from Satan - not to be dramatic, but it's known as banana cream fudge. I literally died and went to heaven, or hell, depending on, I don't know...nevermind? What happened first was just a sample. We left the store to leave Gardner Village, and as we were getting situated in the car I ran back to purchase me a "big sample," if you know what I mean. Move over peanut butter pie, there is a new guy in town and his name is BANANA CREAM FUDGE!Along with finding me a new dessert, we had gotten tickets to two sessions of General Conference. However, my friends forgot the Saturday morning session. Holly and I weren't to bummed because going to two morning sessions is a lot of work. So, as Saturday morning approached we took our time getting ready, relaxed and enjoyed the two sessions in the comfort of our temporary living quarters. That night, why all the men in our lives (to which there isn't any) were at the priesthood session we ventured out on the town of Happy Valley and went to the beloved Mormon bookstores. Where I bought Sister Oaks new book, "A Single Voice" and have almost finished it. SO GOOD!!! SO GOOD!!! Did I say how good it is??? (For those of you who don't know much about her, Sister Oaks, she is married to Elder Oaks - the apostle, is his second wife, AND she didn't get married until she was 53!) After bookstore shopping it was off to a Brazilian grill where it was all you can eat meat on a stick. Another moment for me visiting HEAVEN! Although, about two hours later I wasn't quite in heaven, rather hell - you get my drift...and that drift didn't smell so good? After bathroom break we had to top off dinner, so it was off to JCW's for an awesome "small" shake! When we are all together we eat a lot!!!

Yes, let's talk General Conference shall we...I know you don't want to know about my bathroom time. As Sunday would have it, they, the Mazing Mormons had two more sessions of General Conference. We got up early, got ready, rode the tracks, and got hit with rain just as we got off the train. Made our way to the Center and got ourselves situated for another moment of being in the presence of an AWESOME PROPHET. I love attending Sunday Morning Session because it means we get the Spoken Word, and they sang two of my favorite songs. So peaceful and wonderful. Soon after the Spoken Word the conference began, and the head bobbing bobbed.

After conference we left and went to a dear friend, and an old mission companion that I have stayed in great touch with to see her off before she headed back to Alaska, where she recently has moved. She just had a precious little baby boy, and we literally got to spend 20 minutes with her and hold the baby. For you Seinfeld folks, "We had to see the Baaabbbby!" Boom, and it was off to eat, pack, and drive back to Southern Utah. It was a fast trip, but extremely fun, and I am so blessed to have made such dear friends from my mission, and to stay in touch with them even after seven years. Yikes - can you believe I've been home that long?

Well, I'm sure that was a lot of reading for you all, and I have to say if you READ IT ALL then props to you! That really touches my heart that you would take the time to read about me and my adventures, and time spent in the bathroom! Speaking of bathroom...Got to run, I think that grilled cheese sandwich I just ate is needing to be disposed!