I'm sure you're all dying to know more about me....

I saw this on Lacy's blog and thought I'd give it a shot:

4 people who email me regularly:
1) Primary Presidency
2) Rebeca
3) My bro & sis on missions
4) Am I missing someone? I really can't think of anyone else!

4 places I would like to visit:
1) Paris
2) Hawaii
3) Linc's mission- Chihuahua, Mexico- we actually went once after we were married but I want to go back!
4) Washington, D.C.- I've been there once but never left the hotel room cuz I was sick! :(

4 favorite restaurants:
1) Crackers- granola healthcakes!
2) Outback- yummy cheese fries!
3) PF Cheng's- everything!
4) Macaroni Grill- yummy!!!

4 things I'm looking forward to in the coming year:
1) Lincoln having summer break from school!
2) SHAWN & MELISSA COMING HOME FROM THEIR MISSIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3) Family vacations to their missions this summer....Nebraska & Washington!
4) Having a baby....no that's not an announcement....I just REALLY want it and I am thinking if I plan on it maybe it will just come true! :)

4 things I'm not looking forward to in the coming year:
1) Lincoln taking harder classes
2) Arizona heat!
3) Jackson's 2nd bday...as terrible as that sounds, his bdays just seem to put me way back in my grief
4) Probably having to buy a new car because the one Linc drives is on its last leg

THAT WAS FUN! I AM TAGGING ANY ONE WHO WANTS TO DO THIS!

*I was very happy that I had to think so hard in order to come up with 4 things I'm not looking forward to in the coming year. My goal lately has been to be a more positive person...this gives me hope...maybe it's starting to happen! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

My mom started her bday off by going to the dr. and finding out that she has pneumonia! I felt really bad for her. I went with her to get an x-ray and then we ate lunch at Mimi's Cafe. Well, we actually ate the breakfast food there...I got a blueberry muffin, potatoes, orange juice, and a crab & avocado omelette. If you are a seafood fan you've got to try it. It was amazing! After lunch we watched "Lost" together...I think my mom is almost as obsessed with the show as I am!

Sunday night I made my mom's bday dinner. I love her SO much and couldn't ask for a better mom. She taught me everything I needed to know. I admire her so much & appreciate that she always puts the Lord first in her life. I remember always seeing her reading her scriptures & praying, and it reminded me to do better at those things. She is so generous and is always doing things for Lincoln & I or giving us treats. She makes the most UNBELIEVABLE desserts you have ever tasted! She is always so supportive of me. When we found out that Jackson had died, I immediately wanted to just be around my parents. They can always make me feel better & give me hope! I could go on & on about what I love about my mom. I don't think that she has any enemies...she is a great person & has always been a WONDERFUL mother! She sacrificed so much for us growing up so that we could have what we had. THANKS MOM FOR EVERYTHING! I LOVE YOU!!!

Happy 10th Bday Marcus!!!

Our oldest nephew Marcus turned 10 last week! Here are a few pics of Marcus that were taken this past year....
Playing a shepherd at the Hiatt Family Christmas Party, Marcus & Jayten, Linc & Marcus hanging out at Fossil Creek!

3 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MARCUS:
1) He loves to read and is so smart.
2) He is a great older brother & always helps out with his younger sisters & brother.
3) He has a good attitude & a huge heart!
WE LOVE YOU MARCUS!!! HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!

SNOWFLAKE!!!

Lincoln & I were able to go to Snowflake for 4 days last week, since it was his Spring Break! I absolutely love Linc's family and feel SO privileged to be a part of it! They are always SO thoughtful and understanding, and are so much fun to be around. This vacation was great...it was exactly what we needed!




We were able to meet Carl, Marcus & Alyssa in Winslow to drop Olivia off to them. We all ate dinner at Denny's and had a great time. They live in Flagstaff so we don't get to see them as much as we would like to. We missed you Wendy & Pacer!!!

Meet Princess Olivia! Claire and Olivia had a lot of fun playing dress-up together. I even got to wear some princess clip-on earrings for awhile!

I didn't get any pictures of us hanging out with Lincoln's parents, game night at Robin's for Brian's bday, or breakfast with Da & Rita...but those were some of the highlights of our trip!

The last night we were in Snowflake we drove to Navajo to visit Linc's brother Kenney and his family. I love spending time with them. Cleona is awesome...I am so lucky to have her for a sister-in-law! My favorite part of the night was reading to our nephew Reaves. He is so cute and fun to be around. His brother Ranse didn't really want anything to do with me...oh well, at least one of them loves me! :) I used to love putting olives on my fingers when I was little like Reaves...they just tasted better that way!
Claire has grown up so much since we saw her last. She is hilarious! She has such a fun personality. One night when we were at her house I wasn't feeling very well and was sitting on the couch. She came up to me, sat on my lap, laid her head on my shoulder and started stroking my hand. She is such a sweet girl!
I'm kind of obsessed with Jarod. He can always make me laugh. Who wouldn't love that cute face?!
One of my least favorite things about Snowflake...the wind! It can get so windy there...it drives me crazy!

Lunch with cousins

We went to lunch with Lincoln's cousin Brian, his wife Tiffany, and their little girl Jaycee. Linc's cousin Brittnee and her daughter Brooklyn met us in Snowflake and we went to a Chinese restaurant. It was yummy & we had so much fun spending time with them! We were laughing so hard at Brooklyn with the gumball in her cheek...it looked like she had a big growth on her face or something!

Trip to the cemetery

The Snowflake cemetery is one of my MOST FAVORITE places to go. I know that sounds crazy, but I absolutely love it there. I always have a hard time leaving it.

Lincoln bought some BEAUTIFUL tulips to put on Jackson's grave. They are my favorite flower and looked so pretty on his grave. We still haven't found a headstone to put on it, so if anyone knows of a good place to buy one, let us know!!!

Wii

I know I've posted quite a few pictures of us playing video games. Probably because it is a special treat when we do. :) I was going to buy Linc an X-Box the first year that we were married and he told me not to. I soon found out why....Lincoln will play a video game for 6 hours and think it has been an hour or two. So we just play at our friends' houses for now! Here is Lincoln playing boxing on the Wii at the Moaks' house. It was so funny just to watch him play.

Getting ready for the fight...

Going crazy...releasing all of the anger that has built up inside of him. :)








VICTORIOUS!!!!

Endometriosis

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. I know this disease all too well! I'm sitting here right now in my pj's (at 4:30pm) eating a bowl of canned chili because that took the least amount of effort to make. I'm on painkillers trying to do everything that I need to do...without the mental clarity that I need to do it. Let's just say I have to definitely rely on the Lord a lot when I feel like this! Although this is SO hard to deal with, I am grateful for the perspective that this disease has given me. I have a pretty extreme case of it. I have had 6 surgeries and have been on multiple hormone shots. Ever since I was diagnosed with endometriosis I have had a hard time fitting in. I remember going to young adult dances and when the guy asked me if I went to school I would have to say "no", followed by, "Oh, so you work?" I would say "no" and either have to explain my whole situation or just let them think that I was basically lazy and didn't care. :) I have to say that Lincoln is a trooper. He knew that I had this disease when he married me but I'm sure that he NEVER thought he would have to deal with as much as he does. He gets to drive me places when I am totally out of it from the painkillers & he gets to come up with something for dinner when I'm not feeling well. Because some days I don't leave the house all day and just lay on the couch and read and watch tv, he gets to be my main source of conversation and entertainment. For most of our marriage he has had the financial burden of being the sole provider in our family. Even though sometimes we just absolutely hate this disease and what it does to us and to our lives, we are grateful for the things that it has taught us. I think that we have learned some really important things about marriage that most people may not experience until later on. Anyway, I am not trying to get anyone to feel sorry for me, but just trying to bring more awareness of how this affects women's lives when they have this disease. I also want to thank those of you who ask how I am feeling and who pay so much attention to what is going on in my life with this sickness. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am also glad that all of you have blogs so that I have something to do with my time on the hard days! :) Thanks!

I hope our kids don't have my athleticism....or lack thereof!

Here is a video I found from our Christmas trip to Pinetop. The boys had a skateboard without wheels that they were riding down the hill and I thought I would give it a try. It is so pathetic how bad I am at anything that takes a little athletic talent! Lincoln is a pro at all of it...it makes me so mad!

Our new niece!

Lincoln's sister Holly had her baby this morning. Her name is Kaylan and she weighs 7lbs. 11oz. and is 19in. long. I'm sad because they live in Utah so we probably won't be able to see our new niece for awhile. We are SO excited to have this new addition to our family!!!