Happy Birthday to US!!

Bryson and I celebrated our birthdays these last few weeks! Mine came first and we celebrated by staying up until midnight the night before registering for classes! Yeah my favorite! I had a great day, not really doing anything special but hey it was my birthday so it was great! I went to school and then to my practicum and got home about 6:00. My parents came up for dinner and surprise surprise to me, a few of my siblings were able to make it as well!!! We went to Texas Road house because I'd never been there! We were pretty squished but it's not a party if we actually have elbow room while we eat! My very favorite thing... the rolls! Oh they were good! Better than my meal actually, and the meal wasn't bad. Oh yes, and in case you didn't know... you get to ride on this sweet little set up while they announce your birthday! Not embarrassing at all!

And here is the damage from turning 22! I got some cards, money(plan to by some new Puma sneakers), Burt's Beeswax lip balm kit, Sports bag (my last one finally broke after... 5 years!), Soccer ball!!!!!, PJ pants from Bryson (they came from Europe PS), a coat, and an Aggie necklace and I just got a new book from my brother and sister-in-law! The gifts just keep coming! It's great I tell ya!

I just loved this card by the way! My friend Cami Jensen sent it to me and well... that was us when we were youngsters! Oranges and all! I couldn't stop laughing when I opened it!Here is my necklace I got with some B-day money! Go Aggies!NEXT comes Bryson's birtday! He is officially a quarter of a century old!! YIKES!!! I'm just glad he hasn't killed over yet! He was extreamly busy on his birthday (surprise surprise) So we didn't really have much room for celebrating! I tried to surprise him with a little breakfast treat.....That'd be a few of his favorite things...peach rings, gummy worms, and gummy frogs. Mmm Mmm Good! I said "Hey Bryson can you come her for a sec" and.... He was maybe somewhat surprised!I sang happy birthday to this handsome devil before he blew out his candles and officially his birthday begun! We both headed off to class, met for some quick birthday pizza at Frederico's, and didn't see him again until..... about ten at night. Then I think we went to the library until midnight. I tell ya this kid partied like nobodies business! Here is the damage that came from turning 25! Aggie sweat pants, Game day shirt, ski helmet and goggles, new pants (thanks mama White) and some books soon to come!We finally celebrated on Saturday by driving to a park up the canyon and kicking my soccer ball around for an hour, playing at the new park Bryson helped build in Logan (Loved it!), Bryson went kayaking while I went and played soccer with my sister and some friends. We ended the evening by eating dinner and watching our current favorite... Gilmore Girls! (Just finished the 4th season baby!)

Little more halloween...

I had a few Halloween pictures I wanted to added! First here is Matt the animal control guy with his smelly catch!

Next we my dad! Yep those are all his own clothes from back in the day my firends! No wonder my mom fell head over heels for him! I can't believe he still has his clothes plus they still fit him! What a rock star!

I've got some totally tubular parents! I love them both a whole lot!

HALLOWEEN PARTY #2

On Halloween Day Bryson and I went for a morning hike up a trail at Tonys Grove. We ran into a little bit of snow, but it was plenty warm outside, for October that is!

After the hike we hurried to get dresses up in our rockin costumes and headed off to meet my family at the corn maze.

Miss Rodeo Queen and her heart throb Bull Rider! I knew I'd done a pretty good job caking on my makeup when Bryson said he couldn't even look at me because I was so hideous! Ahh how sweet.

My Groovy Mom dug into her roots and became the flower child she could have been... had she been born sooner it could have been possible anyways.Jessie came back but this year she brought Woody!

Not sure where the Bumble Bee came from but she's a good sport so we'll keep her.

And check it out, I've never seen a life size SKUNK! Creative don't ya think? And we were led through the corn maze by a knight in shining armor, a Gypsy, a Skeleton, and a Lady bug.

Yes, we all dressed up and went through the corn maze in the middle of the day. My mom had never been to a corn maze before so this was her idea! Come to find out, this was Bryson's first corn maze too! It turned out to be way fun! The corn maze was not all that great, but at the end there is a like a jungle gym made out of hay bails and it was THE BEST! There were tunnels all over the place, and big kids could fit through them! At one point I excitedly exclaimed "This is way better than McDonald's!" and some little boy next to me chimed in"YEAH IT IS!". Out of the three cameras we took to the corn maze I think someone got a picture of it so I'll have to post that later, along with Matt's sweet costume and the winner of them all... my dads! Oh my goodness I think his was the very best!!

After the corn maze we went to the Willard Trunk-0r-Treat and ate some weird chili and scones. Bryson said no one was going to know we were dressed up because that's how everyone in Willard dress anyways. Sure enough just as we get out of the car and start walking a man walks by wearing boots, wranglers, button up shirt, and a cowboy hat walks on bye. He wasn't dressed up.

To finish off the night, we watch "Young Frankenstein" out side (luckily it wasn't too cold). We've got a sweet set up where, if Jeremy brings a projector from work, we've got a furniture building next to my parents and the side wall works great to create a drive in movie feel! This is the second time we've watched a movie projected up on the wall and I got to say... it's a lot of fun! We pull out all the pillows and blankets my mom has and we're good to go!

HALLOWEEN PARTY #1

Halloween is always a good time! This year I got to celebrate it twice! First we had a stellar party at my mom's house which included the crazy treats mentioned in my last post, and LOTS of pumpkin carving! I just wanted to throw in a few more pictures! Thanks mom for the good time!
Mine and Makayla's failed attempt to give each other bunny ears! My arm coming out of the other side of Makayla doesn't even look like it's attached to me. awkward.
Vanessa, the life of the party! Ya can't really tell in this small of a picture, but that shirt really brings out the color in her awesome green eyes! The only one out of us kids who didn't end up with brown.
This is the only picture I have of Lance and my dad during the carving fun, guess the just loved it so much they were busy carving away ;) Katie and her awesome creation! I'm actually sad this picture makes the pumpkin look so normal! haha It actually gave us a pretty good laugh! Guess ya just had to be there!Mmmm just diggin in for the good stuff!Notice how Mckell looks so interested in the pumpkin, just hold that thought....

Always a good time at the Barkers, eh! Don't worry....there were at least 5 adults around to get pictures of this poor girl!This party took place about a week before Halloween so just the kids dresses up this time. Here are the studs! And if you are thinking the Panda is cute and cuddly, beware of his Kung Fu moves!Final results! Thanks to our excellent photographer Brandon and Brandi Reeder, we wouldn't have this picture without you! Have you thought of going pro?

Now Bryson, Wouldn't you have rather been here instead of running freely around Europe?

While the Cat was away the mouse did play!

Bryson has recently returned from his month long trip to Europe!! This trip was part of the program he was accepted into this year which is the Huntsman Scholarship, from the Huntsman School of Business. To find out what he did exactly you'll have to ask him. All I know is he went to a lot of cool places and had a good time! The one place I am most jealous about is he got to go to Disney world in Europe! Of course going to Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Austria... and many other places wouldn't be so bad either. Pretty much the entire trip was paid for too!!! (Thank you Mr. Jon Huntsman) So we'll see if he ever gets around to blogging about it, or at least posting pictures. All I know is I was not going to sit at home and twiddle my fingers! During the week I kept pretty busy with school and such so it wasn't too bad until it was time to go to bed! I kept all my doors shut and locked at all times. If any of you get scared when you are home alone, you know what I'm talking about when I say my ears were VERY aware of every tiny noise once the sun went down. I'd lock the door when I showered and I'd shut our bedroom door when I went to bed. The first week I slept with the radio on to cover up any weird creeks I'd hear. I constantly had music going when I was home anyways. Pandora Radio has become my new best friend! I also discovered Miley Cyrus has some pretty decent music! I feel silly to admit it, but I'm a fan. haha Yep sad but true. I rented her movie and watched it with my mom the first weekend Bryson was gone and I've been a fan of her tunes ever since. (And yes I am 21 years old) So throughout the month here is what I did:

1. Went for a Fall hike with my BF Britt and Collected fall leaves to spread around my apartment

2. Scrapbooked A LOT!!! It felt so good to actually find time for it! I stayed up until about two or three in the morning at my parents just scrapin away and listening to my Miley! Oh yes and on one of these late nights, I had a bit too much energy and I looked up the Hoedown Throw down from the Hanna Montana movie and taught it to myself!

3. I finally took Bryson's guitar in and got the strings replaced. The string has been broken for as long as I have known him I think!

4. I desperately tried to learn a song for him on the guitar but alas... I give in to the failure! A lot of good those guitar lessons I took two years ago did me!

5. Found a soccer team to be on for indoor soccer, which has finally started and I'm soooo excited!

6. I painted a frame I have that I'd been wanting to paint since last year! I also helped my sis paint a bunch of her furniture and it all looked GREAT!!!

7. I did a little bit of Costume hunting for Halloween, although most of it was done once Bryson got home!

8. I Tye dyed a shirt for Bryson (inside joke purposes) and he LOVES it ;)

9. I Decided on the Grad schools I wanted to apply too, only to have my list changed the next week. (However I think I have finally gotten it! UofU, Uof Washington, Columbia U, SUNY, CUNY, NYU)

10. Went to Park City with my mom! We found a sweet yard sale where we got some steal deals. Then we went to the outlets but got tired of them after a few hours so we went for lunch at this AMAZING place and had the very best pasta EVER! Then we went for a great hike where we followed the trail, yet seemed to still get lots! We had fun anyways.

This is the part we got lost on, so after climbing and insanely steep hill, we just followed the power lines back to the car!
11. My mom, sister, and I performed a bathroom makeover at my moms house! It looks SUPER!

12. I actually got on a normal workout schedule! I tell ya, when the last thing I want to do is sit at home alone, the gym suddenly became my best friend! (Well next to Pandora Radio that is)

13. I had a goal to get on a normal sleeping pattern but I still went to bed at one in the morning almost every night.

14. I helped my mom put up fencing around the baby fruit trees in our orchard so the deer wouldn't get them!

15. I wanted to work on a good soup made with couscous but never got around to it. Anyone have a good recipe?

16. Oh and I went to my mom's workout class every Monday morning before I headed to school. The class was at 5:30 am! Yeah I am happy to give that one up!

17. I went to dinner with my sister and her hub and their little on. We went to Wingers in Brigham City and we saw so many people we knew from high school it was hilarious! It became a game to see who would walk through the door next!

18. My mom also threw her wonderful Halloween party! We carved pumpkins and had a splendid time! My sister-in-law mentioned things were just like the olden days where I was the odd one out in the family! haha I agreed and asked if Bryson was just some wonderful fantasy I'd made up and everyone went along with me because they felt bad! By week three I was wondering if he still existed!

19 Played cards with my grandparents and had a hilarious time! We made peanut butter popcorn about 11:30 pm before calling it a night. My grandparents sure know how to party!

20. And pretty much I just spent a lot of time with family! Thanks to my wonderful parents for letting me come and live at home! Even if it was just because I did their laundry and cleaned the house! I appreciated it!

21. Made some strawberry/Peach jam and dried A LOT of pears with my mom and sista!

22. Bryson sent me Flowers too and I was having an unexciting day on the day they just happened to arrive! How nice.

23. I spent some time planning a good Welcome home surprise, but didn't end up needing one because Bryson beat me home! I was still at my intern when he got home so he called and said he'd be at a friends house until I got home. I ran home to finish decorating and put up what decorations had fallen. (I'd gotten up real early to decorate before I went to school but when I came home for lunch lots of it had fallen down but I didn't have time to fix it then) As I open the door.... everything is in place. All the decorations had been put back in place! It was totally creepy!! I just stood in the doorway not daring to go inside. I just kept racking my brain trying to think how this could of happened! Finally I ventured inside... every slowly and quietly when.... Bryson jumped out from our bedroom! Dang he got me! Well I tried! haha

Anyways I did have a lot of fun but I am more than thrilled to have Bryson home!!!!!!! The first night he was home we were just about to doze off for the night when some snow fall off the roof and it was really loud. My eyes flashed open, I thought "Oh the snow fell off the roof" and started falling back to sleep. Then I kind of laughed at myself as I thought how nice it was to have Bryson home and I felt safe. Had I heard that when I was alone I'm sure I would have been up for another half hour making up all these crazy stories in my head about what that noise could have really been! We celebrated Bryson's homecoming by going out to a tasty little Indian restaurant (It was really good but I don't know if tasty is the right description. I thought the food was a little blan but I just kind of figured that's how Indian food is!) And we just walked/drove around for hours chattin! I planned to party the night away but 10:30 came around and Bryson was died tired. I guess the eight hour difference kind of caught up to him! In any case, it's great to have the ol' fart home!!!

Nielsen Family Pictures!

Surprised Vanessa??? Hee hee Well a few weeks ago Vanessa asked if I'd take some pics of their family. Although I am completely insecure with my abilities to take good pictures, I agreed. We had some good evening lighting to work and fun scenery (thanks to the beautiful property of Barker Fruit and Dairy and other surrounding areas in Willard). Even though Vanessa and Matt ain't to bad looking which means naturally they have a pretty good lookin family :) I was still shocked with how well the pictures turned out! I love how you can see the different personalities of all the little ones! Now I just need to learn how to use photoshop so I can brighten up the colors!! Just wanted to share!!!!

I liked the top one best, but due to Trevens expression in the one below I had to include it too! This next pose was Matt's idea and I thought it was really cool looking!

I liked the lighting on this one, especially how it lights up Dallins face! What a kid!

I am a sucker for railroad pictures! I don't know what it is about railroads but I like em!

I think this next one is my personal favorite! It turned out very nice!

I love Makayla's super model pose! There were just about to start walking when suddenly she strikes a pose! I don't know how I managed to get a shot of it but it makes me laugh every time! If you notice in most the pictures she's got a pretty good pose going on and they are all her own doing! haha I love that girl.

I don't remember what was so funny, probably my mom or lance dancing around, but it sure got them laughing!

Good Ol' Jackson

Just wanted to post a few happenings from this summer that I never made time to post about!

PS: Thanks to everyone who came out and visited! I LOVE visitors!!! Even now in L-Town you can come visit :)

First of all, I just got to hand it to this couple! This is our boss and his wife. I can't even explain why I wouldn't want the crazy life they have but they are hands down two amazing people!

Bryson and I went on a guided horseback ride up into the mountains! I loved it... Bryson got a little bored but the view was awesome! Oh yeah and it was free, benefits of working for Snake River Park KOA and Whitewater!

We didn't make it to the top of the Grand Teton like we wanted to this summer, but we at least found time to hike to the base camp! Probably one of the prettiest canyons I've hiked!I was part of the Jackson Hole farmers market, where I sold the finest cherries around! Barkers fruit ladies and gents, check it out in Willard utah!We did lots of rafting and kayaking

We had many fires, this one just happened to be the last one we had and it was BIG!!!And we made sure to pack up our home a few days early so we could have a big slumber party out under the stars!Before we left we had a big BBQ with everyone..... and well all I can say is if your ever looking for a place to go rafting Dave Hansen is the way to go!!!!