19th & 20th of November

So I decided that 19th and 20th of September should be together because I am extremely thankful for both of my sisters: Haleigh and Saydi.

I am so thankful that my parents decided to not stop after Jaren. Though I love my brother, I don't know how I would have done it with no sisters. I know that The Lord knew that not only did I need them but that they needed me. I love having sisters, especially when we are altogether and gang up on Jaren. 

So something about me, that I discovered when Haleigh was in middle school, I am extremely protective of my sisters. Almost like a pitbull, nice and sweet, even wagging tail until you cross that line and I can rip you to shreds. Alright not a very nice picture but you get the point. Haleigh had some one picking on her once at a high school football game while she was in the middle school section. She came sobbing to my parents and me about how a girl in her class and her big sister were making fun and threw something in her hair.... And that was it, you crossed the line. I immediately got up, dragged Haleigh to the middle school section and got all personal with the "big" sister. Now I am pretty short coming to 5 foot 3 inches but let me tell you there was no way I was that short when I got there. I had to of grown temporarily like five more inches... It may have been the stairs but man, was I in her face. The girl thought I was cussing her out and was going to fight her though I didn't use a single cuss word just was able to choose the right words. After that, Haleigh no longer had any problems with those girls.

Saydi, on the other hand, I have never needed to protect; she can definitely do that on her own very well. What I have always been thankful for the little love Saydi has given willingly. I was eight years old when Saydi was born. I was so terribly excited! I wanted to do everything like she was my baby. Well Saydi was born and she hated everyone but Mom!!! It broke my little heart. I tried so hard to get her like me to no avail. But as she got older the better it got....occasionally. One of Saydi's best qualities is her willingness to give. Since she was little she loved Christmas and Birthdays. She was always putting together little presents. And to us it seemed sometimes like a jumble of stuff from her room, but they were some of her treasured belongings. Opening her gifts, she was always right there at your side and then pulling the item or items out to explain why she gave them to you. I wish we had caught some of those moments on video.

Anyways... My sisters are AMAZING and I want to share that with you!

Haleigh

Loves the colors lime green, bright pink and neon blue

Favorite activity at college is Swing

She loves watching A Cinderella Story and She's the Man

She enjoys playing Apples To Apples with the family

Her favorite class at college is her Writing Class

She likes to read Becca Fitzpatrick's series Hush, Hush

And she wants to be a teacher when she grows up

Haleigh was on the cheerleading team all four years of high school and three of those years, she was Cheer Captain. She kept her grades up much better than me and is now attending BYUI!

Saydi

She bleeds green and yellow

Her favorite activity is cheerleading

She also has two favorite movies Tangled and She's the Man

She loves watching movies with the family

Her favorite subjects are math and science

She likes to read Hearts in Hiding by Betsy Brannon Green

And she wants to be a dental hygienist when she grows up.

Saydi has been on the cheerleading team three years already and is Cheer Captain this year! She also has our mom as her captain this year. Saydi has had straight A's every year of high school so far... Just one more year to go, girl! 

I love these girls so much and I am so grateful that The Lord placed them in my eternal family!

Adventures & Pumpkins

 Saturday.....well let's back it up a little to Friday, I noticed the Weekend Hastag Project from Instagram. 

I loved it.... The goal was empty spaces or typical busy places with no people. I decided that I wanted to participate in this challenge. Well I did not wake up early enough to capture some busy places that had no people..... So I went and recruited my sidekick, Haleigh, and we went all over town trying to find abandoned places or more like Halloween-y spots. 

Keeping with Halloween, our first stop was the Rexburg Cemetery. I didn't even know there was one till I googled it. 

We arrived and there was a set up for a funeral...little creepy since Haleigh swore up and down that there was a coffin in the hole (on better inspection there was not!). 

Then we walked around and found some super cool graves, found the Founder of Rexburg & Ricks College, and even saw a Weeping Angel (if you don't watch Doctor Who you won't understand why I was so excited about that)! 

It was kind of cool walking around the graveyard....and super eerie and creepy. 

We finally got creeped out and left for our next destination: The Drive-in Theater.

We got some cool pictures at the drive-in, at the potato factory, at a section of the railroad, and at the nature park. 

Man, did we laugh our heads off!?! Who knew that going around town would be such a crazy adventure! 

Haleigh balanced on a broken piece of railroad that was about five feet off the ground. We met a lot ducks and hung off of some rail cars. That's when Haleigh became my muse.... I love taking pictures of her and they turned out to be AMAZING, if I do say so myself.

Sunday night, John and I carved pumpkins!! I have never been one to willingly get myself dirty but I love carving pumpkins and it is super messy!! I love the smell of a freshly opened pumpkin. I love scooping out the guts. I love the craftiness to carve the pumpkin. I love putting a candle in and seeing your finished product. And I absolutely love having pumpkin seeds to munch on afterwards!

I tried a new way to make pumpkin seeds this year.... I still soaked them overnight in salt water but then I followed this recipe by OhHowSheGlows.com. They turned out fabulous!!

Haleigh's Birthday Adventure

Today started as any other day....I woke up at 8:00 am and got ready to spend the day with Haleigh. My first stop was to Great Harvest to pick up some of their AMAZING cinnamon rolls. Luckily they had some of what they call their "mini rolls" which are still as big as my two fists!! Then off to surprise Haleigh with a Birthday breakfast with two of her new college roommates. 

Then back home I went so that Haleigh and I could get ready for our fun day in Idaho Falls. So I made John get in the shower while I finished getting my hair together. Then guess what happened after that....... Nope no real adventure yet..... Just back over to Haleigh's apartment where we picked up Haleigh, Jaren, and Tanner.

Then it started..... Around and around we went through all the BYUI apartments looking for Lauren's apartment. Oh okay that's not a very big adventure and yes it might sound a little lame.

But it was only the beginning.... Off to Idaho Falls we started! Everything seemed perfect... I had the girls with me and behind me John was in the van with the boys. Then right before we reached Rigby, the car felt really shaky. Well the road had just changed so okay it could be blamed on that. Then one minute later, I thought I saw smoke coming from the backend. I turned to Haleigh and Lauren and asked them if they saw smoke in the back. Haleigh said no it looks like dirt. Nope wrong! Right after that I heard a pop and saw our entire back tire come off!!

I couldn't believe it! We were only half way to Idaho Falls! Thank heavens that John was behind me and there was a very nice lady cop behind him. Well we very quickly figured out that we needed a drill it get off the tire. The nice lady cop called a tow truck for us and luckily after about fifteen minutes the tow guy showed up. He quickly was able to get the tire of and put the doughnut on which he did free of charge!!!  Thank you! 

So then we parted: John to Idaho Falls and the rest of us right on back to Rexburg!! And then to Commercial Tire where we got extremely lucky in again, when the tire guy told me that he had one last set of tires to fit our car.

So for the end of our adventure, we had a great lunch at Wingers with dessert at Haleigh's favorite: Cold Stone!

Hope you liked your Birthday Adventure Haleigh!

Throwback Thursday

My sister, Haleigh, has been living with me for a week! 

It has been so much fun between going to my work, maneuvering around her huge load of sutff, and running everywhere but sadly she is leaving tomorrow to be a big girl and live in her 1st college dorm with four other girls!! 

I am so happy for her but at the same time it's sad for me to watch her grow up and become an adult. I remember her when she was a baby and how she would get crazy when we turned on a Michael Jackson song. I remember her first big word being Quasimodo! Yes, from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. 

She was always and still is a little different then the other three of us. Jaren, Saydi and I are pretty sarcastic and quick (most of the time), but Haleigh is such a happy, loving person who accepts all and wants to just make friends. She has been this way since she was very little; I remember going to the grocery store with mom and little Haleigh would say hi to everyone we passed. She never doubts you either; she has so much faith in you. She makes you want to be happy!

I hope that she has a great first year at college and makes lots of friends. Time has flown by so fast and Haleigh, you aren't just my little sister anymore! 

You are a beautiful, caring, humble, trustworthy, faithful and mature daughter of God! And an adult... I love you so much and hope great things for you in your future.

You are the best, Haleigh Laurel!!

I love you so much!!!