V&M MARTINEZ

Softball Tournament

2011-12-12T22:37:00.005-07:00

{The Team}

{Kolby, Ryan, Vic, and Kelly}

Lori brought the boys up to watch.

{Ashley, Tiffany, Me, Shannon, and baby Taelyn)

After our five day cruise we ended up staying in Salt Lake and then traveled down to Mesquite for the annual softball tournament the following day. We were lucky to have the Tripp's and Rawlings' join us.

Cruise

2011-12-12T20:29:00.011-07:00

We had a wonderful time cruising the Caribbean in November. Our destinations were Belize and Cozumel.

Me on the Flow Rider. I really struggled getting off the board. My muscles were so tired but I couldn't figure out how to get off the thing.

Dodgeball

Formal Night

Belize

We went on a city tour and hung out in Old Belize which was awesome. There was a sweet water slide that dumped you into a lake with no outlet (hopefully I didn't catch any diseases). There was also a rope swing which was a ton of fun.

Cozumel

We went up to the north beach to a nice resort to snorkel.

Kylee's Birthday

2011-12-09T16:53:00.004-07:00

Kylee is now four. For her birthday I helped Lisa make an Ariel cake.

Cute little Vance, Vance

Halloween

2011-12-01T00:27:00.009-07:00

{Kortnie, Karlie, Kylee, Vance, and Brodie}

I spent Halloween in Vegas with my family. We went to two ward parties, Michele's and Lori's, where we ate chili and cornbread. The kids got plenty of candy trunk-or-treating.

Rigby Football

2011-11-08T14:02:00.002-07:00

{The Coaching Staff}

{Coaches: Benny, Will, Vic and Shippen}

{Vic and the Offensive Line}

{Rachel, Tasha, McCall, and Me}

Another football season has officially come to a close. This season went by so quickly. Vic has been mentioning how he is already missing football. They ended the season beating Skyline.

Thanks Rach for saving me a seat every game.

Park City

2011-10-13T22:41:00.005-06:00

This past weekend we spent in Utah. There was so much that I wanted to do during our stay but it was so hard to cram everything in. I did get to see my long lost cousin Jessica, eat dinner with the Hobson's and go shopping with my sister Michele who just so happened to be passing through.

We had some car problems which put husband in a not so good mood. The wheel baring went out on our SUV which made an awful noise! We dropped it off in Heber to be fixed. Michele and Russ came to my rescue so Michele and I could do some much needed shopping.

Saturday was Vic's work banquet at the Olympic Center in Park City. We ate dinner and were entertained by the Flying Ace All Stars who ski down slopes and do cool tricks. Vic's boss, Rob gave it a try and landed a perfect back flip, impressive.

Summertime

2011-10-13T22:16:00.007-06:00

So summer has sadly come to an end. Here is one last post to give a taste of our office bowling trip. I guess it was a bowling party until someone discovered the punching bag machine. For $1.00 you got two punches and it calculated how hard you hit. We had some pretty competitive guys in the office so the machine made bank that night. I even gave it a try. Vic reassured me that I don't really punch like a girl which was something that I was concerned about.

Anniversary

2011-09-20T00:33:00.006-06:00

September 5th we celebrated our 3rd anniversary.

Baby Abel

2011-09-20T00:11:00.002-06:00

Hector and Maria just welcomed their first baby this past week. He came 3 1/2 weeks early but is as healthy as can be. He is such a cute little thing and we are so excited that he is here!

Abel Benjamin Martinez

September 13, 2011

5 lbs. 3 oz.

The Fair

2011-09-12T11:44:00.009-06:00

Kolby won a bat.

We made our annual trip to the State Fair. This year we went with the Rawlings who we missed over the summer. We of course ate our little hearts out. I sampled food from just about every booth!

I came home missing my cell phone. It slipped out of Vic's pocket and I thought it was gone for good but a nice lady recovered it and turned it in. It's nice to know that there are still honest people out there.

We had a wonderful time!

Sick little thing.

2011-09-12T11:43:00.006-06:00

Husband has been a little under the weather. He just looks so cute.

My 1/2

2011-09-12T11:29:00.006-06:00

Last month I finally ran a half marathon with my older sister Lisa. Last year we trained all summer and Lisa ended up fracturing her foot so no race was ran and I felt like I trained for nothing. This time around I wasn't going to let anything get in my way.

We made a girls weekend out of it. My mom, Shauna, and Lisa's three little girls came along. We stayed in the Ranchito motel in Quincy, CA. In the room Shauna and I stayed in there was a BLACK WIDOW in the corner and cob webs everywhere which made for a very long night! (My Mother was the one to kill the spider. I love her for that. And p.s. the Ranchito was a really cool motel. I loved how rustic it was, they just need to take a broom to all those webs).

As for the race. The race was in Greenville, CA down in a valley. The starting temperature was 43 degrees which is surprisingly chilly for August. The scenery was beautiful. I finished in 1:54 minutes (8.40 mile average) which put me in 6th place overall. Lisa beat me by about 40 seconds which I hate but it doesn't surprise me. She was so very diligent in her training.

I'm excited to check this one off my list!

While in Vegas..

2011-08-12T20:50:00.003-06:00

I got to hang out with these little animals. I miss them already.

Girls Night

2011-08-10T21:00:00.000-06:00

{Me, Michele, Lori, and Tiffany}

I told myself I wasn't going to leave my husband anymore this summer but a girls trip in Vegas came up and I decided that I didn't want to miss out.

Our planned night of dancing and spending the night on the strip turned into a feeding fest instead. We started out at Outback for dinner, next we somehow ended up walking around Target, and then we headed to BJ's where we consumed a couple pizookies and ended the night watching Michele's wedding video. I guess things didn't go as planned but we sure had a good time.

The Boys

2011-08-10T20:53:00.000-06:00

celebrate.

2011-08-10T19:58:00.007-06:00

Big G's Birthday Celebration

I made my Dad's favorite, German Chocolate cake in celebration of his 59th birthday. He just so happened to visit Idaho the day after his birthday. Later, I questioned my decision since my diabetic father consumed WAY TOO MUCH SUGAR over the course of the week. Between the birthday cake my mom made him prior to coming, the cake I made him, accompanied by Reed's Dairy ice cream, and the delicious desserts at the family reunion, my Dad had overdone it! He was so miserable and ended up sleeping the majority of the ride home. For some reason I find it all incredibly funny...mean, I know.

Little Brother's Graduation

Bryan is officially the last member of our family to graduate from BYU-Idaho. Hooray! Both he and Shauna are done with school and we couldn't be more proud of the two of them. Bryan graduated in Construction Management and Shauna graduated in Medical Assisting.

Pioneer Day Parade

{Mom and Aunt Karen}

{Cousins: Jeff, Collin, and Kirsten}

Pretty rowdy bunch wouldn't you say?!

The Milt and Mona Wilding Family Reunion

Shooting off homemade rockets

The family reunion almost didn't happen. My Grandma had cancelled it a few days prior and it was the kids that threw it together. After watching the Pioneer Day Parade, we all got together at Bruce and Jill's house for a BBQ and then watched fireworks that night.

Girls Camp

2011-07-26T18:38:00.007-06:00

{We Leaders}

{The Skit}

{Megan and Katie}

{Sheep Falls}

This year I had the opportunity to go to Girls Camp with our home ward. Despite a little rain fall and millions of attacking mosquitoes, it was a fun filled week. The theme this year was: "It's a jungle out there, let the scriptures be your guide." Each ward was assigned to choose an animal and as you probably could guess from our black and white stripes, our ward picked Zebra.

I went on the second year hike to Sheep Falls with Megan and Katie. The hike was great the mosquitoes, however, were horrible. The 98% deet didn't even phase the little suckers. Megan and Katie were champs. We were one of the first people to complete the 6 mile hike.

We have some amazing young women in our ward. I can't take any credit for the success of the camp. Since I've been away for the summer in California, I was really of no help at all. Joanna and the gang did a fabulous job in providing a wonderful experience for the girls. I'm just thankful that they let me tag along.

Driggs Rodeo

2011-07-26T14:57:00.006-06:00

My three week trip to Idaho included a night at the Driggs Rodeo. Bryan entered in the team roping and calf roping events.

Pier 39

2011-07-04T11:42:00.008-06:00

{Husband, Colby, Blake, Dane, Riley}

{Alcatraz}

The boys and I went back to the city with no plans at all in mind. We ended up at Pier 39 to eat lunch by the ocean and to walk around.

Some highlights of the day:

-As we were waiting in line to pay the toll to go over the Bay Bridge we passed a car broke down on the side of the road. Dane, the nice guy he is, rolled down his window and asked the stranded couple what was wrong. Their car had overheated so Dane asked them if they needed some water. With a glimmer of hope the couple said "yes" only to be shot down since Dane had failed to realize that we didn't have any water with us. So he apologized and drove away.

- After we got home from SF we went to the latest "Transformers" movie that is offered in 3D. Since Vic and Dane struggle with 3D movies we opted to go to the normal production. Tommy one of the sales reps was given a pair of 3D glasses (I'm not sure when and why) so naturally he figured it was in 3D. For the majority of the movie Tommy watched the regular movie in his 3D glasses. When the movie was over the guys asked how the 3D effects were. He replied that it didn't seem any different from a normal movie. I still don't think he knows that it wasn't in 3D!

I'm sure you had to be there but these events added a little bit of laughter to my day:)

happy 4th

2011-07-04T11:33:00.008-06:00

One of the highlights every summer is the quarter toss incentive where they throw a couple hundred dollars worth of quarters into the swimming pool and let the reps dive for them. Some made out pretty well.

a day in the city

2011-06-27T12:26:00.010-06:00

{Vic, Dane, and Mason}

{waiting for the bart}

We made our first trip into San Francisco, via the bart to watch the Giants play the Indians. It was my first experience riding the bart and really the way to go. How convenient, you get to sit down and relax instead of driving through the chaos of city traffic.

And the game...apparently the Giants are a big deal since they won the World Series last year. I'm not one who follows baseball very closely, but the live games sure are fun.

As they say "ROOT, ROOT, ROOT for the home team" and so we did, at least I did. Vic always seems to go against the crowd and I'm really not sure why. Anyways, the Giants won! Yay!

Hopefully I'll get a chance to go back to city soon. There is so much more I'd like to see.

Andrew + Jessica

2011-06-24T17:26:00.003-06:00

{Brothers: Dad and Uncle Rich}

My parent's and I made a quick trip to Utah for Andrew and Jessica's wedding.

Our schedule went a little like this.

Left for church in Gabbs, Nevada Sunday morning. (And of course I made my parents late).

On the back roads to Utah directly after.

Arrived in Utah 11:00 pm.

Wedding, Monday morning at 10:00 am, luncheon around noon.

Back in the car by 1:00 pm.

In Fallon by 8:30 pm for just enough time to eat dinner and give the girls loves.

Then onward, all by my lonesome, over the hill to California (home-sweet-home), for a few minutes of cuddle time with the husband before, I got some shut eye in my own bed.

The trip was totally worth it and I wouldn't have missed it for anything. Jessica looked beautiful and her dress was gorgeous, gorgeous! We wish the couple happiness for years to come.

Introducing

2011-06-24T16:31:00.004-06:00

Mr. and Mrs. Russell Talbot

June 4, 2011

What we've all been waiting for.

2011-06-24T16:27:00.008-06:00

No need to explain. The bride was stunning, the couple happy, and my family, oh how I love them!

I apologize. I'm a little picture happy. I didn't want to leave anything out.

I'll go inside someday..

2011-06-22T21:54:00.007-06:00

Sisters: Youngest to Oldest

{Me, Michele, Lori, and Lisa}

With Mom

{Michele and Russ}

These cute faces were there to greet us when we came out.

{Karlie and Kortnie}

Michele went through the Salt Lake Temple and I was lucky enough to join her for the happy occasion. The Salt Lake temple is so beautiful this was actually the first time that I had been inside.

The Party

2011-06-10T19:44:00.001-06:00

You know we got crazy!!

{Jess and Shauna}

{Michele and Lori}

{Charalece and Myself}

Charalece was nice enough to host Michele's bachelorette party the night before she got married. She did a great job.

(Not pictured Lisa the photographer. Thanks for taking the pictures.)

Welcome to California

2011-06-09T19:25:00.003-06:00

We will be calling Walnut Creek, California home for the next few months. We've been loving it here so far. I can't wait to see all of what this place has to offer.

30 Years

2011-06-08T23:41:00.003-06:00

Oh happy day! These two just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary.

They spent it in the Salt Lake Temple, where they were married 30 short years ago, to witness the marriage of their little girl.

What a very happy and special day indeed!

An Unexpected Visitor

2011-06-08T22:47:00.003-06:00

The wreath of our front door has become the home of this baby blue. And we are more than happy to have him...I guess for the time being.

AZ

2011-06-08T21:12:00.000-06:00

Oh how we love the Hilton's! We were lucky enough to spend the day with them down in Arizona a few months back.

I would apologize for my appearance but that's what happens after a long day of bargain shopping, touring, hot tubing, and exercising.

Bryce + Julie

2011-06-08T19:05:00.000-06:00

{The Idaho Falls Temple}

{Dallin and Dane wanted to be apart of our photo}

{Dustin and Vic}

We had the opportunity of attending the wedding ceremony of Bryce and Julie. Sadly enough I never got a picture of the bride and groom together. It was a lovely ceremony and Julie looked beautiful. (Bryce is pictured to the right of my husband).

Meet Pete

2011-03-03T19:02:00.005-07:00

{Erin, Pete, Vic, and Me}

So..we spent an evening with a guy Vic describes as, "one of his favorite people ever" and his girlie friend, Erin. We scored some great tickets to the Jazz vs. Suns game, where Pete hooked us up with some post-game, meet and greets with Alvin Gentry, the Suns coach.

All Aboard

2011-02-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

{Es cargo}

{Vic was not focused on the picture, he was busy singing}

{Vic, Greg and Dane}

{looks better than it actually tasted}

{The Spirit}

{Observing the photo shoot}

{Mer-man}

{The Girls; Bree, Me, Cara, McCall and Tasha}

In January, we set sail on the "Carnival Spirit" for Cabo San Lucas. It was refreshing leaving the snow of Rexburg, for a few days in paradise. These trips really come down to who comes along and we were in great company.

Cabo is such a beautiful place we had such a great time exploring all it had to offer. We took a "glass bottom" boat ride, spent some time on "Lover's Beach" and "Divorce Beach," attempted to snorkel (to be honest I never got in, me and salt water don't really mix), and ate some authentic tacos. Ship time we played plenty of games, ate lots of food, watched a few shows, and danced our little hearts out.

Death by Chocolate

2011-01-04T19:04:00.002-07:00

The Woodhouse's hosted a Murder Mystery Dinner for New Years Eve. We all dressed up and got into character. I busted out my old prom dress from Junior year which didn't fit like it used to. We all had a fabulous time.

Vic was Mike the Boxer (very fitting) and his costume suggestion was a black eye and tattoo which I think I nailed.

Ringing in the New Year

2011-01-04T18:48:00.009-07:00

2010 was great and I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store!

Christmas

2011-01-04T18:23:00.005-07:00

Omar

Amador and Hector

Maria

Tostadas

I slacked on the pictures this Christmas, but needless to say, it was a wonderful one. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day with Vic's family. We opened presents, ate delicious food, and fulfilled a Martinez tradition of watching a Mexican classic video, something Vic said, was always a highlight of his childhood. The most memorable part of the day was getting to talk to Omar, who is on his mission, via Skype. He is doing so well and we are very proud of him.

Rollin' the Rock

2010-12-12T21:20:00.004-07:00

{Graig, Vic, and Dane; Shirts courtesy of Graig}

We love bowling and we go often. The boys all decided to wear matching shirts, which made a photo opportunity irresistible!

Look who's ALMOST 30!

2010-12-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

Vic recently celebrated his 29th Birthday.

We had a few friends over and ate cake.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Boise vs. Nevada

2010-12-03T11:33:00.004-07:00

We were fortunate enough to attend the Boise State/Nevada game. As you probably already know the outcome is not what we were hoping for but I guess if Boise was going to lose to someone it might as well have been Nevada. The majority of my family was able to attend, along with Dane and McCall.

We stopped by Denny's after the game for a late night meal.

Happy Birthday to ME!

2010-11-30T23:21:00.000-07:00

I am now 25! I spent my birthday with friends and family; it was the same day as the Turkey Trot and Softball Tournament. The next day my sister, Lori, was nice enough to make me a cake. We both were wearing our CUTE, new sweatshirts from the Turkey Trot.

Mesquite Softball Tournament

2010-11-30T10:01:00.004-07:00

{Dustin and Vic}

Vic put a team together for a company Softball Tournament in Mesquite. They ended up 1-5 and more sore than they've ever been!

Gobble Gobble

2010-11-30T09:57:00.004-07:00

My sister Lori and I participated in the Las Vegas Turkey Trot. We ran the 10K at 6:00 a.m. on 2 1/2 hours of sleep!

We missed the start of the race, thinking we had plenty of time, we ran to the car, only to return to find all the runners a couple minutes ahead of us. Luckily we had a chip on our shoe that registered our time (which I've forgotten, I think it was in the 56 minute range). It was a lot of fun and I plan to run another when it's a little warmer.

Las Vegas, Nevada

November 20, 2010

SOLD

2010-11-30T09:43:00.002-07:00

Vic on a whim, decided to put his truck on KSL; three days later it was sold. His truck was his "baby" and I am still shocked that he sold it. The big blue truck will be missed.

Team Roping

2010-11-04T11:06:00.000-06:00

Bryan and Darren participated in the Nevada Day Rodeo. They caught their calf!

(Not sure on their placing)

The Nevada Day Rodeo

2010-11-03T18:24:00.004-06:00

My family got together over the weekend to celebrate Nevada Day and Halloween. Bryan and Darren participated in the Nevada Day Rodeo while the rest of us watched.

Vance

Kortnie

Shauna and Brodie

Mom and Karlie

1.2.3.

2010-11-03T18:06:00.006-06:00

She loved being sung to

and only had enough breath to blow out her candles one at a time.

Little Miss Kylee is now 3!

Halloween

2010-11-03T17:00:00.001-06:00

Last weekend was pure joy hanging out with my nieces and nephews. They are the cutest little things. Holidays are so much more fun with little kids, so it was so nice of my sisters to let me borrow theirs for a couple days. It was a Halloween to remember.

Friday Night Lights

2010-10-15T00:36:00.007-06:00

The Trojan football season has officially come to an end. They finished without a win but came SO close every game. Vic has such a love for the game and for the boys he helps coach. Until next season!

Island Park

2010-10-02T11:50:00.017-06:00

We were invited for a fun filled weekend in Island Park. We spent some time in Yellowstone, made tinfoil dinners, went fishing (didn't catch a thing), and stayed up way past our bedtime chatting. We have such great friends.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Bailey.

And by the way the whole wheat pancakes and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies were delicious!

September 5th.

2010-10-01T14:53:00.014-06:00

Vic and I recently celebrated our second anniversary. Yes, we've made it another year and he still gives me butterflies. I am one LUCKY GIRL.

I love this man!

The Wedding

2010-08-10T07:19:00.001-06:00

BRYAN & SHAUNA

07.31.10

THE TEMPLE

THE RECEPTION

FALLON RECEPTION

Meet Vance

2010-08-06T21:41:00.004-06:00

He is small and cute and perfect in every way. A little fussy at times but that just means more cuddle time.

The World of Coca-Cola

2010-07-23T21:09:00.011-06:00

I took a tour of the World of Coca-Cola and left with a tummy ache. They have soda fountains set up with all the different flavors of Coke from all around the globe and I think I sampled about 40 of the 64 flavors.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2010-07-19T16:25:00.009-06:00

My first Major League Baseball game. Braves vs. Brewers

There were a few home runs and a GRAND SLAM. Pretty neat.

I couldn't have named one player out on the field but I now consider myself a Braves fan and since I purchased a Prado t-shirt, he is now my favorite player. (I later decided though that Heward was the crowd favorite).

My first item, #19 can now be checked off my list!

Atlanta Zoo

2010-07-17T09:50:00.002-06:00

We are just little tourists here in Atlanta, just trying to hit all of the hot spots. We went to the Atlanta Zoo and had a great time. The zoo had plenty of variety and I love animals so I would say it was a worthwhile trip.

Georgia Aquarium

2010-07-09T18:10:00.001-06:00

We had a chance to explore the Georgia Aquarium, which is said to be the world's largest. I find ocean life absolutely fascinating.

Look for the whale shark perfectly centered above our heads.

The three-headed, old man monster is actually just eels.

I thought this sea horse thing was so crazy looking. I can't believe creatures like this actually exist!

Little Brooklyn

2010-07-08T21:22:00.003-06:00

Callen and Kellie, have the cutest little baby named Brooklyn that we have just fallen in love with. She is such a good baby and makes the cutest little faces. She took a liking to Vic one evening and I couldn't resist but to steal some photos.

The 4th

2010-07-08T17:30:00.001-06:00

We spent our Independence Day in "All American" fashion. The traditional barbecue before the firework show, but this year's firework show was just a little bit different, since we were the ones who were lighting them off. I guess it wasn't me in particular, however, I did get my hands on one Roman Candle (I think that is what it was called). Hobson was the one to provide the fireworks and they weren't just sparklers, they were the big ones I remember from my childhood that they set off on top of Rattlesnake Hill every 4th of July.

I wish I could have relaxed from the beginning so I could have enjoyed myself a little bit more but it was just my "by the rules" and "mom-like" instinct kicking in. I was so worried that the cops were going to show up and haul my husband away or that the guys shooting fireworks at each other were going to end up in the emergency room but thankfully those things didn't happen.

I experienced such a burst of adrenaline when someone would light an occasional firework that no one had any clue of what end was up or what that particular firework might do. I would run for my life to duck and cover, it added so much excitement to the whole thing. I would say the highlight of the evening were the Iranian women, who I initially thought were coming over to yell at us, joining in on the fun. It was their first 4th of July show and one of them was more than willing to set off a couple of Roman Candles (still not sure if that is what they are called). It was definitely an Independence Day to remember and may I add that I am proud to be an American.

Thanks Shannon for letting me steal your pictures.

Welcome to Atlanta

2010-07-08T12:15:00.008-06:00

We have been experiencing life in the SOUTH and loving it.

It's About Time!

2010-07-06T14:26:00.003-06:00

Russ and Michele are getting MARRIED! We are so happy for them.

New Addition

2010-06-24T11:37:00.007-06:00

Lori gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. I can't wait to meet the little guy!

Vance Layne Griffith

born June 22, 2010

8.5 lbs 20.5 in.

Wedding Video

2010-05-29T21:42:00.006-06:00

I stumbled upon our wedding video online. I can't believe it's almost been two years.

Birthday Cake

2010-05-24T11:44:00.011-06:00

The month of May has been filled with lots of birthdays. My sister-in-law, Maria, just turned twenty-six. My favorite little two-some, Kortnie and Karlie, celebrated their 1st birthday, which is on the same day I celebrated my half birthday. I wish I could have been there to watch the twins dig into their "little piggy" cupcakes.

Since I wouldn't be there on the day my brother, Bryan, turned 23 I decided to make him a German chocolate cake, a family favorite, and celebrate with him a few days early. With just Bryan and I at my house and my mom on speaker phone, we sang "Happy Birthday" and then enjoyed our cupcakes.

My grandparents invited us out to eat dinner and have cake for the three boys, Juan, Bryan, and my Grandpa Milton.

My Grandpa is now 83 and is still one of the hardest working men I know.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T15:50:00.008-06:00

We are SO blessed to have such wonderful Mother's.
We love you.

2010-05-06T19:04:00.010-06:00

Just a little farewell barbecue for Omar before he left.
There is nothing better than a little Mexican food.

Kentucky Derby

2010-05-01T13:44:00.004-06:00

The Kentucky Derby is about to start in just a few short hours. Here are our picks:

Michele went with LOOKIN AT LUCKY. She claims that she picked him without looking at any stats but funny thing is he is picked to be the favorite to win it with 3-1 odds.

Vic went with ICE BOX. Last night over the phone I named off all the horses and Vic chose Ice Box who I was actually planning on picking but because we can't have the same choice I picked another horse. Ice Box has 10-1 odds...not bad.

I went with MAKE MUSIC FOR ME. I thought he had a cool name and turns out he has 50-1 odds. Hopefully the underdog comes out winning it.

Road Trip

2010-04-25T22:18:00.001-06:00

First stop
Fallon, Nevada

I got to see all of my family AGAIN during my trip to Fallon, with the exception of Lori and her little family. I have seen my family a lot lately but I really can't complain. While I was there we had so much fun taking walks, taking pictures of Bryan and Shauna, barbecuing, making strawberry jam, and watching the boys rope. Michele and I even got a chance to check out the hotel while Darren worked the night shift.

Stop two
Las Vegas, Nevada

My original plan was to head back to Idaho after my visit to Fallon but I ended up heading down to Vegas where I got to see and babysit my cute little nephew Brodie. He is such an easy kid to look after. He makes the cutest little car/motorcycle noises.
Michele and I shopped and came home empty handed and Lori and I cooked up some yummy meals. I love hanging out with my sisters.

Stop three
Salt Lake City, Utah

My last stop was to Utah where I met up with some of the girls that I went down to Ecuador with. I can't believe that it has already been a year since I went.
While in Utah I stayed with my friend Heather. I finally got to meet her newest little edition Ella. Thank you Heather for letting me invade your home.
I also was able to meet up with my cousin Jess. We did some catching up. It had been a while. I wish I had taken more pictures but I always seem to forget.

I finally made it back to Rexburg safe and sound. I had so much fun but it's always nice to be home.

"Date Night" on Date Night

2010-04-25T18:39:00.005-06:00

We went on the classic date...dinner and a movie. We had Texas Roadhouse for dinner, (love their rolls and their ribs make my mouth water) and went to the movie "Date Night." I was entertained, no one else seemed to be crazy about it.

Omar's Farewell

2010-04-25T17:59:00.003-06:00

I can't believe it is already time for Omar to leave on his mission. He is going to make a great missionary.
Today we attended his farewell. We bolted out before Omar got done talking to people, thus the reason he is not pictured.

My Bucket List

2010-04-11T19:07:00.005-06:00

I was recently inspired to write "My Bucket List" this week after watching an episode of Oprah. It's something that I have always thought of doing and I finally got it started. I've come up with 25 things so far and I plan to continue to add to the list as I think of more. I love making lists and I am so excited to start checking things off.

Engaged

2010-04-09T14:21:00.005-06:00

My little brother is getting married, and we are thrilled! Bryan and Shauna are a perfect match.

The Dansie Dental Family

2010-04-09T12:10:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was officially my last day at Dansie Dental. I loved working there. It was really the perfect job. I worked two days a week, brought home a paycheck, and learned all about teeth. I loved the staff, they were so much fun to work with and I am really going to miss seeing them on a regular basis. Thanks for everything.

Not pictured: Rachel Rolfe

Spring Has Sprung

2010-04-06T15:55:00.010-06:00

Every spring my grandparents arrive back in Idaho just in time for the baby lambs to come. They are absolutely adorable.

Me and Grandpa Milton.

Lori and Brodie. P.S. I don't think I've ever mentioned that Lori is pregnant with another baby boy. She is due in June.

The snow created a mud problem so to keep our shoes clean we used some grocery bags.

60 Years

2010-04-06T15:42:00.002-06:00

My grandparents, Milt and Mona, will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this month. How amazing!

Fine Dining

2010-04-06T15:16:00.004-06:00

Vic and I were given a gift certificate to Collage for our wedding and it has sat in my purse, burning a hole in my wallet for over a year and a half. We finally used it the other night. For the most part I don't seem to love "really nice" food but Vic and I really enjoyed this place.

Here were my courses:

Basically potato chips with Gorgonzola cheese and scallions. Very Yummy.

Lobster Bisque. My first try at this. Pretty good.

Pork, mashed potatoes, and zucchini with tomatoes. Delicious.

2010-03-21T16:42:00.006-06:00

I made another trip down to Las Vegas for a little sister time. We always have so much fun when we are together.

My Bracket

2010-03-21T14:28:00.003-06:00

It is March Madness time. My boss put some money on the line for the winner. Surprisingly, it has gotten me really excited about watching college basketball. I was doing fairly well until Kansas lost, I picked them to win it, hopefully, I still have a chance.

Bread

2010-03-14T18:08:00.011-06:00

My first attempt at homemade bread.
I think it went pretty good.

Grind Wheat.

Make the Dough and Let it Rise.

Bake, Butter, and Enjoy.

Uvula

2010-03-14T17:41:00.007-06:00

Vic and I had a conversation the other day and it went something like this...

Vic: Did you know that they removed my "hangy thingy" when they took out my tonsils? (As he looked in the mirror).

Me: Really?! I remember them talking about it but I didn't know they were going to cut it off.

He asked me to come over and look, so I did, and yes there was nothing there. No one would ever notice because Vic's tongue is a mile long but how strange, no tonsils or uvula.

I find it comical because Vic got his tonsils taken out in September and he just discovered that it was missing.

Nevada

2010-02-25T21:38:00.005-07:00

I went to see the girls.
While I was there the twins turned 9 months and Darren turned 32.

Omar

2010-02-25T21:28:00.004-07:00

Omar just got his mission call to ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA.
We are so excited for him!

Mexico

2010-02-07T20:55:00.002-07:00

We just got back from a trip to Mexico. We flew into Guanajuato and drove down to Salamanca and Agulia. Vic's mom is from Agulia and most of her family still lives there.

My Favorite Parts

2010-02-07T15:36:00.010-07:00

The fresh fruit stands

Great home cookin'

Evana

Live Music

Our alarm clock

Churros

La Familia

2010-02-05T20:58:00.012-07:00

It was nice to finally meet some of Vic's side of the family. They were all so warm and welcoming and took very good care of us during our stay.

Say Cheese

2010-02-05T20:54:00.004-07:00

Tio making some queso. It was a very long process.
Tio is Mama Alma's uncle. A cool, cool guy. You couldn't help but respect him.

when the tripp's came to town

2010-01-11T23:57:00.000-07:00

Ryan and Shannon came to town this past weekend which gave everyone another reason to get together. We played all night, went to bed at ridiculous hours, which as a result left me taking lots of naps and accomplishing nothing. It was so much fun.

Bowling.

Due to the recent power outage the monitors at the bowling alley didn't work so we had to keep our own score. Luckily, Vic and Conrad knew what they were doing.

Go-kart racing.

The Hobson's introduced us to "The Farming Game," another addicting game that we love. We spent countless hours harvesting our crops.

The Fiesta Bowl

2010-01-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

When Boise played TCU.

Here were the Boise fans, they chose the winning team. The rest of us cheered for TCU.

2010

2010-01-11T18:22:00.007-07:00

Ringing in 2010.
I got my New Year's kiss.
The Bradley's + two more came to celebrate with us.

Christmas

2010-01-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

We spent Christmas with my family in Fallon. Vic and I stayed with Lisa and Darren so Christmas morning we got to watch Kylee discover what Santa had brought her. We then moved on to my parents to unwrap gifts and eat breakfast.

Merry Christmas

2010-01-11T14:05:00.002-07:00

Santa was good to me this year. He must have been concerned about my safety because he brought me a hand gun.

Christmas morning we drove out to the desert to test it out. Vic taught me all I need to know. For being such a little thing, my new gun is extremely loud and has quite the kick.

I believe only one of my shots hit the coyote, the others are my brother-in-laws, but my shot to the hind leg would have wounded it for sure.

Ward Christmas Party

2009-12-12T21:14:00.009-07:00

Our ward Christmas party was a success. Vic and I are apart of the activities committee so we were fortunate enough to help put it on, but we really can't take any of the credit. Jeff and Melinda Doll did an amazing job, as they always do, of pulling it all together.
During the Christmas program, Vic was backstage moving props between scenes while I was on stage showcasing my acting skills. I played the small part of a rude single mother. Luckily, the Doll's 18 month old little girl, Alyssa, who played one of my children, walked around the stage during my part with her shirt pulled up, flashing the crowd. She did a great job of shifting the attention off of me and onto her. The crowd loved it.
I was impressed by the amount of talent we have in our ward and was touched by the true Spirit of Christmas.

Ryan and Megan Hobson played Mary and Joseph while the primary, dressed as angels sang.

Let It Snow

2009-12-12T21:09:00.002-07:00

The tree is up and snow is on the ground. We are officially ready for Christmas.

Jazz vs. Spurs

2009-12-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

Dane and McCall joined us for a quick trip down to Utah to watch the Jazz beat the Spurs. We also met up with Nic and Stephanie who were able to escape their kids for a couple hours to come watch the game.
We left Rexburg at 12:00 pm and returned safely home at 2:00 am. We played games all the way down and back. I dominated at Monopoly and McCall killed me at Scrabble. We had just enough time to do a little shopping and eat dinner before the game. Good times.

How we celebrated

2009-12-05T11:24:00.011-07:00

Presents.

About 6 months into the marriage, Vic lost his ring. So for his birthday he got a new one. We'll see how long this one lasts.

Cake.

Vic's big day was pretty laid back. He opened presents, went to work, played some ball and ate some cake. He requested German chocolate, with both the coconut icing and chocolate icing.

Happy Birthday

2009-12-01T11:12:00.007-07:00

Vic turns 28 today.
Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-11-22T09:58:00.005-07:00

I just turned 24 on Friday and the older I get the less I want November 20th to come. I love the celebration part but I am growing up so fast.

I had a wonderful birthday. I was awakened by my Sweetheart and a hot French toast breakfast with bacon, eggs, and fresh berries. I spent the day relaxing and ended it with a Texas Roadhouse dinner, a yummy chocolate cake made by McCall, and a few rounds of cards. It was a great day.

(Here is the only photo I got. I was in the process of telling Vic how I wanted the photo taken).

Vegas

2009-11-16T18:51:00.009-07:00

Vic and I just got back from a vacation to Las Vegas.

We went with the Price's to "O" one of the Cirque du Soleil shows. I loved it.

Here's Michele standing behind a model of the City Center. Her company does the accounting for this project. The City Center opens December 16th. I'm excited to go see the final product, it's such an amazing project.

Our cute little nephew Brodie. He is such a good kid. Brodie just laughs and smiles. He is really starting to show his personality.

Make sure to watch...

2009-11-08T20:22:00.004-07:00

"Let's Make A Deal" tomorrow, Monday, November 9th at 1:00pm on CBS. The airtime for our taping wasn't listed on the website but according to my calculations tomorrow should be the day.

Madison Football

2009-10-30T23:36:00.006-06:00

The Madison High School Football season has offically come to a close. Vic loves helping coach the boys and I'm sure he can't wait until next season.

TV Debut

2009-10-28T19:13:00.011-06:00

I was lucky enough to attend a taping of the game show "Let's Make A Deal," at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. We were required to dress up so thank goodness I had my egg costume from last Halloween. Echo and Michele on the other hand weren't so prepared. They decided to make their costumes the morning of. I felt like I was witnessing a "Project Runway" challenge. It was high stress and an almost disaster when the sewing machine needle and scissors broke but with a few safety pins everything turned out fine.

We arrived at the Tropicana just in time. Lori thankfully had all the info and a place in line for us. We were specially placed in seats that we were told are shown throughout the show, however, the downfall for me was that the girl seated in front of me insisted on holding up her homemade sign. I had no chance getting picked sitting behind her. I so badly wanted to snatch it out of her hands and rip it up. How was Wayne supposed to pick me when he couldn't even see me?

So...I wasn't a contestant, however, I didn't go home empty handed. During a commercial break I caught a "Let's Make A Deal" T-shirt.

The whole process was exhausting. It is a lot of work to smile, clap and act excited during the taping but I am grateful for the opportunity. Thanks Michele for the ticket. The episode should air sometime in November.