Planning

So the month of January has passed by....and with the decisions made in that month I feel like my life is now all about planning....for April.

There are three things that are now going on in April that will consume most all of that month. So I guess I'll go in order...

The Kansas City LDS Temple construction will be complete! Open house to be held from April 7-21. Due to my plans for the rest of the month, it is just that first Saturday that I have available to go and see the new temple. Anyone can go, member or not. So if you are interested in joining, let me know! They are gorgeous buildings that are always fun to see...like exploring a pretty home.

I'm trying to talk my brother Matt into bringing his kids and coming over with Mom and me to go and see it. And I'm pretty sure Leslie is also in on coming to see it, so it's turning into a fun family weekend. So excited for the new temple! Here's a pic of what it will look like completed:

The next item on the agenda...a trip to Arizona...which actually compromises the other two items on my 'planning' mind. The second weekend in April...I'll be hiking the Grand Canyon! I am so excited!

When I started working out at the end of last year to lose some weight and just take some control back in my life (instead of being a lazy bum all the time)...the goal I set was to hike the Grand Canyon sometime within the next year. My sister Audra has done this 4 times or so already and talks about it constantly. Since I am so not a 'runner' and I do enjoy hiking I thought this was a good goal to set that also I could do for some more bonding time with my sister. When plans for item number 3 in April finalized I called up Audra and she got the ball rolling and her and some other friends helped finalize all the plans.

We will be hiking down the north rim (unless weather does not permit it...could be snow) and hiking back up the Bright Angel trail on the south rim. Overall I'm told it's about a 27 mile hike, down and up. Which I am so excited for, and also a bit nervous. There isn't tons of 'hiking' around my home but I am working out 4 days a week and I'm doing what I can to prepare for this...so I'm not dead at the end. :)

But my sister and the group of my sister's friends that are going are so helpful. There's been a list sent around with stuff to bring and stuff to prepare for. I can't seem to get it off my mind...and the hope that I'm doing enough. I think it's also just a bit overwhelming as it will be 6 months from when I started to lose weight and try to get healthy that I'll be hiking the Grand Canyon. Since I'm half way through that...it seems like such a short time to prepare. But I'm determined to not be the straggler in the group...well at least that's what I'm hoping...that I don't slow everyone else down. I can do it! (I think. hehe)

Then the final plans for April, my friend Kristin will be getting married on April 21st!! I am so excited for her that she has found a man that makes her so happy...and he is not crazy. Kristin is such an amazing person who deserves a lot of happiness in her life. St Louis was not good to her...per her words...but Arizona definately seems to have some brighter aspects for Kristin!

Also Kristin asked me to be her maid of honor, which I was so thrilled, humbled and just overly exstatic about. So in the week between the hiking of the Grand Canyon and Kristin's wedding...I'll be driving around and helping to finish up whatever Kristin needs to make it all come together for her. Super excited...now I just have to find a dress/outfit for the wedding. Black skirt and blue shirt (royal blue, medium blue or baby blue). So...more shopping on my mind. hehe.

Kristin and Adam are to be married in the Mesa, Arizona temple...below:

Then a fun casual rock'n roll themed reception. Then that next Monday I fly home. I'm slightly exhausted thinking about it all.

Then in April I will have my father's birthday as well, and my friend Jane's birthday.

Funnily though there was tons going on in January...my brother Luke and his wife Leslie found out they are pregnant (YAY!!!!), went to a Blake Shelton concert, celebrated my Mom and Luke's birthdays. And in February I have Nicole's baby shower, Jonah's birthday, Makenna's birthday and Nicole's birthday. March I have Samantha's birthday, a 5 Browns concert, Stake conference and the temple will be closed for two weeks for cleaning. Sorry...not all are stuff I have to go to...just stuff I have to remember and possibly 'plan' for.

I think when May hits I may be either be greatful for a 'planning' break...or I will be on withdraw. Guess we'll see when it comes. :P

Anyone have any tips for hiking the canyon...or advise? It's like I want to pick everyone's brain for the smallest bits of information so I can be prepared. I'm turning a bit obsessive. Fun times!

New Year 2012

Okay, it has been a year from my last post. Life just got....busy and crazy. Looking through the photos on my phone here is a summary of what happened in the last year:

• I saw a Cirque du Soleil performance here in St Louis - Dralion. It was a Christmas present from Dominque and it was totally awesome! I have wanted to see one of those so bad!



• We had some crazy snow in January and February.



• My Mom had a hernia surgery. She had so many hernias...they stopped counting after 6. (There were all from a prior surgery...not healing well) So for quite awhile Mom was out of commission.



• I had a good friend, Brooke get married. They were a cute couple!



• Leslie brought over their extra fouton and it is now our seating in the clean basement...and bed for Luke when he visits. :)



• I went to Branson, Missouri for a work function. It was pretty fun, 4 hours of classes and then they had excursions around Branson planned and organized for us.



• Dominique and I took a trip down to Orlando to see the Disney parks. We drove down and had a lot of fun. The Harry Potter theme park is really awesome!



• I took Mom to go and see Josh Groben in concert with Ellen and her mom. It was an awesome concert and at the end of the night Ellen dropped her shoe beneath the stands...that was actually pretty funny. :)



• I dog sat Dominique's parent dog, Trip for a week while they were out of town. He is cute puppy...definately likes the attention.



• I took Matt's kids to a Cardinal's game on his birthday night...since he had to work. We had a blast in awesome seats!



• I started doing HCG. It's a hormone weight loss drug where you cut down to about 500 calories a day. Yes, it sounds hard...and it was. But I was pretty unhappy at my weight and wanted a change. A quick jump start was what I wanted to make me feel more motivated on my own to keep going and get back in shape. I did it for 5 weeks...then got a kidney stone and stopped around then...one week shy of my stop date. But I did lose 25 pounds in that 5 weeks. YAY!!



• I turned 31, yes I am old.



• My friend Robyn got married. They are such a cute couple and seem really good for each other. I wish her so much happiness.



• Due to my old age...I graduated/got kicked out of the Singles Ward here. So starting in November I started going back to the family ward. Which is weird and comfortable all at the same time. Go figure.



• After the HCG was done I did start going to a gym. I had a few training sessions with a trainer...and have been going 3-4 times a week, every week. So far so good.



• Went to Sam's dance recital, it was fun and she did so much better this year than at her old dance studio. So proud of her!



• And finally for Christmas Matt came over on Christmas Eve and we got to spend the holiday together, the 3 of us.

And now we are onto New Years. :) I did the usual tradition, hang out with Dominique at her place. We did dinner at PF Changs, then headed back to her place for a TV/movie marathon. Here is Cody (left) and Riley (right) in their Christmas finery. Dominique finally got a picture of them together! :)

Dominique gave the dogs some bones...to keep them occupied and not want to be scratched all night long. And the dogs have this...funny routine. Please watch the clip and enjoy! :)

Part 1 -


Part 2 -

And just to memorialize the year end, here is me vegging out on Dominique's couch:

And here is Dominique drinking the sparking grape juice we got...yes it really is sparkling grape juice. Actually...she had wine glasses we were going to drink out of but they had weird spots on them. So she served it in some glass Shrek McDonald's cups. But...literally 1 minute before the end of the year, Riley was getting needy for attention and his wagging tail knocked off Dominique's glass from the coffee table. She barely got it cleaned up before the count down...and just didn't want to deal with another cup. So she used the bottle. I swear...no alcoholic here. :)


Riley being needy...wanted some of what mommy was drinking. Silly dog.

So what a way to end the year. In Dominique's words..."2012 is going to be a great year...it can only get better from here."

So I end the year at my goal...40 pounds lighter than i was on Labor Day weekend. My goals for 2012...lose 50 more pounds, hike the Grand Canyon and get my debt paid off. Let's go 2012...we can do it!