Memorial Day

Jared and I both had Memorial Day off this year, so we decided to make the most of it and got to a Tiger's game with some of our friends from the ward. What better way to spend a day of remembering all the men and women who have fought for our country than a good old American baseball game? Before the game started they had a big ceremony with a lot of veterans and current soldiers and the National Anthem sung by a Staff Sergeant woman. It was pretty neat. I am so grateful for all of the people who have fought so hard for our freedom, many at the cost of their own lives. We are so blessed to live in America!

In front of Comerica Park- this is Shad's first MLB game!

They gave him this certificate for being at his first game. So cute!

Jared and Shad with Skyler and Kinsley

Shad loves Laurie!

The girls- Me, Julie Landon, and Laurie Johnson

The boys (Jared, Trent, Skyler, and Bob) all decided they wanted to stay in Detroit for the Red Wings game tonight, so all the girls and the kids drove home in a separate car while the boys stayed for the game. (Not going to lie, I was a little disappointed that I couldn't come.) Oh well, I'm sure the boys needed a real guys night. They rarely all have the same night off to hang out. They all work so hard! (Bob is a 2nd year ER resident, Skyler and Jared are almost in their 4th year of med school, and Trent is almost in his second year of PhD school.)

Happy Easter!

I know Easter was last weekend but this last week was pretty busy so I wasn't able to post these pictures until today. (Yay for General Conference!)

Shad got some Easter pictures taken by a friend about a month and a half ago. Here are some of my favs:

This was taken Easter morning

Happy Easter everyone! 

May we all remember what it's all about. :)

Merry Christmas!

November post

I can't believe it's that time again. This month was full of awesomeness. I started it out with going to Utah for 5 days to see my "little" brother (6'5" to be exact) Andrew because he just got home from a 2 year mission in South Korea. It was a fantastic reunion of all 5 siblings. The last time we were all together in the same room was over 4 years ago.

We spent the first night I was there going to the Brigham City temple, dinner, and then stayed up until 2 in the morning at my sister Holly's house playing games and laughing hysterically. I have missed my siblings so much! 

The day before I got there it was 65 degrees. The day I arrived there was a big snow storm and we woke up to this the next morning:

Crazy how much the weather can change over night. Then the next day it pretty much melted again. 

The next day I was there we went to breakfast at Kneeders and got all-you-can-eat french toast. So yum! Poor little Olivia is allergic to basically everything they had there except a mango smoothie. Poor sweetheart. I just love her!

The following day was the "homecoming" of my little brother and he spoke in church and then we had everyone over to my parents' house for lunch. 

This is my adorable Grandpa Grose who just turned 90 last month. We have a special bond. I took care of him as a patient a few years ago and I have since been known by him as his "favorite nurse". He is BY FAR my favorite patient! (Before this, I was his "favorite cashier" for many years, because I worked at Golden Corral as a cashier when I was 16. I think I like "favorite nurse" better.)

Even though my stay was short I enjoyed every minute of it (minus the 24 hours where I was violently  ill and got rid of my entire GI contents and then some... yuck!) I love my family so much and really miss them being so far away. 

The week I got back from Utah, Jared and I went to a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert at MSU and it was awesome.

Not a great picture but had to take one for the memories. I really do love this guy!

Last week was Thanksgiving and we spent it at our friends the Coupe's house. They live in the same townhome complex as us. So much fun! It's nice to have such good friends to help make it easier being so far away from family.

The amazing turkey Jared smoked on our smoker:

What a great month! Hope December is even better!

Christmas 2011

Jared and I just got back a couple hours ago from Utah. We were very blessed to be able to spend 10 days in Utah celebrating Christmas with our families. It's never nearly enough time to split between family and friends, but I'm just grateful we even had the time off and the money to be able to come out and visit. I had my camera in my purse the entire time and only took like 5 pictures. So I stole a lot of them from my mom's blog.

My mom, sisters and I did our annual "baking day". The beginning of the "Christmas crap" eating.

We did our annual Christmas Eve Eve party, complete with the nativity with my cute nieces and nephews. Man I wish I could play with them more often than twice a year!

How can you not love this face?!

My cute Grand-parents.

The only "Christmas" picture Jared and I have together this year.

We took Jared's sister Kendra's kids ice skating one day.

Jared was teaching Isaac how to skate. It was really cute. Jared is a great teacher and is very patient.

The last day we were in Utah I went shopping with my sisters and mom in the morning, then we went to Salt Lake and ate lunch at Caputo's with my dad and all of Jared's family.

Then we went to temple square where Jared's grandparents serve a part-time mission. His grandma gave us a tour of the Joseph Smith Memorial building. We got a really cool "ancestor" picture taken there.

Then we looked at the lights for a few minutes before we had to make the train back home. Temple square truly is beautiful, especially at Christmas.

This morning our plane was on the runway right as the sun was rising over the mountains. The colors were so beautiful and I started getting a little teary-eyed as I realized it would be at least another 6 months until we're back in Utah.

As we were driving on the bus back home to East Lansing, this was our view:

Welcome back to gray cloudy Michigan. It's nice to be home again....

Merry Christmas!

Happy 4th!

We had great 4th of July weekend! Jared and I ran the Riverdale 5k Saturday morning. Then we went to my parents and had a BBQ. Then we met up with the Smedleys and drove down to Provo to the Stadium of Fire. It was awesome! I think I'm deaf though now, because the Jonas Brothers were there, so you can only imagine how many screaming little girls there were. I totally should have brought ear plugs. I'm already deaf enough as it is!

We ate at Fudruckers before braving the traffic of trying to park.





I don't know why I put this one on, it's kinda gross but it's the only one I have of Jared and me together.


The sweet F-16's that flew over our heads


This was pretty cool, the guy that was flying one of those helicopters is the one on the Jumbotron.


This flag was burned later that night; it was made right after 9/11 and had a pretty cool story behind it. You can tell it's kinda on its last leg

Theflag being burned


And of course the fireworks were awesome at the end! Happy 4th everyone!