Jaclyn

Day 3: Morenci then Home

2011-09-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

By late Sunday afternoon, David and I headed toward Clifton and Morenci. I didn't take any pictures of Clifton but there was a side street that David drove down on. He wanted to show me the close buildings and the high curbs because he said that when they (being David and his brother) rode down that street with its looks and smells he felt like he was back on his mission in Brasil. It was interesting to see. Anyway, Morenci is a very boring place. I think it's great that the mine there is still going but there is hardly nothing to do. They have a library, a movie theater that only shows one movie at a time either at 2:30 or 7 (and it's cash only), a bowling ally, a Morenci Club, a motel with a restaurant and pool, a Bashas', a Radio Shack that looks like a general store, and two places to eat at. Lots of housing there but I don't know what people do all day. And the saddest part was this:

How can a town with lots of people not support a Dairy Queen? It boggles and saddens me.

This was the hallway to our hotel room. Made me feel like I was visiting someone in the crazy house. The room was nice, though. We got one with a microwave, stove, and fridge and bought food for dinner and breakfast to have in our room instead of going out.

This is where we had lunch. It was really good. The only other place we saw to eat besides the hotel restaurant was a cafe and ice cream place.

Monday morning we started to head back home but first we took some pictures of the huge mines up there.

He honked at us :)

To get back to Alpine we drove up the 191. It used to be Highway 666 or "Highway to Hell". David, his brothers, sister, and friends go up and down this rode on street bikes as often as they can. It is a very winding rode and it took about 3 hours to get back to Alpine in a car. David says when they ride to Morenci and back on there bikes, it takes them about an hour and a half. It is a very pretty road but as you get closer to Alpine it is sad to see the damage that the Wallow Fire did.

We stopped to see this huge tarantula crossing the road. EEK!

Damage from the Wallow Fire.

Now we are back in Alpine! David wanted to eat here since he hasn't been there yet. Really good food and they have a candy store and ice cream shop. It is right across the street from the 1st place we ate at on Sat.: Bear Wallow. We had made a full circle.

This trip was a lot of fun! I think the thing I enjoyed most was getting to see the places that David sees all the time since he rides there often. I ate a lot of really good food; glad we went on the cat walk! It was a really pretty drive and I wouldn't mind visiting some of those places again.

Day 2: Glenwood

2011-09-09T17:24:00.001-07:00

By Saturday afternoon we were in Glenwood, New Mexico. There are two motels there and we chose the Lariat. It was behind the gas station. The bedroom was okay but the bathroom was small and scary cabin like. That night we ate at another place that David has been to, the Blue Frontier Cafe. I got a bean and cheese burrito but instead of refried beans it was pinto beans. Good, but I like refried beans better. In the morning we went to another place that David likes for breakfast. It is an older couple that run there house as a cafe. She only does breakfast, it's cash only, and very decent prices. The food was delicious!

Later that day we went to the Glenwood Cat Walk Trail: In the early 1930’s, the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) turned an old mining trail through a narrow canyon into a major recreational feature. Their efforts, the Catwalk on the Whitewater Trail, is a must-see if you are near Silver City or Glenwood, New Mexico.

I have lots a pictures from that. It is a 2.25 mile hike into the canyon round trip with a creek. You can picnic there, swim in the creek , and some people fish. I enjoyed it very much!

Our hotel.

This is the cafe.

Here is the entrance to the catwalk.

We never did see a bear...

Made it halfway!

We had made it! This is the last bridge you walk across. I took the picture as we started back down.

Here we stopped to cool down in the creek. We didn't go swimming but did put our feet in. The water was freezing!!! You will also see some older men behind us. They were swimming and one of them decided to take of his shorts to put on swimming ones and I made the mistake of looking behind me has he did this. He was hidden behind the tree but when he bent down to put the shorts on I saw naked old man bum.

Here David is fetching his sunglasses. He went to this rock to look down into it and they fell off. What a silly dork :)

Here are some pictures of what this place used to look like.

The trail was a lot of fun! Fun for children, too! I wouldn't mind doing it again with family. Anyway, after that we headed back into AZ and spent the night in Morenci...

My Labor Day Weekend Day 1

2011-09-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of our trip we went to Alpine, AZ. Then we drove on up to New Mexico where we stopped in Alma and Mogollon Ghost Town. There a many pictures but they are out of order somewhat. Hope you enjoy :)

We ate at Bear Wallow in Alpine. It is a favorite place of David's when they go up here to ride.

Here are some views of New Mexico when we pulled over.

Here is the only stop in Alma.

About 2 miles past the Alma store you turn right to head into the Mogollon Ghost Town. Then it is another 9 miles driving into the canyon to get there. When you first get to the town there's a painted stop watch. The time is set at 4 o'clock because when the mine closed down the worked stopped at 4 and everyone (about over 2,000 people) left all at once that day. Only one guy remained for another year or so before he, too left. The following are pictures of this old town. They have added new things to get tourists in there.

The mine.

The old general store. It is now connected to a bed and breakfast that is said to be haunted. However, we did not stay there because it was pricey for only one night and, while it wasn't a problem for us, no children or pets are allowed.

This is for the town also from May to October.

I have many pictures from inside the building. All the clocks in there are set at 4.

An old printing press.

I thought this dress was pretty and I would have worn it back then.

This is a newer building. It had some cool pieces. I took two pictures of what I liked.

The fish in the pond.

I might have to make something like this someday.

Thought of my dad with this one :)

Love these old bathtubs!

An old cheese slicer... looks dangerous.

Tools used in the mine.

The barrel is a washer machine and I liked the old school desks.

Old vending machines.

David going in...

This is an old piano player that played by itself.

This safe is awesome. It was built into the wall all those years ago and it is still there today.

Spices from back then.

An old toy.

This made me laugh because for danger you have to wait to see if you heard 7 bells... what if you miscounted?

Another shot of the pond. I love it!

A new restaurant but we didn't eat there.

That's everything from the town. There was a cemetery but it was a no trespassing one.

One the way to and from the town for many miles it's a one way road so you drive nice and slow because as you go into the canyon there are cliffs you might fall off of if you are not careful.

This was a fun place to visit and very interesting to learn the history. However, I would think twice before I took children because they might not appreciate it until they are older.

Up next... on to Glenwood, New Mexico!

More Warrior Dash Pictures!

2011-05-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

WARRIOR DASH!

Here are some pictures of the fun and crazy things I saw, including parts of the race course! Also, the last picture is of the shirts we got; David's was free and I bought mine but I totally love it! I am so going to do this race next year! :)

Pictures from Donovan's Batism

2011-05-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

Here's my sweet handsome nephew Donovan on his baptism day! It was such a fun day to celebrate!

After he was baptized we all went out to Someburros for a delicious lunch!!!

Then it was a fun time at the park!

Spring Break

2011-03-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

On Monday David and I went down to the valley for my aunt's funeral on Tuesday. Here are some pictures of what the weather was like as we traveled:

Forest Lakes

Almost to Payson... love the fog!

Near Fountain Hills

In Gilbert

The funeral was good. I am amazed that while my aunt faced many problems in her life she was just a good, nice person. She will be missed. Here are some pictures of that day:

Looking good :)

At her graveside.

My cute nephew Sam at the luncheon; he loves going through my purse.

Sam got a hold of my camera and took the following pictures:

A funeral is never fun although, I did like seeing my family. Even short visits are nice. For the rest of my spring break I have been reading and relaxing. Tonight (Friday), David will be at a scout camp for the night so I plan to watch a few girl movies while he is gone :)

Christmas 2010

2010-12-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

With some of David's family up here in Snowflake we did gingerbread houses. My mother in law got those kits. Our house was all broken up but David was able to put it back together. He did one side and I did the other... You can tell who had their OCD going... :)

David's: See how nice and smooth?

Mine: Just having fun and being messy.

This is Christmas day at Kortnei's house in Gilbert.

Christmas morning.

What we got for Christmas among other things.

Charlie wanting more presents to open.

Sam opening the present from us.

Cozette with her one out of many Justin Bieber gifts :)

Donovan liking his gifts.

Us on Christmas day having a good time.

That night we got with the Gale's for presents and the White Elephant game.

My niece Bailey's new favorite blanket :)

Getting ready for the fun to begin.

Most interesting White Elephant gift this year: The Christmas Skull!

It was a really good Christmas! We also took a family picture but I haven't seen it yet. Well, here's to a great year... and hopefully to another one for 2011!

Before and After...

2010-12-01T21:42:00.000-07:00

I have made some changes in my home. First we sanded and stained our coffee table black:

Then my awesome mother in law with her neat talents reupholstered our couches:

These are the slipcovers I used for awhile.

Showing the original color.

My new couches!!!! I love them!!! I also love my Christmas quilt that my mom made me last Christmas!!!

Got my Christmas tree and village out :)

I got to say I think my family room looks cuter! And... if you haven't noticed I like the color blue... and stripes... and lighthouses :)

This Thanksgiving...

2010-12-01T21:07:00.000-07:00

was spent down in Gilbert with both families. On Thanksgiving Day we started out with a Gale tradition... shooting off rockets. But, first is a picture of my niece's huge goldfish.

He's huge!!!

Boys will be boys... watching a world record jump.

Looking where the rocket went.

Searching for the rocket.

This bug got a ride :)

Blast off!!!

Yummy Thanksgiving meal with green gravy... it was a prank.

Now on Friday where we had Thanksgiving with my family...

Cute Charlie

Donovan's giraffe :)

Sam and Donovan playing with the blocks.

Another delicious Thanksgiving dinner!

Love his smile!!!

Outside while Josh and Kortnei put up their lights.

Had tons of fun with both families. I just love the Holidays when we can be together!!!

David's Birthday Weekend

2010-11-15T16:19:00.001-07:00

In February David started a program called "Couch to 5k" to start running again. While doing this program he learned from friends of a half marathon down in Mesa called Shun The Sun. It was going to be held two days before he would be 30. He decided he wanted to do it since he has never run any kind of marathon before and he enjoys running. Here are some pictures from the Half Marathon:

The cool shirt he got; his mom bought me one :)

Fun goodies from his registration bag including his number, 91.

Our friends from Snowflake, running also :)

You can see David's head above the lady in black as he starts the marathon.

And off he goes... he is in a grey shirt and black shorts near the lady with the cell phone.

"We made it!" The time here says 2:35:54 but his official time was 2:34:49!

Pretty awesome for his first time and still getting over a cold!

Here is my family at a Mexican burrito place in Gilbert for David's birthday.

Charlie was blocked so I took this picture. I think he's thinking "I can't believe she's my aunt".

Ha ha.

It was a fun weekend! I am so proud of David! We also had lunch with his mom, his brother, our brother-in-law, and nephew at Paradise Bakery. Yum! If you are wondering why there are no pictures of me... well, I got David's cold and my nose was all red and sore! Tonight for David's birthday we are having a family party with his family. I heard his mom made two pies. Can't wait!

Locks of Love

2010-10-31T15:17:00.002-07:00

As some of you may know, David has been growing his hair for Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a program where you grow your hair ten inches or longer and donate it to them and they will make wigs for kids with cancer. David has been growing out his hair since March of 2009. Today, Oct. 31, 2010, he was ready to cut his hair. Here are some pictures throughout the process. He enjoyed doing it until the very end where he was getting sick of hair being in his face, mostly at work, but is still glad he did it. He looks good; no matter what his hair is like :)

May 2009

December 2009

October 2010

Here it is: 10 inches of hair

My Birthday

2010-10-31T14:38:00.002-07:00

I had a great birthday! It happened to land during Fall Break for family members that live in Gilbert and Mesa. They were able to come and visit for a family party that became a birthday party for me! How fun! We also had the party on my late father in-law's birthday so it was nice to remember him.

My niece and I taking a picture of each other.

The Gale's having fun.

Instead of a birthday cake I had made chocolate pie. Yummy!

Again, it was a lot of fun! I also got money from my mother in-law which I used for my Zumba classes; I am having a blast at those classes! I also got a cookbook that gives recipes that I can freeze for later. Good stuff in there! Thanks for everyone that wished me a happy birthday on Facebook and on the phone!

A Quick Labor Day Post

2010-09-08T16:06:00.001-07:00

For Labor Day we had a BBQ with family and friends. It was bring your own meat and David and I decided to grill a 2 lb steak that we cut in half to share. The steak was delicious! Then it was visiting and playing the rest of the evening...

All the adults talking.

The men playing some football.

Here is my sister in law's niece, Dolly. Such a ham :)... and yes her name is Dolly.

My niece Jenna showing me her "mad" face.

The Good, the Sad, and the Lovely

2010-07-27T16:35:00.001-07:00

THE GOOD: My summer fun started with Sam's 2nd birthday swimming party.

Sam rockin' out with his new guitar.

Panoramic picture of the fun party.

My mom visiting during the 4th of July.

The donuts my mom found at Walmart. I bought them for the annual Bellybutton BBQ.

Our camping trip that was going to last for 3 days...

Big beetle...

dead beetle :)

Hanging out...

starting to have fun...

THE SAD: Unfortunately, my father- in- law passed away on a motorcycle accident, thus ending our camping trip...

This plant we got from the funeral. It started out healthy until David, not listening to me, left it in our car in the 100 degree + weather and well, this is what happens when you do that.

The handsome pallbearers.

All of the Gale clan except two who were in Utah for college stuff.

AND THE LOVELY: We had two sewing classes at church and I really enjoyed them. Might have to get a sewing machine soon :)

Love the headband. I especially like making the button.

My new purse I made. I am planning to add three buttons, because they are fun to make, across the striped area.

In the end, this summer had been fun. It was nice visiting and hanging out with family, no matter why we were all together. I also enjoyed learning new things.

Our New (used) Car

2010-06-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

This last year we got a car that has been in my family for awhile now. It needed some work, mainly because it had an unfortunate flooding accident. The last two months David has been fixing it and the last thing to do was put in new carpet. Here are some before and after pictures of that fun day:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Here I am cleaning the seats.

So, the car looks great and I had to relearn how to drive it since it is a manual. I am getting the hang of it and it's nice to be able to drive around again.

Last Week at Work

2010-06-07T14:06:00.001-07:00

My last week at the school where I worked was really fun. We took our class on a field trip to my teacher's house for a water day. I bought a $4 water gun so I could participate in the water fight. On Wednesday we had a teachers and aides vs. 6th and 5th graders softball game. We won 13-8! On Thursday the school had a field day with every class having a station. Our class was the refresher station with cold water and Otter Pops. Another cool station was the 6th graders water balloon launch. Every class could have stayed there forever :) Then, on Friday the school did their annual mousetrap races and BBQ. While waiting for the fun I played with my new camera that I had gotten the day before. Here is a picture of my classroom using a feature I wanted on my new camera:

It was a fun school year!

SWEET!

2010-05-27T16:44:00.000-07:00

My awesome husband surprised me today with a new camera! I love it! Here's what kind:
Sony Cyber-shot W350 Black 14.1MP Digital Camera, 4X Optical Zoom & 2.7" LCD
The Sony Cyber-shot captures images with amazing detail with its Carl Zeiss 26mm equivalent wide-angle 4x zoom lens. Take breathtaking panoramas in Sweep panorama mode and review them on a 2.7" LCD. Record 720p high definition movies on the Sony Cyber-shot, while Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, iAuto and Face Motion Detection makes taking great images in various conditions easy.

Can't wait to learn everything and show new pictures here!

I looked out the window...

2010-04-17T15:03:00.001-07:00

I just love spring in our backyard. This tree is directly out our kitchen window and it is a pretty view. I think this is the fullest it's been since we have lived here. I love it.

Eggs to Dye For

2010-04-03T16:15:00.001-07:00

I enjoy dying eggs for Easter and will keep doing so with or with out children. It's fun and I like trying different kits each year. This year I chose the Bright and Shiny kit: Eggs with Shiny Accents. David and I thought it was cool but ended up not doing all the eggs because it was not as easily done as one might have thought. You kind of have to have more patience than what we wanted :) Anyway, can't wait to make them into devil eggs to go along with our Easter ham dinner.

HAPPY EASTER!

Craft Day

2010-03-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

Today I got together with the sisters in my ward for a fun Easter craft. There was an Easter egg tree you could make or blocks. I chose the blocks and made it with decoupage and vinyl lettering. It turned out really cute for Easter. I have a picture of the whole thing and then a closeup of the first block. Wish I had the money and well... the urge I guess to do more crafts for my home :)

Valentine's Day Fun

2010-02-15T17:46:00.001-07:00

This year for Valentine's David got me an opal ring that I have wanted for awhile. Here is a picture off the website because my camera wasn't taking a very good picture of it.

I love it!

Then on Saturday he took me out riding on a Honda Shadow (my father inlaw's) to Concho Valley. We went to a place he had discovered last weekend for lunch. It was really fun and surprising. The place looked iffy on the outside but very pleasant on the inside. They also served excellent food. I had a sirloin bacon cheeseburger with french fries and a side salad. Lots of good food for just $7.56.

The bike we rode on. Very comfortable!

Club 61. Looks like bar, right?

Really nice inside and great service!

We also decided to get ourselves a Cuisinart Griddler. My brother and his wife have one and they use it often when we are visiting. It was such a good choice to get one! We have been using it for everything. So far, we have made grilled sandwiches, pizza paninis, grilled salmon, and I like making eggs and sausage at the same time with it.

Our new favorite kitchen toy!

It has been a wonderful Valentine's this year and I just love my husband so much. We truly have a great, loving, and happy life together!

A Very Short Trip

2010-01-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend David and I went down to the valley to pick up a car my family gave us to fix and eventually sell. We were only going to be down for a short time and I wanted to make sure I saw everyone in my family. And, I had to take pictures because I want to remember to take more pictures this year and also so my mom could see the short fun she was missing :)

First, David and I had lunch with Jill at Uncle Sam's in Scottsdale.

Then, later that evening we had dinner at Kortnei's with Jordan, Carly, and Sam.

Sam saying hi to me.

Jordan telling a funny story.

The girls talking.

Yummy BBQ ham pizzas that Kortnei had made.

Having fun.

Sam's pizza face.

Dessert that David and I bought. We each had our own.

Sunday morning visiting my other cute nephew and niece. They are getting too big! :)

Showing me a dance.

Playing Connect Four with Cozette.

Here you go Grandma Janey! :)

(sorry it's dark and there is no sound)

All in all, David and I had an enjoyable while short time. We also shopped at Dick's Sporting Goods where David bought new running shoes. Now I just can't wait until next time I am down there which will be when baby Charlie is born!

Looking back in 2009...

2009-12-31T09:09:00.000-07:00

Well it's almost 2010 and for fun I decided to post some of the pictures from this last year.

Starting with Supercross from last January.

Not going this next year for the first time but that's okay. We will be seeing a different race in June.

This picture is from around February when my mom was babysitting Donovan and Cozette.

Sam and Donovan; Sam was about 8 months old here.

Cozette's Baptism!

In June for Sam's 1st birthday!

4th of July fun.

Thanksgiving up in Pinetop.

It has been an awesome year with changing jobs, spending as much time as I can with family, and David and I growing closer and just loving our life together! My New Year Resolutions for next year are:

1. Stay in touch with family

2. Take more pictures

3. Keep being strong in the church

4. Try to be better at saving money

5. Continue to love David

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

This year for Christmas was GREAT! There was a lot of eating delicious holiday cookies, special k treats, and fudge. Watching fun movies like The Muppets Christmas Carol and The Santa Clause. We went to the temple to see the lights, got together to exchange gifts, and did plenty of shopping. Laughter and crying happily were involved. So nice to be all together celebrating this time of year... too bad I forgot my camera.

10 Inches

2009-12-14T20:24:00.000-07:00

My husband, David, read an article in a dirt bike magazine about some of his favorite riders growing out their hair for Locks of Love. Locks of Love is where you donate your hair for wigs to give to children with cancer. It has to be at least ten inches long before you can donate it. After talking with our Bishop to get his input David has decided to grow out his hair. For those who know him, he has really wavy and puffy hair. Tonight I used my hair straightener to see how long his hair really was. Enjoy!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

2009-12-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Due to the blizzard warnings in Flagstaff there was a lot of snow falling up in Show Low and the Pinetop-Lakeside area. With all the snow they closed the schools for the day. Since I work in Show Low this means SNOW DAY! for me. However, this is all the snow we got in Snowflake. Nice but not enough for the schools to be closed.

Thanksgiving in Pinetop

2009-11-28T18:38:00.001-07:00

For Thanksgiving this year some of my family came up to Pinetop, AZ at the Nichols cabin which is nice because it is close to Snowflake. To help with making sure there was enough room, I watched Josh and Kortnei's dogs.

Lucy begging.

On Thanksgiving Day we all went to Woodland park in the morning to walk around the lake and play at the playground. It was a very nice and warm day.

Christmas Tree at Woodland Park.

Sam pointing at the lake. We were throwing rocks to crack the ice.

Josh and Jordan watching in fascination as the rocks crashed through.

Kortnei and Carly taking pictures.

David enjoying the view. We spent a lot of time by the lake.

My dad feeding the ducks.

Sam getting close to a duck.

My wonderful parents.

Playing on the swings :)

Every time we go to the cabin we always play Scrabble trying to beat our dad. This game was played after eating our delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

(Sorry it's blurry) Relaxing after eating.

This is at my place on Friday on their way back to the valley and picking up the dogs. Jill holding Miles.

The boys playing a dirt bike game.

This is on Saturday. I decided it was good time to put up my Christmas decorations. Same things as last year just done a little differently.

All in all I had fun with my family as usual. I loved being silly with my nephew Sam and playing Scrabble with everyone. The dinner was fantastic as were the pies my mom made. I'm grateful for my family and for the chance to be with them on Thanksgiving Day. Love you guys!

For My Birthday...

2009-10-16T15:18:00.001-07:00

I was lucky enough to visit my family in Gilbert, including my mom. I got there Friday morning and the first place I went was to Jordan and Carly's to see this little guy:

Sam and I (with Carly and my mom) are on our way to pick up Jill. I had given Sam a sucker since I knew he liked them so much.

We went to the mall to have lunch and shop. I miss the mall...

Sam playing in the mall.

Later that day we shopped everywhere. I got to go to Target, Ross, Kohls, Costco, Charlotte Russe, Barnes and Noble, and then have dinner with everybody at In and Out Burger.

Here we are eating...

having a good time.

I got lots of good gifts from my family including a painting from my incredibly talented sister.

I love this painting. Jill did an awesome job.

On Saturday we did some more shopping at the Santan mall. That afternoon we spent getting to know Kortnei's relatives that she has found. Sunday morning we had the opportunity to walk the Race for the Cure 5k that Josh and Kortnei do every year. Then we all went to IHOP for breakfast. Yummy!

Lots of people at the 5k. Totally cool!

Then on Monday we went to Hobby Lobby. It was my first time there and I wished I had been loaded with money :) Before I headed back home I got to see my cute nephew one more time as we ate lunch at Carl's Jr.

You are so cute Sam!

I had a blast hanging out with my family and shopping at places I don't have up here. It was a great birthday present to myself. I love being with them and I can't wait to see everyone again at Thanksgiving! Thanks again for all the birthday gifts and wishes!

The Best Decision I Have Ever Made

2009-09-20T18:31:00.000-07:00

Seven years ago today (Sept. 21st), I married my best friend who I LOVE very much. He has been the greatest husband than I ever could've ask for. I am so lucky and blessed to have him in my life for time and all eternity. I truly have enjoyed growing closer and having our love for each other grow stronger.

We decided this year that since our anniversary is on a Monday we would have our date on Saturday so we could spend the whole day together. So this last Saturday we started our day out with me making him one of our favorite things for breakfast. Scrambled eggs with melted cheese on top, bacon, and toast with strawberry jam. Very delicious! Then, we attended a 10 o'clock session at the Snowflake Temple. After that was a filling lunch at Chinese Wok Buffet in Show Low. Then, we used a gift card I had for the movies and chose to see 9. Not a romantic movie but an interesting one indeed... we both liked it for the movie that it was (a Tim Burton). Finally, we did our grocery shopping at Walmart since I don't get up there very often just to shop. It was a fun day to be together and tonight I will make him a steak and potato dinner. I look forward to having many more years to celebrate with my best friend and husband, David.

Those Darn Bloodsuckers...

2009-08-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

As a kid vacationing at the Nichol's cabin in Pinetop, AZ I would always be covered in mosquito bites, especially on my neck. When I was 16 I was out on the trampoline with my boyfriend one night and my legs were covered in mosquito bites. I have since then been very cautious during the summer. The last 5 years or so I have been really good and maybe only get bitten once. This summer that has all changed... we were outside having pie and ice cream (I had banana cream pie with chocolate ice cream; yum!) and I didn't change my shorts to pants or use bug spray because I had thought it was cool enough outside for mosquitos not to be out. Boy was I wrong! I have seven bites on the foot below (you can only see six), two on that same leg by the knee, two on my other foot, and one on that leg by my knee. So not fun and it has been a long time since I have itched so badly. I have discovered though that with some anti itch cream and Benadryl the itchiness does go away. I am definitely going to be more like my mom and always put on bug spray because I never want to go through this again.

Pictureless Week

2009-07-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

My mom had the chance to come up and visit me for a week. I didn't take pictures, although my mom took some so someday you will see them on her blog :) Anyway, she came up Friday and was here for Snowflake's Pioneer Day festivities on the 18th. We skipped on the parade because I wasn't going to be in it this time and instead went to the craft festival; which I have never been to. We saw a lot of cute things but nothing we were willing to buy for the amount of money they were asking for. Then we went out to the car and motorcycle show where David and his brother were this year to advertise and give out prizes to winners. I saw many cool cars and learned a lot about them :) Afterwards my mom and I had lunch and went to the quilt show which was small but fun.

The rest of the week was mainly being bums. She taught me how to make green chili burros, no-bake cookies, and our version of goulash. On Wednesday I finally saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (loved it) and we shopped at Walmart. We had a lot of goodies, read many books, and she is knitting me a sweater (her first), and pretty much hung out enjoying each other's company. I really like having my mom visit and this will be an annual event :)

Thanks for everything, Mom!

2 Weekends in 1 Post

2009-07-04T20:47:00.001-07:00

On the last weekend of June David and I got to go down to the "valley" for Sam's 1st birthday party. We had a BBQ and went swimming. David and I rode down on this:

It's a 2007 Yamah YZF-R6. I took this picture off the internet because I kept forgetting to take a picture of David's.

On our way to Sam's party.

Sam eating his 1st hotdog. Later Carly adds watermelon to the mix :)

My favorite picture! Sam liking his birthday song.

David holding Steve and Kristi's baby David (one of the twins). Love his serious face.

David cool in the pool.

Now onto 4th of July:

Our annual Bellybutton neighborhood party. Part of the crowd; most of them Flakes :)

Neighborhhood kids having fun on the trampoline.

My niece Tara (the blonde) sitting next her friends Stephanie and Talitha.

My niece Kimi hanging out.

David throwing sticks at me for fun.

Both weekends were a lot of fun! I love it when I get to hang out with my family and I was so happy to get to go swimming; it's been too long. The 4th of July party was great, too. I really enjoy my neighbors; especially Randy. He is the one that cooks all the meat for the BBQ each year and it is the best meat ever. We had chicken breasts, sausage, slabs of beef, pork ribs, tons of salads, chips, and of course dessert. Having fun this summer! And, while I am writing this the fireworks are going off in Taylor. I am not taking any pictures because I can see them out my bedroom window so I don't have to leave the house :)

2009-06-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

6th picture tag

Well I was tagged by my Aunt Bobbi at It's Good To Be Queen so here it goes...
The rules are simple 1)go into your picture file, 2)open the sixth folder, 3)find the sixth picture, and 4)to tell the story behind the picture.... 5)THEN to tag 5 more bloggers to do the same. :)

This picture was taken in June 2006. My sister-in-law Valeen works with Queen Creek's Performing Arts Center; right now they are doing Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. Anyway, that year they were doing Cinderella and she wanted David to try out with her and her husband because David has a good voice. David got the part of the chef where he got to sing two lines of a song and then later was the clumsy dancer at the ball. Valeen was the Fairy Godmother and her husband Brent was the town Mayor. It was a small production but a lot of fun to watch the rehearsals and finally opening night. I don't think David will ever do it again but I am glad he had the chance to do it.

I tag:

1. Ashley

2. Sarah

3. Kortnei

4. Janey (my mom)

5. Kristi

Because I am a fan...

2009-06-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

So, this morning after catching up on my emails, blogs, and all the updates on Facebook I had read from my aunt about Johnny Depp being the Mad Hatter for Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland (in 3-D). I remembered reading about this rumor right after his last pirate movie came out but had completely forgotten about until today. Anyway, being the dork that I am, I found a picture of what he is going to look like. Enjoy :) and... the movie will be coming out in March 2010.

Oh and Aunt Bobbi, I know I was tagged by you and I should have that blog up by next week :)

My Father...(An early Father's Day note)

2009-06-18T10:10:00.001-07:00

Well, I wrote one for my mom so it's only right that I have one for my dad.

Dad, you are the greatest! I enjoy all the things we do together like playing Scrabble, card games, or watching something. Growing up, you were a great dad. Always kind and understanding; and hardly ever getting mad. You are one of the nicest people I know; always ready to help if you can. As a kid I enjoyed watching M*A*S*H, Quantam Leap, and Columbo reruns with you. :) You are smart, loving, caring, and a great dad all around!

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

I love you!

A Weekend With Family

2009-05-17T17:55:00.001-07:00

This weekend David and I got to go down to Gilbert to spend time with family and see Cozette get baptized. It started off on Friday night at Someburros (yummy!) and yes, I did take some pictures. However, I accidently erased them on Saturday so I don't have any pictures of Donovan. Sorry, dude! Anyway, here are some I manage to save...

Cozette, after being baptized.

David and Sam. Two cute boys :)

Cozette swimmimg. We are at Jared's inlaws for a luncheon after the baptism.

My dad also taking pictures. He will have some of Donovan.

Kortnei and Jill. Kortnei is writing on a poster card for Cozette.

At Jordan's place playing with Sam. Such a cute boy.

This picture is blurry because Sam was walking towards me when I got the camera out. He was so much fun!

I also got to go shopping at Target (bought a shirt), Payless, (new flip flops), and we ate at Panda Express and Dairy Queen. The baptism was really good and I am so happy for Cozette. And, I want to thank Sam for making me laugh so hard this weekend :) I miss everyone already!

My Mother... (An early Mother's Day Note)

2009-05-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

I have the best mom in the world! She is my best friend and I love it when I get to hang out with her. It is fun when we talk about books or movies. I enjoy shopping with her and I miss going to Target with her on Saturdays. I like talking to her about silly things like, what's the new chocolate bar that's out there or about our favorite tv shows. She is kind, sweet, beautiful, loving, caring, and a whole lot of fun. She has help me through so much in my life and I want to thank you mom for all that you do.

A poem for you mom:

You are my mother and my friend,Which is unusual.Somehow our characters must blend:Your wisdom and my will.
I turn, and you are there for me;I speak, you understand.I feel cared for, but also free;You lead but don't command.
I'm fortunate that I was bornTo someone just like you;I love you, not just as my mom,But for what you are and do.

Mom I hope you have a good Mother's Day this Sunday! I love you!

A Guy Weekend

2009-04-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

David and his brother (Mike) went on an overnight camping trip. Mike's brother-in-law (Owen) and his friend (Mark) came with them; never having done something like this. Their transportation? Dual sport bikes. They rode up past Roosevelt Dam near Tortilla Flats. Here are a few pictures that were taken :

David

David (in the sunglasses), Owen, and Mark

Looking at the view

Mike posing while looking at the view

Roosevelt Dam

Their campsite

The guys had a very fun trip. And, what was I do all alone at home while David was out riding? Cleaning, doing laundry, running errands, going to a Relief Society activity, church meetings, and going to church all by myself. But, that's okay. I am glad David was able to go and have a good time. I just need to get out more :)

5 Things...

2009-04-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by my awesome aunt Bobbi so here we go...

5 Things I was doing 5 years ago:

1. Celebrating my 2nd year of marriage
2. Working with preschoolers with Autism
3. Turning 23
4. Reading a lot ... (wait, I still do that) :)
5. Waiting for Jordan to come off his mission

5 Things on my list to do today:

1. Go to work
2. Make dinner
3. Wash dishes
4. Check emails, blogs, and Facebook
5. Watch Smallville

5 Things I would do with a million dollars:

1. Pay off bills and debts
2. Buy a house
3. Buy a house for my mom and dad
4. Go to Disneyland
5. Put money away for a rainy day

5 Places I've lived:

1. Provo, Utah
2. Mesa, Arizona
3. Gilbert, Arizona
4. Snowflake, Arizona
5. ?

5 Jobs I've held:

1. Babysitter
2. Bagger at Albertsons
3. Worked where my dad worked... don't recall what my title was
4. Crossing guard
5. Preschool Aide

5 Things I want to be doing in 5 years:

1. Be in a house
2. Have an adopted child or two
3. Visit my parents more often because they will be living up here :)
4. Still riding
5. Continue to be a good loving wife

5 People I tag:

1. Stacey
2. Ashley
3. Cassie
4. Kortnei
5. Carly

A little tidbit:

2009-03-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

For awhile now they have been trying to get Snowflake and Taylor to become one town (Snowflake-Taylor). The gossip is that Taylor doesn't want to because then it would just end up being called Snowflake for short and Taylor will be forgotten... or something like that. Anyway, people in Snowflake don't really care what we name the town we just want to become one. I heard today that they might name the "new" town Silver Creek City. So, I guess we will see what happens.

My complaint for the day :)

2009-03-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

Okay so as of Feb. there was a law that passed that said it was illegal to sell lead toys to children 12 and under. But, the CPSC worded that law that said all products for children 12 and under with lead were illegal. This included dirt bikes because as you all know children put dirt bikes in their mouths to suck on them. So now all the companies that were selling children's dirt bikes can't sell them anymore and kids can't ride anymore until they are older. It also means that my husband and his brother can't work on fixing little kid's dirt bikes because no one can sell new parts. Now, the stupidest thing about all this is that the government said that the CPSC can restate the fact; saying it's okay to sell children's dirt bikes and kids can start riding again. But, they haven't...

Our "Green Day" Party

2009-03-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy St. Patrick's Day. Part of the reason is because it's the day when I was first kissed (a fond memory) and the other part is because it's fun to go all out wearing green and listening to Irish music. Growing up in Gilbert St. Patrick's Day was always during Spring Break. But up here in Snowflake and Pinetop we are still in school so I really love doing projects and having a "green day" party.

Here is a picture of my classroom with our lucky clovers hanging from the ceiling.

My cute class ready to eat their morning snack.

Our morning snack: "green" chocolate covered strawberries.

One of my boys posing. All my kids got a picture taken with these glasses by the sign they made. I printed out each picture and made a magnet for their parents.

One of my girls playing with green play doh that we had made. Each kid got to take some home.

Our afternoon snack: green milk and cookies.

We had lots of fun. I played my Irish music all day and one of our highschool students taught them an Irish dance. We read Irish books and sang some St. Patrick's Day preschool songs. Sometimes I just really love my job :)

A Fun Weekend

2009-02-22T17:46:00.001-07:00

My Valentine's gift from David was the chance to go down to Gilbert for the weekend. My mom was down there taking care of Cozette and Donovan while Jared and Astrid were in Hawaii. I arrived Friday morning before noon and since the kids were in school we went and visited Josh. I did not get to see Kortnei, she was still at work, and they were leaving for a trip in Tucson later that afternoon. I hope they are having fun. Anyway, we watched movies, went shopping, and ate at fast food places that I don't have here in Snowflake. I had lots of fun! Thanks David for a great gift!

Here is my mom and Josh with his dogs; Miles and Chubbs.

Cozette and Donovan on their scooters.

Cozette hanging out.

Mom knitting socks. I can't wait to get a pair!

A lovely "myspace" picture of Jill and me. We were getting ready to go shopping at the mall.

My two cute nephews (Donovan and Sam) hanging out on a Saturday night. Sam has the best smile! He is such a happy boy!

In this picture: Jordan on the couch (he moved right when I took it so he's all blurry), Cozette, Donovan, and Carly helping Sam walk. Sam is 8 months old today!

Haircut and Dye

2009-01-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

I finally got a haircut today. Here is a BEFORE picture where you can see that the back is getting long.

And the AFTER picture where it is all nice and short. I also colored my hair two colors; the bottom darker than the top and sides (if you couldn't tell :)

I do love a good haircut.

Really Quick...

2009-01-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

My aunt Bobbi (It's Good to be Queen in the blog world) had this thing where you find out the hidden meaning in your name. She got it at It Could Be Worse with Envoy-ette. Anyway, I tried it and here is the part I think describe me the most:

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

MLK Day: a day off to ride

2009-01-19T15:02:00.001-07:00

Today David and I went out on his Honda 650 for a ride. He took me out near Woodruff, a very small town, to see a waterfall. Here is a picture of his bike when we got there.

This a picture of me standing on the top of the waterfall looking down.
Here is David looking around. Another look at the water flowing. Took a picture of my shadow. This is the rock wall we climbed down to get closer to the waterfall. A closer look at the waterfall. I like it. David an I followed the creek to where it was frozen. David on the ice. A look at my feet on the ice.
Here is what looks like weird bird nests in the rocks. Kind of cool. And me getting ready to skate on the ice with my shoes...lol
Anyway, we both had a good time and I am glad we were able to go. I have been wanting to see this waterfall since David and Mike discovered it over a year ago on one of their bike rides. What a fun day off from work.

SUPERCROSS 2009

2009-01-11T19:23:00.001-07:00

This year we left for the valley on Thursday because before the race on Saturday we were able to attend a Parts Unlimited showcase Thurs. night. My brother-in-law Mike, David's brother, uses them as a supplier for his shop (Speed Merchants) and we were all invited. The showcase was held at Chase Field; same place where Supercross is held.

This was one of many booths to look at for the Parts Unlimited showcase.

It was a catered event.

Here is a picture of some of the fancy food we ate. The food was one of the best David and I have ever had for a catered event.
They were giving out prizes and David won a pair of Thor boots because he had on Thor apparel and had a business card on him. Sadly, the boots were not his size so we sold them to our friend Dean.

And this was the very yummy and very chocolately (my favorite) dessert.

Now on the day of Supercross. This is outside in the PITS as it is called. In the PITS you can see all the different race teams, what they have this year, enter to win things like a new truck or boat, and buy motocross apparel. Or, like this crowd you can stand in line forever to try and get an autograph from a rider. They were waiting for James Stewart to come out.

Here is David walking around in the PITS.

Ok, this is a picture of Mike and his son Damon. If you click on this picture you will see them better. Mike is in the bright blue jacket with a program or something sticking out of his back pocket and his son (our nephew) is next to him on his left side, shorter and wearing a black hoodie. Thanks to Parts Unlimited they got to go out and walk on the field before the race. Totally cool; David and I are jealous.

Here is the view of the track from our seats.

And a lovely picture of David and I in our seats.

It was a really good race and we had lots of fun. I wasn't able to take pictures of any races because once they start everyone is standing up. A cool part of the event is that they were pulling out either a seat # or a section # for small prizes in between the races and our section 111 won. Everyone in that section got a coupon for a free jumbo jack at Jack In The box. I love going to Supercross; an event I didn't know existed until I met David. We have been going every year since we got married. I am glad I am able to share this sport he loves with him.

This is for you Kortnei...(and other info.)

2009-01-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we finally had a good snow day here in Snowflake

This is the view of the backyard out of our kitchen window.

And this is the view of the front yard out of our family room window.
David and I had a good New Year's Eve. We had pizza and ice cream and watched Death Race. At midnight we said Happy New Year's and I texted everyone in my family the same thing. Then we went to bed 10 minutes later. On New Year's Day we did nothing but be lazy all day. I finished my first lesson that I had to do in Relief Society and am happy to say it went well. Now I am back at work and waiting for this coming weekend for Supercross.

Christmas time

2008-12-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

This year for Christmas, David and I went down to Gilbert to spend it with family. I remembered my camera and actually took some pictures of my family. I did not, sadly, remember to take my camera to David's family so I only have pictures of my family. I am , however, doing better having a camera with me so this year I hope to do better at taking pictures.

This is Josh and Kortnei's tree. Very pretty.

Under the tree with all our presents.

Miles opening his present.

Miles succeeded and is now eating his present.

Cozette and Donovan opening their presents.

Sam opening his present.
Sam playing with the present David and I gave him.
The messy floor after all the presents are opened.

Under the tree with no more presents :(

It was a good christmas and had lots of fun being around family. Maybe next time I will have pictures of David's family for I do like them, too :)

White Elephants Gifts

2008-12-21T15:56:00.001-07:00

Every year David's family does the white elephant game. It is played brutally by his family and the gifts are good to absolutely disgusting (like slime). David and I have usually brought gifts that we have found either at Savers or Goodwill. Last year David brought down snow in a small ice chest which (in Chandler, AZ) our nieces and nephews loved! This year I am bringing a HOOTER'S small serving tray and David decided to make somthing out of steel.

This is the first thing David made and it turned out so cool we decided to keep it.

This guy falling off the unicycle is the second thing he made. It is also cool but we thought it would be a fun gift for the game. Kind of a "hot" item to fight over.

Saturday

2008-11-29T20:27:00.001-07:00

I put up our christmas tree today as I am sure many people did. We have a small fake tree because it is easier in an apartment. I like blue and silver together so here are two pictures of the tree with some village houses I have been given along with a few lighthouses that have been gifts. Love the lighthouses; they are my favorite. If you can tell, I have five that are use as christmas decorations. I have a lot more as everyday decorations around the apartment.

Turkey Day...

2008-11-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving Day was a blast! Everyone, except Jared's family, came up to Pinetop for the weekend. They stayed at my grandma's cabin and of course, the dork that I am, I forgot to bring my camera. So if you want to see pictures from this weekend they will probably be on Kortnei's or Carly's blog. It snowed on Thanksgiving which was fun; my brother's don't get to see that very often so they enjoyed it. I got to hold and play with my new nephew Sam; he's so adorable! I played scrabble with my dad, Josh, and Jill. Our dad won. We watched our Thanksgiving movie- Planes, Trains, and Automobiles- a movie that we have watched every Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember and still enjoy it. We went shopping at Walmart, played Uno, Phase 10, and my mom, Jill, and Carly saw Twilight. Our Thanksgiving dinner was very good and I can't wait to see everyone again at Christmas.

Lol Cats

2008-11-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

So during the evenings in our home I will find myself reading a book while watching one of my favorite TV shows and David on the computer checking email. After awhile I will realize that he has been on there for some time and laughing a lot. Eventually I will ask him what he is laughing at and 9 times out of 10 he is looking at pictures of cats at lolcats.com. This is a guy who thinks cats are spawn of the devil and is allergic to them; so we will never own one; but loves to spend time looking at funny pictures of cats. He will spend hours looking at these pictures getting a good laugh. I guess it is better than what he could be looking at on the computer but it still was something I've never expected coming from him :)

Random pictures

2008-11-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some random pictures that I have taken in the last year in Snowflake. A picture of Jill and I when she came up in the summer, our back yard with a pit bike track in the farthest corner, our first snow day (no school) and David and his brother decided to ride their pit bikes in the snow, Supercross event in Phoenix from last year (David and I go every January), our race truck ( a Blazer) that we rolled on our 5th anniversary (we weren't hurt and I actually wished I had it on video as it was my first time in an accident and we did roll about two times before landing upright), and a picture of the apartment we live in; the front door is actually in the backyard. I have more pictures on myspace but this gives you an idea of my life.

Hello...

2008-11-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

So, David and I moved to Snowflake, Arizona about a year and 8 months ago. We live on Bellybutton Ln; a neighborhood that is in Snowflake but in the middle of Snowflake-Taylor, AZ. Our apartment is above my brother-in-law's garage and on 2 and 1/2 acres of land. Next to their house is Speed Merchants; the dirt bike and accessories shop David and his brother run. I work at a preschool at Blue Ridge Highschool in Pinetop, AZ; the area where my dad's family's cabin is. I have a class of nine 2-3 year-olds that I watch and teach everyday during school hours. It is my second year at this preschool and I enjoy it very much and am lucky to have this job. David and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary this last September and I recently turned 27 last month. For my birthday David got me an Honda XR 100 dirt bike as I am learning to ride. I went on my first trail ride two weekends ago and enjoyed it very much. Only fell three times but wasn't hurt. David turns 28 this Saturday and will probably take him to the new James Bond movie.

As for children we do not have any yet but I have started to go to the docter's to see what's up. I don't know if I will be able to have children but will hopefully find out soon. I am waiting to schedule for a CAT scan and then will go from there. I am okay with the option of adopting; it's just taking awhile to figure out what's going on.

Today was the first day it mildly snowed. So winter is coming. Last year was my first year driving around in snow. I'm glad to say I survived and while I enjoy the snow days I could do without the cold it brings. I have tomorrow off because of Veteran's Day and am going to a Relief Society meeting (I'm the 1st counselor), and plan to do some visiting teaching and reading. Oh, I also have homework to do from the Early Childhood Development class I am taking through a teacher at Blue Ridge. Anyway, that's it for now; will write later. Jaclyn