I forgot my adapter to put my pictures of my side of the families pictures on, all the pictures on here are from Justin's side of the family. I'll have to add my side of the families picture later.

The hoiliday season

So this past week has been a blast. Christmas was amazing, I must say I got rather spoiled on both sides. But the best Christmas present of all was that I got to talk to Justin! Oh my gosh I was so excited to talk to him. He's a little homesick, but what missionary isn't at Christmas time? It cracks me up because he was saying how cold it was at fifty some odd degrees. He said it's a "different" kind of cold. He said he's going to take me to Arizona in the winter time when he gets home to prove that it really is cold and that he's not just crazy. He hasn't been away from Utah long enough to know what cold really is! My parents keep our house at five degrees I sweart! Not a fan of the cold, i'm excited for it to warm up again. But anyway, Christmas was very good, only one thing would have made it better, but one more Christmas without Justin and everything will be complete in my life. Thats the only thing I wanted for Christmas was my missionary in Arizona, but I didn't get it. Santa told me to be patient, and I will have him soon enough. I hope that everyone has been having a good holiday season, and a happy new year!

Hoo-ra!

So I was on facebook, and my friend, Nate from school, started chatting with me. He asked me if I passed all of my classes and I didn't know. So I went and checked, and turns out I PASSED ALL MY CLASSES!!! I am so freakin stoked. So that made my day! It's been okay to be home, but I do miss Ephraim a lot, but I know things will all work out for the best. Justin is doing really well, he just had a baptism and spoke in church and at the baptism. He is doing really good. I am so proud of him! He is the most outstanding person I have ever met, and I get to talk to him on Christmas!! I am really looking forward to that. Also another fun thing that happened this week, my family had our Christmas party and "Mr. and Mrs. Clause" came to visit us (it actually was Justins parents, Joel and Robin) They did an awesome job and my nephews were so excited to see them. My oldest nephew, Zack was my favorite to watch. When they left, Zack was like, "oh my gosh! I can't believe I got to meet the real Santa Clause!! It was really fun to be with all of my family and not just some of them. I had a blast. Good times.

Christmas Tag

Christmas Tag1-
Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both
2. Real tree or Artificial? Both
3. When do you put up the tree? Whenever my mom feels like it, so December 24th :)
4. When do you take the tree down? Depends, if it was my house a couple of days after Christmas
5. Do you like eggnog? Gross, no thanks
6. Favorite gift received as a child? street walker barbie!
7. Hardest person to buy for? my brother in laws probably
8. Easiest person to buy for? my little sister, whikky
9. Do you have a nativity scene? my mom does
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail all the way. I get mail a lot though from Justin
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't know?
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas, The Grinch, and Holiday inn
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever I can
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I don't really care..
16. Lights on the tree? heck yes
17. Favorite Christmas song? "bring him home santa" its so cute! go look it up
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen, Rudolph and Oliver ( all of the other reindeer) get it?
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The malls are always jam packed
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red
24. Favorite place to have Christmas dinner? Grandma Almond's of course...
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A missionary from Arizona
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? hmmm probably Codie. My sisters already did it.

My last weekend

L to R me, steph,Kels,Britt, emily, and Annie off in the distance



Bo and Jo (hey that rhymes!)

This was actually last night, not this weekend. Happy birthday Katie!So I officially had my last weekend as a student in Ephraim, Utah. :( I'm not going to lie, I am heart broken. But like my mom keeps telling me, "you have to move forward in your life" and I know it's my decision to leave and all but I can't help that I am super sad to be leaving all my friends, a job that I love and most of all, my roommates. But this weekend was a blast! there must have been something in our water because we were all one! we were so hyper! The girls across the hall came over and played with us. Here are some pictures of our crazy weekend.

Some updates on my family, my sister Aimee is having another boy! the boys are starting to outnumber the girls!! My cute little nephew, Reed had surgery and Katee said that he did fabulous and is doing really great. I move back home on Saturday, and finals are stressing me out! thank goodness the semester is almost over for that reason. Justin is doing really well. He seems more uplifting every letter I get. I am amazed with how outstanding he is. I am so lucky to have him in my life. He is a true blessing in my life and I love him to death! I just want to tell my roommates how much I love them and how much I have enjoyed living with them. Love you guys!

Thanksgiving break

My cute little sister and I

It's a little blury, but my sisters, mom, and my niece, grandma and me

oh how cute!!

Getting a haircut..

I think Justin likes that zebra. ha ha

So this Thanksgiving break was heavenly!! it was nice to get away and relax for a little bit. We had Thanksgiving at my house this year, most of my family came up then that evening I went up for games and pie at Justin's house. While I was down at school my sisters, mom and grandma made us way cute aprons. They did a great job on them!! I love my family to death. It was way good to be together with them. So like I said, I went to Justin's house that night. It was weird, my sisters all came to dinner at my house, and then to their inlaws that night. I felt like I was going to my inlaws but with no husband! He's in Arizona! Anyway, we played "pit" I had never played before but it was a riot. Codie kept winning every hand, but thats because I found out that she and Robin were cheating!! They just wanted to beat Nate. But either way, it was a blast. Justin sent me my letters at home and I got his smart card , but mine didn't work, the one he sent to his family worked. He's doing really good. Says it's finally starting to cool down, which means into the sixties. He got a new companion named Elder Easdon. They get along really well, both clean freaks which Justin loves. Because he indeed is clean freak. They spent Thanksgiving at Elder Easdon's mom's sisters best friend or something like that. Somehow Elder Easdon knows them? I haven't heard how it was. But here are some of the pictures he sent home. He looks really happy. Anyway, tell next time!

Twilight

So this weekend wasn't all that great. There has been a little tension here and there. I think everyone has had enough of each other, so it'll be good to go home for Thanksgiving. I went and saw Twilight over the weekend though, and I must say, that it was absolutly amazing!!!! I LOVED it. I remember always telling Justin that he was my werewolf because I loved Jacob, but i'm now leaning towards Edward all the way. My sisters will be happy to read this because for so long they tried to get me to convert to Edward, well now I am admitting it, even though I do like Jacob still. It's a good thing Justin isn't here becuause he got so sick of me talking about "Twilight" and always reading the books. When he gets home I will for surely have the movie and make him watch it over and over again. Oh poor Justin, what a life he lives with me. Anyway, I recommend going to see the movie, it does help if you have read the books, because your not going to understand the true meaning of the movie. My sisters and I loved it so much that we are going to see it again. I'm even thinking about taking Codie with me. She hasn't seen it yet. But I will convert her to my ways!! So if you haven't seen it, get goin right now!

Crazy girls

On Saturday I had to work from five to close. I work at the Activities Center at Snow College. I freakin love it. But the only thing that bites about is the laundry we have to do. We give out towels, shirts, shorts, swimming suits and a bunch more stuff. The most popular thing we have is probably the swimming pool and people ask for towels and bring them back at about five to ten and we close at TEN! So I have to wait for all the laundry to be done before I can get out of there. Well like I said, I worked Saturday and had with it being a weekend, it was very busy and I had a lot of laundry to do. I didn't get out of there until 11:30! So Britt being the sweetheart she is brought me dinner and came and helped me close (were allowed to have a friend with us while we are closed) So she took some funny pictures of me inside the dryer at work. We were laughin pretty hard.

Also the other night, Stef came over and she was a cheerleader at Taylorsville high. I always ask her to do a cheer for me but she never will. We were talking about her cheer outfit and told her to go and get it, so I tried it on just to be dumb. We had to take a picture. I told them in my next life maybe I will be a cheerleader! ha ha

One more important thing happened this week. My dearest sweetheart, Justin sent home his smart card and it had a bunch of videos on it that he just took here and there. It made my week! I miss him so so SO much, but what he is doing is more important. He's doing good. I think he is getting adjusted to the life as a missionary. But all in all, he's doing good. And he has been out two months tomorrow (the seventeeth)!!! but hopefully time passes quicker than it has. But anyway, till next time!

Wall sits!

To start out, college life is CRAZY!! We have a freakin blast together. If we don't have something fun to do, we find things to do around our apartment. Lately, we have been doing wall sits. There not very fun but we sometimes have contests to see who can go longer, or just for pictures! here are some of the pictures we took. The girls across the hall come over frequently come over. The blonde is Stef and the other is Annie. There super fun! but here are just some pictures we took over the weekend.

Our slumber party!

Brittany and me with her massive heap of blankets!
Our slumber party

So my roommate, Kelsey M. had the bright idea of making a human pyramid so of course, we did. We are pretty good friends with some guys from fairview. Its about a half an hour from school and they always come over to hang out with us. from L to R is Wes, Josh, Mitch then Kelsey and Katelyn. It was a lot of fun.
Also, this weekend, Britt and I had a slumber party in our front room! It was just she and I. I love Brittany with all my heart and soul! We get along great, I really consider her as one of my sisters! I'm going to miss her. :(

Wow, how blonde am i?

So this is totally random, but i was laughing my head off. I am a total pineapple, i'm a brunette on the outside and blonde on the inside..I was in my car on my way up to Justin's house to hang out with his family, I frequently go up whenever I come home, with him being gone and all. Anyway, I was listening to a cd and I thought that I put another cd in, so that would mean I had two cd's in my cd player, I begin to freak out and pushing the eject button and it would NOT come out. So I thought, "crap I ruined my cd player" So I finally get to Justin's house and tell Codie and Robin (Justins mom) about my tragic experience. Codie's husband, Nate is good with this kind of stuff and Codie said he could help me out later that weekend. I come up two days later, which is a Sunday, and Nate takes my car and begins to look at the problem. He comes back about 45 minutes later and tells me that the reason why my cd wouldn't come out, is because there was absolutly no cd in there!!! I am such an idiot, I swear I put two cd's in. WOW!! Justin's family will never ever let this down. We all got a good kick out of it. News got to Justin, and he laughed about the whole situation. Sorry you have a retarded girlfriend Justin!! So Robin sent me this picture and I thought it was hilarious. Thanks Robin!

State

So once again, it's my favorite time of year. Time for the state championships! My best friend Kelsey and I played for the state title our senior year and decided to go this year to support the girls that we used to play with and just to support Morgan in general. For those of you who don't know, Morgan is known for our volleyball team. We took state last year and it was the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. So with going to stae, we had high hopes for the girls. They ended up taking 4th place!!! They didn't play very well, but oh well..next year I guess? We ended up taking our roommate, Brittany with us. She is from Emery and her little sister plays volleyball so she wanted to go and see her sister. Here are some of the pictures we took at state. Even though the girls didn't play very well, it was still way fun to see everybody. It was like a reunion to see everybody. We had a lot of fun.

Finally pictues and videos from Justin!

This cracks me up, Justin and I took a picture there once and I guess it is kind of our spot he said that Elder Gibson was "comforting" him

Here is Justin and Elder Gibson, they aren't companions but they grew to be good friends.

The other day, Justin's mom, Robin called me to tell me that Justin sent home his "smart card" home to view his pictures and videos. We just had to plug it into the computer and we could watch all the stuff he has been up to. He sent home the stuff he did in the MTC with the other Elders. WOW! boys will be boys, there crazy thats for sure. He has lost about 8 lbs since he's left and you can totally tell. It was so good to actually see him instead of just letters. I am amazed with technology now a days. It makes things so much easier. Anyway, here is just a couple of things he sent home....

My fall break

I love these pictures! Kyler so enjoyed my kisses all night!

This weekend was my fall break. I went home on wednesday, then went back down to school on Sunday. This weekend was really fun. I went shopping pretty much everyday with my sisters. It was good to spend time with them. My little sister Whitni went down to the gateway, it was really fun to just spend time with my little sister. She is a freshman in high school and is growing up so fast that I just wanted to hang out with her. So I just hung out here and there then Saturday was when I really had plans. Every year Justin's family and friends go to a haunted house. I've kind of been adopted into his family the past couple of months, even more so since he has been gone. Every time I go home I always stop in at their house for a couple of hours and hang out. I love his family to death, there always doing something fun and making me laugh, I think it's good for both Justin's family of I with Justin being gone. Anyway, Saturday we went to a haunted corn maze. It was a freakin blast! Justin's family is really close to their next door neighbors, The Kinseys. They are hilarious, as i've gotten to know them I have really learned to love them. I feel like them and the Riches are my "second family" I had a blast and was constantly laughing. Bryan, Sherri and their son Kyler Kinsey are way fun to be with. Bryan, the whole night was trying to scare Codie and me, It was fun though. While Justin is gone, for those that have seen "P.s. I love you" Justin is doing that for me once a month for two years. My October "P.s. I love you" was to go to the haunted corn maze with his family and he had something for me to wear. Turns out it was a pumpkin costume. I looked like a fruit cake, but thats okay, I wore it for pictures and then took it off. Here are just some of the pictures we took. Happy Halloween!

The crazy weekend

This was at the bon fire, thats our neighbor across the hall, Emily. We love her!

At the football game, it was freezing!

So this weekend was a lot of fun! It was homecoming! We went to the pep rally, the bon fire and the homecoming football game. I must say that it was absolutly freezing! We only stayed until half time then jetted back to our apartment. Kelsey R. and Katelyn went home this weekend so they missed out on all the fun, but thats okay, maybe next time. Kelsey M. got asked to the dance by her friend Jake. I did her hair and makeup. She said it was too girly, so I redid her hair like five times I swear! It was so freakin cute the first time I did it, but she said it just wasn't her. She looked hot, but whatever she is who she is. So I calmed her hair down a little bit and got her ready for the dance. It was like I was playing dress up with a human barbie doll! I picked out her dress, did her hair, makup, helped her pin her dress and watched her go on her date while I sat home with Britt. Our neighbors across the hall, Emily and Kelly came over and watched a movie as well. This weekend was a lot of fun. It's fall break so this weekend everyone is going home so next weekend we'll kick it up in Ephraim, Utah

At the Pep rally

Just Me and Britt

Once again, just me and britt

We did it!

So you know how in my last blog I said one day we will master the art of climbing walls? Well last night, we did it! We were exstastic, it took us a little while, but we got it. Kelsey M. got it in after like the second time, what an acrobat! Kelsey R. and I were determined to get it, and we finally did. It hurt so bad, but it was worth it. We can now say that we have climbed the walls! we got a lot of video of it, There is one where I finally got it, and there is one where I was attempting it. We were laughing so hard, like I said, you have to make your own fun around here. We did this at about 11:30 last night, the people below us probably hate us because we were so loud, but hey, what do you expect with a bunch of college students?

College life

So the other night, we were all so hyper! Kelsey M. and I were bouncing off walls, actually we were trying to climb up the walls but it wasn't working, someday we'll be able to climb walls and be cool, but now we'll just stick with what we know. So we went to the next best thing, we sat on the walls, our legs were burning! oh ya baby! Kelsey R. decided to join in with the fun and jumped on in. College life with these girls is a freakin blast! We have a lot of fun together! Brittany being who she is, wouldn't get in any of the pictures, so she was our photographer and katie lyn upside down was in her room either studying or asleep, I think we drive her crazy sometimes, but hey you have to make your own fun in good o'l Ephraim, utah!

Getting a little sassy!

our closet is becoming ridiculous. I need to stop shopping but i can't seem to stop!So me and Kelsey are roomies, and loving it!

One busy weekend!

So this weekend was super fun. I went home for the weekend for general conference and Justin's sister Codie and I went shopping. We went shopping the previous weekend and since we spent so much money at Kohl's, we got bonus bucks that we had to spend this weekend or they would expire So we had to go and spend that. Man, I feel like all I have done is go shopping, but thats totally fine with me! I love shopping, I don't think I could ever get sick of it. My roommate Kelsey keeps giving me crap cause we both already have so many clothes and with me going shopping all the time, it is not helping out the space issue that we already have. Thats okay, she can borrow them anytime she wants. It's nice having your best friend be the same size as you. It's like doubling our closet, and not to mention the shoes that we have combined! You gotta love being a girl. Also this weekend was my sister Aimee's birthday, we had a get together on Sunday and hung out, I unfortunately left for school and didn't get to stay just as they were bustin out rock band. Darn. On my way to school, I always stop at Justins house to hang out with his family, i'm actually with them quite a big. I love them to death! Justins sister, Codie and I are super tight and I love his parents to death! It makes it easier with Justin being gone. They have that empty part in their heart that only Justin can fill in to. So we can suffer together! Just kidding, Justin is doing what he needs to do. He leaves for Arizona tomorrow! i'm hoping that maybe I will get to talk to him for a second while he's at the airport, but we'll see. I hope so though. I guess we will just have to wait and see what tomorrow brings! While Justin's been gone I have only got two letters. I was feeling a little neglected cause it's not like Justin to not write me often, I just figured he was busy, well I guess he had something wrong with my address so all the letters he had been writting to me got sent back to him! he sent them to his house after he got them back. I came home on Friday and got my letters at their house. There was about six letters just waiting for me. I was so happy, I had a smile on my face all night. It was so nice to hear from him!

Update on Elder Riches

Justin has been in the MTC in Provo for the last 15 days and counting! It feels like he's been gone for 15 years rather than 15 days, but i'm trying to keep busy while he's gone to make the time go by faster. I've come to realize the days that I am just going, going, and going that the days go by faster and i'm not stressing about him being gone as much. I miss him like crazy, but it's getting easier and it will keep getting easier....I hope. ANYWAY, Justin leaves for Arizona October 8th. His flight leaves at 8:30 and he'll be to his destination about 9:15. Wow, what a long flight. He's doing good, he's super homesick, but what missionary isn't when they first start out? Justin is a huge home body. He loves his family, and loves being with them so for him to be away from them is a huge adjustment. Justin is the biggest social butterfly I have ever met in my life. I think of myself as one, but I think he has me beat, which is hard to do! He's an excellent communicator so that will help him out extremly on his mission. His companion right now is super shy and he said that he doesn't dig that, but his companion is good with scripture references and Justin does that talking, so I guess everything works out. I know he's going to love being on his mission in no time! He's going to be an awesome missionary!

Kelsey that little snot, she loves my feet! They all dropped me the second the picture was over! what nice roommates I have!

Trying to pose!

Just another day in Ephraim

My roommates and I have a freakin blast together! unfortunatly, my best friend, Kelsey Rees isn't coming back after this semester so I am super sad about that, but everything will work out just fine. So I finally have a picture of my other roommate Katelyn! She was actually home when we wanted to take pictures. Don't ask what Kelsey Mckinnon is doing cause I have no idea, she was being a spaz!

Me and my roommates!

Kelsey M. kind of got cut out of this picture

Katelyn left for home, so she unfortunately isn't in this picture but from L- R there is Kelsey R, Kelsey M, me and then Brittany

So I'm down at Snow College, for those of you who don't know where that is, it's located in a little town called Ephraim. It's about two and a half hours away from my hometown in Morgan. I usually go home every weekend cause of Justin, but seeing how he's gone, I go home for either farewells or just to be with my family and Justin's family. Anyway, I am living with four girls, so with me, there are five of us all in one apartment. I room with my best friend Kelsey Rees, she and I went to school together and played volleyball in high school. I love her to death! then there is Brittany Huntington and Katelyn Stansworth and they are in the room next to me, there so much fun to hang out, Brittany cracks me up, she works at the local pizza place and brings us home dinner once and a while, so if you come down to Ephraim and want some pizza, our apartment has the hookups! Katelyn has a bunch of funny stories, if i ever get bored, I go chill in their room, they keep me entertained. Then last but not least, there's Kelsey Mckinnon, she has her own room and she's at the very end of the hall, she's Crazy and fun to to be around! she's always gone doing something or other, but when she is home, we all have a fun and crazy times. I love my roommates, some people get weird roommates but boy i lucked out!

Sending off Elder Riches

So the day finally came, I can't believe it! Justin left for the MTC Wednesday, September 17, 2008. Justin and I have been dating since January and I remember him telling me on our first date that he was planning on going on a mission later in the year..I thought it would never come, but boy was I wrong. I can't believe he is already out and about. Justin leaves for Arizona October 8th. It's crazy how time flies!

Sending off Elder Riches

Justin, my mom and me at Justin's farewell

Justin at the MTC

Justin and I and a couple of friends went down to Provo just to mess around and we decided to take a gander at the MTC seeing how Justin would be there in a couple of weeks anyway, we ended up taking a couple of pictures for the memories, it's crazy cause he's right there right now!