I love being an Auntie!

The same day that my nephew Carson was born my sister's sister-in-law had a little girl, Kaleigh Ann Kleiner. (she was born at 9PM on 09/09/09). I have the wonderful opportunity to go visit with her and her mama, Jenna, almost every week. These two little ones are the light of my life; when all else goes wrong and then I walk in their houses to see their faces light up, the world gets set right again!

Here are 9 month photos they took of the two of them. My sister and her husband were just so excited they kept him alive that long! They high-five each other all the time over keeping him alive.

Already drooling over girls...we'll have to talk about it being his cousin...

They are so cute! I hope they grow up to be the best of friends!

At 10 months old they bought him his first cowboy hat. He loves wearing it, especially when mama and daddy are wearing their cowboy hats too!

Over the summer Carson fell in love with the pool. He especially loves being thrown in the air, and Robin caught the perfect picture of me throwing him!

On their first birthdays we went shopping for their presents. My big grin is due to the fact that when both of them saw me they started reaching for me. Nothing thrills an auntie more then when the little ones she loves love her back!

Robin made giant cupcakes for each of them. Carson is protesting that it's not big enough! ;)

Kayleigh mows hers before we even lit the candle to sing!

My parents came into town to be here for Carson's first birthday. They took up to the botanical gardens, which were super cool. I tried to get a shot of Carson and my sister but he was too enthralled by the flower in his hand.

Getting a little dirt on his face while grandma sets up a garden for them.

Look at that face! I just love him!!!

For Jasons birthday I got him a new cowboy hat and Robin snapped this impromptu photo of them, I think it's my favorite shot of the two of them!

Carson from the time he could crawl moderately well learned to crawl out the dog door (they have three large dogs...hence the big doggie door). He loves being outside, so it's great that he can get out there on his own...but it cracks me up because it's so hick! I love it!

White Water Rafting Rocks!

I have been making plans for almost a year to go visit my grandpa Martin (my mothers father) and my great aunt Vi in Carson City, Nevada. After two tries and having to cancel the week of each time I finally was determined to go over the summer. Turns out that my best friend, Heidi Hydrick, grew up in the same neighborhood as them and she had plans to go visit her grandparents over the summer too; so we coincided our trips. Heidi is hard core in all of her outdoor skills; one which she has been doing since she was 7 is white water rafting--one of the higher things on my bucket list. Being that the American River in California is 2 hours from Carson City, we made plans to go rafting while we were there. The trip started out pretty rough for me. I had gotten maybe an hour of sleep the night before, and so I went about my Friday business and came home a couple of hours before my flight was to depart. With my bags ready to go I thought I'd take a quick half hour nap before my friend came to pick me up for the airport. Unfortunately I was so exhausted I didn't think to set an alarm. My friend had taken a business call and lost all track of time. When he got done he rushed to my house and frantically knocked on the door. I had assumed that when he got there the knocking would wake me, but it didn't. He didn't see me through the window so he went back to his car, but thought he'd better try one more time, so came back and rang the doorbell. To this I woke up and discovered that I had half an hour until my flight departed! Completely disoriented from lack of sleep/waking up from a deep sleep I stumbled to the door with my bags and we rushed to the airport in a panic. Luckily I live close, but still I only had 15 minutes when we arrived. You want to talk about stressed! I think I am usually pretty chill, but the panic had gripped me by this point. It was the last flight that night into Reno, I had already re-scheduled this trip two times before, and Heidi and I had plans to go rafting the next morning. I skycapped my luggage and sprinted to the security check, which was unfortunately busy...at least 100 or 150 people. I stood in line, with I'm sure a wild haze in my eyes, and fanned myself with my ticket and tried to remind myself to breath so I would calm down. The woman in front of me asked if I was ok and I told her my plane was taking off in 5 minutes. She told me to cut, but I protested that there were too many people to cut. She persisted and so I started muttering my excuse and passing people, about 50 people in a lady told me to just go over to the special needs line for the flight attendants and such. I got through security, booked it across the airport and was the last one on the plane. It didn't take off for at least 10 minutes after that, but I didn't care, I was so happy to be on it. I think I nearly gave myself a heart attack!

Arriving into Reno I got my bags and went to the rental car counter to be told that there weren't in cars in for the reservation I made. Still disoriented from the lack of sleep and near heart attack panic, I looked at him blankly without knowing what to say. He looked up from his screen and asked if I would be ok with a truck. Hallelujah! That's when the whole day turned right. I LOVE trucks. And there was not a happier girl in the world. I threw my bag in the back and off I went, windows down, country turned up, off to grandpa's house with a grin pasted across my face.

The next 5 days would have been wonderful anyways, but the truck sure helped! Here is my after our rafting trip in the beauty.

I have pathetically weak arms...ok that is an exaggeration, but my legs are where I build muscle, not my tiny little arms. However, in anticipation of this trip I had been doing push-ups 6 days a week for a couple months. The following couple of photo's are of my sad attempt to row. Contrary to my previous notion, rowing is NOT easy. First off it takes coordination, which apparently I have little of. Second it takes muscles, which I already knew I have none of.

Quick stop before the big rapids.

Ok, I would like to preface this look on my face by first saying that Heidi had spent the previous hours drilling in my head how important it was that I follow her every command, and that I paddle strong because she would need my help, and that I not flench but give it my all no matter what happened. Oh, and "above all not to fall out of the boat"!

(The following photo's were taken by professional photographers stationed near the bigger rapids...we weren't planning on purchasing them until we saw how priceless they were.)

Ya...I was a little concerned at this point.

(Note: you can double click and the picture expands. Some of the looks on my face are pretty amusing.)

This is snow melt, so even though it is August that is dang cold water!

We made it through the first rapid, here comes the second one which is significantly trickier. I was feeling a little more brave here.

This is my last breath.

Yep...that's me completely submerged!

This is where I boat was turning over on it's side. You can't tell, but only my leg is in the boat at this time. Fortunately I have some wicked determination and I was not going to let that river own me so I fought for all my might and pulled myself back in. Also notice the oar lock (the metal piece that is on the black part of the oar...ya, that's important that the oar stays in there so it is useful to row with).

Notice the oarlock is farther down on the oar...this is a bad thing. Also, you can see my sweet recovery.

The oarlock is precariously at the edge of the oar. Also Heidi i starting to loose it and fall out of the boat.

No, I was not really getting hit in the back of the head. Yes, it is a very bad thing that the oar is now completely out of the oarlock!

The only thing that saves Heidi here is the other oarlock, she had a wicked bruise from it.

Here is where I start to realize that I almost died...but didn't!

It has really hit me now that...at this moment I am caught in amazement, unaware that I almost lost my captain.

I turn to tell Heidi that I didn't let the river own me, but that it almost had. (Meanwhile people on the shore are cheering for us...seriously...they thought we were goners for sure!)

Reality still seeming surreal...

Then glory begins to enter my mind...

...and pure joy follows!

Bring on this next rapid, we got this!

But the water is still very cold!

Ya, white water rafting is AWESOME! Totally a new favorite hobby!

This is what I did much of the time when it wasn't high adventure...ah...I love to eat!

Here is the part of the story I'm ashamed of. So I didn't realize how long it was going to take us, I told them I'd be back by 6PM at the latest, and didn't end up home till well after 9PM. In fact, I didn't even have cell service until 7-ish. Apparently there had been a bad storm while we were gone and Aunt Vi and grandpa were worried sick because they couldn't get ahold of me. When I got home they asked how it was, and then asked some basic questions. "What town were you in?" "I don't know...Heidi just told me what highway to take and what road to get off on." "Whose house did you go to?" My sheepish response: "Um...grandma Hydrick?" "Well we didn't know where you were, and there was a big storm and we didn't have any information on who you were with or their address or number" AH MAN! I'm a horrible granddaughter! I've been living on my own so long I didn't even think to leave that kind of information.

Then I made them pizza for dinner Sunday night, and for the first time in my life I burnt the pizza crust!!! I realized while it was in the oven that I hadn't taken into account the elevation change, so I thought 'oh well, I'll just leave it in a little longer' Ya, bad idea. I don't know if they'll ever want me back again!

Grandpa, myself, and Aunt Vi next to their awesome tree that has a face on it.

Grandpa smiling!

A couple days after the rafting trip Heidi and I went for a hike and canoeing...except we ran out of time because we goofed off too much on our hike...so canoeing never really happened. :( Anyhow, this is fresh snow melt and it is the best water I've ever had! Cold and delicious! I couldn't get enough.

Heidi and I on a mountain I forget the name of...but it's across from Lake Tahoe...and we went to tall grass lake on it, SO beautiful!

I love the month of July!

July is one of my favorite months because it means picnics, bar-b-q's, fireworks, and--best of all--rodeos! For the past several years I have gone to one of my favorite towns in the whole world, ShowLow Arizona, for July celebrations. My best friend Kristi Adams lives there and her family has become a second family to me. I love going there, and I adore their house--it is absolutely picturesque looking out the kitchen window to acres and acres of cow pastures! Kristi and I have a whole day of traditions on the 4th. Often we start out by the night before sleeping on the trampoline. We wake up and get all dolled up in red, white, and blue and head out to the town parade where we join her family (who don't sleep in like us, and have a nice spot saved for us). Then we head out to the store and get some hot dogs, buns, chili, nacho cheese, and IBC creme soda in glass bottles for lunch. Driving around town with her is one of my favorite things too because it entails windows down (I love windows down while driving, and this time of year driving with windows down in Phoenix is a miserable choice!) and singing at the top of our lungs our favorite songs. We are flexible with our afternoon, but it often consists of playing with her nieces and nephews, or going down to fools hallow and swimming in the lake. Dinner is always an extended family bar-b-q, then we head out to the rodeo in Snowflake and watch the fireworks there. I love it! I love small towns, good food, great friends, and getting all dressed up to watch some crazy boys jump on bulls.

Kristi and I dressed up for the parade, standing in her back yard.

Every year I make a jello-poke cake decorated like the American flag, it's one of my favorite things to make!

This year I broke down and bought myself a pair of cowgirl boots and a cowgirl hat. I've been searching for years (literally, like 6 years) for the perfect pair, and I finally found them and I LOVE them! I really dig the hat too. This is me just before the rodeo in Taylor for the 24th of July.

It was meant to be.

For purposes of this post, below is a reference picture of my best friend Amanda, who is on the left.

I have multiple best friends. People say that you can't do that, but I strongly disagree. I don't think there is a limit to how much you can love someone, or how many people you can love. Also loving one friend a whole lot does not diminish your love for other friends. That being said one of my best friends is Amanda Bluth Burton. I love her a lot a lot. And out of all of my friends I honor her for being the most true friend I have ever had. We lived together for two and a half years and from the very beginning we knew we were going to get along great. She has been my friend through some really tough times for me and she has always said or done just exactly what I needed to feel better or to be cheered up. I could write a whole book of all the amazing things she has done for me, she is just incredible. Anyhow, I love her lots! We are two peas in a pod. Well, one day, about 6 months after she got married (so we didn't live together anymore...that's important to the story) we go to one of our good friends wedding receptions and upon sitting down I saw her shoes.

I find this proof that we were meant to be best friends.

The Elk Hunt

I'm not a gambling woman, but here in Arizona hunting is on a lottery system. I've wanted to go deer hunting for years, but have yet to do anything about it, this year one of my resolutions was to go hunting. I got talking into going elk hunting instead of deer, and I felt confident that with beginners luck I would be selected. I put in early, and anxiously awaited the good news.

Unfortunately my dreams were dashed when I looked up my hunting number to see that I was not awarded a tag. In sadness I went about my life and sadly told my friends that I wouldn't be giving them elk jerky for Christmas (my idea was to give some of the meat to family and friends for Christmas presents). A few days later my dear friend Jen Wilson, who always seems to know what to do to cheer me up, stopped by my house for a surprise visit. I was in the midst of making pizza (hence the apron) and she made me close my eyes for a minute. When I opened them there was an elk (that kind of looks like a reindeer, but "ELK" is written on the bottom to avoid any confusion) on my wall and a toy gun that shoots 3 high caliber rounds. With a smile she exclaimed that now I could go hunting whenever I wanted. Could a girl ask for any better friends?

Jen and I posing...

...and then getting serious about our hunt.

Carson Jeremy Lamb

I have been looking forward to nieces and nephews for years now! (That's no exaggeration either.) My sister-in-law had my first nephew on May 8, 2008, but they live in Texas and it is so hard to be the favorite auntie from a couple states away. My sister lives 20 minutes away from me and I was elated to hear the news when she got pregnant. Even more exciting was that she was having a boy also! Carson Jeremy Lamb was born 09/09/09. I anxiously waited for him and my sister to be brought to the recovery room so I could go meet him.

The first thing I thought when I saw his sweet little face was: "he's perfect". He is absolutely the cutest baby I've ever seen! (Since he was a cesarean section baby his face and head were in perfect condition.) I fell in love with the little guy immediately.

My brother-in-law, Jason, and Carson just a few hours after he was born. Jason is an amazing dad, I love watching him with his son.

Being that their last name is Lamb I spare nothing when I find something they could use that has lambs on it. This particular blanket I actually bought together with another set of lamb items before I even knew they were pregnant! Haha. My mom bought the other set that was similar. We didn't have to wait long though because we got them around Christmas and found out they were pregnant only a couple of months later.

He looked like a little Italian baby with olive colored skin and dark features, it was funny to see him next to my pale sister (haha, just kidding, you're not too pale Robin ;) ) I just think he's face is so adorable! Grandpa says I'm biased, but I don't think so....I mean look at him, who could argue!?!

Such a sweet little smile too.

When he was 2 months old my oldest nephew, Jay, came to visit. Jay was only a year and a half old and he was so funny with Carson.

Carson just a little after 6 months old, totally punched his uncle Kolby in the eye (with the help of his Tito, Kevin)

My favorite thing in this whole world is to get this little boy to smile and laugh!

My sister made his hat and pants out of an old, favorite shirt of his dads. Ya, my sis has mad skills! She didn't even use a pattern!!!

You might be questioning my auntie quality level since this post is 6 months after he was born, but I was so busy being an auntie that I just didn't have time!

My First Apple Pie

I have loved cooking my whole life because I was blessed with both of my parents being excellent chef's and they took much interest in teaching their children. Somehow I made it to almost 24 without making an apple pie from scratch though. I've made many other pies, but it's been a while and it was under the tutelage of my mother. It just so happened that it was the birthday of my favorite friend from the temple on my Wednesday shift, Debbie Murset, and she loves pies. Knowing that as a mom the likelihood of her getting a birthday cake (well...pie because she likes those more) was slim to none I determined that I would make her one. Below are some pictures of my adventure.

A little boy I watch, Logan, wanted to help, so he made a pie crust out of playdough.

Ok, pie in pan: check. Apples cut in slivers (this takes forever!): check.

Lots of sugar and other yummy things: check.

Lattice work was a must, I believe it's not just about how good it tastes, but presentation is very important too. Go big or go home is my policy.

And finished product.

I put some raw sugar on the crust for presentation and taste, but I still feel the crust was too bland. Sister Murset loved it and raved about it, and so it was a success because my goal was to make her happy. Next time I will not go with Betty Crocker's pie crust, she failed me this time.