Oh how time flies...

We are finally getting ready to start moving into the new house (no, it's not done yet, but it's getting close...I'll post some pics soon, I promise) which means I have been packing and going through boxes. Imagine the amusing delight and admitted embarrassment I felt as I came across this picture from long, long ago... (I think sometime around 1990)...

Ummm...Melissa- why the heck aren't you in this picture? Didn't you like us then?


Being that I just saw many of these lovely ladies a few days ago as we all met for dinner, something we try to do every few months, I was particularly happy to find this picture. It was taken our sophomore (maybe junior) year of High School and we thought that we were soooo hot! Notice the matching, oversized polo shirts (seriously...they are like 4 sizes too big on ALL of us) and baggy Guess denim shorts rolled into cute little cuffs. I can't tell you how much this makes me smile. Even more than the ridiculous clothes, hot hairstyles, hilarious memories that came flooding back and the fact that we had "studio" pictures taken of us... the thing that makes me smile the most is that we are all still great friends!

Here's a more recent photo taken of the whole gang 2 years ago at the annual Christmas sleepover...

So much fun!

There are now 28 kids between all these ladies, with 2 on the way (I almost can't believe that, but I counted twice) and sleepovers are still as fun as ever!

This was most of us just this past Christmas!

...and at Missy's baby shower a year and a half ago.

Girls trip to Vegas last October...

Some of the girls on the most recent trip to Palm Springs just last month...

(so sad I missed this trip)

Wow, am I grateful for such amazing friends! Thanks for all the great memories! I still can't believe it's been 15 years since we graduated! I still kind of feel like that goofy, awkward teenager in an oversized polo shirt and I love it! Here's to another 50 or 60 years of memories!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ONE AND ONLY...

To the hardest working man I know:

My birthday wish for you is that we both get to do a little more of this sometime soon...

Thank you for all you do and how hard you work. I am very blessed to be your wife!

I hope the year ahead is your best yet!

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What more can I say...I LOVE THIS GUY!

I survived...

What an awesome week this was. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go on Pioneer Trek with the youth of our ward this week. Although words do not adequately express just how very thankful I am to be home to my own bed, my husband and most importanly a warm shower....it was an incredible and humbling experience. I really loved it! We were able to go to Wyoming and trek actual sacred historical sites along the Mormon Trail. We trekked through Martins Cove, Sixth Crossing and finished the week at Rock Creek.

Each of us were asked to walk in honor of an ancestor or pioneer. I chose to walk in honor of my great-great-great grandmother, Ann_Jewell_Rowley who was baptized with her husband in England and after being widowed came across the plains to make it to Utah with her 7 children as part of the Willie Handcart Company. I have learned so much about her journey and struggles and have gained such an appreciation for her life and legacy. Despite the struggles of the Willie handcart company, she and her 7 children all made it to SLC alive. She did have a step-daughter who passed away along the trail. She was an incredible woman with tremendous faith and determination and I was proud to walk in her honor.

What a great experience this week was for me....the entire week was amazing and our youth were awesome!

We *smiled* and really did have a lot of fun...

We laughed as we brushed up on our square-dancing skills!

We learned a LOT and I was very humbled on many occasions...

We {walked} until our feet hurt and we were exhausted...then we walked some more...

We made ash cakes with our 4 ounce ration of flour...

...and despite the smiles, we were {grateful} they weren't all we had to eat!

We witnessed amazing sunsets...

...and even had a full moon to light our camp!



We camped in Rock Creek Hollow on the final night and I was able to visit and pay respects to my great-great-great-great grandpa, William James, who died on Rocky Ridge and was buried along with 12 others who died the same night. His death left his wife Jane as a widow to fend for herself along with their 7 children. They faced many hardships and many suffered through all their years, but they all made it to Salt Lake. I am so grateful for my heritage and for the many things that I learned this week.

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Now...

I am off to soak my piggies! I think I've earned a pedi!