Preston and Chelsie Haws December 30th 2011

The long awaited day finally arrived. Ooookay well maybe it wasn't long awaited.... He just got home in July for crying out loud!!

Preston haws and Chelsie Martin tied the knot. They were married In the Mesa Arizona Temple at 9 am.

I waited outside with Mallory, Elly, Lindsey, Robyn, Dallin, and the kids.

After the sealing we headed to Eagar for a reception that night. The cultural hall had been set up the day before and it looked beautiful! I didn't get enough pictures.

VEGAS

Is it January first already? I can't believe it. December went by in a whirlwind. On to the next month we shall head! But lets finish updating December. Christi and I hopped into her car only days before Christmas and headed to las Vegas Nevada. It was time for the ASU Boise State football game at the Las Vegas Bowl and we didn't want to miss out.... Or rather she wanted a good excuse to meet her boyfriend in Vegas. :) At any rate we went and had fun.

We stayed at the Stratosphere. I hadn't ever stayed on that side of the Strip before so it was a different experience. We also used Valet everywhere we went! OH IT MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE. We weren't tired and grumpy from walking so much.

From the top of the stratosphere. It is the tallest structure this side of the Mississippi!

Christi and Dave waiting to go to the game. ASU got TRASHED :(

The bellagio is the best. It was fun to see it at Christmas.

This polar bear was made out of carnations! It was incredible and smelled amazing.

At the game! Why is it boys always pull this?

Christi wanted to show off how cute she looked.

It was a fun trip! Each time I go to Vegas I am reminded that I have no desire to go back again. BUT I am sure I will end up there again....

CHRISTMAS 2011

Merry Christmas 2011! What a great holiday it was! We spent the weekend at mom and dads house AND THERE WAS SNOW! It was a white christmas after all. Since it WAS a white christmas I didn't need to watch the movie. ;)

Those in attendance this year were Dallin, Thomas (mom and dads foreign exchange student), Preston and his Fiance Chelsie, Lindsey & Robyn with their 2 dogs Keiara and Nala, ME, and Mom and Dad. Mom just had foot surgery 2 days prior but she was doing well. Dad had both knees replaced over the past few months but he is healing. It was nice to have him home for the whole holiday and not have to worry about his work schedule. The bookstore is sold so we had nothing to do but enjoy our time together... oh, and cook and clean and wrap and more cooking.

Saturday, whish was Christmas Eve, we did the traditional progressive dinner, caroling, left right game, and nativity presentation. It was quite a big group this year!! Some of the Willis Haws clan was there, Lawana and Clint, Robert and Marci, Alicia, Shamane and Tony, Michelle and Ryan, and Brett, we also teamed up with the Turley Crew. Aaron and his family, and Carolyn and her 2 kids. I wish I had pictures of all that!

As always, the girls that stay at the house get matching pajamas.

TADA!

DON'T BE JEALOUS!

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MASQUERADE

Our adorable friend Dave has to move back to Utah :( so we had a going away party for him.

I had never throw a masquerade before so why not try it! Dave is someone who would appreciate a good ol masquerade.

Mern and Ryan

We went to dinner at the Cheesecake factory with a few guests to jump start the evening.

Troy, Sarah, DAVE

aren't my friends adorable?

Brian, Ashley, Ryan

Brain, ??, Jakeb, Sarah, ??

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MADRIGAL DINNER.

The first weekend in December is always the RVHS Madrigal dinner. I think I have attended it for my last year, at least until they change up the program a little bit.

I invited some friends along, as always. We stayed up at Grandmas house and enjoyed the small town weekend.

Dallin and some of his friends that were in the show. They did a stellar job!

Dave and Christi raided the andes mints off the tables.

Thomas (foreign exchange student) mom, Me, Preston, Dad.

Christi, Mern, Ryan, Sarah, Dave, Kristen

Breakfast at the new resaurant in town, Trail riders. I wasn't that impressed with it. Nothing beats Boogas.

I almost feel adultlike.

Here is my new old house! I love it.

There are some changes I want to make but all in it's own time.

Front Yard

Back yard. Plenty of room for entertaining!

Front room. I love the shutters

Kitchen.

The Dinning room is across from the kitchen. I like that it has it's own little cubby. It's not in the way of the house.

The formal room.

Back patio. I can't wait for monsoon season. :)

This is a goal that I have been working on for a few years so it feels awesome to have it accomplished! On the other side of the stick it is a bit overwhelming! I am excited that I won't have to more for a long time. I am excited for all the new things I will learn! Like how to install door handles, buy new doors, paint cabinets, deal with home owners insurance, etc. :) But hey, I can do this!

MEXICO

People say it isn't safe to go down to Mexico anymore. WELLLL don't believe everything you hear in the news people. I felt safe there. But then again, don't believe everything you read online either... ;)

My good friend Dave had a Birthday, SHOOT HOORAY! He had never been to Mexico so a special trip was planned just for him. We scared up some friends to join us and had a great time. The condos on the beach are SO nice and so affordable! I wish I had taken more pictures. Now that I think about it Dave put some of his on my computer so I will have to add those later.

Dave, Troy, Ashley, & Sarah

Kristen, Lexi, & Mern

There are some awesome restaurants on the beach that are delightfully good for seafood and other traditional dishes for the non seafood lover.

SHRIMP CEVICHE on da beach!

lets find out together, shall we?

I have this friend that I have never met. She doesn't know we are friends. It's more one sided. I follow her blog. I love her words, her thoughts, her feelings, her ideas. Well she wrote something today that helped me. She usually does. Her words come out in a way that I feel can help just about anyone. She makes me love words and their usage, it's a skill that I don't posses. So I stand from the sidelines and admire. Our situation is a little different, but the idea is the same. Here is what she was thinking today...

i will get married when i meet the man i want to marry. you're not him? no worries, let's have our wine, enjoy it, and why shouldn't we have another date?

i am not in the business of looking for a husband. i am just trying to live a life, fully and deeply.

how can i answer the question of what i want when asked on the first date? because really the question is what i want with you and i hardly know you-it's only the first date! what i want is to find out.

to find out, what i want, with you.

i want to live my way into the answer.

and lets find out. together, shall we?


Isn't that great? Would you like to be her friend to? She will make you feel right at home. Check her out here... http://or-so-i-feel.blogspot.com Thanks Meg.

The best for last.

These lyrics are amazingly perfect. Life can hurt sometimes, but you can't be afraid to play. I'm taking the chance.

Wait, do you see my heart on my sleeve?
It's been there for days on end and
It's been waiting for you to open up yours too baby, come on now
I'm trying to tell you just how
I'd like to hear the words roll out of your mouth finally
Say that it's always been me
That's made you feel a way you've never felt before
And I'm all you need and that you never want more
Then you'd say all of the right things without a clue
But you'd save the best for last
Like I'm the one for you
You should know that you're just a temporary fix
This is not rooted with you it don't mean that much to me
You're just a filler in the space that happened to be free
How dare you think you'd get away with trying to play me
Why is it every time I think I've tried my hardest
It turns out it ain't enough, you're still not mentioning love
What am I supposed to do to make you want me properly?
I'm taking these chances and getting nowhere
And though I'm trying my hardest you go back to her
And I think that I know things may never change
I'm still hoping one day I might hear you say
I make you feel a way you've never felt before
And I'm all you need and that you never want more
Then you'd say all of the right things without a clue
But you'd save the best for last
Like I'm the one for you
You should know that you're just a temporary fix
This is not rooted with you it don't mean that much to me
You're just a filler in the space that happened to be free
How dare you think you'd get away with trying to play me
But, despite the truth that I know
I find it hard to let go and give up on you
Seems I love the things you do
Like the meaner you treat me more eager I am
To persist with this heartbreak, running around
And I think that I know things may never change
I'm still hoping one day I might hear you say
I make you feel a way you've never felt before
And I'm all you need and that you never want more
And we'll say all of the right things without a clue
And you'll be the one for me and me the one for you

JUNE?!

I can't believe it's already the end of June! I feel horrible that I haven't been on here to blog since March! It would be okay if I was going well at writing in my personal journal but I haven't been. Thats time of my life that I will never remember! My memory is awful and if I don't have the documentation then it's gone. :( boo hoo and hopefully lesson learned. Hopefully I have more time now as well. I was working a 2nd job a few nights a week and even though it wasn't much it seemed to take me away from a lot of things that I find important. I love the job and sad I had to quit but such is life. Now I am back and will have time to take care of business. :)

Need your input

While in the break room warming up my lunch I was asked by a woman "are you married?" My response was "ummm, no" "oh okay!" she says "I was wondering how you always have time to decorate your cube, craft, and cook those meals! I barely have time to go home and fall asleep at night"

QUESTION: Does getting married make you incompetent? What does being married have to do with the fact that I cook, craft, and decorate? haha. I didn't know what to say to her. So I smiled and said "well I use a crockpot and cook while I sleep."

BBQ

I FINALLY bought a BBQ grill. It has been on my list for quite sometime. You want to know why I never bought it? Because I was afraid I would blow it up. I was afraid to turn on the gas. I was afraid too much gas would come out and I would open the lid and it would explode in my face.
Well life is all about facing your fears?? Consider them faced in the face! :)

HIKING 2011

I love hiking. It really does make me happy. I don't understand how some people don't like it. There is something special about knowing that you conquered a mountain. That you walked up the FACE of a mountain. You left your sweat and tears on that mountain. okay so maybe not that extreme, but I do love it. :) It's the fresh air and the crickets chirping. The good company makes it amazing as well. I love my friends. Pinch em by the cheeck great aunt style.

This is how Dave gets to the hike. haha . Poor guy was a good sport about riding in the back.

Firehouse Subs

Have you been there? EVER?

It's my favorite sub place in da world.

I used to think subway was cool but i was DEAD wrong.

First best thing is the way they greet you when you walk in.

WELCOME TO FIREHOUSE.

They yell at you when you walk in the door. It's a little overwhelming at first but it grows on you.

Then instead of 6 inch or 12 inch they offer 8 or 12! 6 was just never quite enough for me.

Thennnnnn they have a entire gallery of hot sauce. every flavor. my favorite happens to be Womens Scorn.

SO TRY IT IF YOU HAVEN'T!!

MAKE HASTE!

To future Mern

Dear Future Mern, There are a few influential choices you will make in your life. Some of these you have already made and many are yet to be upon you. I know you think you have a good head on your shoulders, but looking back at some of your choices it appears it wasn't always as straight as it needed to be. Sooo looking towards the future I am sure this may be the case again. Sometimes when wrapped up in circumstances we don't see the full picture and need to rely on the wisdom and love of others. You know what I look forward to? A Priestood member inside my home. ohhhh how I am excited for that. Not just so I can hold the priesthood, wink wink, but so I can have it easily accessible. I want to be able to wake up in the morning with morning sickness and ask my husband for a Priesthood blessing. I want to be calm when my baby burns his hand because my hubby has the power to bless him. When my son gets the Priesthood I want to be able to trace that back to HIS EARTHLY FATHER, not some other man. That other man may still be an important person in my sons life, but it's not his Daddy. The man he thinks is the greatest thing in the world. I think you had a small idea of the importance of this when you were dating that boy when you were 23. He was such a nice guy, fixing your car, making you feel beautiful, always being thoughtful. He never went to church with you though. He didn't even want to. Maybe he would have if you asked him to, but would it last? Staying with him would have been more of a gamble than you are required to take. If he is meant to get his life on track it will happen, and it's not up to you to help him get there. If it's in the cards for him his Heavenly Father has a plan for him. SOOOOO don't ever regret that decision to move on. Never feel hopeless that since you didn't take the opportunity with him that you are destined to live with awesome female roommates for the rest of your life. Your Heavenly father has a plan for you and it will be perfect and wonderful in it's design. You just have to trust, and have faith, and WAIT. Love, Present Mern.