Weekend Traveling

On Thursday Eric and I left town for a long weekend to getaway before the Holidays get crazy and take over our lives. So that night we traveled to Mendon, Ut. where Eric's aunt Vicki lives. She has been asking us to come visit for some time now, and we finally decided this was a good weekend to go. Her house is HUGE and very beautiful. We both love all of her land and animals, and her home. It was so fun to visit with her, and for me to get to know her better. And she gave us the newest addition of the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook!!! I am so EXCITED to start using it!!!

Aunt Vicki's house, it's so big I couldn't fit all the house into one picture!

The barn/stable for the horses

The view from the top of the drive

Her beautiful kitchen...there is a hidden room where the pantry is!

Sitting area

Her huge tub, wish this picture could depict how big it was, and I loved the windows surrounding it. They overlook the mountains right in her backyard.

This is her sitting area in her bedroom

The yummy dinner she left us..so sweet! 

Hanging out in the loft were we stayed while we were there.

As we were leaving Vicki's house that morning heading into logan we came across all these wild turkeys!!! Perfect just in time for THANKSGIVING!!!

So after we left Vicki's friday morning we headed into Logan, Ut. to look for a car and run some other errands. I have never been to the logan temple so that ended up being the first stop! 

You can't tell here really... but it was so windy and cold..I had 3 jackets on!!!

My Handsome Prince Charming!

Side View

The front of the temple!

Next, we headed up to star valley and on the way we passed Bear Lake, also a place I've never seen or been to, so I took a couple shots! It is the closest thing Utah or Idaho has to a beach. We also went through Logan canyon and it was gorgeous with all the different colors of the leaves on the trees on the mountains, I wish I would have taken a picture.

More of Bear lake shoreline 

The Open Road

Once we got to star we visited with the parentals and Eric's nieces, and went bowling with Eli and and the girls that night. SO FUN!

Maddi

Kamdyn and Eli

Maddi with Aunt Lesley

Kamdyn was so excited to knock down 1 pin

ME

Maddi sad she didn't get more

Eric

We woke up Saturday morning to this! We left early that morning to head into Rexburg and IF. We also brought our niece Caellie with us. We went car shopping ALL day with no luck, but it was still an awesome trip and we got to go to dinner that night with all our friends at Texas Roadhouse, I even got to watch a little of the Bama Vs. LSU game. Purchases of the weekend included a new Iphone 4S for me, and I also got a beautiful new coat for the winter. Eric purchased a new leather hand bag to carry to the temple. We drove back to star valley sat. night went to church with the fam on sunday and then headed back to Utah.  

Caellie drew this for me and Eric

Us headed back to Utah so Eric could get to work. :( But overall the trip was great but we wished it could have been longer.

Halloween Midnight Trip

Halloween was not as much fun this year because Eric and I both worked late that night. We missed all the trick or treaters and all our Halloween candy went to waste. :( So after work, I decided to get all cozy and got in my PJ's and washed my face and teeth and got all ready to crawl into bed, and the next thing I knew Eric was busting through the front door with tons of energy and talked me into getting all dressed again to grab something to eat. So there we went at 11pm to find somewhere to eat. The only place still open was Applebees, yeah....I-hop wasn't even open. But we ended up having a blast being one of two people in the whole restaurant!!! bahahaha! Anyways, despite working all day, Halloween turned out to be OKAY! Eric kept making me laugh, saying he felt like we were back in college again strolling the streets at midnight for places to eat and just hanging out together!!! I just love that we've reached that point where we say that now..."back when I was in college"....hahahaha.

Our fun outing at Applebees

Everyone at worked kept asking me all day if I was dressed up as anything...well Eric and I decided I should have dressed up like Wednesday Adams with my hair braided like that. So this is me making my very serious Wednesday Adams face. 

Hope you all had a very Frightening HALLOWEEN! :)

Scripture Power...Not My Plan

Doesn't this picture just Scream Stress!!! hahahaha

Lately I have had a lot on my mind. Sometimes I let all the stress and worry I create get the best of me, and thankfully I have a wonderful husband who is patient and sweet and loving. Today sitting in church I realized that my plan isn't always the Lord's plan. Yes, I've heard that before but I don't think I always let words sink in like they should. I've always been very independent, at least when it comes to not letting others tell  me what to do, or sway my personal beliefs, in fact I'm kinda stubborn and bratty when things don't go the way I think they should, ask my family...hahaha or Eric for that matter. Anyways, life has been pretty stressful with trying to sell my car, and paying for grad school applications, and working a job that pays the bills, but you know you could be doing more with your education so going to work everyday is less than thrilling. Anyways I know everything will work out, it's not my plan, as much as I wish life was that easy....You know, submit your life plan to heavenly father and say here you go and he approves it cause it's full with righteous desires. hahaha Yeah that would be nice, in a perfect world right? Well anyways I know I'm not the only person out there who wishes their plan for themselves is the one Heavenly Father has for them, but I did add somewhere in to my life plan between Freshman and Sophomore year of college Eric would be my husband and I got exactly that and couldn't be happier. So if that is the only part of my plan I created for myself that Heavenly Father gives to me then I'll take it, because ERIC has and will always be the love of my life, and knowing that I am his is the best blessing I've ever received. "The church is true, then what else matters!" 

When I was a little girl my babysitter who was only 17 died in a horrible car accident. At her funeral they sang the song "I Walk by Faith", and now I can't sing the song without crying, but whenever I hit a bump in the road, or notice times get hard, I think of, Crystal and her faith and the love she taught me to have for my Savior when I was little, and I sing this song and it gives me strength. Even though she was only in my life for a short amount of time, her testimony was strong and it still helps me through times in my life when things are hard. Right after she passed, my dad told me that she would watch over me from heaven now, and sometimes I know she is there with me...my guardian angel, helping me through those high hurdles in life.  :) 

Oh yeah and seeing as how I'm on the topic of religion and church, I realized I haven't shared with you that Eric and I both have received callings in our ward....it was a couple months ago, but I forgot to share. Eric was called to be the Ward Mission Leader, and I was called to co-teach the CTR 6/7 class with a very very new convert named Anna who is 19. It is so fun being in primary. I love the kids so much, and preparing for the primary presentation has been a blast. I can't get the songs "Scripture Power "and "I hope they call me on a mission" out of my head. Scripture Power.... Watch this and you'll be singing it too, fist pump and all!!! :)

!Pumpkin Carving!

Last night Eric and I met up with our neighbors/friends Jeff and Jessica to carve pumpkins. So we headed out to a pumpkin patch right up the road from where we live but they closed right before we got there , so we ended up going to the local supermarket and picked a couple pumpkins. We then headed back to Jeff and Jessica's place to carve them. We had carmel apples, drank apple cider, and had a blast just hanging out and talking all night. Eric and I love this time of year, the cooler weather and the changing leaves, and all this fun fall stuff we're doing is really putting me in the halloween spirit.

Starting to carve

Pulling out the innards!

Ours was extra slimy. 

Jessica and Jeff eating our carmel apples

pretty much the final product! It's the superman symbol. Eric and I are both addicted to Smallville, and we are going as Clark Kent (superman) and Lois Lane for Halloween! Can't wait for trunk or treat. Being in a family ward has its plusses.  

See you next time with more fall fun...I'm sure there is more to come!

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

My favorite Nickelodeon show when I was a kid was are you afraid of the dark...yeah so I was a weird kid..get over it! hahaha Well thats why I was so super duper excited when Eric went all out to plan a day at Lagoon's Frightmares!!!! Originally we were supposed to go with two other couples from our ward , who just so happen to also all be graduates of BYUI!!! (jeff and Jessica Craig and Ryan and Brittany Snow...just in case any of you alumni BYUI followers know them). We didn't know either couple till just recently but they are a fun crew and we are glad we've made more friends here. So after Eric got off work yesterday we headed up to Lagoon for some awesome fun.... of course our first ride was WICKED cause that was our favorite last time.

Then we hung out around Pioneeer Village, cool little shops that were restored to look like the valley when it was first settled by the saints.

Then we had fun checking out the pretty fall leaves changing in the mountains, and watching the raging river ride as people floated down. It was too cold for us old foggies.

Then we started hitting up all the haunted houses at frightmares cause it was finally dark. First we went in one called Nightwalk, which had a scare rating of 5 spiders...Brittany and Ryan met up with us to go through, and I'm pretty sure by the end it of it I was deaf in both ears from Brittany haha and I ripped Eric's arm out of socket cause she was holding on to my backpack, every time something scared her my bag was almost ripped off me hahahahahha We had a blast though.  Afterwards we split up again and Eric and I headed over to the Lockdown haunted house. It was all jail inmates, that had gone hostile, and all their makeup was crazy it was awesome.

We also hit up Dave's psycho Junkyard, and I think Eric almost pee'd his pants when someone tried to bite his leg hahahaha!!! It was so awesome!!! We then went and got some food, and watched the Monster halloween concert, and then called it a night. We had so much fun! Can't wait for more halloween funness.

Also I tried another fall decor idea form Pintrest, just used everything I had already, most of it left over from the wedding, glass vases and candles. Just needed the beans!!! I liked how they turned out a lot.

Till Next time, Happy Haunting!!!

Star Valley Temple

This weekend it was announced by President Thomas S. Monson that a new temple will be built in Star Valley, Wy. Our family is absolutely excited and astounded!!! It came as a shock Saturday morning, Oct.1, 2011 while watching conference from the comfort of our home. We shouted for joy, and cried tears of happiness when we heard the news. Eric's home town is Afton, Wy. which is one of the small towns that helps to make up the valley. Star Valley has become a second home to me as well, over the years that Eric and I have been friends, then dated, and now married. We have spent many weekends and holidays enjoying the beauty of the valley and all the fun  outdoor adventures it offers. We even celebrated our marriage by holding our wedding reception in the Star Valley Tabernacle, which was dedicated by Pres. Joseph F. Smith Aug. 15, 1909. Eric's family still lives there in the valley and Eric and I hope to return to the valley as well to live one day. The community is made up of an amazing group of Saints and I am so blessed to call many of them my friends. Since Eric and I started dating his home ward took me in as one of their own, and have treated me like family. They are amazing and I have made close friends with sooooo many of them. If any righteous group of people deserve to have a temple built in their community, it is the saints of star valley. I am so excited to see the temple being built and can barely wait for the groundbreaking ceremony and open house and dedication. This will be the first temple built in the state of wyoming and it is being built in one of the smallest communities...something marvelous and magnificent is to be said about this. Star Valley was settled by Latter-day saints back in 1879, and one of those saints was Eric's great, great, great.....Grandfather...Aeroet Hale ( who we may in coming years name a child after...its been discussed hahahah). So many years later, it is neat to think... us as his relatives, are still in the valley to be able to witness such a magnificent event occur!!!!! God is Great, and we are a blessed and beloved people! :)

Conference Weekend

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 181st Semi-annual General Conference was this weekend. Last Weekend was Women's Conference and I was blessed enough to attend it at the conference center, and had an amazing seat.

With the rest of the Hale family, as tradition holds, we usually go to the cabin in wyoming with Eric's family on conference weekend. The Hales went without us this time. Eric worked all weekend, and I ended up watching every single session of conference alone :( Yeah...it was sad. This weekend was still eventful and I accomplished many tasks while home alone this weekend. While watching conference I.....

1. Got my craft on....and worked on a craft for some halloween decorations; painted mason jars to give off a pretty orange glow, and hung up some pretty purple and orange halloween lights on our balcony, and hung our cute fall door sign. 

2. I painted my nails...I know...exciting right? :)

 My awesome conference setup, it should be noted that I spent most of the weekend in my PJ's

3. I cooked....and baked!!!!

The best deep dark chocolate cookie receipe I got off Pinterest.com

Smokey Spilt Pea Soup in the making..recipe from Pinterest.com..I'm addicted hahaha

I did get ready and went out Sat. night with my sister-in-law Kyli to dinner while the boys were at preisthood meeting. hahaha Sometimes a lazy weekend is just what I need to re-energize!!! :)