Memories

Happy Birthday, babe. I contacted some of your loved ones and asked them to tell me their favorite memory they have with you. Most of them had a hard time narrowing it down. I have to agree. Life is never boring when you are around.

Joanne/Mom: "When you were born 37 years ago, you were the highlight of my life because you were a boy and you had gorgeous red hair and handsome, too. You have a great memory for places you've been to. Even as early as two years old. I am so blessed to have you as my son."

Dan Ernstrom: "When we went and stayed the night in Salem before the National Board test and you and Kade did MASH trivia and Kade peed on gospel side of toilet".

Amy Ernstrom: "Watching the Notebook with you and Dan and sitting in dead silence for minutes afterwards because we were all bawling. Bless your tender heart."

Jon Marchant: "When I was mad at you before you were married and I chased you around the garden with a shovel handle wanting to beat you within an inch of your life, but I couldn't catch you."

Seb Rodriguez: "Dragging me out of the house to go fishing in my wheelchair and getting attacked by a bull snake."

DJ Marchant: "When you took me fishing down Devil's Canyon. It made me feel really good that you asked me to go with you and we caught a shit ton of fish."

Bill Pulver: "How mad you got when I made you wreck your Corona in Cowley because Brett Jones told me to hide behind your seat. I think I paid you back. . the F150."

Angie Rodriguez: "When you were first married and you used to take me out shooting rabbits and snakes. I thought you were so cool."

Brook Tippetts: (Brook had a hard time thinking of a memory that was PG13) "It's hard to pick just one but your ability to make people laugh. Wether it was the way you ordered french fries at McDonald's, licked the windows in Cody or the way you laughed while George explained the weight of his testicles at huntin camp."

Milisa Hessenthaler: "Its not really a memory but it's your laugh that is so unique. That is the one thing I always remember. Also, more recently I remember someone very humble and loving. I had never seen that side of you before."

Dave Strecker: " The first time I met you. It was later in the night of initiation at college. I was walking back to my room and these two dudes were walking behind me and this punk asked me if I wanted to go eat. I fugured why not, so I said sure, which was weird because I'm not like that to go eat or anything with a stranger, but anyways, I climbed into a little yellow car and in the backseat with me was a little baby sock. I was thinking what the hell is this? So I tried to figure out a cool way to ask you what this would be doing in the back of a 17 year olds car. I couldn't come up with a cool way so I just asked you straight out. (He said he used a little different verbage) So, after you told me, I though Holy crap, you gotta be kiddin me. But that turned into something I never forgot and once we got to Taco Johns, I had one of the funnest and funniest times of my life. I don't think I've ever laughed that hard before in my life. I couldn't believe a dude this funny and crazy had a baby but after I got to know you and seen how and what you were, I thought it was pretty frickin cool. I think we hung out every single day I was in Powell and you are one, if not my best friend to this day."

Kevin Spann: "Plastico was very funny...hockey game in Billings, softball. The hard laugh...my humor...a good friend."

You've touched so many lives, babe, and like you said "You're only halfway done!" I am so excited for the next 37 years with you. I love you so much!! Happy Birthday!!

(My favorite pictures of Jesus are the ones with Him and the black sheep)

While Robb was still going to school in Portland a little over a year ago, he got promised a job in Astoria, OR. Now, I love Oregon. I love the climate, I love the green and I the people. I was very excited that we were going to able to live there for ever. Robb, however, just felt that this wasn't where we were supposed to go, so when a job opening came up in St George, he interviewed for it. His boss told him that right when he stepped off the plane they knew that he was the right person for the job. I was sad that we were coming to the desert and the "Utah Mormons" and didn't think a place that had 360 days of sunshine was the place for me but I love my husband and would go anywhere he wanted to go. After we got here, great things started happening to both of us. . . . spiritually. Now, I have always thought that the gospel was important but I did feel if I went forward in it, it would drive Robb and I apart, so I have been a "social Mormon" for many years. I attended church and lived somewhat worthily, but never really embraced the church and all it's teachings. Robb never stopped the kids and I from attending meetings and I was grateful for that but he didn't want to be apart of it.

Robb made a wonderful friend his last year of school. Him and his wife were so kind to Robb and they were also great examples. Since the kids and I were back in Wyoming, Robb felt very alone and they took him in. Fed him, let him sleep there, etc. This friend is the person who helped Robb get the job here. So, when we first moved here, Robb, I think out of respect, went to a few church meetings with this friend in their ward. After a bit, though, he stopped. One night as we were sitting and watching television, I heard the phone ring. I had been going to our home ward with the kids and loved it. The voice on the phone said he was one of the counselors from the ward and that the bishop wanted us to come in and visit him because he wanted to get to know the new families in the ward. I thought it was strange since the bishopric had already been to our home and visited us, but I agreed to meet with him. The night of our "meeting", Robb's softball game got cancelled, so he reluctantly went with me to see the bishop. When we got to the church and knocked on the door, the bishop poked his head out with a confused look on his face saying that he just ran over to the church to work on a few things and had no appointments set. He called his counselors and the ward secretary to see who set up the meeting but no one did. He met with us anyway and then asked Robb to stay and speak with him alone. This really worried me because pushy church people are one of Robb's pet peeves. When they emerged from the meeting an hour later, Robb had tears in his eyes. That night he stopped chewing tobacco and started reading the Book of Mormon. He is now on his second time reading it and he is a totally different person. We read the scriptures and have family prayer every night. We have family home evening and attend all our church meetings. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were meant to come to St George.

There have been several other "inspirational" events that we have been apart of since we've moved here but I just thought I would share one of them. What a difference the gospel makes in our lives. Robb and my relationship hasn't always been the best, but deep down I knew that he was an amazing person with great potential. I am so glad that I have him in my life. Hopefully, next year some time, I will be able to be sealed to him and our kids for all time and eternity.

(And, for the record, I think "Utah Mormons" are fantastic people)

Summer Nights

School starts next week. Hallelujah!! I can't wait to get back on a schedule. I love schedules. With this being the last weekend before school and since it's not really summer without one, we decided to take the kids to the fair tonight. They rode tons of rides, ate some good food and were dead tired by the time we got home at midnight. I love the fair. I love the sounds and sights and smells. We all have great memories of the fair growing up. I remember when I was in middle and high school when the Billings Fair was the big summer activity. Robb remembers when the fair would come to Colstrip and he would spend all day everyday there. I also have fond memories of the Zipper ride. When Robb and I went on one of our first dates, we went to the Powell Fair and went on the Zipper. He got sick. What a wuss. The pictures are bad quality because it was a spur of the moment idea and I had to take pictures with my cell phone.

Robb staring down a corndogBobby being timid and riding the little kids rides on his first few rides
Bobby not going on the kiddie rides
Jazz and her friend Jessica
Jess and Jazz. Bobby going on this ride for the sixth time
The whole group. The kids even met out neighbor, Jaden. You can see him in the background on Jazz's ride picture, too. It was a fun night. Hey, did I mention that school starts next week?!

Fatty, Fatty Two by Four....

Last night, we went to a birthday party for one of our friends. It was a fun time. As I was looking at their blog today, I came upon this picture... Can you say COW??? Wow! I am officially starting a diet tonight. Robb and I went on a hike, I savored my last Mt Dew and I have redone my grocery list to include more vegetables and less snacks. I've decided: No more hostess chocolate pies for breakfast, no more eating whole cans of spaghettios, no more Mickey Dees for lunch, no more grandma's cookies for snacks, etc. My goal is to lose 20 pounds and get rid of that horrible double chin. I know I can do it, I just need to put some effort into it and I needed a reason. Thanks for the reason Amy!

Last picture of my s-e-x-y double chin.