Let's Celebrate!!!

Amazing corn cake!!!

Now that I am done with my pity party, we threw a "Going away/30th Birthday party" on Friday night. We were so lucky to have friends come from near and far. It was so great to see so many people that we love! We love you guys so much and will miss you!
I wanted to post this picture of an AMAZING cake that my friend Melissa made for us! I still can't believe how much it looks like corn. It is a yellow cake and it has m&ms, jelly bellys and green fruit roll ups! What a fun surprise to celebrate the Midwest!!! (0:

The kids all piled onto the swing and chatted and played all evening! It is so fun to watch the kids hang out together, just like they are big and grown up!
Ally, Joy, Ruth, Celeste, Me, & Michele

This is a fun picture of my USU roommates! I am so grateful we could all get together again before I moved! Thanks for the fun and well wishes! We love Utah so much and all the people here, even more!

We are really excited for our new adventures in the Midwest. We are leaving in 10 days or so. As soon as we can, we will send out our new address and phone number. Please keep us posted on how you are all doing! We love you!!!

The moving blues...

A note from the packing queen...

Yeah, I've got 'em,
The moving blues.

So many choices to make,
So many schools to call.
Too many boxes to pack,
Too many goodbyes to say.
Yeah, I've got 'em,
The moving blues.

So many people to see,
So many places to leave.
Too many things on my list,
Too many memories to lose.
Yeah, I've got 'em,
The moving blues.

So many miles to go,
So many years to look back,
Too many new things to get,
Too many old things to keep.
Yeah, I've got 'em,
The moving blues.

So many friends to hold,
So many feelings to feel.
Too many hopes to look on,
Too many tears to let go.
Yeah, I've got 'em,
The moving blues.

Ohhhhh, the moving blues!!!

Marching Band RULES!

For Family Home Evening on Monday night we went back to dear old AF High for marching band family night. We were so involved in marching band in high school, we really wanted to share this with our girls! The girls were a bit rowdy but once the music and show started, they were mystified! Here is Emma posing for the camera. Weird how much she looks like her sisters!!! The music on the right (The New World Symphony) is a lot like one of the shows we did my sophomore year of high school. Think of the 2 versions kind of combined! Sarah loved the music and movement! There is nothing like a great marching band. And American Fork is one of those great marching bands!

Rachel spent her time dancing to the show and we were able to video a little of it! She sure loves music!

This is a big one!!!

So, I just turned 30 years old. I don't really feel old. Maybe it is the exercise or the belly dancing or the knitting or the sour patch kids. I don't know. But turning 30 was not a big deal to me. I love birthdays! I love just being together and laughing and celebrating my life and all the amazing people in it!

Most of my side of the family went out to dinner Friday night at the Harley Davidson of Lindon. There is a fun cafe with sliders (beef, turkey or chicken) and shoe string fries! It was so fun to sit and chat. L to R: Tom (married to my sister Julie), John (yes Tom's brother and married to my other sister Katie), Katie (my sis), my mom Patty (who rides motorcycles and has a Harley jacket), Me, Richard, and Julie (my sis Julie, married to Tom). We missed my brother Brian and his wife Luvir. It's great to be together as a family before we move! I will miss them!
Here is my birthday cake. Chocolate with half German Chocolate icing and the other half chocolate (for my husband). What a fun cake!
For my birthday we got a Kitchenaid mixer and I can not wait to use it. I am saving it until the move! It is going to be a great day! I got a cool dark grey color and to go on it.........
FLAMES!!!! These awesome flames are going to look amazing on the dark grey mixer! I will take pictures in our new apartment and you will see!!!
I also wanted to say I love all you guys! You have all made me the person I am today! Each of you is such a powerful influence in my life!
Here's to "My First 30 Years"!!!

Lest we forget...

As I was sitting at dinner last night with some girl friends (Bombay House, so fun!), I was thinking a lot about my life and the things that I have seen. In my life I have seen amazing miracles and great tragedies. Those things are great influences in my life, today.

Today is the 7th anniversary of the attack on the the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the plane that went down in Shanksville, PA. That morning, Richard woke me up and we sat and watched the news together and cried. It was one of the days that changed me forever. I have always loved our country and been grateful for our freedom, but on Sept. 11th, 2001, I changed and my love for our contry burned me deep inside.

It has been long enough that I know people are starting to forget about a lot of things. People get caught up in their feelings about the Iraq war and forget that tragic day. But I wanted to help remind myself of that day:

Things I will never look at the same way...
-steel beams
-airplanes
-an American flag
-a firefighter
Phrases that will always mean something to me...
-"Let's Roll!"
-"Ground Zero"

7 things that I learned 7 years ago today...

1-There are bad people in this world,

2-BUT there are MORE good people in this world

3-People around the world do love and care for us

4-I can help people even if I live far away

5-The United States of America is a beautiful, amazing place and I am so blessed to live here!!!

6-It doesn't matter what race, religion, gender, or political party, we all want America to be strong!

7-Heroes are everyday people!!!

I think some people don't want to think about Sept. 11th, 2001 because it makes them so sad. I understand that. I guess I have just chosen to look at that day as a day of change in my life. Now I look up and push forward for our country. 9/11 is part of who I am.

**I will never forget!**

News from Highland, UT to the Midwest and back...

We are back! We just got home from our trip to the Midwest. Wedenesday night last week we went out to dinner with Richard's manager took us out to dinner to "The Happy Sumo". The food was excellent! Richard ate his first piece of sushi, which tasted like fish bait smells, he said. But it was a fun stress reliever before we left.
Early Thurs. morning (5:45am) we headed to the airport and caught a 7:05 flight to Chicago, IL. We touched down and it was pouring down rain, and it continued that way for the few hours during the drive to our new city in the Midwest. The weather was great the middle 3 days and then yesterday it poured down rain the whole way to the airport and while we waited in the airport. We were there a little early, so we had dinner at the Wolfgang Puck restaurant in the airport. It was amazing food and fun to sit in the airport wating such great food! (0: We finally got in late last night and are grateful to be back.
BUT, back to the real story...
In the Midwest we needed to find a place to live and finish up school preps for Richard and the girls to start school. Richard and I were able to go just the 2 of us, while Richard's mom took a few days off to chase the girls around for us. It was great to get away and to just focus on the move. Thanks a ton, Joy!
While we were there, we headed over to the John Deere headquarters and took a bunch of pictures with the HUGE tractors and stuff. Enjoy the funny pictures!

Richard and Becky standing in front of a HUGE John Deere Harvester (it totally reminds me of one of the characters on the movie "Cars"). Can you believe how big that is?
Richard in front of the tank treads of another really big tractor. Weird that there are treads like that, huh?Me standing by the cab of that tractor with tank treads. These things are amazing. GPS and everything is all the amazing technology to make things easier on a farm.
The trip was a good trip for us. It started badly and we couldn't find a good place to live, but we now have 2 great options and we hope to decide this week what we are going to do. Say a prayer for us as we pray for guidance. We love you guys tons and we will miss you so much!!!

Go Cougars!!!

On Saturday, Aug. 30th, Richard and I went to our last BYU game before we move. When we were planning on moving in Aug., Richard was kind of sad he wouldn't get to see another BYU football game before we moved. But since we pushed the moving date back, we were able to go to the BYU vs. Northern Iowa game.
This picture was in the first quater and it was steaming hot!!! We were cooking! But it was so much fun to sit in the crowd and cheer and boo and have a fun time together. Richard and I really love to watch football, so it was fun to get away together for a few hours. My awesome sis Katie watched the girls for us! Thanks again!
We will miss going to games when we move. It is something that Richard grew up doing and I know it makes him a little sad to be leaving during this season. But we will be watching either on the internet or on tv if we can!
GO COUGARS!!!