Thursday, July 28, 2011

i love homemade ice cream. i especially love it when my mom has a buffet of mix-ins.

first, ice cream.


next, chocolate chip cookie dough.



and last, homemade carmel.


enjoy!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

i wish i was a prettier crier

i gave a talk in my church on sunday. i may have cried multiple times while giving it. it didn't help that i had an overwhelming amount of support from my family. my mom, step-dad, sister, nephew, dad, step-mom, and my husband were all in the congregation. i can't tell you how overjoyed i was when i walked in to the chapel to see almost my entire immediate family sitting all together. it especially meant so much to me to have my dad there. one of the ladies that spoke with me said that she watched him while i spoke. she said he was glowing. and that he looked really proud. i loved hearing that.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

it was a "utah holiday" weekend for us

i kicked off my weekend by going to the farmers market with my sister and mom.  it was my mom's first farmers market.  needless to say it won't be her last.  she loved it!




to celebrate utah's pioneer holiday gordon's cousin annie had a bbq. i knew the food would be amazing. we had korean sandwiches, a variety of salads, dips, cookies, and for dessert we each had our own shavy jones snow cone! ("don't touch my buried treasure" is what my puka shell necklace wearing brother-in-law trevor said to jodi when she asked him for a taste. buried treasure is ice cream at the bottom of the snow cone. not something else.) sadly gordon was still backpacking with the scouts so he missed out.





on monday we got up and cooked breakfast (which is such a rarity these days!) and enjoyed the delicious buttermilk syrup i bought at the farmers market. 


that night we asked our neighbors, which also just so happen to be gordon's brother and his wife, if they wanted to come and light off some free fireworks gordon got from a friend. they did. lucky for all of us, matt didn't blow his face off, and gordon and him both still have all of their fingers. it was a good time.



thanks pioneers for sacrificing so much so we can live in this beautiful state and enjoy all it has to offer!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

miss independent


i like to think of myself as very independent. but when gordon is gone i realize i'm not.  i'm just not myself.  i don't eat like i normally do (meaning it's pretty much just cereal for dinner, if there's dinner at all).  i don't go on evening walks with my dogs.  i don't laugh near as often.  i'm extremely bored.  i don't have anyone to share my lame daily stories with.  and if he's out of cell service i don't get to hear 'i love you' multiple times a day.  no morning kisses.  no good night kisses.  and sleep?  what's that.

so i guess what i'm saying is i need him.

i am also saying something i never thought i would say, but i can't wait for summer to be over.  scouting trips are significantly reduced once summer ends.

Friday, July 22, 2011

what i should be doing...

is preparing a talk that i have been asked to give in my church this sunday.  but i'm looking at pictures from our bear lake trip last month (and blogging), wishing i was there instead.













Thursday, July 21, 2011

the coolest grocery store around these parts





harmons
farmington, utah

they have a healthy check out line with fresh fruit and beverages without high fructose corn syrup lining the aisles. (want a treat kids? grab an apple.)
samples galore.
knowledgeable staff.
a cafe, yummy looking buffets, and an upstairs that makes you think you're not in a grocery store. yes, those are leather couches in that photo.
oh, and gelato, which just might be my new favorite treat right now.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

over the weekend

gordon went on a short trip to st. george - utah to visit his best friend chris.  they went camping, boating, jet skiing, and night wheelin'.

while he was gone i kept myself busy...

went to the big city (slc!) to go shopping at gateway and have dinner at vinto.  go there.  their pizza and gelato are fantastic!

 
 




my sister and i went to a few yard sales, stopped by the farmers market to buy a couple of fresh mint limeades and some green tea scones, and went thrifting.




sunday was family dinner at the hardcastle's where we found out that gordon's dad has also received quite a big service calling in his ward. 
and i got to play with the little man.  he's pretty much the most adorable almost 3 year old i know.

fun, busy weekend.  maybe one of these weekend posts i'll tell you what gordon and i did together...hopefully sooner than later.  but so far, it doesn't look like good.  stupid scouts.

Friday, July 15, 2011

famous.

and a paparazzi photo to prove it


my sister and i were joking with each other all saturday about how we were treated like royalty while shopping at the farmers market.  the limeade man with all his cheerfulness and doing a little dance while i took his photo.  the cherry man who gave us a deal because we bought 2 bags.  the plant lady for telling someone that was eyeing the plant i wanted to buy that i was there first so if i wanted it i had first choice.  the boutique owner that hugged us multiple times telling us how much he missed us and how fun we are being sisters.  the crepe lady who offered us water and no one else.  i'm sure this is just people being friendly and nice but we like to think that all of our many appearances there are paying off. 

but this photo that was not taken by us and it was taken without us evening know it and ended up online...makes us think it is true.

what will this weekend bring?!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

what heroes are made of


these girls are my heroes.  mothers.  wives.  strong.  independent.  loving.  caring.  smart.  beautiful.

one of them recently told me i was her hero.  she was going through a loss of unborn child and told me she thought about me the entire time.  i have never lost a child.  but i knew what she meant.  little does she know she is my hero.  during that experience we visited with her.  the way she was handling everything was remarkable.  she gave me strength.  and made me realize how wonderful our friends are.

katherine, shelli, and keri...i love you girls.  thanks for being some of my closest friends.  and being the strong women you are.  each of you are examples to me.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

you are not alone in this

"and you are not alone in this, and you are not alone in this. as brothers we will stand and we'll hold your hand...hold your hand." mumford and sons - timshel

i talked to my brother on the phone on sunday.  he wanted me to know how sorry he is for the grief he has caused and is causing his family...me.  he told me how much he loved his family.  and then he told me how much he loved me.  he said "i love you jess".  i told him i loved him very much.  and that i pray for him daily.  and put his name in the temple prayer box each time i go.  he thanked me.  and said it was nice to know i had his back.

this was the first time we had ever told each other we loved each other.  he's 35 and i'm 27.  it was a day i will never forget.  words i never thought i needed to hear from him i realized i needed to hear my whole life.  i'm glad we didn't go any longer without letting each other know how much we care about each other.

he continues to struggle with his addiction.  but where he is now is helping him.  he's attends AA and NA faithfully.  and as equally important he attends a weekly lds institute class.  he told me that once he gets his life straighten out he wanted his life to be filled with work and church.  i told him he should ask to be the relief society president.

i love my brother very much.  i know that if he does his part to do what is right the lord will lift him up and make his burdens light.  i pray that this is the last time he has to go through what he is going through.  and he becomes the man we all know he can be.  for his family.  my mom. my dad. and most importantly his daughter.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

it's always nice to getaway

to celebrate my birthday...


white chocolate banana cream cake from vintage tea room...mouth watering!


hang out on the beach with family...














ride our bikes into town for milk shakes...












have a taco night (my sister and i even cooked!)...




spend a week without any outside duties calling for me...



aw, i love bear lake.