Happy Birthday Thomas!! Your the Best!

This is another time I wish I had a scanner and knew how to use it! It was my sweet Thomas Heaps 10th Bday and I have the cutest pictures of him from when I got to watch him 6 years ago while his Sister Emily was going through her first Bone Marrow transplant.

I love Thomas because he knows who he is. He knows how to treat others and he is one of the most loving, accepting kids around.

I have so many fun memories of Thomas as a little guy. He always wanted to chase me around and pretend to kill me just to come and comfort me when I was faking dead on the ground. "Get Up! I was just playing..it's not for real! Are you ok?!"

He loved to sing at the top of his lungs with me. We had the EFY CD in the car and sang "We Believe" at the top of our lungs the summer before my first year. He was 3 and he had the whole song memorized!

We sang and read so many books on the couch every day. He loved to run errands with me, go shopping and just be my little buddy!

Thomas is great at anything he tries. He is good at sports, singing and I believe one day he could make an AMAZING actor, his voice is deep and so actor-esk.

One of the things I treasure most is at the time I watched Jackie and Thomas, I had only been home from my mission about a year. My mission buddies were always calling me or around all of us. They always called me by my last name, so Thomas started calling me Gazaway. I love it to this day when he calls me that cause it reminds me of such a sweet time in my life, when I got to be with this kid every day!

Thomas, I am so glad that you are you! I am so thankful that you know how to love and smile and sing and laugh and be sweet. Everytime I get to be with you, I am happier when I leave!
You have a real zeal for life, for adventure. You play hard and you love deeply!







Happy Birthday Big GUY! I'LL LOVE YOU ALWAYS!
Gazaway

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET BAMA GIRL!

Happy Birthday Sweet Laur!

Lauren Celeste Tinker, is my Alabama roomie who lived with me at Grandpa and Grandma's house and then moved with me to the house of seven.

She is known by many different names: Miss Tinker, Tinkerbell, Laur Laur, Lauren, Bama, girl, and much more! No matter what she is called, this sweet girl's name is reverenced in our family!

My nephews love her more than they love me as you can see in the following pictures! Everytime they come over now they ask where their "friends" are that is Laur and her cousin Megan. She let them use her as a tumbling mat, even just in there cool power ranger underware!

And for watching movies, she was the best cuddle partner EVER! (Atleast Kobe thinks so!)

How do I know Laur? I met her first through Jen at our Crestwood apartment and then when we lived in Illinois we took a roadtrip to see her and her cousin Megan over conference weekend 2005. We had a BLAST in Memphis with them! That next Summer of 2006 I was able to work with her at the midwest sessions for EFY and fell absessed with her! Later that fall, she moved in to Gpa and Gma's house with Kelli and I. If I had a choice I would have kept Laur right next to me, in my life FOREVER!! She is a breathe of fresh air! Some of the reasons I love Bama...

• She is always doing something hillarious to embarrass or hurt herself


• Always has a cleaver story and will share it till you are laughing so hard you are baulling or wetting yourself
  
• Her accent
  
• Her love of the temple and the scriptures. There are 2 things that I could ALWAYS expect out of Laur. To wake up to her reading her scriptures at the kitchen counter and to go to the temple ATLEAST once a week.
  
  
• The way that she said things...one example: a shopping cart was always called a "Buggy"


• her UNCONDITIONAL love for people. Everyone that crossed paths with her instantly felt like they were her best friend


• Her love of her family...especially her "DADDY" and niece and nephew (even though that is what took her away from us!)
  
• The way her and Megan finished eachothers sentances and laughed themselves to sleep every night.

Like I mentioned before, Laur's family is the focus of her life and she can't live without them...

Can you blame her.. Look at them they are GORGEOUS!

That smile of her's just makes me miss her all the more. As you can see Lauren definately deserves a Birthday Shout out! Utah missed you Laur. I know you are happy being back with your family but I also want you to know that Utah wishes you a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

* ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! * my sweet Rachel Annes Burner

It's my Rachie BABY'S Birthday today! Can I just tell you how much I love this woman!! She was one of the first people that I met with EFY in 2002! Instantly she had me in stitches laughing. Rachel is a moral Martha Stewart! There is literally nothing this girl is afraid of doing and she can do it all so well. She is always going to good will or even finding things for free and making the most awesome things out of them! Here is a little more about this girl...

Besides being an awesome asset to the EFY program, she served a mission in Argentina and unknown to her at the time she met her hubby!!

I think it is so fun that they met and they are darling and funny together. I also think it is fun that they went back and visited their mision together.

We hadn't been able to see eachother since her pre-mission days, and in July I was able to stay with them at her new house while I was down for a wedding! THANK YOU BURNERS!!

I wanted to leave you a special Birthday message but I think that these boyys can do it better! Have a GREAT DAY! Love you GIRL!

Fun Friday: Soakin up the Sun

Cruisin Together: Farewell to Single-ness Cabo Style

No, I am not making an annoucement that I am going to leave the single world, but a couple on our cruise hopefully will be in the next few months. So we decided to take our long planned cruise (4 yrs in the makng) before another one of us enters holy matrimony. Holli beat us all too it before she could come with us!

Meet the Crew.. Amy (Meemsy) and Quentin (the ones we are waiting for.) Me And Scotty.
If you can't tell by my face, Cruisin makes me happy :)

Now that I am back to life, back to reality, I want to share with you the highlights of the cuise and let you know that I had a fabulous time while I was away!

We started driving 9 at night on Wed and got to Primm, NV early in the morning. Took a few hours nap and were up and driving again, we couldn't even stand the thought of missing our cruise! We made it to the cruise and checked out every nook and cranny of the boat. We got more and more excited as we found out the activities that we could participate in! It's funny how each vacation I take there is a different need to fulfill. This one I wanted to just stay relaxed. Feel as though there was no needs or cares in the world. I layed out (with my sundress on to prevent burning) and just really pondered on my blessings! I loved my time to think about myself for once!

We loved the activities on the ship... lip sincs, Battle of the Sexes, Name that Tune, Bingo, Scavenger hunt "Where's Weezie" and hypnotist show etc.. SO fun!I loved playing BINGO with all the youngins on the ship.. who says it is only for old folk! Scotty got hypnotised! I knew it had worked when he was scratching strangers feet and smelling literaly for 2 minutes the inside of strangers shoes. Not to mention the licking his arms and legs and crying at a SAD movie! It was hysterical! We tried to buy a video but they didn't tape it, who does that?!There was a scavenger hunt on board a few times a day called "Where is Weezie?" This is weezie. She is from Scotland. She is the Assistant Cruise ship director. They would have clues several times a day to find her. Scotty and I chanced into her one day and kept on playing. We won 1st place and were called on stage and presented these prizes: Champagne (we gave it to the first drunk people we saw on te ship hahaha they are everywhere!), An insulated Carnival drink glass, A scrapbook and a shp on a stick (trophy).

Now the food... Oh boy! Have you ever wanted to be treated like royalty!? Cruise is what will do that for you! You get served around every turn. Want a panini with specific things on it? You've got it! Got a sweet tooth? No problem ice cream 24 hours a day! Too tired to leave your room? No issues. Room service is ABSOLUTELY free, 24 hours a day! If you don't like food, or are afraid to eat.. a cruise is not for you!!
This is an example of the food you are served by 2 of your "own" waiters at our same table every night. This was Lobster and blacktiger Shrimp. It was fun to be able to get dressed up at night and be treated so well and eat WAY TOO GOOD!

This is all of us with our table waiters. Cruz and Armando. They are amazing and funny!

But it was just as fun to go from the pool or a chair on deck and eat the lunch buffets and then go back out to enjoying the gorgeous weather.

The sites you get to see on a cruise... It is amazing to have open water all around you then to pull up to the most beautiful land you have ever seen and wondered if you are dreaming! Then have an all day pass off the ship to do anything your heart desires. Just visit on the beach, shop, swim with dolphins, there is a WHOLE array of things to do at all different budgets.o.

This is lovers beach. It was really absolutely GORGEOUS!

The Sea Lions

Scotty and I at lover's beach. Wondering why I wearing my sun dress off my shoulders. 1) it was a little to big. 2) My upper arms is where my third degree burn is still really sensitive.

Believe me I am NOT trying to be sexy!

Meemsy and Q at Lovers Beach. Are they not the cutest lovers you have seen! :)This guy was a lifesaver. Scotty and I hired him to pull us back to the ship dock after a long, hot day walking the streets in Cabo.... worth every dollar and then some! I was EXHAUSTED!
The little things that were done for us on our cruise ship just make the experience even more memorable. Every night when you come back in your room from dinner, your 'Room Steward" leaves you an animal made out of towels and some mints! We looked forward to what was going to be there. This is my favorite one. Also our room stewards filled up the mini cooler I brought with drinks in it too without being asked! Great service!

As you can tell Cruise life was fun. I loved it and hope everyone that likes the same things as me gets to have an experience like this in their lives! The best time of year to get very inexpensive prices is Sept-the end of Jan. You should be able to find a room for $299 pp or less. I recommend it to anyone! We also made a stop at Disney on our way home... that will have to be talked about next Friday!

Meemsy, Scotty and Q thanks for such a fun time together. A memory I wil never forget! Loved Cruisin Togetha!

Moment of Silence: Remembering Kim Terry

Sept 18 th has taken on a whole new meaning to me since the 18th of Sept 1994. This day took a dear ward friends life in a tragic accident by a drunk driver she was sent back to our Heavenly Father.

I will never forget that day, nor the reprocussions of it. It will always remain a day of rememberance for Kim and a tender day for her family.

Kim was full of life and spunk. She was always thinking about her best friend her Mom. There were many times in the summer when we were all together that she would say, "Hey can you guys drop me off, my Dad is out of town this week and I want to go watch a movie with my Mom" I remember wishing I was so thoughtful towards my Mom.

I remember going to TCBY after some YW activities cause Kim was there working. I remember how she always was so put together. I remember her gorgeous eyes that lit up magically.

I know that her presence is missed every second by her family. I pray for my sweet friend Pat, her mom, constantly cause I know how deeply she misses her.

Today and every year, Sept 18th will always be a day of reverence for me. It will always remind me of the reality that there is another work going on in Heaven and that sometimes our Father in Heaven has to take someone so loved away, to help those waiting for more knowledge in Heaven.

Kim, you are loved and missed. Keep shining your love down upon all of us.

They say it's your Birthday.... Mindy Thornley

Happy Birthday to you Mindy Marie Thornley!

Mindz is always the life of the party! She always comes and represents the Aggie side of things!

She is a great friend... everyone that knows Mindy is instantly in love with the way that she loves you! Mindz is NOT AFRAID to have fun, be silly or just be herself! This fun and zeal for life is shown in everything she does... hello! Skydiving! And how could I not love someone who loves EFY ALMOST as much as I do :)

Mindz, your life is full of talents fun! Aggie sports, skydiving, marathons, friends, travels, and just plain fun! I have no doubt that you will have a FANTABULOUS DAY!!

Love you GIRL!

HIATUS

If there are any of you out there, and I mean ANY of you out there that will be checking my blog in the next week and wondering, "Why hasn't she posted?", it is because I will be spending the next 5 Days aboard the Carnival Cruise ship Elation going to Cabo San Lucas. Then I will be heading to Disneyland! What a dream! Can't wait to share the memories!

Don't worry.. I have 50 SPF sunblock!

Love you all! Thanks so much for all the support and love you all show me through my blog. I am blessed! See you back on Wednesday!

Dear Readers...

My blog did a weird thing... I decided to be super organized this week and finished all my blog entries for every day and they sent out all at once instead of the scheduled day... sorry you get Monday, Tues and wed in one day... WEIRD! And also in backward order.

Thanks for caring to check my blog!

MEMORY MONDAY: Europe, May 2008

This year I got the opportunity of a lifetime to go to Europe with one of my bestest friends and the significant other on my airline benefits, Jen! I work for JetBlue Airways and we started a partnership with Aer Lingus. They offered us deals to fly to Ireland for $50 RT. Jen and I jumped at that chance! We would be DUMB not to! So off we went to Ireland! We found a deal to fly to London for $100 as well and figured we would be dumb not to do that too... so we did both!

I don't know how many of you have flown JetBlue but one of our selling factors is how roomie our seats are, we didn't have quite that experience on this flight. By the time that we landed in Shannon, IRELAND our feet were SWOLLEN huge, it hurt to even walk. But for the miserableness of that flt, it was worth it for the price for sure!

We stayed a couple days in Shannon and traveled to Galway and to The Cliffs of Mohr (The cliffs of insanity on Princess Bride) the scenery is BREATH TAKING! We rented a car for this segment and I will tell you what the roads there are so SCARY! They are narrow.. barely enough room for one car and semi's pass you going seriously 80 MPH. Jen was definately scared of me.... so funny! But, might I add, how many of you have driven a car where the wheel is on the right side and shifter on the left? It is hard to re-train your mind, instantly and also with the narrow roads to add to it! I think I did amazing, considering the circumstances!
Jen, would beg to differ :)
These are shots of what the country side in Shannon/Gallway area look like. There are stone hedges lining the road and green, green, green! Oh I am in love with this part of Ireland!



Now, on to London oh what an adventure!! We started out of first day with a train switching nightmare! We were getting off the train to connect to the next train and I was getting my luggage and it started spilling over. Jen had gotten off the train and all of the sudden, the doors shut and I was shipping off and Jen was staying. Literally one of the saddest, scariest moments of my life.


Luckily I had been to NYC and London is just like it, so I knew that I just needed to get on the next train on the opposite side of the tracks to get back to Jen. I was onry when I get back to her... but I did laugh about it later. By the time we arrived to our hostel we had both had it!Nothing could keep us from laughing our head off however, when we got to our door and saw that our room is called the "madhouse".If this doesn't say it all, it sure should hahha it was a pretty hysterical experience. Atleast we got to enjoy the pretty scenery on our 2 mile walk back and forth each day!

The first night Jen treated me to Hairspray the musical on London Broadway. What a fun production!It is so fun to be in a foreign place and see the world out of a totally different prospective. I will have to say that I LOVED everything about Europe minus the food. The food is bland and non-yummy! And on top of that, EXPENSIVE! hahaha You know me and my like for good food!

I think there is a tear in my eye of gladness!

So I definately welcomed the day that we spotted the Hard Rock... REAL FOOD!! You can only eat so much McDonalds. I will have to admit however, that when you don't have much choices for good tasting food, a quarter pounder at McDonalds sounds like Chicken Cordon Bleu!

We toured London on a double decker bus for two days! I loved it! Even though there was little bits of rain we trooped it out and enjoyed ourselves! This is our friend Kevin, everyday Kevin let us in at our train stop since we didn't buy the right train pass. (he saved us a FORTUNE!) He loved Jen, I could tell he had a thing for her.This is definatley one of the AWESOME experiences of my lifetime thus far! We got to attend evensong at Westminster Abby! I have NEVER heard something more beautiful and angelic in my ENTIRE life. The accustics in that building and the gorgeous sites around you, BREATH TAKING! Definately the highlight for me. Look at us sporting the EUROPE look.. Jen got me totally in style.. Thanks H&M These are pictures of St. Patrick Cathedral in Dublin. This is my friend Mindy from JetBlue. She met us when we arrived back in Ireland. We stayed in Dublin at the awesomest Marriott hotel!Classic Views of Ireland. We also took the double decker bus tour here. No more rental cars in Europe for us!

Dublin was a fun, touristy city. I still like Shannon/Gallway area better! All in all, it was a lovely, lifetime dream fulfilled, pleasant, adventurous and best time with my sweet Jen! These are days never to be forgotten!

And.. on the flight home it was awesome! We got the middle section of the plane all to ourselves, lots of leg room and the food rocked! Couldn't have ended better!


Jen, thank you for all the sacrifices you made for this trip! It was absolutely phenomonal!