All aboard motha trucka's

This was a pretty awesome trip for the both of us. First off i had a few install's to do in Lake Havasu City and Kingman, then we made our way east towards Flagstaff to a town called Williams. Now Williams is a 2 light town and they make the most of their towns income off of the railway that you can take into the Grand Canyon. Robin and i made it into Williams about 6ish i believe, Robin went in to confirm our reservations and get the key to the room and told me that the room was around the back of the hotel, so we drove around back and parked........WRONG!!! who gave her the map LoL. I swear we walked half that hotel looking or our room, but she insisted that it was "this way". Eventually we found it, threw our bags into the room and took off to go eat. There werent to many places to eat and we both had mexican cravings so we went into a place called Pancho McGillicuddys, thats right people mexican/irish mexican food!!! and boy did it taste like a drunken irish was in the kitchen, HAHAHAHA But hey when you are hungry anything sounds good. Afterwards we walked across the street to a country cooking restuarant that a lady in kingman told me had really good pies. ohhh man they all looked so good, big, fluffy and homemade. We decided we were going to order one for the dinner at my moms house Sunday evening, we both agreed on a peach/cherry/apple pie, ordered it and told them we'd be back the following evening to pick it up and bounced. We then walked around the small town to see just exactly what its about and to no suprise no really anything going on there. Since the hotel didnt have a formal breakfast we decided to find a grocery store or something to get for the morning, thank goodness we found and albertson's, I KNOW, a real live grocery store, who knew. The night ended with us cuddling and watching a bit of some t.v., we had a fun filled day ahead of us and we needed our energy, and energy drink's! LoL

The morning came faster than i wanted it to and we both wanted to sleep just a wee bit longer, but the canyon was calling our names or was that just my gas from the previous nights dinner and salsa?? LoL. We knelt and said our prayers before we headed out for the day and then gathered our things and took off across the street to the train depot. I wanted to get us a couple of hot coco's for our train ride but both gift shops didnt have any, now i was going to have a grumpy girlfriend for the morning, not a good start to our day. LoL There was about 10 mins before we needed to board the train so we took some photos and one polite gentleman took one of us together, thank you kind squire.!

ALLLLLLL ABBBOOAARRDDDDD! ok time to get the show on the road or rail in our case, and we were both excited about the ride into the grand canyon. The ride was to take about an hour and a half and the woman that was our "train guide" did a very good job and make it a relaxable and enjoyable ride, pointing out various land features and objects and homes from the turn of the century. And if you saw any animals you were to yell out what it is you see and on what side of the train they were on so everyone could view them as well. Neither one of us had been to the Grand Canyon before and i hadnt been on a train before either, so it was a very cool experience and i am glad that i was able to do it with my beautiful and awesome girlfriend. The ride was at a casual pace, no more than 45 miles an hour. The landscape of the high desert tends to be alil bland, so it was exciting to get up into the pines and there was a good amount of snow on the ground. Robin was in heaven, and the beauty of the area melts my spirit. We were both getting ansy to get off the train and see the beauty of the canyon. I had arranged us a bus tour (with a lunch)that would shuttle us around to certain areas of the park, with area's that we could get out and take photos and just take in the splendor and magnificence of depth, height, and sheer freaking size and color variation that makes up the grand canyon. It was a tad bit cold there and i was amazed at how much snow they had received, it was awesome. As you can tell from the photos that we did enjoy one another and taking photos of one another knowing that robin would eventually want to put them on the blog here. LoL.

The bus ride itself wasnt anything special, couldn't understand what the driver was saying half the time and the seats were small and cramped but getting out and seeing the different areas of the park were cool. At the end of the bus tour we were taken to the cafeteria for our gourmet lunch and ooohhhh boy how gourmet it was!!!

After lunch we set off on our own, we had about an hour and a half before we needed to board the train back into williams. At one point in the bus tour stops we saw a trail that switched back down on side of the mountain sides so robin and i made our way to that area, passing by all the yahoo's and tourist's and foreigners. I was surprised at how much snow was on the trail, though packed and alot of it shoveled to the sides,it was still pretty slippery and the trail of donkey poop didnt make it any easier. Poor robin had to cuff her pants so that poo wouldnt get on them but i mananged to anyways LoL We hiked down a ways as you can tell from the photos and there were a bunch of hikers coming up with crampons on and man it just made we want to do some mountaineering. We hiked down about a third of the way and after the switchbacks it straightened out onto this mesa and half way out on the mesa were some buildings, perhaps small lodges??, i wonder if you can stay in those for the night??? i hope to find out with robin next time.



hold on tight sucka


Well we were getting short on time and Robin was whining about having to hike up, so it was slow going. Heck i should have brought a sled for my princess!! LoL She did fine and we both enjoyed a nice ice cream cone after that intense uphill battle. Proceeded back to the train and soon after departed. NOW, at first the train ride back was just as exciting as the ride in, UNTIL, we could see 3 dudes on horses running along the side of the train. thats right people we were being ROBBED by desperado's(or 3 dudes who parked their truck n trailer about a 1/4 of a mile down the track) but anyways pack to the action. Now we were instructed by our guide to scream as loud as you can we they came into our car and let me tell you i screamed like a fat kid being dragged to fat camp. And yes, robin had my back or my front because i was hiding behind that big noggin of her's.(love ya) I tell ya, old people are suckers for robbers, they'd hand out dollar after dollar to those thugs. I even thought about getting up and gettin sum of dat cash money from the retiree's. It was funny though i did try to pawn robin off to one of them but they wouldnt take her. LoL Eventually they hit up every car on that train and we made it back into williams. Walked down to the country store to pick up our yummy yummmy pie and split dat place!
Heading into flagstaff we started hitting some rain, then hail, then more rain(now heavier) plus more hail than soft snow flurries and on into a crazy small white out. Man i freaked out, i dont know how to drive in snow, i get real scared real fast. And while we were driving through that lovely weather, we saw 3 cars that had flipped over and one truck that spun out. WHY, might you ask, i guarantee it because those idiots were driving way to fast. Arizona has some of the dummiest drivers ive ever been around. Anyways onward and downward into the land i call hell, we made it back rather late and chilled for a bit then off to bed.

Sunday was the usual, sleep in make my famous french toast then off to church. I do enjoy going to church with my woman. She is so dang awesome, she always has spiritual questions that come to her head. I know she loves God, Christ and the Gospel!. After church we wanted to take a short nap before heading out to my gingers house for dinner with the family, well our short nap turned into a 2 hour one with a phone call from my niece cheyenna asking where we were at LOL. oopppssss So we jumped up and raced over for dinner and of course robin was a hit, especially with my nephew payson who is 4 and apparently he has a crush on her. YOU'LL HAVE TO FIGHT ME FOR HER PUNK!!!
Monday....the day she was leaving, so soon?? i couldnt have been more happier hahahaha kidding. We didnt do much other than go to lunch with her friend christy out on buckeye at red robins. Did alil bit of shopping while we were there and afterward's we just went back to the house to chill. Dinner was dined at her favorite place, CAFE RIO!!!! then off to the airport we went. We arrived early so we found a corner and talked more before she had to go through the check point. We made sure that a prayer was said before she boarded, i like that we do that on every trip we take. I sure do miss her when she's leave's and i cant wait for the day that we dont have to wait every 2-3 weeks to see each other.
I love how close robin and i have become over these months. I have alot of learning to do but i am so thankful to God for blessing me with a wonderful, beautiful and precious woman. I cant wait to see where our relationship road takes us.


robin apparently lost her left foot somewhere and they didnt sell peg legs in the gift shop.



"should i stay or should i goooo now"

one of my favorite photos of robin, shes so beautiful

2 energy drinks and a steep drop off, guess what im letting loose LoL

alligator rock

damn she so gorgeous!!!!

she makes me smile.

love the preppy sweater over the shoulders look with the hang ten fingers

man i love her!

its like climbing Mt Everest

it was so beautiful there

true love, aawwww

hey whats that up there

Rolling Rolling down the lane

After a long and grueling 2 1/2 weeks Brad was up for a visit. I think this was the longest break we had, and it was TOO LONG! He came in Thursday the 11th, and once I picked him up from the airport we headed straight for Tomato Street! He needed his Lazoni! After that we headed home. This trip he wanted to spend a lot of time with the boys!

It just so happened the boys had a 4 day weekend so on Friday we took them bowling. There were some tense moments as we watched the pins fall down, but in the end I was victorious!! We all had a fun time though...

Brad giving his expert advice!

He just wishes his tongue was as long as mine!

Unfortunately Landon turned into an ape while he waited for his turn
On Saturday day we took the boys out to the skate park again for the day. Because Brad broke Caden's skateboard last time he brought him up his good skateboard to have. (See he is such a great guy!!) brad showed his skillz, and his falls to all of us!

Since Valentine's Day was on Sunday I thought we should go out Saturday night for our date, but he thought it would be better to stay and do something with the boys, so we had a campfire and roasted smores. When he said he wanted to stay and hang with the boys I knew what kind of father he would be. Caden helped him gather wood and Brad taught him how to chop it, and then they worked on getting it started!

The smores and roaring fire were enjoyed by all. Brad googled up ghost stories to read!

Yes they are pyros!

Because it was sooo fun doing the fire we did it again Sunday after family dinner! Caden told mom that he wanted a beanie like Brads that was knitted so on Monday before Brad flew out we went to REI and Brad picked one out for him. He mailed it to him later that week! Caden was so excited! I am so glad that we have continued to be able to see each other every few weeks! I miss him so much when he is not with me! I am thankful for how amazing he is with the boys. They can be handfuls a lot of the times, but he is patient with them! Thanks Brad for another amazing weekend!

Happy Birthday to me!!

I went down to visit Brad over my birthday weekend. So far we have been able to see each other every 2-3 weeks. It has been nice! So, I flew in Friday afternoon and Christy picked me up. We had a great time all afternoon and it was lawesome. There were a few lumb parts, but it made us laugh! Brad came out after work and we had dinner with the Bishops, then headed back to his place. Overall it was a relaxing weekend. Sleeping in and going to dinners and movies. For my birthday we went out to dinner at a Mexican place with a couple from his ward, then we went to Peter Piper Pizza for some games! Oh yeah! We also went on a hunt for the perfect pair of jeans. Some were too dark, or to baggy, but then we found the ones that were just right! Actually we found 2 pairs! Brad hasn't had jeans in I don' t know how long, but that all ended this fateful weekend. Walking into the Gap he wasn't hopeful, but as we headed to the clearance rack TA_DA! There they hung. The perfect color size and fit! And they were on SALE! Oh yeah! Let me just tell you he looked GOOOOD in them!

Sunday Brad made his famous french toast again for me. It will be fun to have this Sunday morning ritual once we are married! Especially if he is doing the cooking!! It is always great going to church and sitting side by side. We have been reading a lot out of the First 2000 years together, and it is so interesting. It is fun to talk about how incredibly wonderful our Heavenly Father is and about the creation. I absolutely love reading and learning more about the Gospel with him.

On Monday we went out to dinner with another couple from his ward Abe and Jessica. It is fun listening to what his friend think of him! On Tuesday I went to work with him, and tried to help him as much as I could. He was installing a lot of shutters into this older couples house who just moved from Texas. They were a very nice couple, and I had fun talking with them. Its amazing how much people share about their lives. Watching Brad work was a major turn on! He loves what he does, and he does it well. He is a hard worker!

So, that night we headed to the airport so I could fly out. I hate saying goodbye. I love every minute that I get to spend with him. It doesn't matter what we are doing just as long as I am with him I am happy. We said our prayer together at the airport and I headed to my gate. I was on board the plane when they announced that the pilot was violently ill, and they would have to delay the flight or cancel it. I texted Brad and said come and get me!! I was able to get on the flight for Wednesday night! YEAH 1 MORE DAY OF VACATION!!! Unfortunately I was not able to get my bags, but oh well! I had another day with me man! I love being able to snuggle with him, and to go to bed kneeling next to him in prayer. On Wed I went to work with him again, and again it was great. He is always worrying about me being bored, but I read and tried to help him. The night rolled around and off to the airport we went again. I was hoping that it would be cancelled again, but no such luck! We did our usual goodbye ritual at the airport. Prayer followed by lots of kisses and longing looks as I walk away.

I am so grateful that I met Brad. That from the beginning we just connected. That when we are together it just feels so right. I cannot wait to be his wife!

It's so hard to say goodbye...

Oh Sunday...a day of rest. A day to worship our Heavenly Father. A day to spend with family. A day to say goodbye :( With the start of the New Year church started at 9. So, we woke up and got ready and went! There is just something special about sitting in Sacrament meeting with your man. To be able to hold his hand, or rub his back. Then to be able to go sit in Sunday school together and read the Scriptures together and of course hold hands!

After church we stopped at Subway and then headed home.

Yes he was sad to leave. I was sad to have him leave. Having him here for 10 days was SOOOO NICE. I loved having him around. Yes, we did not do the most exciting of things while he was here, but it was like real life. I enjoy him so much. Even if its just sitting around. We just have fun together, and when he is not around I miss him. So, its a good thing that I am going down in just a few short weeks. I am flying down the 15th for my birthday.

Thank you Brad for coming up and spending Christmas with me and my family. Thank you for being an amazing man, and for choosing me. I feel very lucky!

Saturday is a special day...

Saturday morning we decided we should do a little service for the day! We went over to help Kindra and Jeremy move to their new house. Brian was also there to help with his truck. The men flexed their strong muscles and moved the big items in record time. After helping we went up to Subway for a healthy satisfying lunch!
That night was a little hectic and sad, but I will blog about that later.
We then had a big family dinner where funny comments were passed to and fro. That's when you know everyone feels comfortable with each other. Lets just say Brad felt like part of the family! After dinner Brad was just begging to play games so we decided since it was his last night here we would indulge him! We played a game of Apples to Apples. It was a fun night. After all was cleaned and the boys settled down we headed to the room to watch more of the planet channel. Watching the shows really started some interesting Gospel discussions. We spent a lot of time asking dad questions about the Gospel, and researching it out in books. I LOVE being able to have discussions with Brad about the Gospel. To see what his perspectives are on different subjects. It has made us grow closer as a couple, and closer to out Heavenly Father.

Some where over the rainbow...

Friday morning Brad and I made all the kids breakfast. He made the eggs and I made the waffles and bacon. It was nice being in the kitchen with him! Later on we all went for a walk in the woods. We took a few coins and the boys put them on the train tracks. When we got back to the house a war ensued. Satan's minions (Dallan, Caden, Pete and Hannah) were down below while Heavenly Fathers chosen ones (Brad and Landon) were up above. The fiery (nerf)darts streaked all over, along with the deadly (sock) grenades. After hours (literally!) the war was over and the right prevailed!

We were headed to take Pete and Hannah home and crossing through this valley was the most awesome, bright, complete rainbow any of us had ever seen before. The picture does not do it justice. It is just another reminder at how awesome our Heavenly Father is!

We dropped the kids off and headed over to Grandma's house. She was having dinner for everyone, but unfortunately Brad and I already had dinner planes. We stopped by for a while to visit then we headed up to Tomato Street to meet Melinda and Brian. We had a fun time with them, and had a yummy dinner. Have you ever heard of Lazoni before? That's what Brad had. Lasagna baked inside a calzone! After dinner Brad and I headed to see the Blind Side. What an uplifting movie. It makes you grateful for what you have in your life, and makes you think about what you can do to help others. Like rescuing them from living in hell all alone!!

New Years Eve

New Years Eve Brad and I headed out for an early dinner. Big beautiful snowflakes were falling from the sky as we headed to Outback. Thanks to my brilliant mind :) I called ahead and made reservations for us. We were seated and ordered our food, and relaxed. We talked about the trip thus far, and what he thought. Yes, my boys can be a handful, yes, Spokane is nice, yes, my family is friendly. So far nothing has scared him off! (I was nervous for him to come up and meet EVERYONE so early on in our relationship, but from the beginning it has just felt right with him. After my weekend in Az visiting him I knew that he had to come up and meet my family. I knew they would like him, and I hoped he would feel the same way. Its easy for 2 people to get along great when its just the 2 of them hanging out for a weekend here and there. The true test is when they are thrown into everyday life. I wanted to see how it would go. To see if there could be a future between us. After the first 7 days I know that there could be a future between us, and I can't wait to continue on the journey with him.) He had the salmon, and I had the pork tenderloin. We ate, and then headed back home so my parents could go out. The roads had gotten really bad while we were in the restaurant. So, being the great driver I am especially at night I took it slow. I was getting into the turning lane from the highway and my car decided it did not want to stop. So, luckily there were not any cars coming towards us from the other direction as we cruised into their lanes. Eventually I regained control and we made it home safe. The boys had friends spending the night, so the rest of our night was spent cuddled on the couch watching various shows. When the clock struck 12 it was nice to welcome in the New Year with a man who I have fallen for. With a man I can see spending eternity with. With a man I don't want to live without.