The way I want to live my life...

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someones garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."-Marjorie Hinckley

This is my New Years resolution... I want to do all that I can to show acts of service to everyone. I found out this past weekend that it is going to be challenging at times for me to do this simply because I might not get it in return. But I know that with the Lords help I can achieve and concur anything.

Brea + Snowboarding = broken WRIST!

where to even begin...??? I guess lets just start from the beginning... this past weekend Brint and I went with his sister Aryn and her (special) friend Sean up to Pinetop to go SNOWBOARDING!! I was so excited to go. I had been once before but I didn't have a whole lot of experience. So anywho... we left Friday after work. When we got there it was Freezing, at least for us Arizonians who have thin blood like myself, we tried to drive in and ended up getting stuck.

Sean and Brint got out to go and try to get the front door open. don't worry they couldn't get the key to work, oh and we were STUCK in the snow!

We finally got the key to work. Sean hag dug a path to walk in. And everything was a-okay!

The next morning, Brint and Sean eating their yummy breakfast. Oranges....

I saw my first icicles!!!! they were so pretty....





Don't you worry.... we were STUCK again trying to back out! we were seriously there for an hour trying to get out of the snow.

We made it!

going up to the very top of the mountain! I was overwhelmed but excited!

now trying to get down the mountain was the hard part.... as you can see i got a boo-boo!

We didn't know if it was broken or pulled. If you look close you can see the huge bump! I'm talkin this thing was a golf ball!!! and it KILLED!

We returned home safe. This was at the urgent care where they took xrays and broke the BAD news to me. It was broken. And a bad break at that!!!

This was me yesterday. I went to the doctor and he gave me a cast and scheduled me for surgery!!! I couldn't believe it. I had to go and get a cat scan this morning and then that would give us a clear understanding of how bad the break really was.

I just got a call from the doctors office this afternoon, and they said NO SURGERY!!! YAY! I was so happy to hear that. I have to go in 2 weeks to take new xrays and then we will see where we are from there. Keep coming by to check for updates....

Brint and I had the opportunity to go down to Rocky Point, Mexico this Christmas break and build home for the people there. This is the second year we have done this with the group called "families helping families." Last year my experience was not the most exciting because the day before we went down I had had my wisdom tooth pulled out, so I was a little out of it and in pain. It was hard to smile. Luckly, and the only reason I went down, was because I had only one tooth pulled out and it was on top. So I am sure it was not as bad as it would have been if all 4 were taken out. 

But this year I had a wonderful experience. I learned a lot and have so much more gratitude for construction workers. That's a TOUGH job! Woo... Anyway, it was nice to be able to be apart of a group that helps and serves others. It reminds me of who and what I want to become. And that is more Christ like. Being able to serve others bring me such great joy. Knowing that I am helping someone in need and letting them have their prayers answered by us taking time out of our lives to help is what I want my life to be about. 

He are some pictures of our trip. Sorry I do not have any pictures of the finished product. I will have to get them from my mother-in-law and post them up later. 

Brint's battle wound! 

Feet!!! hehe

This is my favorite part of Mexico! 

End of the day the first day! we had concrete all over us! 

Me, my sister-in-law Aryn, and our cousin Morgan.

Laying the first bricks.

The huge group! (and this is just at one of the houses, there 

was another one being built too)

Me and Aryn! 

Catch up time...

Bare with me here, this one is a long one and way out of order... So I apologize in advance. 

Brint and I had a great Christmas. I will start from the beginning... the Eve of Christmas Eve we had my little sisters come and stay with us and do a small Christmas with them... we had a lot of fun. We made cinnamon rolls and ate them all and the girls played with Duke and he was loving every minute of it. And then we opened presents.... Brint and I loved having them here. I have had a hard time this year with not being able to spend time with my sisters and only seeing them here or there and so it was nice just to be with them and hang out and get to know what is going on in their lives... 

Then on Christmas Eve Brint and I met up with his family and went to Logan's Roadhouse (my favorite steak house!!) for dinner and then the traditional walking around at the temple enjoying the lights. This was Brint and mines first Christmas as a married couple and how wonderful that was... we were able to open up presents early (in Brint's family terms, LATE for me... 8am) with just us and Duke and then we headed over to the Hiatt's to open presents and talk to Jesse who is on a mission in South Africa. That I will have to say was the best part. Well let me explain, I don't know Jesse very well but he is Brint's best friend. And to see how happy my husband was to talk to his little brother was the best gift ever. :) 

The day after Christmas we went down to Mexico! I will make a post about this trip later... Let's just say I am hating the thought of going back to work! :) 

Sorry the pictures are a bit out of order... 

Brookie helping clean the counter off so we can get started

 making cinnamon rolls.

Duke got a new outfit for Christmas... So CUTE!

So cute in the morning... Santa brought Brint new softball bats, a bag,

 balls, socks and much more!

The Temple... need I even say more?

Kenedy and Lauren helping Brint make cinnamon rolls. 

making designs in the flour... :)

Kenedy and Duke... Duke loved the girls.

Stephanie... 

KISSES!!! 

Steph and Lauren!