Larson Weekend

    Here are just a few pictures of Brian's cute family. We went out to eat with Laurie and Craig a week or so ago. It was so fun! That couple just cracks me up and really sets such a great example for Brian and me. We went to Red Robin to eat (Because Brian is obsessed with their fries) and then went on a walk. We even got Craig and Laurie to try the Megaplex seats (called D-Box) that move along with the movie! Woot! Love these two!

I love their faces when they laugh! I wish mine looked that cute!

     Then on Monday the 25th we went boating at East Canyon with the family! Boy oh Boy was it a blast! We invited Brian's lifelong-childhood friend Matt and his cute wife Katherine!

This little boy makes me Baby Hungry! Look at that cute face!

    I finally got up slalom skiing and stayed up! Woot! Now it's practice makes perfect! My goal is to be as good as Brian and his siblings! Sarah, Curtis, and Mandy all are amazing! I have a lot of examples to help me improve!

    Brian had some GREAT cuts! He really is so talented and is always ready to jump in the water no matter the temperature!

    I also wakeboarded! I couldn't decide which foot to place forward so I kept switching back and forth and back and forth and back and forth! I kept making the same mistakes over and over! I did a couple 180's without knowing what I was doing! Thanks to the family for being so patient with me.

   Here are the cute couples! :) Matt is also applying to Medical School right now and so we are crossing our fingers to go somewhere close to each other! What a FABULOUS day! :)

Friday Night!

Earlier: Fat Cats

Mission: Win Ski Ball Contest



Ski Ball Competition! Failed: Broken Machine





Brooke hit the jack pot and got tons of tickets! So she got a soccer ball and gave us all bracelets!



LATER: Rodeo

Mission: Release my inner cowgirl



Mission Failed: James beat me by far!



Awesome Motor Cross at the end...



Mission Complete: We had an AWESOME day!

Sweet 16

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIMMY!

     I can't miss blogging about this BIG day! The 14th was my little Jimmy's 16th Birthday! Woot! Woot! All I ever hear about my brother is what a ladies man he is. I have people tell me all the time, "I love your brother! All the girls love him!" Make way ladies now is your chance to snatch him!

Instead of 16 things I love, I'm gonna put 16 random facts:

1) His memory is amazing. He can quote movies he hasn't seen in years and he could probably give the actors themselves a run for their money.

2) James has always been my pal. When we were young he was always the one that would go on my wild adventures with me as we'd go Carp Hunting or try to catch snakes and frogs. 

3) As a child James believed that my dad was an international swimsuit model

4) James likes to go through my dad's old clothes from high school.. (yes he still has an entire wardrobe!) and not only try them on.. but wear them publically.

5) James secretly wants to be Batman... or Thor or Captain America or Iron Man.. Though his family has always known him as Underwear Boy, since he refused to wear clothes as a child. (Now days he refuses to even wear underwear)

6) James has a strange sense of humor. Things come out of his mouth that I have never even heard before nor would I have ever thought of.

7) James has always been my model for my crazy ideas. I used to love to make stuff out of paper and crafts. I would always use James as my model as I would wrap him up in paper pirate hats and swords.


Yes that's a diaper

8) He has mad skills. He's very athletic and good at anything he tries.


9) James would play Barbies with me in our younger years. Hist first G.I.Joe became my Barbie's new boyfriend.


10) James told a joke once that went like this, "Why do we have pauses inbetween our laughs?" (EX Ha ha ha ha)
Answer: "Because otherwise we would all laugh like this, 'HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!'"
Now he randomly yells HAAAA... whereever we go!

11) James has a very strong testimony. He is such a great example to me. I find the little things he does as a reminder for himself, a very strong reminder for me as well. He has a pin-board full of missionary quotes and has little sticky notes around his room reminding him to say his morning prayers.


12) I confess, I made James afraid of the dark as a child. I use to pretend to be a mummy that would chase him whenever the lights went out.

13) James knows every one of Michael Jackson's songs and probably all his moves too.

14) James has a contagious smile and laugh



Dad's old ski racing suit

15) James's nicknames are Big Bellied-blue eyed bubba boy, Jimmy, and The flatulator (in fact he has a shirt my sister made for him that says this and he wears it proudly)

16) James can do a great impersonation of the cartoon pink panther. It kills me every time. :)

    Pretty much he is the most awesome kid ever and my very favorite brother!
I love you Jimmy!

Gotta Laugh!

 I was shown this Russian Vocalist some time ago and it made me laugh then. Then my brother showed me the Trolling Saruman and it just made my day! Brian and I had to watch a few more times! 

See if you find it as funny as we did!

WATCH THIS ONE FIRST

 WATCH THIS ONE NEXT!

Nearer My God to Thee

    My little sister Brooke and I went outside to enjoy the spectacular view outside our home. There was a full rainbow in the front of our house and a beautiful sunset in the back. Every way we turned it was a sight to see. I am so grateful for moments like these!
     When I am blessed with scenery like tonight, I can't help but think about what Heaven will be like when it is so beautiful down here. We are told this is a Telestial world and I can't even begin to fathom what the Celestial world will be like.
  

Goodbye for Now!

Farewell to my awesome Uncle Don and Aunt Jackie! 

     My Uncle Donald and my Aunt Jackie Keyes were called to serve as the new mission president for Independence Missouri. They left for 3 years this week and they will surely be missed! Don and Jackie have the most amazing testimonies and beautiful spirits. They will make WONDERFUL missionaries. They will touch so many lives and hearts and plant many seeds. What a wonderful and joyous experience. I tell Brian all the time that I hope to follow their lead and take on such a great challenge and journey as this. But they and their family will be SO blessed! It has been hard to see them leave because it is very true that you don't know what you are missing until it's gone. It just has made me realize that I should have spent more time learning about their wonderful lives and sweet spirits. When they return home in 3 years, Brian and I will probably be living in some foreign land. (aka not in Utah)

The whole family! (Uncle Scott, Grandpa & Grandma Gooney, Aunt Jackie, and my daddy!)

    This really has just opened my eyes to how blessed I have been growing up by all my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc! I have taken this for granted far too long! My cousin Kim and her husband Brett are also moving to Iowa for PA school this week. I have missed out on some great memories and experiences and have been telling Brian we can't do this anymore! We have one more year in Utah and we better make the best of it by doing as much with our families as we can! These are the relationships that matter most! Now is the time when we need to start realizing what we have and appreciating our families. You never know when someone will be called on a mission, unexpectedly pass away, or in my case---get married! When I left for college last year I thought I would have YEARS left with my family. Now I regret not spending more time with them and am grateful to have at least another year to stick around Utah!

This is a cute cake we had at their goodbye party. They have 10 grandchildren they are leaving behind

Most of the Kendell Clan :)

I tell all my friends that are leaving on missions this awesome quote, 

"You leave your family for two years (in this case three)  

So that others can be with theirs for Eternity!"

 We love and miss you! We will be praying for you!! :)

MCAT SCORE!

Holding his breath to find out the big news!

 Brian finally received his MCAT score! Drum Roll Please!

37!

I am SO proud of him! We looked it up and a 37 is in the 98 percentile! That's incredible! Way to go baby on your big accomplishment! Woot! All his studying paid off! :)

And so.... We CELEBRATE!