"It's Hot and It's Cold"

What is with this weather you ask? We had been asking ourselves
that for a while and decided it was time while Liv's was off track to go on a warm Vacation.....
We started off in Vegas at my Brother's house, we did the Hoover Dam Half which I sucked at, but what is new. (Jared rocked it) I just freak myself out on the actual race. Maybe I should always just train and never actually do a real race. I think I am missing a couple of genes that make you not give up at the end. ....Oh well. We then went on the Dam tour. It was fabulous except that I smelled and looked bad.
Then on Sunday we celebrated Olivia's birthday with Grandpa and Grandma Despain and my Brother's fam.

(Yes, those are curlers in Kelli's hair, and no she is not a grandma yet.) jk

We went to the park after dinner and some cheesecake, and played on the cool playground by their house. (Notice it is like 6pm and we are not even wearing coats)

This is my little Oliver with the cutest cheeks in the world.
Thanks Jared, Kelli and Fam you are very hospitable. And thanks for all the perks and helps for our vacation!!!!

Then starting Monday we did the Disneyland thing for the next couple of days, (All I can say is corn dogs, cotton candy, and lots of churro's)

Abi's face is priceless on all the rides. Not to mention usually messy
from all the treats...


The girls were worn out by the end of the night Abi would always fall asleep, but Olivia would get a second wind so the last night we let her choose the last ride, and she chose the rockets....It was probably the longest line we waited in the whole time, but she got her Dad to go with her so she was in heaven.

Next up Seaworld (thanks for coming Mrs. Weenig we loved it!!!!)

Abi going Shamu!!! Shamu!!! Once she realized we
were not in the splash zone.
Proof that I have a friend
Then we did a day at Universal Studio's lucky for you our camera went dead so we only have one picture here


We finished our trip off with a day at the beach
(which we should have done more of).

This is one of my favorite pictures below because it was on the last day and Olivia was like "Here let me take a picture of You, Dad and Abi. I have been in all the pictures."
This is your car when you get home Elder Despain
And here is where we Say Good-bye to our beach day. :(

We enjoyed every minute (except the Hoover Dam Half.) jk
We tried to find ways to stay on vacation for at least another month, realized it wasn't practical, and drove home to the freezing cold, and an inch of snow in March. I know there are people out there that probably miss the snow (Katelyn), but that is only because you are nuts. Jk...
*Sorry, I know you probably are all like wow please show us a few more pictures of your vacation, but this is really for my brother who is on a mission so he can see what he is missing out on. :)

My Life Would Suck Without You Part 2

I don't think I can run without my shuffle, at all. When it dies when I am on a run, I stop running because my purpose is gone. I love Music. The End...

My Life Would Suck Without You

So for this week I am going to be putting something on my blog every day that my life would suck without.  

  

Today I am going to have to say since it is my cleaning day....

My life would suck without my dyson, or maybe it makes my life suck....I don't know either way I like it.  Alot.  My old vacuum didn't work, and made my life suck free and very dirty.

Halloween-Abi's Birthday

I missed a few posts so....In order to catch you all up on my very wonderful life Here is Halloween. We got a zoo pass this year, and decided it would be a good idea to go to Boo at the Zoo. I say boo, to boo at the zoo. The kids loved it, but after being married to Jason for so long I hate crowds. It was so crazy. We had our cute nephew Brayden with us, and I think he said it was the best day of his life so far. :)Some other very important things happened in between these times, but due to the fact my camera broke again.....I do not have pics, however, Abi's birthday came, and my old, old camera worked...Sort of....We had a polka dot party. We
(My Fabulous little Brother Garrett and I) painted the floor in the basement and rollerskated, played games, with polka dots everywhere. She loved her party, and thinks it is still her birthday everyday.

Greatness.....

"Whatever you do will be insignificant,

but it is very important that you do it."

Mahatma Gandhi
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

As I start a new year, I usually look at my goals from the last one and realize how many I didn't accomplish. I often think what is the purpose of this life? Not in a depressing, I want to die sort of way, just in a "what am I suppose to be doing here way?" I know I have my kids, and my family. I get, and appreciate what I have been given. I definitely feel as though I have been given more than I deserve.
However, I don't feel Great. I don't know that anyone besides my family will remember me. I don't know that I have done things that would make others think, I am a better person for associating with her. I honestly don't write this for "oh but you are so nice" comments. I really want to know what your thoughts are on this subject. I have been reading a few books lately that have made me ponder whether or not we get too choose if we are great or if it is assigned. I wonder if people are great because they don't know that they are, and that is what makes them great? Or if they know they need to be, and that is what makes them great? Have you ever read a book, and been tired just from reading about their lives and all they accomplished? Not in a way of they had everything, and did everything the right way, and always made the best choices, but in a great influential kind of way. One of the book's I read was about Emma Smith. In an effort to be honest this year, I will tell you I got a little down reading this book because she was amazing. She went through so much, had incredible faith, I think easily one of the strongest women I have read about, and still made dinner and hosted people at her home, constantly. I barely made it through the holidays, and took 3 days off after to do nothing (but read about how great other people are.) Obviously, as it was a biography of her life, everyone said nice complimentary things about her, but she was indeed Great. Everyone in and out of the church alike, think she was an amazing lady. The second book I am now reading is about a leader in India who was amazing, he worked and lived his life with such conviction. He was obviously Great. He will be remembered by millions. I am sure he didn't do the things in his life so that he will be remembered as this great man. I know he did things because he believed in them. So my question I pose to all 5 of you that might be reading this blog: What does it mean to you to be great? And do you truly believe that each of us have the potential to be great? And if you want/need to answer one more question have you found the thing that is important for you to do in your life to be great? (That one you can answer in your head if you want)...

Oh and P.S. Happy New Year...... :)

Nine Blissfully Insane Beautifully Crazy Years....

Today is our 9th anniversary, and boy it really has gone fast. Not to say that it was easy or forgetful, it just went by fast...I wanted to share a glimpse of how it all began....

Boy asks girl out on date. They date.

Girl makes boy go to high school dances even though he is graduated (what losers go to dances after they graduate? jk I forced him) because she had to go because it was part of her grade for being an officer.

Girl and boy walk down aisle.....

at her sister, and his brother's wedding.

Boy saves money buys fancy sports car.

Girl graduates from highschool.

Boy sells fancy sports car, and buys ring. Asks Girl to marry him.

Boy and Girl get married at 12...no kidding I was 18, and he was 21.

Boy and Girl buy jeep, go four wheeling, spend every dime on eating out, playing and having what seems to be fun.

Boy gets girl pregnant. They have their first kid.

2 years 9 months later they do it again.

9 years, 2 kids, 5 moves, 7 jobs, 1 degree (you decide who got it), 7 cars, 4,025 fights, 975 hugs, 2500 kisses (we aren't pda people) later. We are still together....


If you have time to spare and want to read this little story my Dad wrote it is very dear to my heart.

Jason...This year in pictures....

So, Jason turned 30 on Wednesday of last week. When we met he set a whole bunch of goals that he would reach by the time he was 30 such as: being a millionaire, owning a ferrari, being his own boss, traveling all around the world, being involved in politics....Needless to say he failed. Miserably. The only million he sees is the millions in other peoples accounts, the ferrari is not a ferrari but a very cool Black Acura 3.5RL, he is as far from being his own boss as you could possibly imagine (like he has to ask to go to the bathroom), and although he has gone many places since we've married: China, Mexico, Boston..... I wouldn't really call him a world traveler. Last but not least...He isn't a politician, but.....


So here's to Jason for almost hitting all of his goals by 30! We love you....You have accomplished so many things so far. So here is to 30 more years...
*a special thanks to Landon for photographing all these amazing events....