Tyson's on His Way to the Finals on American Idol!

So...Apparently Tyson looks like Danny Gokey because everyone and their mother tells him so! Many of Tyson's customers tell him that and lots of our friends commented, "Tyson made the Top 12!" when Danny made it through.

I find it amusing, however, I don't really think they look alike. I can see the similarities though & I understand why people think that. I don't have a pic of Tyson with glasses handy but I think that's partly why people thinks he looks like Danny...the glasses, the clothing style, the hair, soul patch/goatee, etc...there are definite similarities.

So what do you think? Does Tyson look like Danny?

Take the survey above & let me know!

I Miss my California Food!

I would give ANYTHING to eat some In N Out! And Del Taco...MMMMMmmmmm!!!!!!

I also really miss La Bou & Jimboy's.

I can't wait to go to California next month. I'm going to stuff my face! All of you in Cali.......... PUH-LEASE eat some for me!

If In N Out was here, I'd probably eat it once a week. (Maybe it's a good thing it's not here!!!)

After much Demand: Finally a Belly Pic!

I hope this doesn't offend anybody! So immodest, I can't believe it!

This was like 2-3 weeks ago so I'm even bigger now. I've gained about 10 lbs so far & 7 of those lbs I gained in the last month! Most of you know I can't gain weight for the life of me so I think it's fun to see my belly grow.

If Tyson was here, I'd have him take some more pics and better pics from the side. I'll post more later!

Tyson is in Atlanta for 2 Months!!!

Tyson has been in Atlanta since the beginning of February & he comes home at the end of March. I can't believe I will have been without him for 2 months!

Time has been flying though & I can honestly say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. How easy it is to take someone for granted! With him being away, it's definitely been a reminder of how much I love him!

It's a good opportunity though...he's there for work training & motivating the sales reps in that market. You all know Tyson...he's such a great people person & do you know anyone with a more positive attitude than him? I don't. He is the only person I know who wakes up in the morning & says, "Today is going to be a great day!" You all know what I'm talking about!

He was basically hand picked for this opportunity and is one of 2 people from FL to go there for this project. There are about 10 coaches there from all over the South area and basically they are there to pump up the reps and get them motivated & to teach them where they're leaving money on the table.

With the help of these coaches such as Tyson, the market last month CRUSHED their sales goals & they are trending to do it again this month. So needless to say, this project is working & Tyson is getting some good exposure.


I'm taking one for the team while he's there in hopes that greater opportunities in the future will come from this. OK, the truth is that I'm taking one for the team so he can become my SUGA DADDY! I want to stay home after I have the baby but we will have to see how things go.


Luckily, he has been able to come home for a couple days every two weeks & I went there to visit him a couple weeks ago. Check out the pics below from my visit there. It snowed--Pretty cool! It actually snowed the day I was supposed to leave so my flight was cancelled. OH DARN! If there was ever a flight to get cancelled, I'm glad it was that one!

So I'm all by my lonesome here in FL with no family around. All of you people reading this who are in FL need to invite me over to dinner! The pregnant woman likes to eat...especially other people's food that she doesn't have to prepare. Ha ha...

Seriously though, it gets lonely so keep me in your thoughts & prayers & text or call me to say hi if you feel so inclined.

And please everyone pray for Tyson's safety while he's away.

Go get 'em Tyson!!!

Our Top Ten Highlights of 2008

10. Going to Lots of Amusement Parks. We are pretty spoiled & live close to a lot of amusement parks. We went to Disneyworld, Busch Gardens, & Universal Studios multiple times. Its lots of fun being so close!

9. Taking Phoebe to the Dog Beach. Florida beaches are amazing & our little Chihuahua, Phoebe loves them too! It’s fun to see her run around & when she’s outside, she always has her mouth open & she looks like she’s smiling. So cute! She is the sweetest creature & loves to cuddle. She turns 4 this month.

8. Dressing up Like Nerds for Halloween. We were “Art” & “Sally” from Tech Support. We brought high water pants, pocket protectors, & pig tails back in style. Talk about Hotties!!!



7. Participating in Muddy Buddy as a Team & Enjoying the Outdoors. Tyson has taken up a new hobby! He loves cycling & bought a bike last year. He rides a lot & has completed three metric century rides, which are 62 miles each. I have been running ever since we moved to Florida & I completed seven 5K runs last year. In May, we teamed up & competed in a biking & running event called “Muddy Buddy” at Disneyworld. We biked/ran seven miles & at the end, we crawled under a cargo net through a huge pit of mud! Hence, the name Muddy Buddy!

6. Tyson’s Birthday. In August, Tyson hit a big milestone & turned the big 30! What better way to celebrate it than to take it back to the old school days? We had a Hot Wheels birthday party with a Hot Wheels cake & piñata, we played Pin the Tail on the Donkey, & we lit fireworks. The piñata was particularly entertaining!

5. Swimming with Manatees & Snorkeling. In October, our friend Aaron came to visit & we went to Crystal River, FL & swam with manatees, which is an amazing experience. To be in such a close proximity to huge creatures is somewhat scary at first but they are friendly & you can touch them. There is also a portion of the river that is crystal clear & the snorkeling is fantastic. Come back soon, Aaron!

















4. My Birthday. In September for my birthday, Tyson surprised me & had my sister, Tammy, brother, Nathan, niece, Bryn, & his sister, Audrey come fly out to visit. It was such an awesome surprise & I have to say, it was the best Birthday I’ve ever had. We went to the beach & Disneyworld among other fun things.

3. Meeting Mr. T. In May we went to our friend’s wedding & guess who was there? The one & only Mr. T! He was so genuine & friendly & we got to take pictures with him.

2. Watching Shuttle Launch from Kennedy Space Center. In November, the Shuttle Endeavor launched for a mission to the International Space Station. Stuck in traffic, we ended up watching the launch amongst hundreds of other cars parked on the side of the freeway. It was such a cool experience as the shuttle lit up the sky & we watched from our sun roof as it disappeared into the night. It was legendary!

1. The Most Exciting & Memorable Event of 2008…Drumroll Please…
Finding Out That We’re Having a Baby! It’s about time, eh? I’m due July 24th & currently 21 weeks along. The first trimester was pretty difficult as I was sick a lot but the sickness is going away & everything is going great. We found out that it's a girl! We can't wait!

The Best Ensign Article Ever: Putting My Hand in the Lord’s

By Diane Terry Woolf
January 2009 Ensign

After my husband died suddenly, I looked at my five children and my future and asked the Lord one question: “How?”

When I was 36, my husband, Bryan, drowned in a hunting accident on Utah Lake, near Provo, Utah. He was two and a half years out of a surgical residency. I was pregnant with our fifth child. Our home teacher drowned searching for his body, leaving behind a wife and four children.
My husband’s body was lost in November and was not recovered from the frozen lake until the following March, about two weeks after Anne’s birth. Our house sat in the foothills of Provo with a view of the lake. Just stepping out the front door and looking at the lake reminded me of his death.

Ironically, it is because of this experience that I know that God loves me, that I have a mission to perform, and that I can trust in God’s power and in His plan for me. That is the power that can come from adversity.

When something dear was stripped away, I did what many of you have done—I put my hand in the hand of the Lord. This is what I learned.

Ask How, Not Why

I cannot deal with the why of adversity because I have no concrete answers for the whys. But I can speak of how one continues a life that has taken a detour from a self-plotted course.
Asking why is an exercise in frustration because Heavenly Father generally does not answer the whys of our lives here in mortality. Faith in God is not developed by having all the answers. Immediately after Bryan died, my prayers were desperate and pleading. I had always lived a good life, and I felt that I had lived to be blessed, not punished.

When my specific “instructions-to-God” prayers were not answered, I learned the supreme importance of making myself available to listen, be instructed, and receive comfort. Instead of instructing God, I began to prayerfully say: “I don’t understand, but I know that You do. I love You and I trust You. Please guide me to know how to do what I must do.”

I remember reading my scriptures with a hunger I had never experienced before. In Doctrine and Covenants 78, I found these words: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you. And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours” (vv. 17–18). I knew the Lord was leading me along in ways I had never anticipated.

Sixteen years later, after my son came home ill from his mission, he and I had the opportunity to visit with Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1926–2004) about my son’s situation. Our meeting occurred early in the morning after one of Elder Maxwell’s chemotherapy treatments. He shared a scripture that had helped him personally: “And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things” (1 Nephi 11:17).

Faith has to be sufficient when we do not know why. We must simply remember “that he loveth his children” and that we cannot—right now—know the meaning of all things. We must say, “I love You and I trust You.”

The scripture Elder Maxwell shared with us applied to my feelings after Bryan’s death, as well as my son’s situation. Everything in life can shift, change, or leave, but our Heavenly Father, our Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost never change. They are the one great constant to lead us along. We do not know the meaning of all things, but we can be sure “that he loveth his children.” Because we are so loved, God may not answer why, but He will tell us how we can do whatever we must do.

Live Worthy of Help

Each of us can strive for the Spirit, which we need to direct our lives. After losing Bryan, I tried harder to keep the commandments and make myself available, as the head of my home, for personal revelation. My children and I continue to read our scriptures daily and to have regular family prayer. One of the blessings I most appreciated was that it felt like the Holy Ghost was present in our home. I felt a great sense of peace amid the grief of loss and change. As Doctrine and Covenants 6:20 says, “Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.”

Through reading my scriptures, I found answers directed specifically to me. I remember struggling with one of the natural human reactions to death: anger. I was mad that Bryan had died and left me. But I was tired of being angry, so I began praying for relief. One day I read Alma 5:12: “And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart.” From that moment, peace flowed into my heart and anger left; I had a direct answer to my pleading. There is power in the scriptures to answer prayers.

Seek Personal Revelation

The temple is one of the places where we can receive personal revelation. Truman G. Madsen wrote, “The temple is the catalyst whereby the self is revealed to the self.”1 If we come prepared, we are entitled to revelation that pertains to our physical and spiritual welfare. We find out who we are and what the Lord would have us do. I am not saying that we can snap our fingers, attend the temple once, and all our questions will be answered. We must work to receive answers.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “The Lord will speak to us through the Spirit in his own time and in his own way. Many people do not understand this principle. They believe that when they are ready and when it suits their convenience, they can call upon the Lord and he will immediately respond, even in the precise way they have prescribed. Revelation does not come that way. … We cannot force spiritual things.”2
I have sought answers for my life and have received personal revelation, but it has been in His own time and in His own way.

Submit Your Will and Be Strengthened by Christ

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). But in order to be strengthened by Christ, we must become as children, “submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19). We are here to learn to submit to our Father’s will.

Appreciate Growth in Adversity

My experiences have made me more thankful for the Atonement than I would be if I were still that 36-year-old woman who knew so little about how “all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7). Later I was blessed to marry a wonderful man. Bill’s wife had died, leaving him with five children. I watched my husband draw my five children under his wing also.

I would not go back a day because of what I have learned. Though pain and loss bite deep, it is comforting to know that painful experiences are not wasted. Elder B. H. Roberts of the Seventy (1857–1933) said that “those who have to contend with difficulties, brave dangers, endure disappointments, struggle with sorrows, eat the bread of adversity and drink the water of affliction, develop a moral and spiritual strength, together with a purity of life and character, unknown to the heirs of ease, and wealth and pleasure.”3

The challenge is to love God, keep our covenants, and live the great plan of happiness even when loved ones die and other trials and disappointments occur. It is not just the attractive, smart, and wealthy who are expected to endure in faith to the end. That is expected of all of us. The challenge is to remember why we are here: to work out our salvation, alone or married, childless or with a quiver full of children; to shout for joy and then to work at being joyful; to remember that the Lord stands ready to succor us through the Holy Ghost. He will go before us and be on our right hand and on our left (see D&C 84:88). I have faith in these things because I have experienced the tutoring love of God.

The Best Poem Ever - Super Inspiring: Love This Moment

Love This Moment
By Lisa Frost

One day as I trudged wearily
Down a path not far away,
I came upon a bright old man
Travelling the other way.

He walked along with a jaunty step
That was so free and light,
While his smile shone like the fullest moon
Upon the darkest night.

When our paths did meet I begged of him
To stop but a little while,
For I had to ask in bafflement,
“Dear sir, why do you smile?”

“For I walk this road every single day
Through wind and rain and sun,
And for each heavy step I tread
I wish the journey done.”

The man replied in a merry voice
That was music to my ears,
“My friend, I’ve learnt a thing or two
Throughout my many years.”

“While it’s great to have a purpose
From which you do not stray,
More important by far it is to love
Your journey along the way.”

To that reply, I looked askance
And voiced my inner doubt,
“How can you love a well-worn path
That rambles all about?”

“For it does not run straight and true
Towards my desired goal,
Instead it wastes my precious time
With all it’s bumps and holes.”

“And do you know the worst thing of all,
That makes me quite lose heart?
While every morning I reach the end,
Each night I’m back at the start!”

That wise old man smiled knowingly
And gently turned to say,
“You won’t travel very far in life
Marching the same track every day.”

“You think that to gain your far off dreams
This path needs to re-arrange,
But there’ll never be a different end
Unless you decide to change.”

“To reach a dream that seems remote
You must round every bend,
Instead of always turning back
To retrace your steps again,”

“And once again I say to you,
If I might be so bold,
While the dream may be the silver,
The journey is the gold.”

“For every person’s true desire,
Throughout their very soul,
Is to live a life of love and joy,
To be one and true and whole.”

“It is our hope most precious
To connect with all the Earth,
To feel life’s energies within
All moments from our birth.”

Then he answered my next question,
Which was very simply, “How?”
“Just live each day inside your heart,
See the beauty of right now.”

“For no matter if the path you step
Is an old one or a new,
Behold it with the eyes of your soul
To find wonder in all views.”

“When you are grateful for all the world
As a gift from up above,
You’ll realize that what you’re doing
Is simply allowing love.”
“And when that love completely fills
Every crevice of your heart,
Your journey will be one of joy
What you wanted from the start!”

Then satisfied he’d made his point
This great man did turn away,
To continue down the splendid path
Of magic in every day.

Since that encounter I have walked
Many roads toward my goal,
With forever his gift inside my heart
To love this moment with all my soul.

Blakeley Jewel

Our little baby girl at 20 weeks on 3.4.09