Trevor & Jenny

2012 Scripture

2012-01-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

"Be not afraid, only believe." -Mark 5: 36

I have chosen this to be my scripture for this year. In life, we always have challenges that we must face. Rather than be afraid, I want to believe, continually having faith in my Lord.

nieces and nephews

2012-01-20T11:30:00.000-08:00

lately i am just loving on my nieces and nephews! they are THE cutest. i have absolutely loved having laura closer. we used to talk on the phone at least every other day and now we don't have to because we can just hang out! her kids are adorable and it's always a plus getting to see them more often.

babysitting andrew and hannah. i may have locked the keys in the car, so we spent over an hour enjoying target

trying on sunglasses with nana at the gap

sleepy andrew in the car.

happy myla in the car.

babysitting hannah. she found her siblings pictures :)

Babysitting

2012-01-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

{Trevor quizzing Brock for his spelling test}

Last week Trevor and I babysat a family in my parent's ward. They have three boys and they are seriously the cutest. Not only are they adorable, they are well behaved, grateful, and sweet boys. Trevor and I had a blast. Two of them wrestle and one trains in MMA. Trevor thought they were probably the coolest kids ever. We even took them to an MMA event up in SLC (don't worry, we got their parents permission first:)). We had such a great time!

Things to remember:
*They ate spaghetti two nights in a row without telling me because their mom made it the day before she left.
*Austin feeling so bad that I had to wake up to take him to school at 7:30 am.
*Zach saying that all the foods I made were his favorite.
*The boys constantly thanking us for being so fun!
*Trevor and the boys playing MW3 in the basement.
*Having the boys tell me that the cookies I made were delicious, even though they so were NOT!
*Getting ice cream at subzero. Brock getting only fruit in his, Zach getting pepsi flavored with gummy bears, and Austin getting gummy bears in his.
*Treats at the gas station and getting in the hot tub together.
*That I read three books on my iPad over the course of our week together.

Vintage Fern

2012-01-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

Okay if you don't go to the Beehive Bazaar, you need to start going. It is the cutest boutique that is held in Provo for local artists to sell their things at twice a year. I got this bag and these towels from Vintage Fern, which was showcased at the Beehive Bazaar. My mom has been wanting an over the shoulder bag that is made of patchwork and so I contacted Amy, the owner of Vintage Fern and have been working with her to get a bag made for my mom. She is soooo awesome! I just wanted to give her a shoutout. If you are looking for an awesome handmade bag or some hand towels to brighten up your kitchen, click here.

Darlybird EOTMC

2012-01-20T10:57:00.000-08:00

My mom gave my sisters and me a one year membership to Darlybird's earrings of the month club. I looove all of the jewelry that Darlybird makes, so I was so excited. Here are January's earrings. I just think they're so cute. She is so creative and sends a cute note along with it each month. Looking forward to seeing what earrings February brings :)

Kelsie's 18th Birthday!

2012-01-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

Kelsie turned 18 on January 6th. It's crazy to think that when I met her she was only 14. She is such a beautiful girl, on the inside and out. I love her soooo much and am so grateful to have her as my little sis. I met her and Jeanette in Salt Lake for lunch at Olive Garden and shopping at H&M. Trevor and I went up to Layton after that and went to Pizza Factory with the family to celebrate.

Happy Birthday, Kels!

We love you!

New Years Eve

2012-01-01T10:53:00.000-08:00

We spent New Years Eve playing games, having a white elephant gift exchange, and watching the ball drop in NYC at my parent's house with the cousins. It is always fun to celebrate my mom's birthday on New Years Eve, and this year was no different.

Yay for a new year with fresh resolutions. It's a good feeling!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2011-12-31T15:52:00.000-08:00

Today is my beautiful mother's birthday. I went to Mimi's Cafe today with her and my dad for lunch; she loves their corn chowder. I feel so blessed to have the mother that I do. She is so easy going, patient, selfless, loving, and kind. I am grateful that I live close by so that we can do as much as we do together. My favorite times with my mom are our trips to Target (always getting popcorn and a bev), hair days in Layton, running errands, and anytime we are together.

My mother is a strong woman with great faith, always striving to be better. Ever since I can remember, she has worn a gold necklace with a cross, an anchor, and a heart - faith, hope, and charity. This Christmas she gave Laura, Mary, and me the same necklace. I love it and will always wear it to remind me of my mom and the faith, hope, and charity that she has and that she has taught me to strive for.

Grandpa Hall's 80th Birthday

2011-12-31T15:18:00.000-08:00

On December 30th we went to Manti to celebrate Grandpa Hall's 80th birthday. We had a great time seeing all of Trevor's relatives, looking at Grandpa's photo albums, and spending time with family.

Happy Birthday Grandpa Hall!

We love you!

"You sneaky Mom!"

2011-12-28T15:25:00.000-08:00

Mary volunteered to watch Laura's kids for the week while Laura, Alan, and Hannah are vacationing in Buenos Aires. Mary is seriously super-woman! My mom and I went up to Layton one of the days to keep her company and help out a little bit. I took this video of Andrew. If you haven't seen this before, then you won't understand why it's so funny.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! We spent Christmas eve with the Coxes until 3:00. We went and saw Sherlock Holmes in the morning and then talked to Taylor (in the Philippines) in the afternoon. We spent the remainder of the evening until Christmas day at 1:00 with my family. We had our annual Christmas eve feast and program. This year my dad introduced us to a new game in which he bought enough gifts for everyone and had my mom wrap them. He then read Twas the Night before Christmas and whenever he said the word "the" we passed to the right and when he said the word "and" we passed to the left. When the book was over we all got to open our gifts; it was fun! We also got to Skype with Michael. Before he called us his girlfriend Hillary came over with a gift to our family. It was a video she had put together of clips of Michael doing missionary work in Korea. It was really neat. Then we got to talk to (and see!) Michael! It was so great. We love having a missionary!

Christmas morning we opened all of our presents from each other and from my family. I always love watching people open gifts I pick out for them. Trevor surprised me with an iPad! I am so excited! We were so spoiled by my parents! My favorite gift was a gold necklace from my mom that I'll blog about separately. I had the stomach flu, so after opening gifts I went back to sleep for a few hours and got up in time to head back up to the Coxes.

We met up with the Cox family at G&G Coxes house and had dinner there. After that we went back to Trevor's parents house and opened our gifts. We were spoiled again! Jeanette planned fun games with gift cards and candy as prizes. It was so fun!

I love the Christmas season. I'm so grateful for the Savior's birth and for Heavenly Father's gift to us, His Son.

(Due to having the stomach flu I didn't take very many pictures. I have stolen most of these from family members. Thanks to those who took pictures!)

Logan + Mary

Trev + me

Cute parents

Kiersten + Toddy

Brent + Tasha

me, Laura, Karrissa, Mary

Dad reading Twas the Night before Christmas

Passing the gifts for the game

Buchanan's talent for the program

Cute boys singing Jingle Bells

Sophie girl reading I Believe in Santa Claus

Logan playing the trumpet


The Rife girls playing/singing A Christmas Lullaby. I love singing this song with my sisters with my mom playing the piano.

Acting out the Nativity

Watching the video Hillary made

The "zip-up team" in Christmas jammies from Nana + Papa

Christmas morning in our Christmas jams. I love that they are Mom's "signature color"

Girls minus Mary (she had already changed out of her jammies)

My prizes from the games at the Coxes. We all guessed how many Mike & Ikes/Hot Tomales were in this jar and I guessed right on - 490.

A Christmas Carol

2011-12-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

The Christmas traditions continue! We went to HCT A Christmas Carol with the whole family on Tuesday. Going to that play is always one of our favorite traditions; it brings the Christmas spirit and reminds me of what Christmas is all about.

Surgery

2011-12-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

For quite some time I have had symptoms that have led doctors to believe that I have endometriosis. This couldn't really be finalized until a laparoscopy was done. I had one on December 15th by Dr. Hall up at Davis Hospital. He is the same Dr. who performed this surgery on Mary, twice. Trevor had a final, so he couldn't come with me so he drove me to SLC where Mary picked me up. Mary had her kids go over to friend's house so that she could take me to my surgery and stay with me. I cannot express how grateful I am to her for being so supportive and helpful. She made me feel so much more comfortable and at ease. As soon as Trevor was done with his final he started up towards Layton and by that time I was released and Jeanette kindly drove me to meet Trevor.

Dr. Hall found that I do have endometriosis, so he used a laser to remove built up scar tissue and remove a cyst.

In all, I had a wonderful experience. My nurse was great and got my IV in her first try, Dr. Hall found and fixed my problems (for now), Mary was there to help me through it, I woke up without too much pain, and I didn't feel nauseous at all.

Thank you to those who visited me, brought me meals and treats, and for all of the text messages. I felt very loved and appreciated them so much! And I need to thank Trevor for taking such good care of me as I recovered.

Trevor & Myla Jae

2011-12-23T18:57:00.000-08:00

Myla has been in a "stranger danger" phase for a LONG time and she's finally coming out of it! Yay! We love playing with Myla Jae. The other Sunday night she became buddies with Trevor and his computer. That girl is the most technology savvy twenty-one month old I know.

The Buchanan's Arrive!

2011-12-13T21:34:00.000-08:00

The Buchanan's are moving to Utah! They drove from New York to Utah in five days with four kids and one dog. They had quite the adventure! We could hardly wait for them to get here! We are so excited to have their cute family nearby.

Sweet baby Hannah - love her.

An Unforgettable Night at Kurt Bestor

2011-12-10T11:21:00.001-08:00

Kurt Bestor this year was unlike any other year because at one point my dad was on the stage with Kurt, the band, and the orchestra! It was pretty awesome. Don't worry, I'll explain.

So each year Kurt Bestor chooses a man from the first two rows to go on stage and read Twas the Night Before Christmas. We always knew that Dad would kill it if he was chosen to go up there. So this year when Kurt Bestor said he had someone picked out but he couldn't find him anymore, Grandpa and Brian waved their arms and said that they had his guy! Kurt said he didn't usually do this, but to send him up. So up Dad went! He did a great job, the perfect mixture of serious and funny. He even shook his hips a little.

On our way out to the car we overheard a couple next to us talking about what a great job that man who read the book did, that he was right on cue! My dad's friend, Michael Dowdle plays the guitar in the band and told Kurt that the man reading (my dad) was his Bishop. They went on to talk about how he was one of the best guys they've had on stage.

I always enjoy all of the beautiful Christmas music. This year I especially enjoyed when they played the song Hark the Herald Angels Sing. My parents love that one and their faces lit up when they started playing it!

{Todd + Kiersten}

{My cute, cute parents}

{Mom + me}

{I'm pretty sure I have the cutest Dad ever, he brought Sees Candies for the intermission}

{Dad and Kurt}

Dipping Pretzels

2011-12-05T22:27:00.001-08:00

I couldn't pass up the tradition of dipping pretzels this year. They make the best treat to pass out to loved ones. While Trevor was busy doing homework, I was in the background listening to Christmas music and dipping pretzels. I think I'll always dip pretzels at Christmastime. It reminds me of my childhood, dipping pretzels with my mom to deliver to the neighbors.

Remember last year?

Anthropologie Candle Tradition

2011-12-05T09:16:00.001-08:00

Our first Christmas married we bought the best candle at Anthropologie. It was called balsam and cedar, and to us, it smelled like Christmas. We wanted to make a tradition out of it, but the following year they didn't have the same one. We went up this year and were so happy to find that they had it! Now our home will really feel like Christmas.

Christmas Spirit

2011-11-27T20:21:00.000-08:00

It feels like Christmas in our home!

No tree yet, but hopefully soon.

Happy Birthday Heather Lilley

2011-11-25T22:32:00.001-08:00

I have to give a birthday shout out to one of the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful people I've ever known.

Happy Birthday, Heather! I love you!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-25T22:17:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving with Trevor's family this year. We had a great time! We went up to Layton on Wednesday evening and had a delicious dinner and then played Apples to Apples (I won, and I never win!). Thanksgiving day we had a relaxing morning and then went over to Grandma and Grandpa Coxes for the feast. It was delicious, of course. After a nap we headed over to the movie theater and saw Breaking Dawn Part One again :) And yes we made the boys come with.

I am grateful for so many things. I feel so blessed and see the Lord's hand in my life daily. I am speaking on gratitude in church this Sunday. It has been nice to think about the things and people I am most grateful for in my life. Ultimately I wouldn't have any of those things or people in my life without a loving Father in Heaven. I've really enjoyed planning my talk (which mainly comes from my dad's book, The Divine Virtues - Chapter 14).

Happy Thanksgiving!
{The girls at the movie}
{Every single one of us had our feet like this before the show started, I thought it was kind of funny :)}

Breaking Dawn

2011-11-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

It's a tradition to go see the latest Twilight movie at midnight the night it comes out. This year would be no different. My mom and I met up with Jeanette and Kelsie at the Fashion Place Mall to check out the new H&M and get dinner. We went to CPK and then headed up to the Gateway Mall to get our seats at the theater. We met up with Mary and her friends there. I really enjoyed the movie! I'm no critic though. In my opinion, it's a fun movie and of course it's cheesy, but why not embrace it? And movies are never the exact same as the books, so just enjoy them for the movie and stop trying to make them be the same as the book.

The Cox girls
The Rife girls

Baby Leeloo

2011-11-21T20:23:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that we attend a branch in Orem, Utah? Well our branch consists of our apartment complex, which is why it is a branch and not a ward. Anyway, we really love it. There's so much diversity and so many wonderful people. Roxi, is one of those great people. She was investigating the church when we started attending the branch and so we attended some of the discussions with her. She was baptized while we were on our cruise. She had a baby girl about a week ago. I love holding her sweet baby and spending time with Roxi. Roxi always has such an upbeat attitude and is such a sweet girl.

pinterest recipe review

2011-11-20T23:03:00.000-08:00

sooo i've tried cooking many recipes that i have found on pinterest. to be honest, i've been highly disappointed. even trevor has requested that i stop trying recipes that i find on pinterest. i think it is because most people pin and repin them because they look good, not because they've tried them and they taste good. anywho, i figured i would post some of the ones i've tried and if we liked them. i wanted to save all you readers your time and money. so here goes.

cheesy chicken lasagna: okay so this one was okay. it was a little bit dry; too many noodles for the amount of sauce. it wasn't good enough to make again.

chicken broccoli supreme: this meal one was okay. definitely too many ritz crackers; do half what the recipe calls for. i won't be making it again.

baked potato soup: according to trevor, this soup was, "very creamy" but not in a good way. i liked it with cheese and bacon bits. if trevor liked it i would probably make it again.

chicken linguini: this is a weight watchers recipe, so i knew it wouldn't be extremely delicious. i like the idea of linguini with broccoli and chicken, but the sauce really was not good. i will definitely not be cooking this again.

santa fe chicken salad wrap: not good. i made this for my mom and me for lunch one day and she said she liked it, but she's too nice and not picky at all. it was too sour creamy for my liking.

lasagna soup: we had friends over when i made this soup. everyone seemed to love it except for me. i would make it again because it was a hit with trevor, but it wasn't my favorite soup.

crockpot hawaiian bbq chicken: pretty good, i should have had my chicken in the crockpot for longer than i did. but i still didn't love it.

crockpot orange chicken: straight up, nasty! this was not good at all. waaay too orangy.

s'more pie: trevor really liked this pie. i thought it turned out pretty well, but i would make it with milk chocolate instead of bittersweet. it was sooo rich with the dark chocolate. i'll probably try this one again.

banoffee pie: can you tell my husband likes pie? to quote him, "make me a pie, woman!", a total joke, but i like to follow through on his humorous demands occasionally. this recipe was very tasty. i will cook it again someday when i have more self-control. i learned that boiling sweetened condensed milk turns it into carmel. i should have let it cool longer before putting together the pie, though.

dole pineapple whips: nooo bueno. did not like these at all. but maybe this one is just me?

well i'm sorry if you read this post and thought, "wow, jenny sure is negative" or "boooring", but i figured i would save some of you avid pinterest followers your efforts by posting some of my likes/dislikes.

friends @ the cabin

2011-11-20T21:34:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we went to the cabin with some friends! We ate delicious food, told funny stories, and laughed a lot. Good times were had by all (I hope!).

Jenny + Jared
Tyson + Bridgett
Tyler + Jamie

Korean Neighbors

2011-11-20T18:19:00.000-08:00

The cutest Korean family moved in above us and to the right. Ann, is the mom and she has three children. Her husband is still working in Korea. She is LDS and felt prompted to move to Utah, so she did. She was baptized when she was 19 years old. After meeting the missionaries she was baptized three days later. She had the Elders teach her multiple lessons a day so that she could be baptized as soon as possible. Ann invited Trevor and me over for a delicious dinner of bibimbap. It was seriously so good! She is still learning English so she had her friend come over as well. It was so nice getting to know her better. She and her friend are such sweet, good women. I'm so grateful for Korea connections.

11.11.11

2011-11-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Pepero Day! In Korea everyone passes out pepero on November 11th. My mom has made it a tradition to give all of us kids pepero on 11/11 as well. We love it!

Disney Cruise!!!

2011-10-31T21:56:00.000-07:00

My parents so generously took my entire family on a 7 Night Disney Cruise to the Mexican Riviera! We had a BLAST! We have many pictures to prove it.

{Day 1}
We flew to California the day before our cruise and stayed at a hotel. The next morning we were so excited to board the ship. Here we are waiting!

My dad really spoiled us with great rooms. This is what our room looked like. We even had a balcony!

After boarding the ship we got settled in our room, explored a lot, and played some ping pong. That evening we enjoyed the first of seven four course dinners with our fabulous waiters, Yayan and Carla.

{Day 2}
We woke up early to go to the character breakfast. It was fun watching the excitement on all of the kids faces as they got to meet each character. We sat by these cute girls.

After breakfast we played some basketball and I went with Sophie to meet the princesses.
Mom and Dad were there too. Mom loves the princesses! She loves how they get down to the children's level and talk to them so sweetly. It reminds her of Christ and how He treated the little children.

After the princesses we played at the pool!

After a fun filled day we got dressed up all nice for the formal night. Following dinner we went to the "Golden Mickey's", which was wonderful.

{Day 3}
Connor turned 8 years old! We had a relaxing day, spent some time at the pool and Trevor read a lot. We had a nice dinner and then went a funny comedy show.

I'm pretty sure I have the cutest, most stylish Mom ever!
Trevor reading Catching Fire

{Day 4}
We spent the day in Peurto Vallarta! Grandma and Grandpa went on an excursion together that they set up through the cruise line. Trevor and Logan went and found a local guy to show us around. It was nice that we could all stay together in such a big group. We rode in a big van (the kids loved not having car seats) and saw many condos (haha) and then our tour guide, Xavier took us to a beach where the boys went snorkeling. The boys said that they saw some pretty cool fish. The kids LOVED playing in the waves with Nana. Then we ate lunch in the middle of the rain forest. We enjoyed guacamole that was made from avocados growing on a tree right by us. After lunch we were going to do the zipline, but decided we were getting too close on time so we headed back to the ship. After a nice shower we enjoyed another lovely dinner together. That evening Trevor and I went to the movie theater on ship and watched the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie in 3D.

The car ride
Lunch in the rainforest!
Pirates of the Caribbean

{Day 5}
We spent the day in Cabo San Lucas! I spent the morning on my balcony with Todd enjoying the beautiful surroundings. I saw probably 20-30 dolphins doing flips in the water. It was really amazing! After getting off the ship, we spent the entire day on the beach together. The water was amazing, so clear and warm. Laura and Alan got permission before the cruise to baptize Connor in the ocean with our family. It was a really neat experience! We all surrounded Connor in the ocean as Alan baptized him. We had a delicious lunch on the beach where we had the sand in our feet as we ate. After we got back to the ship we had a nice shower and a fun pirate themed dinner!

{Day 6}
We were still in Cabo San Lucas, but we only had until 1 PM to be off the ship, so some of us slept in and stayed on the ship and some of the boys got off and did some snorkeling at Lover's Beach. In the afternoon my dad confirmed Connor a member of the church and gave him the gift of the Holy Ghost. We had a little meeting in my parent's room. It was really nice. Laura gave a talk and read some words from Michael, the cousins sang a song, and I read a talk that Mom prepared on the Holy Ghost. It was a really neat experience. Connor is getting so big, he is so composed and such a good boy. That evening we had our semi-formal dinner, following which we did some dancing with the Buchanan family at one of the kid clubs. After the kids went to bed Trevor and I listened to some really great live music at the WaveBands.

{Day 7}
This was our last full day on the ship. We were able to see some whales! It was pretty chilly so we stayed in for most of the day. We played games and Trevor, Logan, and Todd paid way too much money to play bingo. I guess it was worth the memory :) The kids had fun dancing in the Promenade Lounge and some of the adults went to a comedy show and listened to live music. It was a great way to end the trip!

Anyone who has been on a cruise knows that when you return to your room after dinner you have an animal created out of a towel on your bed. Here are the many creations our Philippino friend did throughout the week.
We got off the ship the next morning and headed to the airport. It was a fabulous vacation! We made some unforgettable memories. The Disney Cruise provided such great entertainment and wonderful food. I really love my family so much. I'm so grateful for such incredible parents and wonderful siblings. Thank you so much, Mom and Dad!

Haunted House Poll

2011-10-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so my husband thinks I'm crazy because I have no desire (in fact, I don't want to) go to haunted houses. Tell me...do you love them? Or hate them?

Highlights from General Conference

2011-10-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

The best way for me to focus during conference is to write notes from each speaker. I enjoyed doing that this past weekend. I wanted to document some of the things that touched me most.
Saturday Morning Session

Elder Scott: Those who consistently read their scriptures will have an added measure of the spirit and a stronger testimony.
Sister Thompson: "Have ye inquired of the Lord?" If we diligently ask in faith, the Lord will answer in His time and sway. We need to ask.
Elder Alonso: "Doing the right thing, at the right time, without delay."

Saturday Afternoon Session

Elder Ardern: How we use our time will affect our relationship with God. Let us be as quick to kneel as we are to text. We need to be in control of the things we spend time on (technology), not the other way around.
Elder Cook: "It's better to look up."
Elder Curtis: Rescue the less-active members of the church and invite them to serve therein.
Elder Perry: Use the technology we have to share the Gospel.

Sunday Morning Session

Elder Hales: "Thy will be done." We need to exercise our agency to follow the Lord's plan for us. We can express our desires, but ultimately need to be submissive and trusting in the Lord's plan for us.
Sister Dalton: A father's love and example means the world to his daughter. Parents need to protect their children from the dangers of the world with a safe home and many Priesthood blessings.
Elder Ballard: Our church was named "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" by the Savior in D&C 115. It is a summary of what our church is: The Church of Jesus Christ (it is His church) of Latter Day (the same church that was established by Christ and has now been reestablished) Saints (His members follow him and keep His commandments). Let's remember to call it by it's full name whenever possible.
President Monson: The world is constantly changing, but God will remain the same forever.

Sunday Afternoon Session

Elder Nelson: God makes the terms and we choose to accept them or not.
Elder Yamashita: The sweet spirit he had as he showed his appreciation for the missionaries throughout the world.
Elder Cornish: We need to have a faith filled but submissive attitude. The Lord wants to bless us, but we need to ask for specific things. We won't be blessed until we ask.
Elder Cook: Hardships purify us to meet God.

In all, I was struck by how frequently service was brought up and the importance of challenges to help us grow. I have found that as I have struggled with some challenges in my life recently that I am most happy when I am in the service of those around me. My challenges seem to leave my mind and I am filled with joy. What a great blessing it is to have the Gospel in my life. I don't know where I would be without it.

Michael in Daejeon

2011-10-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Michael currently has a Korean companion named, Elder Jung (we knew him when we were in Korea in 2001-2004) and a few weeks ago they had to travel outside of their mission, to Daejeon for Elder Jung had to have a check up for the army service he will be doing after his mission. Michael had the opportunity to go to the mission home in which we lived for three years, the mission office, the restaurant and bowling alley we spent much time at, the L-Mart grocery store we purchased all of our ice cream at (which fattened us up real nice), and TCIS (Taejon Christian International School). It was so neat looking at all of the pictures he sent reminiscing about the time we spent there together all those years ago.

Living in Korea when I was 12-15 years old, was very hard to say the least. But looking back I feel honored and richly blessed that the Lord provided me with those experiences. I would not be the same person without them. I had so many opportunities for growth and I was able to strengthen my relationships with my family as we were away from everything that was familiar. It is such a tender mercy to see Michael visiting the places we made so many great memories. The Lord truly has a plan!

{The mission office, the mission home, and my bedroom (I spent a lot of time sitting just outside that window)}
{Near the mission home: Beo-du-namu Garden (our favorite Korean restaurant), the bowling alley, L-Mart, and the infamous podo ice cream :)}
{TCIS: the entrance, the gym, the high school, the lunchroom, and what used to be McDonalds}

{oh the joys of pinterest}

2011-10-03T09:56:00.001-07:00

i love spending a few minutes on pinterest each day and finding cute ideas, crafts, recipes, etc. i tried out this new hair style inspired by pinterest the other day. i know that things like pinterest, facebook, and blog-stalking can become too overwhelming and time consuming if we allow them to, but in moderation they are all good things.

Olive Garden Date

2011-10-01T15:14:00.001-07:00

I went to dinner with some of my favorite girls last night. Erica, Jordan, Chelsea, and Haylie were and still are some of best friends from high school. It was great to sit and chat with them. Love these girls!

- Posted from my iPhone

random thoughts.

2011-09-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

Trevor and I have been trying to do better at having family home evening together. It's become a bit of a challenge because I am obsessed with the power pump class at the gym that is Monday/Wednesday nights at 7 and Trevor now has class from 7:30-10 pm every Monday night. Even with a busy schedule we have tried to at least have a short lesson. It's been so amazing; the small and simple things really make such a difference. I feel especially close to Trevor when we are talking about the Gospel. It reminds us of our common goal to become more like our Savior and return to Him.

Since we were in St. George (post to come) during the General Relief Society Broadcast I recorded it and watched it when I got home. I sat in my living room with many tears as I was spiritually fed. I loved the reminder to be more charitable, that charity envieth not and suffereth long and thinking not of her own. I am going to try harder to be a more charitable woman. I am filled with love for the Relief Society. I have been reading the book given to us by the Relief Society called, "Daughters in His Kingdom" I find myself not wanting to put it down because I am learning so much and feeling so uplifted. I feel such a power in the Relief Society, that as sisters we have a huge responsibility upon us to work together to strengthen our families and homes and to then help those around us in whatever ways we possibly can. I know that the Relief Society organization was inspired from our loving Heavenly Father who knows we can do and be more than we might think.

I am so looking forward to this weekend's General Conference. I look forward to being edified and uplifted as I listen to the leaders of our church. Lounging, munching, and spending time with family is a plus, too :)

i am in love with this man...

2011-09-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

i feel overwhelmed with gratitude for my husband. he works so hard, studies so hard, and is so sweet to me. i am truly blessed.

{ps: don't we look sooo young! that was the night we got engaged.}

{college graduate}

2011-09-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

I finally got my degree! It's beautiful :) I'm excited that I really am a college graduate. Even though I'm finished with school, I will always love the excitement of the new school year; fresh binders, new clothes, and the crisp air turning to fall. After people find out that I'm graduated from college they usually ask what it is that I am doing now? Well I spend a lot of time cooking/taking care of my home and husband, serving in my calling, and spending time with family.

Hike to Battle Creek Falls

2011-09-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

Tyson, Trevor, and I went on a Saturday afternoon hike up to Battle Creek Falls. Honestly, I'm not the most outdoorsy girl - "There are bugs and dirt out there!" But it was nice to get out and be active, especially since it's going to start getting cold pretty soon. Tyson was out selling during the summer, so we are loving having him back!

Trafalga & S'more Pie

2011-09-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, we bought the pass of all passes this summer. The sad thing is, is that we have only used them once. So when Jordan & Jared and Trevor & I got together on Friday night we decided we should go mini-golfing at Trafalga! I'll be honest, it's pretty ghetto there, especially since they don't have very many lights outside, but we had a great time! After golfing the boys went on the go-carts and they loved them!

Afterwards we came back to our apartment and had dessert. I made a s'more pie. A few weeks ago Trevor sent me an email with a link to this s'more pie in hopes that I would make it for him in the near future. He may or may not have found the recipe on pinterest, but he'd kill me if he knew I just told the world that he looks at pinterest. Trevor loved the pie, and that's all that really matters to me. It was a bit too rich for me - next time I'll use milk chocolate instead of bittersweet. It was fun to try something new!

Laura's Utah Visit

2011-09-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Last week Laura and her cute kiddies came to Utah for ten days! We love it when they are in town and can't get enough of them. It worked out nicely because my parent's had their week at the cabin while Laura was here. I was up at the cabin from pretty much Thursday-Monday and Trevor came up Saturday-Sunday. We had the whole gang except for Alan and Michael at the cabin at one point. It was so nice to be together. We had a blast!

On Friday afternoon we went to lunch at the Dairy Keen in Heber. They had the most awesome beverage machine ever! My family NEEDS one of these :)

{Myla is so good at saying "cheeeese"}

After lunch we went to the park so that the kids could get some of their energy out! The kids started racing and Papa decided to get in on it. It was hilarious! That is, until he pulled his hamstring.

Saturday my mom and I went on a walk and the rest of the day was full of four-wheeling and lounging around!

{We made it about three houses up before the kids started complaining that they were tired so we turned back around and took them back to the cabin.}

{Even Mom and Dad got in on the four-wheeling! This is picture worthy.}

Trevor is super uncle! He does it all; four-wheeling with the boys, holding Hannah, even playing in the rain with all the kids!

{Mary couldn't resist getting in on the water fun.}

That night after we got the kids situated watching a movie downstairs and the adults played Catch Phrase and the Oreo game. After we mastered the regular version of Catch Phrase we added in some funny accents. We laughed and laughed; an unforgettable memory for sure.

On Sunday we went to Sacrament meeting in Heber. After that we had a BBQ and the kids made a huge dance floor on the deck and we had a dance party outside. I even whipped out my round-off backhandspring (it was a dare and I couldn't chicken out).

{Doggy pile on Uncle Trevor after church!}
{Being silly while making a chocolaty treat!}
{The "dance floor"}

{Cute Sophie}

On Monday we cleaned the cabin and then Laura and the kids, my mom, and I headed to Park City to do some shopping. We got some good deals!

On Tuesday night we met the Hammers at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. It was delicious, as always. Thanks for dinner, Dad!

{All of my nieces and nephews in order of age: Connor, Ayden, Abigail, Sophie, Andrew, Myla, and Hannah}
{The girls}

Thanks to Mom and Dad for their amazing cabin and for all the food/snacks/good times we had!

J.K. Rowling Quote

2011-08-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

I found this quote on Pinterest and wanted to share it:

"I’ve got two daughters who will have to make their way in this skinny-obsessed world, and it worries me, because I don’t want them to be empty-headed, self-obsessed, emaciated clones; I’d rather they were independent, interesting, idealistic, kind, opinionated, original, funny - a thousand things, before ‘thin’. And frankly, I’d rather they didn’t give a gust of stinking chihuahua flatulence whether the woman standing next to them has fleshier knees than they do. Let them never be Stupid Girls." – J.K. Rowling

It is so easy to slip into the ways of the world and compare yourself to those around you, to be constantly finding the imperfections in your appearance. I believe it is great to exercise, eat healthy, and try to stay fit, but let us not become so obsessed that we forget what really matters; who we are on the inside. Being a fun, kind, thoughtful daughter of God is much more important than having as nice of a body as Jennifer Anniston (plus that ain't ever gonna happen!).

ALS Update

2011-08-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

On July 21, 2011 my mom was diagnosed with ALS. On August 21, 2011 researchers were able to identify the cause of ALS. This is huge news! I don't doubt that the researchers may have been inspired because of the faith, fasts, and prayers from family, friends, my parent's Korea Daejeon Mission, and the current Busan Mission that have been made on behalf of my mother's diagnosis of ALS. We will now be praying that researchers can find a cure for ALS.

To read the article, click here.

Cleaning the Temple

2011-08-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

I spent my Monday morning cleaning the Timpanogos temple alongside sweet, faithful members of the church. I was lucky enough to be assigned to clean the Celestial Room. It was truly an unforgettable experience. I'm so grateful for the many temples we have nearby and the Spirit that I feel when I am within their walls. I am also grateful to all the members who volunteer to clean the temple each Monday.

8.15.2011

2011-08-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

It's hard for me to believe that we have been married for three years! My marriage is such a blessing in my life. Marriage is wonderful, hard, uplifting, fun, frustrating, and rewarding. I have loved these three years and feel so blessed to have a husband who is so fun, loving, smart, funny, handsome, and such a good provider. I've enjoyed watching our relationship strengthen with time and our love grow deeper. I love this man so much more than the day I married him. Our marriage just keeps getting better.

To celebrate, we spent the entire day together! We had lunch at CPK and went shopping at the Gateway. We ate a delicious dinner at The Roof. We loved overlooking the temple where we were married while enjoying our dinner. Afterwards we walked around the Temple grounds. We stayed the night at the Anniversary Inn and then headed home in the morning. We had so much fun together.

As an anniversary gift for me Trevor had someone in Logan take a really nice picture of the place where we met, the Fieldhouse. We are going to have it printed and put in a nice frame in our family room. What a cute idea!

thank you.

2011-08-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

I don't know how I could possibly thank each of you enough for your kind words, thoughtful prayers, and fasts on behalf of my mom and family. We have truly felt them lifting us up through this hard time. So I want to sincerely say, thank you.

My mom

2011-07-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

For the past few months my mom has been having some health problems. She had an appointment on Thursday morning with a prestigious neurologist at the U of U hospital. Trevor and I had already planned on going to Lake Powell with his family from Wednesday-Sunday. I worried about going because I wasn't sure what to expect from my mom's appointment, but both my mom and dad assured me that there would most likely be no diagnosis and that we should go to Lake Powell.

We decided to go to Lake Powell, so we headed down on Wednesday. On Thursday afternoon Trevor and I put my iPhone in a ziplock bag and rode the wave runner to the channel so that I could call my parents and get an update on my mom's appointment. I was shocked when my parents told me that my mom was diagnosed with ALS. I was overcome with sadness and anger. After hanging up the phone Trevor and I cried together in the middle of the lake for thirty minutes. When we went to turn on the wave runner, it wouldn't work. We then had to flag someone down and they kindly took us back to our houseboat.

I immediately pulled Jeanette aside and told her the devastating news. I felt so trapped being so far away from family without cell phone coverage. I laid on my air mattress on top of the houseboat sobbing. I was grateful to have Trevor there to mourn with me. Jeanette came up a few minutes later and told me she had worked everything out so that we could go home right then. We packed up our stuff and rode to the dock and headed home. I was so grateful that Jeanette worked everything out so that we could be on our way, so grateful for the Squires for driving us to the dock, and to Jodi for letting us borrow her car. Everyone was so wonderful to make that happen.

We made it home safe and sound and have spent the entire weekend with family. I'm so grateful for my family.

I am devastated by this diagnosis. I feel like I haven't had any major trials in my life since my family moved to Korea when I was twelve.This diagnosis and what is to follow is going to be a challenge for me for the rest of my life. Besides Trevor, my mom is my best friend. I can't imagine my life without her in it.

Trevor has been so supportive. I am so grateful for a husband who loves my family as much as I do. He has been my rock.

I'm grateful for such a wise father who continues to remind us that it is okay to be sad and mourn for a little while, but then we are going to be brave and make the best of this challenge. We are going to make these last years as happy as we possibly can.

I'm so grateful for my mother's incredible example. She is the best woman I know. She is facing this challenge with so much faith and hope. I am grateful that at this time in my life I am finished with school, I don't have a job, and that I live nearby. I want to do all that I can for my mom.

The return missionaries from the Korea Daejeon 2001-2004 Mission, as well as many others of us will be fasting for my mom next Sunday, July 31. I look forward to the opportunity to put forth my faith in her behalf. If anyone wants to join, please feel free.

My mom wrote about her diagnosis on her blog, you can read about it here.

Florida

2011-07-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

Trevor's younger brother Tyson is managing a team for vivint this summer in Florida. He had a vacant apartment so the Cox girls decided to take a girls trip out there. We left on the fourth of July after the Kaysville parade.

While in Florida we spent time relaxing by the pool, reading, and went to a movie on a rainy day.

We went to Disneyworld for one day. My favorite ride is Tower of Terror. We enjoyed the dinosaur ride too, check us out on the front row of that picture! We also enjoyed the safari ride in Animal Kingdom.

We spent a day at Orlando Studios. It was fun to see the Harry Potter world. If you know me, you know that I'm not the hugest Harry Potter fan, but I have to say that the butter beer was fabulous and that I loved the rides. While we were there it started pouring rain like I've never seen it before! We decided to buy ponchos and brave the rain.

We had a wonderful week together in Florida! We had many laughs and good times together. I love spending time with these two girls. Such a fun trip!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T10:17:00.001-07:00

Spending our morning at the Kaysville parade! Then I'm headed to Florida with Jeanette and Kelsie. Hope you enjoy celebrating the 4th :)

- Posted from my iPhone

The Small and Simple Things

2011-07-03T14:03:00.001-07:00

In Trevor's Mormonism class he took at UVU he learned about a research study that was done to determine what keeps Mormons active in living the Gospel. In the research done the results showed that there are two things that predict activity in the church and they are personal prayer and personal scripture study. I thought that this was interesting because so frequently we talk about members who served missions or got married in the temple and then slip away, but it is the small and simple things that really matter most. I remember when I was in Primary and Young Women's the golden answer to just about any question was that we need to be reading our scriptures and saying our prayers, but it is because it is so true! It was a good reminder for me and put things into perspective. I need to make time each and everyday to have personal prayer and personal scripture study.

Weekend Getaway

2011-07-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went up to my parent's cabin for a night with my good friend Jordan Schwitzer and her boyfriend, Jared. We went four wheeling, barbequed, got in the hot tub, and talked. We love hanging out with Jordan and Jared and we had such a good time with them.

Trevor LOVES peach pie, so I decided it was time to make my very first one.

Jordan and Jared had to leave in the morning, but we decided to stay and go for another four wheeler ride before heading home. We found this awesome swing that someone made and so we tried it out. It is SO hard for me to be spontaneous and adventurous sometimes, which is why it's good I have such a fun husband who encourages (makes) me try new things that are sometimes scary to me (yes, I'm a wuss).

We LOVE spending time at the cabin. I never want to leave!

Kelsie's Visit to Orem

2011-07-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

Since I am officially finished with school Kelsie decided to come down and party with me for a few days! It was so fun to have her. We went to the new movie Jane Eyre, on a walk by the Provo river, on a bike ride up the canyon, swimming at our pool, lunch at Kneaders, and talked a ton. I love spending time with Kelsie. She is such a sweet girl and a wonderful friend to me.

{On our way to the movies.}

{We saw this little guy on our bike ride!}

G&G 55th Wedding Anniversary

2011-07-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

June 21st was my Grandma and Grandpa Parson's 55th wedding anniversary. They celebrated by taking all of their posterity to dinner at Tucanos. It was so incredibly generous and kind of them to take us to dinner when we felt like we should be giving them gifts. We love Gramps and Grams so much and look up to them in so many ways. Happy Anniversary!

Manti Pageant

2011-07-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we went to the Manti Pageant. Trevor's Grandparents live in Manti so we were able to stay with them. It was so good to see them and to spend time with Jeanette and Kelsie. My favorite part of the pageant was when Christ came to the Americas; it always touches me because I know that it really happened. We loved the show.

The Manti temple is so beautiful!

Seven Peaks

2011-06-26T22:30:00.000-07:00

Right now you can get what's called the "pass of all passes" which includes a season pass to Seven Peaks, unlimited fun at Trafalga, general admission to Orem Owlz games, and general admission to Utah Flash games, all for $50. We decided this was totally worth it to make our summer super fun. We went to Seven Peaks on Saturday and had a blast! Finally being done with school and being out in the sunshine all day with my man was the perfect way to start out the summer. We look forward to many more days like this.

My Bike!

2011-06-25T09:57:00.001-07:00

My parents gave me a bike as a graduation present! I've wanted a bike for a long time, so I'm so excited! My mom and I have already gone on two bike rides. There are many more to come. Thanks Mom and Dad!

- Posted from my iPhone

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to this guy! I am so grateful to have such a wonderful father who has taught me so much. He is such an example to me; I look up to him in every way. I'm also grateful for a father-in-law who raised Trevor so well.

Hair Days!

2011-06-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

My mom and I go up to Mary's house in Layton about once a month to get our hair done. It's so fun going together each month and spending the day together. I sure love this woman!

Strawberry Days Carnival

2011-06-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

We went to the Strawberry Days Carnival with a few friends. It felt like a very summery event (even though we were freezing). Carnivals attract all sorts of funny people, we still had a good time!

3 years ago today...

2011-06-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

Trevor proposed! What a memorable day.

2011-06-10T21:31:00.001-07:00

Spent the evening with this guy out on the town (aka sushi and a movie).

- Posted from my iPhone

Positive Psychology

2011-06-07T20:11:00.001-07:00

I am taking some really interesting classes this final semester at UVU. I am currently taking Family Finance, Applied Marriage, Learning Memory and Cognition, and Positive Psychology. I have really loved my Positive Psychology class. The teacher is really sweet and he has us doing weekly activities that can be challenging, but that are really insightful.

We were required to take on online questionnaire that told us what our top five strengths are. Mine are:
1. Gratitude
2. Spirituality, sense of purpose, and faith
3. Capacity to love and be loved
4. Hope, optimism, and future-mindedness
5. Caution, prudence, and discretion

This week's activity is to use one of our strengths daily. I have been working on showing my gratitude. I have loved the opportunity to push myself to be better so that I can lead a meaningful life. Yay for a psychology class that doesn't focus on mental disorders and problems, but rather about being happy and having a meaningful life!

Airport Phone Call

2011-06-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

We got to talk to Michael today. He is at the SLC airport getting ready to fly to Japan, and then to Korea. I am SO excited for him. Not only is he going to serve the Lord by teaching the Korean people the Gospel, he gets to return to the place where we spent three years of our childhood. He is already excelling in the Korean language, and is so excited to share his testimony. He got a Korean Book of Mormon in hopes of giving it to someone on the airplane. He recently told us that he is so excited to bring families together to be sealed forever because his family is the most important thing in his life. Michael has sent the most uplifting and inspiring emails each week and I'm sure they will only get better as he is in the mission field.

My heart feels so grateful to the missionaries across the world, specifically Michael. He has brought so much joy and so many blessings to my family already and his mission has only just begun.

Dinner with G&G

2011-06-02T23:00:00.001-07:00

My grandpa Parsons recently had surgery on his shoulder. Trevor and I took him and Grandma dinner tonight. We enjoyed spending a few hours together. I'm so grateful for such loving and supportive grandparents to look up to. We're praying for a full and speedy recover for Gramps! Love you guys!

{I made this recipe - it was delicious!}

- Posted from my iPhone

Las Vegas

2011-06-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Since I didn't have school on Monday we decided we would make a vacation out of our weekend and head down to Las Vegas.

On our way down we met Trevor's cousin Kara and her family at Brick Oven in St. George for dinner.

Trevor and Bridger
Olivia and me

We got to Vegas around 7 PM and hung out with Karrissa and Joe at their house.

On Saturday we went swimming in the afternoon and to the restaurant Serendipity. That evening the boys watched the UFC fights and the girls made dinner and hung out. We watched I Am Number Four later that night.
Mckinley and Kylie

On Sunday we went to church and then relaxed. Karrissa taught the lesson and it was fun to see her in her calling. She is a wonderful Young Women's President. In the later evening we went to the park and played Bocce Ball and then had a BBQ. Alysha and Jesse were in Vegas for a friend's wedding so it was fun to hang out with them too. We played The Things Game that night, it was hilarious!

Monday the boys went golfing and then we went for a quick swim. We went to lunch at Zaba's, shopping at the outdoor outlets, and then headed home.

We were sad we weren't able to see all of our family in Vegas because it was such a quick trip. Thanks Karrissa and Joe for your hospitality! We had a blast!

Laptop Case

2011-05-27T08:37:00.001-07:00

Trevor surprised me with my very own MacBook Pro in March, and I've been searching for the perfect case ever since. I knew I wanted one with a strap, and I finally found one on Etsy. The only problem, it was going to cost around $62 with shipping. When I showed Trevor he told me that his mom could totally make it. I showed Jeanette the picture of it and she made me one that looks just like it. It is perfect. She is so talented! Thanks Jeanette!

Gratitude Letter

2011-05-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

For my Positive Psychology class (I'm taking four summer classes and will be officially finished on June 24) I was assigned to write a letter to someone that I wanted to thank and read it to them face-to-face. I chose to write this letter to my mom. It was such an unforgettable experience reading this letter to my mom. I wanted to post my letter on my blog so that I will always have it.

Dear Mom,

I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately and how much you have influenced my life for the better. When I was a child you always knew just what to say and how to make me feel better when I was worrying about something (which was usually everyday). You helped push me to grow while still nurturing me with gentleness and love.

In my teenage years you were not only my mother, but you were a friend to me when I had no one else. I didn’t show you how much you meant to me and how much I appreciated you during that time in my life, but I want to now. I want you to know that the relationship we developed through those years will be forever changed because of the patience, kindness and love that you showed me.

When I was engaged I had the time of my life planning my wedding with you and being able to spend my last summer single with you. I have fond memories of car drives, appointments, and shopping with you. Thank you for spending so much time with me that summer.

Thank you for being the perfect mother to a married daughter and the perfect mother-in-law to my husband. You have always stayed close without being overly involved. You have always encouraged me to be a good wife.

I want you to know how much I appreciate you and Dad letting us live with you for six months. I have many fond memories of those months. I loved spending so much time with you. You blessed us with your generosity and kindness and we will never forget that.

Thanks for being a Christ-like example. Every morning I always know where to find you, studying the scriptures. It means so much to me to see you doing what you have always taught me.

I am so grateful that I have a mother who is not only a kind, nurturing mother, but an uplifting, kind, supportive friend. I love you, Mom. I want you to know how grateful I feel to have you in my life.

Love,
Jenny

Girl's Night at the Cabin

2011-05-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

While Laura was in town we had a girl's night at the cabin. After a few minor problems (we hit a deer in Mary's car and the doors to the cabin were open) we had a fabulous evening in. We ate treats, did some waxing, watched Midway to Heaven, and relaxed. We went shopping in Park City the next day. These are my favorite women and closest friends.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

I can't pass by Mother's Day without writing a post to thank the women in my life. I feel so incredibly blessed to have the mother I have. She is such an example and friend to me. I am grateful to have a wonderful mother-in-law who raised Trevor so well and is so kind to me. I'm grateful that I have two sisters who are dedicated mothers to look up to. I'm thankful for Grandmothers who put motherhood first in their lives. I can't wait to be a mother someday, and I know that the mother I'll become will be because of the examples of these women.

UVU Graduation

2011-05-05T17:59:00.000-07:00

It's official, I am a college graduate! I have a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Psychology. I'm so grateful to have so much love and support from my family and friends.

My parents took me to dinner the night before to celebrate.

Commencement was Friday afternoon.

{Trevor has given me so much support and encouragement throughout college, if it weren't for him I probably wouldn't be graduating}

{Laura flew out from New York just to support me. I'm so glad she was there!}

After commencement we had a little party at my house with family. My sisters prepared all the goods, and that they were. Thanks guys!

Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with me, I can't tell you how much it meant to me to have you there!

Easter 2011

2011-05-05T17:50:00.001-07:00

We spent our Easter here this year:

(my parent's cabin)

It was a nice day full of the Spirit, family, yummy foods, and pretty surroundings. So much to be grateful for!

A Visit From Heather Lilley

2011-04-27T15:18:00.001-07:00

When I moved to Korea in 2001 I attended Taejon Christian International School. I met a lot of different people from all across the world. Many of the friends that I made moved away and each time one would leave we would promise each other that we would keep in touch, sadly that never happened. Heather Lilley was my best friend in Korea and she saw how sad I was that all of the friendships I made seemed to end as soon as we moved away from each other. She promised me that we really would keep in touch and stay friends forever. Well, it's been ten years and Heather came to Utah to visit me, her first trip to America.

Heather got in late on Sunday night. We had a sign ready and everything but somehow she walked right past us and we didn't even see her! To her body it was the middle of the night - poor girl!

Monday was the only day that I could not miss school. I felt bad dragging Heather along to UVU for class, but she was a trooper. I was happy to finish my last presentations and papers for school. After school Heather had her first WalMart experience. It was so funny to see how different our vocabulary was! Heather thought it was hilarious that we call shopping carts by that name, she calls them "trolleys." The plan was to go to the Gateway to go shopping but it was raining pretty hard, so I was worried. Heather reminded me that it rains all the time in England :) I introduced her to the apples at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and we did some shopping. Then Trevor and I took Heather to Olive Garden for dinner.

Tuesday morning Heather, my mom, and I went for a hike up Bridal Veil Falls. Even though the weather wasn't very nice we had a good time. I was so scared and my mom reminded me that she took her primary girls on that same hike. I guess I'm officially a wuss. We took Heather up to Sundance afterwards and showed her around, while we were there it started snowing. We drove around Provo and showed Heather the Temple, the MTC, and the Y on the mountain. Then my mom took us for a yummy lunch at Cafe Rio (thanks Mom!). Heather and I were so chilled from the cold that when we got home we got in the hot tub. We mostly just chilled the rest of the day, painted our nails, watched my wedding video, and cooked dinner at home. Later that evening Heather, Brian, Trevor, and I went up South Fork Canyon and had a campfire. Heather introduced us to cutting bananas in half and putting chocolate inside then wrapping them in foil and cooking them in the fire. They were amazing! We will definitely be making that a tradition.

Heather eating her very first s'more

Wednesday Heather and I went to a few different stores to get craft supplies. We then went up to Layton. Jeanette was sweet enough to do glitter toes for Heather, and help us with some last minutes jewelry supplies for our craft. We then went to Mary's and Heather got to meet her and her kids. Ayden was speaking in his British accent for Heather, which was hilarious. We went to Chili's with them for dinner. When we got to Orem Trevor decided that it was a must that Heather have SubZero Ice Cream, so we went there. That night Heather and I laid in my bed talking and laughing, it was so fun.

We had to get a picture of Heather with the "Stonehenge" of Orem, Utah

Thursday I took Heather for breakfast at Kneaders for French toast. After breakfast we got all of our stuff ready and headed up to my parent's cabin in Timberlakes. We went shopping in Park City at the Outlets and then headed to the cabin. We made steaks, chicken, and potatoes for dinner with Nandos sauce that Heather brought from England. It was delicious! Kelsie came up and then we got in the hot tub and then watched "The Switch".

We asked a man to take this picture for us and he said, "You must be sisters!"

Friday we got our craft on! We made jewelry and I taught Heather how to make flowers. We made some cute stuff, I always love getting crafty. I just have a hard time getting in the mood to do crafts, but once I start I don't want to stop. On our way home from the cabin we showed Heather cute Midway and the Crater. Later that evening Trevor, Heather, and I went to Temple Square. Afterwards we took Heather to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.

The finished product!
The Crater

Temple Square

On Saturday my Dad took us for lunch at a Korean restaurant. We ran a few errands, Heather had to get cereal and Reeses Pieces to take back to England. Later that night we went to the Bees game. We were so lucky it didn't rain while we were there, but we were bundled up because it was freezing! Kelsie met us there. When we got home from the game we looked over the notes we had written to each other while we were in Korea and had fun laughing at what dorks we were (and still are).

Heather headed home on Sunday.

I am SO happy that Heather was able to come visit me. She is such a good friend to me. Trevor and I will be heading out to England to visit her and go to her wedding next summer :)

New York, Day 5

2011-04-11T22:22:00.000-07:00

Today was our last full day in New York. We ran a few errands, played at home, and went to dinner at a restaurant in Tuckahoe.

Trevor and I gave Hannah this outfit. There are ruffles on the bum :)

It was 80 degrees at one point today, so the kids were loving playing outside. I went out to check on them and they were pretending that they were watching fireworks. Andrew could seriously be a little actor!
Three sisters at dinner

It was so much fun spending time with my sisters. We had a blast and made some great memories! I am so glad I was able to go visit Laura and meet baby Hannah; it was so fun to travel and spend time with Mary. Laura is an incredible mother and I look up to her so much!
I love my seesters!

New York, Day 4

2011-04-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

Today was a fabulous Sunday! Church was amazing; I always love going to Laura's ward because there are so many interesting people and intelligent comments. I especially enjoyed listening to testimony meeting. After church we wrote letters to Michael, watched some funny old shows we used to watch when we were kids, and ate a yummy dinner.

Sitting outside of Sunday School with Laura while she fed Hannah
I took advantage of being near baby Hannah today and held her as much as I possibly could

(please don't judge the fuzzy hair.)

New York, Day 3

2011-04-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Connor and Abby's soccer clinics. I didn't get to see Connor play, but Abby sure was aggressive out there! She even scored a few points. Afterwards we went into the city to go to Niketown. We picked up pizza on the way home.

We were twinners in our hoodies and puffy vests

Niketown

I showed the kids the youtube video called, "Books for Christmas" and Andrew has been quoting it all day.

New York, Day 2

2011-04-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

Today we did some shopping at the mall! It's always a treat going to H&M :) Then we went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch. It was delicious, as always.

So excited to be at H&M!
Andrew put all of these hats on and was walking around saying, "Caps, caps for sale. Fifty cents a cap!" It's from a book, it was darling.
Cheesecake Factory
When we got home I played four-square with the kids. Then we watched the kids dance to the Newsies soundtrack and laughed and laughed. Connor, Abby, and Andrew have every word memorized to those songs and it's so awesome.

When I was getting Hannah dressed I couldn't resist snapping a picture of her cute little body

New York, Day 1

2011-04-07T20:07:00.001-07:00

Last night Mary and I left for our trip to New York to meet our newest niece, Hannah Elizabeth. We got here at 3 AM our time! We were welcomed with lots of snuggles from the kids.

We spent the day running errands and enjoying being together as seesters :) Looking forward to the next four days.

On the airplane

Meeting Hannah!

Snuggling with Andrew

- Posted from my iPhone

Elder Rife enters the MTC

2011-03-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

The night before Michael went into the Missionary Training Center we went to dinner at P.F. Chang's as a family (minus Trevor and Brian). It was nice to celebrate Michael one last time before he's gone for two years.

Later that night Michael got set apart as a missionary by President McGinn. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. It was a really neat experience. I'm so grateful for Michael's willingness to be a missionary. Michael said, "I don't think of a mission as a sacrifice, I think of it as an investment." He is going to be a wonderful missionary.

The next afternoon I was able to go with my parents to drop Michael off. With the new drop-off system it all happened very quickly, which is probably a good thing. We got most of our emotions out the night before and were able to quickly say our goodbyes.

My parents have already heard from both the Branch President and a Counselor in the Presidency over the Korean Missionaries telling them that Michael is doing great. They said that he bore a powerful testimony and has already been helping his companion with Korean.

Alysha + Jesse's Wedding

2011-03-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we went to Alysha's bridal shower. It was so fun to see all of her presents and spend time with family and friends.

Alysha went through the Temple a day before her wedding. It's always nice to be in the Temple, especially with family.

Later that night we went to Alysha and Jesse's wedding dinner at the BYU Skyroom. The food was delicious as was company!

Their wedding was the following day. The sealing was wonderful! The reception was held at Wadley Farms, which was gorgeous! Glad we could be involved in all of the wedding festivities.

We're Moving!

2011-03-24T22:59:00.000-07:00

We are currently in the process of getting settled in our new apartment. I forgot how much work it is to move; I've gone to bed exhausted the past few nights. We are so grateful for the help of our families with the move; they've been amazing! We have had our eyes peeled for an apartment the past few weeks and found this one on KSL. We are so appreciative of my parents generously allowing us to live with them for the past seven months. We enjoyed our time there and made many good memories. We are excited to have our own place and get to see all of our furniture/decorations, it's been almost a year! I'll update more after we're all settled in! (By next week, hopefully.)

an expensive week for jenny.

2011-03-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

sooo.. last week was not my best.

1. my iphone fell out of my hoodie and plopped right into the toilet.

2. i snapped my glasses in half.

it's times like these i just want to crawl into a hole. luckily, i have a patient husband who loves me even though i am a complete clutz sometimes.

let's hope this week goes a little bit better than last week!

Trevor is 25!

2011-03-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

Trevor turned 25 on Monday, March 14th. We celebrated the entire weekend long! My parents were generous enough to let us use the cabin from Saturday-Sunday with Trevor's family. Trevor and Troy went snowmobiling all day, which is exactly how Trevor wanted to celebrate his birthday. The girls had fun doing crafts. We ate yummy food and watched the movie Secretariat, which was fabulous. The next day was Michael's farewell and Trevor's family came to support him.

Trevor requested a pie instead of a cake!

Since the Cox family were in Florida over Troy's birthday, we celebrated his birthday too.

My creations, with the help of Jeanette
(she's amazing at making jewelry!)

After all of the farewell festivities on Sunday we celebrated Trevor's birthday with my family.

On Trevor's actual birthday he was busy working all day. We got Texas Roadhouse togo for dinner and watched The Bachelor finale. Where we were surprised to see that Brad chose Emily (doesn't look like things are going to work out between those two). I surprised Trevor with a banana cream pie from Kneaders - he was thrilled!

I am so grateful that Troy and Jeanette brought Trevor into the world 25 years ago. I feel blessed to be his wife. Happy Birthday Trev!

Elder Michael Rife

2011-03-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

Michael's mission farewell was on Sunday, March 13th. He did such a wonderful job and we are so proud of him. He was funny, sweet, and spiritual. I know he is going to be a powerful instrument for the Lord these next two years. We will miss him, but we are so proud of him.

Michael and Hillary

Trevor, Jeanette, Kaycee, and Kelsie

Michael and Todd

Trevor and me

Dad and his brother, Roger

Sonhee, Mary, me, and Jeehee

Thanks to everyone who came to support Michael and our family!

Vegas

2011-03-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

Trevor and I have been saying that we want to go to Vegas and visit our cousins and friends for months now, and finally decided to do it! We started the drive on Thursday afternoon and made it in exactly five hours.

We started out our little vacation with Karrissa and Joe and their girls, McKinley and Kylie. Karrissa is a fabulous cook and had homemade wings ready for us when we got there. The girls wanted to take us to Yogurtland, so we went there for dessert. I loved it. Trevor didn't choose the best flavors, really pistachio? Ha. Joe has a motorcycle and let Trevor drive it to Yogurtland, which he loved. Trevor looked so giddy! When we got back McKinley wanted Trevor to take her for a little ride.

I may not be ready for Trevor to get a motorcycle just yet, but he sure looks good on one.

When we got back from Yogurtland the boys had to play some Call of Duty together while we got the girls ready for bed :)

The next morning the plan was for Trevor and Joe to go golfing, but it was so windy that they came shopping with us instead. We went to the Town Center and did some shopping at H&M and then went to the Bellagio Gardens and ate some yummy crepes and gelato.

Town Center

The Bellagio Gardens

"I'd rather be golfing."

After we ate yummy crepes (our dessert first) we headed to dinner at BJ's. We were hoping my other cousin Jake and his wife Marissa were going to be able to come, but she had a soccer game. Missed you guys! We had so much fun spending a few days with Karrissa and Joe. They are so fun; we loved every minute! After dinner we headed over to visit our friends Tanner and Cami.

Tanner and Cami were in our ward before they moved to Vegas. We used to spend every weekend together; you could usually find Cami and I chatting while Tanner and Trev watched UFC fights or played video games. We have missed having them close by and had so much fun catching up. They recently bought a house and it is so darling.

Saturday morning Tanner and Cami treated us to one of their favorite restaurants that has chicken waffles. Trevor loved the chicken waffles and I enjoyed my veggie omelette. After breakfast we went and saw Just Go With It. It was hilarious! I laughed through the ENTIRE movie. That night we went to dinner at a Japanese restaurant and watched the UFC fights at Cami's parents house. It's embarrassing to admit, but I actually enjoy watching the fights and know a lot of the fighter's names and the names of moves.

Chicken waffles

Trevor and Tanner

Cami and me

Sunday afternoon we went and visited Kayla, Trevor's cousin and her cute daughters. Kayla made us lunch and showed me some new crafts she's been working on. It was so fun to see her. She is such a cute girl and a really great mother.

We started our drive home in the late afternoon and made it home around 11 PM. It's always nice to get back to your routine after a vacation. We had so much fun and were so glad we could spend time with people we love who we don't get to see as much as we'd like. Thanks for having us guys!

And the best news of all -- NO SPEEDING TICKETS! Woo hoo.

22 years old.

2011-02-18T19:20:00.000-08:00

I celebrated my 22nd birthday doing just what I love - spending time with Trevor, shopping in Park City, eating Cafe Rio, and watching chick flicks while eating way too many treats at my parent's cabin. It was perfect.

{Shopping at the Outlets in Park City}
{Eating at my favorite restaurant - Cafe Rio}

Thanks for all the birthday wishes via phone-call, text, or facebook - it sure made me feel loved!

Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T18:00:00.000-08:00

Today has been perfect. Trevor text me this morning and told me that we had reservations at Tucanos at 5:00. When he got home from work he came in with pink sweats from Victoria's Secret. I really didn't expect Trevor to get me a present, but it was such a sweet surprise! We had a wonderful evening together.

I truly love Trevor so much. He is so perfect for me. I'm grateful for a holiday to celebrate our love. The older I get the more I am realizing that Valentine's day isn't about flowers, chocolates, and presents, it's about thinking about the people we love most in this world. And I sure love Trevor.

Brent & Tasha's Wedding

2011-01-29T18:09:00.000-08:00

My cousin Brent and his fiance Tasha got married on Friday, January 28. They had a wedding dinner the night before at La Jolla Grove, which was wonderful. Brent and Tasha are such a great couple, they just seem like the perfect match. I am so glad Brent found such a great girl. Here are a few pictures from the wedding dinner.

Married at last!

The reception was at Bella Vista and was so pretty and had such a fun atmosphere. They even had a photo booth!
Congratulations Brent and Tasha! We are so happy for you both.

my dinner tonight...

2011-01-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

yum.

reading.

2011-01-26T16:44:00.000-08:00

I have been a horrible blogger lately. Trevor and I are both busy with school. We are getting excited as graduation seems to get closer and closer. Trevor should graduate in December and I am hoping to either graduate this summer or in December with him. I guess I surprised myself, I was never completely planning on graduating from college, but now that it is close I am so happy that I will be a college graduate. I have learned a lot about myself and about the world. It's been good.

I am taking 18 credits this semester which I thought would keep me busy, but my classes aren't too bad this year. I decided to start reading some books for fun to help keep me busy. I just finished reading The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura. It was a very interesting book and made me want to be a better wife. The goal of the book is to take the focus away from the feminist mentality (which is so dominant in my major) and rather think about how to be a good wife to the person who should be number one in your life, your husband. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to all wives out there.

I am also reading the Five Languages of Love. Before now I had only read novels and fun books, but I am enjoying reading books that teach me things that are applicable to my life. Although, I did just order two easy reads from half.com :) Laura recommended Princess Academy and Austenland by Shannon Hale so I am excited to read those as well.

I guess the point of this post is just that I love reading.

a new year, a fresh start

2011-01-13T17:53:00.000-08:00

the new year brought hope to fulfill these goals:

to read scriptures and pray with trev every night

to have personal scripture study and prayer every night

to write 10 things i'm grateful for everyday

to become slow to anger

to have charity and work on speaking no ill of others

not to miss a parent/sibling/niece or nephew's birthday

to exercise 3-5 times (consistently) a week and eat healthy

{so far so good, hopefully i can continue doing well!}

Christmas Day 2010

2010-12-25T19:58:00.000-08:00

We called Elder Taylor Cox at 6 AM so we were up early this Christmas. It was so good to talk to him; he sounded so good and so happy. We are proud of him for his dedication and service as a missionary. After an hour of talking to him we opened up our presents. This year was special because I put a lot of thought into the presents I got people and helped a lot with the shopping for my family. I was way more excited to see everyone open their presents than to open my own.

We headed to Orem around 1 PM and got to have Christmas morning all over again with my family. It was so fun! I surprised Trevor with a wedding ring because he lost his six months after we were married. He got it on overstock.com and never really loved it. He saw his new one on a friend a while back and it was the only one he has ever really liked. I have wanted him to have a ring for a while now, so I used part of my Christmas and some money I had to get him it as a complete surprise. I know he doesn't love rings, but I think he really liked it. We went and saw the movie True Grit in the late afternoon and then had left overs from the Christmas Eve feast with cousins. Funeral potatoes and ham, my favorite!

{He's officially a married man :)}

{The girls: Jill, Mom, Me, Alysha, and Tasha}

{Christmas jammies from my parents}

We changed the way we split Christmas between our families this year and I really liked it. We spent the major part of Christmas with the Cox family (we'll rotate every year) and it was so nice to relax and enjoy each others company without worrying about leaving or driving.

We had an amazing Christmas. Both of our parents really spoiled us. We are so grateful for wonderful families to spend this time of the year with. Thank you Mom & Dad and Troy & Jeanette! We love you! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2010

2010-12-24T22:25:00.000-08:00

We spent the first part of Christmas Eve cross-country skiing with my mom and Brian. My mom loves skiing and so we thought it would be fun for her to show us how it's done. It was pretty hard at first, but it got more fun the longer we were doing it and the more comfortable we got. Trevor loves skiing, and even though he had never gone cross-country skiing he seemed completely comfortable on the skis. I have never seen Trevor ski, so it was fun to watch him. Aside from my mom we each had our share of falls. We had a good time and went home to bagels thanks to my dad.

{Brian, Trevor, and I standing by my mom's favorite tree}

{Trevor doing a trick}

{Me biffing it}

At 3 PM we headed to Layton to spend the remainder of Christmas Eve with the Cox family. We had a delicious dinner of prime rib and then spent time enjoying each others company. Troy read the story of the nativity from Matthew and we opened our Christmas jammies.

{Grandpa & Grandma Cox, Tyson, Kelsie, Troy & Jeanette, and Trevor}
{Our Christmas jammies}
We are so blessed to have such wonderful families! Merry Christmas Eve!

Dipping Pretzels

2010-12-23T19:19:00.000-08:00

My mom and I dipped pretzels tonight! We definitely don't need any more treats around the house, but it's tradition. They are a yummy festive treat :)

A Christmas Carol

2010-12-21T20:01:00.001-08:00

We saw our annual showing of A Christmas Carol at the Hale Center Theater. We love it every year! It just wouldn't feel like Christmas if we didn't go. The "real" Scrooge came back this year and we were thrilled. It is a great way to get us in the Christmas spirit. I love the end, and even teared up a bit as I watched the transformation in Scrooge and his desire to be better. That is the whole goal of this life, to become better, more like Jesus Christ.

Cabin Fever

2010-12-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

My parents bought 1/4 of a cabin up in Timberlakes. Last week we had our first trip up there! We celebrated Todd's 24th birthday. We had so much fun. The cabin has two snow mobiles, a four wheeler, a hot tub, a movie theater screen, and so much more. It was a blast! It was especially nice since we went up after we finished our finals and could really relax. We are so excited for the many memories to come and for the generosity of my parents.

These days it is usually the three of us hanging out since we all live at my parents house, so we had to get a picture :)

The kids were LOVING getting in and out of the hot tub!

Kurt Bestor 2010

2010-12-20T22:53:00.001-08:00

One of my family's Christmas traditions is to go to the Kurt Bestor Concert. Jason Castro from American Idol, a children's choir, and a Ukrainian boy were all great additions to this years concert. Besides some mix ups in the seats and a grumpy old man it was a wonderful evening! The music was amazing as was the company. Thanks to my dad for always making this tradition happen.

December 13-17 Menu

2010-12-13T22:08:00.000-08:00

Monday: Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce
I had been looking for a yummy curry recipe for a while and finally found this one. It was pretty easy to make and turned out really nice. I enjoyed it because it had the curry flavor, but it wasn't too strong.

Tuesday: Waffles with Buttermilk Syrup

Wednesday: Baked Spaghetti with French Bread

Thursday: Chicken Pillows
I got this recipe from Jenny Petersen, she made it this summer and it was easy and delicious. Dip croissants (from the refrigerated section at the store) in egg and then cover in bread crumbs. Mix one can of chicken, two teaspoons of butter, half a package of cream cheese, and throw in some spinach or broccoli for a vegetable and cook according to the croissant package.

Friday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches on Rhodes Rolls
I also got this idea from Jenny Petersen. Cook chicken in the crockpot with BBQ sauce and then serve on rhodes rolls.

Haylie's Birthday

2010-12-11T19:33:00.000-08:00

{Me, Jordan, Erica, Heather, Haylie, Taylor, and Shauna}

In celebration of Haylie's birthday, a bunch of us girls kidnapped her and took her to dinner at Brick Oven. Haylie and I cheered together in high school and then went to EFY together at USU. It was so fun to see everyone and catch up! Happy Birthday Hay!

December 6-10 Menu

2010-12-10T00:45:00.001-08:00

As most of you can tell, I love cooking. I love looking up new recipes and making weekly dinner menus. It helps that I live in a house with a full supply of food at my disposal. I thought it would be fun to post my weekly menus on my blog to give my readers (few as they are) some meal ideas. I keep finding some really amazing recipes and this way I feel like I am sharing them! I usually cook Monday-Friday. Saturdays we usually go out or eat something quick and Sunday's we are either eating family dinner with my family or Trevor's. Here was this weeks menu:

Tuesday: Garlic Chicken Pasta with Spinach
This is a strong flavor, but one that I really love. I usually make this once every few weeks.

Wednesday: Summer Garden Vegetable Soup
This was AMAZING.

Thursday: Burritos/Taco Salad
Hamburger meat with black beans, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream either put into a tortilla burrito style or on top tortilla chips as taco salad. Simple and easy.

Sunday: Gingerbread with Cinnamon Whipped Cream and Bananas
I am making this for dessert.

Double Chocolate M&M Cookies

2010-12-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

I have fallen in love with the website My Kitchen Cafe. I found this recipe and thought it would be cute to use only the Christmas M&M's. They were fun to make and turned out really cute. I have also made this recipe from that website and it turned out really yummy.

(Sorry for the bad photo, I used my phone.)

'Tis the Season

2010-12-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

We decorated the basement for Christmas this year. We had fun pulling out our Christmas decorations (few as they are) and putting them out to bring the Christmas spirit. I'm grateful to my parents for not only allowing us to stay with them, but for making us feel so at home.

We are getting excited for all of our Christmas traditions. Just two more weeks of school and we will have another semester under our belts!

Christmas Present Ideas!

2010-11-29T21:55:00.000-08:00

If any of you are having a hard time coming up with ideas for Christmas presents for your mom, grandma, aunt, sister, or friend check out these adorable aprons. My mother-in-law makes them and is selling them for great prices. Email me if you are interested: jjcox33@gmail.com.

$32.00

$20.00

$32.00

$25.00