Pictures

I want to be a photographer. Maybe someday I'll take a few classes, buy a really nice camera and try it out. For now, I just pay other people to do it :) We took these pictures for Pam's b.day (and a little surprise for my Yankee fan Father)...really like how they turned out.

Routine Week/Love the McArthurs

Aside from it being a somber week with the passing of my Grandpa, not too much has gone on...time for another list. My friend Lisa has been having pre-term labor problems...no fun! I've been thinking about her a lot lately and our friendship. For those of you who don't know, we spend quite a bit of time with them and moved into their neighborhood in February. Here's a few fun things about our friendship with the McArthurs...

Our friendship with the McArthurs...

1. Can order dinner for each other when we go out...and usually pick the same 5-10 places to eat
2. Most Friday or Saturday nights you can find us together
3. Our husbands can't get enough of Tiger Woods golf
4. Our boys are only 9 months apart and love each other (we're trying to teach Peyton more about 'love'...Porter gets it a lot more now :)
5. We like a lot of the same things...boys: golfing, fishing, Playstation, a good bbq, four-wheeling (doesn't really happen anymore though). girls: shopping, laying out by the pool, good books, good t.v. shows and good dessert :)
6. Have done some fun things together...concerts (Tim McGraw and Faith Hill I don't know how many times, Gary Allan, San Diego trip (need to go again!), dinner and movies, etc.
7. CARDS
8. SORRY
9. Orange Julius and popcorn/homemade choc. chip cookies
10. So great to be able to walk to your house now!

Goodbye Grandpa

My Grandpa Neiger passed away this afternoon. I know many people never get to meet their grandparents before they go, but I've been lucky to have all four of mine alive through my life thus far. My Grandpa and Grandma Neiger live in California so it's been harder to see them all the time, but I've always known from a little girl how much they love me. My Grandpa had the BEST smile and laugh and made jokes left and right about all kinds of things. He was really fun to be around and I know he looked forward to us visiting. He and my Grandma made the trip from California to come to our wedding which meant a lot. At that time he wasn't feeling well, and it's around then he learned he'd have to do dialysis as his kidney's weren't working properly. He lived with that for more than five years...what a tough guy! I know his spirit will live with us and he will always have a special place in my heart. Here's the list for today in honor of him...

Grandpa Neiger...
1. Big smile and great laugh
2. BBQ's...they never spared any expense when we'd visit and always cooked up filet mignon!
3. Aggravation...we could always get under his skin when he'd lose!
4. Washers...I think he made this game up...if anyone else has heard of it, don't tell me because I'll always believe my Grandpa made it up :)
5. Sitting on their driveway in the evenings on visits
6. His chair...
7. We'd always wake up to him drinking his coffee and playing solitaire in the mornings when we'd visit
8. He gave great shoulder massages!
9. Loved Westerns and Old Spice
10. I found out later in his life that he loved Stephen's hot chocolate and I sent it to him a few times...wish I would have known it long before I found out!
11. Had funny little nicknames for us all the time...called Grandma "Ma" and usually added some silly name to the end of ours...I know Chelsea was "pickle-puss"
12. Loved his grandkids, his two sons and his wife

Love you Gramps...

Where I've Been...and Plan on Going

Been...

1. California (many times)
2. Washington (many times)
3. New York City (probably my favorite)
4. Upstate New York
5. Vegas
6. Hawaii (next to the top)
7. Oregon
8. Missouri
9. Ohio
10. North Dakota
11. Minnesota
12. Idaho

Going...

1. Chicago (Oprah Show)
2. New York (again...can't leave it alone)
3. Florida (Disneyworld)
4. Caribbean (7 day cruise sounds good)
5. North Carolina (have to see where McKay lived for two years...hear it's gorgeous in the fall)
6. Back to Nauvoo...would love to see the temple
7. San Francisco
8. Back to Hawaii...different island next time
9. Boston
10. Washington D.C.

For now I'm very content to be in my nice cute little house though. There's no place like home :)

High School List - Go Bruins!

1. Cheer...SO many fun, interesting, scary and great things happened to me during this time. Made lifelong friends and I'm still close with more than half of the squad. LOVE YOU GIRLS!
2. High School Dances...I don't think I missed more than 5 dances in high school (including stag dances). I loved them so much and sometimes wish we still could go to them with our husbands...wouldn't that be fun(ny)!
3. Mr. Kramer's photo class...we really got off so easy but he was the funnest teacher because of it.
4. Mr. Clark's geology class..."go get a drink Ms. Neiger". Steph, Joey, Morgan, Puck and I gave him a run for his money in that class...am I forgetting anyone else who was in it with us?
5. Student Council...made great friends and miss so many of them...haven't kept in as good of touch...if any of you read my blog say hi so I can find you!
6. Friends...I had the BEST group of friends ever in high school. I know I will be close to them forever...you are all great.
7. Football, basketball, soccer and baseball games...loved going to MV sports. We were usually always so good and kicked everyone's behinds!
8. My ward...really had great friends in the ward growing up too.
9. Late night trips to Wendy's and Denny's. I wish Wendy's still had their breadsticks...I lived off of them and Frosty's in high school. I will also never forget when some of our friends went to Denny's at like 5 in the morning to say goodbye to Casey when he moved to St. George for like a month. We thought it would be FOREVER!
10. My jobs...Bairds Dry Cleaning (oh my...so funny!) and Wingers - Steph and I have many stories from Wingers.
11. My parents...so supportive and patient with me during those years!
12. Cali trip with cheer and NY trip with choir...so much fun.

Oh we could go on for pages and pages about specific memories. My friend Sarah had this thing on her blog and I liked it...if any of you would like to participate, feel free :)

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember, good or bad but be nice please! ;)

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.Come on all my blog followers... I want to post something about you, let's see this on your blog!!!

Break from the lists for a few updates

Had SO much fun at the American Idol concert last night. I braced myself for only liking about 50 percent of it as I thought there would be a bunch of cheesy group numbers which I despise. Much to my surprise, there were only two and they were decent! They let each of the top 10 sing three songs, all of which were most of my favorites that they sang on the show. My VERY favorites were sang...Michael's Queen medley, Brooke's Let it Be, Jason's Somewhere Over the Rainbow, David A's Too Late to Apologize and Angels (sad he didn't do Imagine!) and David Cook's Billy Jean and Don't Want to Miss a Thing. It was SO fun to have David A. come out too. The crowd went NUTS! They let him sing an extra song and he did When You Say You Love Me. At the end when he sang..."do you know, how I love you" he started crying and so did I! Duh, I know it's just a show, but what an awesome kid. So humble and grateful...LOVE HIM! Thanks for going Chels. Had a great time. P.S. I don't like the E Center. Bad, expensive parking and it's SO hot in there!

Also, went to court today with Canyon Homes and we owe them a little money now for a contract dispute. All I have to say is NEVER build a home with them. We were totally misled. I just thought I'd warn the public about them. If you REALLY want to ask more about this if I've never told you, ask me sometime in person...don't really want to taint my blog/journal with bad thoughts :)

And...I was just called as the Primary Chorister in my ward! I'm really excited about it and could use pointers and any good ideas anyone has if they've ever had this calling. I get to be with all the cute kids and help them learn so many awesome songs...primary songs are my favorite!

Anyway, that's what's been up with us...tomorrow, life's list about high school memories :)

Life's Lists

I am a list maker. I love organization and structure in my life. Just the way it is. Last Sunday night I wrote a list down of the places I'd visited outside of Utah and places I'd like to go in the next 5-10 years. It sparked an idea to do a series of postings on "life's lists"...including memories, things I want to accomplish, places I want to go etc. So for the next 7-10 days if you aren't interested in reading this from me, don't visit. It's for me and no one else, however I would assume most people that visit this blog have been involved in one if not more of these lists. By the way...I'm halfway done on my blog book project. The program is really easy to use and I'm excited to print it out. What a great journal since I don't write in a real one anymore...

Family Memories I Will Never Forget...

1. Church History Site trip...what an amazing job my parents did of organizing...flew into Rochester New York and took the whole early saints path...ended at a family reunion in North Dakota and flew out of Minnesota. Bet not very many of you can say you've been to North Dakota :)

2. Birthday parties...my Mom was the queen of throwing good birthday parties. We could always invite the number of kids that equaled the age we were turning. Favorite: probably my eighth when we ate in the trolley at Old Spaghetti Factory and went to Wheeler Farm.

3. Trips to California and Washington...Unlike Peyton, I didn't grow up near either set of grandparents. It made for fun family vacations to Washington State and California...the Columbia River and Disneyland were great summer vacation spots. My Mom would wrap little presents that we got to open throughout the drive. I don't know how my parents raised us when we were little without their parents nearby. I am SO spoiled.

4. Christmas...who doesn't have fond memories of Christmas morning with family. It was always just our little family every year for the most part and it was wonderful. Presents I'll never forget...Super Nintendo, my white desk and lifesize Barbie playhouse.

5. Reading...my Mom is a kindergarten teacher and loves books...never were in shortage of them and now it's so fun to read the same ones to Peyton.

6. Mom's cooking...I really can say my Mom is a FABULOUS cook. Makes the best dinners and desserts. She's so meticulous about her cooking and everything looks as delicious as it tastes.

7. Going to the park...we took Peyt on Friday night and it brought back memories of the excitement of going with my parents...probably especially Dad since he worked and would make special efforts on Saturdays to take us.

8. BYU sports...I can remember around 3-4 being taken to a BYU basketball game and I was hooked. I don't ever remember complaining once at a BYU football game. Have always loved every minute of it.

9. Family circle...this one should be at the top because it's the most important. My parents made it a tradition to spotlight someone in the family at least once a week, usually along with family prayer. Grew to love and appreciate each family member so much more through that.

10. Being the oldest...man I took charge at our house. I organized so many plays (yes, we did a production of the Nutcracker with my brother, sister and I once), activities, songs, etc. I have the best siblings who put up with it countless times...maybe we'll have to relive some of those memories sometime :)

If any of you do read these lists, I hope it sparks memories of your own. WRITE THEM DOWN.

So You Think You Can Dance coming to UTAH!

I'm so excited...I've been waiting since the first season of So You Think You Can Dance to bring the tour to Utah...and they FINALLY are! The show is Tuesday, September 23rd at the E Center. Who wants to come with me? I'm definitely planning on being there! I actually love all the dancers left (minus Comfort...just isn't stepping it up) so I know that it will be a great show. Sarah, you coming into town for it :)

Fourth of July

We had a great fourth of July as we do every year! This year started off with the 10K. I've decided I'm making this a tradition and will run it every year. When you start running races it makes you want to do them every weekend! I was pretty happy with how I finished but definitely have room for improvement. I would love to say someday that I can run a 10K with a 7 minute mile pace...those girls are awesome! Thanks to my family for coming to support me...McKay had to put the flags up in our neighborhood so he missed it, but next time :) I told him he should run the next one with me! Also thanks Mom and Dad for the delicious breakfast at Mimi's Cafe. Yummy reward for the end of the race.












































Peyt and I came home and everyone relaxed most of the afternoon which was nice. Then it was time to head over to Wayne and Pam's for Wendi and Ben's birthday celebration. We had a yummy bbq, fun playing outside and a firework show! Thanks for the fun evening!