The "Friend" Shower

I was so excited for 2014 to start because I had nothing but good things to anticipate. I only had a few more weeks to go before my due date and although January is normally a very blah month I had 3 baby showers to look forward to. I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by so many wonderful people. I am so blessed to have amazingly supportive family and friends. My first shower, was hosted by my childhood best friend, Shantel at her new house. The fact that she offered to host my shower was so amazing and I really probably shouldn't have let her do it, because she too, was very pregnant and was only a few weeks away from her due date. The shower was on January 9th and he ended up having the baby just a few days later, on the 12th. Guess she has me to thank for putting her in labor! Here are a few pictures from the shower...I kind of look like a moron, but what else is new? ha...also can I blame pregnancy brain for the fact that I am an idiot and didn't bother to take any pictures with anyone besides the one of Rachel? And the only reason that got taken was she had to leave early and my smarty pants bestie behind the camera suggested that I get one with her before she left. Thanks Chels ;)

I'm so lucky to have such good friends like Rachel!

 Oh hey...I look like an idiot. What else is new?

 The awesome prego hostess herself, being super awesome and keeping track of what everyone gave me!

 And some more, shower friends! I realized I have no pictures of the other half of the room, but I had lots of awesome ladies their to spoil my baby!

Shantel's Wedding Cap

One of my longest friends got married on Thursday. Shantel and I have been friends since I was in 1st grade and she, in Kindergarten. It was a sad day in 9th grade when I moved away and we were no longer only a few houses down but none-the-less we have stayed friends. It was so great to get to be in the temple and watch her and her now husband, Kyle, get sealed to one another. It was a great day and she looked so gorgeous. Her dress was beautiful (my pictures don't do it justice at all.) and all in all it was a perfect day.

Here are a few pics via Instagram.

Happiness Is...

Finals being over! (I did a "freedom dance" after I turned in my last project)

A New Car!

A New Washing Machine! (for free of course, the benefit of renting!)

Overnight party in Salt Lake to Celebrate Nattie's bday!

Sherlock Holmes with Chelsea and Jake!

Seeing Jaynee for the first time in 4 months! Yay for coming home for the holidays!

Looking forward to more family parties, Christmas shopping, and Christmas!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

Happy Birthday Jaynee!!!

Over the years I couldn't have asked for a better friend than Jaynee.

We've gone thru lots together and experienced a lot of different things!

Dance Co, Drill Team, Boyfriends (and all the drama that came with them!), Dances, College, Sending off missionaries, Road Trips, Roomies, Writing off missionaries, More boyfriends of course, Watching each other get MARRIED...and the list goes on! All I know, is I am sure glad she was there with me thru it all. Who else would have been as willing an excited to do the "Dr. Pepper Dance" with me?!

Happy Birthday Jayners!

Hope Texas treats you well on your special day!!!

Love you lots!

So long, farewell.

These cute kids moved yesterday.

Jaynee and I have been friends for years. She has seriously been a better friend to me than I could have ever asked for. Her and Cameron got married a year and a half ago...and part of the deal marrying him would be that she would eventually have to move far away from good old Lehi. I am going to miss her lots but am excited for all the adventures they have ahead of them!

They moved to Texas of all places--its the place to go when you not only marry a Texan, but you marry one who majors in Petrology of all things.

Good Luck Jaynee and Cam!

Can't wait to visit ya soon!

MIA.

I've been gone from the blog for a while....but part of it has been because we've been so busy.

First with my birthday.....

 

My parents took me to Ruby River, birthdays don't get much better than celebrating with a yummy steak.

And then Hawaii...where we had LOTS of fun!

We had a fun at the beach. We didn't get to go as much as I would have liked thanks to the rainy weather, but the time we did spend there was great!

It was really rainy while we were there so sadly I wasn't my normal picture taking self and didn't get my camera out as much as I should have, because I was too busy avoiding the rain or too embarrassed to take pictures with my awful rain-ruined hair. Luckily I did get some though. We went hiking on one of the days and were hoping to get to swim below some waterfalls, but it had been so rainy that they were overflooded and not swimmable. We missed out on seeing some too, because they had closed off a section of our hike because of all the water, but it was still really fun and BEAUTIFUL. It was probably the most gorgeous hike and drive I have ever been on.

 I think Tyler's favorite part of the trip was this:

We got to drive around the island in this beautiful car. A 2011 Chevy Camaro...it was so new we were the first ones to rent it. It was lots of fun although we never really got to let it loose, because of slow speed limits and lots of traffic...it was pretty fun to peel out in though!


And then Vegas...

 Leave it to us to have a random picture with a San Diego State fan. Kawai Leonard's Aunt to be exact. Even though we lost we stayed after the game and watched the trophy be presented to San Diego State and watched them cut down the net. Out of the corner of my eye I saw this lady taking candid pictures of us. I looked over at her and she just started laughing and said, "ooooh yes!" Next thing we knew it she was headed up to talk to us. As soon as she realized Nate was related to Jackson Emery she was buddied right up and wanted a picture with the boys. She told us that she is fine with losing to anyone, but BYU. It kills her to lose to BYU so I guess it was a good thing for her they won.

We had a fun day on the strip and shockingly I didn't spend a dime. I learned though not to let the husband gamble...he comes home with empty pockets!


And Denver....

Sadly my husband is on his way to Denver to watch the Cougars play right now and I didn't get to go :( Its not really easy to pick up and leave your job again after being gone a week and half! Hopefully they play hard and win so it makes me missing my husband worth it! He deserves to see a good few games!

Happy Birthday "Joyce!"

It's my bestest friend Jaynee's birthday today! She is seriously one of the funniest, genuine, caring people I know. Since its her birthday I'm going to brag about her, so here are some of the greatest things about Jaynee.

-She's very optimistic
-She's was an awesome roommate!
-She is gorgeous.
-When you ride in her car, you can always guarantee and adventure--she's the only person I know who buys several set of tires a year, has been pulled over for wreckless driving and then been asked if she stole the vehicle, and once she flew her car off the freeway and it survived it...no scratches, and no injuries from her many passengers.
-She is always willing to help & support me whenever I need her.
-She can "Joyce it Up" better than anyone I know.
-She has serious talent when it comes to random injuries--both giving and getting them. In high school Jaynee somehow managed to put a straw thru her forehead at a football game & cut her head on the bleachers at the very same game. Luckily, I haven't been the victim of too many of the injuries she's given, but right after she got engaged she managed to cut me w/her wedding ring--I guess it serves me right though, because I told Cameron he was doomed and he better watch out, because if she hit him with that ring it would leave a mark. I didn't know I would be the victim!
-She is very very entertaining
-She, like me, needs very little sleep--which means we've had great times decorating cars at odd hours of the night, pulling all nighters, and making runs to Walmart for ingredients to make Brownies, and even cutting out snowflakes til 4 am! She didn't bother to sleep the night before her wedding, we played to late hours of the night when WE called it quits...she wanted to keep the night going, I later learned from her dad that she went for a 6 am run the morning of!
-She's the greatest friend anyone could possibly ask for!

Happy Birthday Jaynee!

Thank you for being such an awesome friend all these years.
Joyce it up!!!

Birthdays...Weddings...Graduations...OH MY!

I know I already posted once today, but I have a day off and nothing to do...So figured I may as well catch up on everything I haven't blogged about.

Friends take the Back Burner during finals...

So when a GREAT friend has a birthday. I forget to post!

It was my LONG time friend Shantel's Birthday clear back in April.

She was my VERY first friend I made when I moved to Lehi as a little 6 year old girl.

And we are still friends to this very day.

True friends can go long periods of time without speaking and never question their friendship. And pick up like they just spoke yesterday, regardless of how long it has been.

This quote perfectly describes Shantel. She is such an amazing friend

We did a girls dinner at Tucanos to celebrate her birthday.

We decided it was a mistake to take pictures AFTER we ate.

We wish these were all taken before since I felt 10lbs. heavier leaving!

My side of the table.

The other side of the table.

Me & Gorgeous Birthday Girl.

After Ky's brilliant idea failed.

Maddie, Ky, and Ali decided to sing Happy Birthday at the top of their lungs for Shan!

If I didn't know any better I'd say they'd been drinking! ;)

Thanks for letting letting me celebrate 20 with you Shan! You are an amazing friend. Love you girl!

In other news...

My friend Danielle got married on the 3rd!

She was a gorgeous bride!

I envy her beauty.

Especially in this picture...

Congrats Dano & Derek!

Last but not least I thought I'd post some pics from Kev's graduation!

Congrats again Bro!

Fishing=Success

Last Thursday we took a "Girls Only" fishing trip.

It was short, but so much fun. And definitely different than our normal activities.

I caught me a fish within the first couple minutes of being there.

I had no idea what I was doing and it was sorta funny. Good thing Hope was around.

It was just a little thing but I had to get a picture! 

Poor fish: I dropped it twice on the rocks trying to keep the little thing in my hands.

Hence why I'm using 2 hands. 1 wasn't working out at all!

I had lots of fun but definitely need to work on my fishing skills!

It is a little late in the day, but I couldn't end it without wishing Rach a very Happy Birthday!

She's still just a youngster, but an AWESOME friend. 

I love her to death and am so lucky to have her friendship.

If I ever need a pick me up or a good laugh, Rach is my girl.

I hope she has a fantabulous 19th BIRTHDAY!

j

Happy Birthday "Little Joyce!"

Hope the day was great.

Love My Girls

We had a friend shower tonight for Jaynee & it was lots of fun.

We played a few games & chatted & opened gifts.

A few of my friends are married now, one is even expecting a baby in a couple of months & a few I know will soon be engaged (coughshiannecough) so it was great to catch up with everyone since life seems to get crazy. Getting together with them makes me miss high school a little & all the crazy times we had together. I love them all and their crazy fun personalities! Husbands, Fiance's, Boyfriend's have kind of taken over all of our lives, which is great! Guys are awesome (haha). But all I can say is nothing can replace my girls!

Here are a few pictures from the shower:

Christina sportin a little skanky wedding dress.

Erika going Ellen Degeneres Style.

...and the lovely bride herself, stylin' some 1990 poofy sleeved style dress. Oh, and her train was the best part...too bad my picture of it came out blurry.

If I must say so myself, we did a great job designing!

Jaynee just a workin' it.

 

All of us Girls :)

Love you all!

Time to Show Some Gratitude

Earlier in the week I started off by sharing how thankful I am for my little sister and I thought it would be nice to finish off the list.

More than anything I'm so grateful for my family. They say you can chose your friends but not your family. I don't really like this saying, because if I were to hand pick my family, I would chose the family I have now all over again. And when I say family, I mean ALL of my family...parents, siblings...including my cute new sister-in-law, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I'm so lucky to be close to the majority of my family. My best friends are truly my family members and I'm so grateful for the relationships I have built with them. Just to get an idea of how close I am with my family I have to share a funny little story from a week or two ago...

I was down in Santaquin at Tyler's parents house and his mom was asking me what I was doing for Thanksgiving, I told her what side of my family I would be with this year and she proceeded to ask me if I switched off each holiday, or year, or what??? I started to say yes, and as I did Tyler muttered under his breath, "it's not really switching off if you have a party with them EVERY month." I couldn't help but laugh, because this is SO true. The Clyde side (my Mom's side) has lots of get-togethers. But for the record Tyler...we don't get together EVERY month...just most of them...haha. and some months WAY more than once! So yes...we do see a lot of each other. I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the Schaefer side every bit as much and wished I saw them more than I do!

I'm also very grateful for my health. I've been very lucky to have been given a healthy working body...I've had a few minor injuries, etc. but I am grateful that I haven't had anything that has held me back. I love dancing so much and know that there are many people who would kill to have my health and the abilities to do what I do. In my Jazz class I'm taking at school right now, the very first dance we learned was done as a tribute to a long time dancer and instructor at UVU. She was diagnosed with cancer and died this fall. Her niece just so happens to be my instructor and wanted to do this dance in honor of her. The inspiration behind her choreography and music selection all had to do with the words of her aunt, who last Spring talked about how health is everything and without it we are so confined and she was sad to lose her abilities due to illness. This really made me realize how lucky I am and I don't want to take my body for granted.

I'm grateful for Tyler. He's so much fun to be around and is always there for me when I need him around. This semester has been a tough one for me and some nights I get so tense and stressed and he shows up to help however he can. I think I'm pretty lucky. Sometimes I'm pretty sure I drive him nuts but he never admits it. He's always so thoughtful when I least expect it. Tyler's mom, sister, and sister-in-law all had tickets to the So You Think You Can Dance performance when it came to Utah this last month. His sister-in-law backed out (Thank you Sarah!)  and Tyler surprised me by buying her ticket for me! Such a nice thing to do for me for no reason other than to be nice. I was shocked when I called me...in fact, it was kinda funny. He called me during the day of and a BYU game was on so I knew his call MUST be important. I answered and he was more chatty than he ever is on the phone, he asked me if I had plans. I told him no and he said Good! Don't make any. I was then asked why, and he told me I was going to the performance with them. He didn't even tell me why, just left it at that and hung up. I had to text him to get the story. I probably told him thank you over a dozen times, but don't know if he had a clue how much this meant to me. The performance was amazing and it was fun to spend time with his mom and sis, Love you Ty!

I'm grateful to have a job! A year ago today I was my layed off from my previous job wondering what would come next. I wasn't really worried, because I have wonderful parents who are always willing to help me out when I need it and since I was living at home, money really wasn't an issue, but I obviously wasn't planning to sit at home and mooch off them. Luckily Century 21 wanted me back! I didn't even apply, I just have an AWESOME Aunt, who was willing to work me in. I love my Century 21 family, I work with so many fun, great people...this job might not pay the greatest but there are so many aspects of it, that make it great. Me being layed off was really an opportunity for me. I was having a hard time justifying quitting that job to go to school because I was being paid so well and HELLO...I've never been a fan of school, but once I was no longer needed there it allowed me to start going to school full time. Century 21 works really great around my school schedule and gives me just enough money to get by and in today's economy so many people are out of work that I'm just grateful to have something, because that is more than a lot of people can say right now.

I'm grateful to be in school...I can't believe I'm admitting this, especially with finals right around the corner, but it is true. School is hard, stressful, and a money eater, but it gives me purpose. I like knowing that I'm working towards something greater and love some of the things I am learning and new people I have met at school. It can be my worst nightmare at moments, but other times I feel that it is one of my greatest blessings!

I'm grateful for all of my friends! They're so much fun and supportive of me, I honestly don't see a lot of them very much anymore, because we're all doing our own things in life, but I'm still so glad for the relationships I have with all of them. One of my best friend's is getting married in just a few weeks and then eventually will be moving away from Utah. Jaynee's been such an awesome friend and support to me and I know I'm going to miss her tons!

Love you Jaynee!

I'm grateful for the gospel and the happiness it has brought me in my life, I would be in a whole other world I think without it. I'm grateful that my parents taught me well and the testimonies they have, which in turn strengthened mine. So many don't have what I have and I know I'm truly luckily to be a part of it!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Gobble. Gobble.

BFF BIRTHDAY.

It is my very best friend's birthday today!

She is the most amazing girl I know.

Talented, fun, and so supportive of me!

Sooo many of my greatest memories have her in it.

Whenever I need to VENT she is my girl I go to and I love her for it!

She is getting so old...Big 20 today!

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share some of my many memories with her.

There are so many that I'm not sure which to include. I thought about making a top 10 but realized I can't decide on a top ten so instead I'm going to post the 1st ten that come to mind.

Here it goes....

1. Learning to Snowboard together on MY birthday...and then afterword buying a cake and me clicking the Spanish button on the self check-out. Kevin freaked out, but thankfully you were there to get me through that experience. haha. thank you for taking Spanish. Who knew it would become useful at the checkout.

2. Waving at the lady while stuck in rush hour traffic in Phoenix, only to get in trouble and told to stop waving, because we might get shot.

3. Talking to the guy at the mall selling us dead sea products. Talk about a little flirter. {Tell me you love me....tell me... }Boy did he love us and we loved him back!

4. Getting thrown off my chair in Sunday School because a certain young man had a HUGE crush on you and just had to sit by you. I had never been thrown off my chair and church before that moment and never have since. I will never forget. haha.

5. Our first attempt shaving our legs. I'm not going to go into detail on this one, but YOU know how it went.

6. Hearing all about your first kiss! So funny to think about now.

7. Going to Swifts for Powerade and then to catch horny toads in Price.

8. Biting each other when we got mad. (I found it funny when everyone at the wedding shower said we never fought!)

9. Being the FIRST one to find out you were engaged!

10. Kidnapping you when you turned 16 with Brett only realizing I left all my cash at home. Thank goodness I had a LOT of change!!!

and what the heck...I just thought of one more so here is to one more!

11. Our first attempt to spray paint. I'm soo glad we shared this moment together. I was impressed by our skills!

 

Love you girl!

Have a very fabulous 20th birthday!

Enjoy your half-day break from work :)

I Had a Ball.

So Jeff did an amazing job planning the inaugural ball. I was very impressed! I wish I had taken pictures of the decorations...simple but very elegant. It was a very nice way to recognize President Holland and his wife, who looked great by the way! Dancing was lots of fun, and in Tyler's words, "felt like Prom all over again!" ok. he may have thought so, but not me. Definitely didn't feel like high school. It was fun like Prom was but way less cheesy and just less "high school!" haha. I love getting dressed up though, and honestly wished I would have gone more formal than I did. But my original impression was that no one was going to be all out formal...if I would have known...I would have busted out my prom dress from Junior Year, but oh well! My bridesmaid's dress from Chelsey's wedding fit the occasion quite well! I wish I could get dressed up WAY more often, I find it to be so much fun! Anyone else with me on that one? or am I strange???

So in order of events....
First of all, Tyler was So NOT nice to me! Because he drug his feet like no other about going. He didn't show the slightest interest in the ball at all. I think I bugged him about it every day for 2 weeks. I heard every excuse in the book...
....work....
.....boring....
...costs too much...
...nothing to wear...

ALL SUCKY EXCUSES! here is why....he got off work BEFORE me. DANCING is NEVER boring! and Jeff hooked us up, we got in FREE! ...oh and the boy owns 90 ties! not kidding...and several pairs of cuff links. He most certainly had something to wear!

Tyler is NEVER predictable so I wasn't sure if he was coming or not, even an hour BEFORE! ya, how rude huh??? Little did I know, the whole time he was pulling my leg! I seriously didn't doubt that he was going to make me go alone, which wouldn't be a big deal, because it wasn't like an official "date" dance or anything, but still...why would I go to a dance without my boyfriend. He even went as far as to tell me he was not going and to go have fun dancing with all single guys there. He was so SERIOUS...but I honestly don't think he would ever expect me to so he I think he thought he was safe in saying it, it's a good thing I went, cuz BOY I would have showed him. Hahaha. JERK. jk. It wasn't the nicest joke to play on me, he really had me bugged, but oh well. Lol, that is Ty for ya.

Anyway...we weren't able to make it to the meet & greet with President Holland because I was still getting ready because I didn't have a whole lot of time between work & the time it started. On top of that, we realized we forgot to take a movie back to Blockbuster....and it already cost us way more than expected (there is a story behind this...I shall tell later...it involves Tyler's car!) Anyway, we had to take it back before hitting up the dance.

We got there just in time to watch Pres. Holland dance with his wife & then toasted to the Hollands' so that was fun...and from there on out, it was nonstop fun & dancing! Oh, and better not forget to mention the performances by the ballroom dance team. They were fun to watch!

Here are a few photo's from the event!

We took more candid shots than anything!

Me & Jaynee

The ever so fabulous, Rachel

Tyler's Awesome Dance Moves!
I was so impressed!

We were just having a fabulous time!

Um...No comment!

Me & Ty
...sorry...no "posed shots" of the 2 of us. None of them turned out unfortunately :(
(ok...it might just be because I look like I'm 8 in them cuz Ty convinced me to smiler, therefore revealing "brace face.")

Berk, Jeff, and Tyler

Berk & his girlfriend, Nicole
(Doesn't she have the BEST name?)

Jaynee & Cameron

This is just my proof that my hair lasted...this is like at 1 am
LONG after the dance ended!

Sorry for the blurriness on some of these photos.
They shouldn't be blurry and I can't figure out why they are!