My man also loves to painball... sniper style!

Hyrum set up a paintball trip with a bunch of friends from work back in August. He was really excited to go and try out his new guillie suit! Turned out that he only got shot 4 times the whole trip! He however, shot people 85 times! Is that fair? Well, Hyrum would say it's fun! By the way.. Hyrum is the one kneeling down in front. Behind him is Adam, John, Keith, Jeremy, Kelly, Justin, Taylor, and Robert.

Then (of course) Hyrum found time to fly fish at the small and little known "current creek". He took these pretty pictures there.

My man loves to fish!

Hyrum went fishing this summer in Yellowstone! He was so excited to go and had a great time with his nephew Chase and friend Eric! They stayed at the new World Mark Resort in West Yellowstone. The first day, he went on a guided trip with Eric on the Madison River... Hyrum's guide was wonderful! He is actually somewhat a TV star, as guides go. Hyrum is sure to look him up when he gets to realizing another dream to fish in the Florida Key's!


After that, Hyrum, Chase, and Eric all went fishing in Yellowstone! Great weekend... good company!

These last few pictures are from one of Hyrum's Saturday excursions to the Cottonwood Canyon to fish.

Daddy's Fly Fishing Buddy!

This last summer, Treycen really wanted to go fishing with his Daddy. Hyrum finally took him in July! Treycen was sooo excited and he has since told Aspen that she has to wait until she is big like him and then she will get to go fishing with Daddy too! He felt so special to have wading boots, fly fishing vest, and rod like daddy's!

At the end, Treycen slipped and fell into the water a little bit. It filled up his boots... he was laughing as he dumped them out from the back of the SUV! Very cute! It was definitely one of Treycen's highlights this summer! Daddy's little fishing buddy is finally getting big enough to go with him! A lot to look forward to!

Potato cravings...

This morning, Aspen (2 1/2 yrs) woke up before Treycen (4 1/2 yrs). This is a rare and memorable moment.. as I came to realize after changing her diaper and releasing her from such a captive state. She quickly made her way to my bedroom door (I had shut it to preserve Treycen's slumber as I changed her) and reached for the handle and proudly turned it to open the door... all by herself.

She had been so happy to have accomplished such a feat a couple weeks ago, that she had exclaimed, "I did it!" from across the house. I, of course, followed with a heartfelt, "yay!"

So this morning, I just smiled remembering those moments as I watched her trying to turn the handle... but this time, knowing that she could do it. After she opened my door, I watched her toddle across the hall to Treycen's room, saying in her munchkin voice that she intended on waking Treycen up. She then reached the handle on his door and with a couple of turns, opened his door. "Wake up Treycen!" She said. I heard his little voice crack, "Hi Aspen!" Then I could hear her smile through her voice as she returned with a very happy, "Come on Treycen!" With that, the two of them started to play.

Aspen was very hungry from the moment she woke up. I however, wanted to get some personal morning prep done before making her breakfast. As I was finishing up brushing my teeth in my bathroom, I heard Aspen desperately calling for me to feed her as she walked down the hallway and into my room. I also heard that she was pulling something behind her that sounded something like a grocery store bag or wrapping paper. I was curious. She pushed open the bathroom door. "Mom! I want to eat!... Please!" As I went to look behind her, she pulled her arm forward and with a thud, a bag full of potatoes fell on the bathroom floor!

I smiled and asked her if she really wanted a potato for breakfast? She repeated, "I want to eat, please!" I laughed, picked up the bag of potatoes in one hand, and her in the other, and headed for the kitchen. My angel was hungry for an ugly potato and that is what she was going to get! I assured her that mommy was going to make her one right away! I microwaved it and dressed it up with yummy things she liked, such as cheese and ranch dressing.

Long story short... I ate the potato. I guess her eyes were bigger than her stomach... about the size of a potato! It wasn't all she thought it would be. Oh well! Now she knows!

Back to the beginning...

Well, this is my first words blogged.. ever! I started this for the sake of journaling and I hope that it is something that I can keep up with - for once!

I am a wife to a wonderful man named Hyrum. We met at work in a telemarketing type environment for Trendwest/World Mark. He said that he loved me from the moment he first saw me (around February, 2000)... which I hope is true, since I like the thought of that! I however took interest in the beginning, but truly started to fall in love the first night we kissed.. May 22, 2000. That is the night that he invited me to go on a drive with him after work... I guess you could call it a first date (though we had hung out with friends before that). We went for a long drive all around Ogden and it's surroundings. His car was a green 1994 Camaro and he was very proud of it - and I might say that he looked good in it too! It had a T-top roof and we drove around that night with the tops off and the warm, summer night air rushing in and running through our hair. At one point we parked in the middle of an open country Field and watched the stars as we talked. We learned about each others dreams, goals, ambitions and we found that we were a lot alike. We talked for hours on end and listened to our favorite music until the sun came up - the nudge to finally part our separate ways and get back home. That night I knew that I had found my home, my resting place, my snuggle buddy, my friend, and my future husband.

Oh yes, the kiss.. I am sure that you are wondering, since I had said that night was our first kiss. It was probably an hour or two before the end of the night. Somehow we got to talking about kissing and he said that I wouldn't want to kiss him because he was the king of kissing and it would ruin my life if I never got to kiss him again. Can you believe that line?!! It was actually very cute, because of his confidence and the way he delivered it. He had very cute mannerisms and he said it in jest, I'm sure to spark my interest. It worked! I thought he was very cute and had wanted a kiss anyway, so I was happy that the topic was up for discussion! Which we did. We talked jokingly about the repercussions of the kiss. Finally the kiss happened and I have to say that it was all that it was chalked up to be, so thank goodness I landed the King of Kissing - or I am pretty sure that I would be in misery right now! By the way, it should be noted that I was labeled the Queen of kissing that night - so at least we were both of royal blood!

That early morning as I drove away, I was on cloud 9! I knew that I needed to make some changes in my life, to accommodate the new relationship I had found! Seriously, don't go thinking that I was pathetic and just waiting to spring on any guy the moment he showed interest! This is not the case! Up until that point I had been in the greatest relationship of my life and due to complications, we had been dating other people. I had used that person as a bench mark to help guide me in my choices in dating. If they (the person I would go on a date with) did not at least compare to him, then I would not waste my time. I almost never dated anyone more than once. I was dating a ton and had guys calling me a lot asking for 2nd dates. At the point where I discovered my new relationship with Hyrum, I had been casually dating a few guys. That night of my first date with Hyrum, I knew that I had finally found what I had been searching for! I also knew that if I were to give that relationship a chance, I had to break it off with everyone else. Starting May 23, 2000 I did.

We had been dating about a week when all the local high schools were buzzing with the excitement of graduations. My little brother, Jeremy, was one of those graduating. The day before his graduation, Hyrum had taken off shortly after work started to go to his Ex-girlfriend's little sister's Graduation. I knew that her family was almost all the family that Hyrum had - so of course, it was important to him (and them) that he was there. I didn't see or talk to him at all that night. The next day, it was my turn to be leaving work early for my brother's graduation. I stopped off at a payphone to call Hyrum and catch a moment of conversation. It was official... I had broken off all relationships and was so excited to let him know! When I called, he said that he needed to talk to me that night after the graduation. Me, being excited, said, "I have to talk to you too!" I was so excited about our new relationship, that I didn't hear the tone in his voice. His news wasn't so good as mine. We set it up and I met him after the graduation and had my mom take my car home.

We drove up to a location with a view over all of the city. I told him my news and expected our relationship to really begin. The fireworks didn't start though. The sounding trumpets turned sour, and the marching band dropped their instruments. He told me that his Ex-girlfriend of many years had been at her sister's graduation the night before. She had spent the previous night begging him for another chance, asking him to marry her, and practically bribing him to do so. You see Hyrum and her had a very big past. He loved her and had been devoted to her for many years. She broke his heart while he was on a mission and cheated on him, then broke up with him. She had become quite wealthy working for an Internet company and was promising him a life without work, a brand new set of top of the line golf clubs and a life of fly-fishing (his passion). He all but told me that he was dumping me.

There was a moment where I thought I might cry. I hadn't seen this coming at all! I was so sure that this relationship was right! I had just dumped every guy that was interested in me! I was all alone because I had placed all my bets on this guy... I was so sure that he was the one! I was confused and sad and about to cry. Then, just as the tears started to well up in my eyes, I heard a distinct voice somewhere in between my heart and head. The voice immediately dried my tears, gave me confidence and peace. It said, "Don't worry. It will all work out in the end and you will be together."

I knew that I was okay. With a new confidence, I asked him if that was what he really wanted. He said that he had loved her and that he was making the choice to be with her. As I heard this now, I almost smiled inside. I had been given the peace and knowledge that made everything okay and I knew that Heavenly Father had a plan for us. I believed that He was watching out for me and tying up Hyrum's loose ends, before our relationship really began. I knew that before we could have a successful relationship, Hyrum needed to know for sure that Jen was not the one for him. Now, almost smiling, I said, "well, if that is what makes you happy, then go do it." I told him that I was worried the most for his happiness and that it didn't sound like he was going to find it there, but I wished him the best.

He was a little taken back to see that I was okay with it. I think he had expected the tears, not the best wishes. He said that he really wanted to remain friends. I was a little surprised how ready I was to accept that offer! I had the feeling, that I should stay friends with him - so I did.. but keeping it just as friends.

Jen had gone back to Arizona and Hyrum and her were supposed to be keeping a long distance relationship. Hyrum asked me if I wanted to go to the comedy club after work. We did (paying our own way) and had a great time! After ward, in the parking lot, he leaned in to kiss me. I turned away and said, "I am not that kind of girl. I won't be the other woman. If you are going to be with Jen, then we are just friends and you won't be cheating on her with me."

"Okay." he said.

About 2 days later (maybe 3 or 4 days after he broke up with me for Jen), it was Saturday and we had to come in and work for a few hours. After work, Hyrum asked me if I would like to go hiking with him. I love hiking, and I loved being around him, so I told him that I wanted to. We met up an hour later at his house and took off to a very difficult hike that Hyrum loved to take. It was in North Ogden on the bench. The hike was basically straight up the side of the mountain and, if you survived, it would end with you being on top of a big cliff that looked like a huge rock in the side of the mountain. We were most of the way up, when I got exhausted and quit thinking very clearly. I needed something to lean on and he was there with open arms. It felt so natural to lean into the hug and then completely normal when he kissed me. It only took a few seconds before I realised what just happened. I jerked back and asked, "what about Jen?"

Then, like a gun fired to signal the start of a race, he said the words that signaled that he had chosen me..."Forget Jen."

I smiled and we kissed. It was our 2nd first kiss and I think it was maybe even better than the first time. We both knew that we were going to be together forever!