Ice-Ice Fishing!

Over the weekend on Saturday, Jess took me ice fishing with him and his bestest friend from high school, Adam Olsen. We went up early that morning to Echo, expecting alot of people to be there... and we were quite surprised! Maybe there weren't that many people because it was raining, cold and not too many bites.... who knows?!

It was my first time ice fishing and I was surprised to find it isn't much different from regular fishing... except the temperatures outside! Thank goodness we brought plenty of clothes to bundle up in, tons of snacks, and most importantly... a good attitude!

Here you can see my teeny tiny hole that Jess drilled with what is called an augger. We tried both nightcrawlers and jigs to see if we could catch something... but we had no luck! Jess and I didn't even get a bite!!!!! We already had our own fishing poles from all the camping/fishing we do in the summer... but we got these nifty LITTLE fishing poles you use just for ice fishing.

Do I look nice and toasty in this picture above? Haha - because I actually was!

I had a really good time because I was with some funny boys and Jess always makes the funniest comments.. especially when he is around his friends! There were also some other groups fishing during the first part of the morning while we were up there who were cooking hotdogs and shared their goods with us!

Here is Jess and Adam... quite the pair! Adam actually caught a good size fish, he was the only one who had any luck that whole day! We ended up leaving after about 3 or 4 hours of no bites... frustrating I know. It started pouring rain on us and we figured since we weren't bringing in fish by the dozen, we better head back home!

I had to get this picture with Adam's catch of the day, since I had no luck whatsoever! Oh well... it turned out for a fun day and I love that my husband is willing to take me along on his fun outings!

Make Your Home a Food-Filled Ark

Over the past few months now, Jess and I have been working tremendously hard on gathering our food storage and supplies in case of an emergency. Well, actually we have been doing this more because the prophet has asked us to. Last month, we took our first trip down to the cannery and had quite the experience trying to learn the process of canning dry pack foods. It is a tough job to try and do the calculations for how much a small family like ours needs, but it has been fun and Jess and I have really bonded throughout the process.



Jess brought home a bunch of shelves to set up down in our basement, and a few weekends ago, we stayed up late into the night cleaning off the shelves and organizing the supplies that we already have. We almost have the amount of water we need, and are getting close on the amount of food to last us three months in case something were to happen and we could not get to the stores (or they were empty). I cannot describe the amount of peace I have felt over the last few weeks because Jess and I are doing what the Lord wants us to.



I have been trying to learn many different trades so that I can be of more use if there were an emergency or natural disaster. Learning how to REALLY sew has become one of them, as well as cooking. (a real challenge for me .... at times) So I have decided to learn how to make bread. The amount of wheat you are supposed to have for a year's supply is insane, but we are doing it because that is what has been asked of us. So I have decided, if I'm going to have a ton of wheat, I might as well learn how to bake something with it. I am going to be taking classes at Kitchen Kneads on Saturdays, and if anyone would like to join me, lemme know! =0)



I took my Aunt's advice on a few things about food storage and decided I was going to put them to use. First, every time I go to the grocery store, I am going to buy two of everything I need. This can get expensive at times, but then when I run out of something I need when I'm cooking, I have another of the item downstairs. Secondly, Jess and I are going to be using the money we get from our tax return each year towards food storage instead of buying some new toy or vacationing.

The reason for this post is because I wanted to share a link for Food Storage tips that has come in very handy for me lately. Maybe some of you will benefit from it, and hopefully for any of you who have not started your food storage, this might inspire you to start! =)

You can click on the link below for advice and helpful hints when creating the ark within your home... food storage!!

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/

My Score: 33 out of 100...

Wow… I REALLY haven’t lived! =(

Rules: Anything you have done has to be in colored, bold, and/or underlined. How much have you done? It only takes about 5 minutes…Just do it…

1. Started your own blog obviously
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland … going this spring/summer!
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched an amazing lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill guilty =)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping it was with my hubby ok people!
27. Ran a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community Oh-hi-o!
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business I’m starting one SOON, does that count?
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt Working on that right now
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy

Grab your balls.... we're goin bowlin!

OK everyone that just got offended by that comment, I was just trying to be funny =)

But on a serious note... we went bowling last night and had a blast! It was my little brother, Will's, 4th birthday yesterday and my dad and stepmom took our family bowling and then had dinner and cake/ice cream. Amazingly enough, Will beat almost everyone else's scores, with the fact that he used bumpers and the rest of us must just suck at bowling...
My little sisters, McKinli and Mattisyn.... were not pros by any means, but they sure dressed cute for a nice game of knockin pins!

Thanks to my dad and stepmom - we had such a good time, I haven't been bowling in ages!

Jess had to keep a close eye on his score the entire time, because it had the coolest thing on the scoreboard where it tells you the m.p.h. of how fast you bowled.... pretty nifty!

I'm such a cheeser when it comes to taking pics... lovely.

Snow-shoeing!

This past Saturday Jess and I decided to go snowshoeing to get out of the house for a few hours. Man is it a workout!! We took our pup Harli and had quite the time freezing our tooshes off ... but it made for some great memories!

It was so beautiful with trees surrounding us that were covered in snow... and so peaceful because there was no one else up there! Jess really helped me enjoyed this SPORT last winter when we were able to go at least a dozen times... which is also the way he proposed to me.

So since we were up in that area, we decided to go in search of the very spot that Jess got down on one knee and bawled like a baby... well sort of! =0) The tree that he had carved out, "WHIT WILL YOU MARRY ME" was a little weathered, but you could still make out part of it. Man - I cannot believe it has been almost a year since we were engaged! Time really does fly and I have enjoyed every bit of it with my love!

(The tree behind me in the pic above is where he carved out last Feb.2 before he popped the question)

Our dog was being a bit of a complainer, whining the whole time... she is such a girl! Maybe it was just that this was a new experience for her but we had a good time and enjoyed the fresh mountain air for a change!

YES is the new NO!

Yesterday afternoon Jess and I decided to do something we have not done in ages... which would be to go to dinner and a movie! HAHA! I am so grateful to have a husband who doesn't take me to the same-o lame-o "dinner and a movie" every time we want to go on a date. Jess usually takes me on some crazy adventure ride but yesterday we were both bums sitting at home not working and we both wanted to see the new Jim Carey movie. So we ventured out into the blizzard and went to our favorite restaurant, Famous Daves, for lunch and then went and saw this movie. I have decided this movie is themed around my New Year's resolution, which is: to say YES to more opportunities that come my way! I am such a poor sport when it comes to trying new things and people really have to push me to try something new that is completely out of my comfort zone. But every time I try something I haven't done before, I NEVER EVER regret it! So that is my goal for 2009 and to live my life more freely by saying YES to opportunities that present itself! =)
PS - I highly recommend this movie, Jess and I were laughing and laughing and laughing through the entire show... gotta love Mr. Carey!