CATCH UP

APRIL 5TH

We didn't know it yet but, this was the last time we would see Timmy Duncan play in person. It was a fantastic game, not only was it Timmy's 1,000 game, but it was the funnest Spurs game we've been too since the 2014 Game 1 Finals game. Of course, nothing will ever top that game and adventure, but for a Jazz vs Spurs, it was fantastic and so worth it! It's sad to see Timmy go, but I'm glad we got to see him one last time.

Beau loves pictures.

APRIL 30TH

Today was a big family day. Tammy and Betty were staying with us for Matt and Mykell's wedding, and it was also two of our sweet new nieces blessing day. We went from temple square in the morning to Bountiful for the blessings and then back to temple square for the reception at the Joseph Smith Memorial building. They had a build your own donught topping bar, which was delicious and then Beau and I snuck out to watch a Spurs playoff game in the lobby on a phone. It was a big game and, of course the Spurs won. It was definitely a fun day being with so much family.

MAY 10TH

Ending on something gross, but apparently it has become Beau's annual tradition to slice open his hand every summer. So we went to get stitches, and must document it, if it is a tradition. 

(I will add some space so you don't have to see the pictures if you wish not to.)

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2015

 

2016

Super Bowl and Snowboarding!

Beau's friend Vika from Ukraine came into town and it gave us an excuse to take the day off work and go snowboarding out at Sundance. It was a blast, and I was happy to take a Saturday shift for it. 

Then our annual Super Bowl party was a lot of fun. I'm glad Peyton won if he is going to be retiring. Is pretty cool knowing that you get to watch one of the greatest athletes for one of the last times. Johnny won the pool contest. Blaine coming in second place. It's fitting since Johnny came in second last year. Beau went on a midnight shopping trip and came home with the ping pong thing, which is pretty darn awesome. I decided he's allowed to do all the shopping at midnight now.

Wedding Bells!

We were blessed to go to Arizona and California for a trip this year. We were only in Phoenix for a little bit, but it was fun. Dawn made the nephews Jedi outfits, of course we made them model them...

Oh my goodness was Malibu gorgeous. As much as I love the snow, it was so nice to be out of the cold for a little. We were there for Bobbi's and Corey's wedding. We had rooms next to each other in a wing of the hotel so it was awesome being close by to everyone.

Probably the only picture of Grandma smiling… :) And those donuts truly are spectacular!

 

The wedding was beautiful, overlooking the ocean. It made everything so peaceful. It was nice to just marvel in God's beautiful creation and enjoy it all. 

Knight/Gardner Family Photos 2016

Before Bobbi's wedding, we went down to Arizona for a few days, and took family photos while we were there.

I think they turned out way cute!!!

Begin Again! 2016

With New Years coming up I decided it would be fun to start blogging again. Mostly to share pictures and captions with them, because honestly I do not like scrap booking and Facebook only holds the pictures...so here we go!

Christmas this year was wonderful! I worked a lot up until the week of Christmas because of my new job, but when it was finally here it was amazing. 

One of my favorite parts was going to do sealings with Beau a couple days before. It really helped bring in the spirit, and made it feel more like Christmas. 

My parents and Z, so kindly drove all the way from Texas to stay with us for the holiday. Boy am I thankful, and it was a blast. The elf, traditionally, came Christmas Eve (not elf on the shelf), and led us on a Christmas lights scavenger hunt to our pajamas and family game. Beau and I didn't read the directions that say only find 15...

Definitely keeping this game for a future Christmas.

We then read from Luke and The Grinch. Watched some Christmas YouTube videos. Then watched Star Wars some more in prep for The Force Awakens.

We opened presents, I'm so grateful for the kindness and consideration Beau has for me, he gives the best gifts. 

For example meet Dodge, he's my football bear who has muscles...

And I am so grateful for my parents for our Disney trip in May. I'm soooooo excited. We of course had to play with little robots to receive our gift. The big hit was these Verizon glasses things that you put your phone in and your in a virtual reality. Pretty trippy. 

The day after Christmas we went and had dinner at city creek with Darrell, Dawn, and Allen and Shonda and all the kids. It was fun seeing them for a bit. Then Beau and I went to walk around temple square. We didn't get our traditional Santa picture this year but we got a cute one in front of the tree in the Joseph Smith Building.

We then went to Christus and immediately walking in you could feel the spirit so strongly. It was really a beautiful way to end the Christmas holiday. And it was probably one of my favorite Christmases to date.

Ukie Food Segmant 1

So I have periodically taken pictures of the food I have eaten here. So, I decided to share in form of a blog post haha...

 I think it's so funny that you can buy buckets of corn in Ukraine. and 15 Grievna is about 2 US dollars.

 Borsch a Ukrainian Classic! I love it so much, and I want to learn how to make it! But it is basically beets and cabbage, potatoes, some carrots, onions, and a meat usually chicken. So delicious!

 This is an Ukrainian Classic as well, The men eat salo, or fat, on bread with chunks of garlic or onion. They also eat onions like apples here. It was tasteless, but did not appeal to me, and I don't want to eat it again. But there is often bread and sliced vegetables at every meal. Oh and of course cream, which I don't usually have a lot of, if not at all, because I can't.

 I tried an ostrich egg omelet! seriously one of the best omelets of my life!

This is my FAVORITE thing so far in Ukraine! Little Pancakes, which are basically little crepes!

Still to come .... cow tongue, and chicken seasoned potato chips! haha

Sick...and More Sick

I decided to go and get myself sick with bronchitis again...So I have been quarantined....and I am bored out of my mind. I was supposed to go to FHE, an institute dance, the temple to do baptisms, church, and the relief society broadcast this weekend. But nope I get to sit at home! YAY!

Since the last time I wrote though, my time has consisted of school, an ostrich farm, an equestrian center, the lavra, orthodox churches, catholic churches, Lyviv, Ukraine, sleeper trains, buses, big mama, a clock tower, a secret underground restaurant, my birthday, Auschwitz, Schindler's Factory, Kiev Temple, and General Conference...

This is an edited summary I wrote to David about what I did on our Poland and Lyviv Trip. I'll post pictures of everything today...

Tuesday-Taught at school and left for the sleeper train at midnight! Oh boy was that sleeper train an experience...I am sure you know me being a germ-a-phobe just loved it! haha I refused to use the mat on the train bc there was so much dirt and dust that I knew if I even got near it my allergies would probably act up...so I definitely just used the sheet and didn't even touch the second sheet until I was freezing...ya I made it worse for myself than it needed to be but, it was certainly an experience...
Wednesday- We arrive in lyviv at like 10 am and look around lyviv...yes this is my birthday day...we went to a chocolate factory!!! haha I had a lot of chocolate that day. Then we went back to the train station to catch a bus to Poland...We drove ALL night to Poland...the border took forever to cross and I didn't sleep any then either cus I was in the back of the bus...
Thursday- We went to the salt mines in Krakow, Poland! Oh my goodness they were amazing!! I loved the air down there. I felt like I could finally breath!! oh I loved it! Then we went to the hostile...so I love hostiles they are so much fun! It was like a giant sleepover haha..it was great, and it was clean so I was happy! Then we ventured out and went to Schindler's Factory...remember when...So you would think it would be mostly about Schindler, but nope, it was mostly about the war in Krakow and the Ghetto life...it was a great precursor to Auschwitz, very educational and touching...definitely cried a little...Then we got home and then we went to a pizza place..
I loved Poland it was so amazing, so beautiful and the people were much nicer haha...
Friday -  we woke up at like 530 am to drive to Aushwitz...what an experience that was....Then we had a tour of Krakow, saw so many gorgeous and ornate catholic churches! Oh I wish I had time to tell you all the stories and everything! I am just so tired...I may have to just do recordings!
Saturday- we left at 9am on the bus back to Lyviv, and didn't get their until 7pm and then caught a 930 sleeper train back to Kiev!

This week, when I am finally allowed to go back to school and teach, I will teach all week and then I assume saturday or friday night begins our 9 day trip. We will go to Vienna, Prague, Dresden, and Budapest. It should be a blast!