COOKIN UP WATTS

ELDER COOK

2011-09-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

Taylor left for the MTC August 24th just a few weeks after Amy got married and we are so excited for him he is going to be an awesome missionary and the people in Peru are so lucky to have him. I love getting his letters he has grown so much and you can just tell he has an amazing spirit about him. It is always hard to say by to a family member for 2 years but I know we will be greatly blessed as well as Taylor for serving the lord. The week before he left we went to Park City and did the Alpine Slide and the Coaster then had dinner and the Flying Sumo I think is what it was called then went to the Chocolate Factory for some treats. I love the gospel and am greatful to have it in my life and for my little brothers example in serving the lord. Im greatful to have such great parents who raised us in the church and that I have an amazing husband and that we were able to be married in the Temple.

MR. and MRS. LLOYD

2011-08-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Im so happy for Amy and Taylor who just got married on August 9th in the Salt Lake Temple followed by a beautiful reception in Taylor's parents back yard. Amy's colors were teal blue, blush pink and cream and the colors looked perfect together especially with the Lloyds back yard that has a forrest feel to it with a lot of trees and fun path ways. It seems like just yesterday we were little kids talking about getting married and here we are now with all the girls in our family married its amazing how time flies so quickly. The wedding dinner was so much fun we had a Royal wedding theme so they had everyone wear hats and they had lights hung from trees on the neighbors tennis court and couches to get your picture taken on it was so pretty and so much fun. Amy and Taylor we are so happy for you both and we wish you so much love and happiness in your marriage.

PIONEER TREK

2011-07-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

Sam and I just recently got back from Pioneer Trek with our stake we were asked a few months ago to be a Ma and Pa on trek. Sam had never been and I remember going as a youth so I was excited to see what it was going to be like but I was really worried about the weather I did not want to be trekking in 100 degree weather and we were really lucky because the first two days were over cast and we even got some rain. We loved our family we had five girls and five boys and we also had a baby which was fun for the kids in our family especially the girls they loved carrying that baby. We were assigned as countries and so Sam and I decided we wanted to be Scotland and each family had to come up with a family chant so of course Sam thought of the movie Brave Heart and our family chant was "They may take our lives but they will never take our freedom" and along the way we would yell out this family chant. A lot of treks they only have you eat bread and some broth but we were fed really well we had things like french toast and sandwiches to scones and pulled pork sandwiches it was amazing. A few of my favorite parts about Trek was Saturday morning the kids woke up to christmas and so they got to decorate a tumble weed as there christmas tree and then exchange gifts that they made and Sam and I gave them candy canes, another favorite moment was the woman's pull it was extremely hard but neat to see my girls pull together to make it up the steep hill ahead of us and seeing that our men who were earlier called on a 32 month mission at the top of the hill waiting for us but knowing that they couldn't help us was very emotional and hard. They stood there and as we approached the top they all took there hats off and just watched as there sisters and mother pulled this heavy hand cart up a steep mountain side and what was really neat was after we reached the hill top the men came and gave us hugs and told us how proud they were and then told us we didn't need to help with the cart for awhile. It really amazes me at all that the pioneers went through to get to the Valley and we only got to experience just a glimpse of all there trials but I am so grateful for my pioneer ancestors who risked there lives and gave up everything because they believed in the gospel and the prophet to come to Zion. Im so greatful for this experience and for how much closer it brought Sam and I together and I would do it all over again regardless of how hard the 27 mile trek was it really makes me appreciate all that I am blessed with and the gospel that I have in my life.

crossing the river wasnt so easy

Hyrum, Jordan, Riley, Michael

We were so excited to see the potties

Just received my baby boy William

Alyse, Sadie Madie, Katie, Me, Kaitlyn

We found a baby lizard on the trail

MA and PA Watts

BABY SHOWER TIME

2011-07-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

Im so excited at how well the baby shower turned out for Breanna and Julie and I am so happy for them they are going to make the best moms ever. All the decorations we made and a lot of the ideas I of course got off of Pinterest but my most favorite was the party favors, We made Red Velvet Cheese Cake in a Mason jar and they were so cute and really DELICIOUS also easy to make. I loved seeing all our friends and missed the ones that weren't there but I cant wait for when Bre and Julie have there babies its going to be so much fun. Love you girls!!!

FAMILY PHOTOS

2010-12-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

It has been forever since we last had family photos so it was about time we got some new ones. Lindsay Wright took them for us of course because she is amazing I love the way she is as a photographer she has such an eye for these things and she is just awesome at what she does. We decided to have our pictures taken at Wheeler Farm and the day we chose was freezing but surprisingly enough you cant really tell how cold it was but by the end of the shoot I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital and get my toes amputated. Thanks Lindsay for an amazing shoot and beautiful pictures. I LOVE MY FAMILY and am so blessed to have them all in my life.

ECUADOR

2010-10-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

So much to catch up on and this is one posting that I am so excited about. Sam and I went to Ecuador for our anniversary this year and we did a humanitarian project just like I did two and a half years ago. We spent just a little less then two weeks there and it was the most memorable weeks of our lives and was so hard to come home. We went with an organization called OSSO in other words Orphanage Support Service Organization and this is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides volunteer opportunities to serve in orphanages in Ecuador in over 10 orphanages for the purpose of providing them with various types of support. We also got to do a lot of sight seeing we went to Otavalo and to the Ecuador and into Old Town to the Basilica which is a catholic cathedral built years ago in the heart of Old Town. There are so many kids living in these orphanages and the only way for them to get out is adoption and that is if there parents have given up adoption rights and the process of adoption is not as easy with only one organization to go through. SVP was one of the main sites we worked in and here there are three different salas and the age ranges are from new borns to three or four years old. Here we bath the kids get them dressed and play with them till breakfast and then play some more till lunch time and put them down for naps. In the afternoon we change there diapers play then eat dinner and play some more till bed time thats when night shift comes in for 12 hours and it starts back over in the morning at 7 when morning shift gets there. There are only 4 kids still there from when I was there and it was so neat seeing them they have grown up so fast and they all look so happy.

Cute Dominica had surgery a few weeks ago on her eyes

This is my little baby Danielle she is so big I want to bring home

Sam and LuLu

We went to another orphanage where I was site leader over and its SKB and SKG meaning special kids boys and girls. When we go to these sites we play games and puzzles with the kids and blow bubbles then we take them to the Pan store to get bread and juice and they always look forward to when we go to the Pan store.

Me and Jessica

Enrique

Sam and Carlos

Eddison, Sam, Me, Carlos and Enrique

Theresa

Maria

Mariella

Sam and I got to go to the Equator which wasn't a first for me but still so much fun every time I go. There they show you all the different homes the villagers lived in and the different animals they have in the amazon and how they build there homes. My favorite part about the equator is the activities you do at the center of the earth such as they show you the way the water drains on the center of the earth and the northern and southern hemispheres. We got to balance an egg on a nail in the center of the earth and try different test of strength. When they say it is hotter at the center of the earth they mean it and also another fact we found out was that you way 2-3 lbs less at the center of the earth then anywhere else.

Magnums YUMMY..

Our favorite little lady in Wood Town

Old Town

At the center of the earth

We are so grateful for this experience and for the chance we had to get to know and love all of these kids they hold such a special place in our hearts and we cant wait for when we can go back next.

ROCK CLIMBING

2010-08-29T16:16:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a blast Saturday Sam and I went rock climbing at Momentum with our friends Tim and Lindsey and my brother Jordan came a long as well. Now there is one thing I am afraid of most and that would be heights and recently I have been doing a lot of things to get over that fear and still just cant stand heights. Rock climbing is also a great trust activity and a major work out for your arms this is a must do everyone needs to try it. Thanks Tim and Lindsey for a great weekend we sure love you guys tons.

ALMOST AT A YEAR

2010-07-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

Ok I have not been on here forever but I am trying to get back into the whole blogging so here is a few updates of mine and Sam's life since we have been married. I cant believe that in just a month we will have been married a year and no longer will we be in our honeymoon stage. We live in Murray right now we own a condo and we are both working full time Sam works for C.R England and I am working at the hospital. We both have callings in our ward which they were pretty quick to give us callings when we first moved into the ward but I love it I am teaching the sunbeams and they are so cute and are so funny. Sam is secretary in the young men's and he is on the activities and the temple committee so they are really keeping him busy. We Just went to Park City this last weekend and it was so much fun we stayed at Hotel Park City and Saturday morning we did a Hot air balloon ride which was so so much fun. I am terrified of heights and what a better way to get over that then to get in a basket and float 5,000 feet in the air where you could just fall to your death but it was so worth it and a BLAST I would do it everyday if I could. We are looking forward to what the next few years have to come and we sure hope a family is in the near future.

BRIDALS...AND MUCH MUCH MORE

2009-08-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

Wow time is really flying by and now we are four weeks away from our wedding and we are so excited. We met with Anjuli who is doing all the flowers for my bridals and the wedding and we are so excited she has so many great ideas. Swensen of course is doing my bridals and the wedding and we just did my bridals last week up at La Caille and it was so much fun. When I woke up that morning I was freaking out because the weather did not look promising at all but it really help up for us and I was so happy. We spent a good three hours taking pictures and they turned out amazing. I was able to view them today and I cant wait for the wedding when Sam is able to not only see my dress but the pictures as well. I cant imagine how tempting it is for the guy to want to look at the pictures but it will be so fun when finally I can reveal all that. My flowers were beautiful and I was so happy, Anjuli you did so amazing and I cant wait for the wedding to see it all come together.

BRIDAL SHOWERS

2009-08-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

So much has been going on and its made it so hard to catch up on everything. Our engagements turned out so good and we are having such a hard time to choose which one we want to send out so I think we may just pick three. We met with the tanners and they are doing our invites and I am so excited, they had so many options and it made it so hard to pick but I am so happy with our choice and cant wait to get them on Friday and get them sent out to everyone. I had my first shower a couple weeks ago with all my girl friends and it was so much fun. Thanks Kort and Julie for all the time you put into making the shower so much fun. Sam and I got alot of things for the house and of course the honeymoon but mostly the best part was when Sam showed up at the end for a game to see how well we knew each other. Of course Sam and I know everything about one another but we could only have one answer for each question so I ended up with a few more pieces of gum in my mouth then he did. I love all my friends so much and it was so much fun having everyone together. LOVE YOU GIRLS!!!!!

ENGAGEMENTS

2009-07-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

Sam and I got our engagements yesterday and it was so much fun. We went out to this really rustic and vintage looking barn just off of Bangerter out west and the weather couldnt have been any better. Lindsay Wright did them for us and she is awesome, she has the best personality and is amazing and what she does. You can really tell she loves what she does and she is so good at it. Thanks so much Lindsay for all your help we cant wait to see how the pictures turned out and to work with you more in the future you are awesome!!!

LAKE POWELL

2009-07-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

Sam took his first trip with my family this last week we went to Lake Powell. It was alot of fun and also a true test to see how he handled spending a whole week with my family. I love going to Lake Powell its always so much fun we do alot of laying out, boating, and most important eating we always have the best food when were in Powell. It was alot more fun this year because Greg and Jordan just got home from there missions and we had the whole Cook family cousins and all except for Brittany, dont worry you were missed. Thanks everyone for the fun time Sam and I look forward to many more trips to Powell.

THE DRESS

2009-06-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

So I got my wedding dress today and I am so excited and I love it so much. I took my dad because he gets the final say and we met up with my mom and sisters. It was so fun going back the second time and having my dad there with me, he told me that the second he saw me in the dress he knew it was the one. So the big things that needed to be done are out of the way and planning is really coming along and it has been so much fun, the time is starting to fly by and September is going to be here so soon and I cant wait for Sam to see my dress.

BEST FIANCE EVER

2009-06-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

I have to say I have the best fiance ever, today he came to my house because we were going to go and look at Noah's with my parents and he had a nice little surprise for me it was this book by Michael J. Fox that I have always wanted to read and he got me a note book to keep track of all the wedding stuff and to write down all my thoughts and ideas so that a. I dont loose them and b. I wont forget them. He is always paying such close attention to the little things that I say and he remembers every little and big thing its so cute. I love this quality about him because he is always doing things for me like getting me that book and notebook or even when Im craving something he always goes the distance to get it for me. Im one very lucky girl to have Sam and wouldnt know what I would do without him. I LOVE YOU SAM!!!!!!!!

MEETING THE FAMILY

2009-05-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

So today was my grandpas birthday and it was a great opportunity for Sam to meet my moms side of the family. It was a lot of fun and they are all so excited for us and they all just loved Sam especially my grandpa because they both share that interest in golf which is great. Its so fun doing family activities and getting to know each others families even more and its great that we both come from huge families it just makes it that much more fun. We are both looking forward to what awaits in the future and just are so happy and so thrilled about getting married. As far as wedding plans go we got our photographer and were trying to figure out colors for the wedding and that to me has been the hardest part of this whole thing because everything seems to be based off of what your colors are going to be. Dress shopping has been very interesting and I have met some pretty odd characters at some of the places we have been like for instance Fairy God Mothers was one place I went and this lady was just above and beyond weird so I don't think I will be going back there anytime soon so the hunt is still on for a wedding dress.

RECEPTION CENTERS

2009-05-27T21:08:00.000-07:00

Ok so I am so excited I went to look at reception centers with my mom and sisters yesterday and today and we found what we wanted and I am so excited. We looked at Gardner Village, Cactus and Tropicals, and a few other places but today was the day that we found Noah's. We had to make a few changes as far as the date goes but that is ok I just am so excited that things are starting to slowly come together. I also got to go and try on dresses today and that was fun but I found out just how rude girls can be I mean literally bride wars over a dress. There was a girl there who liked the same dress that I wanted to get and she was going to fight me to the death to get this dress. O I cant wait for September to be here I am so excited and cant wait to take Sam back to Noah's and see what he thinks of it.

VERY EXCITING

2009-05-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

So today Sam and I went to go and look at furniture and bedding for our soon to be bedroom together and it was so fun and got us way excited about putting our own place together. I have so many ideas and cant wait for them to all come together and see the final product. I think its really starting to hit me that we are engaged and getting married and I cant wait for us to start our family and begin our future together.

ENGAGED

2009-05-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

Sam and I met at Xcel Fitness in March 2007 this is where our story began. Sam was the manager and then became my boss. From the first day of training we had a special bond, Sam is so funny and is so easy to talk with. We had a lot of time to get to know each other working at Xcel but as fate would have it Sam was let go of manager which would open up the opportunity to spend time together outside of work. Over the last couple years we have really grown together and have decided to take the next step and get married. We got engaged on May 18Th 2009 on Storm Mountain in Big Cottonwood canyon and are planning to get married September 8th in the Salt Lake Temple and are so excited to start our family and be together for eternity.