Paradise!

May 1, 2011
We had talked to a friend-Jeanette Knight-who had a friend in Honolulu who does photography there. So we got up early and went and took pictures on the beach with Conrad Prusse. We had so much fun! He complimented us the whole time on how easy it was to photograph us. We just really enjoyed taking pictures on Waimanalo Beach where the water is blue and the sand is white. We are so happy with the way they turned out. The hardest part is picking some for all of you to see but how can I get just a few from 159! They are all so beautiful!

We went to the Aloha Stadium for the Swap Meet! Oh we loved the swap meet! We found so many fun things that we wanted. We did limit ourselves but we did go back 2 other times to find what we found the first day and decided we wanted them. After the Aloha Swap Meet, we went to Schofield Barracks to get us some groceries for breakfast. We bought them at the base because they were cheaper. We then went back to our room because we were so dang tired and rested. We had KFC for dinner and listened to the light rain outside our room. We were out cold by about 9:00 PM local time.

At the Swap Meet!

The view from our door....see the ocean is right outside our room!!!

Ryan standing in the rain with his souvenirs!

Me out in the rain!

HAWAII

April 30, 2011

We had a crazy day! We had had graduation the day before and packed until late that night. The morning we were leaving Elyssa and Christopher were singing in the Community Messiah Sing In and we weren't going to see the real thing so we went for a listen. They both had solos and WOW!!!! they are AMAZING!!! Christopher did a great job on his tenor part and then Elyssa sounded like an angel. At that point, I was even more disappointed that I wasn't going to be here for them the next day to hear and support them. I did hear though that they did just as amazing of a job the next night. Anyways, after we left for the airport for our HAWAIIAN VACATION! We were getting on a jet plane and leaving all 7 inches of snow behind and heading towards SUNSHINE and WARMTH!!! We were so excited! This was our first vacation since Ryan got home and what was even more special is that this time when we got home.....HE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE AFTER!!!! Just so everyone knows, Ryan has left for training or gone back to his deployment when we have had our own vacation before so this was a real treat! We flew out that afternoon and got to Hawaii around midnight Utah time. By the time we got to our cabin at the Army Recreation Center, it was around 2 AM Utah time. We were so tired. We literally crashed when we got in the room.

The morning we left.
See...7 INCHES!!!
On our first of 2 flights to Hawaii.
We got there and just loved the feeling of vacation!

GRADUATION!!!

I graduated on April 29, 2011 from Utah Valley University with my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. I am so glad that it is over and now it's time for decisions of what to do next. I am trying to decide what is best for my family and I at this time. We will see what the future brings!