24th of July

Girl's Camp

This past week was my ward's girls camp. I was gone Tuesday-Friday. It was a lot of fun and I am so glad that I could go. The girls in my ward are really cute and I had a lot of fun with them. It is totally different going to girl's camp as a leader-so much more work than I thought! It was definitely worth it though :o)

Up until I left for camp Dave and I had never spent a night apart from one another-so it was kind of hard to be away for so long. {I missed him so much!} When I got home he had cleaned the entire house and had beautiful flowers for me!!! {I HAVE THE WORLD'S BEST HUSBAND!!!!}

HEAVEN - Don't Miss it for the World!

Friday was our ward's Youth Conference. Our theme was "Heaven-Don't Miss it for the World". It was an all day adventure that started at 6:30am and lasted until mindnight! Although it was a very long day-it was a lot of fun! {Especially because Dave got to come along too!!!} We met at the church {EARLY} for breakfast and then started our day off miniature golfing at Toads {I scored 2 holes in 1-woohoo!}, then we went on a tour at the Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake. The tour was so awesome! If you havn't been there-you need to go! It is so amazing to me how wonderful our church is, how much members do, and how much we help the less fortunate all around the world! It was a real eye opener for me, and I left with a feeling that I can do SO much better! After that we picked up lunch at Subway and then headed to the Hogle Zoo :) It always seems like, in years past, whenever I go to the zoo that the animals are either sleeping, hiding, or just not there. But this time ALL the animals were out and pretty active. It was really fun to see. My favorites were the cute penguins, the monkeys and the "Ghost of the Bayou" {the albino gator}. We spent several hours there and even rode the train. After the zoo we toured the Conference Center dowtown. What an amazing structure! I have been in the building several times before, but had never been on a tour. Again, something that is a must if you havn't. After the tour we watched the Joseph Smith movie at the Joseph Smith Memorial building. I love that movie! It was neat to see how the youth reacted to seeing it {most for the first time}. You cannot watch that film without being totally overcome with the spirit! After the movie we had reserved a room in the Temple Square's visitor's center where we had a guest speaker who spoke to the youth about our theme and what they need to do to make it to the Celestial Kingdom. The youth also had a chance to share their testimonies. We finally finished up the day with dinner at the Macaroni Grill. I think it was a huge success and that everyone had a really a good time. I know that I did-and I am so glad that I got to spend the entire day with my best friend!

***At the zoo we were watching this gorilla walk around for awhile with this empty gatorade bottle in his mouth.

Dave: "Wouldn't it be crazy if he filled the bottle up with water and drank it?"

Me: "Honey, I don't think gorilla's are that smart!"

Well, no later than 30 seconds after Dave said that, look what the gorilla did:

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?

4th of July Fun :)

pedicures

I LOVE treating myself to professional pedicures at a spa! But $$$ is tight, so lastnight I gave myself a pedicure (which is not nearly as fun!). Lilly sat right by my side the entire time. She was so curious about what I was doing. (It was so cute!) When I finished up my pedicure, I thought it would be cute to give Lilly a little pedicure of her own....The look on Dave's face was PRICELESS when I showed him our matching hot pink nails! Haha-I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm crazy!! :o)

Father's Day

Dave and I are so blessed to have such AMAZING Father's!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my Mom's Birthday!

I LOVE YOU MOM!!!

Jackson Family Reunion

This past weekend was the Jackson Family Reunion in Glendale, UT (Southern Utah). Dave & I arrived a day late to reunion due to my cousin's funeral Saturday morning. We were so glad that we were able to make it to the last little bit of it. We had a lot of fun spending time with family that we don't get to see very often. The place where we camped in Glendale was absoutely BEAUTIFUL! After the reunion Dave & I stayed a few days longer at Lance and Julie's fabulous home in Kanab. Monday we spent the entire day with Grandpa & Grandma Jackson. Grandpa took us on a tour of the Kiabab (where he spent most of his childhood herding sheep). Grandpa is a real cowboy! It was so pretty and was so nice to spend that time alone with them. That night Dave and I slept under the stars in our sleeping bags. It was such a pretty night and the sky was so clear! We counted shooting stars until we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer ;) The next morning Grandpa, Grandma, Dave & I ate a yummy breakfast at a local place in Kanab called Houston's. After breakfast Grandpa, Uncle Evan, Dave & I spent the rest of the afternoon 4-wheeling. It was a lot of fun (other than the fact that I almost DIED and that Dave and I both got severely sunburnt!!!). Wednesday Dave & I spent the day in St. Geroge shopping and looking for a place to buy (we wish). It was such a fun vacation, and as always, it was so hard to come home. Lilly was such a trooper, she is the only one glad to be home! Here are some of the pics:

We Will ALWAYS Remember You

Steven Paul McGarvey
Steven Paul McGarvey was born on March 26th, 1981 in Ogden, Utah. He passed away on Thursday the 29th of May, 2008, due to a tragic rollover car accident near Grand Junction, Colorado. Steven is survived by his children Kilian and Madison, and his former spouse Lisa McGarvey, his parents Betty and Patric McGarvey, three brothers William, Shane and James, four sisters Lori, Sheri, Suzi and Michelle, thirteen nieces and nephews, and many more family and friends who will dearly miss him. Steven was an excellent son, father, husband, brother, and friend. He loved his two children and would do anything for them. He cherished being a father. Steven grew up in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake City and attended East High School. Steven owned his own painting business. He was a hard worker who held himself to the highest standards. He worked hard, and he played harder. He loved to fish, mountain bike, camp and spend time in the great outdoors with his friends and family. Steven was an athlete. He was an exceptional baseball player who played left field like none that we know, and hit the ball with equal precision. Steven loved to take advantage of the greatest snow on earth by shredding it every chance he could. He also played basketball and loved to golf. Like most athletes, Steven loved to watch sports. He bled red and loved the University of Utah’s football and basketball teams. He loved to attend them with his father, mother, and brothers. His loud cheer and enthusiasm will never be forgotten! He was a kind hearted man whose legacy of selfless service will remain in the hearts of all who knew him. Steven was not someone that you would soon forget. He had a knack for getting to know people. He had a personality that was a style all his own. Steven, we love you and will never forget you! We WILL see you on the other side! A donation account has been set up at Zions Bank under his name. The proceeds of this account will benefit his two children. All services will be held at the Wilson Ward Building located at 1860 S 300 E, Salt Lake City, Utah. Viewing will be June 6, 2008 5pm - 8pm and June 7, 2008 10am - 10:45am. Funeral to follow at 11:00 am. Grave Dedication at Memorial Estates 6500 South Redwood Road at 1pm.

HaPpY bIrThDaY pArKeR!

May 30th was my little brother Parker's 18th Birthday!
We celebrated it Sat. by going to a movie at the Gateway and dinner at The Red Iguana-YUM!! I can't believe that he is 18 yrs old! Time flies! He has been such a awesome little brother and I love him TONS!

Memorial Day Camping

WE LOVE CAMPING!! Each year Dave and I can't wait for the weather to warm up so we can head out into the great outdoors for fun filled weekends of campin' and fishin'! Last year we were so excited to camp that we even went in March, brrr! This year we've waited a bit longer to go, and we thought that this past weekend would be a great time to getaway. So Sunday afternoon we headed out! We set up camp at a beautiful place just east of Huntsville called South Fork. We had sooo much fun!! It was so nice to escape into the mountains, even for just a day. We hiked, fished, ate and just relaxed. Lilly is quite the little camping dog, haha. Dave, being the Eagle Scout that he is, made us a roaring fire where we roasted chicken tin foil dinners. Yum! It was so nice to just sit by the fire and talk into the night...and of course we made the best s'mores :) That night the temperature dropped and it got pretty chilly. We woke in the middle of the night to fierce winds and rain! We stayed warm and dry in our tent throughout the night.....until morning! It rained all morning which ruined our plans to hang out at the lake :( We hurrily packed everything up and headed home. We definitely should have checked the weather report, but a little rain didn't stop us from having a blast!!! Here are some of the pics:

cute boys

We always love getting together with the Murdock's. They have the cutest kids, Judson and Caden. The best part is that not only are they darling, they are so well behaved! It's so much fun having them over :) (You guys are welcome anytime!) Here are some pics from a few weeks ago.

david cook wins!

It was a close one...but David Cook was crowned the new "American Idol". I really thought they were both awesome and would have been happy with either one. But Cook was one of my fav's from the beginning.

So with The Hills ending last week (until August) and now that American Idol is over I was feeling kinda sad. And just when I was starting to think that I might have to find something else to do with my time, I remembered that tomorrow night is the 2 hour premiere of "So You Think You Can Dance?" Yay! Gotta love reality TV! (actually it's pretty sad, haha)

wake-up smoothie

I'm typically not a breakfast eater, but I made this yummy smoothie this morning for Dave and I that was fabulous! Give it a try :)1 large ripe banana
1 cup fresh strawberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, or kiwi (about 2)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey

Place all the ingredients in the blender and process on high speed until smooth, about 30 to 45 seconds.

heritage

I was called to serve in the Young Women's Pres. in my ward last August. It's been a great calling and has been really good for me. It's a lot of fun teaching and interacting with the girls. One of the things I love about being in Young Women's are the fun activities we have each Tuesday night. Tonight was "Around The World" cultural night, where we celebrated everyone's different heritages by sampling different foods from around the world.

I thought that it would be fun to share a little bit about where Dave and I came from....Dave's mom, Janet, was born and raised in Biddulph England. Janet visited the United States in her early 20's where she met and fell in love with Dave's dad, Max. They married, and she has lived here in the U.S. ever since. She is such a wonderful woman and very proud of her English heritage. I remember the first time Dave's family had me over for Sunday dinner Janet had prepared Yorkshire Pudding. If you guys are like I was, you will have no clue what Yorkshire Pudding even is! Well, it's an English dish that has been passed down from generation to generation in the Armitt family. Dave's "Grand-dad" would always make it for them whenever he visited from England. I liked it alot when I first tried it, and I was surprised that I had never tasted anything quite like it before. It's pretty easy to make and tastes great with pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy!! Janet makes it way better than I do, but the picture above is my attempt at it. I think I did pretty well for my first try ;) It was fun to share this recipe with the young women who loved it, and ate every last bit!

My maiden name is McGarvey, and my heritage stems from Ireland. St. Patrick's Day has always been a BIG deal in my house. The leprechaun always came in the night and turned all our food green and left us little surprises and treats :) Attending the St. Patty's Day Parade is also a tradition in my family. My mom, Karie, makes the best corned beef and cabbage!
Some of the other heritages that were celebrated tonight was China (ham fried rice), Holland (fruit danishes), Puerto Rico (tostones?), Germany (sweet breads), and Mexico (guacamole, chips and salsa). It was a fun night, and also very interesting. I think that it's important for everyone to first of all know what their heritage is, and to second be proud of it! I am definitely grateful for my ancestors, who because of them I am living where I am today...and I am definitely proud to be an American!!

YORKSHIRE PUDDING

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups milk

3 large eggs

1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a large baking dish on top of the stove. Beat all the ingredients together very well. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil into the hot baking dish and immediately pour batter into dish. Let it sit for about 1 min. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20-25 min. (or until golden brown).

This past week was Dave's Alumni basketball tournament at Fremont High School. They played one game a night and sometimes even two back to back. They beat every team they played until the last round where they lost in double elimination. So they took 2nd place which is GREAT!!! It was so much fun watching Dave and his friends play! He is a really great basketball player! He is already looking forward to playing again next year! Here are some of the pics:

new book!

So when the "Twilight" series of books came out by author Stephanie Meyer I read each of them in like a day, and loved them!!! I can't wait until AUGUST 2, 2008 when her fourth and last book in the Twilight series, "Breaking Dawn" is published! But until then, there is a new release of a book by Stephanie called "The Host". It was just released on May 6th. I havn't started reading it yet, but if it's as great as the twilight books, I'll be posting about it soon. I'm so excited to start reading it tonight! Here is a little bit about "The Host":
Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.One of the most compelling writers of our time, Stephenie Meyer brings us a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the very essence of what it means to be human.

Sounds good, right? Happy reading!

ABC TAG!

A-Attatched or Single?- very attatched!
B-Best Friend?- dave wayne jackson :)
C-Cake or Pie?- i love coconut cream pie!
D-Day of Choice?- sundays are the best
E-Essential Item?- my cell phone (what did we ever do without them?)
F-Favorite Color?- hot pink (if you couldn't tell)
G-Gummy Bears or Worms?- neither
H-Hometown?- Centerville, Utah
I-Favorite Indulgence?- sleeping in late
J-January or July?- july
K-Kids?- no kids.....for now
L-Life Isn't Complete Without?- an "i love you" from dave everyday
M-Marriage Date?- february 3, 2007 (best day ever!)
N-Number of Brothers or Sisters?- 2 younger brothers
O-Oranges or Apples?- oranges
P-Phobia and Fears?- phobia: public restrooms (YUCK!!) biggest fear: losing loved ones
Q-Quote?- "Life is not measured by the moments-but by the moments that take your breath away!"
R-Reason to Smile?- because i am so blessed
S-Season of Choice?- spring & autumn
T-Favorite Treat?- sour patch kids...mmmmm!
U-Unknown Fact About Me?- i'm scared to fly! :( although i still prefer flying to driving long distances.
V-Vegetable? peas :)
W-Worse Habit?- leaving wet towels on the floor (i'm getting better though!)
Y-Your Favorite Food?- pizza and tacos
Z-Zodiac Sign?-Leo

I am Ariel!

Headstrong and fiesty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

dave and ashlie

lilly

What a pretty dress!!


She's soooo little!

Sleepy puppy

Lilly's new chew toy!