April
Ben reported to the MTC then to Georgia
 |
| Missionary Ben |
Dad Steve’s birthday
Graduation
 |
| Graduation for Joshua! I was able to walk with him because I finished in December but they don't have a ceremony then. |
May
Surprise trip to California- April 30 to May 2
 |
| Us picking stawberries after visiting the beach |
For work I suddenly one day had to drive down to St. George to drop of some things. Joshua came with. My work was paying for the gas miles to go down and back to St. George. When we were almost to St. George when we thought, “It’s Friday, what if we went to Carlsbad right now since St. George is almost the ½ way point?” So we did it. We called Mother and Dad from Temecula to let them know we were coming to visit for the weekend. It was a great time. We went to the beach in our new swim suits (because we did not take any) and went to church the next day in our new Sunday clothes (got to love Kohls). It was very relaxing and fun to be with family.
 |
| Carlsbad from the freeway |
2nd year anniversary - May 3
Joshua’s 25 birthday. He had a quarter life crisis.
Dad Glenn’s birthday.
June
Wedding – Jessica Wenckus (my old roommate) to John Talbot in Manti Temple in June – I made the bouquet, the cake and helped with the food.
 |
| This is the cake and the flowers I made for her wedding - the cake was a Whoopie Pie cake |
Joshua receives 4 job offers to be a teacher and accepts 1 at Albion Middle School teaching 7, 8 and 9 grades language arts and a speech and debate class
Caleb’s birthday - 11 years old!
July
Williamson family reunion! Drove from UT to San Diego, CA – stayed in Carlsbad a few days then drove up the west coast to the top of Washington. When on the beach not far from Port Angeles, WA we could look across the water to see Canada. We stayed for the reunion in the Olympic National Park at Cresant Lake in cabins that looked out at the lake. It was beautiful and relaxing. We hiked in the Hoh Rain forest and say mystical moss. We played in the tide pools finding crabs and sea stars. We visited Forks, WA (Twilight town) and the top of a huge mountain as well. It was wonderfully relaxing to be gone. I flew out of Seattle airport to get back to work on Sunday. When I did I flew over Mount Olympus I took a picture on my phone of the tippy top of the mountain in the sky. During this trip I also was able to meet several of my life goals:
Travel to many states – on that trip I went through UT, AZ, NV, CA, OR, & WA.
Visit San Francisco
Eat sourdough bread and clam chowder on a pier in San Francisco
See a real working trolley
See a tug boat
Visit a rainforest
Go on the Golden Gate Bridge
 |
| In front of Pier 39 |
 |
| Joshua eating sourdough and clam chowder at Pier 39 |
 |
| My first clam chowder sourdough bread bowl ever! |
 |
| Meeting my goal! |
 |
| Alcatraz from Pier 39 |
 |
| The coolest carousel I've ever seen - it's a double decker on Pier 39 |
 |
| A neat bathroom that completely cleans itself after you finish your business. |
 |
| Our road trip up the coast |
 |
| A waterfall in the Hoh Rainforest |
 |
| Mount Olympus from the air - Mountain in the sky |
Adam and Luke came up to BYU for EFY. We got to have them stay with us for Saturday and Sunday before they returned home. Saturday, I made them pancakes from scratch, we went for a hike up to Bridal Veil Falls, then went to eat really good Mexican food at the Mexican market in town. Adam said he really was impressed by the food. They really liked the pancakes.
Got a second car – and got to see Dad Glenn in the process.
August
Mom Bobbi and Luke's Birthday's! Luke turns 15!
I quit my job at Aspiro. Life is wonderful! For my last week of work, due to staff shortage, I went on trail as a guide in the Vantage Point group (group with learning struggles and most having NLVD or Aspergers). We went on a backpacking trip to Mount Tabiona and then over to camp at Starvation Reservoir. It was challenging but very rewarding. I felt Heavenly Father's protecting hand over us and his great love for each individual in our group. I know he guided, comforted and sustained me.
Joshua quit his job at office max and started training and teaching at Albion Middle School. I helped set up his classroom before school started as he was always in meetings and would not of had time to do it all. He is a fantastic teacher! Students and teachers love him!
I began school! I started back at BYU for my Masters of Social Work. I like it. My biggest challenge and stressor right now is figuring out the details of my masters research project – which is a publishable paper. I have my topic…I think. I have my data set. I have a research mentor. And I have a great excitement for the topic which is Maternal Gatekeeping. The part I am still working on figuring out is the angle I will be approaching the topic from. I have decided already that I am going to produce a paper that I will be sending in to be considered for publishing in a scholarly journal.
I got a Job! I am working as a Teaching Assistant for a class called “Introduction to Social Work.”
September
Funerals and sad stuff – Joshua’s great Aunt Adonna at the beginning of September. Also, the last week of August the Joshua’s family dog Jazz died. During that week, Grandmother Joan also had a stroke. She is doing well right now.
Grandpa Ronnie retired from being a Preacher on the Reservation.
Fun projects that I am currently working on (I learned this summer that I like them):
A round rug – I am using scrap fabric and tying it a certain way in knots.
Painting -
 |
| My First Wave Painting |
Leprosy bandages – I am crotching one now
Bottling! I learned to and did bottle 8 quarts of Apricots.
 |
| These are my bottled apricots! |
Gardening – It has not produced very much but it has done some. My basil right now is doing great!
 |
| Bell pepper and jalapeno from my garden |
 | |
| This is how my garden looked when I first planted it. Now it is bigger and there are 3 big planters and 2 smaller ones for herbs |
