Girl Time!

     So I am a little late about this blog, but i figured i still better post it.  Being down here in Arizona, Ryan and I have made some amazing friends!  Unfortunately, I have worked pretty much every night, but Sunday night this past year so I have not been able to do very many "girl nights" with my friends.  I have missed out on a lot, but I still have amazing friends who are going through the same things I am with making new friends, change of scenery, and learning how to be quiet while our husbands study. haha  It has been such a fun first year with my girlfriends.
      The Mesa Temple puts on The the Easter Pageant every year for two week out on the front lawn of the temple.  The week that I wanted or could go Ryan of course had like three tests that week, so the girls that could go, we decided to leave our husbands home to study and have a little girl time!  It was so nice to not have to work!  We ate at an Awesome Mexican Restaurant by the temple, thanks to Chelsea and just had a lot of fun chit chatting the night away.  I didn't get very many pictures but here a the few that I remembered to take....

Me, Jackie, and Chelsea

  
     We had pretty good seats for only showing up an hour early.  They say that over 100,000 people will visit the temple grounds over the two week period.  There were so many people there, but we just went to an usher for three seats and got really close to the stage.

    
     There are a hundred (at least) people that are in the pageant.  This picture is pretty lame but they have angels on the very top (white) and tons of other people on the stage for the grand finale.  It was so nice to go with great friends and it helped to put me in the Easter mood in remembering the Life of Christ and what an Amazing Man he really was.  I hope every had an amazing Easter!

Here is a better picture of what it is like

A Tribute to the Perfect Lady

     On Easter morning, my lovely grandmother was able to feel no more pain and return to live with our Heavenly Father.  I knew that my grandmother was sick, but like always I figured she would come out of it.  Unfortunately, my future kids will not be able to meet their great grandma Skinner, but her legacy of a strong-willed lady, excellent mother, amazing seamstress, and the best grandma ever will still live in my daily life.

  
     I feel very lucky to be able to have the gospel in my life which gives me the wonderful comfort of peace when it comes to death.  Death is not something that we mourn.  It is time when we rejoice over their life that they were able to live and know that we will all be able to live with them again.  What a simple and satisfying feeling of comfort we are given.

     One thing that I have been very thankful for is that my Gma and Gpa Skinner were very family oriented.  Having 7 kids, which makes a lot of grandkids and great grandkids, they made sure that there was a family reunion every summer.  Tons of hiking, camping, swimming, dirt, jokes, late night stories over the campfire, and the best food ever are many memories that I cherish.  I feel very lucky to know all of my cousins and am close to all of them.  They made this possible to have a family where everyone is connected.  It was so nice to be able to make a quick flight up to Idaho for the weekend to remember my grandma with all of my cousins and aunts and uncles.  Family just makes life that much easier and fun.

All Hess Girls and Grandpa

Grandpa Skinner and his FAVORITE Grandkid!

My Beautiful Cousins, Nicole, McKall, Madi

More amazing cousins, Dalton and Lindsey

Jake and I, love this kid!

    I have honestly never been to a funeral where so many people came to honor my grandmother.  My grandparents have lived in Island Park for as long as I can remember.  While there my grandpa was the Branch President of the Island Park area, they served a honorable mission in Nauvoo, Illinois, and then these last couple of years they started living in St. George, Utah for the winter.  So MANY people traveled from Island Park to the funeral.  It was so nice to see the friends they had made through their life.

     This last July, they were able to come to my wedding in the Idaho Falls Temple.  This is a big event in my life, but throughout all of my life I remembered them coming to tons of rodeos, basketball games, soccer games, volleyball games, softball games, rodeo queening pageants, baptisms, Jr. Miss pageants, and so much more.  They were such a huge support system in my life and I hope that someday I can be as good of grandparents as they are.

  

My sisters and their kids, Aunt, and Grandma

     Grandma, you will truly be missed everyday!  You have set a standard for me to live up to and I hope that I will be able to be half the lady you were!

     Since I was able to go to Idaho, I was also lucky to see my family and my stinking cute nieces and nephews.  This is one reason why I hate being in Arizona is that I don't get to see them everyday.

Gunner and I

Harper Jo, me, and JaQuoy

He kept me warm in the cold, snowy Idaho weather

  
    Family is truly the greatest blessing that everyone is given here on Earth.  I have been blessed with amazing sisters who will always be my best friends in the end.