This past weekend - 24 April - 26 April 09

Friday night, Aaron and I wanted to do something -but since there isnt a WHOLE lot to do in Monte Vista/Alamosa - we decided to go to Walmart and split up - have $5-$10 to spend on eachother. At first I thought it would be a really cool idea...but after 10 minutes of looking for stuff for Aaron....it wasnt as easy as I thought it was going to be. I knew he wanted a new movie..so I went and picked 4 movies 9from the $5 section (so that he could choose the one he wanted out of the 4) and I also got him a fillet knife because he has been fishing a tonn lately. WELL...we decided to meet up after about half an hour before we bought the stuff we had chosen for eachother because I wanted him to choose one of the 4 movies. Well - he showed me the stuff he had chosen for me and I already had 2 of the 4 things, and the fillet knife I had chosen is one that we had bought previously and sucked haha. So it didnt turn out as good as we thought - anyways, Aaron ended up getting one of the movies, and then he showed me a bunch of other things that he had thought about buying me - one of which was a really cool manicure system for only $8!!! So I got that and some lip balm for my rediculously dry lips haha. I was really happy with what he got me and the movie he got was really good too. We decided that we probably wont do that again...but hey - it was good to do once.

Ok so then on Saturday we had the awesome opportunity to drive 4 hours to Albuquerque, New Mexico Temple for Julie and Lorenzo's endowement and temple sealing. It was the coolest experience for me!! To be able to be there when they went through was such an awesome feeling. They are so amazing and still so strong in the gospel and so many members of the ward are so supportive of them and have helped them and I know that has made all the difference. I was so excited to see some of the families I became really good friends with - and Im looking forward to next month when aaron has to go down there for work and I'll go with him but go and visit these people during the day. A few of them said "I didnt even recognise you when you walked in" haha - Im probably not as fat as when I ended my mission haha. So after the temple, Aaron and I went to a shopping center and just looked around and got something to eat. We got some food and it was unexpectingly SPICY...so i didnt eat much and my mouth was on fire haha, so aaron went and got me a fruit smoothy to help simmer my mouth down...and then I had blisters on my feet and they were killing, so he stopped and bought me a pair of thongs for $3!! What a sweet husband huh!!?? Then we made the 4 hour drive back home. We always love being back in NM - brings back alot of awesome memories for us both - lucky we live close enough to visit often.

Sunday, we went to church...well - aaron went to sacrament and I was sick...but had to teach...so i stayed home and took time to get ready and have hot shower etc and then he came and got me so that I could go and teach my Sunday school lesson. Sometimes I get nervous to teach the youth - sounds crazy .... but its because its 12-17 yr olds - such a big age gap and you know kids that age...just arent that interested all the time haha...So the lesson was on spiritual gifts and only half the kids were there, but it turned out ok...after class I talked to them about how much school they have left and what they are going to do during summer break, and they all seemed to liven up and talk and laugh - so Im glad for that. When i went to relief society one of the ladies said "i have to tell you, one of the youth told me "I love our new sunday school teacher", so that gave me a boost of hope haha. After church we kinda just hung out and rested, and then we wanted to go down the road for a walk around the lake...well - when we got out it was WAY too cold and windy so decided just to drive around it and then come home haha. Sunday night we watched some wildlife channel for a little bit and then watched the movie Aaron chose on Friday night...while we watched it I gave Aaron a manicure and pedicure hahaha - its HEAPS easier to do someone elses hands and feet then your own - so I was having fun. He now has nicer toenails and finger nails then me haha. Oh - and Aaron said to me "if you can guess where my trousers are made, I'll give you a half an hour back rub" (THINKING that I wouldn't guess right) well...much to his surprise I guessed it - and he owed me a 1/2 hr back rub haha. So when I called Breanna for her birthday (or rather - spoke to Peta for an hour) Aaron rubbed my back :) bhahaha - Im sure he wont ever do the "if you guess _______ then I'll rub your back/feet" trick again.

Manicure Set Aaron got me


Aaron testing it out

Lorenzo, Julie, Sister Holly Aitken and I

Members of the ward

Julie and Lorenzo bought Aaron and I this native wedding pot - the groom drinks from one side and the bride drinks from the other - Julie also made me some awesome Native Jewellery

Aaron and I at the Lake - quick photo before we got back in the car

Gunnison

Soooo its been forever since we put a post on here....and Kylie and Peta keep telling me to update - so now that I finally have some photos from things we did - I will put them on :) (cause blogs can be boring with no photos). Last weekend, we headed up to a small town called Gunnison about 2 hours north of us here in Monte Vista, CO. We went for a wedding - Aaron's mate from high school - and he was asked to be a groomsman. So we headed up Friday night and stayed until Sunday afternoon after church. Aarons friend Steven came with. The wedding was nice - I couldn't believe the bride had a dress for the ceremony and then another dress for the reception!!! CRAZY!!! I cant imagine spending money on TWO dresses - would have cost alot! haha sorry - just thinking about my ONE wedding dress cost!! Anyways - alot of people didnt make it to the reception because it had snowed alot and I think a highway was closed...but there were still a good amount of people. It was kind of weird going to a wedding where you dont know anyone and your husband is a groomsman - but none-the-less I sat at a table with some of Aarons old school friends and it worked out fine - they were nice and we had fun. When most of everyone went home (and just the young people left) they started the drinking alot more and techno music :S. I think some of them were on drugs to be dancing all weird to the music. They tried to get us to dance....buuuuut I did not attempt it - we did however, get to dance together to a few slow songs - which was nice, considering we didnt even do that at our own wedding haha. Aaron and I went home at about 9:30 to go swimming (I have been wanting to swim for AGES) but the pool shut at 10pm and there were a bunch of guys in there and in the hot tub so we didnt. We got changed into jeans and went back to the reception. People were just getting more and more drunk and so Aaron and I just hung out and watched people haha - you know I love to watch....so then ended up going home at 11:30pm - Steven stayed on and someone else dropped him home - I think at like 3am. I guess I had a bad dream not long after he got home - I started FLIPPING OUT because I felt someone grabbing at my feet under the blankets. I felt like I was awake and yelling "SOMEONE GRABBED MY FEET" and screaming and Aaron jumped on me to hold me down and I was yelling "LET ME UP!! JUST LET ME GET MY FEET UP!!!" anyways - soon enough I woke up and was scarred to go back to sleep. Aaron and Steven told me the next day that I went absolutely NUTS and my whole body flew off the bed and I was talking crazy jumbled - did not make a bit of sense...and scared both of them so aaron got on me to hold me down cause I was going crazy, and he said I hit him so hard and in the ribs and stuff and the next day his ribs were sore - he couldn't believe how crazy I was - then he thought I was having a seizure (spelling??) and really scared him. Then he yelled at me so loud in my face to wake up and I guess I did. So it was really crazy - havnt had that happen before haha. Anyways, we also went fishing and didnt get a bite - I think its STILL too cold...hopefully it will get warm soon because Aaron wants to go to Lake Powell in a fortnight to go fishing with his cousin - I hear its WAY warmer there though already. Aaron and I found out where the church was, and went thinking it started at 9am....welllll....it didnt start until 10am!!! We were kind of annoyed haha but stayed for Sacrament and then had to get home quick to get out of the hotel before check-out time. They told us that they changed church till 10am because pepole complained about it starting at 9am and that is was too early and too many got to church late....well, no surprise it now starts at 10 and people are still late haha. Anyways here are some pics from the wedding weekend!!

On the drive up to Gunnison

Steven and Aaron on the drive up

Umm getting up to take a photo

The photo

Dont ask about the glasses?????

Dunno what Aaron is doing

So we were bored..!!????!! And took lots of photos...

They let me drive because I get car sick

FISHING!!! Too bad we didnt catch anything

Stop taking photos already Steven!!

BEAUTIFUL COLORADO!!!

Down Under - 2008!!

24 May 2008 - Aaron arrived in Australia, we went to the Gold Coast beaches. I guess he was pretty excited to see the ocean because he just ran in with his jeans and shirt on. I sat up on the beach and started to feel worried - but after he got smashed around in the rough waves for about 15 minutes he made it back in to shore. After spending some time on the beach, we walked to the shops to buy Aaron some new shorts (there was no way his jeans were going to dry quick enough) - here he saw his first "meter maids" - he couldn't believe that it was legal for woman to walk about like that for their jobs ha ha. We then went and had Tepenyaki for lunch. Kylie and Tomo had taken me there before and I LOVED it, so I wanted Aaron to try it…..sadly - Aaron's meal mustn't have been fully cooked (I think he had fish) and he got pretty sick. We went to Kylie and Tomos house - Aaron had a shower and then had to take a nap cause he felt so ill. That night, Kylie, Tomo and Aaron and I went to the "Outback Spectacular" to show him some Aussie stuff. He was still not 100%, and of course the jet-lag was setting in pretty bad - we had fun though non-the-less. I think I tried to jam too much into the first day he was here - sorry hun!!!

25 May 2008 - was Sunday, so we went to church. After church hmmmm I believe we had lunch and then went to visit Sherri and James Thompson. Quite the awkward experience - mainly because their home teachers were there - but I'll leave those details out. Then we went and picked my Oma (Grandma) up from her house because the whole family was coming over to meet Aaron - not an intimidating thought at all!! The whole way home, Oma had a tingle in her throat and I thought she was going to cough up a lung - literally. She seemed to do OK by the time we got back to our house, but man!! After all the family left that night, we took Oma home, and then went to a nearby beach for a little while - who would have thought that Redcliffe would have nice beaches/parks. We were there for a while, but then started to hear some crazy guy yelling and someone scream so we left pretty quick.

26 May 2008 - Monday - what the heck did we do Monday?!? Aaron - you might have to update this part, because I cant remember for the life of me….wow - like blog sucks.
27 May 2008 - Tuesday - Kylie and Tomo came over because we all headed up to Harvey Bay to stay in a nice hotel the night before we went over to Fraser Island the next morning. After picking up our licence for the Island and Barge - We found our hotel and then went out and ate a fancy restaurant (well it seemed fancy to me) along the water at Harvey Bay. Kylie had swordfish and I think the rest of us had salmon. Man - I'm only 24 and I cant remember what happened 4 months ago!! Anyways - I do remember the meal was sooo good!! Oh, also, Aaron drove that night for the first time in Australia. First time on the left hand side, sitting on the right side of the car. Hahaha, everyone who has travelled overseas in a country where you drive on the other side of the road, knows how off-putting that can be - looking left instead of right when you intend to turn left out of a drive-way. It was pretty funny, but worked out - he did a dang good job actually!! Parallel parked the beast and all!! It rained most of the night and we just hoped that it would clear up for the next day we were heading to Fraser.

28 May 2008 - Wednesday - woke up nice and early to travel to the barge. The whole day ended up being pretty overcast, but the weather was good to us and the rain held off majority of the day. It was a pretty cold day considering that July was the beginning of winter here in Australia. We only got to hit 2 spots on the Island, it seemed like we did a lot of driving - but it was fun all the same. Huge props to Kylz for being pregnant with only 2 weeks to go until she was due - and riding all day in the sand, mud, puddles - and not to mention Tomo getting a bit excited and choosing to drive up the sides of the road etc for some extra fun. Oh, also - she managed to walk at least 1/2 hour straight up the side of a huge hill - was not easy, cant imagine being almost due and doing that too!! Lake MacKenzie was beautiful - crystal clear water!! Was freezing as, but we couldn't resist swimming in it. You can see in the pictures how clean the fresh lake is, and how deep it gets. Aaron decided to brave it and try swim out as far as he could. I was way too scared - it was too dark and deep for my liking. Tourists came to the Lake and left it pretty quick - I'm sure they thought we were a bunch of crazies swimming in the freezing lake with the wind blowing and the clouds blocking out every bit of sun! We then went to Lake Wobbie - this was not as exciting. It was very cool looking from the look-out at the top, but then after conning Kylie to walk all the way down, I felt bad because there wasn’t much to do down there. That night we travelled back home and slept pretty damn good!!

29 May 2008 - Sooooo Aaron got a choice out of "Underwater World" or "Australia Zoo" (basically - sharks or crocs). He wanted to go to see the sharks, so we went up the Sunshine Coast to Underwater World. It really is a cool place, and we spent a lot of time just watching the sharks. We went and had lunch - and because Aaron wanted some real fresh seafood (being from Colorado and all) we drove all along the beach, and NOWHERE was open. It was pouring rain and we honestly could not find anywhere - then there was a small place - and the food was disappointing :( We kept looking at the time and figuring that we had plenty of time before we had to head back to Brisbane to go hang out and have dinner with Peta and Jason that night. We left with plenty of time to get back - that was until I missed the exit - had to drive further half hour down the highway, turn around and drive back!! We arrived at Peta's house almost 1/2 hour late - to only find out that the watch/time we had been watching the whole day was OFF, and we were like an hour and a half late!! They had to feed the kids and put them to bed before we even showed up. We felt SO HORRIBLE!! I don’t think I've ever felt so lame in my entire life. Of course they thought our story was a bit suss (who wouldn't) but in all honesty - that is what happened, and we just felt horrible!! The meal was awesome - then we played some WII and Guitar Hero.

30 May 2008 - This was our last day before Aaron went home. We decided to head into the city and see the Temple, and do a session together. It was really awesome to go to the temple together. We took photos around the grounds, Aaron saw a spider which he thought was MASSIVE….it definitely wasn’t as big as a huntsman or anything, but he thought it was grotty non-the-less. Then a couple of Scottish woman who were in the session with us asked us to take photos of them, and then they took a photo of us right outside the doors, they asked Aaron "is this your fiance?" and he said "nooo, but we're heading that way hopefully"…ha ha we talked about it afterwards and were kinda upset that we didn’t make a scene of it and play it up a bit. Then we got Subway for lunch and sat at the top of the cliffs to eat. We hurried home and that night went out to dinner with Mum and Dad. This was a bunch of fun!! We went to a Thai restaurant at Carseldine. The place was packed, it was another rainy day/night - but they managed to squeeze us in (literally) at a small table out the back with almost no covering or heating. We ordered our meal and waited a LONG time to get it. Dad and Aaron provided plenty of entertainment though while we waited - and I'm sure that we cleared out a few tables because it was so ridiculous. After, Aaron and I went up to Mt Cootha - it’s a look-out in Brisbane that overlooks the whole Brisbane City and surrounding suburbs - very pretty from the top!!

31 May 2008 - Woke up and went to the airport for Aaron's flight at 11am. The week was awesome - and tiring trying to fit so much in, but I wanted him to see as much as the country as he could in those days. Was sad for him to go, but kept in our minds that I would go visit him for a month in 6 weeks.

Here we are...

Ok so, this being our first blog post - I will tell you our journey so far.

Aaron and I were both called to serve in the Albuquerque, New Mexico Mission. Aaron had been serving for over a year when I arrived in New Mexico. We served around eachother alot as he was my District leader for 3 months and then my Zone Leader for the remaining of his mission. Aaron finished his mission and went home in January 2007, and I finished my mission and returned to Australia in August 2007. In December that same year, I received an email from another missionary Aaron and I had both served with, and I noticed Aaron's email address in the "CC" section. "I wonder how Stewart is doing" was my instant thought - so I emailed him to see what he was up to - it was always fun catching up with missionaries and we handnt spoken since he went home at the start of that year. From that first email we continued to email eachother everyday, soon we were talking everyday and then pretty soon about 2-3 times a day. So from there....to cut a long story short - Aaron came and visited me and met my family here in Australia in May 2008, and I went to visit him and meet his family for a month in July 2008.