The Downs

Christmas Card 2011

2011-12-02T20:23:00.003-07:00

Here it is folks- the annual Christmas card created by yours truly (Erica). We have been so overwhelmingly blessed this year, from a new house, to a new ward, to new jobs, and new babies in the family. Life is good when you do your best to live your best!

donorschoose.org

2011-11-08T19:08:00.002-07:00

Just take a minute and look to see if you can help my students out: http://www.donorschoose.org/mrsdowns

Clay and Jerica

2011-10-07T18:39:00.001-07:00

The Twins are doing really well. Today is Jessica's birthday and so I sent her a text to tell her happy birthday and to check in.

The twins have moved to the last place they will be before they can go home with Jessica and Jered. They are doing so well for only being born 2 1/2 weeks ago. They are all together and hope to be able to be all together at home soon!

What a happy birthday!

Baby Update

2011-10-02T08:30:00.009-07:00

Things are going very well with the twins! They have been moved out of the "critical" NICU and are in a "less" critical NICU. Yesterday Jessica was able to try nursing them. Jerica went to town and Clay ended up falling asleep.

They are keeping their own temperature and aren't under lights any more. Jessica gets to do change diapers and spend a good amount of time with them. They are sleeping in the same "crib" together as well. They say now they need to put on some weight and learn how to eat. Jered just got a call from Jessica and she said they have put clothes on them. :)

Laith has a new bird. He believes that Ayrrez is a Swainson Hawk. He is very relaxed and will make a great addition to the family.
I think his feathers and wings are SO beautiful!

Yesterday we had the funeral for Clint Philo Rasmussen. The casket was very tiny and Clay was the honorary paul-bearer. Here is Jess and Jered with the tiny casket.

The onesie is the one Jessica made for Jered for Father's day- she made three different ones and this one was for Clint.
Here is my family. I didn't really think that I was going be emotional- but it's amazing how when you sing primary songs in a cemetery how you are touched. We know that Clint is our angel and will do his part to help us here in our mortal experience.

Rasmussen Twins

2011-09-25T17:55:00.005-07:00

Here is baby Clay with the proud and happy Daddy. This was the night after they were born.

Here is the happy and proud Mommy with Clay.

Here is baby Clay. 3 lbs. 5 oz. and 16 1/2 in.

Here is baby Jerica 3 lbs. 11 oz. 17 in.

Jerica's little foot on Daddy's finger.

Clay's foot on Mommy's finger.

The twins were born around noon on September 20th. Jerica and Clay are very healthy and doing well. Daniel and I went and saw them on Friday and they are SO tiny! They are very precious and we are so blessed to have them in our family.
They were able to get some pictures of Clint and some hand prints and footprints along with some casts of his feet and hands. They will bury him on Saturday. The hospital made it as special as they could. It was a nice surprise because they were told that there wouldn't be much to his body, so they were blessed to have all of these little treasures to remember him by.

New blessings

2011-09-17T10:54:00.004-07:00

Daniel and I have been called to serve in the primary together. If this ward were to follow the pattern our previous ward would follow we would be teaching in a classroom but we've been called to serve as the music people. Daniel, of course, is the pianist and I've been called as the chorister.
We are excited for having this experience together and look forward to it.
The Lord must have decided that we don't spend enough time together so not only will we be serving in church together, Daniel and I carpool to work now. :)
When Daniel was being set-apart last week he was also given a beautiful blessing that comforted us both. He was told that he would find permanent employment down an avenue he hadn't thought of yet.
The next day at work I was talking with Gwendelynn, my awesome library assistant at the Jr. High (who really runs the place because I spend so much teaching time at the elem.) and she mentioned that she would need a sub coming up. Well that reminded me to remind Daniel to get a hold of our principal to sub at our school. So I starting texting Daniel to remind him. He texts me back and says that he is coming to sub at 9:30 at the Jr. High.
Jim Freeland- the principal asked Daniel to come talk with him after school was over. Jim asked Daniel if he would talk a part time position at the school teaching technology courses. They told him that he would have a three month probationary period to see that everyone is happy etc, and if a position became available in Daniel's area that they would be able to consider her for the position before others. This way he would also be getting teaching experience in the school.
To make a long story short Daniel is now teaching at Providence Hall Jr. High part time and we hope that this can lead to full time permanent employment.
As you serve the Lord and do the simple things that He asks, He always poors out more blessings. He may not do it on the time table we feel is necessary but He will always come through. It is always nice to see that direct correlation of living on lots of faith and then seeing the blessings come in!

My Sister Jessica

2011-07-31T11:31:00.003-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post my sister Jessica is expecting triplets. Ever since they told Jessica she would be having three she has been very open to the possibility that she wouldn't necessarily get to have all three. What a blessing for her.
She went to her regular 2 week appointment on Wednesday and they found that her twin boys had Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome- basically one twin is getting all the nutrients and fluid and the other twin is not. In this case two weeks earlier everything was fine and then at her checkup they found that baby A- Clint- had no bladder and that baby B- Clay- was doing all the work of purifying the fluid and blood. Baby C- Jerica, has been fine.
Jessica and Jered flew to Texas- Houston- for a procedure- this is how to explain it- provided by Wikipedia: "TTTS can also be treated by surgery during pregnancy, using fetoscopy to find the interconnecting blood vessels, and a laser beam to coagulate the blood in these vessels, blocking them. This is called fetoscopic laser ablation, and is only performed in a few hospitals worldwide.^{[citation needed]} Outcomes vary widely from case to case, but as of this writing statistics of fetoscopic laser ablation indicate a 90% chance that at least one twin will survive and 70% for both." They told her when they arrived at looked at ultrasounds (hours worth) that there was a strong possibility that she could lose both of the twins or one or the other of the twins. She was at a stage 3 of 5- the next stage would imply heart failure of baby Clint and/or baby Clay.
Jessica has been on blood thinners from close to the beginning of her pregnancy- when she had blood clots. They gave her 24 hours to run the medicine through her system- but her blood was still very thin and lost a lot of blood. The actual procedure seemed to go as well as expected.
This morning my mom called and gave me an update on their situation- the procedure had done it's job of separating the twin boys in hopes that the body would start with helping Clint out by making his body develop and do the work needed. She told me that yesterday Jess told her that baby Clint's heart was fluttering- not really beating.
Jessica texted me this morning saying that baby Clint's heart had stopped, but because of the surgery it should make it so the other two can grow and develop until they decide to do the c-section for the other two.
It's sad news- but having the gospel is a comfort in knowing that we will get to know Clint one day and that he is Jessica and Jered's for eternity!
I don't know how Jered is taking all of this- but I know that he tried to give Jess a blessing a while back and knew that their trials with this pregnancy weren't over. Bless them- the Lord is in the details and we will just rely on him as much as possible!

Little Update

2011-07-19T06:38:00.005-07:00

Hey there-
Well, today we finally close on our house. We are excited for this opportunity and look forward to this! Here is an outside picture of our new home to be. It looks much bigger than it is- it's probably the garage that makes it look that way. It is a really nice home and it will be great to make it our own. The ward seems great. We look forward to getting to know them better.

We had a crazy busy weekend- but it was so fun! We headed down to Fish Lake with most of my siblings for the weekend. Now, I must tell you that Daniel doesn't really enjoy camping and so the fact that he willingly wen with me was exciting. Not only did he go camping but he made breakfast for everyone, with help from Kurlayna. We attended church there at the lodge and headed home. We got home Sunday and hit the sack after a shower.
We woke up at 5 AM and got ready to drive up to Bear Lake to spend time with Daniel's extended family. We met at Aunt Cathy's cabin for a big outdoor breakfast, visiting, and I even went down a zip line for the first time. After that we went down to the lake. We didn't pack beach gear because with our house closing soon we weren't sure se would even be able to stay for the beach. Daniel and I decided to try our hand at kayaking, they were only one-man kayaks so we couldn't go together. Daniel almost fell in getting into his kayak- but he didn't let that stop him. We both learned how to do it and I think we both had some fun!

The rest of this week will be packing and moving. New adventure, here we come!

Lots going on

2011-06-07T08:03:00.003-07:00

Hey All-
I am finally done teaching for this year, which means I have a bit of time to share what's going on with us.
I have accepted a full time position at my school teaching in both the junior high and elementary libraries. I will finally be what I wanted when I grew up, well the career part anyway! I am super excited and stoked about it! WOOT WOOT!
Daniel, however, has not had good luck that way. His school that he is currently at has not asked him back to teach next year, but we are actually happy about it. Let's just say, it's been a wonderful learning experience and we are excited for Daniel to practice what he's learned in a different school. He had an interview last week and one coming up tomorrow. We know that the Lord is in it and will place him where he needs him.
We are also thinking about buying a house. We've gone out looking, but I have had a hard time with it. I don't want to purchase something in one place when we don't know where Daniel will be, you know?
Two of my sisters are pregnant and are expecting at the end of the year. Jessica is pregnant with triplets, two identical boys and a girl. Jessica and Jered have been married 11 years this August and we are super excited for them. She is due in November but due to the fact there are more than one, they will take them c-section as soon as they are ready. She will be put on bed rest. My sister Rushel is pregnant and is due in December.
My brother Cameron will be moving back home to Salina with his family. They will live with Laith in my parent's place until they get a place to rent down there.
My mom and Kurlayna are serving a mission in the Family history center down town and are really loving it.

Catch Up

2011-03-06T16:41:00.002-07:00

Hey there, it's way over due time for me to type up what's been happenin' in our lives since the beginning of the new year. 2011 seems to be going very quickly. We both got sick with the flu in January- Erica had Civil Rights Day to get better but Daniel had to miss a few days of work the next week.
In February Erica got to go to Denver for a Love and Logic conference. Talk about an eye-opener. It's a good and sad moment when you realize that you are not being the educator you hoped to be and see that there is room for improvement. I suppose that doesn't just happen to "teachers" that happens to people in life as well. It was a wonderful experience and is helping to transform the way that I look at life and people and I am loving seeing the true principles that are in this philosophy.
There have been many changes at Providence Hall. We are expanding to a Jr. high and so now we have a new principal and a new administration format and I am loving it!
Daniel is enjoying teaching!
We went to the temple last week because our cousin was gong through for the first time. It was super exciting to see Erica's siblings that she wasn't expecting to come up. Laith, Kari, and Jess came up and we did dinner afterward!
Life is Great!
We had a get together with some of Erica's mission buddies last night. It was good to see them.

Christmas Card 2010

2010-12-04T21:06:00.002-07:00

Just in case I don't get around to all of you this year- Happy Holidays! We took these pics in my Aunt Beth's yard on Thanksgiving day. Their yard is so beautiful even when it's been snowed on. We wish you the merriest and happiest of year this 2011. All our Love- Daniel and Erica.

Providence Hall on the News (2 days in a row!)

2010-09-24T18:17:00.003-07:00

I don't know how many of you understand how blessed and spoiled I feel to be teaching at Providence Hall ! The school I work for is a dream come true! A FANTASTIC administration, wonderful board, fantastic students, WONDERFUL parents, and great expectations and curriculum. We've been on the news the past two days. We were on the news yesterday on KSL 5 for the Read Today program. Chopper 5 and Pizza! I had a number of students saying "this is the best day EVER!" Here is the blurp that was on the news. You can actually see me walking over to talk with one of my students. I'm wearing Green of course Watch it here .
Today we were on the news on KSL 5 at 6 because of the fire story that has been covered in Herriman the past week. Each of our students wrote a thank you note and we were lucky enough to have our SBO's personally deliver them on the news today. The clip is here. Many of the students were personally affected by this fire! Our school building sits just East of the mountain that was on fire. My aide as well as a number of my students were evacuated from their homes! I am just so GLAD that none of them were hurt or lost their homes! Thanks Firemen!
THANKS Providence Hall I really think you are the greatest school and I am so blessed to be a part of it! I couldn't ask for anything more!

School Canceled

2010-09-20T06:38:00.002-07:00

I think if I were a student at my school I'd be more excited than I am as a teacher. When my dear friends Candalyn and Daphne called me stating that we would not be having school today I was kind of bummed. I think I'm really weird. I LOVE what I do and I was really put out that we wouldn't be going to work today because of the major wild fire in Herriman. Check out photos at www.ksl.com
It is nice to be home and work on some projects that need some serious attention and time :)

We are Real People

2010-08-26T20:31:00.003-07:00

Dear World,
I just wanted to let you know that Daniel and I have graduated and become REAL people. That's right, we now have a computer, a color printer, and we're connected to the internet! Miracles happen, not to mention we finally bought an ironing board after almost 4 years of marriage.
We look forward to further days in the world of REAL people!

Daniel got a Job!!!

2010-07-28T20:21:00.002-07:00

For those of you that still read this on occasion, I just wanted to pass on the good news that Daniel has finally become employed at a school teaching history/social studies. He will be teaching at Beehive Science and Technology Academy!!! We are super excited and thank all of you for your prayers and love!!!

All is Well

2010-03-27T14:57:00.003-07:00

Hello world! I know that this is a shock that I would even post anything on here- but look- it's happening. Things are going well for us! We are Busy with a capital B "and the rhymes with T and that stands for trouble!" I'm busy teaching- Daniel's busy subbing and we're busy living!

Christmas Card 2009

2009-12-06T17:45:00.003-07:00

Here is our Christmas card from us to you this holiday season!

Hello from Salt Lake City! Our year has been a busy one! After moving here to the “BIG CITY” we have had a lot change. Daniel finished off his ESL endorsement and we hope that this will open some doors for job opportunities! He has been substituting for Granite and Jordan school districts.
Erica loves her job- even though it is very time consuming and exhausting. Who would have thought a career would do that to someone? J She is in a dream job in a dream school with a dream faculty and staff!
Daniel is busy with being the Primary pianist and Erica is currently working with a fantastic Relief Society presidency as the secretary!
May you have a happy and safe 2010!

All our love,
Daniel and Erica Downs

Providence Hall on the News

2009-09-28T11:04:00.004-07:00

On Sep. 11 my school was a part of a evacuation drill. Here is Fox's coverage of the day. Principal Johnson is on the second clip!

Fox’s initial report:

https://admin.providencehall.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=dea31579e8364fe189d0ceec5a2d10aa&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.fox13now.com%2fvideobeta%2fwatch%2f%3fwatch%3d2fbe0aaf-e47e-4692-8376-6dca344bf9f3%26src%3dfront

Principal Johnson on the news:

Time is going fast

2009-07-25T20:22:00.002-07:00

I just thought I'd update you on some things. Daniel and I both received new callings. Daniel has been called to be the primary pianist. I have been called as the Relief Society secretary. We have been pretty busy with these callings and with family!

Daniel's brother Dylan will be heading back to Japan next week and my sister's wedding festivities are all over and I hope to be able to have a calmed down life. But, then school will be starting up soon!

School is Out- when will Vactaion begin?

2009-06-19T11:43:00.003-07:00

I finished off the school year last Friday (June 12th) and haven't even had a minute to breathe since! My sister is getting married on the 27th and my mom needs lots of help to get things done. I told Rushel (my sis) that as soon as I was done with school I was hers to do with for the weddin'. So Monday I slept in and then Daniel and I headed down to my mom's to help get the yard ready for the reception as well as everything else that needs to get done :)

I love my sister Rushel a whole lot! She's been my hero ever since I can remember. She went on a mission- I went on a missioin. She was Speech and Drama Sterling Scholar- I was Speech and Drama Sterling Scholar. She went to Snow College- I went to Snow College. She's a teacher- I'm a teacher. She has been the sibling I've probably spent the most time with. I am so excited that after so many years and all that she has found Bryan Stinson. I took their engagement photos and thought I'd post a few because of how cute they are!

My vaction will have to wait for July! Daniel's brother is coming in from Japan for that month, so maybe I won't get a vacation afterall- but I'll be with fam and that's what matters most!

Hey All

2009-04-04T12:49:00.002-07:00

We are enjoying conference in cold antarctic Logan. We've been busy! I got over my strep and have been back with my little angels. I only have to work 3 days next week for which I am grateful and look forward to reading the 4th Fablehaven book.
Daniel had an interview and we hope it results in a teaching position! That's what's going on!

Pictures to come!

Too Much to do and Too Little Time

2009-03-18T10:54:00.002-07:00

I'm sure many of you have thought that the Downs family has fallen off the earth. Well, not exactly. We just don't have interent access at home and I can't blog at my computer at school. We do have library cards and try to go there occasionly now. The only reason I have "time" to do this is because, thanks to my angels I have STREP THROAT! BLAH! I forgot what it was like to be so sick. Luckily, my mother gave me some Body Talk to overcome it faster :) I am STILL very grateful for anti-biotics, however.
Lots has been going on and I have pictures to prove it, they are just on my computer in Herriman. Daniel and got a couch and chair for $190 on Valentine's day- which included the delivery. He also came and saw me at school on the 13th- which was SUPER sweet!
We got some nice lamps that were very much needed in our front room. Daniel put some bookshelves together, all by himself. He even made a cake on his own the other day.
We've been having fun going back and forth to see one another's families. We've done things with mine, such as murder mysertery's. The one from this weekend was all super heros and Laith wrote it- lots of fun!
Daniel's family is still in the cold but we've enjoyed going up and having dinner and talking with them once a month and then moving more of our stuff down. We're almost done!
Any way- I love my job. Daniel is enjoying subbing for Granite school district! We're alive and almost well :)

Craziness

2009-01-17T12:27:00.002-07:00

I apologize for the fact that I haven't posted for quite some time! The computer I use for work doesn't allow me to even look at blogger so I don't really have a way to post :)!! Things are going well with us. Daniel is taking one ESL class through USU extension here in SLC. I am busy teaching school. I get up about 5:30 every morning and head to school. I come home about 6 or so in the evening. I hope to soon have everything somewhat under control so that I can get more sleep. Our grades are due the end of the month and I have a lot of things that haven't been recorded so I have to do lot of work clear back from November.

I LOVE my job! I work with some really great little people! I can see the Mount Oquiruh and Jordan River temples from my classroom window. I will post a pic when I get time to take one. I have 25 students that keep me laughin'. I had a honeymoon period of about 2 days and now they are right to being squiggly little people.

Our ward is full of a lot of young couples, young families, and older couples. I think it will be a great experience for us!

Now you know :)

Graduation

2008-12-22T16:36:00.010-07:00

I know- I graduated over a week ago- but things have been very busy with us. We've been packing, cleaning, moving- unpacking soon. Ah- what a season to do it! Any way- Graduation was real nice- the weather was cold and wet with snow- leave it to Logan. I suppose I should be used to it here in Utah State Territory.

My parents and two of my sisters came up- and made it home safely afterward. It was only 1.5 hours long- pretty short I thought! Anyway- here are some pics.

Here I am with my dear friend Erin Druce- we were so happy to be sitting next to each other! She and I spent a lot of time together during student teaching.

Here I am with my HANDSOME HUSBAND! Yeah babe- we did it!

The second college Grad with my very pleased parents! WAHOO!

The first college grad- wearing her robe and cap. I graduated from the university she always wanted to get her degree from. The other teacher in the fam!

My little sister- she'll be graduating from high school in the spring. WAHOO!

This post is not considered complete until this photo is put on. These are probably my three closest friends from the program. All of us are currently employed (Candalyn the one with the cute glasses on is my next door "neighbor" teacher. She is getting me through a lot- You rock!) I miss these girls (those I don't see) Erin, the one next to me is teaching in 3rd Grade at Lewiston Elementary. Whitney (on the other end) is teaching 1st grade at Willard Elementary! We did it ladies!

Graduation Announcement!

2008-12-05T17:59:00.004-07:00

Well- as all of you know I am a "do-it-yourself" kind of a person. Well, grad announcements were no acception. They didn't turn out exactly as I had intended- they got a bit blurry- but I think it turned out fun anyway! Here you have it if I don't ever get one to you in the mail ;)!!

Here is a photo of Molly and I telling the tale of "Old Ephraim" for our Cache Valley Day. The kids really liked it- and I thought this was a good photo!

We're Spreadin' the News

2008-11-25T18:45:00.001-07:00

Well, we will be moving, it looks like. I accepted a job at Providence Hall teaching first grade. I start on January 5th. So that means Daniel and I will be spending our Thanksgiving break apartment hunting. Thank heavens for the internet- it has helped us narrow down our search! I am really excited! For one thing, a dear friend of mine from the El Ed program will be teaching there in the same grade level and starting the same time as me! Candalyn- you will be my comfort!
We are really excited and nervous about our big move! We will be a lot closer to some dear friends and to my family, so that will be nice. We feel this is the right move, it was my first interview for my career and I don't believe it to be a coincidence that I was selected for the position. We also are hoping that this will give Daniel a chance to get hired on as a teacher!
So that's our news!

Prop 8 Video

2008-10-31T11:55:00.006-07:00

This was something sent to me that I found interesting and I felt I needed to share it!

Pumpkin Time

2008-10-31T11:08:00.003-07:00

So we went to the Pumpkin Walk in North Logan again this year- it was a lot of fun! My favorite was probably the Noah's Ark scene- they put a lot of work into it and made it so fun! Daniel's favorite was the Andy Griffth show- his aunt and uncle helped on it too.

Here are this years pumpkins from us:
If you can't tell who they are- I will help you ;) I did Bunson Honeydew and Daniel painted Beaker- for those MUPPET lovers out there I need say no more- but as I've discovered there are few people who even know who Kermit the Frog is. These are the guys from Muppet Labs "Where the future is being made today"

Here's your closeup Beaker!

And here is Bunson- the green isn't quite the right color- but you get the idea, right?

On Sunday we had our Primary Program- that went really well! I felt bad that Mary (the Pres.) had a horrible night on Sat. and wasn't able to sleep much. I guess I've done performances to know that it generally get's "pulled off" just fine!

Wednesday I had a "career" interview (for teaching) at a Charter school in Herriman. It's called Providence Hall and sounds really great. I would be teaching 1st grade (the ones I adore) if it turns out that he liked me enough. He told me that he was intersted and I would be hearing from him. I did notice afterward, however I had 2 spelling goobers on my resume so I suppose we'll see!

Daniel has been busy with working some serious overtime this week. I suppose we need the funds because we spent some on fixing my car up to sell it to my brother and his wife. Heavenly Father blesses you if you pay your tithing and you do as you should!

That's about all from us! God Bless!

Who To Vote For

2008-10-20T11:55:00.003-07:00

Daniel and I have been talking a lot about the elections. We feel that our choices aren't that great- so we are talking about which are the lesser of the two evils. I just saw this site on a blog and took the quiz to help me decide if I'm really thinking what I think I'm thinking (if that makes sense) try it out: http://www.whoshouldyouvotefor.com/
I feel very strongly about the abortion situation, especially after reading the Ensign article written by Elder Nelson, entitled: Abortion: An Assault on the Defenseless Click and read if you haven't had the chance! As Daniel and I have talked it's very apparent to us that we as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints cannot vote for someone who supports abortion! This is something that we are VERY much against!We know the church's stance on this issue and therefore feel that as we have faith to voice our opinon in this vote, that we will be blessed. We know the sanctity of life and marriage- both of which are being attacked this nomination and feel that we must vote to uphold those views in America. Just a thought for you!

Forever Long Post

2008-10-20T11:06:00.009-07:00

I'm so sorry about my absence on my blog- but you must all understand that I feel pretty darn lucky to be hear doing it now. I don't get to play on the internet like I used to and this is why it's been forever.

Things have been very busy for the Downs! I've just finished my first block of student teaching. I will miss my little fourth grade friends but look forward to playing with the third graders! Luckily I am in the same school and will be able to see my little pals!

I've learned a great deal about myself and about how I work with others whether they be adult or child! Yeah for experience!

Molly and I have been a little busier then usual lately! I got to perform something for Lily's birthday (Marie's Baby) and we had a blast! I've never done it for 1 year olds before! I also did a little something with my students as well!

For primary a little while back we did a carnival- I made the 10 ft Goliath about 2 hours before the party- I am INSANE but it was loads of fun! I still have him if anyone needs to borrow him for anything ;)

I went to UEA with my sister Evyann (Rushel) and I won an office chair from Staples! I'm glad we went together! We had a day of fun on Thursday with my mom and Friday we did whatever we wanted- including Lunch at the Mayan.

We went down to spend time with my family for conference. I helped my mother and sister bottle so many peaches and grapes! We also went to JJWD to finish spending our money there from when we were married!

The most exciting of our events was probably our birthdays. Daniel was the best and got me a Cricut Expressions- that's the big one that does awesome stuff! WAHOO! He also got me Kung Fu Panda for PS2 and I really wanted that! I got him Lego Batman, NBA Live 08 and The Forbidden Kingdom. Then I took him out to dinner to a Chinese Buffet he REALLY LIKES!

This past weekend Daniel had to work on Saturday but afterward we went down to SLC to spend some time with his sister and go to his cousin's farewell! We spent time with them and I enjoyed gettting to know them all a little better since they don't get together often! Thanks for the great time Downs Fam!

Just a Minute to Post

2008-09-27T14:28:00.001-07:00

I knew that this term was going to be really fun and really crazy. I'm about done with my first teaching block with the 4th grade! I've really enjoyed it. But I feel like I don't have time to do anything I need to besides get ready for the next day and try to keep my house from becoming shambles. Any way, Daniel and I are just staying SUPER busy. I'll get pics from our Primary carnival up soon. It was lots of fun!

Fast Paced Life

2008-09-11T17:19:00.003-07:00

Having the summer to read, think, and relax made me forget how busy life really is. The past few weeks at Summit have been loads of fun and loads of work. Last week with Labor Day threw me off completely to the point I missed my primary meeting and felt horrible the rest of the week.

This week each night has been filled up with a number of things.
Monday I went to the Doc because I've had pains in my side since my mission and they were hurting pretty bad on Sunday- they just think I've got some bowel problems that don't seem too serious.

Tuesday I had my primary meeting and Daniel had class.
Wednesday I went straight from Summit to my seminar and then straight to the house to feed the missionaries.

Today is the first day I had time to get to a computer and really focus on what I need to get done for my unit on Rock and Minerals starting Monday. To say the least I am overwhelmed- I'll get chilled out eventually but right now I'm overwhelmed!

Other then that I love working with the kids in the 4th grade. They have been a lot of fun and we're learning a lot together! My co-op teacher is really a great guy and has been pretty helpful! I'm learning a whole lot! I can't believe how fast my time is going here- I'm sad and grateful all at the same time!

Wrapping Up the Summer

2008-08-18T09:38:00.008-07:00

This last weekend we went my old Snow Roomie, Annie's, reception! We saw some of my close roomies and it was loads of fun! I'm silly I didn't even get a pic of the bride and her groom! We are very excited to add Wade to the group of friends! We spent the night with Michelle and Dallas. We watched the Olympics and talked about old times.

Daniel and I got up the next morning and went to the Hogle Zoo. We are sad that they no longer have a lion or even hippos. But the White Alligator was really neat to see. It was nice for him to take me on a date somewhat spontaneously!

Sunday we got together with our old bishop and friends from the ward we met in. We had such a good time being with them and feeling their spirits!

The week before all of this, my sister Kurlayna came up and played with us for a week. She and I went and finished her school shopping and took it easy. Then we went down to our cousins wedding and had dinner with my parents and sister Rushel! We've been busy trying to get ready for school that starts next week!

Cherished Reunions

2008-07-23T10:42:00.007-07:00

I love it when I get the chance to get together with old friends that I haven't seen or been able to chat with for a while. Well this last weekend was full of them. We had the fishbowl reunion in Mountain Green Friday night! There were a whole bunch of fun friends there to visit with and enjoy each other's company. We had a BBQ and roasted starbursts and mallows. It was good to visit and laugh at how silly we are and have been. After the crew went home we spent the night there with Annie and Wade (we were chaperoning). The highlite was when the sprinklers turned on at 5 AM. We laughed about that for quite sometime. We are excited for you Annie and Wade, you totally complete each other!

Saturday morning we had pancakes with Annie and Wade and then went down to SLC to spend some time with Emily, Daniel's sister! We visited and played a little PS2. It was fun to see her new apartment and kitties!

In the afternoon we got together with some of my high school buddies that I've not seen for quite some time. We ate at the Old Spahgetti Factory and walked around Trolley Square. It was so great to see everyone!

I loved being with my old friends and having my best friend join in on all the fun! Daniel, thanks for always accepting my friends as your own! I love you!

Sayonara Dylan, You'll Be Missesd

2008-07-23T10:37:00.006-07:00

It has been lots of fun to have Dylan (Daniel's Brother) in town from Japan. He's been here for just over a month and it's been good to get to know him better. It was fun to have the whole Downs crew together for some time. We spent a lot of time together eating, visiting, playing games, and watching movies. We will miss you Dylan! Have a good time, and Sianara!

Spinsis Date Weekend

2008-07-14T15:12:00.002-07:00

I know this looks like just Tanner and my Spinsis (short for Spinster Sister, it's a long story) on a date, but I happend to be with them on this one. Friday night the girls of the family went to the Ute Stampede Rodeo- Tanner was the only Holt boy with us. Poor kid got sick in Rushel's car though and puked all over the back seat. Not the best way to end a date.

I went down to Springville to be with Rushel (Evyann) on Thursday in the afternoon. We went out to lunch and then went home to work on some projects. We spent that whole weekend getting things ready for my sharing time and my substitute teaching coming up shortly. Friday we took time out for the rodeo and then Saturday we finished things up and went to a show at Desert Star. We got a lot done and had some great quality sister time! I missed Daniel something fierce, but we made it through! Daniel I love you so much and thank you once again for making the sacrifices in your life that make me happy!

Hangin' out like Kids

2008-07-05T12:21:00.036-07:00

WARNING: LONG POST!!

This past week we've been spending with our nieces and nephews. On June 28th we went and watched the new Indiana Jones movie. Then we went over to Amy and Mario’s place for Hanna’s birthday! We had a lot of fun with them eating good food and watching Hanna open her gifts. All of Daniel’s family was there so that was a fun thing that doesn’t happen often, because Dylan lives in Japan and Emily is in SLC.

After we partied with them we went down to Sandy to pick up my niece Madysen and two of her brothers Joey and Tanner. They were pretty darn good for the hour and half drive back to Logan. Part of the fun of their visit was that they a variety of options when it came to where they were going to sleep.

Sunday morning we woke up and got everyone ready for church. We had a fun day. I taught Sharing time, which was fun to teach my visitors. I had made six manila folder games that you can take to church for them to use during sacrament. Joey made some friends that sat by us at church. They loved seeing Uncle Daniel playing the organ and continually waved at him. After church we had some grilled cheese sandwiches. Daniel went home teaching for a bit so we went outside and lied on a blanket and read books. When he got home we decided to go up to first dam and feed the ducks, geese, and seagulls. The kids had such a fun time doing that! We stopped by the temple on the way home, and I’d never gone up there on Sunday, so I didn’t realize that the gates were locked and the fountain was off. We walked around it and took pictures anyway. The kids took some pictures with my camera, which they really liked. We went home and watched Around the World in 80 Days with Jackie Chan. I made some dinner and we played for a bit and then went to bed.

Monday we woke up and had a big breakfast. I made some potatoes and gravy (which ended up tasting NASTY) and we went and bought some fried chicken. We went to Willow Park and played there. We took our walkie-talkies and the kids play with those for a bit. We had lunch with Dylan and the kids kept begging Daniel to put them up in the tree. Joey was trying to get down so that we could go to the Zoo. Joey was getting down with the help of Dylan. They weren’t positioned well and Joey fell. He hit his rear on the root of a tree and you could tell it hurt. I stayed out of the zoo and waited for Joey to get feeling better.

Then we went into the zoo. It was really hot so I don’t know how much fun the kids had. Afterward we went to Aggie Ice Cream. Joey and Madysen got two scoops. Joey got mint chocolate chip and cookie dough. Madysen got two scoops of bubblegum. Tanner got a scoop of Orange Sherbet. That was fun and refreshing. We went to the library and let them check out a book each.

Tuesday was a big day. We woke up early and got our stuff together for Bear Lake. We left at 8. The kids were so excited to go to the “beach.” They collected sea shells, built sand castles and motes with Uncle Daniel and went out in the water for a little bit. We had lunch and played there until about 2:45. They all fell asleep on the way home, which was happy news. We took the rest of the day easy.

Wednesday was their last day with us in Cache valley. We went back up to the temple grounds and looked around. We took some fun pictures there. Afterward we went up to campus to show them around. We stopped at the French Fry Sculpture. Then we went over to Edith Bowen to look at the library. I visited with one of my instructors that works there. Then we let them play on the playground. Daniel took a long drive to Providence. We pulled up to the movie theater and they all got super excited. We took them to see Kung Fu Panda, it was cute. Afterward we wanted to take them somewhere to eat but it took a while for us to all decide together. We went to Panda Express, perfect fit for the day, don’t you think. The kids also had a water fight with water balloons. They had a good time with that. We also went and tried to fly kites. Afterward we roasted mini-marshmallows for mini smores. They loved that. Then it was time to get things cleaned up and packed away to go to Grandma’s house.

Thursday morning came way too fast. We got up and going and packed everything into the car then we headed south for 3 ½ hours to Salina. The kids did surprisingly well for that long in a car. We were glad to make it to Grandma’s and play. I was glad to let some other adults help us watch them for a bit. J I helped my mom get things ready for camping that night. We went up the mountain at Rex’s Reservoir and pitched our tents, had dinner, and went to bed.

Friday we got up and dressed, took down the tents, and ate breakfast. I got on a horse for the first time in 2 years and went for a ride or two. The younger two kids got in the stream and played in it. We packed up and headed down the mountain. Then we packed the kids back in our car and dropped them off at home in Elk Ridge. We had lots of fun with them and we look forward to having them for a vacation next year.

Patience

2008-07-03T13:39:00.004-07:00

Friday night my dear old roomie Patience came and spent the night. She lives in DC now but we loved having her come and play! Can't wait to play again Pache!

Our Shortcuts

2008-06-27T14:21:00.010-07:00

So I mentioned that Daniel and I both got haircuts a week ago. There have been some people who wanted to see what happened to us, so here are some photos. Like I have said before, I've never gone this short before, so it's taking a little getting used to. I don't miss it quite yet, but I think after a few months of not even being able to braid it may begin to bother me. Mine has very nice for the summer time.

Daniel’s is just the way he likes it. His hair grows so fast that it’s nice when we go short enough that we can wait a while before we need to be chopping it again.

It's also been a while since we've taken pictures of us for just for no reason at all. So since the camera was already out and we were trying to kill some time before we went to the temple, I sat up the camera and away we went, just for fun.

Six Word Memoir

2008-06-25T11:07:00.001-07:00

Chanel tagged me to write a six word memoir. I’d never heard of these before but we shall try it. Here are the rules: Six word memoir are like these ones at http://www.smithmag.net/sixwords/ .

The rules of the challenge are:

1. Write your own six word memoir.

2. Post it on your blog and use a visual illustration if you would like.

3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible.

4. Tag five more blogs with links.

5. leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

I challenge Taniell, TK, Kenna, Jan, and Toni.

Here's mine:
Country girl trapped in the city.

Mormon Miracle

2008-06-23T11:13:00.011-07:00

As is tradition, Daniel and I went down to watch the Mormon Miracle Pageant on Friday. This is a tradition Daniel really likes, so we will continue to go. We got out of Logan at about 4 that day but didn’t get down to eat at what was formerly Fat Jack’s (Now it’s Roy’s Pizza). The food was so tasty, and Daniel told me he forgot how good it tastes. This is helpful for our budget I’ll tell you. Then we went and chose seats at the hill of my favorite temple- Manti. I didn’t happen to get any really good photos of the temple because we got there so late. My little sister, Kurlayna and my old roomie (that never lived with me) Marlayna came up and watched it with us. We crashed at Jessica and Jered’s that night.

Saturday we got up and Jessica gave us both haircuts. Daniel’s was a little shorter than normal for the summer months. Mine is REALLY shorter than normal. As a matter of fact I’ve never cut my hair this short, but I’ve wanted to donate my hair to Locks of Love ever since my Aunt LeAnne passed away. I cut off 11 inches. It’s nice for a change. Daniel thought he’d be disappointed but he was pleasantly surprised. Then we went to hang-out with my parents. Mom and I spent a lot of time talking about blogs and family history stuff. Daniel and I practiced the song I was going to sing in church the next day as well. I went out to dig up some Iris rhizomes for my mother in-law with my mom and dad. We cut some up near the pond when daddy noticed a snake skin in the pond. So then we began hunting for them. We found many more skins and three snakes that were making a living off of Mom and Dad’s fish. It’s silly to say but it was actually really fun to hunt for them- I even caught one with the net.

Sunday Daniel accompanied me in Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing for the special musical number in my sister’s ward and my Mom and Dad, and little sister even came and saw me sing. That was special.

Spencer Reunion

2008-05-30T12:23:00.013-07:00

This is my nephew Tanner. I love that kids can entertain themselves at family reunions when all the adults are talking about boring stuff. He's a little monkey. Of course he stopped climbing when I turned on my camera- but that's okay.

This is my incredibly hysterical brother Laith. He was put on the auction as the auctioneer and did a smashing job, don’t you think?

Because Tanner wanted to bid at the auction so bad Grandpa (my dad) bought him a kite for $2. Then Aunt Erica took him out to fly his Spiderman kite. We kept him happily occupied for a really long time.

If any of you need help in planning an unforgettable reunion please let me know. My mother is phenomenal at planning reunions and might be starting up a website.

Student Teaching Placement

2008-05-21T12:40:00.004-07:00

I recieved my student teaching placements for this fall. I will be in the 4th and 3rd grades at Summit Elementary in Smithfield. I'm really excited about this!! I've been in 3rd grade before and really enjoyed it. I've not been in 4th so it will be a new and fun experience. I've decided where ever I am placed as a teacher or librarian I'm gonna be happy. If I'm in the lower grades I'll love working with their curiosity and ambitoin to learn. If I'm with the older grades I'll love the curriculum and such. Of course in the Library I can do all of these things.
Any way- I'm so excited to know where I'll be so that I can use the rest of my summer in the effort of getting focused, reading books to use and becoming familar with the core!
Wahoo! Watch out Summit, here I come!

The New Car

2008-05-08T07:30:00.007-07:00

Well, here it is folks. A 2006 Nissan Sentra. Since our brake down incident on our way to the mission reunion, we've been encouraged to go car shopping and look for something more reliable. We've had 3 brake down situations since we've known each other. I thought was considerably low, but since we've only known each other for 2 years, I suppose that could be high.

So we began hunting for something with less than 50k miles and under $10k. We were thinking about getting a Hunyadi, but looked around at all sorts of things. There were some really good deals with people on ksl.com and around town, but none of them seemed to work out. So we went with Daniel’s dad to some smaller dealers and ended up at Deals on Wheels. They were really great prices and a great salesman who was trying to give us what we were looking for.

So yesterday Daniel and I decided on the Sentra and we went and got it. Now we get to pay his parents back, but who better to be in debt to then family?

Now we just have to come up with a name for it. If you have any suggestions send them our way!

Let's Go Fly a Kite

2008-04-29T11:02:00.009-07:00

Yesterday Daniel and I took the kites we bought in January out for their first flight. I know, most people do it in March, but our weather here in Cache Valley has been a month behind. Any way ~ If you don't know, Daniel and I are really big kids. Daniel has only flown kites once before in his life, and I, as the wonderful wife that I am, took it upon myself to make sure Daniel has a variety of childish activities to help him stay young and fun.

I must confess, Daniel actually kept his kite in the air much longer than I did. Mine had taken a number of nose dives and had torn up at the top, so I think it's because my kite had received flying wounds that it was struggling to stay in the air.

We started flying our kites at our apartment complex- there was enough space there that we thought we'd get some food flying, but because the buildings were obstructing our air flow we couldn't keep them in the air for very long, so we decided to go the the church to see if the open area in the back could help us out. When we got there, someone was playing Frisbee with their dog, and we didn't want the dog to attack our kites if they continued with the same flying record.

We went to Bridger Elementary, where I had spent some time for school. I knew that they had a huge field with no trees or power lines, perfect! When we got there, however, Daniel didn't make it to the field. He found the perfect spot and persuaded me to come and fly next to him, not too close, of course.

Daniel did keep SUPERMAN in the air, while I battle with POOH BEAR to keep him flying. At the end we seemed to keep them flying pretty well. I have to repair my rip from all the nose dives that happened, and then we'll be flying as good as new!

New Template

2008-04-24T12:27:00.001-07:00

So I'm not sure if this one will stay either- I'm having way too much fun creating things like this on my own- Let me know what you think. Also, if you think something fits us better then bamboo- let me know, who knows what's gonna happen?

The Car Saga Continues

2008-04-22T10:14:00.005-07:00

So on our way down to pick the GEO on Saturday we, yet again, experienced call trouble. When we hit about Ogden the car started to jolt forward and back, forward and back. I watched the RPM gage as Daniel was driving and found that the RPM’s would jump from 2 to 3, 2 to 3. So I knew there was something not going right for sure. Daniel wouldn’t play a prank like that because he wants to get to Salina as soon as we hit the road. I called my dad, but didn’t get an answer. I called mom and asked if she’d had any problems with the car before. She said she’d only gone as fast as 65 mph so she doesn’t know what it does any higher than that. Dad called me back and said maybe it was the transmission fluid. So we pulled over in Sandy, checked it and found all to be well. He said it was probably the fuel pump going out and to just “limp it home”. Well when we would set in on cruise it would do okay for a while but then we’d be chugging along again. Just outside of Springville the check engine light came on, so we pulled over and then all the lights went on. We turned the car off and then it turned on, so we just kept going, and it worked just like normal for about two minutes. Well, as we arrived at about Mona my brother Laith called and said they were in Levan and would wait for us to get there and then we’d decide what to do. The car was getting worse as we kept climbing the hills there. We would stop and turn off the car because it would give us a fresh start each time. We finally got to exit in Nephi and the car could barely make it to the Texaco. Laith came back from Levan and took it for a drive to see what was going on. I stayed in the car with Kari and made Daniel ride with Laith. I was so carsick that I couldn’t take it for another hour.

The rest of our weekend we spent on the road getting the Geo and driving home. We made it safely with no car problems and are glad to have that over with.

Oh yeah, and on Sunday I was called into the Bishop's office with Daniel, so I figured he was getting a new calling. I was wrong- I was called the be the second counselor in the Primary Presidency, lots of prayers my way, okay?!

GANM Reunion

2008-04-14T10:49:00.014-07:00

This past weekend was my mission reunion at the Brianhead Ski resort. My mission president owns a large cabin there and so we go and hangout with them for a weekend. Daniel and I headed down at about 3:30. We stopped in Payson to gas up the car and to grab a bite to eat. Then we hit I-15 again for another 2.5-3 hours of driving. We were clipping along just fine until 10 miles out of Parowan. (Brianhead is just up the canyon in Parowan.) The check engine light came on, then the battery and oil light. Daniel and I had checked the oil before we had left and I was pretty sure the battery wouldn’t die as we were driving along. We popped the hood and tried to figure out what the problem could be. To no avail (and not a surprise) we couldn’t figure out what the problem was. It was 8:50 and it was dark and cold. I called the cabin and talked with Tawni (my trainer) and asked if anybody there knew enough about cars to came take a look. She asked and nobody had anything to say. She told us to just leave there on the side of the road and that we would find somebody and go out first thing in the morning. I called Mike Perry (an elder I had served with) and they were about 20 miles behind us. When we got there we tried jumping the car, but that didn’t work. So we loaded all our stuff in their car and went to the cabin. As we went up the canyon we realized that his had been a blessing. There is no way that our little geo would have made it up those very curly and steep roads. We were grateful that he was taking care of us, but sad that it had happened. It was really hard to just forget it and party- by the time we got there it was late and Daniel was exhausted.
We went to bed and the next morning woke up in hopes to find some help. Pres. Smith asked if any of the elders knew anything. The only one that did was apparently in bed asleep still. I didn’t want to make a scene but at this point I was frustrated. I knew the Lord would take care of us, but I was having a tough time deciding what we should do next. So I called my mom, and of course I could hold the tears in no longer. I explained to mom what had happened and then called my dad for some advice. When I came back in I began looking up a number for a mechanic’s shop when President took action and got some elders together to help us out. The one with car experience had a truck and they took us out to look at our car. They thought that it had something to do with the fact that the car was getting no spark. They towed us into town and the mechanic said that it was the timing belt. So the geo is sitting in Parowan waiting to get fixed. We have to head down and get it this weekend. Once the car was towed and off of the interstate I was greatly relieved. Sad that they couldn’t fix it right that moment, but glad that nobody else towed it away.
Once we got back to the party we had a better time talking, watching a movie, and just taking it easy. The Perry’s said they would take us to Scipio where my mother would come to our rescue and take us home. My mom let us take her little car for the week.
Anyway- Daniel says he’s glad my parents don’t live in Parowan and 3 ½ hours isn’t too bad. It sounds like it’s time to go and get a reliable car, and AAA. J

President and Sister Smith created a mini zone conference for each of us to share our feelings, etc. They gave some really great advice and through such a great party, as they always do. I look up to them so much. They are so great to take care of everyone they meet and help them in any way they can. We are eternally connected as Sister Smith has always said.

Here are some photos of sisters I served with. It was so good to see many of them. I don't see hardly anybody from my mission and I love it when we all get together and have a chance to just relax and share.

Here I am with Crystal Sullivan. Although she and I were never companinons she and I spent most of our missions together. We lived together for about eight or nine months. I call her chuckles. It's the first time we've seen each other since my wedding. I love this girl and can't wait to hug her again!

Here we are again, being just a little bit silly. That's what we do best!

Here I am with Sister Shayla Allred. She was my very last companion. I tried to train her, but she happened to be pretty great and a natural missionary when she came out. I loved being able to catch up with her and find out about good ol' Provo. I adore this girl, what can I say more?

Here is a sad photo of me but a good one of Sister Michelle Bready. Michelle and I spent half of our missions together, only about 2 months of it as companions, however. She and I became very close, and she's probably the one I see and talk to from my mission the most. She's the grandest friend a girl could have.

Here I am with Sister Jamie Roberts. She was my thrid companion and we had such a great time together. She and I lived through a tornado warning together while we were in Hickory Flat. She and I saw very many wonderful and exciting miracles together. She's great!

Last but most defiantly not least. Here I am with Sister Tawni (Hanks) Smith. She was my trainer. She and I have many laughs together and I learned so much from her. I remember telling President Smith I wanted to be a missionary like her, but he told my I was only a three month missionary and I'd have to work for another three months to be where she's at. I think she's the greatest!

Kids say the Darndest Things!

2008-04-09T16:56:00.002-07:00

Today in class we made "Mexicali Soup." This is from a story that the third graders have been reading. It is a tomato based soup, it has potatots, green peppers, corn, and all sorts of beans- we put in black, pinto, and kidney beans.
There was one student in particular who didn't want to try any. I asked, "Is it because you don't like what's in it, that you don't want to taste any?" He said, "No, stuff like that does stuff to me." I knew right away what his concern was and said, "You won't have to worry about that, everyone else will have the same problem." He said, "Not like mine. Mine are really bad- they smell like rotten flesh, and rotten eggs." Where do kids come up with this stuff?
It actually tasted pretty good- and he did have just a taste. Later we were passing out orange dreambars for a snack and he said "I can't have one, I'm lactose intolerant."
I adore this student- he's in third grade but he can only read CVC words (consanant, vowel, consanant). He is so funny and has a great attitude even though he is WAY behind the rest of his class. I just hope he will keep his positive attitude so that he can do all the wonderful things he tells me he intends to when he's "grown up".

Practicum and So On

2008-03-28T16:53:00.003-07:00

It seems that I don't have time to just jump on the computer and play as much as I'd like to- so I'm just giving you an update on the Downs.
I've finished my second week of practicum and I'm EXHAUSTED- but loving it. These third graders sure try to keep you on your toes. Miss Luthi has been so fantastic and helpful in my learning. There are 26 students in the class and they were shocked at how fast I memorized their names. I work with a student who is just learning how to read- how he got to 3rd grade without that background still has us all wondering. I've been learning a lot of things that I was suppose to remember such as: times tables, cursive, and much much more.
Daniel is working hard at school and work. It looks like he won't be able to take any ESL courses this summer which makes us sad- it would be nice to have that 2/3 finished when he gets a job. We'll just have to see what the Lord has in store for us- where we'll end up and so forth!

A Night in Paris- Prom

2008-03-01T21:32:00.011-07:00

Daniel and I went to my little sister's prom the last day of Feb. It was actually really really fun. Daniel never went to prom- so I was flattered that he asked me to go to my little sister's. Prom was different then when I went. They played WAY too much rap- and at the beginnging you could hardley hear the music- makes it tough to dance- but we managed. It was such a fun weekend to hang out with the Holts. I had my prom dress on originally, but the hoop skirt was having difficulties- so I put this one on instead. It was wise since I was behind the camera- my other one would be hard to move around in.

Here is my family at Kurlayna's prom. My mother and father on the far right, Laith (bro) and Karissa (sis in-law) Jessica (sis) and Jered (bro in-law) Rushel (sis) Kurlayna (sis) and Brandon (date) Erin (sis in-law) Cameron (bro) Daniel and Erica. The picture is a bit blurry. It was fun to have the whole family there for her prom- she's the last one.

This is my little sister and her date dancin' it up!!

This is my brother Laith and my mom swing dancing!!Sorry about the sideways view- I was in photographymode and forgot that I was taking video. . . such is life.

The Best Valentine Ever

2008-02-15T16:34:00.020-07:00

Valentine's day was a lot of fun for us. Daniel really thought about what he was going to do for me this year. He is getting a lot better at surprises! I didn't have school, so I had time to make him "Cornflake Candy" for his treat. I had also found a series he's wanted on DVD for way cheap, so he got that too.
When he came home from work he came in to let me know that my gifts were out in the car and that he was ready to exchange. So he went out to the car to get my gifts, the first was a stuffed Panda bear- very cute, and a really great card. So I handed him his card and his heart shaped "Cornflake candy". He was very excited. Then he came in with an orchid plant- they were a part of our wedding flowers and I've wanted a real plant since the wedding, so I was glad he got me those flowers instead of roses! Then he opened his Garfield and Friends DVD's and was really happy with that.

He got showered and then we went out for dinner. He made me cover my eyes so I couldn't tell where he was taking me. The whole time I told him of my prom date, and how he had blindfolded me so I couldn't tell where he was taking me (thanks Greg for running me into the pole ;) ). Then we got there next to the train tracks in town and I couldn't tell where we were- then I realized he had chosen Cafe Sabor! A place I've wanted to go- how thoughtful. I'd mentioned it a few times and he had to keep telling me NO so that he could use it as a surprise! What a thoughtful guy!
I ate so much I was almost sick- but loved it! Daniel is definitely the best VALENTINE EVER!

3rd Grade Here I Come

2008-02-06T18:06:00.000-07:00

Today we received our level III placements for practicum and I am VERY excited. I've been in a first grade and second grade classroom before and loved my experiences there for so many different reasons. So I am very excited to be in the 3rd grade at Wellsville Elementary.

Michelle's Wedding

2008-01-23T12:34:00.005-07:00

Daniel and I had the chance to go and see Michelle get married on the 19th! We had a great time celebrating this special day with her and Dallas. They look very happy! She was a beautiful bride married ina beautiful temple!

The night before we spent and Jen and Steve's place and caught up with them a bit. It was fun to have the weekend to spend together with Michelle, her wonderful family and friends!

I'd never been to the Bountiful Temple before and I really enjoyed my time there. Daniel and I intend to go there again sometime and acutally do some work there.

We Done Been Tagged!!

2008-01-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

We've been Tagged!!! A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning. B: Each player answers the questions about themselves. C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

10 years ago: Erica was 15 as a freshman at North Sevier High School. She was practicing her part as Minnie Moss in the school dinner theater, the main lead. Her life pretty much revolved around that. Daniel was 17 and a junior at Box Elder High School.

5 things on Erica's to-do list today: 1. Go to 6 hours of classes. 2. Go to the bank with Daniel 3. Do homework. 4. Warm up dinner. 5. Hit the Sack!!

Snacks We enjoy: Donuts- of course, Pop-tarts, cookies, chocolate stuff, etc. . .

What we would do if we were suddenly made billionaires: We would jump on the first plane to Japan and spend a great deal of time there. Then we would travel all over the place. We would probably save a chunk of it! Pay off our parents. Then Daniel would add to his DVD collection and Erica would buy a brand new computer with all the bells and whistles, if you catch my drift!

3 of Erica's bad habits: Falling asleep anywhere and anytime. Making Daniel keep track of the financial information. Wanting to be the class clown all of the time.

5 places Erica has lived: Salina, UT. Ephraim, UT. Panaca, NV. Suburbs of Altanta, GA. Logan, UT.
DANIEL: Brigham City, UT. Many places in Japan. North Logan, UT. Logan, UT.

5 jobs that Erica has had: Snow College Librarian, Grocery store Cashier, Custodian, Deseret Industries laundry and cashier, Desert Industries as is production team lead.

5 Things people don't know about Erica: 1. I'm a ventriloquist. 2. I love the Muppet Show 3. I hate seafood. 4. My sisters and I have our birthdays three days in a row. 5. I enjoy cooking.

We tagged Kenna, Jan, Toni, Christel, and Brittany.

January Brings Change

2008-01-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

Well- The Downs' are back into the swing of school. Daniel is taking 6 credits while working full time and this is his first experience of school and work at the same time. Erica is taking 16 credits which should be much more. She is in 6 classes that are only 9 weeks long but require many projects and much reading in each. This will probably be her most difficult term, but she's looking forward to getting it done.
We are also now in a different ward, but it's sorta the same ward. . .the boundaries were changed. So we are no longer in Nursery. Daniel is the ward organist and we both have a meeting with the bishop tonight. They are trying to get everyone called since they have only had there call for a week and there is nobody in place. Wish us luck!

Welcome '08!

2008-01-04T13:16:00.001-07:00

Was it just us or did 2007 just fly by? Funny how it does that, I often feel like days creep on and on, but the year is gone before you know it. It's like the ol' phrase said in the mission field I guess: The days are weeks and the weeks are days. Well, we welcome the new days of 2008 and look forward to seeing what it has in store!

Christmas 2007

2007-12-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

Our First Anniversary

2007-12-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

Daniel and I celebrated our first year anniversary. We spent it in Salt Lake and had a great time. We stayed at Shilo Inn which was conveniently located across the street from the Olive Garden and a block from Temple square. We went to the temple and did a session there and enjoyed that. Then we went down to Murray to eat cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. Then we went to Build A Bear, a gift from Daniel for our anniversary. I've wanted to do one since my mission. We made a monkey and named him/her Saru which is monkey in Japanese. Then we went the Olive Garden for dinner and saved a lot for our meal on Sunday. Then we went to temple square and looked at the lights.

BUILDING SARU

Temple Square

One Semester Down, 2 to go!

2007-12-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I finished up this Semester on Monday and it feels good. I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are only a few problems with that, one, that means I have to finally grow up and be an adult, which doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun ;) or two, it's time to start a family, which, being a mother freaks me out a little more then being an adult. We'll see what the Lord has in mind, but until then, I am enjoying school and life with Daniel.

June 2007

2007-12-04T14:09:00.001-07:00

Make a slide show, scrapbook, or ecard

December already?!?!

2007-12-04T13:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that December is already here. How the time has flown. However, I am looking forward to school being out for the holiday season and having no responsability except doing whatever I want and making sure Daniel is happy.

We wish you all a very merry Christmas and the greatest New Year!

2007-12-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

Make a slide show, scrapbook, or ecard

2007-12-03T18:43:00.001-07:00

Make a slide show, scrapbook, or ecard

2007-12-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

Make a slide show, scrapbook, or ecard

Fun for Fall

2007-11-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

This is where it begins. . . .

These photos were for the holiday cards I've been

working on! They sure turned out cute, and

you have to play in the leaves anyway!