Update!

So I don't update my blog very much...I'm bad. I feel like I need to have a picture to go with each post and I haven't been able to download any pictures from my camera so I can post them. But a lot has gone on this summer and I am really sad that summer is over. I enjoy the warm weather so much and even though Arizona doesn't get freezing....I still get cold. So I still don't have pictures to go with this post, but I thought I would let everyone know I am still alive and what has been going on this summer.

My roommate Lori and I moved out of our apartment the end of August into a 3 bedroom house. We have so much more room and always have a place to park. We also got another roommate. Kami is a lot of fun and all 3 of us have stayed up late jamming out to rock band. We started a band and made up fake names.....yep we are still in high school. :) We are having fun decorating and planning for a party....so you all better come!! The landlord left a big screen tv and furniture so we feel pretty cool. The house backs up to a golf course so we get golf balls in our yard and so far only our light outside has been broken. We also have a fire pit in the backyard and are excited to roast marshmallows and hot dogs.

Work is so crazy. My team has been chosen to be a part of a beta test to see the best way transition students from their associate degree to their bachelors degree. I was stupid and volunteered to be the only bachelors finance counselor on the team and have not been able to catch up on my work since. There has been a lot of problems getting everything settled and put together. At one point I had over 500 students in class and calling me. Now I only have 400....which is still too many. A few months ago I was promoted to senior finance counselor and team lead. It didn't mean a pay raise, I just have the potential to make more money, but it means a lot more work. I enjoy work most of the time, but I am ready for it to settle down a little more and catch up on some work. This Friday management is taking our whole division to the movies for the whole day. While this will be fun....it won't help me catch up on work....but I will totally go anyway!

This summer has been fun and I have enjoyed spending it with my family. My family is the best and I love being with them. I especially love being an aunt and love my nephew Connor. He gets more adorable everyday. He recognizes who we are now and it is fun to see his face light up when he looks at you. Our family took a short trip to Las Vegas for Labor day and Jackie's birthday. I do have pictures from this trip on Jackie's camera...maybe I will post later.

Life is crazy but good. Everyone at work is getting sick....and I am just trying to think healthy thoughts and not let it catch me....no time for getting sick.

Well that's my life lately. I will take pictures of the house and post them soon. So I said no pictures, but I found a cute picture of Connor from a few months ago. I bought these sunglasses for him before he was born and we finally tried them on. What a stud!!

Graduation!!

In July I was able walk in the graduation ceremony for my Bachelors degree. I had been done with school for several months so it was weird walking, but once I got there, I was glad that I made the decision to be there. I had a great time celebrating being done with school. It was also great being there as an employee as well. It made me want to tell each of my students that all the hard work is so worth it. During the ceremony I got really excited to start my Masters degree and even thought of going on to get my Doctorate....those feelings have lessened a little :)

I am so glad to be done with school.....even though I probably will be starting my Masters in the next few months....I am enjoying no homework for awhile!

Everyone was so excited to be there. It was the longest graduation ceremony that I have ever been too. All the graduates were ready to leave as well.

Graduation lunch!!

Niagara Falls!!

I am very late in posting on our New York trip and I have several other pictures to post, but you have probably already seen them on Jackie and James's blog...someday I will post them.

We had a great time in New York visiting all the church history sites and seeing all the places Jason served on his mission. Our first day we spent at Niagara Falls. It was amazing and I can't wait to go back and visit again. Here are some of the pictures from our day. We took a tour around Niagara so we were able to see just about everything.

Me and Jackie on the tour bus

Mom and Dad

James and Jason

The boys on the Maid of the Mist
The girls (and Connor) on the Maid of the Mist

The Fam

The girls under the falls. I almost didn't go up because I didn't want to get wet, but at the last second we all went up and it was totally worth it....we did get soaked.

The boys under the falls

We were really close...we got wet here too :)

Me!

These were our super cute shoes we wore so our shoes didn't get wet!

Amazing!!

Utah Trip

We took a quick trip to Utah to see my cousin Justin speak in church before he went on his mission. I was surprised because I didn't take very many pictures.....it didn't surprise me that most of those pictures were of Connor. We drove up on Saturday, spent Sunday there, and drove home Monday. It was a really quick trip and I am so tired of driving and being in the car. Connor did pretty good for being in his car seat for hours at a time. On our ride home, we were about 15 mins from home and Connor decided he had enough. He didn't want anything but getting out of the car. Jackie tried a bottle, but he just kept screaming. We pulled over and let him get out of the car for a few minuets and got back in the car for the rest of that short drive. We had a great trip and we were glad that we were able to see our family and hope Justin has a great mission!!

Marlene got me, Jackie, and Jenny matching sandals a few years ago. We all happened to bring them on this trip and took a picture to show Marlene how much we love them.

Getting ready to fall back asleep

Peek-a-boo

Holding the bottle by himself

How cute!!

New York City!!

So I haven't posted anything in forever. After working all day, I really don't want to sit in front of the computer any more. I need to check with my manager to see if I can do this from work on my breaks. As most of you may know, I just got back from New York City and had a blast!! We got do do everything that we wanted and packed as much as we could into each day. We got up early and went to bed late. I can't wait to go back again! I experienced many things for the first time.


First time to NYC:

Lori and I on the tour bus around NYC

First trip to the Empire State Building:

View from the top

Janice and I with King Kong at the top of the Empire State Building

First Broadway show!!

Getting ready for the show!!

Yeah!!

First trip to Ellis Island:

Lori, Janice, Sherida, and I at Ellis Island

First time seeing the Statue of Liberty:

Janice, Me, and Lori at the Statue of Liberty

On the boat to Statue of Liberty

Leaving NYC for the Statue of Liberty!

First Carriage ride around Central Park:

Standing in the rain waiting for our carriage ride around Central Park

Our carriage ride

First time to the Manhattan Temple:

Lori and I at the temple

Manhattan Temple

Biggest Sandwich ever!!

Kim trying to eat the sandwich

Can't even pick it up ;)

Big sandwich at the Carnegie Deli

First Subway ride:

Sherida and I on the subway

Kim and Lori on the subway

First Taxi ride:

No we didn't ride in this taxi...but we thought it was cool. Our taxi looked like any other taxi!

So many firsts and I can't wait to go back and experience everything for a second time. The only parts that I did not enjoy was the flight out and the rain on the last day. On our flight to NYC, a lady was having a heart attack and we had to make a emergency stop in Detroit. If any of you know me very well, you know that I do not handle medical emergency situations very well. It is a good think I had drowsy Dramamine in me. I just turned my music up and told Lori to tell me when she was off the plane.

It only rained two days while we were there. The first time it rained we were just leaving the statue of liberty and decided to take the subway back to the hotel instead of the tour bus or walking in the rain. That night we went to Wicked and it rained pretty hard while we were eating dinner, but the weather was great by the time we were done eating and we were able to walk to the theater without umbrellas. The last day in NYC it rained ALL DAY LONG!! The day before was bright and sunny so I thought we would get the sun two days in a row and didn't dress right for the day. I wore the wrong shoes and was soaked clear through. I make squishing noises when I walked. I was ready to get on the plane and get back to the sunny warm weather in Arizona!

All the rest of the trip was wonderful and amazing. We were able to go see two Broadway shows and had pretty good seats for both. We saw Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. I didn't know anything about Wicked and it was exciting to see how everything in that story tied into the Wizard of Oz. Phantom was awesome as well. I wanted to see Mama Mia too, but discounted tickets were all sold out. We also got to see all the sights too, Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, China Town, and the MET. I took like 200 pictures, so I will try and get more pictures later :)

Grandma and Grandpa Hellewell Memories

Shanna tagged me awhile ago to post memories of Grandma and Grandpa Hellewell. I had a good time thinking of them and some of my favorite memories. I see that I have a lot of the same as both Shanna and Karie.

Making cinnamon rolls
Climbing the cherry tree and having picnics (Grandma would make small bowls of jello and we would throw our cups down when we were done)
Waking up to the Price is Right
Grandpa making pancakes in the shape of animals, people, or whatever we asked for
Shredded wheat cereal and bowls of sugar
Jam and toast
Grandpa not eating anything sweet and saying he was “Sweet enough the way he was.”
Blue room, green room, earwig room
The red couches (now in my apartment…..love them!!)
Grandpa barking like a dog
Grandpa taking naps on the floor
Roasting hot dogs in the backyard
Grandma’s store
Wall to wall beds in the basement
Grandma’s flat pillows and heavy blankets
Grandma’s jam
Grandpa flooding the yard and going swimming in the water
Yard sales
Making blankets
Grandma’s potato salad
Going shopping with Grandma at the dollar store and Kings
Visiting Grandpa and Danny at the shop
Grandma calling me “Little Janny”
Getting together with family for dinner in the backyard
The many Thanksgiving’s- my favorite was when we celebrated Christmas later Thanksgiving night and had Santa come and bring presents. We had Kristen open the door and she was so surprised to see Santa at the door that she jumped.
Playing on the swing in the backyard
Making tents and forts in the basement
Counting down each exit while driving to their house and crying halfway home when we had to leave
One shower to fight over….taking forever for everyone to get ready in the morning
Grandma’s 5 minute showers
Grandpa teaching me how to fold the flag and getting me up early to help him raise the flag then take it down at night

I have so many more. I am so blessed to have such great grandparents and an amazing family. Some of my best memories are with my family. I love you all!

I'm an Aunt!!!

My sister Jackie and her husband James had a baby boy on February 10 and named him Connor James Stone....and he is the cutest ever!! I am really enjoying every minuet that I get to spend with him and can't wait until he is a little older so I can spoil him rotten!! I have a ton of pictures to share with everyone and he just becomes more adorable every day. I know Jackie has posted some pictures on her blog, but I wanted to share a few of the pictures I have taken!!!

The cutest outfit ever!!

Sleeping baby

He looks just like Jackie when she was a baby!