Adam's Family Reunion

Over the 4th of July weekend, Michael and I went to my step-Mom's family reunion

Every 2 years JoAnn's family all gets together over the 4th of July.

There were around 300 people there!

It was a ton of fun! We got to meet a lot of people, and it was really nice to get to spend some time in the great outdoors.

Here are some pics! Be warned, there are a lot...

I love hammocks

Pearl really wanted to pet the horse

Amber and Fae Fae

Dad and JoAnn

Rachel, Lovely, London, Amber, Michael and Pearl

Michael and Pearl

JoAnn and Rachel gave us a tour, and we ended up at this little lake for the kids to swim

Rachel, Fae and Pearl

Michael with a rock

He was helping the kids build a dam

London, Dave and Fae

Rachel, JoAnn, me and Amber

Amber and Dave by their tent. It was Amber's first time sleeping in one (excluding "camping" in the backyard)

The tent trailer. Michael and I want to get one someday. This is where Dad, JoAnn, David Michael and I all slept.

Dad and my step-Mom JoAnn

We met Elder Dallin H. Oaks!

Elder ans Sister Oaks. They are so cute :-)

There was line dancing later that night, and I snuck a picture of Elder Oaks as he was learning the moves

All the line dancers

Pearly asked me to dance with her

She's so cute

Michael and Fae at the auction 

Pearly showing me her cowgirl hat

Our family flag that JoAnn made

It was really pretty there! We had a great time :-)

Resolutions Revisited!

Six months ago today I wrote about my resolutions, and now I want to revisit them with you

*Eat more healthy

Yes! Michael and I have started having green drinks every morning for breakfast. They are not only healthy, but they also taste good, and give us so much more energy throughout the day. I love green drinks!

*Exercise more regularly

I'm starting a regular work out routine, so this will be a yes soon! And I'll tell you all about the way my sisters and I will stay healthy together later :-)

*Put pictures up in our apartment

I have some up! But I also have a few that have the original pictures in them (you know the store pics) I'll replace those soon, and get more up. I have an idea for a wall of pictures. I'll show you all when it's done :-)

*Make our apartment more cozy

Yes! I think it is much more cozy! 

*Write more often

Yes! But I still want to write more

*Visit the temple more

Not as much as I'd like, but we will continue to work on that

*Catch up with an old friend

Yes! I was able to reconnect with a few friends from Michigan

*Be more crafty

Yes! You can check out my Etsy shop, Treasures Uncovered by Chantel

*Learn more about cooking

Yes! JoAnn has been helping me a lot! As has my dad and Michael

*Make a list of lifelong goals

Working on it! But this is one that I will probably be adding to for years to come

*Be more patient with others and especially with myself

I sure am trying, and I like to think I'm doing pretty good :-)

*Draw more often

Yes! 

*Write an anonymous uplifting letter to someone

Yes!

*Keep reading a lot

Yes!

*Write in my journal

Yes!

*Strengthen certain relationships

Working on this one still

*Let some people go

Yes.

*Keep doing the "little things" for Michael

Yes

*Keep doing the "big things" for Michael

Yes

*Start a scrapbook about mine and Michaels life

I have the scrapbook, but I haven't done anything in it yet. I'm thinking I might do yearly photo books like Amber and Dave instead

*Stay on top of my blogging

Well I could write more, I have tons I would like to share with you all, I just can't always find the time. But I'm working on it!

*Start my new blog and keep it going

Yes! And it has 99 followers! It also just got a new makeover! 

Please note that even if I say "yes" I have been doing that, there is still room for improvement with all of these. I struggle with them sometimes, and I will sometimes go weeks without writing in my journal, but I am improving! And that's the important thing :-)

What about you guys? Do you have any resolutions you're still working on? I'd love to hear about them!

My Husband is so CUTE!

Don't worry this won't be a very mushy post.

Michael has wanted a queen ant for about as long as he can remember.

He always thought they were illegal, and he never got one growing up. Not for lack of trying however, he told me he had gone digging for them in the past, but had no luck.

Well, we did some research, turns out it isn't illegal to own one as long as you don't send her outside of the state you got her in.

Michael was having a hard day (about a month ago) and I suggested we go looking for a queen ant. 

That sure cheered him up!

So, we got some friends (Nicholas and Rebecca) and we gathered our shovels, and we went into the Provo Canyon a ways.

We packed lots of water, and snacks. We were sure it would take hours!

But it only took about 30 minutes!

Nicholas and Michael started looking for ants under rocks, Nicholas found a bunch, and they started to dig. They happened to dig right into the egg chamber, which is always near the queen! 

Rebecca was documenting the trip too

With some careful digging, they were able to capture the queen, along with a ton of other ants from the colony. Including soldiers, workers, "nurse" ants, larva, and eggs!

All in a days work.

Then they started having a fake shovel fight 

Rebecca and I didn't really do anything (my neck hurt pretty bad) but we took a picture with the shovels anyway :-)

That little jar contained the queen and all the ants!

Michael was so excited!

Michael now has two ant farms, one he got for Christmas from my dad and Step-Mom, and it is filled with red ants. 

The other is this flat one that has the queen and her colony.

He loves looking at them

He is so cute!

Independence Day

What are you guys doing to celebrate the 4th?

I am very glad for my freedoms. And even though I worry about how we're losing some of those freedoms, I still am proud to be an American. And I am very thankful for all the people who are fighting, and have fought, to secure and keep our freedoms.

My awesome step-mom, JoAnn, is having a family reunion. I'm very excited about it.

It started yesterday, and goes to Monday. Michael and I will be heading down for it tomorrow morning, and then coming home Sunday morning.

I hope I get to meet Elder Dallin H. Oaks, he's JoAnn's cousin.

Then, on Sunday i'll be celebrating my birthday with the Magistro family!

Monday night we'll do fireworks with the Magistro's as well.

I'm having a giveaway over at Helena's blog

You guys can all enter until Sunday! So head on over :-)

I'll write and tell you about my birthday celebrations another time.

I had a great birthday though! I'm now 22 :-)

I'd love to hear your plans! Also, are you doing anything fun yet this summer?

Memorial Day Fun

On Memorial Day Michael and I got to spend time with his friend Jeremy, he just got back from Iraq two days before Memorial Day! Crazy. It was interesting to hear his stories.

We went up the canyons in Provo to have a bonfire with Jeremy, Richard, Laurie, their baby Carson, and some other friends. We played frizbee, Uno, and roasted marshmellows.

Jeremy telling stories

Jeremy, Michael and Richard

This pic makes me smile. They all look like they're striking a pose.

He's cute

Laurie, Carson and Richard

:-D

I love bonfires. 

I'm very grateful for the freedoms I have.

What did you do on Memorial Day?

Memorial Day

I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend

Michael and I might hang out with some of his friends from High School on Memorial Day.

We might also have a picnic. 

I hope that while we enjoy the long weekend; play outside, watch parades, catch up on work and any other fun plans, we will be able to take a moment and remember the reason for the holiday. 

I am very grateful to live in America, and I'm thankful to all the brave soldiers who have fought, and for those who have passed away, to defend our freedoms.

They, and their families, will be in my thoughts and prayers.

This is a great message from President Thomas S. Monson.

Have a great weekend everyone.

What are your plans for Memorial Day?

Elisa's Graduation

On April 30, Michael and I attended Elisa's graduation from UVU! It was awesome, very motivational. 

I got to see a few of my friends who were graduating that day, not all of them though, turns out I had a lot of friends graduate at that time

UVU has a bunch of graduations going on at once, it was a little confusing at first finding where Elisa's would be, but we found it :-)

Here are some pictures:

I tried to get a shot of her walking, but we were far away so she's a little blurry. 

She's so happy!

Magistro family, minus Marisa (we miss you!)

All us girls

Michael, Elisa and me

Elina, Michael, Elisa, Maria and Matt all doing "Model poses"

Really though, I think Kai was the real graduate.

After this Michael and I are both more motivated to get our degrees. So, we're taking summer classes. Yeah, I'm shocked too. :-)