Debt Free Is The Way To Be!!

Honesty is always the best policy, or so they say, so let's just begin this by saying I've been a bit depressed lately. It's due to a bunch of different things that have combined to just bring me down. I'm fighting it, trust me, some days are just so hard to get through, you know? So having said that I wanted to post about something that I'm truly happy about, the little light I can see through all the dark crap surrounding me. JJ and I are officially Out Of Debt!!!! Can you believe it?! We actually did it!! We moved into my mom's the end of August of 2008 with a goal that we'd be out of debt in a year... a year and a few months by Mormon Standard Time. But we blew our goal out of the water by finishing 2 months early! Which means that we can start putting some dollars into savings and prepare ourselves for the big change ahead. For those that don't know, JJ has decided to change to a part time employee so he can go to school full time. So it'll take some getting used to when his pay check takes a hit. But we've felt that this is what we're supposed to do, so we're forging ahead. We are so very, very grateful to my mommy and Art for welcoming us into their home and seeing us through all our challenges, trials, ups and downs. We wouldn't have been able to accomplish that without them. Thank You!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Independence Day! JJ and I went to BBQ at his mom's house - I've never really had a tradition for July 4th and that really makes me sad because I love the holiday so very much. So I'm hoping we can make this happen every year!

Me and my pyro husband!

This is the newest addition to the Rockwell clan. He is the sweetest baby boy, he's always staring with those big eyes and just a totally chill kid. You know he's upset when he makes a little grunt noise and starts flapping his arms... that's it... no screaming. (That I've heard anyway, I'm sure his mom would say different) I told JJ that if I could have a kid like this, I'll have more than one! lol

The other sweetest baby! I was holding her when JJ walked up and she immediately leaned towards him with outstretched arms - guess we know who her favorite is!

Sparklers!!!

JJ was so very excited to be the lighter of all fireworks. His sister wanted to get her kids home and in bed so we started pretty early. I was bummed that you couldn't really see all the fun colors but I was happy to get whatever I could!

The finale! Not exactly stadium of fire but it's all my budget could afford.

The crowd! We pulled the backseat out of the van for extra seating :)

I just LOVE these kids!!! They are always so excited to see me and want to share stories of all their latest adventures. We recently went out to dinner with this family and Sarah just had to sit next to me so we could color on her menu. I felt so special and absolutely adore that time I got to spend with her! I'm so very blessed that they love me!

Good Times!

Good Times = BBQ chicken, rides on the "coaster" and s'mores! Most of my siblings gathered at my mom's to eat yummy food and hang out, my brother brought his coaster and everyone just had to have a turn!

Emily's turn!

Dave's turn!

S'mores! The chocolate got a bit melty sitting next to the heat but they were sure tasty! Thanks mom for letting us come & play!

Happy 75th Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!! Friday night we gathered at my Dad's to celebrate my Gpa's birthday with a big party! Balloons, his favortie treats, games, BBQ, and fun times. My grandparents live in St George now so visiting with them went from twice a month to probably 5 times a year? Oh how I miss them! I was so excited when my aunt said I could help plan and be a part of this momentous occasion! I love you Grandpa!!!

Pin The Golf Club On Grandpa!!! My Aunt has this card board cut out of George Bush so she blew up a picture of my grandpa and wah-la! A game for the kids! The other picture is of his favorite treats - Peanuts & M&Ms and Tootsie Rolls. The centerpiece is a vase full of golf balls, which went very nicely with the tablecloth that looked like grass! Somebody stop me!

Dessert: Chocolate cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. My sister Amy found the recipe on a blog and decided to try it out. She usually doesn't brag about her cooking but man oh man she earned that right with these little pieces of heaven! Soooo tasty!!

I made up a fact sheet for 1934: Prices for houses, bread & a car; who won the "superbowl" and the world series; news - John Dillinger was shot by the FBI, etc. After everyone got acquainted with the facts I passed out a quiz I made on both the facts of 1934 as well as my Grandpa. It was a lot of fun and we got some great stories about him after each question.

Grandpa & Grandma! Love you!!!

My Dad & Grandpa with me and all my siblings - What a good lookin bunch of people!!!

My sisters and me!

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This is the only picture I got from Father's Day...

Even though JJ and I aren't parents yet... and won't be for years to come... I still give gifts, I like to spoil him, what can I say?? He got a new pair of shorts and a brand new watch, he was so excited!

Father's Day was a busy one this year, we spent the morning with my step dad, eating an awesome breakfast, then after church we went straight to my Grandpa's house (mom's dad). After dinner we visited my mother-in-law's dad, he is the cutest old guy ever! Here's an old pic:

He tells me I'm beautiful, sweet & smart - how could I not love him to pieces?! :) After that we drove to Lehi with JJ's mom to spend some time at my father-in-law's gravesite. Oh how I miss him and wish I would have spent more time with him. Hindsight is 20/20 they say and I completely agree. I look at all the things JJ and I are going through and my heart aches because we can't share those things with him. I just pray that we can live our lives in such a way that we'll get to see him again, be able to hug him and tell him how much we love him.

Happy Father's Day to all you dad's out there!

Midway!

Welcome to Midway! My family comes here once a year to chill in a giant house, play sports, play games, eat yummy food, slide down the firepolls on 2 floors, jump on the tramp, go shopping and my favorite - Eat At Granny's. Cheeseburger, fries and a thick shake - pure heaven!!

My family was eating Italian back at the house, but I craved the tradition of Granny's so my sweet hubby took me there instead. It's a very old place, I'm not sure how my family ever fit inside the tiny place but it has the best shakes ever!

Game playing! We always have 2 tables set up for game playing, usually it's adults on one and kids on the other. We've got "salad" going on at the round table and "Like Minds" on the kid table. Tons of fun and lots of laughs, most nights people shove off to bed between 12 and 2. Woot!

G.G. and me! My grandma had a stroke years and years ago, so she doesn't get to say all the things she wants to. I absolutely LOVE sitting next to her at family parties because she'll have little comments every now and then that just bust my gut with laughter. She'll raise her hand when she wants attention, starts giggling when teasing family members - or when stories are told about her such as dumping ice/water down the back of my uncle a few months ago during a car ride, just for fun - and smiles her sweet smile when she calls me her "beautiful damsel."

I Love My Grandma!!

Let's Celebrate!!

So many fun things this weekend!! On Friday Joe and Courtney came over to show my mom their ultrasound video, and since I live there I got to crash the party. It was soooo much fun to see all the little parts, feet, hands, face, spine, so crazy how clear it is and that all those parts were visible. And just downright amazing that it's growing inside her belly. And the funnest news? It's A Girl!!!! So on Saturday night my dad & siblings went to dinner at Salt City Burger Co to celebrate some birthdays, this pic is of Joe and my dad looking at the ultrasound pictures:


It's A Girl!!!! She'll be gracing us with her presence around October 25th. Now that we know she has 10 fingers and 10 toes (per the picture) we can't wait to see what she looks like!


My JJ and me at Salt City Burger Co. This is also the first attempt at using a 3 barrel curling iron... though I love it and am amazed that it holds all day long, I can't figure out what to do with the top part - I think I look like Gene Wilder from Willy Wonka or Young Frankenstien, like wavy combover action? Not sure it hot, but I'll keep trying!



Happy (early) Father's Day!!! My daddy won't be around for Father's Day so we decided to celebrate early. My sister, who I think is a Food Network superstar, made Crab Nachos as an appetizer. I didn't eat it of course cuz fish is NASTY, but everyone else enjoyed it!

My daddy was spoiled this year, I got him a gift card to his favorite place, Bed Bath & Beyond, a bag of Peanut M&M's (of course) and an egg slicer.... that might not seem like an important tool in the kitchen until you use what he has - can't even explain it - then you'll know how awesome my choice of presents is! :) He also got a shooting range gift card, a garbage disposal, a new day planner & awesome pen, LED lights for his trailer and much love from all his kids.

We love you Daddy!!!!!

Happy Family!! My dad, his love, and his 5 kids.

Crab Nachos - $20, Steak and Fish to BBQ - $50, present for dad - $25.... time with the best daddy in the whole world? Priceless!!!!

Memorial Day Weekend

Welcome to Jordanelle! This is the AWESOME tent JJ got for his birthday from his mom, it's absolutely huge... even has a closet!

Our home sweet home for the weekend!

So what did we do all weekend?

We spent time with our family eating really yummy food....


huddle up under blankets cuz it was COLD a lot of the time, not as freezing as last year, but I didn't spend much time without my hoodie. You can't really tell but there is a space between my hood and the blanket so I could at least enjoy the view - my mom thought this was hilarious!

We searched far and wide for rocks that would skip just right, and jumped in the water whilst singing "row, row, row your boat" (sounded more like whoa whoa whoa you boat!)

We made s'mores - cuz it's not a camping trip without them!!!

We smiled cuz we found an unattended Pepsi can! He knows he's not supposed to drink this stuff so he drank it down pretty fast!

We played games: SkipBo, 5 Crowns, golf - all the best ones for this group! JJ also found the kids marshmallow bow & arrow shooter, so cool!

While the boys were out playing golf, the girls and kids went out for a walk to check out the marina.

And we just hung out :)

Mr and Mrs R!

My siblings and me!

It was a really fun weekend inspite of the cold weather and the scattered rain, and I hope we get to go again next year. Thanks go out to my mommy for putting it all together!!