Bryson and Alyssa

Bunny Sanctuary

2012-02-03T01:34:00.000-06:00

In September, a rabbit decided to take up residence in our back yard. Here is Casa #1. Comfy right?!

He is now in his second burrow, as the first wasn't as sturdy as he would've liked. The current abode is underneath a patio table; more suitable for blustery, rainy days.

The patches of tall grass have been declared a rabbit sactuary (aka - a good excuse not to mow), where camoflauge is key... Because somehow, Charley has yet to notice the rabbit. Some 6 months later.

Unseasonably warm weather

2012-02-03T00:49:00.137-06:00

This is a strange winter. Incredibly warm weather... Very much like our camping trip last October. Which reminds me, that trip is worth a blog post.

The first weekend of October, the four NWA Shepherd's (five if you include Charley :) made the quick hour and a half drive to the Mulberry River.

It was a gorgeous campground, with tall trees rustling in the wind, and surprise guests at the campfire. Check out the ginormous stick bug!

There were a lot of leisure activities to choose from.

READING

WATER SAFETY LESSONS

FISHING

PHOTOGRAPHY

SWIMMING
(doesn't Charley look like an otter?)

WADING

DIVING. 1......

2.....................

3!!!!

We had a lot of fun.
Couldn't have asked for a better trip.

Maybe it's time to plan for a
February Hiking Trip

Cupid, carry me away to St Louis!

2011-03-28T22:11:00.012-05:00

Here is an excerpt from my Valentine's Day card from Bryson:

"......To show my appreciation, I want to take you on a weekend getaway somewhere with a temple. Friday night we can drive there. Saturday we can do sessions all day long... I thought you might like that. Love, Bryson "

-----------------XOXOXOXO-------------

My do I have a husband that I do so love.

We have fun everyday we're together.

-----------------XOXOXOXO-------------

I chose to go to the St. Louis temple for my gift fulfillment. Only a 5 hour drive, with TONS of FREE things to do in the city!

Saturday, we entered the temple after passing through a chilly wind, green grass and purple

pansies, and a few snow flakes here and there. Felt more like spring than winter.

When we left 3 hours later. Voila!

3 inches of snow

-----------------XOXOXOXO---------------

Sunday we enjoyed free breakfast, free science center and free zoo. See a pattern?

-----------------XOXOXOXO----------------

There are many more things we would like to do in St Louis. We will have to plan a trip back. Hopefully it won't unexpectantly snow on us, and we'll get to ride our bicycles around the cool sites and parks.

Forest Park http://www.slfp.com/SLFP-FPFEmap.htm

Mississippi Riverfront Trail http://www.mv24.org/riverfront.html

Bryson. Sweetie. Mother's Day is coming up! Hint Hint

Dec 21 - WINTER SOLSTICE and LUNAR ECLIPSE

2011-01-01T14:11:00.010-06:00

We stayed up to 2am watching the Lunar Eclipse, that happened to fall on the Winter Solstice of this year.

It started with a very bright full moon, the highest in the sky we have ever seen. Then the earth's shadow started to cover.

BTW- We got a new camera. Love it! It's so powerful you can see the craters of the moon when the picture is blown up.

Luckily this was not a frosty night. Only in the 40's. Still Alyssa bundled up in her cocoon of blankets.

Almost fully covered by earth's shadow.

Here is the result of the eclipse: a reddish-brown moon!

The next time this will occur is Dec. 21, 2094. Probably not in our lifetime!

Over a Year

2010-09-22T23:05:00.003-05:00

It's been over a year since the last post to the blog world. Where has the time gone?! Summary...

October
- Walt Disney World
- Painting finished
- Finally living in our house
- Got the cutest puppy ever. Charley!

November
- Alyssa's Oma passed away. Drove to funeral in Bountiful, UT
- Thanksgiving in Seattle. Kyle's homecoming from Spain, Barcelona mission

December
- Christmas service

2010
- 4 year wedding anniversary
- Sisters Erika and Kaley visit
- Nathan and Laurel marry. Move to Bentonville - Real family in Arkansas!
- Bryson's Grandpa Smith passed away. Drove to funeral in Spanish Fork, UT
- Malmstrom's visit
- Alyssa has 1 yr anniversary at Walmart
- Bryson has 3 yrs anniversay at Walmart

Up and coming
- Lisa and Stan to visit
- Thanksgiving in Seattle again. This time for Erika and Zech's wedding.
- New Years... plans in the making

Days 2 - 3

2009-09-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

Because Thursday night's popcorn removal went so well, Bryson was very ambitious with the 2nd night's removal. He got practically the whole downstairs done! With help of course. :) Everything except the master bath/closet, and the tall entry way.

Way to go for everyone who helped with this too, especially to Bryson and Cody who made it an all nighter, until 9:30 Saturday morning.
Talk about hard workers.
That's something I love about my husband, he's capable and willing to go over and above what is expected of him.

Meanwhile, Alyssa got the flu and was achy with a stuffy nose. She wasn't much good for anything Friday or Saturday.

Saturday morning was the Northwest Arkansas Emergency Preparedness Fair. Alyssa was supposed to help out, but decided it was better to not go, thus preventing the infection of some 5.000 people expected to show up. Shout out to Melissa for covering my shift! Thank you so much. You're awesome Del!

Summary of Friday and Saturday:
-Living room, Dining room, 1/2 bath, Master bedroom, Laundry room, Hallway, Family room, Kitchen = All popcorn-less
-Emergency Preparedness Fair, for Bryson
-Stop at Lowe's for the mud to start tecturing the ceiling on MONDAY!
-Started cleaning up the outside of the house
-Rest

Keys, Root Beer, and Ladders

2009-09-10T23:22:00.007-05:00

First, we'd like to thank our realtor, Mike Robinson. He has been awesome these 1 1/2 years of house hunting. He's been patient, understanding of our likes and dislikes, made things run smoothly, and has stood up for us with moody sellers and lenders.
Thank You Mike.

(Please forgive our awful fashion sense .
We're in our 'ready to get dirty' clothes)

Next up:

We had a Popcorn Removing Party tonight. In exchange for some A&W Root Beer and Sam's Club Pizza, six of our friends came over to lend a hand. We got the ceilings all done in the upstairs bedrooms. Also, the only wallpapered wall is now paperless. Wohoo!Bryson spraying the ceilings with the yard, pump sprayers. Very handy.

-----------------

Four of our ceiling scrapers.

3 ceilings + 1 wall + 8 people + 1 night = beautiful Thank You to everyone who helped us. We're so grateful for your kindness! You've helped us out so much already, we can't say thank you enough. We're grateful for your friendship!!!!

Today's the Day

2009-09-10T06:30:00.001-05:00

After 2pm we will be official home owners!

12 Days

2009-08-29T19:00:00.002-05:00

until we close on our first home!

51 Valleyview Cir, Bentonville AR 72712

Alyssa has made it through

2009-08-28T17:43:00.002-05:00

Today I ended my 2nd week at my new job as a Grocery Traffic Analyst in the Transportation Division for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

I have very much enjoyed learning about my new position, and look forward to (hopefully, fingers crossed) getting my computer next week, so I can finally dig deeper into this stuff. :)

All and all, I feel good with this new change.

Countdown to Disney World

2009-08-20T18:52:00.001-05:00

42 days til MAGIC!

I say Potato and Tomato

2009-07-31T15:20:00.003-05:00

The following are my feable yet enthusiatic attempts to gardening this year. I have been growing everything in pots, so I'm proud of the progress I've made, even if it's nothing in comparison to our friends who have a real garden, with magic soil, whose produce doth overfloweth. :)

My first Roma tomatoes were ready July 5th. We've eaten 3 more since, with another three almost ripe!My first two potato crops. I have been alternating when I start my potatoes, so I should have a few more ready at the end of August, and then again in September.

Erika's Graduation

2009-07-08T11:58:00.007-05:00

June 15-16, 2009

Alyssa was so excited to go to her sister Erika's High School Graduation. She got to spend time with her siblings, and got to see lots of family and friends.

Way to go Erika!!! And thanks for giving us all an excuse to have a PAR-TAY! :-D

Let Freedom Ring

2009-07-04T12:05:00.001-05:00

Fourth of July was perfectly mellow this year. A little browsing on the Square, gathering with friends, and an awesome fireworks display from Bentonville (in addition to the fun ones by our friends and their kids :).

How lucky we are to live in a country where we have the essentail freedoms, including the ability to worship our God as we may.

Bryson Rifles for the Cancer Challenge

2009-06-28T12:02:00.000-05:00

Friday, June 26, 2009
Bryson joined the Fighting Cancer Shooting Challenge, helping out for a good cause, and having some fun. He didn't do too bad, shooting 80 out of 100. Pretty good for having not practiced much. Alyssa is so proud of him! Way to support others.

Plus One

2009-06-05T17:35:00.008-05:00

Alyssa met up with the boys Sunday afternoon.

Smithsonian- American History Museum. Lincoln's top hat.

Smithsonian- Natural History Museum

Arlington National Cemetary

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Memorial, WWII Memorial, Korean War Memorial

Saying goodbye to D.C. from the cab. Tuckered out in ORD.

Gentlemen Enjoying Memorial Day in D.C.

2009-06-04T00:21:00.017-05:00

Saturday, May 20th, 2009:

Bryson & Nathan arrive in D.C.

First stop:

the Pentagon

The Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence,

the Constitution

Evening Visit to the Lawn:

the White House,

free Memorial Day concert

on the steps of the Capital Building,

Washington Monument, WWII Monument

Sunday, May 21st:

White House,

watch POW rally at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial,

visit 'Giant' Lincoln

Wait to cross street:

the Rolling Thunder's

annual motorcycle stroll around D.C.

Missing hours from the day.

2009-05-23T02:46:00.004-05:00

Can anyone tell me why I feel like I have less time to accomplish things during the day, yet the days are getting longer?!

I've been so bad. It's been 2 weeks since we got back from our vacation to England and Paris, and I have no entries at all! Hopefully I'll find some time next week to finally type up our vacation details.

Until then, feel free to look at the photos we have posted on picasa. You can click on the slideshows to the RIGHT -------------->

Last Saturday Bryson's brother Nathan arrived here in Bentonville with Grandma and Grandpa Smith. They drove with him out here, as he'll be staying with us this summer- he has an internship with Wal-mart ISD this summer. It was fun having even more family come visit us. We had many a late night of game playing. That is one of the major things we miss about living closer to home- the ability to visit with our grandparents. They're all such great examples of how to be righteous children of god, and worthy spouses.

Last night we went to the Arkansas Natural's baseball game. I won the tickets at a work raffle, so it was a nice free date, and my boss let me leave work early so we could go. We had fun! Next time we say we're bored, we'll have to remember to go to a game. Especially since the tickets are pretty cheap.

A nice treat to end the night was $1.00 one-topping Sundaes at ANDY'S frozen custard. Yumm. -when we gave them our game tickets. Nice promotional discount. :)

And this weekend, we're hoping to go to Washington D.C. I think it'll be quite nice to be at our nation's capital for Memorial Day. I want to make sure we visit Arlington Nat'l Cemetary while we're there. A little gesture to show my thanks for our freedom in this great country.

War Eagle Cavern- $25 worth of thrills

2009-04-27T22:27:00.000-05:00

We took Stan and Lisa out to War Eagle Mill and then to War Eagle Cavern on Monday.

Here's the entrance.

FYI, this photo was taken moments before a bat flew at me. Luckily I ducked instead of dodged, because then that would have confused him. Since they use echo location, they know exactly where you are, and normally don't run into you. But when you move quickly, that's when they run into you, because you weren't where their sonar said you were!

This little guy is waving "Hi". Looking up a flute atleast 40 feet tall
At the top you can see the cavern above us. Another cute little guy. After a while you got used to the fact they were hanging inches above your head everywhere you went.

P.S. If you want to visit the cave without the presence of bats, the guide said June is when they're all out during the day. But if you ask me,
the cave wouldn't have been as interesting without the flying critters.Did you know that when they are hanging, their feet are in a relaxed position?! Opposite direction of muscle contraction as when our hands are flat, but same principle of minimal muscle exertion.
A teeny tiny salamander. The guide says he's a type they don't see very often.

At the end of the tour, our guide turned of all the lights. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face! Bryson got Lisa pretty good though. He touched her hair, and she freaked out thinking it was a bat!

If you look closely, you can see the tiny formations. They're mini-versions of the mineral formations at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone.

the Sport of Early Birthdays

2009-04-26T23:04:00.001-05:00

We decided to through a small, early birthday party for Bryson while family was still in town.Look at the bonfire of 26 candles!

Props to Lisa for the delicious chocolate covering to the chocolate cake. Delicioso!

I'm not exactly sure how he did it, but he sooo cheated in blowing all the candles out.
It involved arms, one big puff of air, and a lot of laughter following. :)

We girls serving the cake and icecream
Rya helping me finish my icecream
Richard and Susan
Dan and Katethe Christensen's

(sorry we didn't have a pic of you two, but I figured Rya's a good representative of you both. lol)

-----------------------------
Chocolate comatose

The end of a celebration to becoming older.

When the Shepherd's Come to Town

2009-04-25T22:48:00.000-05:00

We had blast this weekend with Bryson's parents visiting.

Saturday we went to Wild Wilderness Drive Through Safari in Gentry. The kanga's and roo's were fun to watch.Bryson getting the stare down. Who has the right of way?!
Here comes a caravan of camels.!

This camel was eyeing the cookie I was eating.

Another tried to kiss Lisa and got his nose stuck in the window. (The window didn't roll up as fast as she thought it would. lol)

We found a rather large python wondering around in the grass.This guy didn't want to stay still for the picture!Adorable Big lips through the fence

Talk Story

2009-04-03T01:20:00.009-05:00

Let me tell you a story. About the week a boy and a girl spent on the Garden Isle of Kauai.

Those were days of beautiful scenery
and lounging by the pool.
The food they ate was magical. Some could grow all by itself - no farmers needed. Mmm bananas.

One of their castles was completely private in the 'jungle'. No need to close the doors, just let the breeze flow thru. The place was so peaceful, even the geckos were welcomed. So they could eat the HUGE moths and other such insects.
The ocean had many friendly fish to see.

Nearly every day, the rain goddess, Hinakuluiau, would bless the mountains with rain to create beautiful waterfalls,

lush valleys,

steady rivers,

and promising rainbows.

Kanaloa would call to them from the sea

with promises of more stories to come.

See You Soon Grandpa Shepherd!

2009-04-01T14:03:00.007-05:00

Bryson and I made a quick trip to Salt Lake City to see Grandpa Shepherd before he passed on.

We were blessed to have been able to get to Utah on such short notice, and even more blessed that he was still in a 'talkative' mood. We got a few stories and a bucket full of laughs out of him. :)

Grandpa Shepherd, we know you're in a better place. Sorry we can't be there for the funeral today, but it was more meaningful for us to see you while you were still here!

Grandpa with cousins AJ and Avry. What three cute boys!

Stan and his parents.

We love our grandparents!

A wonderful family lunch at Olive Garden.
----Uncle Dallas. Grandma Shepherd, Cousin Becky, Bryson, Alyssa, Sis' Kaley, Papa Stan----

cAn yOU gUEss whAt I dId tOdAy?!

2009-03-16T23:53:00.000-05:00

Here's a clue

----------

Getting warmer yet? Or should I say colder?! Hehe. I'm such a nerd.
That's right. We got snowed on at The Summit- Central at Snoqualmie Pass.
Oh, and I guess we went skiing, too.
I like to ski, but the peaceful serenity of a winter wonderland is my favorite part of visiting the slopes.
That, and I'm so not in skiing shape. I practically almost bruised a hip, hurt a knee, damaged my ego. But then I decided I'd rather walk down the SUPER STEEP blue diamond run instead.
I know what you're thinking, it was only a blue, I've got to be a big wuss right? Wrong, cause really, I think it should be red, for DANGER, guaranteed to fall!
Giulio and I really loved the fresh 4 FEET of POWDER! It was beautiful, yummy to eat, and really helped the landings! lol :)

Absurd and Random Fun

2009-03-15T18:24:00.005-05:00

We tried to find something fun to do.

____________________

We found the Troll!

Pictured: Erika, my sister, and Giulio and Luci

_________
I gave Erika her celebratory tulips for doing so well at her dance Nationals! She and her dance partner got 4th place in Standard, out of 60-70 other couples. And 2nd place in her Team Standard formation. And the team got 3rd in the Latin Standard, as well!
________________
Another pic of my beautiful, ballroom dancing sister!
__________

And then we all came home and napped

LOL. I love this pic!

A New Hobby

2009-02-22T13:26:00.007-06:00

Kauai posting aside, I wanted to share my new hobby.

https://new.familysearch.org/

I've always had a desire to do family history, but the old method of downloading and uploading, and the difficulty in seeing what work has already been, or needs to be, done was daunting, and to be honest, seemed like too much work.

Now with the church's new family search website, you can do it online. Wohoo!!!!!
I should add a word of caution: the site's not perfect yet, but with all our help, we can help make it happen.

This past Family Home Evening goal was to signup on the site, and then to dedicate atleast 1 hour a month to doing some type of family history work. I made it a goal to dedicate atleast half an hour each Sunday.

At first, I thought it would be hard to fill up half an hour. But now I'M ADDICTED. It's so easy to get emerced, I've spent atleast an HOUR AND A HALF doing family history each time I've logged in, which has been 3 times already this week. I'm so excited to learn more from our family history center!

I never would've guessed that I'd be so excited to do family history work, even when I get home from work at 2 in the morning! You should give it a try too!

Hanakapiai Beach on the Na Pali trail

2009-02-22T13:02:00.006-06:00

Hanakapiai Beach was at the end of our hike. There were plenty more miles of trail to take, but it was slick from the mud, and would get dark before we could get back from the next landmark (which would have been a supposedly really pretty waterfall. shucks).

~~~

Monday's total in hiking:

Somewhere between 4 and 6 miles of some really steep, calve killing trail.

Two pairs of red dirt stained, muddy shoes.

Roundtrip in 3 hours exact!!!!

~~~

I was a bit unnerved when I saw this sign. 87 visitors have died from the currents! yikes

~~~~~

As you can see, not much of a sandy beach!

~~~~~~~~

Cool cave.
~~~~~
Awe. Smell that salty sea air.
~~~~~
This is all the sand I could see on the beach. LOL
~~~~
Picture from the river.
~~~~~~
The other view of the river.

Hiking on the Na Pali coast

2009-02-21T01:28:00.011-06:00

Hiking the Na Pali coast was our #1 favorite/ most memorable activity while on Kauai. There were lots of fun things, but this was the most beautiful. We love to hike and view God's creations!

~~~~~~

Here's Bryson, already waiting for me. Very early on my shoes got wet (kind of a funny story:), so I had to stop every once in a while to re-tie my shoes laces. Go figure why they come loose when wet- even when I QUADRUPLE knotted them!

~~~~~ Beautiful Na Pali cliffs

~~~~~~~ Love birds in paradise
~~~~~~~ Breath taking.
The view was pretty good too. ;)
~~~~~~~
The flora was so cool. Bless Bryson's heart for listening to me while I endulged my passion for Bio-Geography.
~~~~~~ Sometimes the trail got very narrow, muddy, very slippery, and close to the edge. What a fun adventure!

Monday, February 2, 2009

the Best February Fast Sunday

2009-02-08T21:27:00.012-06:00

We had the pleasure of attending Kapaa 1st Ward this past Sunday. Having Fast and Testimony Meeting here was really something special. We even got to sing the opening hymn, "I Need Thee Every Hour" in Hawaiian!

This is the chapel building. Notice the whole chapel is surrounded by french doors. How fun to have the breeze to cool us down during the meeting. Another view of the chapel building.
Below are the two classroom buildings. Very different than any other layout I've seen on the mainland.

More to Come

2009-02-08T21:23:00.002-06:00

I've got a lot to catch up on from the past week. Here's a glimpse of posts to come :)

Ice Storm

2009-01-31T05:55:00.011-06:00

We were very blessed during this ice storm. The power went out for only 2 hours Tuesday morning, so no big deal. Both Bryson and Alyssa were able to stay home from work, so that made for a nice relaxing day- minus the fact Bryson still had to work via the internet.

------

Tuesday was also a very productive day for Alyssa. She was ambitious in the kitchen! Her masterpiece creations included: a new 'old-fashion' bread recipe - yellow curry with chicken, potatoes, carrots and rice - homemade pizza with a new dough recipe - and rice crispie treats. Whew! It was a lot of cooking, but it was bearable because each recipe was fairly easy! Alyssa's only bane of the day was waiting for hours and hours for the bread to rise! It kills her to be able to smell the yummyness, but have to let it rise for another 2 hours, and then another hour in the oven. Patience is a virtue she's always working on. :)

-----------

A few pictures we took during the week.

The above three show the detail of the ice sculptures. lol. Individual blades of grass were encased in the ice. I thought this made the grass look like coral from afar, especially as they're the brown-red color from dormancy.

---------

The next few pictures are of the fun, and sometimes very long icicles.

)You may want to click on the pictures to see the icicles better)

Some Interesting Fun

2009-01-10T01:48:00.005-06:00

I stole this "Getting to Know You" from my aunt's blog. It's actually pretty insightful as to how much you really have experienced/ accomplised in your life. Go ahead and try it for yourself! Bold ones you've done.

Started your own blog
Slept under the stars (ah, memories on trampolines :)
Played in a band
Visited Hawaii (does it count since I was a baby?- that's where I was blessed)
Watched a meteor shower
Given more than you can afford to charity
Been to Disneyland (4x)
Climbed a mountain (Washington has an abundance of these majesties)
Held a praying mantis
Sang a solo
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched a lightning storm at sea
Taught yourself an art from scratch
Adopted a child
Had food poisoning
Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (technically, we didn't quite make it that far, since they only let you halfway up now, but I did see her insides :)
Grown your own vegetables
Seen the Mona Lisa in France
Slept on an overnight train
Had a pillow fight
Hitch hiked (don't worry, it won't happen again)
Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
Built a snow fort
Held a lamb
Gone skinny dipping
Run a Marathon
Ridden in a gondola in Venice
Seen a total eclipse
Watched a sunrise or sunset (we had our first kiss watching a sunrise :)
Hit a home run
Been on a cruise
Seen Niagara Falls in person
Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
Seen an Amish community
Taught yourself a new language (one day when I get motivated enough)
Had enough money to be truly satisfied (at times in my life, yes I have)
Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
Gone rock climbing
Seen Michelangelo’s David
Sung karaoke
Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
Visited Africa
Walked on a beach by moonlight
Been transported in an ambulance (no thank you)
Had your portrait painted (by an 8 year old)
Gone deep sea fishing (do salmon count?)
Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud (Kyle and I loved to make tunnels, volcanoes and waterfalls back at our house on 35th)
Gone to a drive-in theater
Been in a movie (for school projects only, nothing big screen)
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business (supported my parents as they did this, though)
Taken a martial arts class (the only kid in my family not to)
Visited Russia
Served at a soup kitchen
Sold Girl Scout Cookies
Gone whale watching (no, but an orca came up next to our boat once, and I saw a humpback from the shore only 20 yards away)
Got flowers for no reason ( no reason besides my huney loves me :)
Donated blood, platelets or plasma (unfortunately no, I'm anemic. And a baby around needles)
Gone sky diving
Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
Bounced a check
Flown in a helicopter (maybe once when I was young? can't remember)
Saved a favorite childhood toy
Visited the Lincoln Memorial
Eaten Caviar
Pieced a quilt
Stood in Times Square
Toured the Everglades
Been fired from a job
Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
Broken a bone (two actually, one in my foot, another in my hand. Both while in college. Go figure why they didn't happen when I was young like everyone else?)
Been on a speeding motorcycle
Seen the Grand Canyon in person
Published a book
Visited the Vatican
Bought a brand new car
Walked in Jerusalem
Had your picture in the newspaper
Read the entire Bible
Visited the White House
Killed and prepared an animal for eating (fish and pheasant)
Had chickenpox (nope never. I have an immunity)
Saved someone’s life
Sat on a jury
Met someone famous (you'd be suprised how many fly into XNA for Walmart and other local businesses)
Joined a book club
Lost a loved one
Had a baby
Seen the Alamo in person (very humbling place)
Swam in the Great Salt Lake (more like floated)
Been involved in a law suit ( Involved, but not directly sued or suing)
Owned a cell phone
Been stung by a bee
Seen Mount Rushmore in person
Learned to play an instrument (not that I'm good at any of them now)

My Honey Made Us Christmas Waffles

2008-12-30T08:24:00.002-06:00

For Christmas morning, Bryson joyfully woke up earlier than Alyssa to make her a wonderful Christmas breakfast! Knowing how much Alyssa dreaded having to work on both Christmas Eve and Night, he tried his best to make the day as special as it could be. He succeeded!

Notice the hot cocoa, made by our new hot cocoa maker! We're in love with it :)

Wrapped With Love

2008-12-29T01:09:00.004-06:00

Opening presents with Bryson's family

May we show our love for each other all year long :)

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

2008-12-28T14:56:00.003-06:00

Our trip to Seattle was blessed with lots of snow.

Bryson trying to throw a snowball at me. :)

Yes Bryson, the snow IS getting deeper. Now can you let me back in the house. I'm freezing!Buddy really liked the snow. He'd only drink his water if it was outside, with ice chunks in it.

We were all bundled up inside, and decided to go for a walk around the block at 11:30pm.

I love Erika, she loves me. We love snowflakes, yesiree!

They love us and so you see. We are a happy family

Oh There's No Place Like Home For the Holidays

2008-12-24T02:10:00.003-06:00

This past weekend we were able to spend a very snowy weekend with our families in Seattle!

Saturday we spent with the Shepherd side, visiting Seattle Center and Santa Clause. Later that day the boys watched the BYU game, followed by opening family gifts. The rest of the night we watched the new blue ray movies on Stan's new HD tv, blueray player and surround sound. He's a lucky guy!

Meanwhile, the snow kept piling up, accumulating to over 8 inches!!!

Sunday, after a long wait because of the snow, we finally arrived at the Malmstrom's, ate a yummy ham dinner, and opened more family gifts!!! And once again, the night ended with another good movie. :)

How blessed we were to make it standby to Seattle and back, especially at this extremely busy time of year. We love our families so much, and glad we were able to complete the Christmas season with quality time spent with loved ones!

Gingerbread house

2008-12-08T15:06:00.009-06:00

Last Monday's FHE activity was making gingerbread houses!

To be technical, it's actually a graham cracker house, but you get the point!

It Kept On Snowing

2008-12-01T13:32:00.006-06:00

Update from my last post-- later that night it snow some more! And it kept snowing up until this morning. Still not enough to play in but it is good for making Bryson sing, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

Not really enough snow to notice. Still, can you see some mixed with all the leaves? If not, it's most noticable on our neighbor's car.

The Season's First Snow Fall

2008-11-30T13:49:00.002-06:00

As we pulled out of the garage to head to church this morning, we were blessed with a beautiful surprise. IT WAS SNOWING!!!!

These snowflakes were good ones, sticking to the ground like I wanted them to. But alas, they were all melted by the time we got out of church. I can't wait til we get a snowfall where I can play in it!

Thanksgiving Roses

2008-11-28T10:00:00.001-06:00

Bryson gave me a dozen roses for Thanksgiving!

They were so

pretty I

decided to divide

them into three

vases and place them all over the house, so I could enjoy them everywhere I looked. :)

Thank you, and I'm grateful for you, too, honey!

"I Voted"

2008-11-03T14:46:00.016-06:00

That's what my sticker says!!! (they handed them out at the booths)

I originally wanted to vote on Saturday, but unfortunately ran out of time. So today I got it done, after spending 1 hour in line for a quick 2 minute vote. A bit annoying, but satisfying. I did what I needed to to have my voice heard, and I hope the rest of the county, state, country... will stand up for what they believe in too, rather than just following the crowd.

We are blessed to live in a country where the Lord "established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom [He] raised up unto this very purpose." (D&C 101:80)
America is the promised land of old, where freedom of speech and religion, and certain inalienable rights stand witness to our divine nature, as individuals and as a nation.

I hope we all can have the courage to standup for moral character in our leaders, and to vote for those things that reinforce God's commandments for all people.

All of the Lord's Holy Scriptures, The Family: A Proclamation to the World, and the book "Just and Holy Principles: Latter-Day Saint Readings On America and the Constitution" (a compilation of talks from church authorities) have been especially influential in my votes this year. The Lord has set guidlines for us, from the mouths of Prophets of old and today. It is now our choice to follow, or not.

A couple quotes that inspire me from
President Brigham Young,
July 4, 1854, a discourse delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City:

"Let the people see to it that they get righteous men to be their leaders, who will labour with their hands and administer to their own necessities, sit in judgment, legislate, and govern in righteousness; and officers that are filled with peace; and see to it that every man that goes forth among the people as a travelling officer is full of the fear of the Lord, and would rather do right as a sacrifice than do wrong for a reward.
What would be the result, if this course was adopted by the people of the United States? It would destroy the golden prospects of those who were seeking for gain alone, and men would be sought for, in the nation, State, or Territory, who were for the people, and would seek earnestly for their welfare, benefit, and salvation. We want men to rule the nation who care more for and love better the nation's welfare than gold and silver, fame, or popularity."

'Will the Constitution be destroyed? No: it will be held inviolate by this people, and as Joseph Smith said,
"The time will come when the destiny of the nation will hang upon a single thread. At that critical juncture this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction." '

I pushed Misty May in a wheelchair, and didn't even know it

2008-11-01T13:17:00.007-05:00

If you watched the Beijing Summer Olympics, you'll know who Misty May-Treanor is. She won the GOLD medal in Beach Volleyball.She was also on Dancing With the Stars for a bit.
(she's pictured on the right)
Apparently she's in town for the Roger's Store 100 Re-Opening going on today.
Well the story goes, when she got off the LA flight last night, and sat in my wheelchair (so she didn't have to use her crutches, for whatever happened to her foot/ankle... ?) I thought she looked kind of familiar. But then that usually happens as we have regular weekly fliers, and so faces can be familiar but blurred.
It wasn't until I took her downstairs that I realized who she was: some girls got her autograph, and there was also a chauffer with a limo to pick them up.
Yep, so that was my exciting Halloween night for you. Meeting a celebrity without even knowing it.
And if you're wondering what she's like in person, she is VERY NICE!

---photo curtoesy of: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/sport/olympics2008/features/article_1426006.php/In_photos_Beijing_2008_Olympic_Games_-_Womens_Beach_Volleyball_Final?page=13

This is Halloween

2008-10-31T01:49:00.008-05:00

Today is officially Halloween. Unfortunately we won't get to enjoy it as much as we'd like: Bryson's on pager duty this weekend, and Alyssa gets to work Friday night, as usual.

But still, we had fun in preparation for All Hallow's Eve. Muahahahah

Here's the 2nd time we made cookies this month.

And these are our Jack'O'Lanterns!

Bryson's is on the left, Lyss' on the right.

Good Old New York City Tap Water

2008-10-30T00:32:00.003-05:00

One of the water fountains in the Museum of Natural History. Such an oxymoron. I had to take a picture.

And fyi, it tasted just fine

Alyssa's New Calling

2008-10-26T22:10:00.005-05:00

I am officially released as Senior Nursery Leader, and am now called to Young Women's Secretary.

I'm excited and nervous at the same time. These kids are much bigger and more vocal than my toddlers! :) I'll REALLY miss the little ones, yet excited to diversify my spiritual talents.

The Shepherd's in Central Park

2008-10-24T00:31:00.012-05:00

xoxoxoxo-- I love this picture of our little family --oxoxoxox

Monday Morning with Lady Liberty and Ellis Is.

2008-10-23T17:18:00.023-05:00

For our last morning in New York we took the 9:30 a.m. ferry from Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty and then the connection to Ellis Island. Both National Park sites were pretty nifty.

I love visiting places with history. There's a power that can be felt. A feeling of reverence for those who made the journey to America. Overwhelming awe of how one place can so strongly influence the lives of countless generations. I especially loved the patriotism that is embodied into the very thought of these monuments. Lady Liberty is recognized world wide, not because she's a masterpiece (although the makers really were talented), but because she stands for America, a better life, individual rights and freedom. Just as the statue of Moroni atop our LDS temples doesn't stand as a worship of Moroni himself, Moroni AND the Statue of Liberty are both beacons of blessings, reminders of promises, and guides to the Lord's holy places.

(Photo of the NYC LDS Temple! We would've attended church there on Sunday, but the chapel floor was under construction. :(

****** Two people in love in the Land of the Free ******

Central Park

2008-10-22T01:41:00.014-05:00

I could not get enough! There's just something about Central Park that makes this my favorite place we went to in NYC. We walked through quite a few times, each time experiencing something different, yet there is so much that we didn't see! That's ok; more for next time ;)

We ate lunch there on our 2nd day (hotdogs from a stand). We ate dinner at Central Park, too. This time at Tavern On the Green. The restaurant was beautiful. The food, of course, a bit pricey, but there was a surprisingly good amount, and it made our tummies happy.

Bryson's meal:
ROAST DRY-RUBBED PRIME RIB AU JUS
MASHED POTATOES, HORSERADISH CREAM, FRENCH BEANS
BUTTERMILK, BLACK PEPPER AND CURRANT POPOVER

Alyssa's meal:
GRILLED FILET MIGNON
ROAST FINGERLING POTATOES, CREMINI MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH
RED WINE THYME SAUCE AND BÉARNAISE SAUCE

Weekend in NYC

2008-10-21T00:51:00.008-05:00

We were very blessed to be able to get away to New York City this weekend. This was Alyssa's 1st time, so she was very excited to see all the things she's heard about her whole life with her favorite person in the whole wide world, Bryson. And with this being Bryson's 2nd time to the city, he was excited to share memories and favorite places with his wonderful wife.

A quick overview of our traveling experience:
We arrived at LaGuardia Airport on Saturday around 1pm. It took about 20 minutes on the bus to get to the subway, and then about 10 minutes to get to Central Park and 5th avenue.

For only $7.50 a piece, you could purchase an unlimited pass on the Metro (bus and subway). This was amazing because the total cost of the six passes (2 people, 3 days) we bought was still less than one taxi ride from the airport to our hotel! Steal of a deal, plus we never had to worry about traffic. We could go wherever whenever.

A Perfect Day

2008-10-08T13:35:00.008-05:00

Bryson had yesterday off to recuperate from his huge migration at work this past weekend, and his trip to BYU's career fair last week . And Alyssa also took the day off to recuperate from her week of nannying in Seattle and to finish getting better from the horrible flu she got last week.

And so, with neither of us working, we had a much needed Perfect Day together!

The day started out with us sleeping in 'til 9:30am. Wohoo! We each got to putter around the house for the next 2 hours, slowing getting the house in order and ourselves ready for the day.

Next up was Halloween decorating!!!! There wasn't really much to it, especially since we don't have any spider web to hangup yet, but it allowed us to organize our living room surfaces a bit more. Side note- there is something about Halloween that makes the both of us so giddy. We both have really good childhood memories of dressing up, decorating, and trick-or-treating. This is probably our favorite holiday, second to Christmas of course! Plus, Bryson really likes to be scared (ie. rollercoasters, scary movies). This holiday just calls to him I suppose :)

Finally, after somemore work Bryson had to get done by that afternoon and Alyssa getting more laundry done, we left the house! Off we went to Olive Garden for the endless Soup/Salad and Pasta Bowl special. Of course we didn't eat more than one bowl of our soup or pasta, but it's still cheaper than ordering the meals regular off the menu. Mmm. bread sticks!

While down by the Pinnacle mall, we stopped by Bath and Body Works to exchange some Wallflower scents. Then off we went to the Associate Store for some more 'Christmas Shopping'. We've gotten so many neat things for our family for birthdays and Christmas at such reduced costs. I love it that we can give double in gifts on the same budget, if we so desire. Bargains are our friend :)

Following our return home, we were ready for an evening nap together. I love snuggling up on the couch! After a short nap, up we were again, this time making Peanut Butter cookies. We took a tray over to the Erickson's in our ward, to pick up Spots (our turtle) and thank them for watching her this past week while we were in and out of town, and having our late nights of work. We've really appreciated the generosity of all the people who've helped us in watching our beloved Spots :) Thank you Brooksby's, Greenhalgh's, and Erickson's!

After a stop at Marketplace for some chocolate milk and a Red Box movie, we snuggled up on the couch again for our enjoyment of cookies and a movie. Then after some good pillow talk, we were off to dream land at a decent time!

It may seem like our Perfect Day was not thrilling enough to make it worth a whole blog entry, but being able to spend a whole day with just the two of us, with no major interruptions, was a wonderful treat, and allowed us to restore a peaceful home after months of stress. Life is good.

Do the Puyallup

2008-09-17T01:10:00.015-05:00

Bryson and I finally got to go to the Puyallup Fair this year! Every September since we've been together, we've wished we could be in Seattle so we could go. And this year it just so happened to fall during our quick trip back home this past weekend. Gotta love the Puyallup! Especially since I haven't been there since I was in elementary school!

I even sort of remember the song, "You can do it in a trot, you can do it in a gallop, you can do it real slow so you're heart don't palpatate. Just don't be late. Do the Puyallup."

Stan (dad), Lisa (mom) and Brady (brother) came with us from Bryson's side, and so did Isaac (brother) and Victoria (sister) from Alyssa's. We enjoyed having a bit of both sides to hang with!

We got to see a lot of cool things.

Victoria got a big bag of cotton candy. She shared of course.

We watched the Draft Horses. Can you see the tiny Shetland Ponies next to the Clydesdale's?We even saw a sheep in a swimsuit. (ok, I know it's actually to keep it's groomed wool clean for show, but that's what it looks like!)

Some other fun things we did while in Seattle:

Pictured below is my mom and me on the plane taking us to Seattle! Thanks for taking me home with you Mommy! Bryson flew out to Washington a few days later.Friday night we went to the Bennion's house for dinner, before watching Brady's Varsity football game. Jessica Bennion (used to be Seltz) is a really good family friend. She was so nice to have most all of us Malmstrom's over for dinnner. Shelley even stopped by after work! It was so good to see them!!! Especially her new child #3, baby Cody.Before going to the Fair that Saturday, we made a stop by Grandma and Grandpa Malmstrom's house! I always love visiting their house. Brings back so many good childhood memories!!! Plus they're such sweethearts. I love them soooo much!

And although Alyssa spent all day Sunday in the airport trying to get home to Bentonville, it was ok because then she got to take part in her Dad's Birthday Dinner!

(in the 7 hours between the 4pm and the Midnight flight- Mom was nice enough to pick me up from the airport, and then dropped off again late at night, even though she had seminary to teach the next morning).

Happy Birthday! Nice remainder of the cake, which we technically ate on Saturday night :)

To view more pictures of our trip home, visit: http://picasaweb.google.com/brysonandalyssa/TripToSeattleSeptember2008 #

August was so busy! Will September slow down?

2008-09-12T11:50:00.005-05:00

Word of Caution, this is a long one!

August consisted of:

---Alyssa in Dallas for work training for approximately 2 1/2 weeks.
-2trips to New Braunfels/ San Antonio. One the first weekend of the month, the other at the last weekend (ie. part of Labor Day weekend).
---Trip to British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.
-More work for Bryson and Alyssa.
---And then there's still probably more that I just can't think of at the moment (scouts, nursery...)

And now for September so far:

The 2nd trip to New Braunfels was really fun!
We stayed at Melissa Christensen's parents' house again, and this time Cody, Melissa, and Rya were down there, too!

Alyssa had ended her Dallas training at about noon on Thursday, so she caught a flight to San Antonio that afternoon. Deanna (melissa's mom) picked me up and we did some fun grocery shopping, dry cleaning dropoffs, and a little bit of sight seeing to fill up the afternoon until Clayton (Melissa's brother) got home from school. I got to spend some one-on-one time with Melissa's family, and I quite enjoyed myself. I mean, Alyssa and Melissa sound pretty much the same, so of course I'd fit in, right?!

Poor Bryson, Cody, Melissa and Rya! They got to drive all the way to New Braunfels! They got there about 2 in the morning! Needless to say, they were tired the next morning.
So once we all woke up and got ourselves ready for the day, everyone except Clayton, because he had high school of course, went tubing down one of the rivers! The run was low and you had to keep your bum up, but it was still really fun, especially when we went through these shoots in between eroded rockbeds. Melissa's sister and her son Rya's age even came to join us. Don't worry, the little ones didn't go tubing, they played on the bank with the grandparents.

That night we ate at Rudy's, the "Wurst BBQ in Texas" :)

Saturday was a long day. We went to the Schlitterbaun! So many tube rides!!! I guess this used to be the world's largest waterpark (they have shuttle buses to take you between the two divided sides of the park, that's how big). Now I think it's the second largest. :) Since it was a Saturday AND the last day of the season, the park was pretty full. But according to the lifeguards, it could've been worse, so we were lucky! We got to go on the new dragon themed tube ride, where the water actually propels you uphill!

We also really enjoyed the lazy rivers! One was part of a wave pool, so we got to catch some really high waves as we went around. The other river had a fun shoot into it, and then the rest had a really strong current so we had fun trying to go upstream, or get out of the side exits while the river pulls you away before you could even get close, so we'd have to grab onto each other and try to pull us all into the "safe zone." (I know, I'm like a little kid. The small things entertain me the most :)

Another highlight of the park was the boogie board wave riding thing: the Boogie Baun! Cody and Bryson did really good their second go at it. They even got on their knees! Alyssa, on the other hand, was able to hold her ground on the board and not get flinged away, but it was really hard to see anything, because the water kept spraying you in the eyes! Not comfortable, but still fun!

Lunch for Bryson and I consisted of a whole lot of Capri Sun's and a Smoked Turkey leg. I know, probably not real healthy, and may not sound like much, but we were both soooo full, we couldn't even finish the turkey. I was soooo full, I didn't even have room for a FUNNEL Cake, that' s how full I was! So I made sure to get one on the way out of the park ;-)

The last most rewarding highlight was the last hour at the park, from 7 to 8pm. The lines were virtually non existent!!! We would just walk right up to the ride. I think we went on atleast 12 water rides! This was when we finally got to go on the really, really long tube rides, where you get to float all around the park, even though other rides and locker rooms, etc... (see picture below). There were some with rapids, others with big drops, and some were really fast. This was hands down the best part of the day, all fours of us concur. The weekend had to be cut short one day though, as both Bryson and Alyssa had to work on Labor Day. So after some Sunday lessons at the New Braunfel's we flew home to XNA.

The very next Sunday, also after church, Alyssa flew to Salt Lake City with her mom to celebrate Opa's Birthday there in Layton! We celebrated with Uncle Kurt and Aunt Jill, Jill's parent's, baby AJ (Alyssa's 2 1/2 month old cousin who she finally got to meet for the first time!), and even Oma who we picked up from the care center for a few hours to eat dinner with us. It was a very good family dinner :) Thanks Jill for the delicious food. mmm. Monday, Alyssa and her mom drove down to Orem for some Kyani business, and then went back up to Layton for 9 holes of golf with Opa and Uncle Kurt. Alyssa was a spectator/ caddy, and quite enjoyed it. It was her first time ever going golfing with all of them. Mom even let her tee-off a few times. Definitely need practice to be good at this sport. :0) Uncle Kurt of course got first place, open following close behind (pretty good for having arthritis!), and them Mom in a respectable last. Good thing Alyssa didn't play, else she's have something like 100 points, which is only good in baseball ;) Shhh... don't tell the course I was wearing flipflops when I did this ;)

Now here she sits, Alyssa at her parent's house, just relaxing during her official "work vacation", where she gets paid to chill with family, and enjoy the beautiful sunny weather here in Seattle. Hopefully Bryson will be able to fly in today to join her, and then they can go to Brady's football game, and visit Alyssa's grandparents, and go to the Puyallup Fair!, and visit with the Biles' and Seltz's, and other friends before we leave again on Sunday. (I know, another Sunday travel. I hate it, but it's the only day)

British and American Virgin Islands

2008-08-18T15:56:00.012-05:00

We really enjoyed our much needed Caribbean weekend!!! (August 15-19)

We stayed at the Long Bay Resort and Villas on the BVI of Tortola.

We took a ferry to BVI Virgin Gorda and went snorkeling at The Baths.In case you couldn't tell, Alyssa's supposed to have a scary pirate face next to the large granite skull!

We also took the ferry to AVI St. John and went snorkeling at Trunk Bay.All in all, we couldn't have asked for a better vacations (except maybe cheaper ferries and a few more nice locals). The water was crystal clear, the fish were curious and pretty colors, and the sand so soft and white. We had a wonderful "2nd honeymoon" I suppose. :)

To see more photos, go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/brysonandalyssa/2008CaribbeanVacation

The Alamo

2008-08-12T22:24:00.001-05:00

To View more photos, visit: http://picasaweb.google.com/brysonandalyssa/SanAntonioTexas

Weekend at SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas

2008-08-10T19:54:00.003-05:00

Last weekend, August 1st - 3rd, we were in San Antonio, Texas.

Our good friend's parents live in New Braunfels, so we rented a car and stayed at there house for the night. They were so curtious and gracious to let us use one of their spare bedrooms. We felt very blessed, as we were able to avoid spending $100+.

Saturday we went to SeaWorld! It was so fun, but definitely only worth a day's visit.

We got to see dolphins up close and in person. We even bought a thing of fish and took turns feeding/ petting the dolpins. That was a cool experience. FYI, they feel like those smooth rubber balls like you had when you were little. You know, the colored ones that were staked in the really high towers. The dolpin experiend was Alyssa's favorite.

We also went to see 2 Shamu shows! We would've seen the baluga whale show too, except that two of the whale's had babies earlier that week. We got to see the babies. So cute. Anyways, the whale shows were fun. We were brave and sat in the Soak Zones. And as they told us, You will Not get damp, You will Not get wet, You Will get SOAKED! We were lucky enought to not get too wet, but it was a fun part of the experience. Like being kids again!We also saw the Semore the Sea Lion show. It was hilarious! The trainers were also actors and interacted with the seals and the otter in a hilarious slooth spoof to find the missing maceral. Definitely worth seeing. Bryson had to try really hard to convince Alyssa to go on any of the rollercoasters- they had the Steel Eel which was comprised of mostly just VERY steel ups and downs. The drops were so steep, we came of our seats! and then when gravity came back over us, we were basically dropped back down into the hard, uncomfortable seats with only a lap harness and hard plastic that knocked the wind out of you and gave Alyssa a bruised elbow. Needless to say, Bryson loved it. :)

Another ride (can't remember the name) was really loopy and spinny. Boy it made us dizzy! You sat in the thing, which was attatched to the track from above you, as the floor dropped as you left and you feet dangled thru the whole ride. That one was CRAZY! Neither one Alyssa woulddo again though. Bryson on the other had loved them, of course. In fact, he went on that spinny ride twice (the first time was to prove to Alyssa that it wasn't that bad, and to explain how it felt going in flips and side turns while going suuuuper fast).

There were some other things we did, but you'll have to go yourself if you want to find out more! :)

Smith Family Reunion

2008-07-28T21:12:00.011-05:00

Happy 80th Birthday Grandpa Smith! We were able to go to Spanish Fork, Utah this past weekend for the Smith Family Reunion/ Grandpa's belated 80th birthday celebration/ Pioneer Day Parade/ Andrea's Bridal Shower.

We had an awful lot of fun, and loved seeing all our family once again. We were even able to squeeze a few friend visits in.

Next time we're gonna be sure to see Oma and Opa, Uncle Kurt and Aunt Jill and their little one AJ though! We miss them, too!

TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS, GO TO
http://picasaweb.google.com/brysonandalyssa/SpanishForkTripJuly23262008

Been A Long Time

2008-07-22T14:52:00.002-05:00

It's been a whole month since I've had even a second to add something to here. I've got a lot to add- Walmart Concert, Malmstrom parent visit, ...

But still, the lastest new is that Alyssa will be out of Arkansas for (drum roll please)... 21 DAYS!!! And she is frantically trying to finish collecting everything together. 1- I hope I don't forget anything 2- I hope I have everything covered while I'm gone, including Nursery substitutes and snacks (oh, that reminds me that I need to write a Nursery post), bills are all paid, plants and pets all get fed and water (I really don't want anything to die. Which also reminds me that I need an Alyssa's Garden post), and 3- I hope Bryson doesn't get lonely, go without clean clothes, or goes hungry. I doubt any of that will happen, seeing as Bryson is good at laundry (except when he washes a shirt with a red sheet- bled all over :), and we have so many caring, generous friends here in Bentonville, I'm sure he'll always have a family to eat dinner and play games with.

Oh, and I guess I should mention, TODAY IS MY GOLDEN BIRTHDAY!!!
I'm 22 years old, turning my actually birthDAY in age, 22. Another cool tidbit of information, today, Tuesday, is also the day on which I was born!!! Yah for a memorable birthday!

Wal-mart Week

2008-06-02T21:26:00.002-05:00

This Friday is Wal-mart's Annual Shareholder's Meeting. This mean two things for Bryson and I.
First, free concerts all week. And secondly, Alyssa has to work on the busiest day of the year for the XNA airport. Saturday, all our regular flights are overbooked. AND we have a few extra flights added on, as well; also all full. So that means 4:30 am to 12 noon I get to give up one of my weekend days to work at the ticket counter, dealing with those few choice individuals who aren't gonna get on their flight for one reason or another, and will take their frustration out on me. But I will survive, because I will have all the wonderful memories of the concerts to get me thru.

Taylor Swift and Lifehouse tomorrow (Tuesday)
Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban (Thursday)

Sound Asleep

2008-03-29T12:33:00.001-05:00

Alright, so this past Thursday, Bryson left Alyssa at home to finish preparing Scout stuff for their overnight Friday. He left at 6:30pm. He returned at 10:00pm to find Alyssa asleep on the couch.
"Did you hear all the thunder, hail, and tornado warnings?!" he asked.
"I faintly remembering hearing the tornado warning," she replies, "but I was sleeping so good I just went back to sleep."
Imagine if the tornado really had hit our apartment, Alyssa could've woken up in Missouri! LOL

Blogging Huh?!

2008-03-24T00:29:00.000-05:00

So I decided to grab a blog while our "address" still existed (we like the idea of having our email and blog addresses the same: brysonandalyssa). I don't know if we'll ever really use this, but hey, can't hurt to take the first step towards blogging.