Christmas 2010

Joey gave Dave a golf club cover, guess who it looks like?

New golf clubs for Dave!! Thank you, Santa!

She's got a Ticket to Ride...

Surprise!! Look who showed up Christmas morning!

June's wondering what Dave's got up his sleeve...

An iPad was necessary this year to keep Dad in the 21st Century.

I wouldn't be who I am today without the support, love, advice, friendship, style, and humor from my 2 older sisters.

Monster Mash

Looks like Dracula himself decided to throw a party, with the help of his witchy wife, of course. Let the cosume parade begin!

the gypsy from Transylvania

Life really is a circus with the Walkers

I don't know how that little mermaid survives the spookiness around her!

You would think Mario would bring his go-kart.... and interesting how Jeff just happened to have all the ingredients for a nerd costume....

Practicing for next year's event... turkey legs on a string!

If you like it then you should've put a ring on it... oh oh oh

I wonder if the ladybug is Team Edward or Team Jacob

Prizes to suit all your Halloween wishes, from glow stick wands and stretchy spiders to grow-your-own skeletons. It's like a Hogsmeade store!

Grandpa Jo

My dear Grandpa Jo passed away peacefully March 11 after a full, long, wonderful life. His funeral was inspiring to me, making me want to give more service, love more deeply, and act more unselfishly. My grandpa was a hard worker, dedicated to his family, his country and most importantly, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I have many wonderful memories of grandpa, and feel so blessed to have grown up with him in my life. When I turned 8 years old, he took me out to lunch to Chili's and showed me his collection of silver dollars. I got to choose any one I wanted to keep as my own! This was such a treasure to me, I had my mom keep it safe in her closet; I didn't want to risk ever losing it. And at 8 years old, my mom's closet seemed like the safest place I could ever imagine.

Grandpa Jo used to call our cat, Fluffy, "that black cat." I thought this was so funny, because Fluffy wasn't black, but white with black spots. I got a kick out of it every time.

Grandpa Jo always treated my grandma with more patience, kindness, and love than ever thought possible. I can still hear him saying "now, Ann..." as he tried to calm her down when she got all riled up about something (which happens quite often.) At one point, my grandma wasn't able to watch The Young and the Restless, of which she has been a faithful follower since the show began. So my grandpa watched it for her, taking notes on the intriguing plot and love affairs of these deep, well-rounded characters so that my grandma could stay up to date with her favorite show. Now if that's not true love, I don't know what is.

During my grandpa's final days, he comforted his wife of over 60 years by remarking that they've had a great adventure together. This brings me to tears because it is oh, so true. My grandma and grandpa Jo have lived humble, loving lives, sharing their spirit and kindness with their 6 children, and an army of grandchildren, in-laws, and great grandchildren. I hope Grandpa Jo knows how much I love him and what a great example he was to me, and that his legacy will live on forever.

girls getaway

one man with about 16 girls? grandpa stander is a lucky guy!

dave's aunt jeanette was kind enough to invite all the girls in the family down to st. george for a weekend o' fun. we shopped, talked, got massages, relaxed, ate, and most importantly did lots of crafts!!
judy surprised megan and i with matching valentine's pajamas- oh, so comfy!
thomas, ashley, marianne, joan, judy

grandma stander collected thousands of buttons, so we decided to put them to use. you can't be upset in heaven, right?
just a glimpse of our many crafts- think bracelets, headbands, blankets, cake stands and more. you would think our last name was etsy.

our winter stay-cation

We need not travel far to have a good time! We spent a day at the Homestead in Midway and had a blast. We started off with some tubing, lazy style- where the rope tow drags you up the hill. But the rides up were half the fun~

The mineral water natural crater served as our warm water destination. Oh how I love swimming when the water is warm!
These ice sculptures were quite the sight- the pictures don't do them justice. It made me want to be an ice princess and live in a castle like that.
I wish we could make a tradition of this and do it every year! I wanted to stay longer and go snowshoeing, x-country skiing, relax with a good book, and sleep in for a few more days. What a great way to start Dave's birthday celebrations.

cookie jar

The woman who started it all and has shared her skills with the rest of us. As this year's official "cookie counter," Mom was in charge of making sure each of us got our equal share (which ended up around 12 dozen per person!)

Dress code for the day: aprons

My two personal favorites: chocolate parfait (above) and orange carrot (below). They're melting in my mouth already.

COOKIE BAKE 2009

happy thanksgiving

I've been thinking about all the many things I am grateful for this year, and my thoughts continually turn to you, my best family and friends. This past year has been a tough one for me and Dave, and I don't know what I would have done without you. Some days it was hard to find hope and I'm not sure I would have ever found it without the love you've shown to me. I've been amazed at how small and simple things can make such a difference in my day, my attitude, my life. From a kind hand written note, a big hug, or a simple blog comment to a night spent talking, forgiveness on my bad days, or a night at the temple, I have been touched by the thoughtfulness of my family and friends. And although Dave and I have traveled down rocky roads together, he has been the strong one, giving me encouragement, laughter, hope, and true understanding. Each of you has been an instrument in the Lord's hands, for He has answered my prayers through the love of others. The Plan of Salvation and the knowledge of Eternal Families has never meant more to me than it does now. So I'd like to thank each of you (you know who you are) for being there for me and letting me know you love me. I feel so grateful to Heavenly Father for surrounding me with such amazing people. So at this time of Thanksgiving, although I feel so blessed in many areas of my life, I'd like to give a shout out to the people who make me feel life is good, joyful, and worth living.

Who likes to party?

Dave and I just hiked in for the occasion, fresh from Camp Tomahawk. "On my honor..."

The guests ranged from an "Enchanting" Princess, Little Red Riding Hood, and a Skeleton to the Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, and a very scary Witch.


Who can resist Minnie Mouse?

This flower and bumblebee pair was as darling as ever. Now where is their Beekeeper counterpart?


I give them the prize for most clever- crossword puzzles! Now let me get my pencil...

Jeff never disappoints, always showing up in his non-PC skin color of choice. I'm sure Ronnie Price will forgive him.

Why didn't the skeleton come to the Halloween party?



Because he had no BODY to come with!!! hahaha



Thanks again to R&R for a frightfully fabulous party- it's one of our very favorite parts of Halloween. We missed Dad, but he needed his rest and we're glad he's feeling better. Congrats to Richard for winning the Best Costume Award as the Incredible Hulk!

june

I miss her so much already. And her mom. Her dad too.

#3... meant to be

Dave and I celebrated our third anniversary last month by dining at La Caille. I had never been there before, but we had some gift certificates to spend (thanks to the best neighbors ever) so we decided to indulge. And indulge we did! Everything was perfect- the food, the surroundings, the music, the lighting, and of course the company. Except for the swan biting Dave's thumb, we couldn't have asked for a better night.

I love the way Dave makes me happier than anything or anyone else in this world. In these short 3 years, I feel like we've already experienced so much together. I've learned that I never know what life has in store- I'm just glad Dave and I will be side by side through it all. Here's to a successful and joyous year ahead!

Flaming Gorge

Anyone that has ever been to Flaming Gorge knows how absolutely beautiful it is. I had never experienced its splendor until last month when we made a trip up there with Bob & Peg and their friends.

We loved the wakeboarding, waterskiing, tubing, and swimming mixed in with some naps, sunbathing, and time to delve into a page-turning novel.

The mountains surrounding us were a mix between desert red rock and green forest hills, with serene glass-like water in between. We had such a great time, we wish we could have extended the 3 days into many, many more!

Stars and stripes forever

There's just something about the 4th and 24th of July that make them 2 of my very favorite holidays. I love being outside, the warm weather, the smell of the BBQ in the backyard, and the brightly colored fireworks that light up the sky at night. It's so nice to spend the day with family and friends without the stress that often accompanies other major holidays. Plus, I've always considered myself an exceptionally patriotic person and I love singing as many patriotic songs as I can think of. Here's a look at some of the holiday highlights:


3 cheers for the red, white, and blue...


s'more smores please!

I love being able to celebrate Alana's birthday and the Pioneers on the same day! Talk about a winning combo!