Yikes! I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted. We've had a busy couple of weeks. We went to Colorado for Nicole's Graduation. We actually were only able to go for her seminary graduation but we had a really fun time. We went over James' Birthday!

Happy 28th Birthday James!!!

Growing up we started the tradition of decorating the Birthday boys room with toilet paper. Kirsten wanted to do that for James so heres a few pictures of him discovering his room all decorated.

Saturday the 17th was his birthday. He was good to share his birthday with Nicole, who we surprised with a surprise birthday party, Saturday morning. Her birthday is April 3rd but she hurt her knee so my mom couldn't throw the surprise party she had planned. So she moved it to may 17th and really surprised her. All her friends came over in their pj's early that morning, and went into her room and woke her up. She was so surprised. It was a lot of fun. We all then went downstairs and everyone special ordered different waffles. It was such a cute idea. Nicole's friends filled a plate with whipped cream and smashed it in her face!! It was great. Heres a couple pictures of that.

Later that night we all went to a Colorado Rockies Game!! It was very hot, but it turned out be be very fun. The Rockies won and that made it that much better. Heres us at the game.



Sunday night was Nicole's Seminary Graduation. Each senior makes a table of all their interests and accomplishments. This is a picture of Nicole's. She looked so pretty! I can't believe I didn't get a picture of her, but oh well. Its crazy to think that she's graduated!!
We also celebrated Mothers Day! I know we threw everything into one weekend. We got her a Wax warmer thing that are great and are really popular in Utah right now. I have one and I love it!!
Kirsten and Diego were inseparable ! She loved playing with him. This is a funny picture of her riding Diego like a horse.

Late Sunday night we stayed up talking and playing games. We gave Nicole this hoodie for her Graduation present and she loved it. I was glad to really hit this one on the head.
Monday we went home and Tuesday it was back to work. We were hit hard with reality when we got back and James was let go from his job. Work in Logan has been really slow with everything becoming so expensive. So his work financially couldn't keep him on. He then spent the next couple days looking for a job and we just kept hearing that everyone was having to let people go. After a lot of prayers and pondering, he got two job offers today and will begin working next Tuesday!! We really feel that this has all been for the best and that Heavenly Father knows our situation and has answered our prayers. Anyway Memorial Day Weekend we spent with Sam and Chelsie. The weather wasn't that great but we had a barbecue and tried to enjoy the weekend as much as possible. We made James his traditional Birthday cake and it was yummy!!
This is cute Allie enjoying some yummy chocolate cake.

Schools Out

YEA!!!! I finally made it through another school year! Finals all went really good and I"m just glad they are over. I'll blame my lack of blogging on my intense studying, haha. I had my internship interview and everything is good to go in the fall. I went to the Box Elder School District and had a background check and was issued a name badge. Its all so exciting. Saturday April 26th, my cousin Josh's finance took her endowments out in the Logan Temple. James and I were able to go and met up with a bunch of my extended family. The temple endowment was beautiful but it was packed! Which of course is a good thing! After we all went to Chili's for a late lunch. These are some pictures outside the temple, as you can tell it was really windy. This first one is of Josh and his wife Elise.

This past weekend, Josh and Elise were married in the Rexburg ID Temple. My family all went out to Idaho for it. James and I wanted to go but couldn't because of work and finals. Saturday my parents and sisters, came to Logan after being in Idaho. We went to the play Beauty and the Beast. It was really good, and a lot of fun! We all left singing the songs! Heres a picture of Kirsten singing some of her songs shes learned at her voice lessons. Half way during the play we realized the Lumier (the candle) was a member of our ward. We said hi to him at the end and Kirsten got his signature and Bell, and the Beast. I was shocked when James leaned over to me during the play and said we should rent this movie, apparently James has never seen Beauty and the Beast!! I guess thats what you get form a guy who grew up with a bunch of boys and one lone girl. We are going to have to rent it. Anyway, After we went back to our apartment, and celebrate Larissa's 15th birthday. I tied to make her a Belle, cake but it didn't turn out quite how I pictured but it sure tasted good. I was going to at least take a picture but I completely forgot. I also forgot to put candles on it and let her blow them out. I was kind of flaky! These are pictures of presents she got. If you look close you can see some of our apt, and our famous towel wrapping. My family stayed till Sunday morning and then it was back to Colorado for school and work. They had a really fast trip, and I was glad I got to see them and have them over to our apt.


Larissa is becoming such a beautiful woman! I'm so proud of her and love being around her and her fun personality. I was so excited that we would get to celebrate her birthday with her! We love you Roo and congrats on being another year older.
It was so much fun having my family come down even though it was only for Saturday afternoon. I love them all so much and am blessed to have such a fun loving family!

The Big 23!!!

Well, Its official I'm one year older and wiser too! I woke to my cell phone going off at 6:30. It was my family and when I answered I got to hear a lovely rendition of happy birthday! Thats always been a family tradition, and although I was still asleep as they sang I just wanted to tell them thanks and even though I'm getting older I still love to hear from them all at the crack of dawn. Thanks Fam!!! We actually celebrated most of my Birthday Sunday. We have a busy week, and especially tonight because I have school and then scouts. Sunday James baked me a cake and gave me presents. He bought me a MP3 player and I love it!! It has a FM radio in it which I love. I figured out what he got me and thats why I have the goofy face in one of the pictures. I told him not to get me anything big since we just bought a car but he never listens to me. I'm not complaining though because I love my gift. I found out later that he wanted to do my Birthday on Sunday so I could use the MP3 at work. I've been using a little radio at work, so now I feel all technical! Anyway, I also got the Sara Barellis cd and the We The Kings cd. They are a newer group and they look like their 12 but I love their Juliet song. The whole cd is actually really good also. If any of you get Sara Barellis cd listen to the fairytale song. I love it I think its so catchy. Hey a little side note. We never had wrapping paper for birthdays in my family we always used towels or blankets. James has always thought this was a funny family quark so he has adopted the tradition as you can see in the pictures. Also ignore the pj pants (come on its Sunday, who wears actual clothes on a Sunday! and for those of you who asked to see my new clothes the shirt I'm wearing is one of them. It looks much cuter with jeans on but hey) Today I had classes and James took me out to lunch, which was a fun break in the day. When I got home from classes Melissa our landlord had written Happy Birthday Shayle on the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk! thanks Melissa. Tonight we have scouts and then we are going to Sam and Chelsie's' for Pizza and movie night! Its been a great day and I just want to thank you all for sending me birthday greetings and for being such wonderful friends and family. I truly feel blessed to have you all in my life.
Ok one last thing we have this big willow bush in our front yard, and our landlords had talked about cutting it down. So last night we went out for like an hour and a half. When we came back we found this!! Its hard to think about it before especially because I didn't take a before picture. It was just so random. They were out doing the final cuts when we got home this was at like 9:30 at night. they had just got their little boy down for the night and they figured that would be the best time to get it done. I think it will look so nice when its all done. By the way if you haven't seen our house thats it in the back! We love our quiet street!

Here's a little laugh

Well, I finally posted the picture. Its kind of hard to tell but its James asleep on our couch and Sadie and Diego asleep on him. I thought it was funny! Oh and for those who have asked, I'm finishing my junior year and next fall I'll be a senior. The biggest difference is that I won't have as many classes and I'll have my internship. Hope all is well with the rest of you. I found this cartoon and thought it was fitting for feeling overwhelmed. So for all of you mothers out there or those of you that just need to take a break, here have a little laugh.
:)

We had a fun weekend. Saturday James and I went shopping, and I found a lot of clothes (I have been needing new summer clothes for a while). You know when you just have one of those days where everything looks cute and is priced great. We were at Kohls and I had a blast. I finally used up my gift card I got from my In-laws, Thanks Jim and Linda!! I felt very spoiled and I made James take me home so I could change into my new summer clothes. Later that day we played games with Melissa and Tyson and as always had a great time. I almost forgot we watched Sam and Chelsie's dog Sadie for the weekend. Diego and her had such a fun time together, they even tried to play tug-a-war with each other. That was just funny to watch because of the size difference. Sunday was beautiful weather, so we took Diego on a walk with Sam and Chelsie and Allie and Sadie. We were quite the crew. We walked the "river walk" which is a walk by the river, if you couldn't figure that out. It was so much fun! James caught a water snake and we all touched it. (No one else wanted to get any closer to the snake than that. ) After we had a little Barbeque, it was just so nice to be warm and be outside! Now its back to school. I only have 2 and a half weeks left. I might actually make it! If you would have told me that a few weeks age I would have laughed.

Flowers Family and Conference

Well, what a weekend! Friday was a really frustrating day at work. I had a little 24 hour flu and had been up in the middle of the night visiting with the toilet. That morning I had to go to work and I wasn't feeling well so I was impatient and there was a lot to do. That afternoon I got home and found these flowers on the table with a sweet note from James. He really knows when I need a little extra love and he is always so good to make me feel special! He is such a wonderful husband! I thought the flowers were beautiful and springy.




Saturday James and I got up and watched the First session of Conference. The spirit was so strong as we each stood and sustained the new Prophet. It was exciting to know that all the members around the world will stand and sustain Pres. Monson as the Prophet of the world. What a wonderful experience, that was.
Sunday, we went and visited the Petersen side of the family. We went to my Grandma Petersen's for Conference Breakfast, it was delicious! We had a lot of fun visiting and listening to Conference. Here are some pictures of a few of us I should have taken more but I was lazy.
James, My Great Uncle Willie, and my cousins Becky, Brianna, and Taelyn, and in the back Eric.
Here's my cousin Lindsey, and the top of Tressa's head.
My cousin Julie looking beautiful and holding her niece Tressa.
Tressa is my cousin Dan and his wife Emily's little girl.
Looking so pretty!
Taelyn and Tressa

What a silly girl, she loved having her picture taken. She would smile so big at the camera flash. You almost needed a second camera to get her smile after the flash. Its so crazy to have this side of the family starting to have little ones.
We went to my Grandma and Grandpa Larsen for Lunch later that day, and got to see my Aunt Deanne and Uncle Royce and a few of their kids. Also my Aunt Jan and two of her kids were there it was so nice to get to see everyone. We celebrated my Grandma Larsen's Birthday and had really good carrot cake!
After we left we went to my Uncle Ron's Aunt Stacy's they had a TV that they didn't need anymore and had offered it to us. It is so nice!! We love being able to sit on our couch and watch TV rather then pull our couch across the floor in order to see the TV. Thank you Ron and Stacy! We had a very fun weekend and enjoyed seeing family! It was also a beautiful spiritual conference which made the weekend that much better.

The Big 18!!!

I just wanted to wish Nicole a Happy Birthday. She turned 18 today and is now and adult! Yikes!!! I also wanted to update you all on how she is doing with her knee. She just has to wear a knee brace and started going back to school. She is doing great and her doctor was very happy with her progress. According to her doctor she will be able to run on a treadmill in 12 weeks. Its amazing what they can do! Anyway Happy Birthday Nicole and we wish we were there!!! Love You