Ariana and Jared's Wedding (Weekend in Cali)

Since we've moved to Utah our days in California have been very limited.

This past weekend we were able to go visit for Ariana and Jared's wedding! 

They were married in the L.A. LDS temple.

We got to see so much family and if you can't tell by my lack of pictures we all just wanted to talk.

For once mum had to remind me to take pictures (usually its the other way around.)

Here we are waiting for the newly weds to come out of the temple.

the boy cousins found rocks to play with. This is Thayne and Jose.

Jose taught Thayne how to throw rocks and Thayne showed Jose that rocks are 

actually pretty yummy to suck on.

Shauny climbing a tree. They had so much fun with the landscape. 

What I needed to get a picture of was how good Shaun was to Thayne. He helped keep Thayne in safe areas and made sure he was always in sight. I appreciated it so much!

Here is the beautiful couple! 

Thayne and mum

Grandpa (Thayne's great-grandpa) feeding Thayne an orange. I think

Grandpa couldn't believe how much Thayne could eat.

The wedding cake.

Table decor

The reception room. Can't even tell its in a church cultural hall!! Go Mandy!

Because a lot of their family couldn't go in the temple they exchanged rings at the reception. 

I thought it was a wonderful idea. They just told each other how much they meant to the other 

and gave the ring. It was simple, it was sweet, it was perfect.

Congrats you two! Thanks for letting us share your sweet uniting!

Thrift store LDS decor

I love thrift stores. I also love saying money.

Combine the two and beautiful things happen.

At our last stake conference a speaker spoke about the importance of having a picture of the temple in your home is.

After we came home I looked around. Not one picture up.

How sad!

So I looked at some pictures I really wanted (I mean bigger than 5x7) most were over $100.

Something I definitely don't have. So I have been on the hunt to find a cheaper version.

And here it is!

I tried to capture the colors of the frame and inside frame.

Its purple. My LEAST favorite color. The wood even has a purple tint.

The frame, glass, and most important the picture (drawing?) is in excellent condition.

For $15.00 I couldn't pass it up.

Perfect size, simple, and to the point.

Plus gives me a craft to do.

I took the art out of the wood frame and was not very happy to find the inside frame attached to the art.

I'm a pretty messy painter so this worried me a bit

I taped off what I didn't want painted and luckily it worked out just fine.

Here is the finished product. Red and black. Which matches much better with what I have and hopefully looks like I paid more for it. What do you think?

The Oregon Trail Part 1: Brock and Emily get married!

I love Oregon

I couldn't ever live there (something about the sun shining just makes me happy!)

It was so nice to visit though!

Here is Thayne right before we left on his new toy.

We decided to leave on this Oregon Trail adventure because well

Adam and Brock go way back... I mean way back. Pretty sure they have

been friends since they were 3.

This was our first road trip together as a fam! Along the way we found this...

A dinosaur! Thayne just couldn't help but want to touch it and poke its eyes.

Yes, this was actually at a gas station.

First night of the Oregon trail we thought to save money so we decided to camp. Which was super nice.

Thayne had to explore he loved everything about camping.

The most important things I'd like to mention about camping with a baby are

1. BUG SPRAY! (thanks Mom!) Bugs want to eat your baby up as much as you do.

2. Be careful with fire. We could not get him away from it and had to put him in the tent

3. Huge tent=able to take playpen, playpen=safe spot for baby and good nights sleep for them

it was so nice to be able to have the playpen while camping he is such a wiggle worm I couldn't imagine having him sleep in our bed.

Oregon Trail day 2:

After camping we had to travel another 6 hours to make it to the family dinner which was totally fabulous

and made it worth the drive just right there. Unfortunately Thayne was pretty crazy and it was hard to take any pictures.

P.S. I didn't take any cloth diapers for this trip I really did think about it then I thought we are going to be in so many different places and be so busy I better not. BUT I did make some food and took plenty for the days we were there and we only went out to eat once just because we wanted too. That right there saved a ton of money.

I took some pasta salad that I found from Road Trip Recipes 

Everyone loved it and didn't mind eating it for 3 days straight.

I also took a loaf of bread and peanut butter and jelly

Another must was bumblebees tuna salad with crackers (super easy for on the go!)

and my favorite lots of pudding!

Oregon Trail Day 3: The wedding

Emily and Brock! They are geuninely in love and we couldn't be any happier for them. So glad they found each other

Congrats you two!



Adam and I...

The Hassell Fam!

It was a beautiful day for a wedding in Oregon! I'm so glad we made it!

It was super busy the whole time but we didn't mind. Brock and Emily Nelson were sealed for time and all eternity

in the Portland, Oregon LDS Temple. There is nothing like being able to be with your family together forever.

Be sure to check out Oregon Trail Part 2:Thayne's Birthday!

Going to the Temple

Living in Utah you see a lot of LDS temples. 

I love seeing them and even like seeing the houses around them. 

I had the opportunity to go to the temple yesterday. 

Adam and I have made a goal together to go to the temple as often as we can.

That has been about once a month. For others I believe this number can be more than once a month

or less. It is whatever you feel is right.

I've been struggling really bad with, well a lot of things. 

We recently moved, cut our monthly pay check in

half, and Adam is gone all the time (these seem to be the root of all the other things I have been struggling with). Lets just say I haven't been the happiest person or the nicest.

Yesterday was raining and its Adam's only day off. We really wanted to go on a bike ride or

hike but because of the cold rain decided against those activities. We made a new plan we'd go to the

temple and then eat lunch. After lunch we would play racquetball. We followed through with our plan.

Going to the temple and seeing all the smiling faces just melts your heart. 

You don't have to be perfect to go there (obviously because I go!) just worthy. 

While serving in the temple I started to cry with joy. (p.s. this never happens to me) 

I overwhelming felt that not only was I doing the right thing but that Heavenly Father loved me

and was so happy that I went to His house. I felt so welcome. 

I felt so happy. Going to the temple makes me a better person. Just ask my husband.

I hope there is a temple close to you. Everyone is given the opportunity to go through a temple before it is dedicated. It is called an open house. I hope you would go. It is a holy place and makes me a better person. I'm more patient and kind and I know it is the Lord's work in me because it doesn't come

natural at all.

In our latest general conference Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 

talked about Coming to Ourselves. He talks about realizing who we are and our "hunger for the sacred blessing that only He (Heavenly Father) can provide". Please read that talk, AGAIN. 

We all need guidance, we all need love. Heavenly Father loves us all even when we make mistakes.