October Happenings

I can not believe that it is already November...time seriously flies by so fast.  This month has been a blur, but we have done some fun things also.  I had my six month post radiation check up and my blood work was right in the levels that the doctor wanted to see them at.  I was relieved, but now it is on to a neck ultrasound in December and then more bloodwork (of course).  I've never had so much blood work in my whole life as I've had in the last year.  I guess I just have to get used to it :) Fun times!  We've also managed to do some other fun stuf... 

Our Rebel Basketball Season Tickets came in the mail.  We can not wait.  Nov. 7th is game one!

We took a trip to San Diego, which is always fun.  Kono's is by far the best breakfast place in San Diego.

The view from Kono's isn't too shabby!

Let's face it...the view from anywhere in San Diego isn't too shabby.  This is La Jolla Shores...our favorite.

Dinner at Miguel's Mexican Restaurant.  

Carrie Underwood Concert!!  So fun!!

Another stop at La Jolla Shores

Corey at La Jolla Cove

What We've Been Up To

Missing my sister who is serving her mission in the Tulsa, OK mission, but so proud of her.

Eating good food at Rincon de Buenos Aires.  Taking Corey back to his Argentina days.

Went to Salt Lake City with my parents.  Was able to see the Brigham City Temple dedication and do a session in the Salt Lake Temple.  Sadly we got no pictures in front of the temple.  We only have this gem which was taken as a joke for my sister.  We did manage to go to Hires!

Went to Wicked!!  

Our Rebel Football season started.  We love our season tickets and the friends we go with.

Been hanging out with friends and their cute babies.

Pine Valley and Enterprise Cornfest

This weekend we were able to go to Pine Valley, UT, where Corey's grandpa built a cabin.  We also went to the Enterprise CornFest.  It was so much fun!  We saw old cars, ate good junk food, and picked out some amazing corn.  We also went to the Enterprise Reservoir and did some fishing (if you can't tell that is one of Corey's favorite things to do).  Such a nice weekend, away from the Vegas heat! 

Corey at the Cornfest

So many old, cool cars!

Us picking raspberries and blackberries and filling up our buckets.  They tasted soooo good and it was so much fun to pick them.

Corey picking blackberries

Fishing at the reservoir

Pardon the finger covering the picture

The view fishing

Pine Valley, UT

Spring Creek, NV

This past month has been really busy celebrating birthdays.  Corey turned 30 on July 17th and I turned 27 on July 25th.  We also went up last week to a mini family reunion in Spring Creek, NV.  We were able to play horseshoes, ride four-wheelers, shoot shotguns, go fishing, dutch oven dinner in the canyon, and many other fun things.  Here are some pictures from the trip...

Fenway 

Corey and my dad on the tractor

Corey and his shotgun

Trying to hit the clay pigeon

Out on the ranch shooting

Corey and my dad

Dutch oven in the canyon...soooooooo good!!

Corey fishing by the Ruby mountains

Corey and my grandpa playing some tunes

My grandpa and I up in the canyon

Cabin Time!

We were able to go to a cabin in the mountains, near Kolob outside of Kanarraville, UT, with some of our friends last weekend.  It was so much fun.  We went fishing, ATV riding, shot guns off the porch, and ate good food.  The kids were catching more fish than the adults (with their Batman and Toy Story fishing poles mind you).  We are so lucky to have such awesome friends.  These are some of the pictures from the trip, thanks to Jon Allsop.  Can't wait to do it again next year:)  

Fishing by the pond

Late night guitar playing

Some more guitar

Relaxing in the cabin

Corey in his happy place...fishing!

The view from the porch...so pretty

I love this picture..Corey and Chad

Picture of the cabin

Corey helping me put on the lure

Any time we go fishing, it is pretty much Corey helping me unsnaggle the fishing line I get caught on weeds, rocks, etc...ha ha.

Crazy Ride!

I would consider myself a pretty closed book.  I don't like opening up too much, which is why I am kind of hesitant to write this post.  But, I do know that I want to remember the experiences I have, and I won't do that if I don't write them down.  So I write this more for myself (it helps writing it out).  This past year has been a pretty crazy one.  Last October on a Saturday I found a lump on my throat and went in that next Monday to the doctors.  After getting referred out to my endocronologist, I was referred for blood work, an ultrasound of my neck and a biopsy.  This process took over a month or so and on December 22, 2011 I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer.  Being told you have cancer is the most surreal moment.  You kind of expect it when they are doing biopsies and all these tests, but nothing can prepare you for it.  The doctor said the prognosis was good, but there would be some hurdles first.  I had surgery January 17, 2012 to remove my entire thyroid (I am now on thyroid medication which I take every morning).  In April, I did one round of the radioactive iodine treatment to kill any remain cancer cells.  That went well and after doing a whole body scan my doctor said the cancer didn't spread and that the radiation worked and everything was where he wanted it to be.  I will be following up every six months for a LONG while.  I go back in October to follow up.  It's been a crazy ride, but I have been able to grow a lot from it as well.  I feel grateful for an amazing husband who has been by my side EVERY step of the way.  I feel grateful for the knowledge and peace that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I KNOW that trials help us to grow, otherwise we just sit around not learning or changing.  Life is good:)      

Right after surgery

Steinberg Diagnostics, where I became radioactive :)