My baby is a Senior :(

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August 2011

Kindergarten picture 1999


I can't believe it's really here. I was told 23 years ago to watch out because before you know it they grow up and you wonder where the time went. Well I have enjoyed the last 23 years, I have loved being a mom I just can't believe that my baby is actually going to be a senior! Then the news comes that she is signing up for night school and graduating early. So instead of having 9 months to get ready I have 4 1/2. I'm not sure how to feel. I am excited for her and for the next phase of her life...well at least I think I am. I am sad she is my last and will be leaving me.

Where did the time go? When I think back I have sweet memories, memories that will always be in my heart. The Halloween party where there were apples to bob for and Kilee dressed as an angel at 2 took several bites out of several apples before we found her. Going to dialysis with my Grandma every week and hating the smell but making her Great Grandma fall in love with her. All the disney movies we almost had memorized before she would finally pick a new one. Her love for Dalmatians and pigs and most anything little. Playing soccer for so many years and taking out girls and boys twice her size. Broken arms, a total of 5. Good thing we had different doctors or they might have thought she was abused. Skipping school, but not hiding it... actually showing up at my work just to say hi. Her hatred for white water rafting after she thought she was going to drown in the Payette River. Her love for dogs and BSU football. Her sensitive side that comes out on occasion, her beautiful smile, and her funny sense of humor. Her hugs and her kisses, her funny accents that she does so good! Most of all just her goodness. One day she is going to make one lucky man very happy. She is beautiful on the inside and out! I love you Kilee J... go get em!

New Job... Good bye Subway, Hello U Swirl

So after working at Subway on and off for the last 7 years, as a Subway artist, Manager, Field Consultant and Area Manager it's time for a change. Two weeks ago I put in my 2 weeks notice and for the last week I have been working both jobs. Wednesday will be my last day at Subway and I leave with some mixed feeling. I have had amazing employees, people that I would have never met otherwise. I have met some wonderful people that I was lucky enough to make their sandwiches. It's interesting to me that even though I don't know a lot of my customers names, I know what sandwiches they like and what they want on them. When I told Nancy, one of my favorite customers today that Wednesday was my last day she was so sad. She is such a cute lady has the same mini sandwich everyday. Veggie on wheat with provolone, all the veggies no onions or hot peppers, parmesan cheese, oil and vinegar. Even if Wednesday is the last day I make her sandwich I will always remember her sweet smile and how she made my day a little bit happier. It has been amazing working with my three girls, teaching them, learning from them and and spending my days with them, even on the days they were so bossy. Things I will miss... my customers, Candi and Shawn the BSU volleyball coaches, Nancy, my every friday customers, spinach and pickles only guy, BSU Vice Pres... came in for breakfast and lunch... The breakfast man with cancer, the biker guy that rode his bike everyday, bill, the BSU football players, Kailey, the flatbread veggie lady with extra pickles and I mean extra pickles and last but not least, Dirk and Dorn, the funeral guys that might start eating yogurt for lunch just to see me. All of my employees that have been with me since the beginning, Tim for always having my back no matter when I called him frantic, Hayden for covering any shift at any time, Winema for being the best closer a Manager could every have, Becky for being so reliable, Ian for being so funny and making me laugh, Brittani my sunshine girl, and of course Kayla, Kelsie, Kilee and even my son in law Jordon that could do prep faster than anyone... I've had a lot more employees over the last 2 years and to all of you I say Thanks, you made my job so much more enjoyable!

Now what? I will be starting a new adventure, a similar job but also a new challenge. I have gone from sandwiches to frozen yogurt. U Swirl is a self serve frozen yogurt place where people actually serve themselves. There is still so much to do and so much to learn but so far I think I am going to love my new job. It is so much closer to home and the hours are so much better, no more 5 a.m. :) I will have time to work out again before work and have time with Kilee after work. I think U Swirl is going to be a perfect fit.

3 Weekends, 3 Trips, 3 States = AMAZING

The last three weekends have been a whirlwind of excitement, adventure, fun, laughter, shopping, spending time with family and just relaxing.

Weekend #1. Seattle, Washington... Just me and my mom.

Get on Expedia, look at last minute deals, talk about going, find a good deal, push the buy button... done! My mom and I have well, I don't think ever just gone away for the weekend alone. Just me and her, no kids, no dad, just us. What made us think it was a good idea? I'm really not sure it just happened. We talked about it while I was at work and when I got home we booked it and a few days later we were on our way.

So what did we do in Seattle?

-We pushed the emergency button on the train... without realizing it, and the man sitting across from us was telling us that we had to tell the conductor there was no emergency... we looked at him like he was crazy until we heard the conductor asking if we were ok... we laughed and laughed.. the people around us didn't think it was as funny as we did.

-We shopped, and shopped and shopped.

-Ate amazing food (including ice cream, cheese cake, fudge...) :)

-Walked and walked (my mom at 73 is my hero!)

-Watched shark week in our hotel

-Space needle day and night...

-Meet a new friend from Mexico that hung out with us....

-Talked, and talked about important things like life and having faith

-Laughed

-Pikes Place Market

Thanks for the weekend mom, thanks for leaving dad :) even though we weren't sure he would be o.k. without you. Thanks for just letting me talk and for just letting me be me and for shopping hours and hours with me. I will always cherish our memories.

Weekend #2 Draper, Utah

August 11 we left for Utah to go school shopping. I took 2 days off work and took Kelsie and Kilee and we were off. We stayed with my brother Mark and his wife Lora and they were such great hosts. They fed us shopped with us took us to my nephews football scrimmage... GO Brandon! We got in on all the missionary drama (You made a great choice Victoria (: can't wait to meet him) We worked out with them and couldn't move our arms the next day. We went to Temple Square and took some pictures. It was such a fun weekend, just hanging out with family and laughing and of course some serious shopping.

Weekend #3 Stanley, Idaho

This was the most relaxing weekend of the three. We had a beautiful camp site right next to the lake with a beautiful view of the Sawtooth mountains. We hiked, which we thought was going to be an easy 5 mile hike which turned into a not so easy 9 mile hike. The problem.. we talked my 73 year old mother into going with us. What a trooper she made it home with very sore muscles a sore back and hurting knees. She moved very slowly the next two days. We sat around the fire and talked for hours. I took the dogs on lots of walks and Bentley came home brown instead of white. We ate too much food, dutch oven chicken, potatoes, cobbler, tin foil dinners, pancakes, eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, sandwiches, smores...more smores. We napped, and fished, and read, and relaxed and had a great time.

I woke up early the last morning just to go sit by the lake and watch the sun rise. I wanted time to think about the things that have been on my mind. It was so peaceful sitting by the lake watching the sunrise. I am in awe with the beauty of this earth and the things we take for granted. We decided that we should go back every year to the same camp ground, same spot. It was the most peaceful camp ground I have ever been to.

View from our camp site :)

Kilee and Rocky

Good Morning!!

Ready to go...

We made it!

Going down?

Sunrise on Stanley Lake

Kayla Don Turns 23

Kayla Don Heap

Born: August 16, 1988

Rexburg, Idaho

August 16, 1988 was such a scary day. After waiting 9 1/2 months for our first baby the Dr. finally decided to start me. I was due July 30 and on August 15 they decided it was time to start labor. After 23 1/2 hours of labor, trying to decided if we should do a c section or natural, 3 different doctors and a LOT of pain... Kayla finally decided to come into this world at 7:32 a.m. As soon as she was born she was taken away without even telling us if she was a boy or girl. She wasn't breathing, she was blue and her lungs were full. I didn't get to see her until 6 p.m. that night, almost 12 hours after delivering her. I thought the babies laying next to her in the incubators must have been very premature so I asked the nurse how early they were... she replied, honey they are full grown, one weighing 5.8 lbs and the other 6. Kayla weighed 8.14 and compared to the other two she looked like she was 2 months old. Going home from the hospital without her was the hardest thing I had ever done. When we finally got her home we really didn't know what to do with her, we had never been parents... I remember her crying and crying in the middle of the night and after about an hour we called the hospital to ask them if she had done that while they had taken care of her. They asked if we had tried to feed her...oops... we feed her and she went to sleep. At 2 weeks Kayla slept through the night and after staying a few days with my mom, she told me "enjoy her Kristina, you will never have another one like her." Kayla was an amazing baby, she was an amazing toddler, teen and still to this day amazes me. Happy Birthday Kayla d... hope all your wishes and dreams come true!!!