Administrative Assistant Day

So I got a really nice surprise at work today. I left my desk and when I came back there was a bouquet of flowers! It was so pretty. There was a card that everyone signed. It was nice to know how much you're really appreciated. I didn't even realize that today was Secretary Day. When I saw the flowers I thought they were dropped off for someone else! I truly love this job. The job is great and the people I work with make it even better.
My friend Shauna picked the flowers out and she said she made sure she found a bright green vase. I love it.

New Callings

Well, Todd and I now officially have callings in our new ward here. I got mine a couple weeks ago, but with conference and everything I haven't really gotten into it until recently. I was called as the 2nd Counselor in the Primary and Todd is our new Gospel Doctrine Teacher. I'm kinda bummed that I wont get to ever go to any of his classes though. I've only been in primary a couple weeks now. I think we have a total of about 6 kids and 2 or 3 of them are suppose to be moving soon! Only one is actually Primary aged the others are all nursery. Since there's not many kids they mix the two together.

We have stake conference next weekend so Todd gets to start teaching in a couple weeks! I think he'll enjoy it. I loved teaching Relief Society. I think I enjoyed the studying part the most though. It'll be good for him. We've been here for almost 3 months now and we really don't know anybody in our ward. Well, we know people, we just don't have a lot of friends I guess. It's hard getting to know people here, but hopefully with our new callings it'll be a little better.

Todd also just got a new job. He starts training tomorrow. It's not his dream job, but hopefully it'll be somewhat enjoyable. He also starts his summer semester tomorrow. That'll go until the end of July and then he has all fall off. Things are getting better in Rexburg too. It's still not my favorite place and I can honestly say once Todd is done with school we are out of here. The weather was awesome last Monday but then the rest of the week was horrible. Even today it was freezing and extremely windy. Everyone tells me it gets better in the summer, but I think they're just trying to keep my hopes up. All I know is that it'll be back to this nasty weather sooner or later! But I just have to keep looking at the bright side! We have 1 semester down and 7 more to go! We're getting there.

Duck Pond

On Thursday Todd and I decided we would go feed the ducks at a park here in Rexburg. These ducks were the most animated and friendliest ducks ever. When we use to go feed the ducks in Northglenn, they would rarely get close to us. We had to throw the bread. In this video you can see how close they got to us. I would drop a piece right next to Todd's foot and it would come up to get it. That's never happened before.


Towards the end more and more ducks kept coming, but we ended up seeing a little one come up and this one male duck would go up and chase it and bite it. So I started recording it. I don't know if the bigger duck just didn't like the little one, or what. Finally another duck had to come up and save the little one. I wanted to do it, but Todd said we can't interfere with nature!

The Many Faces of Todd

Tonight Todd's been working on homework and getting ready for finals. So I've been doing things to keep me busy. I baked some bread, read a little, and then I started looking at pictures that we have on the fridge and they made me realize Todd has many different faces. I love it. All my pictures I usually always have the same face, but with Todd there's always something new. There's one from the wedding where him and the guys made goofy faces and I think that one cracks me up the most. I don't know how much he appreciates me posting pictures of him on here, but I thought everyone would enjoy them. Todd, it's only cause I love you!


At least he keeps things interesting!

General Conference

For the past two days Todd and I have been able to watch General Conference. This Conference was particularly special. We were able to sustain our new Prophet and first presidency. It was such a neat experience. It was done differently than I thought it would be, but it was neat. As we were sustaining them, I just got this feeling that I knew they had been called of God. Thomas S. Monson is truly a prophet of God. No man picked him to be, only our Heavenly Father. I love the organization of the church and how everything works. I'm so grateful to be a member and have the knowledge of the gospel in my life. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church upon the earth. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that as Todd and I have been sealed together in the temple that we are sealed together for eternity. How grateful I am for that. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet upon the earth today and that Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf are his counselors
I hope that those that weren't able to watch conference can get a copy of the ensign and read it next month. There were so many powerful words spoken.

Knot Tying

So Todd had to learn how to tie knots in his Basic Skills class and he had a test this week over it. Well, he was suppose to but now it's changed to Monday. Anyway, so Tuesday night he was practicing the different knots. He even got on the computer and was watching videos on how to do it. After awhile I start hearing different things than what he was watching. I look over and he's still practicing the knot tying, but now he's watching funny videos. If you notice in the video he got a little distracted. If I hadn't started laughing I probably could have gotten a little more. Sorry the video's a little shaky because I couldn't contain myself.


So I thought that was pretty funny. But anyway, this past weekend I had the chance to go down to Salt Lake. Not on the best of terms, but it was nice. Last Wednesday, the 26, my Aunt Ruth (one of my mom's sisters) passed away. When I first found out it was a little hard for me. I'm not sure why. I think it started when my mom told me she taught me how to shimmy. I completely forgot about that. My Aunt Ruth was a neat lady. I didn't get to see her much since she was in Utah and we were in Texas, but I can remember her as a being an outgoing person. And her laugh. She had a very distinctive laugh. I think it was the last time she might have come to visit us but that's when she taught me how to shimmy and she also taught me a two-step to a Brooks and Dunn song. I think it was actually Boot Scoot and Boogy! During her visit we were making fudge together and ran out of something and had to go to the grocery store. When we got back we couldn't remember how much sugar we had already put in, needless to say we ended up putting way too much in. I wish I had more memories of her. The last time I got to see her was almost three years ago this summer.

Her funeral was Monday, the 31st. It was really nice. The day before it was cloudy and it ended up snowing that night, but Monday afternoon turned out to be a beautiful sunny day. Not very warm, but at least the sun was out for her. I'm really glad I decided to go. I contemplated not going, but I felt like I needed to. It was fun to see family that I haven't seen in forever. Hopefully now that I'm a little closer I can go down more often to catch up on the time that I didn't get to spend with them growing up. Anyway, here's a picture of Aunt Ruth along with her obituary.













Ruth Swilor Parkin "Mumzie" 1935 ~ 2008 Even for those who've lost touch or didn't meet on earth, our good friend and sister, "Ruth" passed away Wednesday night after years of valiant resistance to a weakening heart and conventional behavior.Born November 8, 1935 in Croydon, Utah to mine-construction worker, Milan "Iron Mike" and Eleanor Marie (Toone) Swilor, Ruthie loved Lost Creek and playing with cousin and childhood friend, John Love. Mumzie raised her kids in Capital Hill and Woods Cross neighborhoods and helped her man, "Junior" coach baseball and raise kids, many of whom were gathered from the street. Ruth graduated West High in Salt Lake City and after marriage, worked as administrator-nurses aid for Dr. Eugene Hall, credit counselor for Clyde Tooman, seamstress for ZCMI and Jim Bangerter. Ruth was a hard worker, dedicated mother, loving grandmother and strong willed woman. Care-givers could "just hear" Ruth say, "quit gawking at me and get back to work" as they watched over Ruth in her final hours. Preceded in death by eternal companion, Martin (Junior) and sons Keith and Kent and sister Wanda Snarr. Survived by daughter, Kim (Lowry) Redd, 12 grandkids and a gaggle of great grandkids, many of whom were present at her passing. Also survived by siblings, Milan, Jim and Jackie. Our family thanks all Ruth's friends and the good people of Legacy House of Bountiful for their friendship and care during her most recent years. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the Bountiful LDS Tabernacle, 51 South Main Bountiful, on Monday, March 31 with a viewing starting at 12:30 p.m. Interment-Bountiful City Cemetery.Online guest book at www.russonmortuary.com