Bear Lake Adventure

Just before school started we had the opportunity to go to Bear Lake with our ward. Our bishop has a beautiful cabin up there on beach front property. With Nathan's calling as Executive Secritary, which is part of the bishpbric, we were invited with the other couples in the bishopbric to stay Friday night to Saturday. That Friday I got off work early and we headed up, took our time driving through Wyoming, who knew that was such a senic drive ;).. When we got to the cabin in the early evening, it was so pretty and a little chilly too. It was perfect and the cabin was huge! We were the first to arrive, so we got a personal tour from our Bishop. He told us all about the sentimental pictures around the cabin, and how each part of the cabin was designed. It was just beautiful, and it felt really homey. They did a great job in building and decorating the cabin to feel welcoming. 

As the night drew on we enoyed a yummy dinner with fellow ward members, and enjoyed a fire outside by the lake. The setting was just perfect. We were in great company and had a wonderful time, even after the fire the boys played a few rounds of pool inside. It sure was a perfect way to end the summer, as it was the last weekend before school started. 

Early Saturday morning Nathan left to be a good citizen a volunteer at a Make A Wish event, to raise money for cute children with cancer, to make their wishes come true. Just a little plug on that, I think it's a great opportunity to support sucha great cause. I sure didn't want him to go, but he has such a great time volunteering for them, and being a provider and making things happen for a lot of young children. 

Owen and Linn

After Nathan left I went for a beautiful run, I was able to run a long the lake and watch the sun rise, it was such a beautiful sight. Nature around us it just to magical, I always find it so refreshing to be out and enjoy our surroundings. With the afternoon coming on, we headed out to the water where Darci McMickle from the ward swam with me, she was so patient with me it was just so hard to get in such cold water. I was being a baby, but after about 30 min of trying I finally jumped in, and enjoyed the water the rest of the day. 

We had two boats up there, and I spend pretty much the entire afternoon on the Knotts boat, we tubed, and wake boarded. It was perfect. The weather was warm, and the water was great, it was really choppy but so fun. For lunch I ran up to the cabin to grab a sandwich before heading back out to the water, and on my way I stopped to play with Owen Orrock (In photo) and Aria Preece, two cute kids from our ward that were enjoying the playground. It's so fun to see the young kids having as much fun as the adults :)

Bear Lake was just beautiful and it was a perfect end to a great summer. Thanks to our Bishop and his hospitality. We had a blast! 

Wandering Dreams..

Last night, I went to bed reltively early, we got up at 5 am to go to the Temple together. Aw. It was fun, and so neat to do sealings together. Anyways... When we woke up this morning Nathan asked me if I remembered what I said to him last night when he came into bed. Of coarse I didn't I was asleep. Apparently I told him "I pick you, I want you. Only you." Something to that effect. 

As the day has gone on I've been thinking about that, and I do remember my dream last night that I would have said that. 

In my dream, we were in a defferent place, not in Utah, not in our same apartment, it was all screwy. Anyways, in the dream I had to pick either him or someother guy. At the time, in the dream, Nathan and I were married but for some odd dreamly reason I had to pick between my husband and some other guy, of coarse they don't let you see the face in the dream, but that doesn't matter. The guy was a jerk, and the whole time in my dream that I was arround this other person I was just constantly thinking about Nathan and how I wanted to tell him that I wanted to be his. This is where my sleep talking comes in... In my dream I had searched hard to find him and tell him I was his, and that I wanted to be with him and only him. I found him eating at some restraunt/hair salon place (yes this is a dream anything can happen right), and I grabbed him kissed him and told him that I picked him. I have not yet told this dream to Nathan, but as the day has progressed to now, and events have happened, I find it interesting what our mind thinks up and the kinds of dreams we do have. 

I know pretty much all of you have seen the movie Inception and how they manipulate our dreams, often times I have wondered if my dreams really are my thoughts, or if someone put those thoughts in my mind with out me realizing and this is the outcome and leaving me thinking back on it all day. Dreams are amazing, and I love day dreaming where I wish things would happen that I know never will, but it gives me a chance to see myself as a winner and having accomplished things and to allow myself to build confidance in myself and the things I do. 

What do your dreams say about you? Are there really hidden meanings behind them? Was my dream telling me that I need to let Nathan know that he is the one I picked and that I want to hold onto him forever?? If so, thats not biggie, but is there something else. All of this has just left me thinking today.. <3

~linn

World's

Greatest Husbands... Thats what the posters said on Saturday Morning. Amber Pederson, Zoe Porter and I set our early in the cold morning to run our first 1/2 marathon, not only was it Amber's first 1/2, but it was her first race ever!!! Wow! 

We did the Salt Lake 1/2 Marathon, it was a lot of fun. We ran from Mountian Dell Golf Course up the canyon behind it to the top of Emigration and finished the last 8 miles down Emigration Canyon into Research Park, where we had a glorious finish. 

The best part of the whole thing for me, besides finishing and doing it with friends was having Nathan on the side lines cheering me on with posters that said 'I love you Linn' and 'You did it'....Why do I care so much you ask?? Because Racing is my life, it's who I am, and he had not seen me race before, and it just meant the world to me having him there. Thank you Prince Charming for being there for me!! 

Thank you to Amber and Zoe, as well as Amanda and Kelsie for getting me to train you guys for the race. :)

~linn

Livin The Good Life..

In Salt Lake City. We are in our one bedroom apartment at the University Married Student Housing. It is a small cinderblock apartment, but we are slowly trying to make it ours. I think the more we stay there the more I am okay with it. It would be amazing if I painted though, add life and character to our place, we will see. 

Through the months we have been in our ward we have had several callings, and currently Nathan is doing a great job as the Executive Secretary, and I am still the ward's Athletic Director, but also I am a Gospel Docterine Instructor. Our callings are both wonderful and challenging. We love the people we work with, and have such a wonderful ward, and so many great neighbors. Yes there are the few crazy ones, but we have many more wonderful friends that we are getting to know more and more. 

In the last couple months a group of ladies from the Courts (ward) we get together in the evening after we are all off work, and head out for enjoyable and fun runs. We challenge each other with our runs, and the courses we take, but we are together, we chat and get to know one another so much better. I look forward to it each day. The days we don't run, I get a little bummed and I think Nathan does too ;)... We have the goal in accomplishing a 1/2 marathon this fall, a few of us didn't get into the Top of Utah like we had planned so we have found another one to do together too. It is so fun to have a connection like running to bring us all together, to be able to invite so many others too. We have some with kids and most of us don't, but it is great because we can take turns pushing the strollers or entertaining the kids. It is great for our Husbands too because sometimes they offer to take the kids for the ones who's husbands are working and they get a good does of babysitting. It is fun and enjoyable for everyone. 

I have been reading a book called Born to Run. I am positive many of you have read it and loved it. It's taken a while for me to get into it but the more I am reading and the farther I get in the book the hard it's getting to put it down. I love reading of these Natives running Ultra Marathons and Women running them too, it makes me feel like I can get up and just go. Though I need to stay at work and finish out the day, it gives me a sense of greatness because I am a runner, each of us girls that go out together we are all runners, no matter the speed or the distance we cover, we make that effort to go out on the roads to exercise our bodies and invigorate our minds. We all were born to run, we were born to take care of our bodies and to be healthy. I feel so much better at night before going to bed knowing that I have put out that effort to run, swim or do a great exercise or some sort, I endulge myself in the exercise and I feel sure bliss after. I encourage all of you to grab a buddy and run. Even if you jog a mile walk a mile then jog another mile, your body will thank you. You will be able to enjoy the sure bliss of what it feels like to endulge yourself in running. I feel spoiled that my husband is so supportive of me getting that endulgence that I need, and to allow me to race, and to exercise and compete. I have such wonderful support from so many friends and family to continue my racing. I've slowed it down, I have only done one this year and it seems weird. I know that will getting married there are sacrifices that need to be made and this is one I can sacrifice as long as I can get out for my trainings, thats when I am a happy girl :).  

I love to run, I love to eat, and so then I run a little more. Our bodies love it, and need it more that you can realize. Live to be healthy and happy. My dad always told us kids growing up, all he wanted for Father's Day, Birthday, or Christmas was healthy and happy children, and that is what I always want to give him, not just on those special days but everyday. So together lets live happy and healthy. <3

~linnmarie

One Year Ago…

Just one year ago we were in Park City for the weekend, for our honeymoon, and I had the flu, then passed it to Nathan. Boy am I glad this year I don’t have it!!

Just the other day Nathan told me I better not get it, and I sure was hoping that it wasn’t going to come.

We have now celebrated our year Anniversary, it was great. Nathan spoiled me with a wonderful Sushi dinner, I almost threw up because I took too big of a bite and the texture was slimy. Really besides that it was really good. Upon our arrival to Koyotos as we got seated I saw a beautiful rose on our table then realized it had a note in it, and it was a cute simple note from Nathan. He had arranged to take the Flower there and get it to our table while I was teaching a swim lesson just before dinner. It was a great surprise.

In the morning I spoiled him with yummy Crepes for breakfast, and half of his gift. He had his eyes on some Sambas (soccer shoes for those who didn’t know like me), they just happened to be on Sale, so I was happy to get them for him. He bought me two tennis rackets, well one for me and one for him. My reaction to the rackets probably was not what it should have been. I just have always hated tennis due to my lack of coordination, and my mom and grandparents being amazing players. Though its not my forte we still had fun playing together after dinner. We both sucked, and it was fun.

To continue our tennis experience we went again on Friday in midday in the blistering heat. It was fun. I hid in the shade, while I made Nathan be on the side with direct sun. We hit the ball around, no one really winning but just laughing and having fun. These times are just the greatest. Neither of us are pro at it, and we can learn together. This is the way games should be played, but with us, that hardly happens.

We have had a great weekend together. Spent a lot of time together, more than usual. Today I got a little annoyed because I had been with him so much and I am not used to it, but I still enjoy it. I took the weekend off work thinking we’d go somewhere fun, but we’ve had a great time here. And not to mention his soccer team Something United (that is there name, I didn’t forget), Won for the season. They played two games straight today, and they did so well!! I am so proud of their whole team. Nathan gets a Championship T-Shirt from winning.

I am so glad to have these times with my husband to build great memories and to keep close to him, and it will help us be stronger even in the harder days. I love him so much. He is such a hard worker, and works really hard at xbox, one day he will beat Robert. :)

~Linn

Journals

Over the years I have kept Journals and written frequently, not much about anything specific. Usually wrote about boys I was dating, decisions about school, family things. After going back and reading them, they are pretty funny to read, not going to lie. I also had terrible handwriting.

After some events today, I have decided to keep a Gratitude Journal, now when I write I will think of specific things that have been going well, to remember those that are special to me, and to remember all the blessings that I am given.

To start off, I have decided to write a list of a few things that I am grateful for. I want you all to think on the last time you sent someone special a Thank You card, or let them know how much to appreciate them. I used to write cards all the time but have since become lost in my daily duties. So my new Summer Goal is to frequently thank those I am thankful for, and to be more optimistic and happy about each situation.

Today’s List:

• I am grateful for Nathan, this week he has been sick so I’ve been able to take care of him, but even though he’s been sick he has been home each day and has helped me with things on my to do list, he did laundry and the dishes, and helped clean the apartment while I was too busy to do them. Thank you babe, for helping me out even though you’ve been under the weather.
• I am grateful for my Mom, she is a great example to me, she serves so much, and is always looking for opportunities to do something for someone else. That is a trait I wish I could carry on to my own children one day. She loves unconditionally and is so supportive of my dad with his busy work schedule, as well as all of us kids, and the decisions we each make. Thank you Mom for being there for me all the time.
• I am grateful for DeAnne, my amazing mother-in-law. She has truly opened her arms to me and really welcomed me into the Sweeney Family. She is also a great example of service, she does so much for everyone. After spending a week with her in Florida, she is so patient with the grandkids, as well as all their kids. She is so loving and supportive of every decision they make. Thank you DeAnne for loving me, supporting Nathan and I, and welcoming me into the family.
• I am grateful for the Utah weather, I know what your thinking I am crazy. If it weren’t for the annoying Utah weather that can never make it’s mind I wouldn’t appreciate the beautiful summers that we do get, when it actually is warm, and the amazing weather of Florida while we get to spend time there. If we didn’t have the snow, I don’t know if I’d love summer as much as I do. Thank you crazy weather for helping me love the warmth and summer more.
• I am grateful for Water. Over the years we have had a great relationship. I’ve been a swimmer, a swim coach, a swim instructor, a water aerobics instructor, a life guard, as well as a Head Life Guard. I have had many jobs with water, if we didn’t have pools and such a demand to learn to swim I would not have the amazing opportunity to share my ability to know how to swim. I would not be able to support my family, as well as support my body. Our bodies have so much water in them, and we need to drink a lot of water. I am so grateful for the Job I have because of water, but also the health I have with the amount of water I drink and the time I can spend swimming.

These are a few simple things that I am thinking of today. I am grateful for all of you. Thank you for all being examples and helping me to become a better person. I have so much room to improve, so thank you all for being patient and loving me. I am excited for this summer. It will be a wonderful summer!

~Linn

Kitchen Attempt #1

In our small apartment there is not much organizing we can do, and not too much storage either. We are learning to be creative with how we are organizing everything, it’s fun. We have two cabinets that we can put pots, pans, cutting boards, and other containers, so we have decided to have one for our rectangle things, and the other is for circular. It’s working well for us, our things are stacking better, and we are able to fit more in the cabinets. I love it, and Nathan knows where everything is too.

Our dishwasher is me, mostly, so it makes it hard to have the dished caught up all the time. But it is getting a bit easier with our organization, and that I am able to be home a little more so I have more time to keep up on the cleaningand do projects like this one. 

Before…                                      After..

Since I have done this project our kitchen feels a lot more clean, and is staying.

~linnley