Monday, September 29, 2014

Farewell & Family.

This last Sunday was sweet Kylee Martin's mission farewell.
I just love this girl, she is hilarious, kind, true, and beautiful inside and out.
I know, without a doubt, that she will be an amazing missionary and I am so grateful for her influence in my life, it's been a real treat to dance with her.
 Love you Ky.
 After the farewell we went picture crazed...



I love Sundays because they are spent with family! Whether it's my family or Jeff's family, it's always a blast! 

Well I hope everyone had a productive Monday, I know that I did, stuffy nose, sore throat and all! :)

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Weekly events...

Weekly happenings...
Our goal for the Lindsey was to raise $5,000 so she could get a kidney transplant, but we exceeded our goal and raised $6,150!!!! It was awesome!
After the concert on Monday we performed at the Tuacahn pre-show it was a blast and I love these girls!
After practice on Wednesday I came home to hot oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and ice cold milk. I've got the best husband ever...
 Friday we headed up to Timpanogos to do the videography for a wedding, on the drive up I captured this awesome picture! I love nature.
 Gorgeous.
 These doors are magical!

 Beautiful!!!
 Jeff looking adorable hard at work! It's so fun to be able to do something we enjoy together!!!

 After the temple pictures we headed to a lovely luncheon at the White Willow.

 Isn't it charming?
 I love the feeling of this beautiful old home.
 After all the wedding madness we stayed the night at family's house then left early this morning, BUT not without a Krispy Kreme stop. THEY SERIOUSLY MELT IN YOUR MOUTH!
 Our whole drive home was in pouring rain, it was so scary, but it made for really pretty pictures.
And I am glad to say that we made it home safe!

The older I get the more I realize just how beautiful life really is! We are blessed with beauty all around in all aspects: relationships, nature, food, weather, feelings, hopes, dreams and so forth.
I LOVE THIS LIFE!!!!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Elders and baby elders...

I've been busy with college, again.
So here are a few things that occupy the left over time after college...
 I teach hip hop every Tuesday evening and I love it! My classes are adorable and soak up every second of dance. After teaching I occasionally get to see this adorable babe!
 How can anybody resist????
 I look forward to letters from Elder Horlacher! Here is a picture of him and his district! :) So proud of my little brother. Follow his letters, pictures, and updates at his blog http://elderthorlacher.blogspot.com/
Trevor saw his cousin Jaden in the MTC!!! They play soccer together every chance they get!
 We watch football every weekend and I only agree to watching if we get a pizza and soda! Win win!
 Letters from Elder Hauck always uplift me! He's in Santa Marta, Brazil and is teaching a lot! Tomorrow he has three baptisms!!! Jose who is 90 years old, Sara is 55, and Philippe is 11, it's amazing to me that age is only a number in the work of the Lord!!! We all have our own timing and when we realize our reliance on faith in Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father, miracles happen!
 Oh and I practice A LOT for our upcoming benefit concert for Lindsey! It's the perfect family night! Get your tickets from me today (I deliver) for $5!!! It's an amazing show full of the spirit of love, it's a great opportunity to give service in a fun way. Come check out something that I am so passionate about and I promise you won't be disappointed! Oh and Jeff is performing, playing guitar and singing while I get to dance to it, I'M BLESSED!!!

After all that updating, I'm ready to enjoy my weekend! 
HAPPY WEEKEND!!!! :)

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Random Finds.

I've been in bed today with my female probs. So I tried to make myself somewhat useful and cleaned out stuff on my computer and found some fun things.
Here are my random finds...
 Photo for my photography class.
 Picture of the moon last night. It was HUGE!!!!
 Angel the night before the proposal! We were going over final details!
 A photo of Cec at every age. For her party I attached each picture to a helium balloon :)
Trevor's 2nd to last day home we swam and watched him do flip after flip!
Swimming won't be the same :( but hopefully, when he gets home he'll be swimming with some nieces and nephews!
Jaden reported to the MTC today! I'm anxious to hear how his first day is and hope that Trevor and him rub shoulders today!!!
Our first picture of Trevor and his first companion, Elder Walker, from Layton!!!
 Here's the email that was attached to it, if you are interested in hearing from Elder Horlacher. We got an email and he wrote each of us a personal letter! He's adorable and hilarious and his letter brought a huge smile to my face. Ignore his grammar hahahhaa.

HOLA!
 I dont think i can say this enough... thanks soo much for dear eldering me the first few days!! it made me so happy and relaxed! it gave me comfort that was well needed! but i just want to share with you how the mtc is going for me. Well got here and with a 123 i was in class where the teacher only spake spanish!! and then i found out my companion is elder walker ( which is a sweet dude, loves and is good at soccer, plays the violin which is awesome to hear him practice, he can play any song i want on the violin, ex. he can play Rude!! hah thats is so relaxing) but then from there we went to more meeting.. took along time. but finally unpacked and got everything good. then woke up at 630 and went to class at 7 to personal study til breakfast at 8 ( which the food here is awesome! ive gained 5 pounds in 5 days!! haha but im trying to make it muscle by working out haha i guess we'll see... ) but then go to a 3 hour class then go to meeting then lunch for 30 minutes, then wait for gym time which is soooo fun! but so many rules! soo we play volleyball, i get pumped up to spike the ball so hard on some kids because they dont let you touch the rims or nets in basketball soooo... boring. but volleyball is so much fun i play with elder labrum( harrison labrum) he gets competitive tooo which your not suppose to, but it just comes natural to me and him haha. but after that we get showered up and go to another 3 hour class, then go to dinner and then go to another 3 hour class... 9 hours in class just sitting down! everybody in my district falls asleep sooner or later haha becaseu we are soo tired. but we have taught an investigator 3 times already, in spanish all of the times!! She said to us last night that she feels something good or different when we teach her which is awesome!! i mean she said it in spanish so i hope thats really what she said :) but that was cool even tho i couldnt understand her very well the spirit was sooo strong! i love baring my testimony in spanish, its so heart felt and thought ful because its all real things that come to mind! the spirit comes soo strong when we bare our testimonies! but ya, my spanish has improved so much, i can for the mostly understand what my teacher and investigator are saying, so that was a cool testimony builder. but i just want to say the days are turning into weeks and the weeks are turning into days!! time goes so slow but soo fast at the same time! haha i love my district they are so funny and awesome. I have seen Elder Jensen, Elder Jenkins. they are fun to talk to! they are doing great! elder jensen leaves anytime! 
well i just want you know that i love you and miss you everyday! i pray for you everyday! hope everything is going good at home! hope you can feel of my love everyday! well... please keep writing me :) 

1 year ago...

Las year I posted this about my grandpa! It's been a year exactly, so I just wanted to repost in memory of him!


St. George Marathon
My grandpa ran a total of 10 marathons, in a row.
When I was about 6 years old I remember watching my grandpa run and feeling amazement.
Later that day Cec and I were rubbing my grandpa's feet and legs and listening to my grandpa tell us all about it.
Then he sat me on his lap and asked if I wanted to run it with him one day?
I said yes of course and that was when I made the promise to run with my grandpa on his 10th marathon.


Well time passed and his 10th came and I wasn't signed up.
I was devastated, so my mom pulled some strings and three days before the marathon I was in.
I was 12 then, I hadn't trained for the marathon, I hadn't run more than 3 miles at a time, but I believed I could do it.
My grandpa was so proud of me, the night before he took me to the convention, took me to all the booths, got me my goody bag and took me to the spaghetti dinner.
He then took me home and told me to rest up and that he would be back to pick me up around 3:30 am so we could catch the first bus up to Central.
He wanted to catch the first bus so we could be the first to use the porter-potties and the be by the fires and feel prepared.
We got up there, used the bathroom, got all ready, then sat and talked to people about their stories around the fire barrels.
I remember watching my grandpa talk to these people, hearing their stories, and making them feel important. I can't tell you the number of people he told, "This is my oldest granddaughter Cambria, and she is running my tenth marathon with me."
It made me feel so good to hear how proud my grandpa was of me.
Then it was time to start the marathon, so we all lined up, and I was scared.
I ran with my grandpa for the first three or four miles when my grandpa told me to go ahead and that he would meet me at the finish line. 
I was scared, I told him I didn't want to go by myself and I wanted to run with him, but he kept insisting and promised he would be okay.
So I started running on ahead.
I was terrified, I was 12, I didn't know anyone, I didn't even know for sure if I could do this because I hadn't trained.
But then I would think of my grandpa and the confidence and pride he had in me and it made me push a little harder.
I ran and ran while my thoughts kept telling me to give up and that I couldn't do it. When I reached Snow Canyon and saw my family waiting for me at the bottom of the hill I broke down in tears because it was so reassuring to have my family cheering me on.
They encouraged me and I pushed on.
When I reached the finish line I felt proud and happy and at peace. We celebrated my finish then went back to cheer on my grandpa and walk the rest with him.
That day my grandpa finished at 7 hours and 40 minutes, I can't describe the feeling of love and pure joy as our whole family ran into the finish line holding hands and celebrating my grandpa's finish.



My grandpa always related the marathon to life and how we do all we can to prepare for the day of the marathon but don't really know what we are getting into until we are there. We line up at the starting line with all of our brothers and sisters and just go for it. We go through ups and downs with each hill, there are some easy parts and some parts you think you will never make it through. The cheering of all your eternal brothers and sisters gives you little pushes you need as your thoughts let Satan tell you that you can't do it. Along the way you catch little glimpses of what heaven will be like when you see your whole family cheering for you and rubbing you down with icy hot and holding signs of love. There are always times you feel all alone and feel like you can't finish but then you remember those little glimpses of heaven and all the people that are rooting for your victory. As you reach the last few miles you reflect on the whole journey of your marathon and how you almost gave up this wonderful experience. You see the finish line and hear the praises of all your heavenly brothers and sisters and know that you did good, you did your very best!
As you cross the finish line you feel like you've entered into your celestial eternity with your family all around and your metal of your hard work and everything just seems to get a little brighter.
My grandpa had it head on when he said the marathon is like this life, and I know his finish line was as glorious as each of the 10 marathon finishes. I feel so blessed to have experienced his last and final marathon with him, and to have experienced his beautiful life and share so many cherished moments with him. I know that his journey had it's ups and downs but he always pushed on and gave his best and I know that his finish line in heaven was a glorious reunion with all his loved ones around admiring his metal of hard work and I know that it's extra bright up there with smiles all around.
I love you Grandpa and I anxiously await our reunion in heaven crossing the finish line there.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Couple things on weekends.

Here's a couple things I do on the weekends.
 Shoot beautiful weddings and see my work on display! It was fun to be their photographer from start to finish!
 A perk to being a wedding photographer is taking home some of the pretty flowers!
 Occasionally I participate in life changing benefit concerts that I practice for A LOT! Our last concert a week ago, for Laura Taylor, we raised over $8,000 and it was amazing to feel all the love. This upcoming concert is on a Monday night (family night) and it's to help Lindsey Pratt Johnson. She is a mother of 5 children (I believe) and she needs a kidney. Our goal is to raise at least $5,000 to help her get the kidney transplant!!!! If you can come out and support or donate please do! I promise you will not regret it!
Every once in a while I watch Syd cheer! ;) Haha it's so crazy to think that I was there 5 years ago, WHERE DOES TIME GO???? She's so cute and I love watching her!
It was a long weekend waiting for the first letter or picture from Trevor.
My mom finally got the letter today, and then she got this picture from one of Trevor's friends mom!
Now we are looking forward to letters and pictures, like this one, from Trevor! 


Thursday, September 4, 2014

Adios Elder Horlacher.

Yep, it's true...my brother is in the MTC and officially on his two year mission.
My family is going to have a hard adjustment without that gentle giant around but we are all SOOOO excited for him.
Here are all the pictures from the last couple days, his setting apart, the trip up to the MTC, and our goodbyes.
 Trevor was set apart as a missionary Tuesday night at 7:30! So before his setting apart he said goodbye to this beautiful girl! They are so funny to watch and fun to be around. We love Kylee and we're excited for her mission in Chile!
 After saying goodbye to Ky, Trevor went up to meet with the stake president and his wife then shuttled them down for his setting apart.
 Right after he was set apart, the door opened and his rugby coach ran in and gave him a rugby state champ ball!
 Everyone that stood in on his setting apart.
 All the men!
 Proud parents!
 Me and Trev :) can't have too many of those pictures!
 The whole family (minus Angel).
 My mom is going to have a really hard time, so any hugs are welcomed her way!
 Elder Horlacher and soon to be (6 days) Elder Ah Quin.
 Last picture with Chandler!
 Jeff and I spent the night, so that we wouldn't miss out on any of the action. Trevor would kill me if he knew I was taking pictures of him sleeping hahaha.
 The last link of his count down chain.
 Packed.
 Trevor was somber all morning, he was filled with so many different emotions!
 I'm the annoying older sister that always asks a million questions, but on the way up I couldn't help but as a million and one questions cause I won't see him for two years. So here are a few question and answers from our drive up...
What are you feeling? ...Nervous, happy, scared, sad, excited.
What are you most nervous about? ...Leaving everyone I love and everything I know.
What are you most happy about? ...Being able to spread the gospel to the people in Mexico.
What are you most scared about? ...Learning spanish and the unknown that's in front of me.
What are you most sad about? ....Leaving you guys and having you guys be really sad.
What are you most excited about? ...Meeting my new companion and having this mission experience.
Who are you going to miss the most (besides me)? ...Haha that's a ridiculous question, I'm going to miss all of you guys.
Where do you feel like your testimony is the strongest and what was the first concept that built your testimony? ...The power of prayer. One time, a couple years ago, I was really mad or bugged about something then I had the thought to say a prayer. So I said a prayer and instantly I felt peace and calm and I couldn't remember what I was even mad about before.
 His request as his last meal was In-N-Out, turns out it was a lot of other missionaries last meal request too. 
 I love my little brother. If you can't tell.
 Photo Cred: Jeff.
 Then my mom's cousins Samson and Jasen showed up bearing gifts! They are always a great support to everyone in the family!
 Then we headed to the field across from the MTC to say our final goodbyes.
 Sisterly love.
 Siblings.
 Mi familia es muy guapo...pretty much the only thing I know how to say in spanish and I learned it from an old Disney Channel show. Haha.
 Families are forever!
 Trevor and Jeff passed the rugby ball a few times.
 Mom took lots of photos to instantly update!
 The protective (fill in mothers) women in his life haha.
 Family hug and prayer.
 Me and Trev! AGAIN!
 Then the final hugs and goodbyes came.




 Two years is a long time to sacrifice everything you know and love to go and learn to love a new culture, new people, new food, new everything and share something that you love, the gospel. I am so proud of Trevor in his decision to serve the Lord and I know he will be an incredible missionary!

 Last family picture for 2 whole years.
There he goes...

Its done. He's in the MTC! Bittersweet doesn't even begin to describe how I feel! I sure love this brother of mine! He's one of those special people that makes everyone a better person. He's kind and funny and I've never heard him raise his voice or speak ill of another person! I know he will be an incredible missionary! I love you Trevor and I'm a proud big sister! 

If you want to see the whole mission experience, from the call opening to the final goodbye, watch it here...

I hope everyone has a beautiful day! :)