Ahh!

Last night me, Kenna and Trevor were home alone while our parents were out of town, and there was a HUGE storm that went through the valley. There was a ton of thunder & lightning, and some really really strong winds. Me and Trev went outside for a few minutes to see the lightning, and I saw this weird white thing on our lawn. When Trevor brought it over to the porch to see what it was, we realized that the wind had blown the top of the light in our yard off. It had to be some really strong wind to do that, because its pretty heavy!

Here is our poor little (and now bald) light :(

And here is the top of the light...plus my new hat :)

(this is how me, kenna and trev entertained ourselves the rest of the night.)

Wellsville Mile

Every year in Cache Valley, the 4th and 5th graders from the south end of the valley, run the infamous Wellsville Mile. They "train" in the spring by running a mile everyday. Trevor worked really hard and qualified for the third heat [the fastest runners]. The day of the race finally came, he was nervous, and it was extrememly hot outside. He did great, placing 74th out of about 350 kids. We are so proud of him! Look how hot and exhausted this poor kid looks...

Kent and I bailed Kenna out of school and we all went and watched him compete. It was a good, fun day!

"Motherhood, is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors her holy calling and service next to the angels."

This is special post to my dearest mommy on this wonderful, celebratory day! I didn't get to be there with her this year, but we were able to get together for dinner earlier in the week [so great]. I don't know exactly how to start into this post, because when I think about my Mom I'm so full of emotions and everything is jumbled in my head. But I'll give it a try...
First, a few things I love most about her:

-When we were little she threw us the most wonderful birthday parties. She put so much work into making them special for us, I always knew it would be a great day & always felt so loved.
-She is so concerned with all the little details of my life (i know most moms are, but I'm constantly astounted)
-I know she loves the Lord, the Gospel, my Dad, and her children. And I know she would sacrifice anything for any of the above.
-She is my favorite person to talk to, be with, play with, laugh with, watch movies with etc.
-We have so much in common, and although that has caused a lot of conflict in the past, I am so happy that we're alike and get along so well. I love being like her, because she is the most wonderful woman I know.
-She bought me the most beautiful dress to wear to my junior prom, even though it was outrageously overpriced and I only wore it out of the house once. She said "don't tell your Dad"
-I know that if I ever need anything, she will do whatever it takes to make sure that I (or any of her children) are completely taken care of.
-#1 is possibly that she chose my Dad <3

My words are grossly inadequate to describe the love and gratitude that I have for my Mother. But I know that she somehow understands what's in my heart. Because of her example and the things she has taught me, my heart is wholly and completely devoted to the Lord and my famiy. And although I have such a long way to go, I can't wait to follow in her example as a wife and mother. So thanks Mom, for your time, your love, your nerves, your body, your house, your clothes, your cooking, your tears, your money, your devotion, your stress, and your everything that you have given to us. I love you.

Happy Mothers Day to Mom, Grandma, all my aunts, cousins and friends and dear sisters. For "To be a woman, is to be a mother"

PS; the man in the grocery store gave me a pink Mother's Day flower today! My first Mother's Day present! I was so thrilled.

Love,
Nicki Tyler

We LOVE Adam!!!

The rest of the contestants are just there for second & third place. Adam Lambert blows the doors off the other contestants. He's sexy in a new Mick Jagger kind of way. After his performance, the rest of American Idol was just boring. Even if he got voted out tonight, he would shoot straight to the top. He is by far, the sexiest, best singer ever!!!

-Caroline

Adam Lambert is the only force on earth thus far that has been able to make me watch American Idol. Not even my best friend's efforts to try and get me to watch it worked. But as soon as I saw Mr. Sexy Pants doing a sexy dance on that stage, I couldn't resist watching, and now I am basically in love with Adam. He is pretty much the sexiest man in the world. And by the way, my mom wishes she could get her hair and make up to do that!
-Regan

Birthday Girl!

March 2nd I turned 20!!! I went home that weekend to celebrate with my sweet family/take a break from school.

What a day. I was pretty excited and elated. Firstly, when asked "How old are you?" the word "teen" doesn't have to be in my answer anymore. I know I'm really only like day older, but it just feels so much better to not have to answer "19" [and feel like a baby] when a 26 year old guy asks how old I am...

Cool thing #2 about being 20 is this:

I woke up to this sweet email from my Dad. In it he old me his four divisions of the life stage:

0-20 youth and relative carefree stuff.

20-40 adulthood and family.

40-60 gut check time.

60-80 cellular deterioration slide.

I've now entered "Adulthood and Family". That got me thinking just about this next decade and all the thing I will (hopefully) do. The list goes as follows: get into a Nursing Program, graduate college, pass NCLEX, go to Grad school, become a NP, get married, have babies!, be a mommy and a wife, own a home... and all the other adult things that go with it.

That excites me.

So the day was great, thanks to fabulous friends and roommates and an incredible family.

Lastly just wanted to express gratitude to my parents for the past 20 years. I marvel at dedication and love they have to the Lord, their children and eachother. They have, by example and gentle guidance, molded and shaped me into the person I am today. I hope that they are proud.

Thanks and lots of love to everyone for making my birthday so speacial.

OH- and shoutout to Reg for my hippy slippers!

Peter Pan

So its a brand new trimester at school, and one of my new classes is a reading and literature class, which is an enormous step for me because it takes me this insane amount of discipline to actually finish a book. Or start one. Of all the books that I've read, though, 'Peter Pan' by J.M Barrie is my very favorite.
After my teacher took the role he was asking all of these random people what book they are reading now. He called on me, and since I'm not reading one now, I said that I was reading Peter Pan. I guess that for some reason lying seemed like my best chance in this situation. Anyways, when I said that I'm reading it, my teacher gave me this really weird look and said, "Are you serious?" Um, yes I was serious. At least I would have been if I hadn't been lying. Apparently this man does not know that Peter Pan actually existed before the Disney version. Then he moved on to the next student without giving me a chance to justify my reading material.
Um, Peter Pan was written in 1904 by a genius, and is a very famous, classic piece of literature. Its way different than the Disney movie, and it is basically the best book in the whole world for kids and grown ups. But mostly grown ups.

"Peter Pan has a suppleness, lightness, and intelligence that are "literary" in the best sense...what we tend to forget because the tale of Peter Pan and Neverland has been so relentlessly boiled down, hashed up, and coated in saccharine, is that J.M. Barrie's original version is also witty, sophisticated, and delightfully odd."
- Richard Farr

I'm pretty sure that everyone already knows this, but after witnessing what I did today at school, I thought that I would clear things up just in case. :)

-Regs

Regan goes to PA

I know it seems like I have been a negligent blogger, but really I just didn't really have anything to blog about, until now; so here goes! :)

I spent my weekend in Hershey, PA, to visit the family that I'll start nannying for this summer. I woke up at four o'clock to catch a plane to Chicago, then waited for 4 fours and flew to Cincinnati, and two hours after that I was on a plane to Harrisburg (Which is about 10 minutes from Hershey.) It was really scary to have to find all of the different planes, and it was a PAIN to fly on all of them. My day ended at 11:00 that night. But I did get to see a tiny bit of Chicago and Cincinnati from the airport. (Wooo!)

That night I saw my cute little apartment for the first time, and I love it. They put a teapot in my kitchen which I loved so much I took this picture of it:

Yay! I love it. Its on my very own stove on my very own floor in my very own kitchen in my very own apartment.

Hershey is named Hershey because that's where Milton S. Hershey started the whole company, so basically the whole town's 'theme' is chocolate. On my first full day there we went to Chocolate World, which is like the factory and all of these little shops and rides and a 3D show all jumbled up in one building. It was super fun, and when we were done there we went to the Susquehanna river, which was really beautiful. We spent the next day at the house. The family lives on a little 'farmette' right outside the town, and have three horses and some goats.

Christian is the little boy I'll take care of, he is almost 2 and a half. He is so cute and called me 'Miss Regan' while I was there. I absolutely love him and am so excited to be his nanny. I'll also be taking care of their second child, who will be born the end of July.

On monday I woke up at three a.m to fly back home. Well, actually to Cincinnait, then Chicago and then, finally, home!!! It was a really fun little trip. I was really nervous to meet them for the first time, but the family is great and now I'm super excited to move out there this summer.