Thanksgiving in New Orleans

Austin has been in Louisiana for the last month working with his dad. His parents live just outside of New Orleans so I flew in to the "Big Easy" to be with my big daddy! hee hee. We had a great Thanksgiving at his house with a fabulous turkey dinner prepared by his mom. Yum yum, it was soooooooo good! I ate so much my stomach hurt and I just laid (is that how you spell it?) around for the rest of the day, finishing off with a huge helping of pie and ice cream. While I was there we went shopping, to the movies and shopping some more. It was so nice to have a break from work to just hang out with Austin. On my last day there we headed down to the French Quarter and hit our favorite spots. The french market is crazy...it's lined with tables upon tables upon tables of anything from voo doo dolls and alligator heads to purses and sun glasses. We rarely actually buy anything, but it's fun and always interesting to bum around in there.



We ate beignets (french doughnuts) at our favorite spot, Cafe du Monde, while listening to live jazz music. It's such a fun experience to get to go to New Orleans once and a while and experience a completely different culture (if that's what you would call it). Thank you LaVaur and Jean Lux for the accomodations and hospitality. I love you guys!!!!

These kind of guys are everywhere in the French Quarter, always playing jazz music for everyone. They are so talented and it adds so much to the atmosphere.

Here I come to save the day!!!

Okay, so it's WAY past Halloween, but I just downloaded these pics and they were way too good! My co-worker, Seth, took them and photo-shopped a couple. My nick-name at work is Mighty Mouse. I got that nick-name a few years back while I was transferring a rather large patient into his wheelchair. He didn't think I could do it, and when I proved him wrong (quite easily I might add) he dubbed me Mighty Mouse. As most of you know, I'm 5'2" on a good day, but I'm very fiesty and with the right technique I can lift, move, push and whip any of my patients into shape, any day. So, I decided to dress the part for Halloween this year. We always have a great time at work and Halloween was no exception. Below, you'll see the incredible Hulk, Batgirl, Lucille Ball, a guitar hero, some goulish guys, one nerd and oh, yeah, Napolean Dynamite!!! Gosh!

A Twilight "Suck"-cess!!!

Well, suck it most definitely did not, but there were some sucking scenes, LOL! We had sooooo much fun! As some of you know from previous posts, my mom, sister and I decided a few months ago to reserve an entire theater for the movie "Twilight" on opening day. We were all sitting around talking about how much we love Twilight, but weren't willing to fight the crowds to get tickets and most definitely weren't willing to wait in line for hours to get a decent seat. So began our fun adventure of throwing a big Twilight screening for us and 162 of our closest friends and family. The night began with apple shaped sugar cookies (compliments of my sisters) and various party favors and prizes. Then ended at my moms house with a Twilight after party. It turned out so much better than I had ever dreamed. Everyone had a great time and we all ooooed and awed at Edward and Carlisle!!! Wow, Carlisle!! My sisters, mom, and I wore our favorite Twilight Tees and I "vamped" up my make-up just for fun. If you've seen the movie, go see it again!! It was way better the second time. (Yes, I've already seen it twice.) Take my word for it, it's worth another ticket.

My mom did an awesome job on the after party and had great decorations, yummy food and an incredible red velvet cake decorated for Twilight!! Thanks mom, you're the best!

Get ready everybody, because Summit Entertainment announced they are definitely doing the sequel, "New Moon"!!! Here we go again! Thanks to the Amara girls, my sisters, mom and everyone who came and made it a night to remember. Love you all!!

A "little" Girls Night Out

There is this cute family down the street from me with 5 adorable little girls. A couple nights ago, their mom (who is a really good friend of mine) and I had this fun girls night out with another of our friends and her daughter. They are so dang cute and I had sooooo much fun!!! I can't wait to have a little girl of my own.

We ate pizza, salad and dessert, painted our fingers and toes, and had a lot of fun being silly. Their mom told me that her 5 year old, Summer, told her that I was a "hot number". LOL!! Oh my gosh, how could I resist that!? I love 'em.

A favorite memory...

Austin tackled me onto the bed in my condo and said:

"Rachel, you're my best friend...will you marry me?"

To which I replied..."YES."

I LOVE YOU AUSTIN!!!!

The Last Hooraw

We went boating for the last time this season a couple days ago, and not a second too soon, because it's been cold and rainy all weekend. We are going to winterize the boat this week and put it in storage : ( sad. We decided to go one last time and it was perfect... The water was glass, we were the only ones on the lake and Austin and I took as many turns as we wanted. Our friends Cam and Michelle joined us later in the day and it turned out to be beautiful. I forgot to bring my camera so here are a few highlights from this summer...

Our friend Ian doing a flip...look how high he is!!!

Cam attempting a flip at Starvation

Woo woo, look at those muscles!!!

Here's Austin on our first boat trip...I wish we had the camera on the last one, he's jumping the wake now...maybe next year he'll be looking a little more like Ian. : )

Nobody can hold a candle to our friend Ian...he's practically a pro! And yes, he landed that.

Me, looking mighty comfortable out there!

This is a good close up of Austin

A fertility update...

A lot of people ask...and even more don't, probably because they don't want to pry. I usually don't mind when someone asks, because there isn't much to tell and I try my hardest to suppress emotion about the whole thing. There hasn't been much I can do but wait and be patient. But the whole process has been too much for me lately and I have to talk about it. I am so sad I feel disabled. I can't seem to force the emotion away from my body. My monthly friend came and it is more than I can bare this month. Usually I expect it and it's not hard to get over the little disappointment I feel each month. (I keep hoping for a miracle.) Something was different this month though...I just had a feeling this could be it. (Maybe it was the 5 pounds I gained and can't seem to get rid of : ). I am devastated. I think maybe I'm finally just starting to accept and come to terms with the fact that I can't get pregnant. I knew...the doctors told me and Austin...people have told me...offered their advice...but somehow I guess I must have been in denial this whole time still, even though I didn't think I was. Still hoping for a miracle. I am, in fact, going to have to get surgery and we are going to have to go through with this whole fertility thing. I'm nervous and scared...I'd be lying if I didn't say that. I know it will be alright and my faith and hope are the only things that see me through. I am so grateful for Austin and my family...especially my sisters. Again, what would I do without them? Anyway, I'll keep everyone posted on the blog...I hate having to repeat the story a million times. Love you all. Thanks for your support and friendship.

Another fun cabin weekend

We are so blessed to be able to spend time at the Zoll family cabin a couple times a year. I really love being around my family, even though I know I'm such a party pooper at night. Waking up at 4:45 a.m. every morning for work has really made Rachel a dull girl!! I have 12 nieces and nephews now and I just love to see them and spend time with them. There is so much to do at the cabin and every time we go, there are new things. We played... rock band on the theater size screen in the kids play room, sand volleyball, slip and slide, 4 wheeling, jungle gym with rock wall, pool, watched movies in the theatre room, swung on the rope swing, cards with the fam at night...all this and more, but the kids still fought and cried over who's turn it was on the arcade. Ha ha, kids will be kids. I truly have an amazing family, there isn't one member I could do without. How can I best describe my love for my sisters...I can't, there are no words. I wish I could spend more time with them. It's always nice when we can get together like this. It's like a vacation. Thanks again Zoll's!!

Brayden, Stacia and McKenna getting ready to slip and slide!

I stole this mosaic from Amanda's site. It's so cool and I don't know how to do it. Anyway it show's some good highlights of the trip.

Labor Day Camping and Boating

We went camping over Labor Day weekend with our good friends Cam and Michelle and also Ty and Liza. We had so much fun I wonder why we haven't gone more. When all of us were just dating each other, we would go every weekend! We would just decide...then, grab everyone and everything and go. I guess that's what happens when we get older and kids come into the picture. Everything takes more planning and time. Cam and Michelle have a little girl and she is soooo dang cute!! She did so good the whole time, what a great little camper. It was fun to watch our good friends fill the role of parenthood so naturally and so well. I love you guys! Anyway, we had a great time boating during the day and hanging out by the fire at night. Saturday was a nice day, but there were so many boats on the lake it was a bit choppy. Still, it was fun to be out. Sunday, it was overcast and a bit cool, but the boys were brave and wanted to hit the lake. It turned out better than Saturday because we were all but alone on the lake. Us girls just bundled up and the boys took turns behind the boat. Here's some pics...

Austin jumping the wake

Sage in a makeshift bath, ha ha, I couldn't resist...it's so cute!

Cam and Sage by the fire

Michelle, Sage and Liza

Cam doing a flip

Ty and Liza

Everyone bundled up on the boat...and the video below...is of Rachel wiping out!

In over my head!!!

As many of you already know, the movie Twilight is coming out this November. My sisters and I really want to see it on opening day and, as much as we love the Twilight books, we are not willing to fight for tickets or, more importantly, not willing to wait in line for 5 hours to get a good seat. Anyway, I'm rambling... we've been kicking around the idea of renting a movie theatre and only selling most of the seats to ensure nobody has to sit on the front row. After a few attempts at calling Cinemark, and e-mailing, just to get more information, I gave up as nobody ever returned my phone calls or e-mails. Thinking ahead I began to feel like we were just going to have to wait a few days after opening day for the mania and crowds to calm down. Well, thanks to my sister Gina who encouraged me to try the Megaplex theatre in Lehi, we are all set. It happened so fast...first I reserved the smallest theatre they have, and two days later upgraded to one of the biggest ones!!Ha! I have been bombarded with phone calls by people who want or need "just one more ticket". I love it, it's been so fun and also so tiring. You wouldn't believe the guilt trip one girl tried to lay on me. I would love to take all of Utah County with me, however, they aren't bench seats. We can't all squish in...I only have so many. If you're one of the lucky ones on my or my two sisters lists, then not to worry. There are 212 seats and only 162 people will be coming!! Nobody will have to worry the least about being anywhere near the front.

We've been up to...

We went to Texas at the beginning of August where we had a lot of fun boating on Lake Conroe (our favorite lake in the whole world!) and hanging out at Schlitterbaun. For those of you who have never heard of Schlitterbaun, it is the world's biggest water park. Yes, I said world's biggest...and after being there a couple of times I would have to say that statement is most likely true. We also went down to San Antonio to the river walk and explored some underground caverns a.k.a. caves. We had a blast hanging out with Austin's family and relaxing for a whole week.

Above is Austin and Hamilton (Austin's cousin) with Hamilton's kids on the tube.
Below are the caves we hiked through.

We went to the riverwalk in San Antonio. Since it was just Austin and I, we only get to take pictures of one of us at a time.

Here is just a section of the river walk with a river tour going on. It was really tempting every time we passed someone to just give them a little nudge and push them in to the river. There are tons of shops and restaurants all along the river walk. It's pretty cool I guess.

This is just a small section of Schlitterbaun. This is in the newer section of the park, but there is an original section, built first, that is all powered by river water from the Comel river. I love it, there is so much to do there and never a dull moment.

woo woo

Aunt Carol made us get up early and get to the park an hour early so we could be first in line. Then, when they officially opened the park, Amy and I and a few of the cousins had to sprint to this table. Apparently it is tradition to sit here and I must say, it is the best spot in the whole park.

Austin, looking a little WT in the wife beater.