McParents, McKids & McFun

Archive for the 'friendship' Category

FHE, anyone?

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

We had our first Family Home Evening back in Las Vegas with our friends last night. Check out Jaime and Rob’s blog for pics!!! We made pizza and homemade ice cream at the DeMarcos. They have also started a food blog–which I’m sure will contain only the most fabulous recipes. We are never disappointed when we eat at Dave and Jena’s!!! From Italian to Indian to yummy desserts–their cucina is incredible.

I am so glad to get back to our semi-monthly family nights. Hopefully, we will have some children to contribute to the “family” very soon. :) Two Mondays from now we will be at the Brummetts. I love my friends.

jaime lynne~a wife, a scrapper, a fun girl…

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008
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…is what you’ll find as a self-description on her blogger profile! This is my friend Jaime Lynne. She is next on my friendship tribute list. I have gotten away from my monthly tributes because of all the adoption hubbub, but I am back on track and ready to honor my friends one by one. I thought it fitting to showcase Jaime since we just had our two year anniversary in May!!! Luckily, Adam and I were in Las Vegas so we celebrated with dinner, a movie and ice cream. The husbands celebrated with us but they went to their own movie. (why they would want to see Iron Man over Made of Honor is beyond me!) There are so many reasons why I adore Jaime Lynne. Since many of you have never met her in person, I thought I would show you, in pictures, bits of her personality.

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SHE LOVES SCRAPBOOKING. It’s one of her creative outlets, and is sometimes serious business. Jaime’s been published by Creating Keepsakes. She’s on Tinkering Ink’s Design team. She’s done work for Basic Grey. Jaime Lynne is very talented. I’ve learned so much by scrapping with her. She’s introduced me to new products and helped me build confidence in my own skills and style. We’ve scrapped in Logan, Zion, Brian Head, and Las Vegas together. Maybe one day we’ll carry our scrap buckets to China on vacation. Although Jaime is a ”high-end scrapper” (my words, not hers) she always takes time out to give advice and help others with their layouts. She shares ‘Her Rules’, but never pressures you to use them. :) Her online galleryis sure to inspire some serious scrappin mojo, if you are in need!

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SHE LOVES PHOTOGRAPHY and READING. Jaime has a keen eye for the abstract. She started her professional career in television, which explains why she is so good at capturing a story through images. Jaime worked for a news station in another state before she got married–how cool is that? Her pictures are beautiful, and she never gives herself enough credit for her work. I love her pictures. As for reading–Jaime’s a “red-light” reader for sure. She will read just about anything, and once she becomes engrossed…forget it. If I started a Book Club she would be one of the first people I would ask to join. Jaime is really good at analyzing a work and connecting it to her own life. She has an opinion about everything, and she can speak intelligently on almost any subject. The great thing about Jaime is that she will not usually give an answer unless she is positive about the answer. Perhaps that comes from her field of study and profession. Wherever it comes from, I love it!

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SHE’S ALWAYS up for an ADVENTURE! These pictures are from Jaime’s first canyoning experience at Zion Nat’l Park two years ago. We had a blast. This year she attempted Pine Creek with the boys, wet suit and all. Pretty cool! She loves car camping, Disneyland, playing games, trying new restaurants, going to the movies, and weekend getaways. No wonder we get along so great. In two short years, our friendship has traveled quite a bit. Although Adam and I have lived away for a year of our friendship (that’s half its life–wow) we’ve become even closer. Besides our frequent trips to Las Vegas where we get our famLea fix, we spent Thanksgiving at Brian Head, they traveled up to Logan for my birthday, and we just got back from a week at Zion with them and our other dear LV friends.

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I love Jaime Lynne. She is my sister, my confidante, my friend. I don’t typically let someone into my private hopes and fears as quickly as I have her. That means something to me. Jaime is one of the only people I can fall apart in front of and not feel embarrassed or like I’m disappointing. She is always honest with me even when it’s difficult. She shares her friends with me and embraces mine–not many friends are secure enough for that. It is true that neither of us currently have children, but our situations are not what bind us as friends. It is our patience, love and support of each other that does that.

Jaime is kind and compassionate. She cares intensely. She thinks deeply. Jaime is responsible. She is super smart. She honors her marriage and her church duties. Jaime is one of the best conversationalists I have ever met. She willingly serves those in need, usually at her own expense. Jaime is not perfect. She has bad days just like the rest of us. But like I have told her before, it doesn’t matter how bad of day she is having–if I was in crisis and needed her…she would forget herself and be by my side in an instant. And she has done just that! That is why I honor my friend today.

Welcome to the World, Baby Paige

Wednesday, March 12th, 2008

Just a quick Shout Out to our dear friends, the Brummets. Valerie gave birth to Paige Anne last Friday, and she is oh so precious. We’re glad you’re doing well, Val. Wahoo…Carter has a baby sister.   Princess Paige, you are one very blessed little girl. We can’t wait to snuggle you in April.  Love…..Aunt Rach and Uncle Adam

finally…something scrappy

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

It’s finally come…my friends fly in tomorrow. I can’t wait to bask in a bit of scrapper’s delight. The best part of a scrap day is the company, of course. Mmmm…I can taste the peanut m&m’s already.

 Brian is taking Adam  and  Robert snowmobiling on Saturday. Rob has never been so they are way excited. And Brian will actually get to enjoy his equipment (it’s a rare occasion). The best part is that they will be ‘out of our hair’ for the day. Jaimee arranged for a babysitter and for two massage ladies to come in toward the end of the day. How great is that?

Okay, enough already. I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing about my birthday. We didn’t intentionally plan the scrap weekend on my birthday, it just sort of happened. And it has been a huge blessing because I haven’t thought about actually turning 32 until just now. I do have three more days of 31 left and I intend to enjoy every bit of it.

Friendship, Take 1…Julesie

Saturday, November 3rd, 2007
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This is my good friend Juliana. Isn’t she beautiful? This is the first installment of weekly tributes to my best friends. I thought that Jules would be the perfect friend to start with. She embodies all things wonderful about friendship. She is thoughtful, kind, and warm. She is super smart and has a sparkling personality. (Are you blushing yet Jules?) She is a total word snob!She is driven and ambitious–just graduated with her master’s degree and is starting a doctoral program as we speak! But the thing I like the best about my friend is that she has a brooding spirit about her. Jules thinks deeply and struggles to know what is true and real in her life. She is methodical and pragmatic. I love that about her. And she values  those things in others!

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Our friendship is a funny one because it was formed in a few short months and has traveled over three continents and seven years. Jules is the BEST travel buddy ever! We’ve only spent but about four or five months in each other’s tangible company. However, the time we’ve spent together in Asia, Africa, and the U.S. has been life-changing for me…she seems to pop in at pivotal moments.







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It all started in Taiwan–see pics (don’t we look young, Jules?). I had just graduated from BYU and was off to teach English with 18 strangers. Funny thing is four of those eighteen continue to be treasured friends of mine today. Anyway, we backpacked the country for two weeks, team-taught munchkins together, and had many wonderful discussions about life and God while at IVY Private School. Remember the Brittany Spears’ Dance??? Ughhhh!!!

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Fast forward three years to Zambia….Jules was on a Peace Corps assignment in Africa. I had only seen her one time since Taiwan, and was dying to travel with her again. Plus, Africa was the coolest possible place I could think of for a reunion. I spent five glorious weeks in Juli’s village and travelling with her. We even made our way into Botswana for a couple of days for a safari. Anyway, The pic above is of Jules cleaning her fish for a meal when I was there. She took pity on her neighbor’s cat and would feed it raw eggs etc…but tried not to let the villagers notice because they were starving as much as the cat was. My favorite part of the trip, though, was our excursion to Victoria Falls–see scrap pages below. It was absolutely breathtaking, and I can’t think of anyone I would have rather shared it with.



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Well, Jules wasn’t able to make it to my wedding in 2004 because her sweet grandmother passed away–but she sent me my most prized wedding gift (no joke). She hand painted two African themed works of art for us and framed them.  I cried and sniffled when I opened her gift. Only my new husband knew what that meant to me. Thanks Julesie! I don’t think anyone could’ve guessed that I would be attending her wedding the next fall (2005)!!!!

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How pathetic that this is the only image I have of the two of us at her wedding. And I WAS the photographer. Sad, sad, sad. But I did get many beautiful pictures of Jules and Dan–her sweet husband. It meant a lot to me that I could share this wonderful moment in her life. And I got to visit her family–they are always a joy and delight to be around.

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Jules, you are one of my dearest friends. I treasure our adventures and our discussions. I am so blessed to know you and to call you my friend. You bring so much joy into the lives of others. I miss you so much. It is good to be reminded of the strength friendship brings and the need to nurture it!!!!!Â