A pet?

Day 6: A photo of an animal you'd love to keep as a pet. This is a tough one for me. I'm allergic to animals. I sneeze till my nose feels like Niagara falls and my eyes stop people in their tracks because they resemble the red glow of a traffic light. I like people that have pets. I like people that clean up after pets. I like people that love their pets to death as long as they keep their pets AND their house clean. It gives me the heebee geebees to think that I may be eating off a plate that their pet once licked the remnants of your meal off of. Or that I'm sitting on a couch that their pet once had a major accident on. Don't get me wrong, I can see the beauty in a dog, the grace in a cat, and the appeal in having a horse that could save you on gas but costs way more in feed... Animals are beautiful. I've loved many a pet myself. I grew up with fish, frogs, salamanders, and cats I had for only a couple of days. I had a rabbit named Floppy that I took care of and loved with all my heart. I have cousins who had dogs that I truly loved as well. My cousins dog, Cricket, would sleep with me when I slept at their house. Even when she got older and hated kids, she'd still snuggle up with me. The pet I loved the most though, was my neighbors that lived behind us. They had a Black Lab named Sade that was beautiful. I would sit for hours and just pet her. She was protective of both my neighbors family and my family. She barked when a stranger would jump our fence. I've never felt safer than when I knew Sade was there to protect me. So if I had to choose and I couldn't just have my neighbors dog Sade, I would get a German Shepherd. If I had a big old house with a huge yard and someone to clean up after the animals, I might consider a dog to go running with me and scare off anyone that attempts to enter my house without permission. But for now, I'm perfectly content.

2 years ago

Day 5: A photo of yourself two years ago. This is a photo of me with my friend Alyssa. We were at a career conference for Mary Kay. It's amazing to see what changes have happened since then. Physically, I've got shorter hair and a "beer belly" from the baby, but not much else. Emotionally I feel stronger, and more confident. Spiritually, I feel more at peace with myself. I know my Father in Heaven more than I did two years ago. It's been a good two years. A great two years. I've grown. I'm better than I was before. In two years from now, I hope to be able to say that I've bettered myself some more. If you're not moving forward, you're moving backwards. There's no such thing as standing still.And Alyssa, I miss you.

Cookie of the Gods

So I have always had a side of me that loved to bake. For me it is a stress outlet. Its not that I take my stress out on the baked goods, but that baking can calm me in a way not a lot else can. Over the years I have come to master my Chocolate Chip cookies. Its my staple of baking, the one I can always fall back on. However, always wanting to better myself, I came across on a idea to stuff a Oreo in a homemade Chocolate Chip cookie while reading a friends blog one day. Needless to say, this might have been the greatest idea I have read in years and after trying it and tasting the cookie, it is the greatest idea in years. Thanks to the Hayes family blog for the idea. Now let me take you on the wonderful journey of creating and enjoying a "Oreo Stuffed Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie":

On the cookie part of the food pyramid, (yes mine includes a cookie area) I'd have to say homemade CC cookies and Oreos reign king. So combining them together should have come to me years ago but I guess I am not the genius I think I am. And of course, I had to go with Double Stuffed Oreos, I couldn't half do this creation.

It Looked just like an over sized cookie after wrapping the Oreo in cookie dough, but knowing the goodness that waited inside made it that much more exciting.

I think I may have sat at the oven for the full cooking time just to watch them bake. I don't think I was every this excited, even on Christmas mornings growing up, though those always did rock, thanks to the awesome parents. ( my little shout out to the best parents in the world)

Finally Done! Look at them in all their Glory!

Let them cool for a little bit but not to much, you will still want that warm,

chewy homemade taste to the cookie dough.

That was like biting into a ray of sunshine! The Oreo is no longer crunchy and just kind of blends into the texture of the Chocolate Chip cookie but still has that wonderful Oreo taste. This may become my new staple, as well as my down fall as a mostly healthy person. I recommend to all bakers reading this, you give the "Oreo Stuffed Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie" a try. And if your not a baker, but lucky enough to be friends with Jen or I, then just ask cause I will take any reason to make these cookies again.

My Family, My Best Friends

I have best friends, and I have family best friends as well. I figured I'd share both with you. Family is there for you no matter what. Family loves you when you make mistakes, and praise you when you don't. Family though sometimes get on your nerves, still want to spend time with you when you get on their nerves. I've been blessed to have the family that I grew up with and a new family I married into. Brian and Jen Bodell: The two of us together forever.

My family, the Echols: Crazy. Adventurous. Loud. And a little bit Redneck.

Row 1: Kevin, Jenala, Scott, Michael, Brian, Alex

Row 2: Brooke, Erin, Jen

Brian's family, The Bodell's: Fun. Accepting. Quiet. Relaxed.

Row1: Richard, Doug, Amy, Brian

Row 2: Diana, KayceeThe nieces, and nephew: Playful. Full of energy. Silly

Brooke and HaileyOwen

Baby Vader: Coming Soon. Still don't know what you are,

but we love you anyways.

Best Friends

Day 4: Your favorite picture of your best friend.

For every friend you have a different relationship. Only some make it to the status of Best Friend. Some people have a best friend to go running with, a best friend to go to church with, a best friend for who knows what else. In my life I've been very blessed to have best friends I've known since I was born, and best friends that feel like sisters, and best friends that annoy me, and best friends I will grow old with. Here are a few of my very best friends that I love so much. I hope they know how much I love them too. Brian Bodell: My very best friend in the whole world. My better half. The one I will grow old with into the eternity. The father of my baby. He knows how to make me smile. He brings me flowers on Tuesday, and we've enjoyed an infinite amount of moments together. He taught me what it truly means to love someone. To adore someone. To wake up thinking about someone. He loves me. I love him. I wouldn't want to spend my life with anyone else. Ever.

Michael, Kevin, Erin, Brooke, and Alex Echols: My siblings. My blood. The weird clan. The ones that I have changed their diapers, and helped with their homework, and taken out for ice cream (or Wendy's). They make me laugh, even when I'm furious at them. They've made me cry when they accomplish something great. They've taught me how to forgive. They've taught me how to live. I've known them since the day they were born. I'm so lucky to have each of them in my life.

Sandy Ferguson Oughton: My Sister. My soul twin. My camp best friend, my work best friend, my tumbling best friend, my roommate best friend, my tent mate best friend. We've shared so much. Without her, I would still be stuck, doing nothing with my life. I wouldn't have met Brian if it weren't for her. She's a constant bright spot. She's taught me what it means to really be someones best friend. Somehow I was loved enough by God to be blessed with an older sister to guide me through the toughest parts of my life.

Kristine Russell, and Ashley Russell Tew: My other family. My other sisters. We've been best friends since Kris was 3, I was 2, and Ash was 1 1/2. We lived in the same apartments, we went to the same birthday parties. We went on a million adventures together full of faulty, duct tape covered tents, Mom's running after guys on bikes, runaway boats, and power outages. We've shared secrets, and crushes, and bubble gum. Along the way of growing up, they taught me about hard things in life. They taught me to laugh and relax. They taught me that it's okay to be myself. I am so lucky to have such great childhood friends, that still like to hang out with me now that I'm boring and old.... :)

2010 Highlights

I know it's February of 2011, but I wanted to share with you guys a few of our favorite things from 2010.

Brian's favorite things.
1: He got a new position at work. He now has weekends off and works regular hours!!! I may love it just as much as him. :)
2: He bought us season tickets to the Hale Centre Theatre. We enjoyed some classic plays such as Fiddler on the Roof. There was also some new plays we'd never even heard of such as The Drowsy Chaperone. "I am Aldolfo!"
3: He and Doug bought season tickets to the Utah Football games. They always had a blast!
4: We went to Montana for a Bodily family reunion and he now wants to move to Columbia Falls.
5: Our nephew Owen was born in September. He's so much fun to play with!
6: He found out he was going to be a Daddy!

Jen's favorite things.
1: My brother Michael came home from his mission for a brief period because of some medical problems. I loved being able to spend time with him while he was home.
2: My brother Kevin graduated from high school! After doing homework with him for all those years, he better have graduated!
3: I loved going to the plays with my husband. I love that my husband sings songs from them to me now!
4: Montana. I'm in love with the place. It took some convincing to get Brian up there, but I won't have that problem again! I loved seeing my family. I miss them so much!
5: Yay! A nephew! Plus, I got to watch our nieces when he was born. Bonus!
6: I'm going to be a Mommy!

We hope your year was as fun as ours. It will be so much fun to see what this year holds for us as well!

Day 3

The perfect date: My simple answer to this is, anything with my husband Brian! My not so simple answer is, going somewhere in the outdoors to spend a day hiking or boating with my husband. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere gorgeous. Probably at sunset. There's nothing like watching the sun set after a good long hike or a day of boating. When that light bounces off the tips of the mountains or the water, your heart just skips a beat. The world just looks so peaceful... After our fun filled day, we would go out for some of my favorite food, either steak or Italian. Considering Brian does not like Italian food, it would most likely be steaks. :) A juicy medium steak. With loaded mashed potatoes on the side, you know the ones with butter, sour cream, bacon, and cheese in them? To end the day we would make cookies! I'm seriously in love with Brian's chocolate chip cookies. They aren't overly sweet, or chocolaty. They are a mix of sweet and salty. In other words, they are perfect.

Banana's

Day 2: A picture of something you ate today.



I've been on a fruit kick lately. I'm blaming the baby. I've already eaten one banana and now I'm on my second. Plus I had strawberries in my cereal for breakfast. Brian doesn't like bananas, that means I get the whole bunch to myself!

Something I'm trying to be better at...

So I'm terrible at this blogging thing. I'd like to be better at it. I have a friend that did a list of things for 30 days. I'm going to copy her. :) That doesn't mean that I'm actually going to post each day, just that I'm going to complete it in a somewhat timely manner. So here is day 1: A picture of yourself and how your day went. This is Brian and I at a friends wedding a couple of years ago, I'd post a more recent one, but I'm on my netbook with noooo pictures on it! We look the same only we both have shorter hair. So as far as our day went, It was awesome. We enjoyed a lazy morning of fruit loops, smoothies, bagels and cookies. So nutritious, I know, but delicious! We then went to church where we taught our primary kids (I have the 8-11 year old girls, and Brian has the 8-9 year old boys). That is always an adventure! We always get great questions and love to share with each other when we get home. Today one of my girls asked me whether I was still excited to be pregnant or if I wish that I wasn't yet. I'm only 15 weeks! Haha! Way cute though. Then we came home to a delicious dinner of swiss steaks and spent the evening watching The Seeker together. It's been a fabulous LAZY day! I love spending time with my hubby and just relaxing.

Pssst....

We're gonna have a baby!