Christmas Time

Christmas at the Packer household is always quit the excitement. Needless to say after laughs, presents, movies, FOOD, and games this Christmas was an adventure. This year the whole family was home for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. When the 9 of us are together you may want to get as far away from us as possible, we are a tad crazy!

We enjoyed spending our quality time together playing games on our phone

Movies all day, everyday!

We are a tad spoilded I'd have to say

Snapchattin it up

Me and Ken :) She kinda loves me

Living and Learning

Oh what a life I have been living lately. Words can't explain what life lessons that have came to me over the past couple weeks. I guess the older I get the more I learn, right? Well I would just like to share some life lessons I have learned over the past couple weeks…

·         Take one day at a time. Don’t speed up the time and privilege you have as a child

·         Don’t let what other people think affect the type of person you are

·         Sometimes swallowing your pride and asking for help is just what you need

·         You are living YOUR LIFE, not anyone else’s

·         Be unique, be you

·         Being nice makes you BEAUTIFUL

·         Bad things happen to the best of people

·         Days go by. Years go by. Things will change in your life. Love the changes, don’t dwell on the past.

·         There is great purpose in our struggles in life

·         COURAGE!!! (The word that changed my life lately)

·         Honesty is always the best policy

·         Mistakes make you who you are. Learn and grow with each choice you make.

·         Always be yourself and love the person you are

·         Don’t worry about what others think or say or do

·         There is a world outside of Tremonton. Even outside of Utah. Discover it! Be in the world, but not of the world

·         People trust others as leaders, don’t let them be disappointed in your leadership

·         People come in our life for a reason. Recognize the reason. Don’t take them for granite.

·         The Lord will be your best friend if you let him. He is the ONLY person who truly knows the pleadings of your heart. He will comfort you on your darkest days

·         And my biggest life lesson I have learned….Sometime you don’t understand why you need to do certain things. But when the Lord speaks, TAKE ACTION. There is always a reason, there is always a tender mercies and blessing around the corner. Things are never easy. But when you get a prompting to do something, even if it’s something that is the last thing you want to do, you do it anyways!!

 

Challenge Day

Before the day started. We had no idea what we were getting ourselfs into!

Challenge day has forever changed my life. Challenge day was a day where 100 students about 15 teachers and a couple adult volunteers all came together to Be The Change. It was by far one of the best days of my whole high school career. It started out a party. We had a dance party unlike any I have ever been to, we played some get to know you games and just random games. It really made me and everyone else get out of their norm and let everyone see who they really are. Challenge day wasn't only about the fun, it was pretty much the biggest eye opener of my life! We split up into "families" and each person had two minutes to say, "If you really knew....." Lets just say it got deep. I said things to my family I have never told anyone before in my whole life. Everyone in my family was someone I hardly know at all. I was shocked by the story and life's that were shared just among my small family. Then I'd say the line crossing game was the best part of the day. I'm not a person who cries but tears definitely were shed during this game. You crossed the line if you have experienced whatever the lady said. For example, "Cross the line if you have ever been abused by a loved one or stranger" then everyone who has crossed the line. They said some deep and heart breaking things and to see tons of people cross the line on some of those experiences was insane! It really opened my eyes to how blessed I truly am. I had no idea people my age had even experienced some of those crazy questions that were asked. I honestly cant put into words how life changing this day was. TAKE A STAND, BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD!

My Challenge Day Family

Working My Life Away

Well its official. After going crazy with my hours being cut from Valley View I got myself a second job. You heard that right, this girl is working two jobs! I am now officially selling granite Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and tutoring 8 awesome kids Tuesdays and Thursdays. I got a job at Stemps Learning. Some days it's a little hard with going from a second graders math problem to a sophomores algebra problem but I love every second of it! This job will really help me decided if I want to be a teacher or not. As of right now, the answer is a for sure YES!!!!!

Carrie Underwood & Hunter Hayes

Two words.....LOVED IT!! Last night I went on the best date of my life to the Carrie Underwood/ Hunter Hayes concert. Devin took me along with doubling with Kaylee and Ryan. Can I just say I love my friends! Oh the memories and laughs <3

Whose tongue is the longest?

Love this picture...my face tells it all :)



Lovin Every Minute of It

Homecoming Week has finally come and gone. In between dress up days, painting the BR, powder puff and the football game I had a blast. My date for the dance was Nate Gardner. For our day date we went to Get Air (An indoor trampoline park) It was so much fun. From running up trampoline walls, to dodge ball, to having trick contest, I would have to say it was a success. After, we went to Zeppe's to get ice cream. I came home and got ready then off we went back to Logan to dinner at Oliver Garden. Lets just say my group and the waitress got into a pretty intense conversation over how I pronounce words, It was classic! Then we went to the dance, me with so much energy is insane. So lets just say I'm sure everyone in my group was hoping they wouldn't have to claim me ;) Then after the dance we went to Mitch's house and watched 17 Again. Oh I love Dance nights. On a side note, I was homecoming chairman and I have to say it was a amazing.

Painting the road at 4 in the morning :)

The back of the bus equals the party section on the way to paint the BR. We were making everyone laugh!

Whit & I on the BR. It's such a pretty view

My name will officially be on the mountain forever!

Powder Puff.....SENIORS WON!!!!! Woot Woot

You can't have homecoming week without a famous Paula White cinnamon roll

Homecoming Game <3

Day date with Nate!

Such a fun dance and night. I loved every second of it!

Harvest of Faith

As most Utahans know the Brigham City Temple was dedicated on the 23rd of September. But the night before the youth got to participate in a Celebration of our BEAUTIFUL temple! Saturday was a long day in the hot sun but in my opinion it went by so fast! I saw tender mercies happen all day. I witnessed signs that Heavenly Father was watching over us and was proud of what we were doing. I felt the spirit so strong. I gained new and long lasting friendships. I got to be in the presence of two apostles of the lord. I shared my talent of dance to my father in heaven. I realized I was dancing and singing among angels! and I felt the presence of pioneers, church leaders (Brigham Young, Lorenzo Snow & Rudger Clawson), and those who have past on before me. I know they were there watching and celebrating with me :) What an amazing experience I participated in, one I will never forget. I'm truly grateful for those who made it all happen and for the memories I made.

Black Eye, Baby and a Brides Room

Oh how I love this week. I wish I could just relive it over and over again. It all started off Monday. Monday I went with my cute YW's to Ihop for breakfast then a little shopping. I love my little YW's group! Then after I took a road trip with my friends to Provo to 7 Peaks. After conquering the butterfly's I had on the first waterside I was ready to do anything and try everything that day. I love my friends and we diffidently had some fun and good laughs. I even managed to get a minor little black eye from the rope swing, ya don't ask :)

Tuesday and Wednesday I got to spend my nights getting ready for the temple celebration. I didn't realize tell this week that I'm not just getting to dance for the prophet, I'm dancing for my father in heaven and oh how that just gives me the chills to think about. I love dancing in my little pioneer skirt and I even love being front and center!

Kennadi Lauren Richards was born on Thursday! YAY I'M AN AUNT! Thursday morning I got woken up by my parents telling me Cami was in labor and my mom was leaving to go to the hospital. School was the longest day ever! I was constantly looking at my phone to see if there was any updates from my mom and I was just going crazy. After school me and my dad took our journey to Provo. At 5:37 P.M. being 7 lbs. 6 oz. and 19 inches long she enter this crazy world. Cami had a fever so they had to put antibiotics in Kennadi which made it so I wasn't able to hold Kennadi that night :/ 

Friday was a typical Friday. I went to work then took an adventure to Logan with Karrisa and my dad. My dad took us to Pizza Pie Cafe and then we took our adventure back home. When we passed Riverside Corner we saw a man on his horse going threw the drive thru, only in Tree Town do you see that :) Then Ryan came over to my house and I spent the rest of the night partying it up with my 2 best friends!

Saturday was the ACT :/ I actually think fasting and praying really paid off because I wasn't nervous one bit. I get really bad test anxiety and this ACT didn't phase me at all. Lets all cross our fingers I at least get a 21! After the ACT me and my dad picked up his new truck in Bountiful and took our journey to Provo to celebrate Cami's birthday and see baby Kennadi. Oh how I love both of them!

Today was indescribable. We had a great lesson in YW's, during Sunday School we did our small acts of service and after church we went to the Brigham City Temple and got a special devotional in the brides room. The only thing I can say about my experience today is...I am diffidently getting married in the Temple and hopefully getting married in the Brigham Temple. This church is true!!

Confession

Confession: I extremely dreaded the fact for this school year to come.
Confession: I had the sudden urge to cry on my way home from school the first day cause I did not have a good day.
Confession: I am not very good with change.
Confession: I miss all my friends that graduated last year.
Confession: I love all the new people I'm becoming friends with.
Confession: I am so excited to be Key Club President.
Confession: I can't believe I survived my first week of school.
Confession: I had the best Friday night I have had in ALONG time!
Confession: I love stomps, Kent's and the rain.
Confession: I love when people think I'm completely crazy!
Confession: I love senior year now!!!
Confession: I'm scared out of my mind to grow up.
Confession: I love my life :)

I Dont Want This Night To End

Every story has an ending, but in life every ending is just a new beginning....summ-ah twenty twelve is now coming to a close and I don't exactly know how to feel about this. But I have to admit it ended in a bang! Boating with my best friend one day and the next day with my amazing co-workers. Then spending the whole week at the fair. I diffidently saw a whole different part of the fair then I have the past years since I spent it with my second familia the Kunzlers! I loved sitting on the hard bleachers, watching the sun set, smelling the great smell of animals and watching the best rodeo in the state of Utah! The Golden Spike Rodeo is always AMAZING! I never wanted the night to end! Now that fair week has came and gone it makes me realize this one thing....life goes by to fast, in a blink of an eye it comes and goes. In the past 3 months I can't believe what has happened to me. Its strengthened me and made me stronger. It's made me realize attitude is everything. The future will come and it will always have its up and downs but it will always be for a reason. What doesn't kill you really does make you stronger. People come in your life at exactly the right time and they are those people you really do need. Words can't ever explain how grateful I have been for some people who have came and gone in my life. I realized this summer that no one will truly understand and grasp what I think and do, I'm unique, I'm me, I won't EVER change that. So summ-ah twenty twelve GOODBYE :(

High on Summertime

This summer is flying by so fast, I can’t believe it. It seems like last week I was sitting at graduation or partying it up with Mickey Mouse. I guess times flies when you’re having fun….well technically it’s more like, time flies when you’re super busy! Here is the past could weeks in a quick review…

The 24^th of July I went out to PV to see what their 24^th of July celebration was all about. Word on the street was it was the bomb.com, I didn’t believe it. But needless to say it actually was. But the only way how I can describe this weekend was memorable. Memorable for the good and bad but mostly just memorable for the absolute crazy fun I had.

The Hunt family reunion at Bear Lake was also a complete blast. I love my family and especially my cousins Truce and Garth. Without these boys I don’t know what I would do. An easy way to sum up the weekend is there is never a dull moment when you are in the presence of the Hunts!

Next would have to be the lovely Wheat & Beet Day’s weekend. By being Garland City Youth Council Mayor this year I took full on responsibility at making sure our council won in kickball (Especially creaming Tremonton City Youth Council was oh so sweet) This weekend consist of Kickball, Watching “Tangled” in the park, filling up water at the race, throwing only one color of laughy taffy at a time, Riverside Corner Chicken for lunch, Blowing up balloons and making snow cones, and to top it off making Black Bottom Banana Brownie Bars, watching the fireworks, dance party in the street, and an epic fail of a Denny’s/McDonalds run. Oh how I love my Youth Council!

Then there is also all the little in betweens from working my life away, partying it up with my friends, ice cream runs, temple celebration practices, dates, and great talks with some of my closest friends! Oh how I love summer oh so much <3