Memorial Day Weekend

It was off to Utah for Memorial Day weekend. I had four days off and this was Nick's last weekend of freedom before the dreaded calculus summer school class begun. We try to go to Utah at least once a year to see Nick's brother, Jake and his family. I can't believe how fast those kids are growing!! It is fun watching how smart Penny is! She will be in second grade this coming school year. She is very laid back (so much like her Dad), and loves that she got to stay up late with the grown-ups while we were there. Liam is 4 going on 10! He is huge! The whole trip all I heard him talk about was food and how hungry he was. I guess he is taking after his uncle Nick. Liam was so excited for Thomas the train that he wore his Thomas hat everywhere! Henry is a mama's boy. When he isn't busy napping he is running all over the place or wanting to be held by his mom. By the end of the weekend he would walk up to Nick without crying at least! Oh well, maybe next time he will think we are more fun. This trip was great because we got to go on a double date with Jake and Jamie. It was so much fun spending time together just the adults! As usual Nick and Jake had their trip to the shooting range while Jamie and I got caught up on our girl talk. Such a fun weekend. We always dread the 10 hour drive up there, but the whole car ride home we talk about how great it was to see everyone.

Utah Scenery

Liam, 4, had the prime spot to see Thomas the Train
Henry, 18 months with Dad, Jake

The Jake Styer Family with the Thomas the train conductor

Us Arizonans' trying to stay warm at the end of May!

Such a great weekend. We can't wait until we can go up again. Hopefully next time it won't be in the 50's at the end of May.

Take 2

Torn Hamstring: Take 2---- (the second tear in 2 months)
Nick forgets sometimes that he isn't a professional athlete. After each injury he exclaims, "Oh Jen, I will be fine, professional athletes have this happen all the time." I guess I 'forgot' that I was married to a pro! LOL.
Seriously though, Nick now realizes that 6 months really does means 6 months of nothing!! No sports for him at all. And I will be sure of that. Here are some pics of the latest "All-star injuries" of Domenic Styer. (if only he had the seven figure paycheck that went along with professional injuries) :)

7 days after the tear

10 days after the tear

(I patched test the bruise with some oils that get rid of bruising. I'd say they worked pretty well)

I know what everyone is thinking---wow, those Styer's are always getting hurt! Yes, we are! Our 2011 New Year's resolution will be to change that fact. Good thing 2010 is half over! :)

"Domestic" Merit Badge

Nick is taking his assistant scout master church calling very seriously. Here he is sewing patches on his scout shirt. He definitely knows how to do this better than I do!

The following day Nick learned the patches were iron-on! HAHA. At least he was so excited about the two full days of his summer break that he spent sewing. Isn't there a merit badge for sewing after all?? Just love this guy!

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Jones

We couldn't be more excited for our friends Caitlin and Cody who tied the knot on May 22, 2010. We had to be sure that the celebrations were as great as the couple!

The girls were sure to party it up-with Caitlin being the entertainment! She showed that bull who was boss!

We danced the night away at the reception

Caitlin was such a gorgeous bride.

And of course Nick and Paul provided the jams!
The newlyweds exiting the Mesa, AZ temple

We are so glad that we got to share in this special day with the happy couple. When Nick and I were dating we would double with Cody and Caitlin, so when they broke up for an entire year we were sad to have our weekends more available. haha. But in the end it was more than worth it. Congrats to you both. We love you!

Gila Valley

ROAD TRIP! That's right...Nick, Grandma Goodrich, and I drove 3 hours to the Gila Valley Arizona LDS temple open house. It was a nice drive, and I must admit that I slept just about the entire way. This is only the third temple in Arizona. We had a nice time watching the video on the history of the Gila River Valley, touring the rooms of the temple, and looking at the amazing artwork (more to come about the artwork).

Today was the dedication of the temple. It was so great to be in attendance and to feel of the spirit. President Monson spoke about the generosity of the saints in the area. One lady gave half a million dollars to Pres. Monson, and told him to "use it to spruce up the temple" with original artwork. Pretty amazing! So grateful that we could be in attendance for such a special day here in Arizona.

In Honor of Mother's

I must admit I am pretty biased when it comes to Mothers. It is no secret that I think I surround myself with some awesome women. When it comes to family, I have such great women around me.

"All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." Abraham Lincoln

My mom of course is the rock of our family. I don't know how she does it all. She is an example of love and charity that emulates our Savior fully. She serves so diligently in her calling overseeing the women of her stake and the patrons at the temple. Her dedication to family history keeps me with never ending stacks of names to do ordinances in behalf of. As I was growing up I watch her come home from one job, just to get ready to go to her evening job. She managed to be at all my softball games growing up (except for the one I broke my collar bone at..hah). She forced us to all take piano even though we hated it. And even when she got the girl scout troupe lost trying to earn the orienteering badge (hahah--no sense of direction whatsoever) we manage to finally find our way back. She listens. She serves. She loves. She is my example of whom I want to be.

Mom and I the night before I got married

Mom and I at the Raleigh, NC temple

Other women in my life that I want to celebrate our my sisters. Katherine and I are only 18 months apart. Time does bring people closer together, and I have seen that happen with Kat and I. Growing up we couldn't have been more different, but now I can say she is one of my best friends. I am always excited to have her around. She is graduating this week with her masters!! I am so proud of her. Being that she was the kid who never wanted to go to school growing up she is graduating top of her class from Washington Univ in St. Louis!! Way to go! I love you. I can't wait for us to be mothers together one day.

Rachel was the perfect addition to our family when she married my brother, Kevin. Always sweet and soft spoken, I admire how she nurtures her two boys. They are quickly growing and know their manners! Rachel and I are the same age, however, sometimes, I forget that being as our lives aren't exactly on the same page. She truly is a sister to me. Things are always more fun when she is around. It is hard to imagine our family being complete without her. I admire her as a mother as I see my nephews grow leaps and bounds between visits. I look up to her dedication she had in getting her masters in accounting, and the ease at which she gave up the work force to take on the harder task of being a stay at home mom.

It seems as though Becky has been in the family for a lot longer than a year! She and my brother, Kyle, married a year ago after quite the lengthy courtship. I knew we would be friends after she and I had a detailed conversation about the Carrie Underwood cd a few years back! I admire her for her dedication to education also (I am realizing I have some smart sisters)! She is half way down with her masters in nursing anesthesia at Georgetown. She has brains, uses the word ya'll regularly, and can put up with my brother's indecisiveness!

Rachel, Mom, Me, Katherine Lastly, my Grandmother-Margaret Goodrich. Everything about her radiates the 'It' factor. She has it all. When I need advice on finances, purchases, stock market, good books to read, recipes to try out, sights to see, and just about anything...I call her first! I respect that she is in her 80's and has never lost the desire to learn. She goes to an investors club, computer club, genealogy meetings, volunteers at the library, is learning how to play bridge, makes the best peanut brittle, still clips coupons, sends me articles from the newspaper, exercises regularly, and is so fashionably trendy! Since moving back to Az four years ago, I have been spoiled having her so close. She has saved every note, card, letter I have ever written her--and complied them into a book that she gave me when I got married. She truly treasures her family, and has never forgot to tell us how much she loves us. I am so blessed to have her so close to me.

Grandma Goodrich and I

Thank you to the women in my life! I love you!
"For mother is the word that will define a righteous woman made perfect in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, a woman who has qualified for eternal increase in posterity, wisdom, joy, and influence.” Sheri L. Dew

Since Everyone is Asking...

...Yes, I am back from Kentucky. I went out there to see a doctor who my parents are temple workers with on Fridays. He is a chiropractor in Versailles, Indiana (about an hour and a half away from Louisville). It was a miserable flight. I could hardly walk off the plane. By that point advil was only taking the edge of the pain. I think my dad was surprised to see my gimp self really in such bad shape. I went and saw the doctor that day and thought his 'light' technique made me very skeptical. No "cracking"...just muscle release movements, adjustments of my hips and vertebrae with syringe looking tools, and lots done to my neck. He thinks that my low back is the effect. Not the cause! The cause is in my neck which is so out of whack, that it makes my balance off so much that my low back has to compensate by twisting and shifting the disc out of place. Interesting theory...almost seems to make too much sense. But my skeptical self, was starting to believe that he was right.

So after 5 visits, and a LOT of work on my neck (I felt like I had whiplash my neck was so stiff and sore from all the treatments) my low back pain was subsiding by the 5th day in Kentucky.

Now for the hard part---finding someone out here in Az who does something familiar. The doctor in Indiana gave me a few names that he found on the web, but none of which do the combination of therapies that he does. Oh well, I will settle for anyone who does even one of his techniques. And then go and see him when I am back home for full body exams and adjustments. I have started seeing someone here in Az. He recommends 3 visits a week for the next month to be sure my body retrains its muscle to keep the alignment.

May 4th---the best I have felt in the last 10 months. Finally I felt like myself. This is definitely a noteworthy day! I went to work and was able to remember why I loved my job. Working in pain almost made me resent my job at one point. I came home from work that day thinking that I truly had the greatest job ever.

Things are looking on the up and up. I think this last 8 week flare-up is on its way out the door. How grateful I am for that. I am still doing acupuncture on Tuesdays. I always look forward to how relaxing it is for me. I will continue doing chiro and core strengthening as much as needed. I am wanting to start yoga, as several people have told me how good it is for low back problems, but I guess I am just nervous to not overdue it yet.

There's the update for you! How blessed I continue to feel. Again, thank you for your prayers. I feel how much I am loved by friends, family, and Heavenly Father each day.