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Friday, November 5, 2010

Happy Birthday Garrett

Posted by -Gs | Friday, November 5, 2010 | Category: | 0 comments

1. I love how much Garrett loves my girls. He always takes time to really play with them and make them laugh. I love that Violet calls him Garbum.
2. I love Garrett's fabulous style. That everyone else at the banquet was wearing boring suits while he and Morgan rocked the bow ties!
3. I love that Garrett is the most innocent looking, deceptively powerful salesman I know.
4. I love that Garrett always believes everything will work out...which is why it always does for him.5. I love how creative and nonstop his mind is.6. I love that Garrett found the perfect match for him in Jessica!
7. He has lots of projects

8. He is excited about life
9. He is interesting to talk with, always has something new going on in his life10. He expects to achieve his goals
11. He GOES BIG
12. He supports my sister
13 . He is manly enough to get a pedicure14. Helps Jessica see the benefits of frequent showering :)
15. He is inclusive
16. He is Unique
17. I love that he can dance
17. I love his love for music
18. He’s hilarious
19. He’s an amazing artist20. He’s brilliant
21. He’s obsessed with loving his wife
22. I love that in my eyes, he is a jabbawokee: )
23. I love that seren calls garrett, carrot.
24. We all like going and watching garrett play his soccer games.
25. I love that garrett married
jessica....she's a great sister in law!
26. We like that garrett is going to byu, so you guys live relatively close by (for nowat least).27. I like it when garrett tries my food i make and then he says he likes it, cuz i know he's a picky eater, and if he likes it, than most people will.
28-34. I have known Garrett since early elementary school and the main thing that I love about him is how loyal he is to those that love him. He has been my cory when I was shawn, and vice versa. He is MY best friend! I look up to him in many ways and am glad that I know him. I hope I can be more like Garrett. Happy Birthday (sorry that your turning 24, but y
ou had a good run at 23).
35. This is easy. The #1 reason why I love Garrett is definitely his baby sister Gabrielle.36. And the other 99 reasons why I love him are basically the SAME reasons why I love myself.37. Garrett loves sharing in other's excitement and is easily excited
38. I love that Garrett is relentless, helps to have him on your team
39. Sharing O's at 2am while watching Boy Meets World at full volume to hear over our loud crunching
40. Garrett is the world's best team mate
41. He is a terrible liar42. His jokes are harmless, and usually very funny, BUT always hysterical to Garrett
43. He's a ridiculously great dancer with GREAT rhythm44. My favorite shopping partner
45. Garrett is very s
ensitive to others
46. Garrett's reasons for calling are usually legit47. I never tire of talking to Garrett48. I love the semi-ridiculous projects Garrett has convinced me to do- brick his wall in cardboard
49. He can recognize something great
50. Extremely sentimental
51. We can call each other to explain how funny we just were
Garrett's advice is reliable (just make sure you recognize 1st where it benefits him!)
52. EVERYTHING is more fun with Garrett53. EVERYTHING could be made more fun with Garrett
54. That he isn't afraid of cold water or foreign food
55. That he has inspired Shelby to grow his hair out again56. He has more will power than anyone I know...not to be mistaken for stubbornness...ie: 67. Remaining on his detox diet while we all ate fillet mignon
57. His dedication to his dreams, whether it be family, school, his mission, or soccer, ect. he gives everything to achieve the BEST!
58. He is kind59. He likes to dance
60. He can make Gabes smile the most genuinely
61. The fact that he shares the same name as Olivia the Pig's Uncle Garrett, and that just like that Uncle Garrett, he will one day help Olivia dance a pas de deux for her show and tell kindergarten class
62. He inspires me to eat less candy and more blueberries63. He's creative
64. And my most favorite thing about Garrett...he is my little brother and therefore we will always be tight gee-six thugs!!!
65. He is loyal to and maintains friendships66. He has great relationships with siblings. Jessica has great relationships with her siblings---good family relationships is a key quality and I notice it with your siblings also.67. He is a hustler-as in the day you hid in wait to speak with President Holland from UVU-that took guts.
68. That was just flat out awesome.
69. You take after your mom in being a great networker, it really is a gift. For those of us that don't have that gift, we notice and appreciate it when we see it---we also envy (in the good way that you envy--maybe envy isn't a good choice but you know what I mean) that gift.70. My daughter loves you---and that makes you great in my book, I love you too!!!
71. You love and respect your father---that goes a long way for me. You have always appreciated the sacrifices that he made for you and acknowledged with gratitude the big part he played in your life. When you and Jessica were dating, and I was measuring you up---don't think that I didn't notice that. The heart of a grateful person also goes a long with with your Father in Heaven.
72. I love that you helped that Russian get back to his home country. I respect a person who sees a need and then goes above and
beyond to fulfill that need.
73. You speak highly of your wife. Jim once got me sucked into chairing a committee to do the awards dinner for all the cheerleaders and poms and their family, about 250 people. I asked why he did that and he said, because you can do it better than anyone else. I see you do that with Jessica. One true mark of a quality marital partner is one who elevates the other. I see you do that with Jessica. What mom wouldn't love that in her son-in-law????
74. You don't like contention, when someone has hurt your feelings seemingly you just walk away, especially in family situations. That quality is lacking in many people. My mother hates contention and will always
yield, I find it the mark of a strong character and not a weak one. Since it is a quality I love in my mother, I love it about you too.
75. I have said to my kids a million times---play to your strengths. God has given you a certain deck of cards, good and not so good, you play the cards that your dealt---and you play them well. I have noticed that you also have been generous in sharing many of the gifts and talents that you have developed.
76. Garrett is always happy
78. Garrett is the hardest worker I've ever met
79. Garrett loves his family more than anything
80. Garrett is on the BYU Soccer team... HOTTTT!
81. Garrett gets knows what he wants and works hard to get it.
82. Garrett is so playful and fun
83. Garrett has a family that takes me to Tahiti
84. Garrett has great style and helps dress me
85. Garrett was the most amazing missionary
86. Garrett has a 'dad' sense of humor
87. Garrett never speaks bad about anyone
88. Garrett is perfectly happy with only eating cereal
89. Garrett takes care of me when I'm sick
90. Garrett has only 7% body fat
91. Garrett makes me smile
92. Garrett treats his sisters so kindly
93. Garrett makes me want to be a better person
94. Garrett is so healthy
95. Garrett is so encouraging to me
96. Garrett supports me
97. Garrett is a great networker
98. Garrett is a Utah Student 25
99. Garrett is NEVER boring
100. Garrett is the most perfect husband EVER!
101. I'm glad his hair isn't longer than it is
102. I'm glad he provides proper soccer for watching
103. I'm glad he quit throwing knives at me around the age of 14
104. I'm glad he motivates me to be more passionate about every little thing i do
105. I'm glad his chest is hairier than mine
106. He was my biggest BABY and thus, I perfected the "art of waddling" when he was in my womb,
Stats: 8 pounds 12 ounces, and Dr. Bigler, my Obstetrician at Utah Valley Hospital's first words to me after Garrett came out, "Look at his cute, round butt!"
107. He eventually learned to love his baby sister, Gabrielle, after his untimely "dethrowning" when darling Gabrielle arrived when he was only 20 months old. His spread eagle lunges on the hardwood floors of our kitchen were legendary as he demonstrated classic toddler meltdowns, "Take her back...PLEEEEEEEASE Take her back!" --which he would cry out to anyone who came to see our new baby!
108. He liked running around, indoors or outdoors in just his polo shirt and a diaper, and as he got older, he had this wonderful habit, that if he liked a certain "outfit" he would wear it again and again...so we saved on laundry! Ask anyone in the family, and they will all recall the tie-dyed T-shirt and matching sweatpants!
109. He absolutely loved his daily, sometimes twice daily bike rides with his eldest sister, Joanna...even if it made her totally uncool being the only 13-year old teenager in the neighborhood with a pink baby seat on her bike!
110. He is our family's designated artist...Garrett drew all hours of the day and night...he would take off his shoes, put it on the breakfast table and begin sketching an exact illustration of his stinky athletic shoe!
111. He is a very, very loyal friend. He has kept his same friends all his life!
112. He has a giant, contagious SMILE!
113. He has never ever been afraid to WORK HARD!
114. He speaks Russian, and married a beautiful gal who also speaks Russian.
115. He recognizes that ALL his blessings come from GOD.
116. I love you GARRETT, for being the kind, loving, dedicated, positive individual that he always strives to be

Halloween Apart

Posted by -Gs | | Category: | 0 comments


Long 2 Weeks

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It’s been a crazy 2 weeks. Garrett left me for a week adventure in LA. He spent the weekend with his sisters, Gabes and Miristi and the week at the Adobe MAX conference.


I still have yet to hear everything he learned, but I know they put on a fantastic conference. There were lots of hands-on classes about the Adobe Suite. He was able to do some major networking with people from Google and Lynda.com. Garrett has mastered Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator over the last year and is now moving toward Dreamweaver and After Effects.


The main highlight of the conference was when they gave all attendees the new Google Phone as well as the Google TV for FREE. A ticket for the conference cost

$1,800 but Garrett talked one of his past clients into sending him there for $195. After the free Google gifts,

everything learned, and all the free food, Garrett really made out like a bandit. He will leave to his next design conference later in November to New York City.



Meanwhile, I was at home with a hacking cough (that Garrett left me with). I had a girlfriend stay with me for the weekend where we were pampered all weekend with manies, petties, and scalp treatments. We watched a few scary movies and went to a haunted house (bad idea while husband is gone). It was a blast, but I missed Garrett so much that I bought a plane ticket to New York City so that I didn’t have to be alone another weekend while Garrett attends the Future of Web Design conference.


He came home late Wednesday night and I left on Friday for Denver. We did manage to squeeze a Thursday date night in there with Outback and Step-up 3. (Garrett has now seen Step-up 3, 3 times!)

The very next day (Friday) my mom flew my sister Amanda and I home to Colorado for her birthday weekend. It was so much fun. We went to the temple on Saturday morning and did some family names. I love being there with my family. It brings on a whole different meaning to the song “Families Can Be Together Forever” when you are all together in the Celestial room. It was an amazing experience. I’m sure nothing makes my parents more happy than seeing us all in the temple together.



We enjoyed a nice lunch at Hacienda with Grandma an

d did a little bit of shopping. Saturday night was spent at the ward Trunk-or-Treat. We didn’t bring costumes but managed fine when we spent a few minutes looking in my dad’s

closet. I found his vintage Boy Scout uniform and Amanda wore some Indian thing my grandma sewed for him when he was 14. It had tassels on it. Jim came out in the epic mummy costume. Dad was the wizard. Typical.


Sunday was amazing. I enjoy going back to my home ward and seeing the people who helped raise me. We had dinner with Dan and Dan Doerfein and the Sigmons. It was the quintessential Sunday.


Back in Utah, Garrett was busting the Beiber-doo. He spent some time with the boys going to haunted corn mazes and dressing up as "Thing Wild” His hair sure has gone wild. He needs a haircut. Bad.



But I missed Garrett even with his moppy new hair style. I’m glad I’m finally home.

The last few weeks we’ve both been sick, out of town and crazy busy with work/school. I’m excited to be home with everything back to normal.


Hopefully things will slow down and allow us to relax (ps. Garrett is launching a business on Thursday, meeting the Governor for his design business being named top 25 student-owned businesses in Utah, his birthday is on Saturday, he just got an MRI and found out he needs surgery this month as soon as we get home from New York... Then we will relax.)