Ali and Phil's Blog

Thanksgiving!!

2012-01-25T19:47:00.000-08:00

We had a super fabulous time in Utah for Thanksgiving! We traveled over on Wednesday with Taylor. It was so nice to spend the day with him! Next year he may be on his mission. It was so nice to have both Lindsay and Julie's house to stay in so there was plenty of room for everyone! Peyton was a great traveler but she did end up with her first cold after the festivities were over but it was still worth it! We enjoyed the yummy food, good company, playing basketball, Tebowing, shopping, watching the LSU game, Baconheads and more! I also enjoyed taking Peyton to be part of the grandkid picture! I had waited many years to be able to do that:) Overall I enjoyed spending time with my family peeps the most!!

Our Little Princess!!

2011-12-10T19:09:00.000-08:00

I am not a big Halloween fan but this year was great because I had a little one to dress up! When Peyton was only a couple of weeks old, we purchased a Cinderella dress for Peyton! It was 0-3 months and figured we would have no problem fitting her into it! Little did I know Peyton is a fast grower. Luckily for us the dress did fit it was just a little snug around the arms! We took her to see both sets of grandparents and we went trick or treating to our neighbors homes! I am looking forward to more fun Halloweens with our daughter!!

Trip to Utah

2011-11-20T06:49:00.000-08:00

During my time off from work Phil and I decided it would be fun to go to Utah for the weekend and show off our little Peyton to family! We visited the Wilson's and Grandma Thompson up in Roy and spent time with the Smith's and Brinkerhoff's too! We had planned to stay only three days but than Phil had the brilliant idea that Peyton and I stay all week and he would pick us up the following weekend! It was a great trip except for the fact that I got a terrible cold. I got to see Jackson play two football games, went to Madison's school to be her special guest and saw Brooklyn and Reece at dance class! Here are some photos from the week!

Daddy's Girl

2011-11-13T15:29:00.000-08:00

As suspected, Peyton has got her Daddy wrapped around her finger. He loves her to pieces! He reads to her and plays with her! He is always helpful with diaper changing and feedings too! He is such a big help and we love him for all he does!

Peyton and Daddy at the Train Show

LSU Fans!

Daddy Reading to Peyton!

Visitors at the Hospital!

2011-10-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

This post is out of order but wanted to put in the pictures of Peyton with all of her visitors while she was in the hospital! She is a very loved little girl. Papa, LouLou, Uncle Taylor, Uncle Josh, and Grandma and Grandpa Thompson were all there after she was delivered. They had waited patiently in the waiting room for her arrival. Uncle Don (Phil's best friend) showed up to because he was on the night shift as a Police Officer in Douglas County. It was so great that they waited until the early hours of the morning to see her!

Grandma Cheryl

Grandpa

Silly Papa with his eyes closed!

Grandma Lou Lou

Notice Taylor's crazy hair from sleeping in the waiting room!

Uncle Don

After the birth, Peyton had many visitors come during the next two days to visit her! It was so fun to see everyone!

Uncle Steve and Cousin Kylie

Craig Hall

Aunt Angie

Aunt Patty

Cousin Skyler!

Great Uncle John

Uncle Josh and Grandma LouLou

My favorite roommate Amanda Locke and Melissa and Raluca from work also visited but I don't have pictures:) We are so blessed to have such great families and friends!

Bath Time!

2011-10-14T07:51:00.000-07:00

Peyton is still a little unsure about bath time! She always get a look of concern when I put her in the water! Her facial expressions are so funny and she looks concerned quite often.
Her first bath was in the kitchen sink! I can't believe how little she was! She especially likes to have her hair combed during bath time!
I am looking forward to when she enjoys her baths and will splash and play with toys! Wait no, I am enjoying every minute with her and don't wish these days to go any faster! She will grow up soon enough! I just love her!

Peyton Lola Thompson

2011-09-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl finally arrived from heaven on August 24th, 2011. I went to the hospital the evening of the 22nd to be induced. They gave me a drug to get my body ready that evening and the next morning they started me on pitocin to get the labor started. I had steady contractions all day but I was not progressing at all. The doctor finally came in about 5:30 that evening and broke my water. That is when the fun really started! The contractions became way more intense and painful and not to long after I was at a 4 and after a couple of more hours a 9! At about 8pm I finally got my epidural and man those drugs are sent straight from heaven! I began pushing at a little after 1am on the 24th and Peyton Lola Thompson arrived at 2:58am! It was so amazing to see her after carrying her for 9 months. They laid her on my stomach and she was looking right at me. It will always be a very special memory for me!

Daddy was pretty excited to see her!

The new family!

Peyton our beautiful daughter!

We are getting used to each other now and Phil and I are loving every moment with her! We have a ton of pictures from her first bath to all the visitors that have come to see her so I will updating the blog again soon!

The Waiting Game

2011-08-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

It is now August and I am 37 1/2 weeks our baby girl could come anytime! The nursery is ready the house is clean on most days, work is pretty much handled if I can't make it in anymore and now we wait!! Part of me really wants her to come and the other part tells me I should just enjoy this time and she will be here soon!
I am pretty uncomfortable because she has dropped and in the birthing position and I get pretty fatigued everyday but nothing too major to complain about! The only other problem is I don't have much of any appetite, I think I have eaten cereal for dinner the last three nights.
Overall it has been a good pregnancy! Can't wait to see this little one and see if she has hair, whose eyes she has, etc. She will be beautiful no matter what!!

Our Baby Nursery!!

2011-07-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

We have been greatly anticipating this baby girl for some time but now it is time to get everything in order for the big day! We have been slowly cleaning out the guest room so it could become a nursery!

We purchased a crib, diaper table and glider and finished setting it all up in June. We still had a few things to take care of and we kept trying but we couldn't get it done!

Than I had a fabulous shower thrown by my sisters Lindsay, Julie and Erin on July 6th and got more baby stuff that we needed to find a home for! This past weekend I also went shopping to picke up some remaining items!

Phil and I kept meaning to work on the room each evening but we had other things we had to take care of first. So on Wednesday I came home for lunch and again we discussed that we wanted to get the room finished! To my surprise when I got home from work Phil had completely taken care of the room! He had even put the bedding in the crib and put things on the changing table and cleaned it. It was the best present ever! I love walking by and looking at it and am very excited to have a baby who lives in that room! Thank you so much Phil!! I love you!

The little outfit in the crib is what we plan on bringing her home in with a cute little yellow bow that I got from Erin at my shower!

I am also planning to get butterfly decals to decorate the walls with this weekend!!

Utah Valley Marathon

2011-07-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

Last October when Lindsay, Julie, Phil and I were running the Denver relay and Denver half marathon we decided to run the Utah Valley Marathon after seeing a booth at the Denver race expo. I signed Phil and I up for the full marathon as an anniversary present. Julie and Lindsay followed by signing up shortly thereafter. Phil and I knew I might not be able to run it if I got pregnant but knew I could defer my registration to 2012 if needed. We were right, I was pregnant by December and the race was out for me.

In February, Phil started out on his marathon training! There were many ups and downs and it was harder because he didn't have me or his friend Justin as a running buddy. Fortunately, Phil and Uncle John were able to get a few long runs into together! Phil was really discouraged towards the end of training and didn't feel like he was doing very well but after some motivation from Julie and I he was determined to do the race!!

We arrived in Utah on Friday afternoon and had a yummy carb-loading dinner with Julie, Lindsay, Adam, John and some of Lindsay and Julie's friends who were also running the race to get prepared!

They all spent the night at the Marriott and woke up very early to head up the mountain for the race.

The support team headed over to the race around 8:30 to make sure we were there in time for the big finish. We just didn't know who would finish first and how fast so we were there in plenty of time! We enjoyed watching all the runners come in and had much anticipation waiting for our runners! First Adam came in at about 4 hours. He did a great job!

Than we waited a bit more and suddenly I got a text from Marilee saying the Julie's dad had seen Phil and was headed to the finish! He finished just under 5 hours official time. I was so proud of him!! John finished about 2 minutes after that and than Julie and than Lindsay finished it out! They were all fairly close together! We were concerned about Lindsay because Julie said she had a foot issue possibly a stress fracture:( but she finished like a trooper!

I was so proud of all of them and am excited to get to try it out next year! It will be motivation to get back in shape after the baby comes!

Here are some pictures to enjoy!

26 Weeks!!

2011-05-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

As promised here is a picture of the growing belly at 26 weeks!! All is going well so far, I had the glucose test done today so hopefully all is well there! We registered for gifts last week which was a tad overwhelming with all the baby stuff out there! This week we have a hospital tour scheduled at Sky Ridge. We are also planning to order the nursery furniture soon so we can get our baby girls room all ready! We are very excited! I knew once May hit things would start flying by and they have! I am sure during my last month it will slow way down again!

We are having beautiful Baby Girl!!!!

2011-04-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we found out whether we were having a girl or boy next summer!! It was so fun to watch the ultrasound looking at everything and seeing our baby! We asked the tech to please wait until Grandma LouLou got there before she told us what we are having. Everything is growing really well....and after much anticipation we found out we are having a baby girl! Here is a picture of her!

Of course I started crying tears of joy because it made everything so real! Phil pretended he was tough but got teary eyed too! LouLou and Phil had a hug and we kept on with the ultrasound! We love her so much already! We do have a name picked out but are choosing to keep that a surprise! Her middle name will be Lola after Grandma Wilson!
Phil is super excited and she already has him wrapped around her finger! Now he has two girls in his life he can't say no too! He will be such a great Dad!
A fun side note was when we finally saw the doctor she pointed out that our girl has long legs!! So surprising since her mother has no lack for legs!!

Belly at 16 weeks!

2011-03-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of photos of my growing belly at 16 weeks! Things have gone pretty well! I am still pretty tired but don't feel sick to my stomach anymore! So far I am growing all out in front and hope it stays that way but we will see! We have been able to see the baby twice on ultrasound and heard the heartbeat yesterday! It is so cute to see Phil's eyes light up at our doctors appointments when we get to see or hear our precious baby! We are very excited to find out what the sex of the baby is on April 21st!! Sorry about the 2nd picture, I had no make up on for the day yet!

Close up of belly!

Sorry for the no makeup!

We're Pregnant and Christmas!!

2011-01-30T14:44:00.000-08:00

Two weeks before Christmas Phil and I found we are expecting our first baby!! We were super excited and anxious to tell everyone but thought it would be the most fun to wait and announce the news on Christmas Day! It was tough to keep the fun secret....especially when the Brinks were over for dinner and Papa asked why we had pink and blue frosting and did we have something to announce?? The frosting was just a coincidence but we had to play it off!
We decided we were going to create a card for each of our families and have them opened on Christmas Day! These are the pictures included on the card...

We were successful in keeping the secret from family until right before the Christmas chaos began....we saw this really small stocking next to ours and thought someone had figured it out. Matt saw us talking about it and put two and two together. Come to find out the stocking was going to be used for Savannah but it was great that Matt new so he could videotape when Papa and LouLou opened the card.

It was a fantastic Christmas morning and was so fun to share the news!! After the presents Phil and I headed to Castle Rock for a lovely Christmas dinner with the Thompsons! We were again excited to share the news with loved ones! Dad opened the card but it took him some time to figure out what was on the card! Cheryl figured it out immediately and started jumping up and down!

It was such a great day and we are extremely excited to welcome our baby next August! We know with both of our great families our baby will be very loved!

Thanksgiving 2010!

2011-01-30T14:36:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving this year, we decided to stay in Denver and spend a quiet Thanksgiving with Papa, LouLou, Josh and Taylor!! We had a great time watching football and eating, eating and eating! I headed over Thursday morning and provide lemon jello, deviled eggs, 7-layer dip to fill our tummies! I enjoyed watching the Macy's Day parade and taking some time to rest after a busy week of work! Phil drove down that morning and made it in time for a delicious feast! Here are some pictures to enjoy from that day!

Fun October Weekend!!

2010-11-07T14:58:00.001-08:00

So my birthday weekend Lindsay and Julie decided to come to Denver to visit during the kids fall break! TJ and Colton also decided to come just a day later! As usual we had many events we wanted to do!
On Friday, we headed to Taylor's Cross Country meet to cheer him on! It is amazing how fast he is! I wish I could run 3.1 miles in 20 minutes but I hit about 30 minutes!

It was fun to see him do so well and that we could all be there to celebrate!

Afterwards for a yummy birthday dinner we headed to my favorite mexican restaurant for my birthday dinner! It was so nice to have so many people there for my 32nd birthday!! Phil bought us yummy cupcakes to have for my birthday dessert!
Saturday we headed to Josh's football game! While they lost the game it was fun to be there cheering him on together!!
Sunday Lindsay, Julie, Phil, Taylor, Justin (Phil's good friend) and Lou Lou headed downtown for the Denver RocknRoll marathon!! Phil and Justin were both running their first half marathon! Lindsay, Julie, Taylor and I made up an awesome relay team!! Lou Lou was our driver and did a great job for us! Phil did an awesome job and finished in 2 hours 7 minutes! We are pumped to try to run a marathon in Utah in June!! Our relay team kicked butt too all doing well on our runs!!
It was a fabulous weekend and had so much fun with everyone!

Phil Turns 31!!

2010-11-07T14:54:00.001-08:00

Phil turned 31 on September 22, 2010!! We enjoyed a nice dinner out at Texas Roadhouse and we purchased a lovely piece of cake at Safeway to celebrate!! A couple of week's later I did make a homemade German Chocolate cake and we had the Brinkerhoff's and Kylie and Angie Thompson to blow out candles! Hope you have a great year Phil!

Goodbyes!!

2010-11-07T14:47:00.000-08:00

So on the unfortunate side of life, I have had to say far too many goodbyes the last couple of months for my liking! First, the Smith's left to move to Utah for Colton's new job! That was very tough as we had loved have them and their little girls so close by!! We miss them all the time!
Than my friend Sharalyn got a great job in Los Angeles and headed that direction the end of September! For the past 4 years Sharalyn, Jeff and I had gotten together on almost every Thursday to watch The Office and Grey's Anatomy and to meet up with each other! It was the end of an era to have her leave and thus our "Finer Things Club" has ended. All good things must come to end I suppose! Here is a picture of the FTC at Sharalyn's goodbye party!

Grandpa Wilson's 90th Birthday

2010-11-07T14:32:00.000-08:00

After our fun trip to Disneyland we came home for a few days and than headed to Utah! Grandpa Elgie Wilson was celebrating his 90th birthday and we wanted to be there for the big party!
We arrived late on a Thursday and went and stayed at Lindsay and Colton's so we could see the Smith's and Brinkerhoff's on Friday! It was fun to see the cute kiddos and have Football eve by watching "Remember the Titans" in the new movie room at the Brinkerhoff's!!
Saturday we headed up to Roy, Utah to visit with the Wilson side of the family. We met up with Michelle at Mama Thompson's grave and than headed for a yummy lunch! It was quite the big crew with all of the kids but it was fun to visit and spend time with them! We than headed over to the church gym to see if we could help with anything! It was fun to see all of the old photos and Army uniform of Grandpa's. It was also fun to meet new family members and get to know them. Grandma Lola also gave a really nice gift of a beautiful photo of Sharon before she got married!
After the fun party, we headed back to the Wilson home to ride horses with Diane and Leon! It was such a good time to be there and learn so much about them!

Disneyland 2010!!

2010-09-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

This August Phil and I decided to take a trip to southern California to visit Matt, Erin and Daniel and to also visit Disneyland!! Phil in all of his 30 years had never been to Disneyland so we thought it was time!

I went out a few days earlier than Phil to spend some much needed time relaxing before the big days of Disneyland!! I had a great time watching tv and eating!! I probably a little too much too eat since I am still trying to get rid of 5 pounds I gained! Poor Erin had a gall bladder attack but I got the opportunity to spend quality time with Daniel my first night there!! Daniel was so fun and would yell "ALI" really loud if I was not in sight!! The boy is always running and it sooo cute. I love his big brown eyes!!

Phil showed up on Wednesday to begin the Disneyland fun on Thursday! I was afraid that he would think it was lame but he loved all of it! We spent Thursday on the rides that Daniel could go on, even going on the Small World ride which is one of Matt's favorites. The lines were great, we only had to wait the longest may 30 minutes...we only fast passed one ride!! It is the happiest place on Earth and we hope to run the 1/2 marathon there September 2011!!

Texas!!

2010-07-26T17:36:00.000-07:00

My family suggested I use this blog as more of a journal so I am going to start with that approach today!! This summer has been fairly uneventful, no big vacations or anything but Phil and I have enjoyed the weather and got our first grill which we we use quite frequently!
Although we have not gone on any trips yet I have made two visits to Texas for work. The first was to Dallas in June to visit American Airlines and today I did a day trip to Houston to visit Texas Children's Hospital. I am sure Texas is a great place if I got a chance to see it but I see the airports go visit a client and head back to the airport. I do know that I don't love the humidity. It is like walking into a wall when you go outside and even when you are inside everything feels damp. I guess I am a little to used the dry heat of Denver!
Today started out at 3am and I was back at 4pm Denver time. I didn't really need to be at a meeting in Houston but it always nice to meet face to face with your new clients! I sometimes go on these trips or have important meetings at work and I wonder how did I become a responsible adult who has to go out and impress clients. I am grateful for the job I have and all the opportunities it provides but sometimes wish I could spend the summer by the pool!!
I am hoping for more exciting travels in August to California and Utah to see family!

Our 2010 Garden

2010-05-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday we decided it was time to plant our garden for 2010!! Last year we had great success with the tomatoes and cucumbers!! Here is a picture from last year with proud Phil by his garden!!

This year we decided that we would plant tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions!! We also decided to put flowers in the planters on our back deck!! It makes me smile to look outside and see the beautiful flowers!! We are hoping to find a deal on a good grill this memorial day so we can spend quality time outside on the deck!!

Hawaii Honeymoon

2010-03-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

We only had to wait 4 months or more like 9 months but we finally got to go on our Hawaiian honeymoon in Maui!! It was awesome:) We were a bit worried that we wouldn't be able to go due to the supposed tsunami that was coming but all went well and we left for Maui on Feb 28th. We used my parent's timeshare at the Marriott Beach Club which are very grateful for!! It was raining the day we arrived but after that low 80's and although it was a bit windy, it was perfect!! A few of the highlights:

1. Laying at the pool reading a book
2. Ordering lava flows and nachos by the pool
3. Traveling to the volcano on Maui
4. Laying at the pool reading a book
5. Eating at lots of yummy restaurants
6. WHALE WATCHING
7. Going to a luau
9. More time laying at the pool reading

We both needed a vacation after a very long 2009!!! We had so much fun and besides relaxing our favorite thing was whale watching!! A mama and baby whale swam right under our boat:) We also tried to keep our workout alive by running. I only did it once but Phil went running 3 times! Good job Phil!!

We talked about moving there but decided that the novelty would wear off and we would still have to work even if we lived there so decided to keep it as a vacation stop!! Next time we would like to spend a week on Oahu!! I know I take a terribly long time posting so sorry! I need to be like Julie and Lindsay and just write about random things!!

Our next goals are to start training for half marathons we want to run this summer!!

We Got Married!!!

2009-12-06T15:17:00.000-08:00

Phil and I finally got married on October 23, 2009 in the Draper LDS Temple. After a few months getting to know each other again and working on our relationship, we decided in August that we were ready to get married. We kept it a small affair with family at the temple and luncheon. It was a beautiful fall day (a little windy which caused some hair problems for guests) but overall a gorgeous day!! We are very blessed to have wonderful families who have supported us through these past few months and were able to join us in the temple!! We are grateful each day for the blessing of the Gospel in our lives and for the opportunity we had to be sealed in the temple. Below our some of my favorite pictures of the big day!!

We have enjoyed being married the past 6 weeks and enjoyed our first Thanksgiving together married:) There have been some adjustments on figuring out what the other person likes and is used to (for instance what type of spaghetti sauce Phil prefers) or what type of Thanksgiving dinners we are used to! We are also enjoying getting ready for Christmas. I will have Phil post our pictures of putting the tree up!

Golden Leaf Half Marathon

2009-09-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

So believe me I know it has been a long time since I have posted anything and I know a lot of people probably don't check my blog anymore but I thought I should share my most recent news and hopefully get back on track to posting more!!
Two months ago my friend Sharalyn told me she was running a half marathon in Aspen the end of September. I thought it sounded like fun so I signed up to do it as well because I had been wanting to another half marathon. I convinced my sister Lindsay to do it with me and began training! Due to an injury Sharalyn was unable to participate.
So this past Saturday, September 26th Lindsay and I were in Snowmass to begin our run to Aspen. Phil was there as moral support cheering us on!! We knew it was going to be a tough run from what we had been told and what we had read about it. Pretty much the first mile and half were straight uphill climbing 1500 feet!! Yikes. So pretty much you were hiking up because running was far too difficult!! From there you are on a single file rocky, muddy trail climbing up and down hills. It was extremely difficult. I knew when it took us about 40 minutes to finish 2 miles it was going to be a long morning. Well Lindsay and I did not have expectations of a good time and were trying to finish together so we would wait for each other at the drink stops because for safety reasons we wanted to make sure the other person was not rolling down the mountain or injured. Also it was good to have someone with you for support. So we finally got to mile 7 and from that point it did get easier and were able to get in more of a groove. I made it through the very difficult mountain terrain without falling so as luck would have it at mile 11 when the run was easier on flat terrain my shoelace got caught on a plant and I landed right on my knee!! It hurt real bad:) I got back up and continued running and a nice person let Lindsay know that I had biffed it so she came back to see me! Well we kept going and ended up finishing together!! Lindsay would have finished sooner but she was nice and held back to finish with me! Phil was waiting for us at the finish and was cheering us on but my nice self told him to shut up because I was bleeding and my lungs were on fire!! It was really great to finish and I am happy to have completed such a tough race but I won't be doing that race again!! I went to the first aid station to get cleaned up and then we headed out. You may think this is the end of the story but no. So we are driving along and all of the sudden I have a strong urge to vomit. I ask Phil to pull over and I get out but am unsucessful at throwing up. We then stopped to get Gatorade at a gas station and I throw up in a grocery bag. I get back in the car and we started heading to Glenwood Springs. During the drive I get a sudden urge to throw up again and I asked Lindsay for a bag but there was no stopping it and I threw up all over my car. I sat in my vomit until we got home and I showered and took a nap. Phil was very sweet and took care of me and cleaned out my car. I love him very much which is why I am going to marry him in 4 weeks!! Love you Phil!! For your viewing pleasure my souvenier from mile 11:)

Bridal Shower!!!

2009-04-24T20:07:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday my friend Sharalyn and my sister Lindsay threw me a bridal shower. Naturally I picked one of the snowiest days of the year to have the shower!! Luckily I have really great friends and family who braved the weather to be there! Sharalyn had sent Phil an email asking him several questions and then I had to answer them to see how well I knew Phil!! I am pleased to say that I did pretty well!! At the beginning each of the guests had to write down one thing they would like to see me do or say at the shower. Little did they know that if I got the answer right they would have to do the deed they wrote down!! It turned out fun and they all got to learn more about Phil and I!!

Then on to the presents!! I got several items that Phil and I registered for and plenty of lingerie!!!!! Thanks for all the presents!! and thanks Julie for traveling the furthest to be there!!

Next Friday I have another shower with my co-workers!! and on a another note my fiance made it back to the states safely today after a year in Kuwait and I am very happy!! Thanks for all the love and prayers in his behalf!!

My return to Colorado

2009-02-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

On February 13th, 2009 after spending 24 hours 6 mins and 12 seconds traveling I, Phillip Thompson returned to the welcoming arms of my future wife Alison Brinkerhoff with a big sloppy kiss! We would have had pictures to show however, LOU-LOU was on the phone talking to Matt's Realtor about finding him a sweet crib so he would move from California back to Colorado. Therefore, you will have to settle for pictures at the baggage claim. So where would you go if you were in a 3rd world country for 9 months and you just came back to the free country and beautiful state of Colorado? One may say the mountains, or go home and change out of the green uniform. But I went to the best place in the United States CHIPOTLE!! Ali bought me lunch, a chicken burrito bowl, mmmm good stuff! WOW, that was the best lunch I have had since I kissed Ali good by in New York. Well anyway, Ali and I had a great Valentines day It was so special b/c that was our first holiday event we could spend together w/o being on skype. I had a great stay beside getting sick:( Ali was by my side the entire time doing everything she could to make me feel better. We were able to accomplish a lot of things for the wedding while I was home and best part was tasting some finger licking good cake, and registering for some sweet stuff. We were able to go to Red Rocks and have Meredith take some spectacular pictures. Well I have to finish packing b/c I am leaving Ali and the Family one more time but this time it will only be for 8 weeks and I will be back!

Ali's Version
Friday, February 13th was a great day!! I went to work anticipating the arrival of Phil that evening but got a surprise when Phil called and said he would be in at 11:30am!! I left work and arrived in plenty of time and LouAnne came because she wanted a good cry! It was fun to have her there even though her camera was dead and she was on the phone we he arrived off of the train!! Chipotle was tasty!!
It was a great Valentine's day weekend!! Matt and Erin came to meet Phil and Phil and I enjoyed celebrating the holiday together!!
We did a lot of fun things while we were together but the greatest moment for me was seeing Phil be ordained an Elder on February 22nd!! Another important step closer to us being sealed in the temple!
Registering for gifts was fun but overwhelming. Trying to pick color schemes, etc. is hard when you don't know where you will be living. We had a fun time though! We also bought Phil a wedding band, had engagement pictures taken, and discussed wedding invitations etc.!!
Phil also took great care of me over the past couple of weeks! He brought me lunch when I was at work and even took me to the nail salon for a couple of hours of pampering!!
I am glad that today was the last time we will have to say goodbye! In two months, Phil will be home and we can start our lives married together!!

My Precious Nieces!!!!

2008-12-13T19:54:00.000-08:00

I finally finished making Madison a crocheted blanket and she loves it!!!! I took a picture of her in it!! I also got a couple of cute pictures of Madison!! She loves smelling the Scentsy Bars!! They have been so fun to live with!! They are so fun and know Aunt Ali will easily give in if they want something!!
I look forward to visiting my Brinkerhoff nieces and nephews in Utah for Christmas!!

The Countdown Begins!!

2008-11-16T12:11:00.000-08:00

6 months….5 months…….4 months………3 months……….2 months……..1 MONTH….. That’s right start counting down. I am half way through my deployment I am so excited that we have made it this far. Alison I love you so much thank you for all the care packages. Even though you didn’t send a Halloween card I will forgive you… I know you are probably starting to forget stuff now that you are 30 years OLD. Ha…ha… j/k…. I look forward to my visit in February and we can start making final plans on our wedding which will be in Manti, UT. I miss everyone very much and look forward to returning home some time in May.

Here are pictures of Ali and I talking on Skype at the halfway point!!

Tribute to Lindsay!!!

2008-11-08T19:08:00.000-08:00

In honor of Lindsay's 27th birthday I decided I needed to do a tribute blog to her like she did for me!!

1. Her name is Lindsay Anne Smith
2. She is married to Colton Smith
3. She has two daughters, Madison Anne and Brooklyn Paige
4. She loves football, especially watching her brothers play.
5. She has finished a marathon and three half marathon's.
6. She bought really cute red shoes at Dillard's
7. She loves selling Scentsy
8. Her nickname is Twee
9. She has been accused of running through a fire in neighborhood sanctuary where we grew up but disputes it and I believe her.
10. She played basketball in high school.
11. She loves Zac Efron and wishes she could touch his abs
12. Lindsay is usually hot
13. Lindsay survived Hodgkin's Lymphoma
14. Lindsay loves the Panda Express
15. Lindsay likes to have a very clean house but can be challenging with little one's!
16. Lindsay teaches Sunbeams in primary.
17. Lindsay loves country music favorites are Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney
18. Lindsay is in a book club and has loved the books they read.
19. She loves taking Madison to Disneyland and DisneyWorld.
20. Lindsay works out everyday and does a great job at it!!
21. Lindsay likes Eskimo cookies.
22. Lindsay's favorite tv shows are My name is Earl, the Biggest Loser, the Office and Desperate Housewives.
23. Lindsay never had to wear braces.
24. Lindsay loves the Broncos but is still trying to get used to the idea that Jay Cutler is the quarterback.
25. Lindsay is having her annual retreat with her girlfriends next weekend!
26. Lindsay is an awesome sister for letting me live at her house until I get married!!
27. Lindsay has a great sense of humor!

My New Blanket!!!

2008-10-28T21:08:00.001-07:00

As you all can see I have a lot of time on my hands these days. Well I guess I shouldn’t say that procrastination has taken over and I am becoming pretty good at it just ask Ali. She asked me to take pictures of the blanket well over a month ago and I am just now getting around to it. Ali and Lou-Lou did such a great job on this blanket. It keeps me very warm at night and during the day b/c our air conditioning works a little to well some times and our room is freezing cold. (But then again, I just think about Ali’s hot butt and I warm right back up again). The weather has cooled off here it is no longer 135 degrees anymore the average temp has been in the low to mid 90’s it has been so nice. We keep hearing about thunderstorms coming but I have not seen it rain since we left New Jersey so that will be nice to see when ever that happens. Thank you Lou-Lou for sewing the blanket together you did a fantastic job and thanks again Ali for the blanket, I love you so much!!!!!!!

Thanks!!!

2008-10-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hello I want to say thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes and presents!!!! You are amazing it so great to get a text message telling you have mail, which is totally unexpected I love all the presents you have sent thanks again!!! I just got back from a trip to Iraq here are a couple of photos. Love, Phil

What to Do With My Free Time!!!

2008-10-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

Now that I have been released as Relief Society President one may ask what will I do with all of my free time? Well currently I am on a two a day workout regime ordered by my personal trainer. Notice in the picture below that I look so pretty due to coming home from the gym gross that night. I also plan to crochet blankets for a good time!! In the picture I am working on Madison's and I also have one in progress for Phil and have plans to make one for each niece and nephew!! I have also been throwing around the idea in my head to work at 24 hour fitness for a couple of nights a week for the extra cash and I live there anyway so why not!! But that all depends on what hours they would want and stuff so that is definitely up in the air. I am relieved to be done with my calling and enjoyed the challenge but will definitely enjoy my lessened responsibilities!!!!!!

Good Times for All!!

2008-09-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

I am so happy!!! The good tv shows are back on and they are not reruns!! Sharalyn, Jeff and I enjoyed our first Finer Things Club night of the season! I am so glad that Jim proposed and I am also glad that Rose is not pregnant on Grey's!! So I still love Grey's but it will never be as good as season 1 and 2 again I have decided. I guess that is what happens over time. Her are a couple of photos with my fellow members of the FTC!!!

I have also enjoyed watching little Joshie play football! I am so proud of how well he plays and how focused he is!! He lost another heartbreaker on Saturday but they keep getting better and better! Way to go Josh!

Happy Birthday Phil!

2008-09-18T12:21:00.001-07:00

So Phil's birthday is not until Monday the 22nd but due to his traveling schedule I wanted to post this so he could see it before he left!!
So there I was driving home from something one night and I was listening to the XM radio love station and the song "Somewhere Out There" came on. Of course I started crying. Phil knows it does not take much to make me cry these days (I wonder if it is because my fiance is far far away in a war zone)! Anyway I really enjoyed hearing this song and I made a Happy Birthday video for Phil!! I know you have probably all seen most of these pictures but we can't really get new ones of us together right now but I did try to add new ones from our time apart.

I love you baby and hope you have a great and safe birthday!! Love, Ali

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Update From Phil

2008-08-26T12:41:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone I apologize for taking so long on sending an update from Kuwait. I have a lot to talk about and I have learned a lot since I have been here. First, let’s talk about the important stuff. I was told this place is like a sand box and you can build sand castles that is FALSE!!!! Kuwait’s sand is too fine; they have to import their sand from other countries. Therefore, you cannot build a successful sand castle trust me I have tried, but I have made some sweet looking sand angels which, brings me to the next topic. What I have been doing for the last couple of months. Besides my numerous attempts at making sand castles and writing notes to Ali in the sand. While the boss is in the country we are responsible for his safety and protection, which keeps us very busy and followed by a lot of down time for when he is in the office doing whatever generals do during the work day. Our team is very big on physical fitness, so we spend a couple of hours in the gym 6 days a week and run any where from 5-8 miles at a time. Ali is amazing any time I need something she has been there sending me packages, which has been great it is always exciting when the mail comes everyday b/c it is always a surprise your not sure if someone has sent you a care package. When no one on the team receives mail for a couple of days we start interrogating the guys who are responsible for picking up the mail and bringing it to the trailer, to see if they really checked or not. The chow isn’t that good here. A majority of it is fried, so you have to really watch what you eat or you could end up leaving the deployment with the infamous “freshman 15”. Every Wednesday is what they call “surf and turf” which consists of crab legs and steak. The steak is thin and over cooked and fish is just disgusting and should be left alone and aloud to swim around in the sea. Now don’t get me wrong, I know it could be a lot worse. I know for a fact I have the best job in the Untied States Army. I just have some bad luck when comes to missions such as traveling to Kazakhstan, or Untied Arab of Emirates, just naming a few…anyway, something will come up to cause the boss to change his schedule or something will happen and I will get bumped off the mission but this has happened to me 8 different occasions and just gets old when you do a lot of research and a couple of days before your scheduled to leave they cancel it on you. Alright moving on to the next topic the weather, you can watch the weather chancel is going to tell you is it is going to be hot!!!! Like 126 degrees hot. The average during the day has been 115 but with in the last week the winds have shifted so the wind is coming off the gulf and it is HUMID and is still a 115 degrees outside which is no fun….
Alright I better stop typing so that way I have something to write about later on. I will write back when I have some thing else to say take care and thank you for all your support.

Wedding Dress Shopping and Brady's Birthday

2008-08-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my mom, sister and I flew to Utah to go wedding dress shopping with my sister in law in Utah because they have a better selection of dresses!! We went to Alysses Bridal and I tried on a couple from the website I had seen and then a few others. The ultimate winner was a dress that Lindsay picked out from the catalog and it is gorgeous. I absolutely love it!!! Thanks Lindsay! We were also able to find really cute bridesmaid dresses. Here is a picture of Julie in the bridesmaid dress. I cut myself out of it because Phil is not allowed to see!!

We were also able to look at invitations and narrow those choices down. It was so fun to start the wedding plans and purchase a wedding dress!!
We also had the chance to celebrate Brady's fourth birthday!! He was so excited and loved getting tons of Transformers for his birthday. Phil and I gave him a police car Transformer! He is still looking forward to a ride in Phil's police car someday! Here are a couple of cute pictures!!

I am so Lucky!!!

2008-08-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

I have the most thoughtful fiance! He is always doing cute things for me! A personal countdown calendar, flowers, I love you's everyday and the latest his love for me professed in the sand!! I love him so much and we are so excited that this Sunday, August 3rd we will be a quarter of the way through his deployment!!!

Lieutenant Dan

2008-07-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

Update on Phil:

He has been doing good overseas! It is very hot and he has not gone on any traveling missions but he is in good spirits. He is usually at watch over the General's quarters. Not very exciting but I like it that way because not much happens and I know he is safe. We are able to communicate everyday whether it be through email, his cell phone or webcam. Technology is great! I miss him very much but I just take it one day at a time and keep busy!!

Phil actually got to be on security detail for Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise) when he visited the troops. This is the picture. It makes me laugh because he is not looking at the camera nor is the other security guy. They were watching out for the bad guys!

I love you Phil!

As for other news I just recently moved into the Smith household!!! Has been good so far and it is fun to see the girls all the time!

I also attended the blessing of my nephew Daniel over July 4th weekend! I was feeling very patriotic (of course) due to my fiance and got to go see a fireworks show at an Air Force base. It was great fun! We also went to Newport Beach and In and Out Burger and all the fun stuff!!! The blessing was wonderful and Matt has an adorable baby! Good times for all!

New York and The Proposal

2008-06-14T23:05:00.000-07:00

Phil and I had a fabulous time in New York together! Four fun filled days together was awesome and too short!! We met up Sunday night at the LaGuardia airport and headed to the Marriott in Times Square. We grabbed dinner and went to sleep because we had so much to do and see. Of course we visited New York during a heat wave. I was a sweating pig with frizzy hair but Phil said I still looked good. As quoted from the movie Juno he still thought "the sun shined out my butt." despite what I looked like.

We hit many tourist spots such as NBC Studios, Ellis Island, Ground Zero, Central Park, and the Empire State Building. As for the important business.....Phil did propose on Monday night of the trip. We first had dinner at the revolving restaurant in the Marriott Marquis Hotel. It was delicious and beautiful!! After that we headed for Central Park for a carriage ride. However, it was too hot for the horses to be out so we went for a walk in the park. We were on a bridge and had some people take our picture. While I was putting the camera in my purse, Phil got down on one knee and proposed. Of course I said yes!!! It was very sweet and exciting! He picked out a beautiful ring and love him so much and cannot wait until we are married next year in the Manti temple!

Phil will be shipped overseas soon and will miss him terribly. I love him so much and am grateful for the short time we had together this past week!!!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Phil's Month at Fort Dix

2008-06-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

Phil gave me his pictures from his month of training at Fort Dix. I have put this video together from his goodbye party to right before we went to New York! You will see pictures of random people too but they are buddies he is training with!!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Final update from Fort Dix, New Jersey

2008-06-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone so I have been here at Fort Dix for a month now and I miss Ali very much! As the seconds turn into minutes and the minutes turn into hours and the hours have turn into days and the days have turned into weeks and NOW we have been apart for a month and I miss her and love her very very much!!!!!! Well our group has finally completed the required training, which will allow us to deploy. I am very happy to be done with this part of my deployment/training. However, we did get to train with some high speed group of guys from the FBI SWAT team and SPECIAL FORCES I think that was the best two days out of the entire month we have been here. Also, while we were at the F.O.B. (Forward Operating Base) Which is just a fancy word the Army likes to use for sleeping in a big green tent, the combat life savers had to stick 3 different people with IV’s I being one of them was able to stick 3 different people on the 1st try! unlike my buddies who took several tries to hit the vain. Unfortunately, I had to sacrifice my arm to an unsuccessful stick, but I did get a sweet looking bruise on my arm from it. Anyway, last weekend we went to the air show it was sweet!!! It was really nice to get away for a couple hours to see the Thunderbirds and watch someone else work. Well I am in the process of compiling a slideshow of all the pictures that I have taken in the last month but in the mean time here is a couple of photos. (I am waiting for Ali to come to New York to help me out with putting the slideshow together). Well my next military update will be from Kuwait!!!! I am so excited everyday that I wake up is a day closer to coming back home!!! I love you Alison ☺

Crazy Week!

2008-06-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

This week was kind of crazy for me at work. I normally get to go to my office and sit and answer emails and phone calls but this week I was asked to come to a sales presentation with a prospective client so they could meet me and know who would be there account manager if they chose us. I hate doing presentations and stuff because frankly I am not a salesman. I leave that up to my brother TJ. However, I do surprise myself and can be smart and confident when needed. I was with our VP over sales and he said I did a great job!! Always nice to hear!
The meeting was in Columbus, Ohio so I had to do a lot of traveling for a short meeting. However, I did get to see the Ohio State campus and ate at the "Buckeyes Hall of Fame Cafe". It was fun! I was also only about 6 hours away from Phil:) We were in the same time zone for a short time. Close yet so far!!
Speaking of Phil, I am one week away from seeing him!!! I love and miss him so much!

1st Update from New Jersey

2008-05-21T13:46:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone I am sorry I have not written something sooner. However, we have been pretty busy training to go to this place called paradise! I have been told it is kind of warm and sunny there also! There is plenty of sand to build sand castles and stuff like that. In the mean time I have been training in this wonderful state New Jersey. I am sure you can tell that I have been drinking the Jersey water if I think this state is wonderful. Furthermore, we have been training everyday since we got here. We do a lot of stuff that reminds me of basic training. We will be done with the basic stuff soon and actually start training for our mission next week. However, most importantly I am looking forward to seeing the LOVE OF MY LIFE in a few weeks in New York. I am so excited to see her!!!!!!!!!!!

Bachelor's Gulch Ritz Carlton Weekend

2008-05-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

My good friend Nikki invited Sharalyn and I to go up to Beaver Creek to the Bachelor's Gulch Ritz Carlton. She did not have to twist our arms much to say yes. Nikki works at the Ritz in Denver and can get great deals on rooms. We drove up Friday after work and went straight to the hot tub upon our arrival. Saturday we woke up and went down to the spa for the Jacuzzi and steam rooms. There was also an ice cold pool you are supposed to go in after the steam room and I was the only one brave to do it but it did feel good. After the spa we went to a yummy burrito place and went and got pedicures. After that we decided we just wanted to relax in our room. We watched Fool's Gold and ate junk food. That evening we went out for pizza and headed outdoors for the hot tub and fire pit. It was a great time!! Thanks Nikki:)

Mother's Day Fun

2008-05-12T21:10:00.000-07:00

Here are some fun photos from Mother's Day at my parent's house. We had a lovely dinner together and are thankful for Colton and Torrey taking care of us with all the yummy food!!

Our Year Apart Begins....

2008-05-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Today is the day we had been dreading for the past week. I took Phil to the airport to start his year long mission overseas. He will first be over in New Jersey and then will be headed to Kuwait.
We started the morning in good spirits and know that this gets us one step closer to him coming back and us getting married for eternity. My mom was kind of enough to come with me and be my support so thanks to LouAnne.
I was given a gate pass to see him off and sat with him until he boarded. I was pretty under control until it was his time to board. I was a bit emotional. He kept tough (didn't want to be embarassed in front of his friends) until the end when I gave him the last hug.
We have been able to text a couple of times and he called when he got to Philadelphia. I am so proud of him for serving our country and love him so much and will miss him dearly. Two months until I see him in New York!!!

I love you Phil!!

Unofficially Engaged!!

2008-05-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

So this past week has been a whirlwind of things happening in my life. Last weekend Phil and I spent a lot of time together up in Aspen, Glenwood Springs and New Castle. We had a wonderful time being together and talking.

During our many conversations that weekend, we decided we wanted to marry each other as soon as he gets back from his military deployment! I AM SO EXCITED!!

From there many things have happened to get the ball rolling. He asked my Dad permission after a lovely dinner at the Monterrey House. It is a pretty cute story. While Torrey and Phil were talking, Josh came running inside and had a big secret! He desperately wanted to tell Skyler that Phil loves Ali without me hearing it!! It was so cute. Josh finally spilled the beans and asked that I please not tell Phil that he told me!

We have decided that June 18, 2009 will be our wedding date in the Manti, Utah temple. We are so incredibly blessed to have found each other and look forward to our lives together. We have a year apart but know that we are meant for each other and will get through this together along with love and support of family and friends. Here are some photos of us!

By the way, I should get my ring when I visit Phil in New York before he ships out to Kuwait in a month or so.

Phil Thompson

2008-04-22T21:59:00.000-07:00

So I am sure most know since words get around quickly and most people who check my blog have met him but I am dating Phil Thompson. He is a 28 year old police officer who is now on active duty orders and is heading for Iraq in two weeks for a year:(

He is so wonderful and so sweet and treats me so well. I feel so comfortable with him and I have known for only a couple of weeks. He has met my family and friends who all really like him which is great!! I have enjoyed these past couple of weeks so much and will be sad when he goes but we both feel if things are going to work out we will blessed with the opportunity to date again when he gets back and see where things go.

Here is a picture of us from dinner with the fam on Saturday!!

Scentsy!!

2008-03-17T18:19:00.000-07:00

So my sister, mom and aunt and I all decided we were going to work together to sell this new candle product Scentsy! We are very excited about it and hope to do well at it and have fun together. If not, we are each out $100.00:)

I have added a link on my blog and hope you will check it out and order products from me if you so desire. I can also show you samples in about two weeks when I have my kit and am back from vacation!!

2008-03-10T16:40:00.001-07:00

You Are Strawberry Cake

Fresh, sassy, and romantic.

You're a total flirt, who never would turn down a sugary treat.

Occasionally you're a bit moody - but you usually stay sweet!

What Kind of Cake Are You?

Chicago

2008-03-08T11:44:00.000-08:00

While TJ and Julie went to look for a house in Utah I got to babysit my awesome nieces and nephews! Since I was taking on four kids at once I told Julie my goal was to keep them all alive! Julie was even brave enough to leave Reecey with me. I had a fun time and I told Julie how impressed I was that she manages this everyday. There is never any down time!! I now understand why those with children absolutely treasure bedtime! It was super fun to see the little ones and I even braved a Red Robin trip with four kids. We had movie nights watching Karate Kid and the Game Plan:) I hope the kids had fun with me too!

A Letter to Me

2008-01-28T19:54:00.000-08:00

So this one was kind of hard for me and brought up some emotions and what not but this is what I would write myself at 17.

1. You can run more than a mile so start running now, you will enjoy it.
2. Treat your sister well, there will be a day that you may think you might lose her too soon.
3. Don't waste your time in college. You won't find your husband there so move on and start your career.
4. Take tennis lessons, you love the sport.
5. You will have to face very hard emotional situations(watching your little brother and sister get married)but there is still a place for you in your family. You will love being an Aunt!!
6. People think you are funny and witty, stop being so shy.
7. You are beautiful so start acting like it.

That is all for me!!!

Katie Bridal Shower, Wedding and Christmas!!!

2008-01-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

Lots of good times were had this season!! I was able to throw a bridal shower and attend a wedding for one of my best friends Katie!! It was so fun to be at the sealing and to see such good friends get married:) Now I have TJ and Julie and Katie and Bryce to visit in Utah!! I am excited to visit you both in June if not sooner!!
Christmas was also a great time! It was so nice to have all of my siblings home with their kids!! I wish I hadn't been so tied up at work so I could have participated in more fun but duty calls and I have to pay rent!! I loved the guitar hero playing and I really loved having my Brae Brae (Brady) around! I love how much he loves me!! I also enjoyed my niece spend the night with Natalie and Madison! I love being the cool aunt who can spoil!! My family is the greatest!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My Favorite Time of Year, Not!!!

2007-12-12T22:16:00.000-08:00

So Lindsay said I needed an update. Well as many know the end of the year is an extremely busy time of year for me at work. I work longer hours and get kind of grumpy. Sometimes I wish I had a more holiday friendly job!! So you can see where I am at most of the time, here is a picture of me in my office.

The Finer Things Club

2007-11-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

My friends and I love Thursdays. We have decided we almost get more excited for Thursday then any other day of the week! As you know already we watch The Office and Grey's Anatomy together. We huddle on my bed because I have Tivo and our schedules are such that we cannot watch the shows live. Our favorite thing to do is figure out our quote for the week from The Office. "Are you kidding me?" is definitely one of our favorites from Kevin. He always has great things to say!! Jeff, Sharalyn and I enjoy the finer things in life by watching these shows! Below is a lovely photo of the club:)

I am furious....

2007-10-19T08:24:00.001-07:00

Sorry this is going to be quick but I just have to get it out because I was so irritated watching Grey's Anatomy last night. Who tells McDreamy that they are not ready for marriage and kids and all of that after his little speech. I hope Meredith loses him. That is all I am going to say but I am pretty mad. Probably because this goes a lot deeper then tv but come on.

What a Way to Finish My 28th Year of Life!!!

2007-10-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

So last May Lindsay encouraged me to run the Denver Half Marathon with her. At the time I was a bit hesitant but after running a couple of small races I decided I could do it! So this morning, October 14th 2007, we woke up on a very rainy and cold day in Denver to run 13.1 miles. Crazy, I know!! In the beginning of training for this race I was really into it and excited. By the end of training I kind of fell off the wagon and two weeks ago I had a really bad 10 mile run and haven't run since til the day of the race. So needless to say I was a little worried that I would not be able to do it. I had very low expectations and told my family to have very low expectations. However, I decided I was going to do all I could to run the entire race and finish in a good time!!! To my surprise I did both of those things. I didn't stop to walk unless I was drinking at a gatorade station and I finished in two hours and thirty two minutes. I was so happy that I accomplished this and so grateful to Lindsay for pushing me to do this!! Athletically this is the biggest accomplishment I have ever had and am so happy about it. I was soaking wet and cold but it was awesome!!! I would definitely do it again. It was a great way to end my 28th year of life since my birthday is tomorrow!!

My Baby - An Acura TSX

2007-10-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

So I have been admiring the Acura TSX for some time now. I wasn't really serious about selling my car but I was fed up with it with all the accidents and bad luck. I know, I know not the cars fault but still was frustrated. During lunch at work I jokingly told my co-worker Ben that he could buy my car. He was looking for an Accord for his wife. Not thinking much of it I just let it go. A couple days later he emailed me and said "Are you serious about selling your car?" and I said "Are you serious about buying it?" He took it for a couple of test drives and was sold. In the meantime I started looking for my dream car (for now anyways). I found one at the same dealership that I bought my honda from. They are great to deal with. So I test drove a couple of them they had and picked the 2006 Acura TSX. I made the deal final on Saturday with the Honda and purchased the Acura Monday!!! Some may think I am really spoiled and I am frankly but my friend Sharalyn were talking and decided we don't have the important things to love in our lives like husbands and children so it is fun to buy the unimportant things to love. We realize we may not get these things when the important things come along but it is nice for now!

There are a few simple rules to my car:

1. I cannot park the car in front of any Subway.
2. Matt Lindstrom and other friends cannot drive it (family can)
3. Don't drive behind moving trucks (I got rear ended while being at a stoplight behind a move a truck.

So there you have it!

Grey's Anatomy

2007-09-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

So I am so excited for Grey's Anatomy this week!! I know last year was a bit off but am hoping for a great year of this show. I just recently got Sharalyn converted to watching it and am excited to have a Grey's buddy. We will partake of mormon adult beverages (Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew) as we watch and wish we meet men like McDreamy at bars!! I hope you are all looking forward to it too!!

My Blog Addiction

2007-09-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

58%

JustSayHi - A Free Dating Website

Not quite up there with Julie but close!!

Tagged!

2007-09-24T12:10:00.001-07:00

Julie tagged me so here you go!

A- Attached or single: Single, very much so
B- Best Friend: Katie, Lindsay
C-Cake or Pie: Cake
D- Day of choice: Friday’s because the week is over and I can play that night!
E- Essential Item: right now its Water-need lots of it to run
F- Favorite Color: Blue
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: Worms
H- Hometown: Lakewood, Colorado
I- Indulgence(s): Lotion and candles have been my new things
J- January or July: July because work is slow and in January work sucks!!
L-Life is Incomplete Without: a husband, wish I had one, the gospel, family, friends
M- Marriage Date:n/a
N- Number of Siblings: 5! 4 brothers one sister
O- Oranges or Apples: Oranges
P- Phobias or Fears: none really I don’t freak out about much
Q- Quote(s): “that just doesn’t do me any good but thanks for the thought” Honeymoon in Vegas
R- Reason To Smile: Well the half marathon is almost here!
S- Season: Fall
T- Tag Three +: Erin and Matt, John
U- Unknown Fact About Me: Don’t have any
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Animal of course
W- Worst Habit: biting nails
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Xray since I haven’t had an ultrasound
Y- Your Favorite Food: 7 Layer Dip
Z- Zodiac:Libra

New York City/US Open 2007

2007-09-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

So as most of you know, I went to the US Open in New York for 8 days!! It was soooo fun! We stayed in the upper west side of Manhattan and trekked out to Flushings to see tennis!!! I finally got to see Andy Roddick play and got to see Roger Federer win the finals. Plus there were other fun matches in between. Heidi and I got really used to riding the subway and walking and were worn out by the end. I also got to see the Manhattan temple, Central Park, and did some shopping in China town. We also went to see Grease on Broadway with the reality show winners. They did a great job! I am not much for writing but here is a montage of the trip!!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Useless movie Quote

2007-09-11T15:16:00.001-07:00

Alison Brinkerhoff's Random Movie Quote:

'I feel like the floor of a taxi cab.'

- Dr. Egon Spengler, Ghostbusters

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

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Obituary

2007-09-11T15:10:00.001-07:00

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Relief Society President

2007-08-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

So I am sorry I have not posted for awhile but I have been a bit out of sorts. I just got called as Relief Society President in the midst of Katie and her engagement being called off and then being put back on plus having Matt and Erin in town and on and on and on. I have been on the run for about two weeks straight but I enjoy being busy!! I am very excited and overwhelmed by my new calling. It will be challenging but I know I have a lot to offer to the sister's in my branch. I have a great presidency and my mom is an RS President too so she will be good to vent to and get advice from! I think I could use a vacation. Oh Wait!! I get to go to New York in two weeks.....I can hardly wait!!

Snow Patrol

2007-07-30T23:31:00.000-07:00

For my Monday night activity I went to see Snow Patrol at Red Rocks. I am not familiar with all of their songs but enjoy the song "Chasing Cars" which I am sure most of you have heard. It reminds me of when Denny died on Grey's Anatomy and Izzie is on the bed with the dead body. It was a great time and what can beat Red Rocks in the summer!! Enjoy the video!!

Back to the Future!

2007-07-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

So this week for FHE our branch went to Red Rocks to see "Back to the Future". In fact I usually don't go to activities anymore but Brandon (non-member friend) wanted to go and so I thought he should be around my friends and see that we are normal. Well we got there after a lovely dinner at Monterrey House and it decided to start raining so we sat in the car for a long time (hence the picture below from boredom). We finally braved the rain and it did stop in time for the movie. Katie had never seen the movie before and loved it. In fact we have now watched the 2nd movie and will see the 3rd shortly so she gets the whole story. I haven't seen the movies in a long time so it has been a treat. I also went and saw Hairspray tonight. Sometimes I wish I grew up in a time when people actually danced. Not the lame stuff we do these days. I think it would be fun to take a dance class. I may have to look into that!!

Lots of Fun Things!!

2007-07-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

So this summer has been a lot of fun and the last two weeks have been pretty eventful! First, I moved apartments to get cheaper rent. On that same day Katie and I went up to the Greeley Stampede to see Brad Paisley. He is a great country singer we like. Our favorite songs were "Ticks" and "She's Everything". Concerts are fun but we were both pretty tired (me from moving and Katie because she went to Water World with Bryce). For those who know Katie, she is going to be engaged soon to Bryce and is moving to Utah to be the wife of a BYU student. I am sad she is leaving but know that her and Bryce are meant to be!!
This past weekend I went to Water World with the fam. It was a good time and we got Josh to go on a few cool rides. You are never to old for Water World!
I have seen several movies recently. I saw Transformers, License to Wed, and Ocean's Thirteen. I won't mention the rated "R" one I saw because it was awful and know that I need to have better judgement in that regard.
Fourth of July was great and started off with the Independence Day 11k. John and a couple of friends joined me. However, the course was not well marked and I missed running a whole mile. Oh well, 6 miles in 80 degree weather is still an accomplishment. John beat me but maybe I will catch him in the half marathon :) So here is a montage of my fun summer thus far!!

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I Love My Dad!

2007-06-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

I love my Dad! I love him because he loves music and will quiz me on who is singing a song. I love my dad because he knows how to fix cars. I love my dad because he is a great cook and I love his bean burritos. I love my dad because he likes to stay up late with his kids and watch movies. I love my dad because he likes to play sports with his kids. I love my dad because he can sing really well. I love my dad because I got great hair from him. I love my dad because he is an honorable priesthood holder. I love my dad because he cares so much for me and my siblings. I love my dad because he loves my mom. I love my dad because he is a teddy bear to hug. I love my dad for all that he has done for me in my life. I know who he would do anything to help me. I love that my dad calls me and tells me he is thinking of me and prays for me often. I love you dad!!

My New Niece!

2007-06-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

In the early morning of Thursday June 7th my sister Lindsay had her second daughter Brooklyn. Since I live in town I was invited to come to the festivities. Some think it is weird that I would want to see someone give birth but ever since I worked in the Labor and Delivery unit in Provo I have wanted to be a nurse. I am fascinated by how the whole process works. Anyway all went well and she delivered a beautiful baby girl. I am excited that there is a newborn baby for me to hold who lives close by. Then I can brainwash her that I am the favorite aunt. Madison is also beginning to love me more and more which is saying a lot. I love Madison and Brooklyn tons and glad they are nearby. Thanks to Lindsay and Colton for great kids!!! I love you guys too!

Below are pictures of Lindsay and Colton in excruciating labor pains, the final result Brooklyn, etc.

Wicked, The California Edition

2007-06-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my mom and I went to see "Wicked" with the Brinks 3 in California. Erin had invited us a few months ago to come and go with her family because they had extra tickets. Of course we decided to go because we are always up for a trip away and to see "Wicked". For those who don't know my mom and I first saw the musical in 2004 on Broadway with the original cast. It was amazing! We also saw it in Denver and now California. The Pantages theatre was beautiful and it was a great show again!

We arrived Friday evening and went to Chili's with Matt and Erin. We then came home and watched a couple of Wonder Years episodes before we went to bed. Matt and Erin graciously gave us their bed and they attempted to sleep on an air mattress that quickly deflated and they ended up on the couch and the floor. Thanks again for the use of your bed Matt and Erin!!

Saturday was filled with a multitude of activities. Mom was anxious to hit the beach, Disneyland and Universal studios before the show but had to settle for other things. I convinced all parties to go to 24 hour fitness with me for the daily workout. Then we went home for some time at the pool with a lovely In and Out burger lunch. After this we cleaned up and went out for Pedicures and Manicures. Always a good time!!! Just a side note gas in Denver is the same price as gas in California. Crazy, huh? Well anyways, we went to BJ's for a lovely dinner before the show and then we were off. After the show we went to Cheesecake Factory to totally ruin our morning workout.

Sunday, we slept in and cleaned up and went to the airport. It was way fun to see Matt and Erin and happy to report they are doing very well. I am thankful for their hospitality!!

Ps: I ran the Bolder Boulder 10k on Memorial Day. It was the farthest I have ever run and did it in 1 hour 10 minutes. I don't think my time was that accurate though because I had to fight against walkers the whole way but it was a ton of fun. On a sad note though at mile 2 of the race an older gentleman was getting CPR and ended up dying. He was the first person to ever die at this race in 29 years. At least he went out making history I guess!

Chris Calvin

2007-05-20T18:54:00.000-07:00

This week's post is on my personal trainer Chris Calvin. He is the man responsible for getting me in shape. As you can tell from the picture he can be pretty entertaining! He is what you would call maybe a man-whore. He seems to have a new girlfriend every week. Must be a hazard of the job as a personal trainer. He is always giving me tips on dating and what not. He wants me to buy a book called, "Why men marry Bitches". I don't why I need to be a b**** to find a guy but who knows, men are stupid (at least the ones I have to deal with). Well it has been a good time getting to know him and is good to have as a friend. He will soon be my neighbor too in my new apartment complex!
PS: I ran another 5k this week and completed it in 31 minutes which is 6 minutes faster then the last one! I think have runner's knee though and will be purchasing a knee brace to help when I run.

I love my mom!

2007-05-13T22:19:00.000-07:00

I love my mom for so many reasons. I love my mom because she makes laugh even if it is at her own expense. I love my mom because she is forgiving even when I have hurt her she still loves me. I love my mom because she made me great chocolate chip cookies growing up. I love my mom because she enjoys the same television shows I do. I love my mom because she is always willing to help in time of need. I love my mom because she loves her family. I love my mom for driving me where I needed to be. I love my mom for her strong testimony. I love my mom for her strong example in serving in the church. I love that she has 6 kids aging from 31 to 8. I love my mom because she is great example of how to be a grandma. I love my mom because she keeps herself young. And today on this Mother's day, I love my mom because she made it a point to give me a Mother's day present. I may not have my own children but recognizes that I am a mother in other ways. This meant so much to me because on holiday's like this I tend to feel left out. I hope someday that I am able to be a good mother to my children like my mom has been to me but if I don't get this opportunity I will do my best to be a mother to my brothers and nieces and nephews!!!

Cinco De Mayo 5k

2007-05-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Cinco De Mayo my friend Heidi and I decided to run the Highlands Ranch Cinco De Mayo 5k. We are running the Bolder Boulder 10k Memorial Day weekend and we wanted to get in a prep race. Now for those who don't know me that well, I have never been the biggest fan of running like my sister Lindsay. I just have never enjoyed it but I know it is good for me so I am trying to make it a new hobby. I have gotten better at it and am starting to enjoy it! In fact I ran the entire 3.1 miles which is huge for me. Now I just need to start going a bit faster because I was running like 11.5 minute miles. Nevertheless, I didn't stop to walk. We also had our names announced when we finished. I felt kind of like Lindsay at her marathon but I didn't run 26 miles only 3. After the 10k I run the end of this month I will decide if I can run the half marathon with the Smith's!!! We shall see!

Birthday and Halloween

2006-11-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

Here is my birthday and Halloween montage. To be brief, Katie and I decided to get a hotel room over my birthday weekend and got facials and massages. It was a lot of fun and very relaxing. On my actual birthday, I got a Bronco party for the Raiders/Bronco game. It was sweet!!
For Halloween, I was Rocky Balboa. I figured I had the gloves and the shirt so it would be a free costume. Katie planned a great Branch party! Notice my picture with Andy Roddick. I have always wanted to meet him! Enjoy!!

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Addiction!

2006-10-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

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I find that creating these montages is very addicting. I just had to do another last night and thought why not share it. Alison sometimes has a lot of time on her hands!!! Anyways here are random pictures some you have already seen some not. Hope you enjoy!

Family Fun

2006-10-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

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Here are some fun family photos from last Sunday. Lindsay and LouAnne were showing off there fatness and LouAnne made a replica of her body out of a potato!

I wanted Subway Real Bad!!!!

2006-09-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

So last Tuesday, September 29th I decided to go to Subway for lunch. The plan was to buy a sandwich and go back to work to work through lunch. Little did I know that other plans were in store for me. I pulled into the parking spot right in front of the store and my foot slipped from the brake to the accelerator and my car went right into the Subway shop. I guess I didn't realize there wasn't a drive through.

Fortunately there were not customers where my car went into the building. However there were quite a few people in there. They were pretty stunned, as was I. The police and fire crew came immediately and asked if I had been drinking or on any medications that would have caused this. I can safely say I was not under the influence. I climbed out the back of my car because the fire squad needed to make sure the building was stable before pulling the car out.

I sat on the sidewalk in shock as many people stared at me and took pictures with their camera phones. The nice policeman finally let me come sit in his car and use his phone to make phone calls. I called work and three of my coworkers came to help and I called my mom who also came along with Lindsay and Madison.

They were able to pull the car out and there was a lot of cosmetic damage but still driveable. I will be getting it fixed in the next week or so.

As for the store it is still closed and should be open in about a week. I am hoping for the best and that they will not come after for all I am worth. My insurance should cover all of the property damage.

I figure I am in the best possible circumstances if this had to happen. I didn't hurt anyone and no one got hurt. I also can still drive my car until I take it in the shop. Count your many blessings!!!! Here are some pictures the day of the accident. Unfortunately we did not get one with the car inside the store.

Kauai 2006!

2006-08-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

Me and my friends Hayley, Amanda and Jeff all headed for Kauai on Aug. 18, 2006. Hayley parent's gave us their Marriot time share for the week. All in all the week was a blast despite a rough start when we found out Jeff's brother had passed away a couple days before we left. Jeff still came with us and made it back for the burial.

But on with Hawaii! The Marriot was under construction but was still a lovely place to stay. Here is a picture of the construction and the view from our room and a shot of the tower we stayed in.

It was all very lovely of course. I had been to Maui before with my parents and that island is great too, but Kauai is so beautiful and green everywhere you go. Most days were spent with Lava Flows and good reading by the pool. I also took the time to have a beachside massage for an hour and a half. It was phenomenal!!!

Amanda and I went to Waimea canyon which I guess is like the Grand Canyon but much greener. I have never seen the Grand Canyon so I have no idea. Here is me there!

If you can tell from the picture, my hair was really curly the whole trip! I felt like Monica on "Friends" It just kept getting bigger and bigger because of the humidity but I learned to love the humid air by the end and miss it here in Denver.

We also went up the NaPali coast which is gorgeous. Several movies have been filmed on these beaches and you can only access them by boat. Here is a picture of Amanda, Hayley and I in a cave on the NaPali coast.

So all in all I loved it! Amanda didn't get eaten by a shark even though there was a dead on on the beach at the Marriot. Sorry no picture of it!! And just to clarify Kapaa has two a's not three.

And not to leave out Jeff, here is the picture we got of him trying not to get his board shorts wet for whatever reason. Kind of girly if you ask me!

Red Rocks!

2006-08-27T23:42:00.000-07:00

For FHE the week before I went to Hawaii we went to Red Rocks to see a movie. It was really fun and I love this picture of my friends Katie, Justin, Bryce and I. I want everyone to see it. Yea! Ali has friends. I just got back from Hawaii so I will be updating with that stuff soon but I should go to bed tonight!

So!

2006-08-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

So I just bought a digital camera for my trip to Hawaii in a week and a half so I thought I would make a blog. We shall see how it goes!!