BIRTHDAY

I sure am spoiled! It may be because I am single, but I got to celebrate my birthday 3 times. First time when I was at home with my family. On my birthday I went to my sister Lani's. I was treated with royalty. They had the red carpet rolled out up the sidewalk, party signs, balloons, etc. They had made dinner for me and Courtney made me a birthday cake. I felt very special. It was a lot of fun. They even gave me my own pet.

I decided a few weeks ago that I would have a birthday party for myself. Must be my red personality trying to come out, or maybe that is my yellow. Either way, not something I have done much. I invited lots of friends, cousins, mission companions, etc. We had a great time. We had Hawaiin Haystacks for dinner. Played games including lightning reaction, wackee six, and dance dance revolution. We had a birthday cake, and a pinata. After everyone sang to me, my cousins had those who wanted to say something about me, a memory or something they knew about me. I was not expecting that, but it was really nice. Everyone said such nice things about me. Sometimes it is really interesting to hear what people think about you. It made me feel really good.

Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate. Thank you to those who brought things, provided the place, organized, and to all who shared my birthday with me. Thank you for being such great friends!

Mike and Dolly Brittany and Jenny Williams, Mike and Me

Me and Laura Rogers

My sisters! Nicole Rich, Christin Buck, Erin Roundy, me, Maren Hacker, and Michelle Bratt. Sisters from Nauvoo!

All my wishes will come true!

Rich and Hacker dancin it up.

Playing lightning reaction dangerously.

Justin and John had too much fun controlling the pinata!
Blanca Arnold had no mercy on the pinata.

Jenny WilliamsJenny's turnJustin, I promise I can't see a thing.
And the clean up crew! Thank you guys. They did the dishes and everything!

My week at home

I was able to go home to Rexburg a couple of weeks ago. I spent the whole week there and I had a great time. I posted earlier about the project with Dad, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Also, we celebrated my Dad's and my birthday. Our birthdays are three days apart so we had a big family dinner. It was great fun.

We also had a ward activity. We had dinner at different people's homes. My parent's were one of the host homes so we had 6 people over for dinner. A lady in our ward, Claudette, who is from Haiti, made the food. We thought it would be fun to have a Haitian meal. Claudette went to a lot of work to make the food, and it was wonderful. After dinner, we played a short game and then we all met at the church for dessert and another game, family fued. Here are some pictures.

Mom posing for the camera! Mommy and Daddy :)

Our friends...Sharene, Jan Wright, Claudette and me.

Mexican Riviera Cruise

The chicken olympics participants from the Price family. Chet, Justin, Ginger and Brady Price. Thank goodness for Brady, he was an awesome partner. He stole the show...more than once.

Last month my family went on a cruise. A year and a half ago my Dad planned this cruise. It has been his dream to take all of his children on a cruise. We went on the Mexican Riveria, an eight day cruise. All my family, 8 siblings, 6 spouses, 1 6 month old niece and 1 friend. We had such a great time. It was definitely a dream come true.

One of the highlights of the cruise was the gospel study that we had as a family. It was really neat to hear from my siblings and hear their testimonies and to see their growth. They all amazed me. I appreciate each of my siblings and their contributions.

We had many special experiences together. The first 3 days we sailed. We planned different activities on the ship. We participated in the “chicken Olympics” which involved 40 rubber chicken and playing unique games with them.

We spent three days off the boat, first day Acapulco, second Ixtapa, and third Manzanillo. The first day we went to the beach. It was so beautiful. The weather was absolutely beautiful. I kept forgetting that it was February. We went shopping to the little shops. That evening my whole family got together for an excursion. We went to see cliff divers. It was incredible. The divers dove off of a 100 foot cliff into a little area of water. The water was only 12-15 feet deep. The divers had to jump pretty far to clear the rocks and they couldn’t see the water they were diving into. It was incredible and very scary to watch; it was actually really hard to watch because I was afraid for their lives. However, they were all safe, and no one has ever died there doing their dives. We went to dinner at an outdoor restaurant and had a great time. Even got to see where the people could go “bungy yumping”.

The next day a group of us went to a zip line, although I didn’t participate, I enjoyed being there and taking pictures. Afterward I again went to the beach. That is what I enjoyed so much. Swimming in the ocean.

The third day in Manzanillo we took a taxi to the beach, since it was an industrial area. This time the beach actually had some waves. My dad rented boogy boards there and we had a great time riding the waves. We had so much fun. When we got back to the ship we were all sunburned, tired, dehydrated and overall really happy.

I could write about the book about the cruise, instead I will just give you the highlights.
1. Gospel study with the family, sharing ideas, experiences, and the Spirit.
2. Dinners together, we were served so well. They sure made life easy.
3. Swimming in the ocean and just enjoying ourselves.
4. Our activities, tag, picture scavenger hunt, best laugh and worst face contest.
5. Justin hanging out with the family, everyone being happy , and enjoying each others company.
I haven’t written much previously because I have been waiting to get some of my pictures, but it may be awhile. Here are a few. I am so grateful for this time I was able to spend with my family. It was very bonding. Everyone was happy and all the feelings were that of love. Thank you Dad and Mom for taking us on this trip. Thank you everyone for coming and making it such a great experience. I don’t think it could have been any better.

And the winners are...Chet and Justin. It was a fun event. We became known as the "green shirts."

These boys from the ship were nice enough to help us so we could have a 6 person pyramid.

Aunt Kathy

I am still catching up. As I mentioned, the past couple months have been very busy. When things finally slowed down, I felt like I had been in another world.

January was a month like I have never experienced before. My aunt Kathy was diagnosed with cancer in December. Over the holidays she found out that she had stage 4 cervical, uteran, and lymph cancer. She is young and it came as a great shock to us all. She started chemotherapy and radiation the beginning of January. I was surprised that the day after her first chemo treatement, she called and invited me to come over, have dinner and watch a show. She seemed to be doing well, was in pain and a little tired, but overall doing well. She continued through her radiation that week. That weekend she woke up with her hand shaking. She was taken back to the hospital, where they found that the cancer was in her brain. She spent 5-6 days in the hospital to get her pain under control. Her husband Mike was there by her side continually.

She left the hospital on Thursday, went straight to radiation, and then home. She spent a couple days there and then was put back in the hospital because she was anemic. She went back in. We expected her to return home after a day or two. First the pain had to be under control. A couple days turned into all week. Her husband was so supportive, staying by her side continually. She did finally go home that Friday, but this time, with only a few days to a couple of weeks to live. She would no longer have radiation or chemotherapy, but she would be on pain medication to keep her comfortable.

Family and friends flowed in that weekend to see her. Her house was full of people who loved her and whose lives had been touched. She was where she wanted to be though, in her home, with her husband, her son and daughter, and her grandchildren.

Kathy passed away very early on February 3rd. 6 weeks after she first heard the word cancer. She was ready to return to her Heavenly Father and her eternal companion.

The ups and downs of this month were difficult, learning experience. It caused me to search for answers, and more for the Lord and his guidance in my life. I was blessed to spend this time with family members. I was with cousins, aunts, brothers and sisters. It was a very special time for me where I was able to spend this time with them. I haven't lived by most of my relatives, and have seen them infrequently. It was such a blessing for me to spend time with them daily, improve our relationships, and to feel eachothers love.

I miss Kathy. She was the life of the party. A very giving person. A listener and a counselor. I was blessed to live with Kathy and Mike the first month that I lived in Provo. I still think about her daily, and love her for the person that she was and is.

Have I told you already that my Dad is the best!

I came home to Rexburg late Friday night. I have this week off so I get to spend it with my family in Rexburg. Three words: I AM BLESSED. Saturday morning my parents got up and woke up my brother Brady. Dad told us a little about their Stake Conference last week. He had received inspiration in that meeting. He is so spiritually in tune and he is such a generous person.

At their conference they had a member of the 70 speak. He spoke of the same thing we heard in general conference, that we have no need to fear. He said that President Packer has been in the meetings with the quorum of the twelve apostles for about 40 years, many feelings have been expressed, but one that has never been expressed is fear. The 70 said that there is no reason any one of us should have an ounce of fear!

My Dad came away from the meeting wanting to help. To make a long story short, and since I don't have permission to share any of this, we spent the day at the case lot sales, putting shelfs, and "shelf reliance" canned food shelves together, and loading them. He felt impressed that he should do this so that he can give to those in need. He feels that he has been blessed in the business and that is what he should do.

It was so much fun. I enjoyed working along side my dad. I am especially grateful for the blessings the Lord has given me.
1. Helping my Dad's business support our family and be successful.
2. Extremely hardworking and loving parents.
3. I have a very generous, loving family. I can talk to each one of them and we always enjoy eachothers company.
4. Prophets and apostles
I could go on forever! It was a great day and I am excited to continue the work this week.

As others, I haven'tbeen blogging much. My past couple of months have been very full. Lots to say which will come later. Haven't had pictures either, waiting to get some of them. So until then.Dad and Brady unloading the 4 carts. Dad got them out and threw them through the air to Brady who caught and stacked them. Dad does things quickly and efficiently. He has a system for everything.