Baby Avery Regan Bollwinkel is here! She was born at 7:20 this morning, 7lbs. 7oz. and perfect! I'm so excited to be an aunt, again.

Last night was mother-daughter night at the General Relief Society Meeting. The meeting was amazing and President Uchtdorf's talk was my favorite, along with perhaps everyone else. To wrap up the night we went to our favorite family restaurant, the Spag fag.

I love girl time with my mom and sister.

In conjunction with the General Relief Society Meeting my stake was donating to "Light Up a Child's Christmas", a program through the Granite school district. This program was for children that teachers and principals have deemed underprivileged, and through our donations they would give a gift bag to each of those kids. When I was given the handout a few months back I knew that I had to help out. So with a little money (only $14.00) and a lot of donations from Bulward and WalMart I was able to collect....

20 sidewalk chalk boxes

6 jump-ropes

10 packs of playing cards

3 large recess balls

8 silly bands

10 toothbrushes

100 toothpastes

15 spiral notebooks

40 pocket folders

6 protractors

6 rulers

10 binders

4 large spiral notebooks

15 glue

6 5-packs of pens

10 crayons

2 watercolor kits

30 calculators

36 legal notebooks

When I dropped off Zac and I's donations the stake relief society was so shocked and so thankful, of course I started crying. I'm so grateful to belong to a church where we focus on helping one another through the Relief Society. What a great way for us to start off the holiday seasons by giving back.

ho-ly war [hoh-lee wor]- a college football rivalry game played between the University of Utah Utes and the Brigham Young University Cougars. In this rivalry the term Holy War refers to the fact that BYU is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the University of Utah is owned by the State of Utah, founded by Brigham Young. The rivalry has been since 1922 where the Utes lead with an all time series of 51-31-4. Let's go UTES!!

My cute friend got me into couponing... coupon book and all! This picture was taken on my first outing to WalMart... at 1:30 AM... with my coupon book in hand. Besides the lack of sleep for work the next morning I had a lot of fun, plus I saved 11.55! Will I keep doing this?... Couponing?! Yes! Couponing at 1:30 in the morning?! Naw. Thanks LaRen and Andrea for showing me the way.

It's a Marion family tradition to go to Swiss Days over the Labor Day weekend, this year was more fun than ever thanks to the photo booth we found...

I'm very lucky to have married into such an amazing family.

Growing up I was always lucky to have a mom that made almost everything. I always tell the Mr. that that's the kind of mother that I want to be, nothing shows more love or taste better than homemade. She had already taught me how to make jam, but last week she taught myself and my sisters how to can salsa... literally starting at the farm picking tomatoes and peppers. The Mr. joked telling me that I was a "modern day pioneer". Good one. I felt so accomplished canning salsa that I then went home and made peach/raspberry jam. Yum.

As I sit here watching special after special on the 10 year anniversary of 9-11, I am feeling very blessed. Mostly for all the obvious American reasons. And also for the this amazing memorial I saw driving down the street yesterday, reminding me that we are here for a bigger reason than ourselves. Without direction everyone slowed down, I think in our own little way to show respect. Very touching.