The Life and Times of Cassy Gardner

It's my first family party since I've been home. I was stoked. Easter turned out great and it was a lot fun. We went to Aunt Ann and Uncle Lee's house. We stayed there for several days. On Saturday we had the big family party. It started with a bunny scavenger hunt. I think there were over 20 bunnies. Then we went back to the dinosaur bone place we went to before I left. The bones are in the rocks and there are some really big ones. We ended our fun back at the house for Book Club. The book was Dealing with Dragons. It was a fun read. I haven't read it since I was a child. It brought back some great memories of mom reading to me. The time went to quickly and it was time to go home. The bad news is the weather was awful. It snowed. While in Talmage we even slid off the road. Lucky for us the Thacker family where behind us and a kind truck driver pushed us out and the truck driver dove the car up the hill and onto a flat surface. I'm thankful for kind people and for family and the time we have to spend together. I am also thankful fo my Savior who died for you and fro me. He is the reason why we even have Easter. Because of Him we can do anything!

Mom and Aunt Ann "fixing" the candle.

The finished candle.

Liam checking off a bunny.

Ann and Jacob finding a bunny.

Lexi and the bone.

Book Club Test

Sliding down Grandpa's Legs

Indian Canyon

Home

Hello to anyone that actually reads this blog! Life has been going well. It's been rather busy, which is a good thing. Since it's been about a month since a post I'm just going to give you the highlights.

Well first thing is I have a job. It was basically handed to me. So it's the following Monday since arriving home. So I've really only been in Altamont for 3 days. I get a phone call from Mom asking me if I wanted a job. Well my first thought was that she wanted me to sub for her (she is the music teacher at the elementary). I told her it depended on what the job was. She then proceeded to tell me that Lori (the principal) had stopped Mom and told her to have me come talk to her because she had a job opening. Mom and Carol didn't even know there was a job opening. So needless to say I jumped on it because jobs are very hard to get right now, especially here. So I am an aide at the elementary and I spend most of my time in 6th grade helping a student with fetal alcohol syndrome and is only on a 2nd-3rd grade level. She is an amazing girl and she has made quite a bit of progress in the short month that I and several others have been helping her. On Fridays I'm in Kindergarten helping another student with autism. He's a cute kid too. When I'm not in either of those spots I'm progress monitoring or sometimes subbing.

Funny Story. After coming home I went over to Price to help tend my cousin's kids/visit with friends. I was meeting with a friend in the Student Center at USU Eastern. We were getting ready to leave when this guy came up to us. He asked us our names. I told him I was Cassy and this was Laura. He then looked at me and asked, "Have you ever had a boyfriend?" I told him no. He then asked, "Would you like one?" Keep in mind I have been home for less than a week, so this is very awkward. I told him no not at the moment. He looked at me all sad and said, "But I would treat you nice and you would be happy. And I could buy you things." I still told him no I wasn't ready. He asked why and when I would be ready. I told him I didn't know and I just wasn't ready for a boyfriend at that moment in my life. Then he said okay, shrugged his shoulders, hung his head, and walked away. What a memorable moment!

I had the opportunity to go to my aunt and uncle's setting apart. They left after about a week of me being home for a mission to the Porto Alegre Brazil Temple. What's really fun about this is they are the same aunt and uncle who came to my setting apart. They had a small family party and when it was time for the setting apart, their bishop came over to the house to do it. It was fun, and I'm glad I was able to see them before they left for 23 months.

I've also had the opportunity to attend a session in the Vernal Temple. This was the first time I had ever done a session in this temple. It is a beautiful temple and it holds a special place in my heart. It is the temple I grew up going to do baptisms for the dead. There is such peace in the temple. I encourage all if they have the chance to go to the temple.

I had a rather eventful weekend the weekend of March 4th. I toured Weber State campus and then after that one of my best friends was married in the Ogden Temple. I must say it was the shortest wedding I have ever been to. The wedding started at 1 pm and I was out of the temple by 1:15. It was a short, sweet, to the point wedding. After that we headed up to Perry for the luncheon and reception. I had a lot fun catching up with this family. The parents and the bride both told me they were glad that I got home just in time for the wedding. I am too! Congratulations Kelsey and Kurt!

The next day I spend the time with Dad and John. I decided since I was up there I would spend the weekend at their house. I dedicated my Saturday to them. Dad and I went to theatre to see Mocking Jay Part 2 (it's not John's kind of movie). I didn't mind the movie. In fact I enjoyed it, probably because it's been about 5 years since I've read the books. Then we went back home and took advantage of the nice weather and sat outside on the swing enjoying the view of the mountains and catching up on life. Then we grabbed John and went to grab a bite to eat before picking up Khloe and Lili.

Khloe and Lili are the fosters girls living with Dad and John. So yes when I came home from my mission I came home to two foster sisters. I must say the are so cute and are very well behaved. So I spent Saturday night playing with them in the front yard. Goodness I am out of shape. I was rather tired of several rounds of tag, kick the can, spinning, climbing all over me, and of course some tickling. So after some hard core playing we took it inside to watch the movie The Good Dinosaur. Of course we had to watch it in my room in my bed. And of course they fell asleep in my bed. Since they had been begging Dad and John to have a sleep over with me in my bed, I decided to let them stay there.

The next day I went and found a YSA Ward to attend. Then I headed to Kaysville to meet up with one of my companions Sister Heninger, or now I should say Sydney. It was so great to see her and meet her dad and sister. Then to end my weekend I had Sunday dinner with Gordon's before heading back home.

The following weekend I was able to go to my former roommate Madi's homecoming. She served in the Cusco Peru Mission. Conveniently Aunt Mary and Uncle Boyd decided to go too. So I took advantage of that and rode up with them. While there I was able to see almost all of my roommates I had while living in Grandma's house. We were just missing Megan. It was so good to see all of them and to see where the last year and half has taken us.

Yesterday I went to another wedding of Kelsi and Robert. Kelsi was another great friend from high school. I spent the whole day at LC Ranch, where they were married. We had a bridal breakfast/ shower in the morning and then the wedding and reception that afternoon/evening. It was another short wedding. I think the ceremony was about as long as Kelsey Pugh's, short, sweet, and right to the point. Gordon's came out for the wedding (it helps the Becca was the photographer and Jena was a bridesmaid). Even Rachel and Justin came along. It was wonderful to see them all. I haven't seen Rachel since before I left for my mission. I was also able to catch up with Kelsi's brother R.J. who I haven't seen in 4 years. It was so great to see them all!

Last but not least I was able to attend the Provo City Center Temple Dedication this morning. It took me back to my mission when the Montreal Temple was being rededicated. It was a beautiful session. Dallan H. Oaks was presiding. I would like to share two thoughts on things that were shared. The first is how we think of going to the temple as leaving the "real world". It was said that the temple is the "real world". Think of that. If the temple is the real world than there is so much happiness, peace, and joy found in it. We should try to make this not so "real world" into the "real world". My second thought comes from CTR. As a Mormon we hear CTR all the time meaning, Choose the Right. One speaker suggested if we make CTR the target of our life than our bulls eye is CTR, but meaning Current Temple Recommend. As we live worthy of a temple recommend, our lives will be blessed.