Arizona Trip for HG Memorial Scholarship

This weekend I had the lovely opportunity to be in Arizona with my parents and sisters as the first winner of the Hunter Goold Memorial Scholarship was announced at IASS (International Aquatic Safety School). 

The scholarship was put together by one of my father's previous employers Jeff Ellis and Associates. Jeff Ellis and Associates has been a huge part in our families life, starting in 1994 when my dad began working for Jeff and obviously through years to come as the Hunter Goold Memorial Scholarship continues. In 2003 our family had the incredible experience to travel the United States for 7 weeks as my father gave his seminar's about aquatic safety to life guards at water parks across the country. The E&A family was our family for that summer while we were away from our home and friends and gave us memories we will cherish forever. We were able to meet so many wonderful people from General Managers of the parks, to E&A staff and lifeguards in more than 20 states. It was also through E&A that my family was able to travel to the Bahama's in 2006 and Dubai for two weeks in 2008 so my father again could teach his safety seminar. 

Bahama's 2006

Dubai 2008

Dubai 2008

When my dad worked for E&A, his seminar's were to express to lifeguards how important their job was to save lives and prevent drownings. In our summer trip we took in 2003, it was part of the deal that us Goold kids would play the "victims" in the water parks to help train the life guards. We would have to come down a water slide and pretend to be unconscious or have a neck problem. We would play out different scenarios to help train the life guards for real life situations. 

(The best part was the life guards didn't know we were Dr. Goold's children until he showed up on scene.)

I have always found it so fascinating to watch my father teach. I am amazed to this day at his speaking skills and how he can take a matter as serious as saving a life and really touch a person's heart to let them know their job is important. My favorite part of my father's seminar's was how he was always so funny and I remember him always leaving his audiences in an uproar of laughter as he concocted fake throw up for demonstrations and shoved tampons up lifeguards nose's to stop a fake bloody nose. After all the fun and learning he was able to leave them with an image that would set the tone for the seriousness and importance of their job. I remember how the laughter would come to a quiet hush, as my dad would lay Hunter on the ground and cover him with a yellow tarp. How the four of us girls would stand behind the tarp without smiling. How my dad would tell every life guard he ever spoke in front of that he comes to their water parks with all five of his children and expects to leave with all five. That it is their job to prevent drownings. 

I think in some small way our family was being prepared to say goodbye to our brother in the exact way my father has been training to prevent for years. 

As I look back on these trips my family was able to have while our sweet brother was still with us, I am humbled to think how blessed we were to be able to do so much, as a family of seven, because of Jeff Ellis and Associates. I don't think there are many large families who get to experience what we did and to this day I am grateful for the opportunity E&A gave our family. I know Hunter loved being apart of the E&A family and loved all the wonderful people he met. I am sure that he is honored to still be apart of the E&A family today. 

It was a touching moment on Friday evening as our dear family friend Raq got up to introduce the scholarship as the week of training came to an end. A tear shed from an old friend just goes to show how much Hunter Boy meant to so many people. 

My dad was able to get up and speak about our family and Hunter and our relationship with the E&A family to the audience. It was so great to hear him speak and share with everyone how much we love Ellis and Associates. A standing ovation after the scholarship was presented and our family was brought on stage left us with an even bigger spot in our hearts for the E&A family. 

Such a wonderful weekend to be with my family and honor my brother. 

Hope you had a fabulous weekend also readers.

Twenty -Twelve. First Mommy Blog Post

For those of you who know me, and know how long I have wanted to be a mommy, you should be shocked that I am 13 weeks pregnant and am just making time to write my first "Mommy Blog Entry". I wish you all could see the ridiculous smile on my face right now. 

It's true. In case you hadn't heard from us, or from facebook or my mother, we are expecting our first baby come July. Baby Kfo is already so loved <3.

As stated earlier, I have wanted to be a mommy for so long. A lot of that came with being the oldest of five children and twenty-four grandchildren and watching my mom and aunts raise my siblings and cousins and I. It always got me so excited to be a mommy (because they all rocked at it of course!).

The Story:

Kevin and I talked early on about when we wanted to have kids. We wanted to enjoy KFo2 time but knew that children would be joining our family sooner than later. 

November 10th, I was 5 days late. Scared to death, I pulled out the hidden away at home pregnancy test (doesn't everyone have these on stock just in case?) to see if a little stick could really predict the rest of our lives.

Kevin and I stared at the stick on the bathroom counter for three minutes as it did it's thing. It was upside down and as we sat there for an extra five minutes giggling and going back and forth between who would flip it over. We both became even more anxious to see those two pink lines.

Finally, being the brave husband he is, Kevin flipped it over.

 There they were. Two Pink Lines.

Laughs, a few light tears, more laughs and shock is really the only way to describe the next hour or so in the Ford household.

We decided to wait until our first Doctors apt before we told anyone (even my MOTHER which was so hard for me) that we were expecting. For five weeks we lied any time someone brought up a possible baby. 

On December 14th we had our first doctor's appointment. Baby KFo's doctor, Dr Thomas in Provo is amazing. He was referred to me by a friend from work and I have loved him and his staff since the day I called to schedule my first appointment.

We had no idea what to expect at that first appt. Anxious and nervous to see if there really was a baby in there.

They took us back to the little room and laid me down on the table. The nurse spread the jelly on my belly (which is warm by the way, I always thought it was going to be cold) and started moving the tool around that looks deep inside the womb. She had to push kind of hard and that made me a little nervous that she couldn't find it. Two seconds later she points to this tiny little blob on the screen. 

"There's your baby".

Can three words make a person more happy? The nurse then turned on the volume and we could hear little baby KFo's heart beating. It was an incredible feeling. Never in my life have I felt so much love for someone I have never even met.

I am 13 weeks along now and have another apt next week.

I am so anxious for my belly to pop a little more so it looks like there might be a baby in there instead of looking like I hit up the Krispy Kreme one too many times. 

Luckily, I was only REALLY sick at the beginning (around 6 weeks). I didn't throw up a lot but felt like I was going to 24 hours a day. I laid in bed or on the couch all day, everyday. 

I am starting to feel almost back to my normal self, except for the crazy amounts of tiredness I feel ALL DAY.

Kevin and I are so excited for our little one. After the announcement we received so many kind comments and thoughts from friends and family members expressing their love and excitement for us. 

In other KFo2 News:

We spent Christmas in Washington with Kevin's family. It was so wonderful and we loved getting to see and spend time with Kevin's parents and siblings. (We don't get to see them enough!)

We got to attend the blessing of our nephew Mason who was blessed on Christmas day. He is such a cute baby and we were so glad we could be apart of that special day for him. 

New Years we were back in American Fork and enjoyed it just being the two of us (our last holiday like that for a long time I can imagine).

I am so grateful for twenty-eleven. Last year blessed Kevin and I greater than either of us could have ever imagined. We were sealed in the temple, moved into an incredible apartment that we love and of course found out we are having a baby.

Is it possible that twenty-twelve can be better. Ask me in July and I am sure I will have a reason twenty-twelve beats twenty-eleven. 

One New Years resolution for Me. 

At LEAST one post EVERY WEEK in twenty-twelve. 

I want so badly to be good at this mommy blogger thing. I follow some awesome blogs written by some incredible mom's. I've followed these blogs long before I found out I was going to be a mommy myself and these women have inspired me more than they will ever know to be a wonderful mommy and wife, faithful follower of Christ, friend, fashionista and blogger. Thanks Ladies! 

Date Night with the hubby now. Have a Wonderful weekend readers.