Utards.

1. License Plates.
2. Snow.
3. Fry Sauce.
4. Restaurants that don't serve caffeine.
5. The accent.
6. Millions of people everywhere.
7. BYU Housing cleaning checks.
8. Everyone is married, with children. 10 children.
9. Small theaters when you are watching a Rated R movies.
10. Every car will honk at you. 

Fantasy Football

At the beginning of the football season Sarah, Sofi, and I made some goals we hoped to accomplish through out the season. To name a few we wanted to get on the big screen, attend every game, and the biggest goal of all, get a photo with Kyle Van Noy!

Sarah didn't make it to one of the games because she couldn't get out of work and it was a day game. I invited my friend Hanalee to come along instead. It was so hot that day. We were literally melting. This was the first game for Hana and she was so impressed with Cosmo. I mean he is the best mascot ever! We thought it would come around and we would get a picture with him. We waited and waited and he danced and jumped and made his rounds but never made it over to us. As we were walking out of the stadium Cosmo was getting into a golf cart and about to drive away when we ran over to him for a picture! Perfect timing!

A few more games went by and try as me did we weren't getting on the big screen. We would dance and scream and Sofi would wave her paw but nothing was working out. I decided that maybe if I got a Van Noy jersey that would increase my chances in both meeting him and getting on the scream. The bonus is I look way cute! I was starting to really regret not meeting him at the Cougar Kickoff at the beginning of the season but I do have his autograph thanks to my visiting teacher that I saw while I was there. This was what was getting me through the season.

A month went by with no home games so we were stoked for the next game. It was the last home game of the season. The last chance we had to make all our goals reality. We made sure to dress so warm because the day before left about 7 inches of snow all over the stadium and the temperature drastically dropped in a matter of 2 days. It just reminded us all of the other Novembers we drove up for games and froze our butts off! As we were watching the game the camera went to the crowd! This is our chance we thought and went buck dancing and yelling. Finally we made it on the screen. Well, Sofi's paw made it and we counting that! Now that we got on the board we had more confidence we would get that picture with my boy Van Noy and we would finish our season attending every game! The game was a total blow out and we were devising our plan to get closer to the players. Like I said it was freezing and by last quarter most of the fans had decided to go home. We went down right behind the players and were distracted by them the remaining of the game. We got some waves from the players and I decided to doubt me getting my photo so I took matters into my own hands.

The game was over and we were waiting for the players to run into the locker room and from the far end of the field Sofi saw something majestic. She saw Van Noy running as if he was running right to us. We had to position ourselves is a good spot. Let me remind you again that snow is everywhere and it is below freezing temperatures so we couldn't just run from one place to the other. It was treacherous! I made my way to him and he was taking a picture with a family and I thought this is happening! I looked around for anyone to take my picture and no one was near me. I began to panic but Sarah came bursting through the crowd and said "I'm here, I'm here!!" Just in time again! I asked him for a photo and like everyone has told me he was soooo nice. Exactly what I wanted him to be. Took a picture with each of us and before he even walked away we jumped up and down together happy as can be that we made all of our goals on our list come true!

Later that night we found out that that might be Van Noy's last home game at LaVell Edward's Stadium. He is deciding wether he wants to enter the draft or return for his senior year. Maybe the Steelers will pick him up or maybe he will come back next season! Either way, I love him!

Baby Brother

Today I was reminded how much I love my brother Nathan. I was in line at McDonalds and bet your thinking "Why would that make you think of Nay?! He loves Whataburger, REMEMBER!" Well, McD's is playing the Monopoly game. I think it was about 3 years ago.. ok, let's be real. It was probably over 10 years ago and we were headed to a family reunion. Of course, my family can't be satisfied with just a weekend to see each other so we meet up early and decided to have a mini-reunion (Even though reunion isn't really the right word. You have to be separated to be reunited!) and wound up at a roadside park. We were playing games and having a great time and, of course, we had massive amounts of coke at our disposal.

Well, Coca Cola was having a game of their own. It was a pop top and you could win lots of prizes. Nathan went over and handed out some cans and cracked one open for himself. We all thought our lives were going to change after that. Natey was yelling at the top of his lungs-

"I WON!! I WON!! I WON A MILLION DOLLARS!!!"

Was he right? Could it be true? We all rushed him to examine the little disc that was under the top of the can and he had won!! Twenty five dollars. It was a let down for sure but boy was it so fun to get so excited about the million dollars. For a 10 year 

old boy though, twenty five buck 

still felt like a whole ton of money.

I had the opportunity to live with Nathan for longer than most of my siblings. He seems like an angry, to himself kinda guy but it totally isn't. I remember telling Mama about my day and how my friends and I had had fun the night before and almost always Nay would come out into the kitchen and ask me what had happened and wanted to know the juicy details. He always said no to whatever I asked him to help me with but before he could get the word out he was almost done with the chore. He would call me before he got home to see if I wanted anything to eat. But most of all I miss hearing him bust-a-gut at the funny things that he was watching or doing. People always choose between being a lover and a fighter but I know that Nathan
 is equal parts of both. I love and miss him so much.

"In the Pink"

When you think about the day you will go to the temple for yourself you think everything will be flawless. You will be overwhelmed with the spirit and remember that day for the rest of your life. Well.. two out of three ain't bad. Right?

The temple was so special. My family that was there with me said some of the most precious things to me and showed me what the Gospel of Jesus Christ promises us. Every time I return to the temple I learn something new but I continue to feel the love my Heavenly Father has for me. I want nothing more than for my family to be in the Celestial room all together one day!

The spiritual experiences I have had in the temple only get better and better each time I go. Thank goodness! I can't imagine it getting worse than the first time, with exception to Sami's experience ;) I find myself wanting to go every week and learn more and more. I love the way I feel when I leave this special place!

Benny Boo Boo Boobooboo.

This weekend Ben turned 22. Wow, how can that be when I feel 20?? Ben has been such a great brother to not only Sarah, Sami, Nay and me but to every person who ever came into Benny's life. All his friends are lifetime friends. Ben is that same loving, caring guy that he was when he was a kid and has only increased that strength as he has gotten older. The only thing that I can think that has changed about him is his character. Let me explain.

Ben has been batman since he was a little guy as you can see. And I mean has been. Every hear for halloween he was, without a doubt, Batman. There was no changing his mind about it.

He even said that he really was Batman and wore his costumes almost year round! Mama would buy him costumes in the middle of the year because he wore out all of them! This his him at age 19 playing around with some friends. No biggie.

This is Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Ben was such a fan of wrestling when he was in middle school. He would run into the living room wearing an old T-Shirt and rip it off yelling "What'cha gonna do Brother when Hulkamania runs wild on you!" He even made a corner of his room a workout station to get those 24" pythons! 

This is Rock 'n Roll Ben. He never stops singing. When he was in high school Mama wrote him a song for his band to play! He sang everywhere he went. In the car, school, walking around. When he moved to Florida the neighbors said it hadn't been that quiet since we moved in in '88! He recorded a few songs on my Garageband computer program. Every once in a while he comes up on my shuffle!

Ben and his friends would make funny videos and commercials. He loves to be the star of the show so he was the Stuntman.

Although, I think most of the time he ended up being the dummy. 

As Ben got older, he started to enjoy the typical boy hobbies. This is his 44 Magnum. That's right, just like Dirty Harry. He took me out one time to shoot it and that's what I did. I shot it one time. That was enough for me! My ears rang and arms were sore for about a week!

Meet Mad Max. Ben made this costume from scratch! I wouldn't call him a seamstress by any means but great job! You can bet he took this costume with him to Florida!

This is Conan. No, not Conan O'Brien, even though this is pretty hilarious. This is is Conan the Barbarian. He learned a few things on Photoshop because this is definitely not his body!

This isn't Photoshopped. ;) Ben and his best friend, Kiko went loincloth camping. They didn't make too great of Indians, though. It was cold and slept in the pickup. Who would have thought?!

Just as I said before, Ben loved being in the movies. This is a picture of him when he was supposed to be some raging killer. Well, if I didn't know Ben, I would be pretty terrified!

This is Mechanic Ben. He has worked with Daddy and Uncle Jimmy since he was about 5 years old. Every weekend and sometimes missing school, Ben was right there to help out. He learned a lot and in high school his Mustang was put into the restoration shop to get fixed up. The man that owned it was over his head in work so Ben would go over after school and work on it to finish it faster. He showed me how to drive it once, and just like the gun, once was enough. ;)

This is Missionary Ben. Elder Swapp was called to serve in the Santa Rosa, California Mission. He became great friends with Elder Harrison. But this was no new gig for Ben. He has been a great missionary all his life. Always searching the gospel and teaching is family and friends the good word. Living the commandments and strengthening his testimony as well as touching everyone else's lives.

While Ben has been different characters of the the years he has never lost his character. Ben is a great guy to look up to. A solid rock when it comes to being who he is and not changing for anyone that comes along his path. A great little brother that shows me that we can be the best if we make the effort and determination to live up to our potential. I love you Benny Baby!

I Believe in Love at First Sight...

Because I have been loving my mother ever since I opened my eyes!

Today was great and most of you reading this would wonder how could Mother's Day be so great when most of us are hundred's of miles away?! The Swapp's are problem solvers but this wasn't even a problem!

Nathan was able to Skype (video chat) from California, Ben from Florida, Sarah and I from Utah and Sami, Rock, Grandma and Papa went over to Mamy's house for a group chat. Well in real life it's hard to get a word in, online it was no different! We all had things to say and Ben and Rock had tons of things they wanted to show off!

Nathan didn't tell us too much. He has about 7 investigators, he's still in his same area- Palo Cedro, has a good companion and he is loving what he's doing. Oh and did I mention he is as handsome as ever?! He certainly reminded us ;) He is feed a lot of "rabbit food" by the members in his area so he spends his extra cash on mystery lego packs at Wal-Mart. He happened to get 2 hippies on one trip and burned them in the backyard. Some things never change.

Ben is marvy. He was hired to make a commercial for an apartment complex in Florida and it was a hit! He picked up a few more jobs because of it! He graduates in January and is excited about everything he is doing. He showed us his make-shift "double shoulder camera rig" among many items he "stole" from Nay's room the last time he visited.

Rocky was cute as ever. A little shy to sing some songs but we got "Tractor, Tractor" out of him by the end of the conversation. And without fail he showed us his eye.

Papa and Grandma made some appearances and updated us on our orders. Quilts, cars, and trucks. We love them so much! It's hard to believe they don't live next door to us anymore because we still see and talk to them just about as much as we used to!

Mama is such a great mom. She taught us that love doesn't have a limit. We really don't miss each other because when we do, we call, text, Skype, email or visit. Usually Mom's get gifts on Mother's Day but I think we all were thankful for the gift of our family that day.

Twenty Five in Twenty Twelve

Wow. How did I become this old?? The thought of my mom always saying that in her mind she thinks Daddy to be a young man is on my mind lately. I feel like inside I am 20 years old and now when people ask me my age I have to think for a moment and remember that they want to know my actual age and not how old I think of myself as! 

To start the day I had a test in Anthropology that just about killed me. I had to take a nap in my History class just so that I would be able to stay awake for this snoozer of a class and take the test. I'm not sure if I would have done better on it if I had actually just fell asleep for the test itself. Once that was over Sarah picked me up for some pampering, or so we thought...

There is a Paul Mitchell school here in Salt Lake that offers services at a discounted rate. That should have been my first red flag. We got to the place and waited for someone to help us. I was up first. Sam called me back and on the order sheet it said that I wanted a "Shampoo and Set". He, yes HE, verified if that was right and I told him that I had no idea what that meant but that I wanted a trim. He said a "set" is what you see in movies when older ladies get rollers in their hair and it's kinda like a perm. Ohhhh! I said well I am 25 today but I don't think I am that old yet for a "set". So he attempted to cut my hair, in the weirdest way I have ever experienced, and then this is where it gets good. I told him that I wanted loose curls or a soft wave. Well I ended up with what looked like the beginnings of dread-locks. I know I can be a little dramatic but after 3 hours of what felt like HELL. I was so over this. I had an hour before dinner and Sarah zoomed home so that I could shower and redo my hair. Luckily Sarah was thought how to drive by the same man that thought me, Papa, and we made it home in record timing. 

We met everyone at the Little America for dinner and it was so relaxing. Great friends and great food made the rest of the day so great. Sarah loved the gift I gave her. A Silver Dollar from the year 1987. I am kinda regretting not getting one for myself now!

City Creek opened on our birthday so on Friday Sarah and I walked over to check out what all the talk was about. I loved that mall!! Tiffany's was, of course the first store I went into and left with a little blue bag. I have been looking for years for a "little r" necklace and Tiffany's just came out with a new line of necklaces that were just that. I should be in fashion I tell ya!  

Birthdays are great because you can always feel loved by the ones in your life. I must be really loved 'cause I feel that way everyday!