10 YEARS!!

My life has never been the same since I started my job with SkyWest airlines.

I was attended college working two jobs, Full time at the University Hospital and part time at Chilis.

I was really busy one night (in the weeds servers like to call it).

I met a lady named Necia and she offered me her card, and asked if I had ever considered being a flight attendant. To that day I would say I had never thought about it and took her card and out of curiosity I went and turned in my application, attended the open house and was hired.

Because of this job, we have many opportunities that we never would have.

It has helped me to become more patient, find the humor in things, hate the smell of cinn-a-bon,

watch how I use the tone of my voice, and to be more friendly to people I don't know.

Some of my favorite things I have done while employed with SkyWest. I have been able to see many cities that I probably wouldn't have chosen to see. For example, Elko Nevada (became one of my favorite over nights)

Also many experiences that I never would have been able to say I have come across.

My passenger that died and came back to life.

The time I went to the St. George Temple with my Captain and First Officer.

The MANY fire alarms that go off in Hotels in the middle of the night.

The chocolate milk in Idaho Falls

The cookies from the Double Tree

The girl that thought the flight deck door was the bathroom and threw up all over the door, and my crew calling me and saying "what is that smell?"

The parents that gave their twin toddlers chocolate milk and a really turbulent day into Jackson Hole and they threw up in the ladies hair sitting in front of them.

The day I had all Japanese tourists flying into Jackson Hole and the interpreter asked me for a passenger, " Where is the hole in Jackson?"

The day I met my good friend Whitney in the crew lounge on a break and we were cracking up about the things we would do on our last day on the job.

The time, we were flying in bad weather and on landing the airplane jerked to the side and I (the working flight attendant) screamed.

One night upon landing I was making a welcome announcement and I couldn't remember where I was, the passenger in row one told me.

The time the fuel truck caught on fire.

13 hours in the Vancouver airport trying to go see Ben's family for Christmas

The many times we have got First Class.

The first time in first class I didn't know what to do with the napkin she handed me, the flight attendant abruptly grabbed it out of my hand and set it down on the tray table, huffed and walked away.

The 1,000,000,000 times I have told passengers, "that will not fit on here."

The time my landing gear wouldn't come up

The non-celebrities that I have had on my flights.

And to DinseyWorld, Disneyland, Paris, Switzerland, Kauai, Maui, Canada, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Belize, the Bahamas, and the 25 states that I have seen, the shops, my first trip to Cafe Rio in St. George (when it was the only one)

Thank You SkyWest!!

We are still alive

There is a lot to blog about.

Alivia graduated from Kindergarten, we love her teacher...what a fun school year for her.

The Whidden's are going on a Mission to Frankfurt, Germany and surrounding European area's.

See you guys in September:)

Kessler turned one in March...just a tad bit behind.

Ben got some good news, he was asked to be a temporary store manager for the American Fork Target. They gave him the news on a Wednesday and wanted him to be there the following Monday.

Ben started with Target on May 11, 2003 at the American Fork Target and transferred back to be the Store Manager (STL, Target terms) on May 11, 2009. 6 years to the day.Ring....Ring....

Who is it.......

DESTINY

I have been expecting your call:)

Look how glad he was that I painted a huge Target bullseye on our drive way.

And a public apology to our neighbors, it won't come off.

A concrete contractor stopped as he was driving by and gave me some advice that I will have to scrub it off with most likely a wire brush...fun

My 10 year anniversary at SkyWest this JUNE ....yes I can finally retire...woot woot:)

Other than that life is good, I was released as the activities chair person and called to be the Young Women's Secretary...girls camp here I come...wow it has been a long time.

Kids are out of school and having lots of fun.

Ben got a new truck, his dream truck, will post a pic soon.

TTYL, I am getting the hang of text lingo thanks the YW in the ward:)

Update

I love these pictures, it is so funny to me how many shots it takes to take one descent picture.

Thanks to Ben's sister, Leah. For taking these pictures for us.
All is well in Whidden-ville. Ben is still waiting for Target. I am still part time with SkyWest. Livi is loving Kindergarten and gets to eat school lunch next week and is FREAKING out. Cooper is cracking me up. He does not like it when I get upset with someone. We are starting to say no to Kessler, (If he touches something he is not supposed to) Cooper will say, Smile at him mom, smile at him, don't do that face mom. Bauer and Cooper have a little rivalry going on. If Cooper has something Bauer wants it and vice versa. Bauer now says to Cooper " I am not talking to you, I am talking to MOM!" Kessler has had a tough time. Got sick coming home from Calgary, has had over 11 ear infections, and now not feeling well again.

I was released from the activities committee and was called to be in the Young Women's (secretary). YEAH that is a crazy calling. Busy, Busy, Busy....and Girls Camp here I come, whooo hoooo..... I am sad to leave activities committee that was so fun.
I am so glad some warm weather for a few days. We have planted some trees, flowering pears, and a peach tree. We also planted some of our garden, peas, tomatoes, bell pepper and more to come.

Easter Weekend

We had a great time Easter weekend in Canada. We flew to Calgary on Thursday and drove south to Lethbridge. Ben's youngest brother got married, Tim and his cute new bride Ashton.

These are some of the photos that I hi-jacked (can I say that:) from Julies blog, Thanks Jules.

I love this picture below, I can totally see Tim and Ashton will a family like this some day:) The kids had so much fun with their cousins, Yes all of them are cousins. At one point the photographer said to the Whidden family, okay lets shoot immediate family only, my mother in law commented, this is immediate family....

The Girl cousins

Alivia, Riley, Kaysa, Haley, Avery

The Boy cousins

Dryden, Deegan, Ryker, Bauer, Kessler, Carter, Cooper and Easton.

The Cardston Temple is so beautiful. It was such a fun weekend and the sun shined almost the whole time, my kind of weekend.

Blogging has definetly taken a back seat to my life. I hope my blog doesn't feel bad:)

Of course a lot has gone on, I probably don't remember some of it since the days fly by.

Kessler turned one at the end of March and we had a sweet little family party for him. The pictures are so funny, we were singing happy birthday to him and we were going to have Cooper blow the candles out for him. Right before that Kessler touched the top of the candle and extinguished the candle. (see pics)

We are heading up North this week for a family wedding. The kids are really excited, I am too but my excitement will present itself once we get there. Traveling with 4 little people is kindof crazy. But our congrats to Tim and Ashton:)

We have checked off one more thing in the basement, finishing the bathroom. Yeah, we still have some minor things to finish. I am so glad it is a nice feeling to have a bathroom down there for the kids and guests.

While we were finishing the basement we were ( I was) re-arranging some things in the storage room, one of them being a weight maching Ben bought about 7 or 8 years ago with good itentions, during the move some of the cables came loose and it ended up going in the storage room. So as some wives may do, I would ask Ben now and then what he planned to do with that, he would always say "Oh I plan on fixing it and bringing it out" the thing is it was still usable it was just loose. So a few times I would say okay 6 months and then it goes to the D.I or something. 6 months came and gone 6 times. So I took it apart yesterday and hauled it outside. Uhhhhh......

yeahh......maybe should have done that when Ben wasn't home (he wouldn't have noticed for a long time) anyway he is not mad at me anymore:)

Life is good, Liv and Coop have been pretty healthy Bauer and Kessler have got the worst end of things. Kessler was diagnosed with asthma, that could possibly go away when he older but for now he is on asthma medication.

No news for Ben only that he was really close to going to Boise, but Target decided not to move anyone while the economy is so bad.

I am still part time and loving it.

Whidden version 2009

It has taken me a while to post this picture. I have more it takes a while to get them on here. We had a grea time taking these and thanks to my friend and neighbor Jeni for doing a great job and being so kind and patient.

Yeah its official Whidden version 2009 here for your viewing pleasure:)

Look who is 5, look who is walking, and the gospel according to Alivia..

Happy Birthday Cooper, 5 years old!!

5 Wonderful things about a 5 year old.

5. He is so sweet, he is a tender little boy, sensitive to people and their feelings.(usually)
4. He loves his siblings, he stands up for who ever is in trouble. If Bauer is being naughty, he will say " mom you need to smile at him".

3. He is a very picky eater, one day he will be freaking out because there in hamburger in some kind of casserole and the next day we will have taco salads with hamburger and it is his favorite meal.
2. When he does something like spills a drink he will say I am so sorry mom, I am so so sorry mommy, don't be mad, I am so sorry. (how can you be mad at that)

1. We love him so much and so glad he is in our family our little man hanging on the coat tails of his sister today and the day he was born! Love you Coop!

This is Alivia's game she has done before and today I finally got to the camera and was able to catch it on video. This is her game called
"scriptures". She gets a set of scriptures and tells her version of what they say. The reason I ask her to tell me what people shouldn't do, the other day when she was playing this "game" she said cigarettes and tattoos (uh-hem Gina:) ha ha
Kessler is walking I couldn't get his video on here, but you might see him cruising around.