10th Day of Christmas - Sara

Introducing...SARA
Sara was my best friend during my Junior year in high school. She was a Senior, and we were both in the fall play "Noises Off". That play was SO hilarious! It had a small cast, and Sara and I spent a lot of time together. We definitely hit it off! Sara was everything I needed at that time, and I appreciated her friendship more than she'll ever know. We spent a lot of time together either at lunch in the cafeteria or in the auditorium during practices for "Music Man", Shakespeare competition, and State Competition. We loved talking to one another and we shared a lot of personal things with each other. We were so much alike and we understood each other very well.

I loved being around Sara because she knows who she is and she exudes great confidence. She stands up for what she believes in, and openly shares of her feelings, and I love that the most about her! During that one year before she graduated, we got in so many fights. We'd argue and yell about whatever the problem was, and the next day we'd apologize and cry and move on. I loved that we could tell each other exactly how we felt, that we could disagree about things, and still be the best of friends. I truly appreciated that she stood her ground, and because of her I began to express myself more freely--a trait that I still have to this day! Her friendship was the best thing that happened to me that year. I missed her so much after she graduated, I struggled for the first two months of my Senior year without her presence.

Sara has a huge capacity to love. She welcomes others into her heart and shares with them her entire being; she's honest and open and caring. She is funny; she loves to laugh and she always makes me laugh too! She is very spiritual and gives her best effort in every calling she's given in the church. She loves her family so much and is very close to them. She enjoys fulfilling her roles as a wife, a mother, a sister, and a daughter.

The last time I saw her was when Ammon was an infant. We were living in Tremonton at the time, and I had just walked out of the Dr.'s office after taking him to his 2-week check-up. I passed Sara who was going in to the Dr.'s office with her mom; she was pregnant with her first child. I remember feeling so delighted to see her! She wasn't living around at the time, but she came to town for her Dr. because she liked him and her mom was a nurse. But other than exchanging "hi's" and "how are you's", we really said nothing else because I had a newborn I was carrying in the winter cold, and she was on her way in to an appointment. I think back to that day with regret because I wish I would've walked back into the office and sat and had a chat with her while she waited.

I like reading Sara's blog, and her thoughts on life. She is just one more reason for me to love blogging! I'm so glad we've found each other and are in contact again!

9th Day of Christmas - Candise

Introducing...Candise
I met Candise at a Tolman family reunion in 2003. We're not related, but her husband's brother married Josh's cousin Shanda. The reunion was in Salmon that year, and Candise and her husband had just moved here. When Shanda and her sisters came to town, they convinced her to come out to the reunion with them. I'm SO glad she did! After introductions were made, we talked for several hours. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

I was pregnant with the twins that year, and by the end of the summer, I was going to bi-weekly doctor appointments in Idaho Falls. Josh usually went with me once a week, but because he is so busy in the summertime, I always had somebody else go with me the other time. Candise came with me a few times, and I enjoyed her companshionship in the car for the 5-hour round trip and at the Dr.'s office. I almost always had ultrasounds by that point because the twins' umbilical cords were tied in knots, and the technician had to check the blood flow that each twin was receiving. Candise was so sweet to wait by my side and help me through it.

After the twins were born, she helped me so much. She was willing to babysit for me on occasion so that I could have some much-needed time out. She was a fun girlfriend! Josh and I went on a few double dates with her and her hubby, and occasionally Candise and I went to lunch and chatted. I loved our heart-to-heart conversations. She always listened to me, she always supported me, she always cared about me and my family.

Candise is so gifted and I look up to her in so many ways. She is a stellar teacher! She is so much fun and so creative and so organized, and her students love her too! She is a great pianist, and Ammon was lucky to have her as his piano teacher before they moved away. She makes friends wherever she goes; she is amiable and thoughtful and super nice. She is congenial and charitable and often gives so much of herself and her time to others. She has a positive attitude and is the most understanding person I've ever met. She has a great laugh, a beautiful smile, and is so photogenic! She has gone through some difficult times, but always meets challenges with optimism. She is an inspiration to me! She has a great little family, and she is such a loving mother and wife. She understands the divine purpose of motherhood and she values it more than anything. I want to be the kind of mother to my children that she is.

Before they moved, I went over a few times to help her pack. Man, she was SO organized! She was prepared with all the packaging materials and had a system in place. I was impressed! One day we worked on packing up clothes, and she wanted me to try on a whole bunch of clothes she didn't wear anymore. She gave me some dresses and shirts and the best jeans ever! I went over to help her, but ended up getting the bigger reward for sure! Candise is such a remarkable person, and I've missed her!!!

I love Candise! Her friendship has really strengthened me, and I am definitely a better person for having her as a part of my life!

8th Day of Christmas - Tawna

Introducing...TAWNA
Tawna is my younger sister. I love her so much. Unlike me, she took after my mom in meekness and service and humility and sensitivity; she is always kind and generous and is not easily provoked. Tawna is so nice, and to everyone too; she doesn't make enemies--I don't think she has a mean bone in her body! I asked her a few months ago who her best friend was and she said she doesn't have "one", it's more like "thirty". She is loyal and trusting, and I think others can easily tell this about her, hence the amount of true friends she has.

Because our family moved a lot when we were children, Tawna was my best playmate. We used to love playing barbies, we'd play all day. Unfortunately, just after moving to Tremonton (when I was in the 4th grade), playing barbies wasn't "cool" anymore, and it was then that I started playing more with my friends rather than my sisters. She was 3 years younger than me in school, and due to the different school's grade assignments, we only went to the same school when we were in elementary. But even though I didn't see her a lot during the day after that, she made an impact in our family's lives. She actually enjoyed cleaning when she came home from school, and she picked up after the rest of us! She was a peacemaker and was always trying to show love in a quiet way, especially to those of us in the family that are more loud-mouthed and bossy. She was very responsible and a hard worker, she excelled more in piano lessons because she practiced more devotedly.

Tawna got a college degree in elementary education and is a very successful teacher. She loves her students and it shows: she is compassionate towards them and cares about them as individuals. She is artistic and likes decorating her classroom. She is always looking for new and fun and challenging ways to teach them.

She is very spiritual and understands that each of us have a purpose in this mortal life. She has always been very righteous, and I really look up to her for that. The Spirit is always close to her, and she feels things in a greater capacity than I do. When she decides to do something, she gives it her all, whether it be her teaching, her beliefs, her life choices, or whatever. She's not a quitter and she doesn't back out of promises made.

My boys love her too. She's such an awesome aunt. She came up to visit us in Salmon last year and they enjoyed that so much. We took her 4-wheeling, picnicking, golfing, and bowling. They've asked me so many times since then, "When is Tawna coming back to see us?" She always remembers their birthdays and gives them gifts at Christmas. But even better than those physical gifts is the gift of her love that she so freely shares with them. She hugs them and plays with them and respects them and takes an interest in their lives and shares of herself and her things with them.

She is such a wonderful sister, and I'm so lucky that she's mine!

7th Day of Christmas - Debra

Introducing...DEBRA
I first met Debbie in Middle School. I don't even remember how it first started, but we wrote notes to each other a lot during 7th and 8th grade--the kind where you get a piece of notebook paper and after writing the note, you fold it all up and tuck it into itself so that it becomes its own envelope too. Debbie had cute handwriting and she is a remarkable artist, so the outside of her folded notes were decorated all cutesy too! Because I'm a sentimental junkie, I have kept letters dating as far back as 3rd grade. A few months ago, I decided to clean out my letter box, and I threw away all notes and cards that were dated prior to 1995. While I was purging, I ran across several of the letters exchanged by Debbie. They brought a smile to my face and I remembered what a bright spot they were to me back then as well.

I saw Debra a few years ago at our Class Reunion. She had the same beautiful smile that I remembered from our youth. She introduced me to her husband and we briefly chatted about where we live, how many kids we have, and what we're doing in life. Blogging has given me the opportunity to re-connect with Debra beyond the small talk of Class Reunions. I love reading her blog--she is cheerful, and often talks of the joys of family life. I also love reading it because she updates it about as much as I update mine. I'm always looking for something new to read, and she provides fun posts with accompanying photos!

Debra has several character traits that I admire. She is selfless and always thinks of others before herself--she is an icon of the word "sweetheart". She is a talented artist--she was our Studentbody Artist in High School. I love her work, and I'm always in awe of what she produces, especially since I always wish I could draw, but even my stick-men are unrecognizable! She is very creative, and she teaches her children using that same creativity. She is energetic and I'm constantly amazed at how much she accomplishes, especially with her 3 kids around! She supports her husband and takes an active interest in her family's lives. She is enthusiastic about learning and the growth she sees in her young and adorable children. She is spiritual and is a natural leader, guiding with patience and love. Debra is a great example to me. I'm grateful for her friendship that began during those awkward Jr. High years, and I'm even more grateful for her friendship now!

6th Day of Christmas - Jodi

Introducing...JODI

Jodi is Josh's cousin. The first time I met her, Josh and I were dating. We drove to Boise for the weekend to see his best friend Ryan who is married to his cousin Heidi. They were newlyweds and we stayed overnight with them in their new little apartment. Heidi's sister Jodi and her boyfriend Skott came over that evening too. I remember I was so nervous about meeting them all because they were so important to Josh. But I was in good company, and I soon felt at ease. We ate dinner and talked and caught up on each other's lives. It was a wonderful night and I was glad to have met Jodi, Skott, Heidi, and Ryan.

The next time I saw her was a year and a half later. Josh and I were married, and we drove to the Oregon coast to see her and Skott get married. The wedding was beautiful and peaceful. All of Jodi's siblings met together after for a family party and we joined the festivities. It was an awesomely fun party! Jodi had planned such a great get-together and I loved being a part of it! I always look back on that Oregon trip with fondness.

I enjoy being around Jodi. She is a genuine person; what you see is what you get, and I really value that quality! She is so easy-going and pleasant to be with--she reminds me a lot of Josh (no wonder they got along so good when they were children!). She is fun and has a fresh sense of humor--she always cracks me up!!! She is thoughtful and very giving. When her mom was my neighbor, she was always receiving packages in the mail from Jodi and I know it always made her day!! Jodi and Skott have an amazing relationship: they are so in love, and so caring towards each other, and respect one another. It's refreshing to see two people who are devoted to each other the way they are. Jodi is very smart and learns quickly. She adapts to new situations and places very easily. I have never lived by her, and have only seen her a handful of times since our first meeting, but each meeting with her has been a positive one. She is very optimistic and has a happy aura about her. I'm grateful that we're family, even if it is by marriage! I would choose to be related to that girl any day!!!

5th Day of Christmas - Celyn

Introducing...CELYN

Four years ago, I started going to group scrapbooking once or twice a month. A group of women would meet at a public location and spend an evening eating, scrapping, talking, and laughing. It always felt like a much-needed mini-vacation from my home life and my depression. I desperately needed to get out with other women. When I was there, I felt free--I laughed a lot, sang a lot, and spoke rather loudly. I enjoyed myself immensely! After a year or so, the dynamics of the group changed and several of the newer women started thinking of me as obnoxious. This saddened me and I didn't feel as free to be myself. Thankfully, it was during that time that Celyn started coming. I had met her before that, but it wasn't until then that we bonded--she also enjoyed laughing and talking loud and being herself. We instantly clicked and I had found a true friend!

Celyn is full of life and love. She has the most amazing spirit about her; she is in touch with her soul and is honest with herself. She has helped me through some really difficult times. She's uplifting and really friendly. She is open about her life lessons. She freely gives and shares with so many. She is incredibly gifted: she's very organized and has a beautiful voice and is very creative and is a wonderful wife and a terrific mother. I have also never met a cleaner person; she thrives on cleanliness!

Last year, she moved away from Salmon. I haven't done any real scrapbooking since. I miss going out to girls night with her! The beauty about our friendship is that even if we haven't spoken for a long time, when we get together, we can still talk for hours as if we were never apart! When I visited my grandparents this summer, I stopped by her house on the way home and spent the night. My boys played with her daughter and I relaxed in her presence. She is such a great listener and so sweet. She has one of the most thoughtful, kindest hearts of anyone I've ever met. She fed us, made up beds for us, listened to me rant. My sons aren't the easiest boys to have as guests: they broke one of her daughter's toys and they ran around the house and one of them got sick on her floor. But she acted as if it was nothing and cleaned up the mess and didn't make a big deal out of anything. I appreciated her so much for that!

I absolutely love Celyn! I love her desire to remain a faithful daughter of God. She doesn't gossip, she doesn't judge others, she doesn't let what others think affect who she is. I love her for her trueness to herself. And she has always let me be myself around her--she knows my weaknesses and my struggles and my inner demons, and she still chooses to love me and be my friend. It is rare to find friendships like these! She feels like a sister to me. I am so blessed to have Celyn as my friend and I know that our friendship will last forever!

4th Day of Christmas - Heather

Introducing...HEATHERHeather was my childhood best friend and so much more. My family moved around a lot when I was younger--I went to 4 different elementary schools in 3 states. I had a few best friends before her, but each one only lasted a year or so, until we moved again. When my family finally settled down in Tremonton, I was in the 4th grade. Heather's family lived just across the street and one house down. Within just a few blocks, there were several girls my age. I was SO lucky!

Heather and I used to walk home from school together, and we'd swing on the big tree in my yard along the way. We'd play make-believe in the summertime, my personal favorite was our own restaurant "JB's" and our sisters would be our pretend wives and children. We spent a lot of time at her house, jumping on her trampoline, playing in her outdoor playhouse, playing downstairs in the family room or in her room. We'd have endless sleepovers, playing games and watching movies and making popcorn and laughing 'til the wee hours of the night. I have so many great memories with Heather, it's impossible to even begin naming them.

During the Jr. High years, we started going through the whole pubescent stage and having horrible hormonal phases. So during those few years, our friendship was on again/off again. When we were friends, we'd still walk home from school together, through the large field that distanced the Middle School from our homes. We talked of classes, of boys, of our likes, our families, and our daily lives.

By High School, we were back to being constant friends, but we were in different friend circles--I was in the drama nerd group, and she was in with the athletic group. She played soccer, and basketball, and track. I missed walking home from school with her, because she always had sports practice or I had play practice. But we did still see each other quite frequently: we went on some double dates together, we still had sleepovers occasionally, we were both in choir, and she was in a few plays. We were in the same ward, and I loved having her in my class at church. We went to YW camp together, got our YW Medallions on the same night, and graduated from Seminary together.

After high school, our lives became separated. We started off attending different Universities, but we managed to stay in touch. She threw a fun bridal shower for me when I got married. She waited outside the temple for me on my wedding day. She helped throw a baby shower for me when I was pregnant with Ammon. I went to the temple with her as she went through for the first time before her mission to Russia. I went to her homecoming when she came back home. She is now married with a gorgeous baby girl, and I'm sad to say I haven't spoken in person with her for a few years, the last time being only by chance on a Black Friday early morning!

I will always love Heather. She was instrumental in me keeping friendships. It was difficult for me to KEEP friends since I was used to moving around. I struggled with it for a while after living in Tremonton. I felt bad that everyone else had grown up together and had pictures of each other as toddlers, and in Kindergarten, and early school years--I didn't even know the names of the kids in my class pictures. After a few years, I didn't have a problem with it anymore because I had memories with Heather and the neighborhood girls, and I no longer felt like the "newcomer" but rather a "BFF". I finally felt like I belonged somewhere! So when I think of my childhood best friend, I always think of Heather, even though our friendship didn't begin until 4th grade.

Heather was so easy to love. She has a delightful sense of humor, a contagious laughter, a kind heart, a fun and positive attitude. She was trustworthy and kept my confidences. She always let me know how she felt, and I loved that about her. We have similar family structures, similar backgrounds, similar beliefs, similar likes, and similar personalities. She always understood me and I felt validated and comfortable around her. She is extremely spiritual and very goal-oriented. She always knew what she wanted, and she was never afraid to follow her dreams. I couldn't have asked for a better childhood best friend. I always felt better about myself when I was around her. I miss her tremendously.

3rd Day of Christmas - Eve

Introducing...EVE
Eve became a part of my life during the good old high school days. I had a love/hate relationship with her. I loved her because she had an amazing talent in the theater department, and I hated her because she had an amazing theatrical talent! I used to love acting, especially during my high school years. Eve got the starring role in almost every play, and I was JEAL-OUS. Between Eve and Charlotte (another girl with incredible talent), I never even had a chance! I wanted to be just like her. I wanted her talent. I wanted her confidence. I wanted her beauty.

Eve is one year my elder. I have some great memories with her: Shakespeare Competitions, State Drama Competitions, multiple Plays and parties, Drama Club events. I remember looking through her Theater Sterling Scholar portfolio with much awe; I was so impressed with all that she had already accomplished! After high school, she furthered her education and her acting. The last time I saw her, it was on the movie "RM". During the movie, I was jumping up and down and telling my family "I know that girl! I went to high school with her!!!". It excited me so much because that's the life I wanted to live, and I was thrilled to know somebody who actually did! I wanted to be in community theater plays as an adult. I wanted to get a college degree in theater. I wanted to be famous for my performances on stage. I quit after one year into my theater scholarship at SUU to get married, and I've never done any real acting since. But Eve has. She is a professor, she is still acting, she's everything I thought my life would be. Thankfully, I've matured over time and I'm no longer jealous of her, just really happy for her.

I've never known anyone like Eve. She has the most beautiful mesmerizing eyes, and her hair is just glorious! Her confidence is like a magnet, drawing in those around her. She is funny. She is stylish. She is in touch with her inner self. She is intelligent. She has real-life experiences, and is so understanding of others because of it. She isn't afraid to try new things. She is so awesome! I'm grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with her now after all these years; I'm thankful that Eve has been an influential part of my life.

2nd Day of Christmas - Gina

Introducing...GINA

When we first moved to Salmon, we rented a home down the same road on which we live now. There are only about a dozen families on this 2-mile-long road. One of our closest neighbors back then was Gina and her husband David. Shortly after moving in, she invited Josh and I, along with baby Ammon, over for dinner. We accepted the invitation and looked forward to it. The evening was full of good conversation and good food. For being a young wife, Gina was an excellent cook, and I was very impressed with the meal. After consuming it, we looked at some of her scrapbooks. She showed me her wedding book and I remember thinking how amazing it was that she was so caught up-to-date with her books, especially since I was still working on my own childhood scrapbook and Josh's missionary books. She's an excellent scrapbooker! Her style has evolved from those days, and it's been fun to see her creativity manifest itself onto her pages.

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to get to know Gina better. We are no longer neighbors, but we have children of similar ages and we are currently in the same ward. She is very down-to-earth and has a hilarious sense of humor. She is a very good listener, and I've noticed people call her all day long because she offers an understanding ear. She is very real, and I like that about her. She loves to take care of her husband and her children. She enjoys her role as a wife and mother, and her priorities always revolve around her family's needs. She grows her own garden, and an impressive one at that! She has an immaculate and comfortable home, and it is decorated very nicely.

She's still the most caught-up-to-date person I know: her scrapbooks are current, she posts on her blog immediately after an event, her giant garden is planted and cared for and harvested precisely when it should be, her holiday decorations are always put up right on time. She is very dependable and very organized.

She is compassionate and always tries to offer a service to those around her. She's babysat for me and made meals for my family numerous times. I keep trying to repay the service, but it is an impossible task and I always come up short. I appreciate Gina for her righteous attitude, for her abilities to serve, for her example of a loving wife and mother, and for her friendship to me.

1st Day of Christmas - Linette

Introducing...LINETTELinette is Josh's aunt. She is married to John, who works in the golf industry as a fertilizer salesman & consultant. It is because of John that Josh has his job. When we got married, Josh worked for a lawn care company. After 3 years in that job, John informed him of the golf course superintendent job opening in Salmon, and we've been here ever since. We will always be grateful to uncle John for informing us of the opening that has afforded us the opportunity to live in Josh's hometown of Salmon.

I first met Aunt Linette when Josh and I were engaged. We were living in Utah at the time, and we drove to Eastern Idaho to see Josh's grandpa get an award. We spent the night at Linette and John's house because their daughter was getting baptized the next morning. Not only was she very welcoming to me, but she also had a great sense of humor, a fun attitude, and a generous heart. I immediately liked her, and was thankful for the chance I had to meet Josh's extended family before we got married.

The first couple years of marriage were hard for us. We were young and immature and had so much to learn about ourselves, each other, and marriage. After 6 months of marriage, we got into some big fight (I have no idea now what it was about!). I decided to leave for a few days and calm my emotions and straighten my mind out. I didn't tell Josh I was leaving. I wanted him to miss me and be sorry about whatever we were fighting about. I packed up while he was at work and headed for someplace far from home, but where I could feel rejuvenated. I thought of Aunt Linette. I drove the 2 hours to her house and stayed there for a few days.

She was so sweet to take me right in. She made me feel loved and she listened to me and offered her understanding and support. I enjoyed spending a few days with her family. One day we spent burning the leaves in a garden fire. One night she took me to a haunted house with her. We spent time talking and doing errands and taking care of household chores. It was so wonderful for me. I appreciated her thoughtfulness and her kindness. I don't even remember the ending to the story with Josh--I can't remember if I ended up calling him and letting him know where I was or if I finally came home and surprised him with my presence, but I do remember that the retreat to Linette's house was just what I needed.

I love Aunt Linette and Uncle John. I love her delicious food (especially her homemade raspberry jam), I love her beautiful smile and her laugh, I love the goodness of her heart, I love her ability to give so much of herself to others, I love her courage to press forward through difficult times, I love her sweet spirit and the example that she is--she's a wonderful mother and an excellent friend. Thank you Aunt Linette for being a great role model for me and for always being there for me in times of need through the past 11 years!