JoeCool

Joe turned 28 today! Wow...how did that happen? He's posted a hilarious bit on his blog that you have to check out and comment on :). Here's the link to his blog if you don't already have it. It is also along the side of my blog in the list of others' blog addresses.

Joe is a master at words so me writing something about him will just not do him justice. All the same though, I do want to verbalize in the smallest of ways, why I absolutely love Joseph McCune Castleton. I think it started when he stole my ice cream, that first of a gazillion times...definitely didn't start any earlier...he was still screaming for the first few years of our lives...from screaming to stealing...what a great start Joe. He made us all laugh and could get away with anything on the planet because of that. Joe's always been good looking...he made best friends with all the girls in our junior high...and on the first day of school too, just because he was "so cute." Yes, you were definitely called cute.

With his gift of bringing us to laughter and sometimes to the point of tears too, Joe also had the gift of a beautiful singing voice, amazing piano ability and creativity, a steady and consistent approach to life, fast legs, great bowing on his cello, and awesome moves on the wrestling mat. It was fun growing up with him. Joe was a great listener and he also taught me quite a bit about what matters most.

From picking up trash on the freeway together, sharing the MTC, hair cuts on end, and long conversations talking about our funny dating experiences, I have always been so proud to call you my brother. Yes, you're right, it is I that is lucky to have you in my life!

Let's hear it for a great year for JoeCool!

Happy Easter

I wanted to share this beautiful, tasteful piece on how to live our lives with peace and focus on Christ. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.  

Elder Elder Enzio F. Busche's book, 

Yearning for the Living God is also wonderful. Happy Easter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAjZ8mfoYw

More of Lenichka and Caleb

Aren't these pictures just the cutest?  Rach sent these out and I thought I'd add them here for everyone's viewing pleasure :)  Enjoy!

Ben, Em & Company

Ben, Em and their three little kidlets came to Utah over a month ago for Emily's sister's wedding.  We were so excited to see them and to spend time with them.  Thanks for making the trip Ben and Emily. 

I love this picture.  The only sad thing is that Emily isn't in the picture. The kids are their usual fun selves and we're enjoying them...while poor Benni is tired, but trying to smile :).  I can't believe he and Em have three kids!  Amazing.  They have brought so much happiness and light into our family.

Patience

The word seems harmless enough.  Be patient.  

Yes, I understand: wait, pause, be still, hold your breath, take in a few deep ones, close your eyes for a sec, now let it out.  Yes, that is all part of patience.   But, man, it is still so difficult.  So many things to be patient about...especially if you're an intense person.  Yes, be patient: pray, meditate, go for a walk, take in another deep breath and let it out again, ponder, listen, and be still...again.  

Patience is the teacher and I'm the student. 

Much to learn - much to learn.

March 1st - Celebrate Your Life

Well, it really happened, Becky Castleton really turned 30 years old! Yep, didn't see that one coming now, did ya? :) Me neither. How do I feel? Honestly, I'm excited - I'm ready! For my birthday, all sorts of surprises came my way...and let me tell you, I was most certainly surprised!

Friday, Feb 27th, Liz and Mares got together and threw a super surprise birthday party for me at Thai Ruby, the Thai restaurant I used to work at. That was so nice - so fun - and so great to see several folks that I haven't seen in a good while. Loved that - yep. Such wonderful people. Because I'm so all about green :), Liz provided the birthday girl with tons of green balloons, several green St. Patrick's Day beaded necklaces, and this funny green St. Patrick's Day headband...I'm most definitely wearing it on the 17th!

As you can see, I wore everything that night - no shame - I'm 30 - it doesn't matter anymore :). She also gave me beautiful flowers and a ginormous ice cream cake!!! Who does that? :) Thank you to everyone who came! That meant so much to me and made this year for me.

Dad was also in town for Seth's solo in BYU's Night of Concertos and so it was such a treat to have him with us, celebrating my birthday. It has been at least a decade since he and I were together for becky's b-day. So great. The best thing of the party was that I had NO clue! How does that happen? No one spilled the beans; I walked into Thai Ruby, ready for dinner with my family and instead was thrown the best birthday celebration known to man...and with such awesome peeps.

Because I'm a slightly crazy planner, I'd planned everything out that weekend ...but Liz and Mares were smarter than that and figured out how to get me in the end! What a blessing to be loved by such great people. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Guess they're mostly so I can immortalize the events :) Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of everyone that made these events so amazing.

This picture is so cute. Maybe it is obnoxious to show gifts...sorry! Just thought these lovely designed gift bags looked so awesome and fun that I had to take a picture and share! On the morning of March 1st, I found these waiting for me, filled with fun green gifts!

For this year's Celebrate Your Life, I wanted to make a health dinner that others could enjoy. Mom and I talked over the best options for Miss Cooker Becks. The thing is, anyone who has ever lived with me can tell you how much cooking and Becky Castleton don't go together! I can make great cheese, tomato and spinach sandwiches, but I have rarely ventured into the world of cooking...and I wanted to change that!

Following mom's instructions, the dinner included a chicken soup filled with tons of fresh vegetables, a lentil chili of sorts, brown rice, tasty fruit salad, homemade graham crackers, and other fun eats. Liz was amazing and did so much to help out. Thank you to Mares and everyone else that also helped and made the event so much fun.

One of my favorite things is to be with those I love and this dinner was just that. A huge thank you to everyone who came and to all who have added so much to my life.

As seen in some of the pictures, Tristan and James decided it was their responsibility to wrap me up like a present! Thank you very much you two...and that goes for all the onlooking bystanders too.

Adam thought it was

necessary to document

the experience with these photos, so there you go! I've included pics of some of the others who came too :).

I'm going to be a bit sentimental here for a sec. For about two weeks leading up to the big "3-0" b-day, I had a flood of memories fill my mind; without even trying to let them in, they came. Over and over again, I was reminded of how this person, that roommate, this relative, and that experience, has shaped me, blessed me, and given me the joy that qualifies celebrating life.

Truly, I have been showered down upon by blessings and gifts that came in the form of the most wonderful of people entering my life. There are not words to adequately offer thanks, but I guess I want to try all the same.

One of my friends suggested giving away 30 of my favorite things and so at the conclusion of dinner, everyone chose some little (and very cheap :) thing that I like...kids' soccer ball, favorite toothpaste, gum, water bottle, ice cream, soap, seeds, quote book, running socks...good times.

One more thing, Megan O'Hanlon, my Irish other half, set up the funniest group on facebook for me and I've had quite the time reading through it! Folks shared funny memories about me there...and isn't that the type you'd expect? Joe also wrote quite the discussion post on the page which is now on his blog fyi, if you're ever needing a laugh :). Megan creating such a group made me laugh and almost didn't surprise me - she's always doing something sneaky-funny like that :)! Missed you megs.

Thank you again everyone! You've made my life the awesome
experience it has been so far.

My visit to Rachel's

Can't believe it has already been two weeks since I visited my little sis Rach in Rio Rico, Arizona...right near the border. It was such a great experience spending time with her, meeting the lovely new addition to her family, Lena, and getting to know little Caleb a little bit better. That kid looks just like rach did at that age...except, his head is a bit bigger :).  It was also so good to hear more about Dean's job and to get a better understanding of what he's doing.  It was neat to see how good he is to my sister.  They are a great team!

Visiting with Rachel was so nice. I'm not sure there is anyone in this world with whom I can talk to and feel so understood, speak freely and not feel judged, and with whom I know I can always be my truest self. Feeling this way is such a gift. When I make a mistake, I know she will always forgive me and always help me be my best. Saying it was refreshing to be with her is an understatement - it had been a while since we were together and being with her rejuvenated me!

Hope you enjoy the pictures. I couldn't believe how perfect little Lenichka was...is. Seriously, the pictures don't even do her justice! 

She is so precious!

Please excuse the camera lady.  She still doesn't seem to know how to hold a camera upright nor how to refrain from saying weird, annoying things on camera :)  How unfortunate for the viewer.

Here is Caleb telling me all about the cows :)  Rach and Dean live in an open range area which means that cows roam the area freely...quite freely!  This was especially funny when there were 7 of these guys right outside their back door.  

Below, Caleb demonstrates several animal sounds...he especially likes doing that while on Dean's back.  Though a little camera shy, you can get the idea.  He's a pretty funny little guy :).