Ellie and Gary

Over Due Buckway Update!!!

2010-10-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Well hello friends and family! SO sorry I have been absent from blogging for the past ........... lets just say really really long time. Since my last entry our lives have done a 180. So much has changed. Lets reflect back on Nov. 2009, if your thinking at this point that this is going to be a very long blog entry then your probably right. I will try to paraphrase the best I can. So Hawaii was a dream. We loved living in Kona for the short four months that we did. The actual internship was not ideal but instead of remembering that drama I like to remember all the days Gary and I spent laying on the beach, listening to the waves, and reading/talking. We love love loved being beach bums for a while. When we got home, we both got jobs. I was working as an office manager for a dental office and Gary was selling cars. We were living with my parents and saving up money, i know really cool. As lame as it sounds we loved living there. My mom is the most wonderful woman in the world and was always cooking and caring for us. We had a lot of fun but we were wondering when things were going to kick into gear.

Gary officially graduated in April with his Bachelors Degree in Business Management. I am so proud of him. He didn't love school but he stuck it out and completed a really tough major. Thats my man!

We then decided we would start looking for a home. Just FYI for those of you that don't own a home yet. It is the most time consuming, stressful, and annoying process known to man. Ok, that might be some what of an exaggeration, but it was a very long process. We finally found a perfect town home for us in Draper. We live on Daisy Field Dr. Don't you just love the sound of that. It's just as cute as it sounds. It is a three bedroom, two bath and is the perfect size for us.

During this annoying house hunt, I was constantly looking for jobs. I did not feel content as an office manager. With my degree in Exercise Science, it was definitely not an ideal job for me. It was just a job to pay the bills. I was constantly applying for jobs and better opportunities. little did I know what was in store for me. When I was searching online I found the perfect job for me. It was a Group Fitness Manager for the 24 Hour Fitnesses In Utah. I knew it was a big stretch to get such a great job but I applied. I also facebooked and emailed the hiring manager and did what ever else it took to get noticed. Then, miraculously I got called for an interview. It was a three step interview process. I was at the gym getting ready to teach a Turbo Kick class when I got the call saying that I got the job!!!!! It was one of the happiest days of my life. I taught a rocking Turbo class after that. Ever since that day I have been working harder then I ever have before. This is an incredible job and it is A LOT of work! I am in charge of the Group Fitness program for every club in Utah - Total of 7. I am in charge of hiring/firing new instructors, budgets, changing schedules, coordinating over 100 instructors, promoting our national partners, launching new formats, and the list goes on. I am growing so much with this job. I love a good challenge and this is definitely one of those. I am getting a little bit better at time management but some times I just have to force myself to not think about work for just an hour out of the day or so. It is just so hard when there is so much going on. Having an obsessive personality doesn't help much.

Gary just put in his two weeks at the car dealership and is looking for something new. If any of you know of anything please let us know. He is a very smart man that just needs the right opportunity to apply his incredible qualities.

The last Buckway update is the best so far. About four months ago we surprisingly found out that we are PREGNANT!! WHAT! Crazy, i know. It still has not officially sunk in. Even though it was a surprise, it feels like it happened right when it should have. It feels so right. The baby is just a little bean right now, but I just love it so so so much! I have been so busy that it still hasn't quite sunk in yet. Hopefully it hits me a little bit more before it is hear! We find out on Oct.25th what we are having. Gary is so excited! My mom bought us a crib the other day. I surprised Gary with it when he got home from work. It was so fun to see how excited he was about it. It is so incredible thinking that you made a child with the love of your life and that our baby is going to share our features. Its amazing! It has been going on since the beginning of time but you just don't realize how incredible it is until it happens to you.

Well, that is our novel of an update. Thank you for reading and caring. Life is so good! Below are some random pictures of the last while.

I just wanted you guys to see how goofy my family is....

And how Beautiful my sisters are!

Region 105 at IDEA. Go Froot Loops!

Getting read to pump it at BODY PUMP!

The 24 HF Thugs!

What! I am pregnant????

I AM PREGNANT!!!

3 years down, another 80 to go!

2010-03-25T18:51:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! If your pinching yourself right now to see if this is for real then pinch no further! Yes, thats right, I am actually blogging again. WOW! Sorry for my lack of posts. If it makes you feel any better I am always viewing yours but I am just not doing a whole lot with mine. Anyways, Gary and I Celebrated our 3rd year anniversary a couple of weeks ago and it was soooooo much fun! I have been waiting to blog so I could get the pictures of our fun filled weekend, but that is taking too much time and I don't want the memories to go away. So Gary and I decided that I would plan our Saturday activities and that he would plan our Sunday activities. So, on Saturday I started off the day with a surprise trip to "Momentum," an indoor rock climbing place. Gary was in heaven. I actually made it to the top which is huge for me with my fear of heights and all. It was so fun! Then we went out to lunch at this Rock climbing cafe. I love the organic, boarder line hippy, feel of decked out rock climbing people. I love being around them. So then we went to Cottonwood Heights, where I teach aerobics, and went swimming and relaxed in the hot tub. Our next activity was a romantic dinner at "Morellias," a nummy Mexican restaurant where Gary and I went to when we were dating. Then we went to "Wise Guys Comedy Club" which was soooooo fun! Gary and I were non stop laughing the entire time. I love it when Gary laughs hard. He gets this really high laugh and his eyes squint really tight. It makes me laugh harder! Then we stayed the night at Castle Creek Inn. This is a place down the steet that I pass by every day and have always wondered what it is like inside. It definitely did not disappoint! It was fantastic! We stayed in the Camelot Suit. The next day Gary had planned to go to Antelope Island. He had never been before and thought it would be fun and adventurous, which it was! For those of you who are wondering what is on antelope island, let me tell you. There is basically a whole lot of nothing on antelope island, ha! There are a lot of antelope and a lot of buffalo. A really neet place that we discovered there was an Old Ranch where people used to live. Brigham Young actually stayed there! They used to ship the buffalo over to antelope island, where they could not escape, and sale them so that the saints could afford to come to Utah. How cool is that! I actually felt the bed where he slept on. Love Brigham Young! After Antelope Island Gary said we were going to keep driving until we found an old fashion dinner in a boonville town where we could have dessert. So we drove for a little over an hour north to a town called "Treemonten" and had ice cream and pie at this adorable, right off a movie, dinner. Then we ended the fun filled weekend driving home. What a blast! I wish every weekend was our anniversary! I feel so lucky to have found such a wondering man to spend forever with. Love you babe!

Beauty at its Finest!

2009-10-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

Hapuna Beach! I have picked up running while I have been out hear. Gary and I went running up and down this beach. I swear I could have ran forever because it was just so beautiful!
Waipio Valley! Gary and I hiked around Waipio all day. Sometimes in the rain, sometimes in the river, and sometimes while singing the Indian Jones theme song. We were feeling pretty adventurous!

We ran into this beautiful waterfall while hiking in Waipio. Beauty doesn't get much better then this!

Green Sand Beach! I love living on the big island because you get every kind of beauty. We have seen green sand, black sand, and white sand beaches. One side is jungle tropical and the other is a volcano, but no matter where you go there are palm trees. It is so great! We love Hawaii!

Aloha from Kona, Hawaii!!

2009-09-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

Aloha family and friends! Oh how I miss you all! We are loving Kona more and more. I am having a tough time uploading images but these are sights that are just down the road from where I live. Yesterday we went to "Captain Cook" which is the number one place in the state for snorkeling. It was so beautiful! After we went to "Bungo Ben's" which is a fantastic restaurant. We stayed there and watched the sunset go down as we listened to the live band that was playing our wedding song. It was so Romantic and such a beautiful moment. We shared this seven layer chocolate cake that was sinfully good to top off the evening. It was a perfect day. I felt like for the first time since we have been here I really got to see the Island. It made me realize how lucky I am to have this opportunity and especially to share it with Gary. Since I have been here I have also come across some interesting facts about Hawaii that you don't realize unless you live here. Here they are

* The state fish in Hawaii is the Humuhumunucanucaapua' a. I get the biggest kick out of
this! I just find it so humorous. This just gives you an idea of how hard it is to pronounce the street names around here.

*Another interesting fact about the people here is that if a family has all boys then they turn there last child into a girl. Ya that's right. They dress them in skirts and have them play with barbies. So, as a result you see a lot of transvestites around these parts. Very interesting wouldn't you say?

*Unlike where I come from, the women here are the bread winners. The men stay home and do relatively nothing and the women work like crazy. And not suprisingly, domestic violent rates are incredibly high around here. Its pretty sad.

*On the other side of the Island of Hawaii is a town called Hilo which is the rainiest city in the US! They also have the highest mountain in the world here if you are measuring from sea level on up.

* Teen pregnancy is the worst I have ever seen here. It is not rare at all to see a group of young girls on the beach and one with a huge tummy. They even dedicate one of the pages in their high school year book for all the babies that were born that year.

* The Ironman takes place right down the street from me! This is a world wide ridiculous event! 26 mile run, 3 mile swim int he ocean, and 112 mile bike ride. The human body can do amazing things!

Well more is yet to come! Hopefully I will find a way to upload more pics. Love you all!

Fitness Blog - Where Do I Start?

2009-09-06T13:48:00.001-07:00

I had someone ask me how to get started with exercising. This is a great question. Sometimes exercise is hard to fit in your day and when you go out for a run or what not it can seem really exhausting and basically, not fun. Exercising is a consistent adaptation. Your body has to keep adapting in order for you to keep getting stronger. Even professional athletes have to keep pushing themselves and hitting that uncomfortable stage in order to build muscle and improve their skills. However, the more exercise you perform the more endurance and adrenalin you have to push through that adaptation phase so exercise becomes more doable and enjoyable. This is a concept that you should know before you begin an exercise program. It is a consistent adaptation. It is a lifestyle change. I would suggest to pick an exercise that you can enjoy. Exercise doesn't necessarily mean running, biking, or swimming. It can be dancing, yard work, roller blading, aerobics classes, hiking, etc. Create a hobby out of exercise. Make it a daily ritual. Also track you progress. If you choose to run, start at 10 minutes and then go to 12 minutes the next week. Its exciting to see what your body can really do, push yourself. Also make sure you have a healthy mind set before going into exercising. Do it for your health and happiness, not to look like the girls in hollywood or any other sterotype. The greatest thing about humanity is that we are all different. Love yourself now and weight loss or exercising or any goal for that matter will come much easier. If anyone, especially the person that asked me this question, would like me to create a specific exercise program for them then I would be more then happy to do so. The program would depend on your age, your goals, and your capability. I hope this helped. Thanks again for the question. Again if an one else has any other questions regarding health and fitness just let me know!

Fitness Blog

2009-08-30T17:43:00.000-07:00

Aloha everyone! Hawaii is beautiful and things are going great! I have to take a bunch of pics and then blog about it so be expecting some exciting blogs to come. For those who visited my other fitness blog and commented on it, thank you! For some reason I can't log onto the account so I figure I will do my fitness bloging on this account. Hopefully that works. SO, I had a person ask me about water and if it can help with weight loss. The answer to that question is yes! Water helps our kidneys function better and our kidneys help our Liver function better. The Liver is the "filter" of the body. It cleanses the digestive system which makes our metabolism faster. SO, in a nut shell, drinking water speeds up our metabolism! Yay! Not to mention it is good for our skin and helps produce more ATP which is what gives us energy. Water is grrrrrreat! I also got another question about muscle soreness and if it is ok to work out sore muscles. The answer is that it is 100% ok and even recommended to work out sore muscles. Working sore muscles can possibly break down the lactic acid that is making you sore. Just remember to always wait 48 hours before working out the same muscle group. When we work out our muscles we are damaging them. It is during the recovery time or healing time when you actually build muscle. SO, something to keep in mind. Thanks for these questions! It makes me feel good to talk about these things because I am not training in Hawaii and I miss it. Thanks again and please leave a comment on either this blog or even right me an email on my facebook or gmail account (ebuckway@gmail.com). I will respond on this blog. Thanks guys!

Sike! We are off to Cozumel, Mexico

2009-07-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

So we got a call today from Del Sol and they told us that we were going to Cozumel instead. They said that they reviewed Gary's resume and realized he had a lot of sales experience. Cozumel is their 2nd highest selling store and so they said they needed us there. I think I am even more excited about this destination then I was about Kona. Funny thing is that Gary and I have a picture just like this one in our bed room that says at the bottom "DREAM." We have always said that one day we will make it there and go to our dream place. I was going through images of Cozumel and this one is the exact same as that picture. We are going to our dream destination! We are so excited. Cozumel is 10 miles wide and 30 miles long! Its average temperature during fall is 70 degree's! Sounds like heaven to me! I am so excited!!!

Kona, Hawaii here we come!

2009-07-26T14:13:00.000-07:00

Kona here we come! Gary and I applied for this internship through a company called Del Sol. Del Sol is a retail store that sells products that change colors in the sun. They have stores right off the dock of where cruise liners go. Well, last week we found out that we got the internship and that we are going to Kona, Hawaii!!!! We are so excited! We will be managing a store right on the shore of the big Island. We will be gone for 4 1/2 months and we leave August 22nd. I am so ready for another adventure and am so excited to see what Kona has in store for the Buckways. We will miss you all during Thanksgiving and Christmas time but we will come back bearing gifts and stories to be told. Ah! I am so excited!

Fit and Fabulous

2009-07-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I created a new blog called Fit and Fabulous. If you have any questions about health and fitness you should leave a comment and I will do my best to answer in a post. Check it out! Its www.fitandfabulous1.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday Gary!

2009-07-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Gary! Gary is officially 26 years old, emphasis on the "old." Crazy! The day before Gary's birthday, the 4th of July, we went to Tucanos with his best friends, brothers, and dad. It was soooo good! I think I ate my entire body weight and I think Gary ate his body weight and my body weight put together. When there is steaming meat being offered constantly, Gary keeps going and going. That night we went to a barbecue with my family on Cougar Hill. It was great to see everyone. My mom brought Subway sandwiches and also a yummy cake for Gary. She is a sweetheart. Then Gary and I decided to hike the Y to see the fireworks. It was so fun! There was so many people there. Gary and I just talked and goofed around as we waited for the Stadium of Fire to start firring away. It was definitely a site to see. Then on Gary's official birthday, Sunday, I made him a birthday breakfast and then we went to church. We teach the 13 year olds and I had them all sing Happy Birthday. Then we went o Gary's families house and had dinner, opened presents, had cake, and played the Wii. It was some fun festivities over the weekend that is for sure!

The other night we got together with some of my Snow College friends. I love these people. We are all married now so it is just that much more fun getting together. We had a barbecue, swam in the hot tub, and talked about the good ol snow college days. It was great seeing all of them. I love Snow College. I am so glad I decided to go there. Not only did I meet these wonderful people but I met my hubby there! Ephraim, UT will always have a peace of my heart.

A Weekend Full of Fun!

2009-06-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was soooooo great! On Friday Gary and I went golfing with Andee, Rob, and Josh. It was so much fun. Andee and I mostly talked and watched our hubbies hit. I love my sister Andee. She is so genuine and fun. I can talk to her about anything and I know she will understand me and get me. I love little Joshie too! He is in love with Gary lately. Every time he see's him he yells his name. Gary loves it. I love it.

Gary came to my sculpting class Saturday morning. It made me feel so good that he came and supported me. He said that I kicked his butt. It made me feel tough. I love Gary SOOOOOO much! That night we went to a family barbecue and then Bubba’s, Gary’s best friends, house warming party. We all had so much fun dancing, singing karaoke, and playing skipo.

To make the weekend even better, on Sunday we went on a hike up Spanish Fork Canyon. We hiked to these hot springs. It seriously was a spot of paradise. There was this big beautiful waterfall right by these amazing warm sulfur pools. It was like a giant hot tub. Gary and I brought our swimsuits and stayed in the springs for about an hour just relaxing. It was very romantic, that is it was romantic until we saw 4 old men strip down to the buff! Yeah, apparently a lot of people like to go nude in these hot springs. Hmmm, very interesting.

Graduation Trip!

2009-05-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

For my graduation gift we went to Cali with some friends: Marse and Lance and Cassie and Danny. It was a blast! We stayed at Cassie's families time share right on the beach, beautiful! Through out the trip we went to Universal Studios, Sea world, Price is right, and the beach where each one of us faced a battle with the Sun (the Sun won, ouch!) Cassie and Marse have been close friends of mine for a long time. Years ago we went to Cali together on Dance Company Tour. I definitely liked the additional people that we had on our trip this time, our husbands! Marriage just makes everything more fun! This trip was just what I needed after my final finals and graduation!

The Price is Right! We made T Shirts and everything! Too bad we were in the verrrrry back row and none of us got called up. We still had a blast!

Sea World! Ha, Gary looks loco!

It's the Kwik-E-Mart! Gary, being an avid Simpsons fan, thought this was the coolest place ever. He just had to purchase a Duff SODA (hehe, scared you there) and a giant hommer donut.

Joes Crab Shack right on the beach! Mmm mmm good!

On our way down to California we decided to take a picuture at the most exciting thing in Beaver, UT, a giant rocking horse. It doesn't get more exciting then that!

We all decided to take some model shots on the beach. Gary is one good lookin goof!

We have been doing shots like this since we were in Junior High. Hurry and flip your head to catch the wind and the suprised model look. Ha, love these girls!

I love this shot! Creativity at its finest!

Graduation!!!

2009-05-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

Well it is official! Ellie Buckway finally graduated from college! Wah hoo! Graduation Day was very memorable, fun, and long. My entire family and Gary's parents came to all 4 hours of my graduation. Talk about amazing support. I am so lucky. I am so proud of myself. There were definitely rocks in the road that brought tears and frustration and feelings of inadequacy. But with the help of my friends and family, especially my dad, I realized that my college education is very important to me and that I could do it. I am so glad I did! I received a Bachelors of Science degree in Exercise Science and Health. I loved it! Going into it, I knew that this major was going to be very challenging for me. Before I entered my major, science was my most challenging subject. But I figured if I was going to do this then I was going to make it worth it, even if it was going to be hard. Now that I am done I love science and am completely fascinated by the human body. I love it! My major has qualified me to do what I am doing now which is in home personal training and teaching aerobics. I absolutely love this job and truly feel like there couldn't be a better calling for me right now. I am so very grateful for the support I had through out these four years of college and am so happy that I had the opportunity to receive an education. Yay for graduation!

Gary is and has been my constant support! love you babe!

If it wasn't for my wonderful Dad I might not have made it to my graduation day. He always seems to know what is best for me and is consistently there with advice and motivation. Love you DAD!

Gramps! After graduation we went to Los Hermanos. My wonderful grandparents were there!They are such wonderful people. I truly don't think I will ever know a more funny, humble, supportive, and righteous couple. I hope Gary and I are like them when we reach our older years.

My mummsie wummsie! My mom is not only an incredible mother, but she is my best friend. I love you mom!

Gary's Parents came and supported me at my graduation. They are such good people. I feel so lucky to have married into such a good family.

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

2009-04-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

The other day Gary came home and said, "Let's go fly a kite!" I jumped at the suggestion and thought it was a perfect Saturday activity. So we went to Wal Mart and purchased some kites. Gary got a Transformer kite and I got a Barbie kite. Then we were off to the park. The last time Gary and I went kite flying was when we were dating so this was really fun.It made me feel like we were back in those dating days. Gary bought an extra 200 feet of string so his kite would get extra high. My kite was a very emotional kite. It would be up in the air and then all the sudden plummet to the ground. I should have known when I purchases the Barbie kite. We all know how emotional us girls can be, hehe. Gary and I laid down on the grass and talked while we watched our kites fly away. It was such a fun Saturday activity and of course I forgot my camera. Just try to visualize if you can.

Spring Break!

2009-03-26T04:55:00.000-07:00

Is this not the most beautiful scenery you have ever scene! Gorgeous Red Cliffs!
Me and the guys

This is after we hiked this old volcano. I love the mullet look I got going on. I'm considering it as a permanent look.

At the top of the Volcano it was really windy so for this picture we just decided to stare at each other rather then at the camera. It was a gorgeous view!

This is us almost at the top of Angels Landing at Zions

Here we are rock climbing. I couldn't believe the rocks Gary was climbing. I took a much easier rout but it was still really high and really scary. Overcoming my fears one step at a time!

This spring break Gary and I and two of his friends went camping down south. We went to Zions, Snow Canyon, and Red Cliffs. It was so much fun! Gary and his friends are super adventurous and fearless, unlike little ol' me that could possibly be the wimpiest gal on the planet. I also discovered on this trip that I am officially terrified of heights. I had never been in a situation where I experienced so many high cliffs and sudden drops before. I seriously would be sick to my stomach every time I faced, what seemed to be, a near death experience, or in other words a high mountain with steep cliffs. I don't know if any of you have been to Angel's Landing in Zions, but you have to hold onto a chain to keep you from falling over the edge! Yeah, I was dying! Although I was very wimpy and afraid, Gary and his buddies were so good at helping me up and down the mountains and pushing me to go places where I would never think of going. I am so glad that I had help overcoming my fears. Every time I pushed myself beyond my limits, it always ended it up being well worth it. Gary and his friends were so great. They are such fun, respectful, and helpful guys. I couldn't believe the stuff they would do on the rocks. It was like watching a bunch of Bear Grylls from Man Vs. Wild. They were climbing, hopping, and skipping all over the place, with an exception of the skipping part. We had so much fun. Just me and the guys. Gary is trying to turn me into a camper girl. I wasn't too excited about this when we first got married, but I am liking it more and more. There is something about cuddling up in a little tent with sleeping bags in the wilderness that is quite comforting and likable. Gary and his buddies made us some great meals that made it feel like we were on a cruise ship rather then camping. I love how Gary helps me experience things I would never do if it weren't for him. I love developing new hobbies and interests. I thought that by the end of the weekend I would be ready to come home, but it was actually kind of disappointing. It was just such a perfect spring break!

Anniversary!!!!

2009-03-18T16:40:00.001-07:00

On March 10th it was mine and Gary's two year anniversary! It seriously could not have been a more perfect day. It started by going to a an authentic Japanese restaurant that was so0000 good! Can't go wrong with Teriyaki Chicken! It was such a beautifully cultured restaurant. The waitress was dressed in a fantastic Kimono and spoke with such meek broken English. The food was so beautiful and prepared so well. It was one of those restaurants that you want more people to go to so the owners can have their hard work pay off. Gary and I absolutely loved it there. After dinner and some ginger ice cream we drove up north to my parents house and ate our two year old wedding cake! Surprisingly it was really good. Gary and I reenacted cutting the cake together and stuffing it in each others faces. Hehe, it was fun. After cake we drove down town to the Armstrong Inn. This is were we went on our wedding night and where we went for our year anniversary as well. We love it there. We stayed in the "May Splendor" room. It was so nice! I wish it was our room at home. Once we got settled in we decided to give each other our anniversary presents. I got Gary guitar hero and a picture of us and he gave me a pearl necklace and pearl earrings. He always wins when it comes to presents. He makes it hard to top. It was such a fantastic night! I am so lucky that I found a man like Gary Melvin Buckway to spend the rest of my life and more with. I love you babe!

No More Signature Baby and Having Fun with Friends!

2009-03-01T07:19:00.001-08:00

No more Signature Baby! Yeee ha! It was due time to be done with this job at the mall. It treated me well while it lasted, but there is only so much walking around a kiosk, trying to sell baby clothes that one can take. I will miss always meeting up with Gary after work and eating at the food court. I will also miss his random surprise visits and enjoying the life of the University mall together. I also met some great Friends that worked at the kiosks next to mine. They should make a series entitled, "The Kiosk," just like, "The Office." Ha, that would be brilliant. Now I am still teaching aerobics and personal training. Hopefully when I graduate in 2 MONTHS!!!!!! I will be able to find a good job during these difficult times, cross your fingers for me!

These are my two friends, Shay & Chelsea, that I became really close to during those ridiculously slow hours at the mall. I'll miss you girls!

The other day, Marse & Lance, Cassie & Danny, and Gary and I went to Texas Road House (mmm mmm Good!). After we went to Cassie and Danny's house. The boys watched the Jazz Game while the girls watched High School Musical 3, go figure! It was such a fun night! I love hanging out with the married couples.

Isn't this the hottest picture of Gary! hehe, he always looks good, even when he tries to look bad, ha!

A Very Merry Christmas at the Buckway's!

2008-12-26T08:34:00.000-08:00

On Christmas morning Gary and I headed over to his families house with our hamper full of presents. It's fun because Gary's family still has some little ones who still believe in Santa Clause. It's fun to play along with them. We were opening presents till the cows came home. Gary got me everything that I could have hoped for. My favorite present from him was this beautiful heart shaped locket that has engraved on the back, "Love Gary 2008." It was just the sweetest most unexpected thing ever. I loved it! I gave Gary this harness for rock climbing. As you can see from the picture, he absolutely loved it. Gary's family is sweet. They all were so generous. They are so much fun to be with and made Christmas just how it should be; loving, caring, and a blast. What a fantastic Christmas! I can hardly wait for next year!

Christmas Eve!!!

2008-12-26T08:02:00.000-08:00

Wow, what an absolutely wonderful Christmas we had! It started off with the Durrant family traditional dinner where we all bring our favorite food from our favorite restaurant and then put it all together and have our Christmas eve feast! It was fantastic! I of course brought Cafe Rio, but we had food from Olive Garden, The Pie Pizzeria, Schezwan Gardens (Chinese), Pizza Hut Pasta, and Red Lobster. Does it get better then that? The only thing that was better was the company. We had the whole family together, even grandma. This was the first Christmas with out grandpa John. After dinner my dad reflected back on grandpa's life and example. I love him so much and miss him so much. It isn't the same with out him, but I am so grateful to still have such a wonderful and giving grandma. After these regards, we all sang Christmas songs. We had a competition on who could sing the loudest and Gary won. He was pretty darn proud of himself. Then the present opening began. My parent's were so incredibly giving. One of the many wonderful gifts we received was a camera which I am so excited for, specifically so I can create some sweet blogs. I am just so grateful for such a wonderful family. I honestly don't know how I got so lucky. This is the way life should be!

I Love My Dad!

2008-11-16T14:47:00.001-08:00

My Dad just gave a phenomenal talk in church today. He talked about prayer in a way that really touched me and inspired me. My dad has such a way with his words. He talked about how we should view life through the lens of a prayer. He taught to always have a prayer within our hearts. He told a story about when he was a Freshman at BYU. He said that one day he saw a cute girl praying over her lunch in the BYU cafeteria. So my dad trying to be the "smooth guy" went up to her right after she had opened her eyes and said with confidence and humor, "Your prayers have bean answered!" The girl didn't find this as humorous as my dad did and told him to go be the answer to another girls prayer instead. Ha! Although my dad might not have felt so good after the girls reaction, it sure makes a pretty hilarious story today. After mentioning this story in his talk he continued to talk about answer's to prayer and how we know when they have been answered. It was such a good talk

The other day I went and saw my dad in action at the BYU law building. Him and the other four justices had several trials there so that the law students could watch. I kept having to remind myself that it was my dad up there saying all those intelligent, important, and powerful things. My dad is so great in so many ways. Adding Supreme Court Justice on to his belt makes him that much more incredible. I hope that I can be as integrable, hard working, accepting, optimistic, supportive and loving as he is. I love you DAD!

Buckway Updates

2008-11-12T20:30:00.000-08:00

Gary and I were a knight in shinning armor and a damsel in distress for Halloween.

My best friends Marse (Rodeo Queen) and Cassie (Super Mario) at our Halloween Party.

Saint George!

Saint George with friends.

Girls Night!

Since we have been back from the summer, we have been going to school, working full time, and still trying to fit time in for fun. Graduation is nigh for the both of us and we are ecstatic to finally be done. I will graduate in Exercise Science and Health in the fall and Gary will graduate in Business Management in the summer. Ooo, just talking about graduation makes me so excited!
I am currently working at the University Mall at a store called Signature Baby. I sell baby clothes. Kind of funny given the fact that I don't have any babies, but I definitely bring some cute things to baby showers. I am also teaching aerobics at Orem Fitness Center. Gary just got a job working at the University Mall right down the hall from me at a store called Sakora Jewelers. He likes it because he is still doing sales, but this time its diamond rings rather than security systems. It's really fun working so close to each other.

Some fun things we have been able to squeeze into our busy schedule is going on a weekend get away to Saint George with our friends Marse and Lance, and Cassie and Danny. Marse and Cassie are girls that I grew up with. Its fun hanging out with all my girl friends and their husbands. It's crazy how we are all grown up, married, and some even having babies now. Its a fun stage in our lives. I also make time for occasional girls nights which are also fun.

The other night for Halloween, we went to Cassie's for a party. I dressed up as a damsel in distress and Gary was my knight in shinning armor. Gary got his costume at Wal Mart the night before. It was made for ages 12 and under so it looked pretty hilarious on his 25 year old body. At the party we went on a scavenger hunt and ate the best cobbler I have ever had. Go Cassie!

Life is so good now. I will try to be better at keeping you all updated on what's happening with the Buckway family.

Buckway Up-dates

2008-11-12T20:06:00.000-08:00

Hello Hello! So I figured it's about time I update you on the lives of the Buckway's. Sorry its been so long since my last entry. I guess I will try to start from when I left off. The summer eventually came to an end in San Fransisco. Probably the highlight of our summer was when my family came for a visit. We were constantly doing one fun thing after another; Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz Island, Muir Woods, etc. etc. I truly can't imagine a more wonderful, supportive, fun, and loving family then my own. They are all so great. I am definitely one lucky gal. Above are some pictures of us in Muir Woods. The tree's were huge! The summer as a whole was a bunch of fun, however, I think that we are definitely done with summer sales for a a good while.

My Talented Sister

2008-07-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

Before we came to Cali, Andee took some Glamour shots of me. I must say that Andee must be pretty darn talented in order to make me look this good. For Gary's Birthday I wrote him a poem. Andee was able to take the poem I wrote and paste it on one of the glamour shots that she took. Gary loved it. Thanks to Andee and her talent that keeps on getting better and better.

American Idol

2008-07-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

So Wednesday around seven o'clock I heard on the radio that American Idol auditions were being held the next day. So my curiosity started ticking. In previous seasons of American Idol I have always wished that I would have tried out. I felt like if I didn't take the opportunity then I would regret it. So I called my wonderful husband up who was on his way home and told him about it. He was so supportive and agreed to drive down to San Fran with me that night and register for the audition. The next morning we woke up at five thirty and left for the audition. There were ridiculous amounts of people there, thousands! There were also at least ten video cameras going around and filming the maddness. We even saw Justin off of the first Season of American Idol (he is the one that was in the final two with Kelly Clarkson). It was awesome. His hair is even bigger in person. We were told the night before at registration that it would be a fast prosess, ha! Gary and I were there for 10 hours! Seven in the morning till five in the evening. Yeah I was about ready to burst. Gary was more patient then me. He is so chill, it helps me stay calm. We waited ten hours for me to sing ten seconds of a song. American Idol auditions is really not what it seems. Very few people actually see Randy, Paula, and Simon. They were not even there at these auditions. Out of four to five thousand people that were there, probably only about fifty made it to the second round. Unfortunately I was not one of them, however, it was such a good experience. I am so happy that I did it. Now I can say that I tried and not have to wonder and regret anymore. After the audition, traffic was so bad that Gary and I went to Fisherman's Wharf and had a sour dough bread bowl and shared a fantastic crepe. It was a great reward for waiting all day in an American Idol line. What husband waits in a ten hour line with his wife. Talk about supportive. I love you Gary!

Weekend Get Away

2008-07-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

Last week Gary came home from work and suggested that we have a weekend get away. So, we did just that. We packed up our camping gear and drove about two hours away to the beautiful Sonorah, California. Before we came out to Cali, Gary was watching Discovery Channel and saw that you could pan for Gold in Sonorah. Gary's dream is to be Nicolas Cage in National Treasure. He is so funny. So we found a nice camp site that was right next to the noisie high way and that felt like sleeping on slanted concrete, its all about the experience right? After a long night of no rest we got up around six and went exploring and then BB gun shooting (THe Firstline Security sign made a great shooting target). Durring our expedition we came across the most beautiful lake I have ever seen. It was called Pinecrest Lake. At Pincrest we rented a kiyak and explored around the lake. Gary and I got in a water fight and of course he won. We just had a blast. This lake was seriously a little spot of paradise. After the Lake we fufilled Gary's treasure hunting dream and went Gold Panning. This was so cool. There is a lot more to Gold Panning then I ever would have thought. Even thought we probably only found about ten dollars worth of Gold, Gary absolutely loved it. He said that he could do it every day and be the happiest man alive. He is crazy, I love it. The only bad thing about it was that my camra died so I couldnt get any shots of our fun Gold Panning expereince. Gary said that we will just have to do it again so we can capture the moment on film. Gary has never suggested going to such length just to take a picture, ha, he is just my little gold panning man.

Happy Birthday Gary!

2008-07-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

July 5th was Gary's 25th birthday. I started the day off with making Gary's favorite breakfast, crepes with strawberry's and chocolate. Gary had the day off, but I had to work with a client for about three hours. So, Gary decided to come to work with me. We had a blast. Romell (my client) thought Gary was super funny and super cool. We played basketball at the church and Romell beat both Gary and I in "PIG." Then we went to Cold Stone and got our selves a treat. After taking Romell home, Gary and I went to Lake Elizabeth which is about three minutes away from our apartaments. I think this lake is one of my favorite places. It is so beautiful and soothing. After walking around the lake Gary and I went to the pool and soaked up the sun for a little bit. That night we went out to eat at AppleBee's and Gary got to open the presents I got him. It was such a great day.

Fun with the Family

2008-07-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

My fantastic family came and visited Gary and I in California. We had so much fun. We went to Muir Woods, the Okland Temple, Fisherman's Warf, Alkatraz Island, etc, etc. We painted the town red! (that phrase is for you Dad) My family is so incredible! Not only are they hilarious and fun to be with but they are so selfless and thoughtful as well. My parents totally spoiled us. They do way too much for us and no matter how hard we try, they keep on spoiling and spoiling us. Gary and I feel so lucky to have such an amazing family. What a great example to follow for Gary's and mine future family. Pictures of our fantastic vacation with the fam are soon to come.

More Fun in the Sun!

2008-06-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

Well hello hello. First off, I would like to apologize for my lack of blogging. I have had some camera difficulties and have been unable to post pictures. For some reason I thought that a blog wouldn't be complete with out a pic, but today i over came that thought and decided to blog anyways. Life in Cali is still going great. Last week Gary and I went to Muir Woods and went on a hike. We thought that the hike would be fun and relaxing. There was no doubt that it was fun, but it was probably the farthest thing from relaxing. The hike ended up being six miles long and more then half the time vertical. Towards the end of the hike Gary and I got lost some how and ended up in a quaint little town right by the beach. So, we played on the beach a bit and got a bus ride back to our car. It was quite the adventure. An adventure that will not be forgotten. Another unforgetable event that happened a couple of weeks ago was when Gary and I played tennis. Gary wants to become a better tennis player so i put some targets up on the opposite side and said that if he hit one of them then he would get a ten minute back message. So, with his determined eyes on the target, Gary tossed his ball in an attempt to hit a serve, but as he swung, his body followed with a tad pit too much force and ended up face planting it on the court! It was probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen Gary do. Just thinking about it, even two weeks later, makes me crack up. Ah, life is good. Gary is doing great at his job and I am loving my job more and more each day. Well I will try to post pic's ASAP and also try to keep you all updated more frequently.

Gary is #1!

2008-05-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

Last week Gary's office was told that who ever had the most sales would recieve a hefty cash reward. It was a long tough week, but guess who pulled through as the number one salesman? Yup, thats right, the one and only Gary Buckway Jr. I was so proud of him. Gary also got a 3.9 this last semester and just recieved notice that he was put on the Dean's list at UVU. Gary's basically got it going on! I landed a great job out here in Cali. I work for a company called Cypress and I am a Life Skill Couch. Basically this means that I go around to homes of mentally challenged individuals and teach them about basic life skills that we all tend to take advantage of sometimes. I am pretty excited about it and it seems to be treating me right thus far. It is a job that is super rewarding and that helps me realize just how blessed I am. I have Gary to thank for that as well. He is always helping me look at the positive things in life and to be hopeful, rather then worry like I do so well. I am so grateful for that!

Loving the California Life!

2008-05-05T16:44:00.001-07:00

Gary and I are currently living in the beautiful state of California. We are up on the northern coast in a city called Fremont. One of the billion reasons why its so much fun being married to Gary is because of his occupation. For the past four summers Gary has traveled to Las Vegas, Reno, Oklahoma, Illinois and now Fremont to sale security systems. I being his wife, have bean lucky enough to accompany him on these adventures. When we were dating I visited him in Oklahoma for about a week (the best vaca ever!) and last summer we lived in Romeoville, Illinois which ironically is next to a city named Joliet, ha! And now we are here in California soakin up the sun and working are darndest. Gary is doing really well so far with his sales and I am currently still looking for a job. It is so easy to get caught up in work during the summer that we tend to forget about the things that are most important. Because of this, Gary and I have made it a point to stay focused and faithful. On our way to Cali I made a scripture chart. We haven't missed a day yet and I can't tell you the difference it has made. Its amazing how good it feels when your doing what you should. The Lords plan truly is the plan of happiness. When we follow the teachings of the Lord through the scriptures and through our prophet, it brings inevitable happiness along with it. I am so grateful to the Lord for making me so happy.

One Fun Thing After Another!

2008-02-29T08:56:00.000-08:00

Married life has been a blast since day one. For our honeymoon, Gary and I went on a cruise to Ensenada, Mexico and Catalina Island. In Ensenada Gary enjoyed bargaining with the local street sellers and I enjoyed watching him. We also went horse back riding on the beach and saw one of the few blow holes in the world (a blow hole is essentially a hole in a rock that blows out water when the tide comes in). On Catalina Island we went scuba diving. Gary had been many times before but it was my first. I loved it! I swear i was a fish in another life. We topped off our honeymoon with going to Disneyland. It was a blast! Since then it has continued to be one fun thing after another!

Married Life Rocks!

2008-02-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

The married life is fantastic! Gary and I just continue to do one fun thing after another. In the past 12 months we have bean to Ensenada, Mexico, Catalina Island, Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando, The Bahamas, and Ephraim, UT. After all these fun places I have found that the funnest place to be is anywhere Gary is. He could be sitting on our D.I. couch or soaking up the sun on Nassau beach and it would be equally fun. We have a blast together no matter what we do. Now that is what marriage is all about!