What We've Been Up To! Chad and Kina (Lambert) Anderson

Our next contestant on "What We've Been Up To!" is a double whammy!  We get to hear from Chad and Kina (Lambert) Anderson.  Here we go...

How to sum up 10 years in 3 minutes??? Well, I guess the best place to start is by actually going back 12 years to my sophomore year of high school when one of my friends “officially” introduced me to my now husband, Chad, during Swing Club. Yes, I married my high school sweetheart, and even now after 8 years of marriage, I still consider him my “little” Sweetie-pie.

Of course we’ve done more than just get married! Chad served an LDS mission in Tempe, Arizona while I earned Bachelor’s Degrees in English and Technical Writing from UVSC (yes, it was still UVSC). Our sweet little girl, Charlotte, didn’t come into our family until our 6^th year of marriage, so we fit in lots of four wheeling, camping, SCBUA diving and traveling. We’re pretty much cruise junkies and are already planning another trip to Europe next year.

Chad volunteers on the Search & Rescue Dive Team, and will have his Master Diver and Instructor’s License this year. He still plays basketball several nights a week and owns several businesses including a couple Great Clips salons, a property management company, and a commercial real estate company. I’m currently working as a Software Engineer for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How I went from being an English major to a computer person is a very long story, so I’ll spare you the details!

Since we both call Riverton High School our Alma Mater, we’re getting pretty excited to see everyone again. There are a lot of people who we’ve lost touch with over the years that we can’t wait to reconnect with. Thanks ahead of time to the super awesome committee for putting this together!!!

--Chad and Kina (Lambert) Anderson

Thanks Chad and Kina!  We'll see you all next time! 

What We've Been Up To: Amy (Hansen) Shepherd

I'm getting so excited as you all have started registering.  A lot of memories are coming back.  But my favorite thing are these 10 year updates.  Our next one?  Amy (Hansen) Shepherd!  

 

Amy writes:

 

Well it certainly hasn't felt like a decade, I can tell you that much. I still feel like a silly teenage wimp most often who has been tossed into the wilds of the world with little instruction. When asked my age I nearly reply 'eighteen' every time before double checking and falling into the realization that I'm practically thirty. Just two years shy of it. How frightening!

I'd love to say I've accomplished a great deal in my time away from Riverton, like the profiles of others who have written about their decade, but in order to remain honest...I've done very uninteresting, normal things.

College, check.

Marriage, check.

Modest home in the country, check.

Kids, check.

Pets, car payments, budgets...check check check.

That New York Times bestseller has yet to fall into my lap, that perfectly toned physique doesn't seem to want to crawl out from beneath the layers of buildup created by carrying two children, no marathons have been won, no European excursion traveled...

And as boring and uneventful as that sounds; I am unendingly happy.

Someday this routine of bland happiness will change and when I'm yanked from quiet boredom and tossed into busy chaos, maybe I'll be whistling a different tune. Until then, I remain content with my beloved husband and two outrageously fun children in our wide open spaces.

Cheers to all my classmates,

Amy (Hansen) Shepherd

 

Thanks Amy!  Until next time on...."WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO!"

What We've Been Up To....Lindsey (Blackwood) Black

Hmpf.  Well, those who know who the main slave writer on this blog is know that I am not extremely pleased about this post, but I have been informed that cops are not allowed to taser people until they themselves have had the pleasure of being tasered.  I guess this is kind of like that. 

Sooo, here we go.  What have I been up to? 

Has it really been 10 years?  I recently switched my skin care from acne treatment to anti-aging.  That is when it really hit me.  Geez, we are old.  But it has been a fun ride so far.  If I can ever cure my schizophrenia and decide what to do with my life, things will get even better.  Seriously though, I have issues.  You'll see as you read on.

After RHS I went up to Utah State to study...uh, I can't actually remember what, but after about 7 official major changes, I finally graduated in Historical and Political Geography.  Yeah, it's a made-up degree.  Falls under "Interdisciplinary Studies."  So pretty much I still had no clue what I wanted to be.  Along the way, I met and married my hubs, Jay Black, and we finished school together up there. 

What goes around always comes back around and so it seems as we built a house in Riverton and I began work for a Wastewater Treatment Plant equipment company.  Yep, that's what I finally did with my degree.  As fulfilling as it was, I decided to go back to school and got my Masters in Education in 2007.  I have since taught 6th grade, Title 1, Business at Salt Lake Community College, and currently own a preschool in Riverton, going on my 3rd year.  I also have a small but growing business doing what I love most, photography.  I am excited to be shooting my first weddings in the next few months, woohoo!  I hope I don't screw up too bad :)

I have 2 adorably cute chubblings:  Connor (4) and Abigail (19 months).  They keep me plenty busy.  I have a pretty awesome husband who works hard for our family as a Sr. IT Analyst at Questar, and overall, I have an always busy, sometimes challenging, always changing, but great life!  Sorry you all had to suffer through this post.  See y'all soon.

What We Have Been Up To: Sheena (Tucholski) Ballard

Our next sucker on What We Have Been Up To is....Sheena Ballard, formerly known as Sheena Tucholski :)  Here is what she had to say after I accosted her for this update:

My name is Sheena (Tucholski) Ballard.  In the last 10 years since graduating from High School I have managed to get married, have 3 beautiful children and start my own business. 

 I started by going to SLCC for a couple years then working at a Custom Furniture Shop and teaching dance on the side.  I worked at the Furniture shop for 4 years until I had my second child.  My first, Racheal, was born in 2004, my second, Arika, was born in 2006 and my third, Ashton, was born in 2010.  I have lived in Draper, Murray and now Eagle Mountain since being out of High School.  We try to do a couple vacations a year, depending on what we choose to take on with kids!  I love to run, workout, ride motorcycles, dance, and spend time with my family.  My favorite is probably taking our cruiser out for a ride whenever we can find the time to go out.  We love big dogs and currently have a Great Dane & St. Bernard.

 I have worked as a dance instructor since high school at several local studios, which has led up to opening my own dance studio, out here in Eagle Mountain, UT.  Things have been crazy busy, but I absolutely love it.  I have also started a Charity with two of my very good friends called the Cupcake Charity.  We have formed our charity to help those in Eagle Mountain and surrounding areas.  We have raised money for Cancer patients, families in need, local elementary schools and our city.  It has been an amazing experience helping those in need that just can’t do it alone.  I am very passionate about teaching dance to those with Special Needs as well.  I have held events with the city for those with Special Needs, as well as offering dance classes for them at my studio.  I also teach a class with Stephanie (Childs) Hansen at her Studio in Herriman. 

I absolutely love running!  It took me a long time to finally enjoy the sport, but now, I try to run everyday.  I have made many new friends running, and have definitely challenged myself in completing and placing in multiple races.

 Things have definitely been busy, hard and exciting in the last 10 years.  I can say that I have grown from all my experiences, and look forward to the future.  I hope that in the next ten years I can keep growing, serving and following my dreams.  Then theres the many vacations I would like to take in the meantime as well!   

 See you soon, 

Sheena

First Edition of What We Have Been Up To!--Ashley and Matt Budd

Welcome to our first post in our "What we have been up to updates!"  We are going to be contacting people and asking you to participate once you have registered, so watch out!  No, really though, it's fun and I know I am so excited to find out what everyone has been doing these last 10 years.

Our first victims er guests are....Ashley (Webb) and Matt Budd!  Awww, high school sweethearts!  Here is what Ashley had to say:

Matt and I met our sophomore year in health class.  It wasn't exactly love at first sight, but we were really good friends.  After high school, friendship progressed to best friendship which progressed to dating.  And then, I broke up with him (I still get crap about that). He didn't give up and we remained friends.  Then I told him that, basically, he didn't have a chance (Again, I can't live this down). He took the hint and I was devastated that we weren't best friends anymore.  Next thing you know, it was me chasing him down after I realized that I didn't want to live without him.  So, to make a long story a bit shorter: after a series of break-ups and make-ups, we were married  August 4th, 2006.  I was the best thing we ever did.  Since then, we have had 2 boys (parker, 3, and Tommy, 1).  Parker loves superheros and ABCs and Tommy loves wrestling.  We live in West Valley.

I went to college at Utah State where I graduated with a degree in Physical Science Education.  I taught 2 years of chemistry before having my boys and now I work part time.  I teach a class on scientific research and organize the school and district-level science fairs.  Matt went to college just about everywhere, it seems.  He graduated in accounting and just earned his MBA.  He is currently studying to take the CPA exams.  Matt works in finance as the CFO for an internet retailer.

We love having adventures.  Our poor kids have been subjected to hours of watching us go rock climbing (Parker is the biggest scaredy cat, but I'm sure one day he'll pick it up).  I have a goal of one day actually being good at rock climbing.  We love camping and hiking and are currently training to climb Cotopaxi, the third highest active volcano in the world.  When not being adventurous, we spend what little free time we have hanging out with our families, eating cafe rio salads, and watching netflix.

 Stay tuned for our next edition of "What We Have Been Up To!"  (Maybe I will have a better name for it by next time...no promises though.

10 Year Reunion Registration Now Open!

Register now for the 10 year reunion!  Remember, the earlier you register, the more raffle tickets you and your guest receive!