Pinspiration

 Just a little while ago I found out that my cousin Dauny is getting married. She is such a self-less person and I couldn't be happier for her! She does so much for everyone in the family, she even flew from Cali for our wedding and stayed til 1:00 in the morning helping clean up. She's a gem! I wanted something different and fun for her, and then I remembered this idea I pinned awhile back (I plan on doing it for Nick and I one of these days). It's a Date Night Jar ~There are three options; pricey and needs planning, less expensive and spontaneous, and lastly stay at home. I thought this would be a perfect shower gift. So I ran to Michael's and got everything I needed (except a jar, which ended up being a pain to find the right size). I also added several more dates than the original jar. There are less of the expensive ones and much more of the stay at home ones. I also did a bunch of blank ones so they can add some of their favorite activities that I may have missed and they can get rid of any that don't tickle their fancy. I have to admit I really like how it turned out. I'm giving it to her tonight at her shower along with some movies, phase ten and some popcorn bowls. I really hope she like it and that her and her sweetheart can enjoy it. Nick was going through it last night, I think he wants one too. So I'll probably end up making one for us soon.

P.S. Sunday is our 2 year anniversary! Can you believe it?! I am extremely excited. It's going to be low key. I think we're going to spread it out through the weekend as some of the things we wanted to do we can't as it's conference (like going to the temple and dinner downtown). I think spreading it out will be more enjoyable not to mention not as tiring on me as doing everything day of. In fact we have nothing planned on our actual anniversary except for watching conference. I can't wait!

When it Rains...

Man, this week has been a really rough one for me. I am feeling quite overwhelmed. Back in January the doctors figured out some of my issues, which is a blessing. They found somethings we need to take care of in order to start our family. As well as needing to go to another doctor for something I was clueless of. I'm on some new meds that I have to take for 6 months and they are really affecting me. I'm so sick all the time and just can't shake it. Not to mention I cry at the drop of a hat (which is the worst at work, I hate crying). This week I went to the new doctor and after waiting for 3 hours I had some more tests ran. They found some things that are concerning and want to do some more in depth tests. I have to wait til the end of April for those which is kind of making me anxious. However, I am really thankful that I'm starting to get some answers and not just the usual "we don't know what is wrong." I'm glad things are getting taken care of.
On some happier notes, we've had some good things happen. Nick finally got a new car after going months without one (he was hit right before Christmas, so thankful it was just the car that got hurt and not him). He got a red 2004 MINI so we are now a 2 MINI family. Nick is just so happy about it, it makes me happy! We also both got callings last night. Nick was put in as a Priest adviser and I was put in as an adviser to the Mia Maids. Nick is a little nervous as this is his first calling. I'm excited to be in the young womens again but a little anxious. Will they like me? It takes a little while for me to find a groove and be comfortable. I also am a little nervous about who I'll be serving with, I have a slightly different teaching style and I don't want to rock the boat or create waves (I'm not crazy or anything, I just tend to encourage discussion and I share a lot of stories and personal experiences -cuz I'm so old and have tons). But I am excited to get to see some of my girls again even though they are Laurels. I really like this ward. It is much easier to be involved and enjoy it. Tonight we are going to a cake auction where I will be taking cupcakes that look like a tv dinner (chicken legs, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, and pudding). I'm hoping they are a hit (I'll post pics later, if I can, I've been having issues with that).
I truly am grateful for the changes that are happening in my life. Even though it is rough now, not only will it get better but it will be better for us. We are blessed. I'm also so grateful we have each other to lean on and support one another. I know I couldn't handle some of these things without Nick. Gosh I love him!

My boys

More Changes

With it being a new year I had wanted to blog at least once a month as I am really terrible at it. But as you can see it is the middle of February and this is the first chance I have gotten to it. My problem is the only time I get a chance to be on a computer is at work, and work has been crazy busy. Life has been crazy busy.
Back in October or November (not sure which, it's all a blur) I discovered mold in our apartment. It was in our front closet, on all but one window sill, in the main bathroom and I later found it all over a wall int the master bedroom. The maintenance came and "took care" of it twice. On the third time I had had it and we decided to get out. It was the biggest headache. I felt like I was going in circles and that no one (in the various departments and at the complex) cared or thought it was a big deal. I even had a woman at the health department tell me that if they enforced mold problems they would have to shut down trees and forests. It took all I had not to scream, "I don't live in a tree!!!" Finally after my great-uncle (who is a lawyer) told the apartment higher ups that we were planning a law suit we were allowed out of our lease. We found out the second week of January that we had til the end of the month to be out. It was such a scramble. Especially as I was  very sick and could barely get out of bed for almost two weeks. Nick was sweet and tried his hardest to take care of me and get things packed. We had to find something and quick! We were able to find a place that was available and would let us move in quick. As it was a rush job we really didn't get a chance to really check it out. Which I'm regretting. The place is in pretty bad shape and needs a lot of work (which wouldn't be so bad if we owned it and could fix it up). The people before us pretty much trashed it and as we needed to be moved we had to take it as is. I will admit I cried a bit on moving day, I was so beyond stressed and disappointed (finding a dead chicken and all the aftermath of the previous owners having chickens nearly sent me over the edge). But I'm trying to find positive things about it. With this place we will be saving some money on the rent so that means we will be able to get out of debt faster. We are much closer to our families, not that we were super far away before but having them around the corner can be nice. I love being able to take Rupert and walk over to my parents were he enjoys a play date with Abby (we call her Rupert's girlfriend as he loves her) and Bella. I love not having to go up and down two flights of stairs to get in and out of our place. Not to mention just having to open the back door, put Rupert on his cord (we have to keep him on a stake so he doesn't slip out under the fence, the stinker) and let him go. I am also excited about the ward we are in. It was just newly formed the week we moved in so everyone is new-ish. There are people from the ward I went to primary as well as people from the ward we were in when just months ago, including some of my girls I taught in young womens. I do have to admit it is nice to know people, we don't feel so foreign.
I'm working on embracing this new path we are on. But I won't lie, I'm struggling. So if I complain, forgive me, it's a work in progress. I hope to be able to make the place our own and to have friends and family over now that we have a place that is a little more conducive to it.

Lots to Share

It's been super crazy around here! We are moved into our apartment. Unpacked, however, is a totally different story. It's a lot of work, especially since we have a lot in boxes but not much furniture. Thankfully there have been some wonderful people who have given us various pieces. We now have things to sit on, sore things and eat at. Thank you to Kathy, Scott & Manda, and Wes & Trisha! And a special thank you to our families who have not only given us physical things but their time and energy as well! We are so blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives! We like being on our own doing our own thing. Living in an apartment is more of an adjustment than I was expecting, but I'll get used to things.
A major adjustment that I wasn't expecting quite so soon was Nick surprised me with a sweet little dog the day we moved in. I quickly named him Rupert. Poor thing has been sick since that day with kennel cough (a doggie cold) which has been trying for me. He coughs all night and scares children and neighbors when he coughs. But the biggest trial with him has been that we thought he was house broken but he isn't. To prevent any accidents I need to take him outside every hour in a half to two hours. And sometimes even then he still has accidents. It's rather difficult to get much done with having to go out every 2 hours and spend 15-20 minutes each time. It's like I have a newborn (not saying I know exactly how it is to have a child) only his surprises I find randomly throughout the house and behind boxes and under things. We are working on it so hopefully he'll get it.

My snuggly Rupert

Our biggest struggle right now is finances (like everyone else). And we have been feeling the strain especially hard this week as my health has taken a bad turn. I've been extremely sick. To the point of not being able to get out of bed. I went to the Dr. on tuesday where they debated admitting me to the hospital. Instead I was sent to get several emergency tests done. It made for a long and exhausting day. Nick stayed up late into the night to keep an eye on me incase I needed to be taken in. I found that if I didn't move I could bear it and we made it through the night. The next night Nick got to experience one of my "episodes" for the first time. However it was not a full blown one, I was able to stay in control enough to not wail. I have not felt this horribly in a long time. It seems that all of the different things I've been dealing with health wise have come together and hit me all at once. I'm so grateful Nick was able to give me a blessing so I've been able to go to work (as there is no way I can miss it right now). Now is the trial of my faith. The tests I took earlier this week came back that everything is normal. I am going in for a major test next week, so we shall see what that shows. It's back to more doctors and more tests. I guess my main struggle is that we are spending so much money trying to find out what is wrong with everything coming back normal. I feel like we are wasting precious money we barely have. I just need to have faith that things will work out.  It is, after all, through the Lord that all things are possible.

Movin' Out!

After almost a year and a half of marriage Nick and I are finally able to move into our own place! It is such a blessing. I know that if it weren't for the hand of the Lord we would not be able to do this. While at the moment I am extremely overwhelmed with packing and getting everything ready, I am really excited to have a place to call our own. We both feel like we've been stuck in limbo. Both of us have said that we'll finally get to see what married life is like and really start our life together. We found an apartment about ten minutes from both our parents. The search for an apartment I liked was quite disappointing. I went to several places and was let down, it was gross and filled with cigarette smoke, or we made too much $, or it was way over priced. I kept going back to one of the first places we (I drug my sweet SIL Kate everywhere with me) saw. When I took Nick to see it, the moment I walked in I felt, This is where we are suppose to be. And as soon as Nick heard the y offered fiber optic internet he felt the same way. He was totally giddy about it actually. We filled out an application that day. After what seemed like forever we were told we were accepted and chose a move in date. And that day is tomorrow! We have so much stuff but barely any furniture. So we've been trying to find things. Nick's step-grandma gave us several items as his grandpa just passed so she is moving in with her daughter. So in addition to getting packed I've also been trying to spruce up some of the things we got and make them a bit more us. My first project was a total fail. But I'm loving how the dinning room set is turning out. I promise pix to come! Now we just need to find us a couch and I think we'll be set for now. I am so excited to finally get to do all the wifey things and set up our own household with all that entails. We will be in just in time to celebrate our birthdays, I can't wait, I get to do so much more now! I'm also excited to decorate! And of course this also means adding to our family, but don't get too excited, we're getting a dog before we try for a baby. We need some time to be us first. We are both so excited and so very blessed at this opportunity. We are also so grateful to my parents for letting us live with them. It has been quite the experience for everyone. I'm so glad I have the parents I do and that they have been so gracious to us!

I'm thinkin a Corgi

Or maybe a Bulldog

Moving our Blog

Some time soon we will be moving our blog to wordpress. With all the issues I have with blogger Nick decided that we should try something a little different. So I am hoping that I will be able to see everyone's blogs and everything and not have such issues posting. We shall see. So I will be asking for invites to everyone's blog (as just about everybody is private) once again. And I'll be sending you the new one as well as soon as I get it how I like it.

Employed Again!

Things have been really tough as of late with us being unemployed for quite some time, not to mention all the time of unsteady employment. Nick has been the customer service field far too long which made him quite jaded. After the last cs job ended I told him no more. I didn't care how long we had to go unemployed, he was not to go back into that field. So he has been putting in application after application in the computer field where his heart truly lies. And after many applications and countless prayers (not to mentions tears) he got a couple of calls back. He had phone interviews with two companies then both had him in for interviews. The first was with an engineering firm doing animatronics. The second (where the interview lasted 6 hours) was with the church doing software development in the family search department. Both are amazing opportunities. But we could only do one. So after much thought, prayer and lists we went with the church. He starts next Tuesday. We are both over the moon. Now we can finally catch up on all of our bills and take the steps to get a place of our own. This has been the greatest blessing! I am so grateful that Nick has this opportunity and that he can finally get into the industry he's been longing to get into.