Tis the Season...

It's finally Christmas time and a time when people send out Christmas cards and wish you well and let you know what's going on with their family. Well, I don't have the patience for cards or the mailing system (many wedding invites were never received or arrived two weeks after!), so here is my Christmas card. :- )
I wish all of you who read this a very Merry Christmas and hope that things are going well for you. I'm so excited to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with my friends and family, it always seems that within that circle is where you find the true meaning of Christmas. It's where you find peace, love, and giving. How grateful I am to each one of you that have been examples of these qualities, and to my Saviour who was the perfect example.
As for life, Blake and I are settling into a day-to-day routine of work and school. After four o'clock though, it gets pretty hectic and changes from hour to hour almost! Blake goes to school in the morning and then to work until about eight and then we get a couple of hours to hang out or get some errands done and then it's off to bed since I have to be up at 5:45 every morning. The highlights of our week is when we watch Biggest Loser with my parents on Tuesday (they pause it until we can get there when Blake gets off :- )) and Saturday's after Blake gets off work. To keep me entertained until Blake gets off is the adorable, little Jasper. He's gotten much bigger since that last picture and has had a haircut. He has the funniest personality and is so loving. He always want to be with either Blake or me all the time and it's nice to come home to a puppy that is ALWAYS soooooo excited to see you. It's better than coming home to nothing when Blake is at work. Speaking of work, I'm liking my job more and more, just because I like the people I work with really. There is hardly any backbiting here compared to what there used to be at Farm Bureau. I tell you what, a nice boss makes ALL the difference. Blake is adjusting to school with only a few speed bumps, but which first semester doesn't have those. He still works at McKee's, which is a job, but as always he wants something better. Anyway, that's about all that's going on in our lives. We're busy, but happy.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why I haven't posted a blog in two months...

I know my last post was about being a slacker when it came to my blog but, I think I did even worse this time. However I have a couple of really good excuses. One, Blake and I were house hunting in August and September. We went all over Pocatello trying to find something, and finally we found something perfect for us! Yea!!!! So we found a house, bought a house, packed and moved in, and now I'm still trying to unpack. :- ) I've been a little distracted from that last part by the other really good reason I've been a blog slacker. The day after we moved in, I went to visit Blake and McKee's and they had a puppy that was the spitting image of the dog a grew up with! I about cried when I saw him. We weren't planning on getting one so soon, but what do you do when fate intervenes? We got a little aprocot toy poodle and named him Jasper (and no, the Twilight book had nothing to do with it). He's been so fun to play with and cuddle with, Blake and I love him! We figure if we can keep a dog alive then we might be able to keep a kid alive, so here goes the experiment, ;- ) Anyway, I always promist pictures and just never remember but here are a few photos of Jasper and of my new hair do. You know you need a change when all you do is leave it down after a shower or put it in a ponytail. :- ) Anyway, other than that our life has been going pretty well. Work is good, I've gotten to know more people and it has made it a fun place to be. Blake is doing well in school and is balancing school, work, and a life very well. Hopefully, it won't take another two months for us to post! :- )

SLACKER

I have been a bit of a blog slacker the last month and a half, and this post still won't have pictures cause I don't have my camera with me and I'm writing this on my parents computer. The reason I haven't posted in so long is that we have been uber busy. I got myself a job with Farmers Insurance at the end of July and have been working full time, Blake covers for people at McKee's along with his own shifts and works about a 40+ hour work week himself. Then we have our church responsibilities. Mine with the Relief Society and his with Athletic Director (which means we just go to all the softball games, which I don't mind at all). We have also had two family reunions, wedding receptions, divorce parties ;- ), birthday celebrations, holidays, house sitting, and a few other things thrown in there too. Anyway, that's been our lives for the past month or so. Since we've been with family a lot lately I've noticed that I'm okay with not having kids right now. Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but when the kids get fussy, have to go to the bathroom, or need their diaper's changed it's nice to hand them to the parents. Someday Blake and I will have kids, but for now, loving the quiet life. :- ) When we do decide to have kids, Blake's mom will have her grandbaby fund ready to spoil our kids rotten (uh-oh). Just thought I'd put that out there for people who always ask when we're going to have kids. Also for Katie's nerves since she thinks that every time I call her it's to tell her I'm pregnant. hahaha- love you Katie! ;- ) Anyway, I promise to have some pictures up next time to illustrate our crazy lives... keep your fingers crossed! ;- )

Relaxing... sort of

I always get impatient when my friends don't update their blogs very often, then I realized it's been quite awhile since I'd updated mine. The sad thing is, is there isn't much to update. Blake and I work, attend to church callings, run errands, clean, and that's about it. Luckily there is down time in which we have really gotten into The Office. That show is hilarious by the way! Other than that nothing big has changed and I have yet to find a better job (but I'm grateful to even have a job right now).
One good thing is that Blake and I went on a little vacation to Denver, CO to hang out at a condo with my parents and visit with some family that I haven't seen in awhile. We had a fun time driving around Denver and going up to the Red Rocks area, and then playing games late into the night. The last two days of the "vacation" included driving five hours in the back of an extended cab truck (which means very little leg room... poor Blake), to Casper, WY to move my sister and her family to Idaho Falls the next day. That car ride was just over 8 hours and included Joni, me, and the kids in her van, my Dad and Blake in the moving van, and my Mom all by herself in the truck. The kids did well for the majority of the ride, but towards the end they just wanted out of the car (like the rest of us) and got a little cranky. Not the best end to a vacation but whatever.
I think Blake and I need another one where we truly just do nothing, but time off for family reunions is taking up all my hours :- (. Not that I'm not excited to go and see my family, but a true vacation sounds soooooo good right now. Anyway, that's all that's going on in our lives right now, so sorry if you fell asleep before the end of this post. :- )

Finally!

It's taken me seven years, three changed majors, one semester off, and about two years just going part time to get my Bachelors in History! I was really unmotivated during the last little bit of the semester but somehow I was able to get in gear and finish the papers and projects that needed to be done. The fact that I've graduated hasn't really hit me yet, even with walking in the actual ceremony. I don't think reality will hit until this fall when I'm not in class and Blake will be writing papers and studying.
I now turn my sites to looking for a better job... easier said than done. Not only is it the worst time to try and find a job, but there are very few jobs for History graduates as it is. Right now I'll settle for whatever job will pay me well and give me benefits while Blake starts his college career. I have a few options that I will be looking into within the next few weeks, but at least I've got a job for now.
It's not one that has any real promise, because really, I don't want to be a news reporter, anchor, or management in this place. The on-air talent gets paid almost nothing, and every manager and director in this place is corrupt and inept. Luckily, most of them work in the Idaho Falls office and a hardly have to deal with them, but those that I do work with down in Pocatello I love! My boss treats me so well, and she is such an awesome person. The reporters down here aren't the divas that have temper-tantrums, they're fun to work with and good, hard workers.
Blake is also wanting to look for another job where he isn't selling lawn programs and picking up after puppies and other animals. He tries every now and again to apply at different places, but with all the hours he covers, it leaves him hardly any time to find another job (I think they do that on purpose ;- )). At least we both have jobs, which is a great blessing right now.
Anyway, our life is good and we are having fun and doing great! One day soon I will post pictures I promise! I just have to remember to bring my camera and stuff to work one day, since this is the only place I can do it. :- )

Senioritis

Graduation is May 9th, and it can't come soon enough. I only have one and a half papers left to do and no finals, so I really will be finished in about two weeks. Yet, I keep procrastinating finishing my last bit of papers. How utterly stupid would it be of me to trip at the finish line!? I'm hoping by typing this post that it will get me into the typing mood to go and type actual papers. I will post some more after graduation and I might even be ambitious enough after that to post some pictures... maybe... ;- )

March is better than February!

In my last blog I was being a complainer, and for that I apologize. I've had some good things happen in the month of March and some other good things that promise to keep it going. First I now have my cap and gown in my possession (they are chilling in the second bedroom of our apartment), and I have to say I'm getting senioritis REALLY BAD!!!! Also, I've been a little overwhelmed when it came to my classes and my internship, but they've been going pretty good and I feel like I know where things are heading now, which is a relief. Another good thing that happened was this last weekend I was able to hang out with some of my friends from high school. The girls usually get together, but some are missing either because they can't make it or live out of town. This time we had Sarah here from Utah and our husbands were included too. We had dinner over at Katie's house and the rest of us brought the side stuff and the dessert. Some had to leave early, but it was good to see them while they were there. Katie, Sarah, and I (plus spouses) were talking till midnight about anything and everything. For awhile it was the girls talking in the living room and the guys talking in the kitchen (I think there is a little bromance starting with our husbands, they'll start going out to eat and talk pretty soon here too! ;- )). Then we all got together. In the midst of our talking we decided that Sarah and I will have a joint graduation party sometime in May, because she'll be here and we'll both be done with school. Although I think Sarah deserves top honors for getting her MA in Chemistry, it took me this long just to get my BA! Anyway, this weekend is something I'm really looking forward to, because it's our first anniversary! I can't believe it's been a year! I'm so happy and love him more and more all the time. Since we are poor, we're using some free tickets to Lava and a Chili's gift card to celebrate :- ). This weekend also hails in spring break, my last one ever! But like I said before, we are poor. So our big trip will be to Boise to visit my sisters family and we are leaving Thursday night, so that I only miss one day of work. It'll still be soooo much fun to visit the fam though. We will also probably stop off in Twin to visit my brother's family too. All this coupled with the fact that the weather is (slowly) starting to get warmer is making me soooo happy. I knew March would be better! :- )

Winter and School Blues

I've had the winter blah's for awhile and I'm excited for March to come, because (usually) it's the month that Spring starts. I think it's a bad idea to start your last semester in the cold and darkness that is winter because then I have no drive at all to want to finish my seminar paper or the other class papers I have to write. I also feel overloaded with this internship I'm doing, because there is no set plan and I feel like I'm reaching in the dark for stuff. I keep telling myself that I have about two months left and then I will be done! Then I also tell myself that I only have two months to get all my stuff done and I start hyperventilating. It's a no win situation I guess. Anyway, despite school craziness I have had time to be with friends and family and to leave that behind me for a few hours at a time. I also don't know what I would do without my Sundays. I haven't done homework on Sunday's for quite awhile, and while no big blessing has come from it, I really enjoy my no school day. I find that I'm able to put things into better perspective and focus on what really makes me, me. I find comfort in the gospel and in Christ. It makes me feel better knowing that He's there with me, and understands my feelings of inadequacy, and that he can help alleviate those feelings to help me get through just one more paper or one more article review. I also find it a big blessing to be married to Blake right now, because I'd probably go crazy if I didn't have him and his silliness to come home to every night. He makes me laugh and feel a lot better about myself and my abilities. I love that guy! I guess the song 'Count Your Blessings' really does come in handy when you feel like pooh! I'm also grateful to all my family and friends that help Blake in keeping me sane. You all make me smile!

High School Flashback

Call be a bandwagoner, but I saw so many of these I decided to do it too. :- )

1. DID YOU DATE SOMEONE FROM YOUR SCHOOL? nope, thankfully I never dated in high school
2. WHAT KIND OF CAR DID YOU DRIVE? 1980 Wagoneer (we called it the beast), and a 1989 Voyager Van
3. DID YOU PASS YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE TEST YOUR FIRST TRY? yep, wasn't that hard.
4. WERE YOU A PARTY ANIMAL? Yes! The good kind of parties though :- )
5. WERE YOU CONSIDERED A FLIRT? no, I had more guy friends than girlfriends, and so it wasn't flirting.
6. WERE YOU IN BAND, ORCHESTRA, OR CHOIR? Choir and drama
7. WERE YOU A NERD? everybody probably thought so, including my friends. ;- )
8. WERE YOU ON ANY VARSITY TEAMS? nope, I didn't want to do sports in high school, because then they actually put the scores in the paper and for some reason that scared me
9. DID YOU EVER GET SUSPENDED/EXPELLED? not even close
10. CAN YOU STILL SING THE FIGHT SONG? We're loyal to you Poky High...
11. WHO WERE YOUR FAVORITE TEACHERS? Mr. Bowman, Mrs. Reavis, and the old Key Club advisor... what's his name!?
12. WHERE DID YOU SIT FOR LUNCH? wherever we decided to go, except senior year. I was usually in one meeting or another every lunch my senior year.
13. WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOL'S FULL NAME? Pocatello High School
14. WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOL'S MASCOT AND COLORS? Indians Red, White, and Blue (we were very patriotic)
15. WHO WAS HOMECOMING ROYALTY? Katie G. Jen O. and Sarah S. (I would not have remembered this had I not seen previous posts... sorry my friends! :- ))
16. IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN WOULD YOU? I had a great time, but I'll leave the past in the past.
17. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT GRADUATION? Becky eating it on the ramp. ;- )
18. WHERE DID YOU GO SENIOR SKIP DAY? I think if we did have a day off I spent it at work, lame.
19. WERE YOU IN ANY CLUBS? Key Club, Seminary Council, Student Government, and Choir Council (hence never being able to eat at lunch my senior year)
20. HAVE YOU GAINED SOME WEIGHT SINCE THEN? Luckily I've actually lost weight since then, but I'm starting to gain it back since I've been married. Luckily I have gym membership and have actually been going.
21.WHO WAS YOUR PROM DATE? I didn't go to prom
22. ARE YOU PLANNING ON GOING TO YOUR HIGH SCHOOL REUNION? If I'm close by I will
23. DID YOU HAVE A JOB IN HIGH SCHOOL? Yes! Good ol' Johnny B Goodes. I hate the Beep Beep song!
24. WERE YOU AN HONOR STUDENT? nope, it was a lot easier to get A's and B's without studying the the normal classes. hehehe!
25. DID YOU TAKE SEMINARY? Sure did, even was on seminary council. Phil and I were the outcast of that council and we had some fun!
26. WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR MOST FUN TIME? There are too many times to pinpoint one
27. WERE YOU CONSIDERED SHY OR OUTGOING? depended on who I was around and my mood at the time
28. ANY LAST MEMORIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? Yeah, we need to go under the underpants and flip a Jewy to get to lunch! ;- )

January is pretty boring

There is a reason why I haven't posted anything for awhile... nothing really interesting has happened. School started for me and I my internship requires a lot of reading and a lot of unsuraties (I'm not sure if that's even a word, but whatever). I'm helping on editing Idaho's historical magazine, which is a little overwhelming since I'm not sure as to how to really edit other people's work (especially when the articles are 25+ pages!). Not only that they're in the process of going completely online, so they aren't really sure of what's going on yet which means I don't really know what's going on. I hate that. I like knowing what I have to do and when I have to do it, but hopefully since we're all learning they'll cut me a little slack. Anyway, I have that internship plus two other classes. One is my seminar class where I will be building a research paper from the ground up that will be about 15-20 pages when I'm finished. A bit of a daunting task. Then my other class is Women in the American West that is taught by the head of the department. No pressure, right? Anyway, I have a couple of projects and a couple of 7-10 page papers for her class as well. It all seems big and scary right now, but hopefully everything is spread out so that it's not so bad. Other than that I'm still working at Channel 3 and Blake is working at McKee's. Blake will be going to school in the fall when I'm finished, and he is getting things ready right now. It's fun to look back at the whole application process and all that, but it's better to know that I don't have to do that ever again!!! Anyway, that's pretty much our lives. Not much and a pretty boring read, but just thought I'd keep you updated still the same.

2008 and 2009 tag

It's 2009?!
Here's a tag to sum up the year 2008:

2008: In The Beginning
Did you kiss anyone at midnight?: yes- for the first time in my life I got a New Year's kiss!

Did you make any resolutions?: not that I remember, I have for this year though.

2008: Your Love Life
Did you break up with anyone?: nope

Were you broken up with?: nope

Did you get anything for Valentine's day?: Blake got me a CTR ring that I've always wanted and the first book of the Twilight series thus beginning my love for the series.

Did you meet anyone special?: not really

Did you fall in love?: everyday

2008: Friends and Enemies
Did you meet any new friends this year?: Sure did! That's what happens when you go from being single to married.

Did you dislike anyone?: YES, she made life so complicated when it didn't need to be and she still pulls the same stuff.

Did you make any new enemies?: no, for some reason she's never liked me.

Did you resolve any fights?: I hope so, but I don't know because she hasn't responded to any of my messages.

Who was your closest friend?: Blake, and Barb

Who did you grow apart from?: my single friends sadly

Do you have any regrets when it comes to your friendships?: sad that some of my single friends don't want to keep in touch anymore.

2008: Your BIRTHDAY!
Did you have a cake? Yes, multiple ones!

What did you do for your birthday? Moved into a new and better apartment and went to class.
Did you have a party?: kinda of, after we moved in my mom-in-law got some pizza and those who helped us move had a party.

Did you get any presents?: Yeah

If so what was the best thing you got?: Going and doing sealings with my entire family in the Temple together.

2008: All about YOU.
Did you change at all this year?: I think so

Did you dye your hair?: nope, haven't done that ever. I highlighted it about two years ago though.

Did you get your hair cut?: I chopped off over a foot of hair. It did go to locks of love though.

Did you change your style?: no

Were you in school?: Yes...sadly

Did you get good grades?: yeah

Did you have a job?: yes

Did you drive?: yes

Did you own a car?: yep, and then bought another car so Blake could get around

Did anyone close to you give birth?: many good friends did

Did you move at all?: Twice!

Did you go on any vacations? some mini ones

Did you leave the country at all?: I wish!

Would you change anything about yourself now?: the marriage weight I've gained

2008:Wrap Up.
Was 2008 a good year?: It was a very good year, despite the economy because I got married to the love of my life!

Did 2008 bring any new insights?: guys and girls are really, REALLY different, but you love 'em still the same. ;- )

Do you think 2009 will top 2008?: In different aspects... like school... cause I will finally be done!!!