I have 7 minutes of my lunch break at work and thought I'd use the time to say hello and that we are alive and well. :- ) It's been a very busy summer, as is everyone else's it seems and we've been having fun with family and friends. The only downside is we have to work as well, so it takes up a lot of our time. This weekend is Blake's birthday so hopefully I'll be able to post some photos of the fun we have, and in two weeks we're going to lagoon, so maybe even some photos there. :- ) yikes only five minutes! Anyway, just waiting for Barb to have Josie and a couple of friends to have their cute little ones, and watching my tomatoes grow! Yes, that is right I'm actually growing tomatoes, it's a miracle! hahaha! Anyway, better get back to work I only have three minutes left. I promise to post more later... which I always seem to promise and never do... sorry about that. :- )

Springtime in Pocatello

Well it's springtime here in Idaho and as usual, you either have a nice, sunny day or you have snow. It's mother nature trying to make up her mind. Either way since it's all the way into April I figured I'd better post something so people would know that Blake and I are still alive and kicking. :- ) It's been a busy four months full of work, school, church, get togethers, trips, and more. Blake and I were able to go to Disneyland during ISU's spring break and it was sooooo much fun. I don't have my camera with me here at work, but I will post some pics soon. We'll also post some pics of the new sectional that we got! Since we moved in October we've been using my old daybed for a couch downstairs and it was not very comfy, so we are way excited for the couch. We've also had a bit of fun news within my family. My sister Joni, just had baby number three on Monday. His name is Spencer Mark Larsen and he's Joni's biggest baby at 7 lbs. 7 ozs. (Emma was about 6lbs. and Jake was under 6). I haven't seen him with my own eyes yet, but the pics are pretty darn cute. :- ). Also, my other sister, Barb, is pregnant with baby number three (also, girl number three) ;- ). She is due on labor day weekend (ironic isn't it?), and they have the name of Josie picked out. I can't wait, she and Mike make very, very cute girls. Also, my Dad got a new calling that I think is hilarious! He was called to a bishopric in the university wards here in town and he's in a singles ward. It'll be neat to see what this calling does to my Dad and also my Mom. Oh, and in May Blake and I get to go on a cruise with our friends the Sutton's. We are way stoked because this is probably going to be the only cruise for a very long time. We decided to have some fun while we can and since the government likes to pay you for buying a house we have the money to do so. YIPEEEE!!!!! Anyway, we'll post pics from that vacation too. Well, I'm on break at work, but I need to get back. Bye!

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. :- )